The Arrowverse is one of the most ambitions undertakings in TV, spanning six shows that taken as a whole appear to be a meticulously constructed shared universe of complementary mythologies gradually built up according to some grand plan. However, Arrow creators Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim have now revealed that the whole thing was actually an accident.
The pair were interviewed by Entertainment Weekly ahead of “Crisis On Infinite Earths,” in which Berlanti states that despite people’s belief in the sprawling saga having been carefully planned out, “each step was a surprise.” Guggenheim continued by expanding on the point, stating: “If I had to pick one word, I’d say ‘unbelievable,’” referring to the shared universe’s very existence and its associated crossovers, before going on to say that the seemingly organic expansion of the universe’s scope “really speaks to my whole philosophy about building a universe. The best way to do that is to do one good show. That one is really hard. Then if you succeed, do a second really good show.”
When Arrow first debuted, the original intention was to keep it grounded in (relative) reality and not feature any metahumans or true superpowers, with the creators even emphatically stating as such in interviews that Guggenheim now dryly states have not aged particularly well. That changed in the show’s second season though – which incidentally remains one of the most flawless pieces of television ever made – with the introduction of Barry Allen and his subsequent transformation into the Flash, and the third season’s use of immortal assassin Ra’s al Ghul as its primary villain, from there the scope of ambition continuing to expand.
Further new series will be seen post-Crisis in the form of Green Arrow and the Canaries, a 2040-set show featuring Mia taking up her father’s mantle and aided by Dinah and Laurel, along with Supergirl spinoff Superman & Lois, charting the continuing adventures of the latest incarnation of the most famous couple in comic book history. And even though Arrow itself will soon come to a very definite end, like its brooding hero, its legacy will be seen for years to come as the Arrowverse continues to grow and thrive without it.