Arrow kicked off its final season by taking a trip down memory lane and visiting the events of season 1. The premiere episode ended on a cliffhanger though, and we witnessed the destruction of Earth-2 by a wave of anti-matter energy.
Up to this point, Oliver had been helping the Monitor prepare the universe for the upcoming “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” the crossover event that will unite all the Arrowverse heroes to fight against the Anti-Monitor and his vicious plan to destroy the multiverse. In the first episode, titled “Starling City,” Ollie embraced an alternate reality in the form of Earth-2 where his absence warranted many tragic ramifications, most notably the death of Thea Queen and Tommy Merlin taking up the mantle of the Dark Archer instead of his father.
But the story doesn’t end there. Throughout the episode, Oliver was trying to find Dwarf Star particles, which the Monitor required to somehow preserve the multiverse. Meanwhile, the Dark Archer was planning to carry out his own Undertaking. This pushed Amell’s hero over the edge and he attempted to save the city and rescue his friend from the dark side, which went against the Monitor’s direct orders to not meddle with the affairs of this Earth.
Now, a new theory suggests that Oliver Queen and his intervention caused the destruction of Earth-2.
As we already know, the Anti-Monitor’s plan is in motion and he’s traversing different worlds to increase his sphere of influence on the multiverse. The new theory hints that the Monitor needs to always be one step ahead of his counterpart in order to save the universe, and that requires caution and precision. By drawing attention to himself and changing the course of events, Oliver brought the Anti-Monitor to Earth-2 and compelled him to destroy it.
“I told you not to interfere,” the Monitor told Oliver after they escaped from the wave of anti-matter energy, further implying that the destruction of Earth-2 was, in fact, Oliver’s fault.
Whether he’s to blame for the events that transpired in the premiere episode, we know that Oliver Queen will have to play the ultimate hero card by giving up his life during the crisis to save the multiverse, and the final season of Arrow is doing a very good job so far of building to that momentous sacrifice.