Arrow will be ending its long run on The CW with season eight. It means we still have a season with all our favorite characters, with the exception of one: Felicity Smoak. Actor Emily Bett Rickards will not be returning for the final season. We’re pouring one out for you, Olicity fans.
Bett Rickards played Felicity from the beginning of the series. Her performance as the whipsmart, kind of nerdy character made Felicity a fan favorite. And she’ll be leaving with the end of Arrow’s seventh season. Bett Ricards shared the news on Instagram (via io9). She made the announcement (a la the Supernatural stars announcing the end of their series) and said all of her goodbyes via a heartfelt poem, which you can read below:
In a statement, executive producers Greg Berlanti and Beth Schwartz said, “We’ve had the pleasure of working with Emily since Season 1 and in those past seven years she has brought one of TV’s most beloved characters to life. And although we’re heartbroken to see both Emily and Felicity leave the show, we’re completely supportive of Emily and her future endeavors. She will always have a family at Arrow.”
The final season of Arrow will run for ten episodes instead of the usual 22.
This announcement has many fans speculating that Felicity will face a grim fate at the end of this season. She’s an integral part of the series. It seems highly unlikely she will just walk off into the sunset before Oliver Queen has to face whatever final challenges await him in the final stretch of episodes. If she dies, it would have significant ramifications on Oliver. But let’s hope she’s not fridged and used solely to further a season-long arc for Oliver.
Images: Warner Brothers Television
