Arrow was an outside bet when it launched in 2012. Mainstream audiences weren’t familiar with Oliver Queen/Green Arrow and the hero was primarily known in the comics for his collection of unlikely trick arrows. From those unassuming beginnings, the show gradually became a juggernaut for The CW and its success spawned many spinoffs in what’s come to be known as the Arrowverse, which looks set to continue for years to come.
Now, Oliver Queen’s story has ended with him dying in order to save the universe. It’s absolutely a heroic death but left some fans saddened as, after all that misery and sacrifice through the show’s eight seasons, they felt he deserved a cheerier final act. Arrow producer Marc Guggenheim is arguing that he got one, though. Sorta.
In an appearance on Literary Joe’s Inner Child Podcast, Guggenheim discussed reactions to the ending and why he thinks they made the right call, saying:
“I know there’s a lot of fans who really feel Oliver deserved a happy ending, and I will say, for my money, I feel like we gave him the Arrow version of one. Arrow’s always been a really dark show. I think the show has sort of thrived in its darkness, and I think that’s one of the reasons why the idea that he would get a traditional happy ending where he gets to ride off into the sunset with his wife and his daughter, it felt incongruous with the overall tone of the show.”
It’s a good point, and at minimum fans should be happy that the character got a dramatically satisfying conclusion that landed with some genuine weight. Plus, we knew quite early on in the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover that Oliver’s death was a very real possibility.
In any case, the Arrowverse looks set to go from strength to strength over the next year, with the highly anticipated Superman & Lois and the refreshed Batwoman both landing in early 2021. But, despite all the excitement to come, the memory of Oliver Queen’s many adventures in Arrow will linger long in the minds and hearts of fans.