Following yesterday’s penultimate episode, there’s just one hour left to go of Arrow before the Emerald Archer empties his quiver for good. Season 8’s ninth outing, a backdoor pilot for upcoming spinoff Green Arrow and the Canaries, ended with a brief promo teasing what’s to come in next week’s series finale. And, though it didn’t give much away, it does just enough to promise an emotional farewell to the father of the Arrowverse.
The 20-second preview opens with a tease for the hour-long documentary Hitting the Bullseye that will precede the finale, containing interviews with the cast and crew as they look back over the journey that Team Arrow has undertaken for these past eight years. The final 10 seconds then supply a burst of footage from the last episode, titled “Fadeout,” which leaves us with much to analyze.
A few clips, in particular, stand out. We initially see the Canaries and Wild Dog, surrounded by many others, holding a candlelight vigil. The final clip of the teaser then reveals a statue of the Green Arrow, suggesting the people of Star City have come to honor their fallen hero. In between, we see Dinah Drake switching the lights off in the Arrowcave for good. However, it’s not all ending, as John Diggle hints at a new beginning, with a snippet of his speech. “Oliver’s mission is far from over,” he tells the assembled members of the extended Team Arrow.
Oliver Queen died protecting the multiverse in the penultimate part of “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” but like Diggle says, the story doesn’t end there. As set up in yesterday’s installment, his daughter Mia Queen will take over her dad’s mantle and continue to save his city with the help of Dinah and Laurel Lance.
But next week’s series finale still represents the end of an era and a goodbye to many fan favorites, most of all Oliver. Don’t miss Arrow 8×10 “Fadeout,” on Tuesday, January 28th on The CW.