We still don’t know why the Monitor brought FTA back to the year 2019, and I can’t imagine it’s because he just likes drama, which he clearly does. What can you tease about his motivation?

Ben: Yeah, I think the Monitor and the fans have that in common, and the writers as well. I don’t think I can speak to why the Monitor did this, but I can say I think from a creative standpoint, I think the writers really recognized maybe some of the concerns that some of the fans had about the future storyline just being a little bit grim and hopeless. Now that’s really been turned on its head and anything is possible.

Sounds hopeful to me! I still don’t believe the future will be totally reset, because then there’s no drama for the spin off. But hopefully a little more light and hope is injected into 2040 - particularly regarding Zoe’s survival and JJ Diggle.

Mia Smoak || Hurricane (8x03) by  infinitecanvas

Me: *heaving sobs*

Arrow 8x04 Description

ECHO KELLUM GUEST STARS – When a mysterious new Deathstroke appears in Star City, Oliver (Stephen Amell) and Team Arrow insist on taking down this villain themselves. Meanwhile reeling from the loss of one of their own, the future Team Arrow figures out a new way to try and stop JJ. 

Kristin Windell directed the episode written by Oscar Balderrama & Jeane Wong (#804).

Infinite Love: Arrow 8x02 Review (Welcome to Hong Kong)

Sooo… it seems not every episode is going to be stellar in the final season. I was a little bored during “Welcome to Hong Kong.” It’s a lot of set up for Crisis and I was a little confused by plot. It’s possible I was confused by plot because I wasn’t paying attention to the plot. I replayed Oliver putting his wedding ring back on over and over again instead. I feel it was a valid life choice.

There’s also a lot of L*urel, 

but it’s cool because we’re gonna yell about her and that’s always fun.

Let’s dig in….

Don’t even say it. I shall not hear of it.

TVLINE | I saw Kat [McNamara] and Juliana [Harkavy] tweeting about production starting on the spinoff’s backdoor pilot. Are you a part of that?

Charlie: Oh yeah. 

Me:

What I like about Kat is there’s no bullshit.  She’s very honest in interviews and with her fans. She makes some very interesting comments about Mia Smoak and FTA. It’s clear she is not happy about the introduction of more Canaries either.

Paragon: Arrow 8x01 Review (Starling City)

My expectations were low. Real low. I’ve seen the spoilers. I read all the interviews. I tried maintaining a neutral level, but then the dreaded, “It’ll be a love letter to fans,” was said and I dropped my expectations into negative numbers. No Emily Bett Rickards means no Felicity Smoak. Love letters are not on the freaking table. We are living the nightmare scenario.  It’s best not to hope for much.

And yet, “Starling City” was a pleasant surprise. I really enjoyed it. 

Perhaps, it is because my expectations were low. Maybe it’s because the writers made Felicity’s presence felt throughout the episode.  Maybe it’s because I fell in love with the show in the pilot and I missed characters a lot more than I realized. It could even be nostalgia because this is truly the beginning of the end. Whatever the reason is – I was entertained. There’s a lot of good here folks and that is a freaking shock.

Stephen Amell has said many times Arrow as we know it officially ended in 7x22. He was right. “Starling City” feels like a different show and yet it was familiar in so many ways that truly matter. It’s impossible to fill the gaping hole that is Emily’s absence and the writers wisely didn’t even try. They just ran headlong into it because Oliver’s heart is the gaping hole. If we can’t watch Felicity on screen then at the very least we can share in Oliver’s pain because it is our pain too.

Source: olicitygifs

Let’s dig in…