Love Saved the City: Arrow 8x10 Review Part 1 (Fadeout)

Arrow fades out (PUN!!!!!!!!!) with a beautifully poignant, surprising, not so surprising, nostalgic, hopeful, and gut wrenching final episode. Seriously, y’all I cried buckets. Dawson-Leary-Dumped-By-Joey-For-Her-True-Love-Pacey-Witter-Ugly-Cry tears. 

Arrow’s finale is everything we love (and hate) about the show. Most importantly, it gives fans closure while leaving room for possibility.

Summing up the entirety of an eight year television show in a single hour is no easy task, but Arrow smartly zeroes in on what matters. The core characters are saying goodbye to Oliver Queen, but our hero is saying goodbye to us. In a life often mired down by uncertainty, Oliver’s decisions leave no room for doubt. He understands with perfect clarity the point of it all.

Arrow has meant many things to many people, but Oliver has the final word on what it all meant to him. The answer may be surprising to some, but I am certain those who have loved Arrow best have always known the point of Oliver Queen’s story.

Marc Guggenheim and Beth Schwartz gave me plenty to obsessively dissect. There’s symbolism to analyze; Greek philosophy and religion to wax poetically about; shade to throw; song lyrics to quote; snarky jokes to make; sweaty-tank-top-and-leather-pants men to drool over; missed opportunities to rage over; EPIC feels to feel; surprises to scream about IN ALL CAPS; tears to cry; and lessons to learn. And gifs. Of course there will be gifs.  

You’ve been with me the whole ride, so let’s go on one more mission together. Say goodbye to Arrow with me my friends.

I had to break this into two parts because of the gifs. Get comfy. We’ll be here awhile.

Let’s dig in (one last time)…

Love Saved the City: Arrow 8x10 Review Part 2 (Fadeout)

 Diggle and the Flashbacks

“Fadeout” is centered on John Diggle and his struggle to let Oliver go. David Ramsey was given the storyline shaft A LOT in this show, so I was happy they brought the focus back to John in the final hour. Better late than never. David deserves it.

I just did eleven pages on the impact Oliver’s death has on Felicity, but it is a significant loss for John too. We can’t underplay the importance of Diggle and Oliver’s relationship. It is a cornerstone of Arrow. 

They should’ve only used Emily for ONE SCENE? REALLY STEPHEN????!!!

8x10 SCRIPT PAGES FROM MARC!!! Sit down, read and have a good cry.

Although that “Olicity” reunion marks the end of Arrow‘s run, there are still a multitude of spinoffs to which the show gave birth. So might Oliver and/or Felicity ever come back in some form? “The whole point of making him the Spectre was to give us story opportunities, because who knows what’s going to happen in the future?” Guggenheim said. “And the one thing I always say every time a character dies on any of these shows, it’s like, ‘We’ve got alternate realities. We’ve got time travel. We’ve got flashbacks.’ You name it, we have all these different devices. No one’s ever really gone.”

Less than 24 hours until Arrow signs off the air... FOREVER. It’s been a ride guys. The previews for the finale are positive!

Shot of Oliver and Felicity from the 8x10 promo. Breathe y’all. It’s gonna be fine.

Kat is out there promoting the back door pilot and is promising good things for Olicity.