‘Arrow’ season 8: What do we know?

Expect The Monitor, some familiar faces and a new suit.

Arrow has given us a lot of fun over nearly a decade, with twists and turns, amazing characters and cliffhangers that make you hate having to wait a week…in some cases, a good 6 months. Arrow season 8 is the last we will see of that revolving arrowhead intro, with the show being rounded off by this year’s Arrowverse crossover event then a final few episodes to tie up loose ends.

But, with this being the show’s final season, what can we expect? Surely the adventures of Oliver Queen are going to go out with a bang before he ‘dies’ during ‘The Crisis’…right? Let’s take a look at what we know so far!

Obviously…this is it

Sorry to state the obvious but…it’s the beginning of the end. With only 10 episodes left to round off the Arrowverse’s parent show, we can expect A LOT to be crammed in.

It has already been confirmed that there will be zero filler episodes, which only means that the plot is going to be driven onward constantly. The last we saw of Oliver, he was being told of his impending death by The Monitor and being whisked away from his wife and child to prepare the world for the coming crisis.

We know some time will have passed from last season’s finale and the coming premiere (Amell’s hair length), but what the duo have been up to exactly? That’s all down to speculation for the time being.

Expect fan-favourites to reappear

We all seen it coming with it being the final season, but range of returning cast members is a surprise! The final season will bring back characters such as Tommy Merlyn, Adrian Chase, Moira Queen and Tatsu Yamoshiro…just maybe not the ones that you know.

The show’s creators claim that Arrow season 8 will be solely set on Earth 1, however from what the sizzle reel showed us, can we really trust that?

We see a bearded Chase and another bearded Merlyn. Meryln is looking pretty menacing and Chase…I get the feeling he won’t be such a bad guy this time around. Alternate realities seem to be at play, but if it isn’t that and we somehow get a new take on characters we know, it will be interesting. Maybe we will see a version of Chase that is learning to fight and is learning about Oliver. Maybe the Tommy we see is a Tommy from during Oliver’s time on Lian You.

Another interesting point is that Moira Queen will appear in the first episode, entitled ‘Starling City’. Tatsu will appear in the second episode, entitled ‘Welcome To Hong Kong’. The show’s episodes leading up to the annual Arrowverse crossover will all serve as ‘love letters’ it has been reported, to the show’s history and most memorable moments.

Oliver’s got ANOTHER suit

We’ve seen Oliver in quite a few threads over the past 8 years, but this one could be interesting. The newest suit seems to incorporate bits and pieces of each of Oliver’s past suits. Quite fitting for the final season, but will it look his best? I doubt anything will beat Oliver’s first attire. Personal opinion, folks.

The season will feel like a ‘buddy cop’ adventure

I don’t think we could imagine Oliver and The Monitor being the Arrowverse’s version of Lethal Weapon, but you get their drift, right? We will mainly see the duo traveling to different destinations to prepare other heroes for ‘The Crisis’, and along the way there is no doubt that Oliver will find himself hit by some nostalgia as he meets familiar faces.

Interestingly enough, it has been rumoured that Oliver and The Monitor will be joined on their travels by a third team member. A new version of John Diggle? Another Laurel Lance? Maybe even a certain family member from the future?

Katie Cassidy Rodgers will direct episode 3

Episode 3, entitled ‘Leap of Faith’, will show another cast member in the director’s chair before it’s too late. The show has been known to have cast members directing, such as original cast member David Ramsey, and now Laurel Lance actress, Katie Cassidy Rodgers, is taking up the mantle for an episode.

It COULD be a happy ending for Oliver

We know that Oliver’s deal with The Monitor in last season’s Arrowverse crossover meant him losing his life for the universe…but in what context? At San Diego Comic-Con in July, Stephen Amell mentioned that Oliver’s ending may not be as sad as you will expect.

We know that he is supposed to ‘die’. We saw that grave in the future. Then Felicity ventured through a portal with The Monitor to see Oliver for the first time in decades. Maybe Oliver has had to live on another Earth in exile, away from all of his loved ones, to either appear dead for the timeline’s purpose or as a penance for saving Barry and Kara’s lives.

We will get MORE than our regular Oliver Queen during ‘The Crisis’

We are used to doppelgängers in the Arrowverse by now, but multiple at once? That’s something new.

It has been revealed that we will see many different versions of Oliver Queen during the ‘Crisis On Infinite Earths’ storyline, meaning Amell is getting some serious acting muscles to flex before he departs.

Felicity Smoak is apparently not appearing AT ALL

We are expecting at least a cameo, right? Well, if all is to be believed, we shouldn’t expect a glimpse of Overwatch/Felicity Smoak in a single frame (except maybe in archive footage).

The show will feel slightly off without the lovable, rambling Felicity being around but with Emily Bett Rickards departing it will be something to grin and bear. Stephen Amell has flat out said that Smoak won’t be around for the final run, but hey, we’ll see.

Oliver will meet 2040 Mia Smoak

This one is sure to pull at some heart strings and also pique a bit of interest. It has been revealed that Oliver will get a chance to meet the older version of his daughter who we viewers have been familiar with since last season.

It is rumoured that Oliver will in fact travel around the world, to different earths and also in time (no matter what those involved with the show say) and I guess IF Oliver gets a chance to choose a destination, getting to see an adult version of his child would make sense. You may want to get your tissues at the ready for this one.

Whether you like it or not, Arrow season 8 is coming to your screens soon, and for a final time we will be looking forward to seeing how the premier sets up the tone for the rest of the season, even if it is for a shorter run than usual.

To get an idea of what to expect from the final season, here is the final sizzle reel ever for Arrow from this year’s San Diego Comic-Con:

The Flash will return to The CW in The US on October 15, 2019. In The UK, it will air at a later date on Sky One.