Felicity Smoak Could Return to Arrow in a Revival

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Emily Bett Rickards has shown interest in returning as Felicity Smoak if there’s a revival of the show “Arrow.” During a chat on Michael Rosenbaum’s podcast, she hinted that she might come back to her role if offered the chance. Fans were taken aback when she left the superhero series before its final season in 2019, which later required producers to adjust the show’s eighth and concluding season without its primary female character. Rickards made a brief return for the series finale in January 2020. The idea of her revisiting the character resurfaces around six years after her departure from the series that kick-started the Arrowverse, an expansive TV universe that officially concluded with “Superman & Lois” in December 2024.

Rickards expressed on the podcast, “I genuinely want to present flowers to Felicity, if I’m being truthful.” He further added, “There are aspects of Felicity that I wish she had been more vocal about. My affection for Felicity is what drives me, not the show ‘Arrow’ or its fans. In essence, I do it for her, and everyone else benefits from it secondarily!” This statement implies that his motivation comes from lingering feelings regarding the character’s growth rather than a desire to cater to fans or revisit the series that concluded five years ago.

Rickards shared her feelings, stating that in the later seasons of the series, she felt her character got a bit confused, and if given the chance, she would have altered things for her. However, she clarified that she wasn’t a writer on the show. Reflecting on her seven-season journey, she expressed a mix of appreciation and remorse. When asked if she ever voiced these concerns to the production team during her time on the show, Rickards admitted that she did express her thoughts, but she believes she would have been more explicit about her issues and expectations for the character now. These statements offer fresh insight into her sudden departure from the show, hinting that creative disagreements could have played a role in her decision to leave before its end.

The Legacy of Felicity Smoak and Arrow‘s Definitive Ending

As a devoted Arrow fan, I can’t help but reminisce about the captivating journey of Felicity Smoak. Initially appearing as a recurring character in the first season, she later became a series regular and the romantic interest for none other than Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell). Their bond deepened to the point where they even exchanged vows, making her the title character’s wife. However, at the close of season seven, her departure left us with only one episode encounter in the show’s last season. The series finale, entitled “Fadeout,” was a heartwarming conclusion to their storyline as it brought Felicity and Oliver together once more, this time in a paradise dimension set in the year 2040. Here, they found closure for their relationship while she raised their daughter Mia, providing us fans with a satisfying ending to their compelling tale.

As a passionate fan, I must say that the closing sequence was exceptionally intriguing because it was crafted before our beloved character, Emily, had officially agreed to rejoin the series. In an exclusive interview with ComicBook in early 2020, co-creator Marc Guggenheim shared this fascinating detail: “We weren’t sure if Emily would be back on the show. The dilemma was, how can we set up a possible return for season eight without necessarily requiring or owing an appearance in season eight.”

Guggenheim further revealed that the final scene came to him during meditation, saying, “I emerged from my meditative state with the entire scene fully formed in my mind, almost as if it had been written out word by word, exactly as you just witnessed it on screen.

The creators deemed this particular scene crucial for wrapping up the series, so Guggenheim remembered telling Schwartz, “I penned the last scene; I need to send it to you. Naturally, the main query was, will Emily appear in it? We pondered, well, she practically must now, because I’m quite fond of the scene.” Luckily for supporters of the Olicity bond, Rickards came back to shoot this critical event, offering a satisfying resolution to a key relationship that shaped a significant part of the show.

2024 will see the finale of the Arrowverse with Superman & Lois, wrapping up a 12-year TV universe made up of seven shows that set the trend for interconnected superhero television universes years before others followed suit. Although it seems improbable for a revival given this final chapter, Rickards’ recent comments underscore her enduring emotional bond with a character who transformed from an initial one-off IT specialist into a powerful and influential figure within the show.

Arrow is currently available for streaming on Netflix.

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2025-04-02 11:40