Stephen Amell’s Alternate Arrow Ending Idea Is Better Than What We Got

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The TV show Arrow concluded in 2020 with a dramatic ending, and fans are still talking about it. The series originally launched in 2012 as The CW’s first superhero drama since Smallville, successfully kicking off what would become the DC Arrowverse. Starring Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen, Arrow is remembered as one of the most memorable and faithful comic book adaptations.

The series finale of Arrow, after eight seasons of excitement and bold choices, left many fans disappointed with how Oliver Queen’s story concluded. This underwhelming ending started a chain reaction for The CW’s superhero shows, ultimately leading to the end of the Arrowverse with The Flash in 2023. Though Superman & Lois continued until 2024, it wasn’t officially part of the main Earth-Prime storyline.

Stephen Amell Is Right About Arrow’s Ending

The Last Season Deserved More

I was at Motor City Comic Con in 2025 when Stephen Amell hit the nail on the head – Arrow deserved a more satisfying ending. Looking back, the earlier seasons, one through six with 23 episodes each, and even season seven with 22, allowed the show to really breathe. They had time to develop the characters, build interesting storylines, and plant seeds for future surprises. It felt like the final season was rushed, and a longer run would have given Oliver Queen the sendoff he truly earned.

In contrast, the last season of Arrow was short, with only 10 episodes. Much of season 8 focused on setting up a major crossover event in episode 8, and episode 9 didn’t even include Oliver Queen – it was actually a pilot episode for a potential spin-off called Green Arrow & The Canaries. Because of this limited timeframe, Arrow wasn’t able to give its final season the development it deserved.

Crisis On Infinite Earths Got In The Way Of A Proper Arrow Finale

The Mass Crossover Left No Breathing Room For Arrow

The final season of Arrow felt rushed and didn’t quite deliver on its potential, largely because of its involvement with the Crisis On Infinite Earths storyline. This five-part event, inspired by a comic book from the 1980s, brought all the shows in the Arrowverse together for a huge, universe-saving mission that ultimately reset the timelines for each series.

Although many consider “Crisis on Infinite Earths” the best Arrowverse crossover event, it definitely created problems for the final season of Arrow. Killing off a main character during a crossover is generally a bad move, and Arrow didn’t quite give Oliver Queen the ending he deserved. Plus, the large-scale, cosmic danger of “Crisis” didn’t really fit with what Arrow did best, and that was noticeable.

Arrow’s Final Season Should’ve Been A Street-Level Story

Oliver Queen Didn’t Need To Become A Multiverse Martyr

While many villains in the Arrowverse ended up battling heroes in faraway places, Arrow would have been stronger in its final season if it had remained focused on its original premise. Oliver Queen is, at his core, a hero who fights crime on the streets, and the show should have kept the focus on the problems within Star City.

From the very beginning, Green Arrow has always been a politically motivated hero, much like Robin Hood. To stay true to that history, the show Arrow should have given Oliver Queen a final storyline focused on protecting his city and ensuring his legacy lived on – facing a realistic, impactful villain instead of a threat to the entire multiverse. This would have provided a more fitting and emotional ending for the character.

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2025-12-28 02:38