Emily Bett Rickards leaving Arrow before season 8; see message
In a rather-poetic post on Instagram earlier today, the actress confirmed that she is departing the CW series once we reach the conclusion of season 7. While we knew we’d be saying goodbye to Felicity before too long, we though it would be at the conclusion of the ten-episode final season. We imagine that many other cast members will remain, but telling the stories without Felicity will seem strange and certainly out of whack with the style of Arrow we’ve come to see over the past several years.
Trace through the journey of Felicity for a moment, and how she may be one of the best underdog TV characters in the history of television. Her journey first began as a recurring player in season 1, someone initially brought on for a small role that became so much more. Felicity Smoak’s role in the DC Comics world is not exactly an enormous one, so much of what Arrow did throughout the past seven years is a creation of the writers and the chemistry Emily developed with Stephen Amell and the rest of the cast. She allowed this character to flourish and become an inspiration to so many people all over the world.
What’s important to know entering season 8? That no matter what happens to Felicity at the end of this season, her role in the greater Arrowverse is cemented. We don’t think much can or should change her legacy — from her personality to her role in the story, you can see her influence throughout much of the rest of the Arrowverse. Those shows will live on for at least a little while, but we do think that this exit does symbolize some of the challenges that come for shows on The CW once they get to the end of actor contracts and also creative challenges of running for more than 150 episodes.
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What do you think about Rickards leaving Arrow before the eighth season? Did you see this coming at all? Share right now in the comments. (Photo: The CW.)