A Heroes Journey of Sacrifice
As I have written before, I have always felt that Arrow has been about a hero's journey similar to Homer's Odyssey. A hero longing for home, but that search for home and being a hero in the light comes with great sacrifice. Both and Oliver and Felicity are heroes, and both have made sacrifices, but none more than Oliver.
In season one Oliver lost Tommy, his best friend, but in that loss, it changed his course. He would fight a different way. With every sacrifice there is growth. In season 2 Oliver lost his mother, but in enduring that loss he found Felicity and her love which gave him strength. In season 3, Oliver lost his identity and nearly his life, but he found out what he really wanted from his life. In season 4, he lost Felicity, but he found out that honesty could have opened closed doors. He learned to open his heart. In season 5, he nearly lost his soul with Adrian Chase's torture, and the mother of his son died, causing him nearly the loss of the relationship with his son, but he found that Felicity would always be willing to be by his side. In season 6 he lost his team. Every member of the team turned their backs on him, only Felicity stayed by his side. He gained his wife. In season 7 Oliver lost his freedom, and the idealism that he carried with him, but he gained a better understand of just who he was and who his wife really is, he gained a family. In the future we see that he sacrificed his family. He doesn't get to raise is daughter or see his son grow into manhood, he sacrifices 20 years of loving his wife, and she willingly makes the same sacrifice. Felicity sacrificed her Archer program for the good of others. She sacrificed 20 years of lying in the same bed with her husband's arms around her. Oliver still loves her, and she still loves Oliver,because she still wears the wedding band he gave her. What was it Felicity told William, "To be a hero, you have to sacrifice even your family for the good of others."
I don't have a mind into the writer's heart nor how they planned for the story to go. I do know that both Stephen and Emily wanted to end the show at season 7, but the producers wanted the crossover of Crisis on Infinite Earths, so they talked Stephen into agreeing but Emily chose to leave. The writers said they felt that Emily would not be on board with a season 8, so they had to have something in mind.
Oliver and Felicity's sacrifices of losing each other, and their children is a high price to pay to be heroes in the light. It cost them both. Even though Felicity got to raise Mia, she had to keep secrets from her, which for Felicity was a huge price, because she despised secrets, and that cost her a close relationship with Mia. Oliver paid the ultimate sacrifice, he lost time with those he loved the most, all to save a city who really didn't show they cared, but that's what heroes do.
At one point before Felicity left perhaps they did plan on killing Oliver at the end because I always believed they patterned Oliver after Odysseus, who does die at the end, but perhaps Emily's decision changed that. I think Oliver at the end of season 8 will be reunited with his family, and he and Felicity will be able to safely retire, while Mia and William will carry on in the spin-off.
If it doesn't happen that way, that's okay too, for the hero's tale is always about sacrificing their own happiness for others, and this writer/reviewer can live with that too.
In season one Oliver lost Tommy, his best friend, but in that loss, it changed his course. He would fight a different way. With every sacrifice there is growth. In season 2 Oliver lost his mother, but in enduring that loss he found Felicity and her love which gave him strength. In season 3, Oliver lost his identity and nearly his life, but he found out what he really wanted from his life. In season 4, he lost Felicity, but he found out that honesty could have opened closed doors. He learned to open his heart. In season 5, he nearly lost his soul with Adrian Chase's torture, and the mother of his son died, causing him nearly the loss of the relationship with his son, but he found that Felicity would always be willing to be by his side. In season 6 he lost his team. Every member of the team turned their backs on him, only Felicity stayed by his side. He gained his wife. In season 7 Oliver lost his freedom, and the idealism that he carried with him, but he gained a better understand of just who he was and who his wife really is, he gained a family. In the future we see that he sacrificed his family. He doesn't get to raise is daughter or see his son grow into manhood, he sacrifices 20 years of loving his wife, and she willingly makes the same sacrifice. Felicity sacrificed her Archer program for the good of others. She sacrificed 20 years of lying in the same bed with her husband's arms around her. Oliver still loves her, and she still loves Oliver,because she still wears the wedding band he gave her. What was it Felicity told William, "To be a hero, you have to sacrifice even your family for the good of others." I don't have a mind into the writer's heart nor how they planned for the story to go. I do know that both Stephen and Emily wanted to end the show at season 7, but the producers wanted the crossover of Crisis on Infinite Earths, so they talked Stephen into agreeing but Emily chose to leave. The writers said they felt that Emily would not be on board with a season 8, so they had to have something in mind.
At one point before Felicity left perhaps they did plan on killing Oliver at the end because I always believed they patterned Oliver after Odysseus, who does die at the end, but perhaps Emily's decision changed that. I think Oliver at the end of season 8 will be reunited with his family, and he and Felicity will be able to safely retire, while Mia and William will carry on in the spin-off. If it doesn't happen that way, that's okay too, for the hero's tale is always about sacrificing their own happiness for others, and this writer/reviewer can live with that too.
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