Arrow: A Heartfelt Goodbye

In less than 12 hours, my favorite television show will air its series finale. Although I am excited to see how it ends, I am also sad that after all this years, it’s actually going to be over.

 

I first learned of “Arrow” when it was in its second season. I had heard that there was going to be a TV series about the Flash, and I was interested in it. I learned that it was a spin-off of a show about the Green Arrow. Having been a “Justice League Unlimited” fan as a kid and the Green Arrow being one of my favorite characters, my brothers and I decided to give the show a try when I saw it was on Netflix.

 

The show was so real, so gritty and action-packed. I wasn’t crazy about the romantic drama and the party boy lifestyle of Oliver Queen in the first episode, but I decided to keep going because of the action, the characters, the sets and costumes, and on and on. It was well worth continuing. By three episodes in, I was hooked, as were my brothers.

 

The Season 1 finale was, in my opinion, one of the best episodes of TV I’ve ever seen. And Season 2 continued to be as amazing as its predecessor. As the years carried on, I continued to be a faithful “Arrow” fan. Around the time we finished Season 1, my parents got interested, so we started the show over from the beginning and watched it all the way through again with them.

 

In 2017, my now-wife Jessica and I had just started dating. I mentioned to her that for a long time, I had wanted to watch “Arrow” through again, this time with someone who had never seen it, because I wanted to see their genuine reactions to the plot twists and emotional beats that I had felt. She agreed to watch it with me, and fell in love with it too (though I probably still love it a little more than she does, but not by much).

 

We watched all the way through Season 5 together, and then watched Season 6 and 7, both for the first time. Then, in Spring 2019, shortly after I proposed to her, “Arrow” was officially announced to be ending after Season 8. I remember my aunt (also an avid Arrowhead, as the show fans are sometimes called) texting me to ask if I’d heard the news, including a news article attached. I was devastated. But, somewhere along the line, I came to terms with it.

 

In October 2019, Jessica and I got married. My groomsmen and I did the typical “Superman shirt rip” picture, and I wore a Green Arrow shirt.

Shortly after we got married, we dressed as Oliver and Felicity for our church’s Halloween Trunk-or-Treat.

All this to say, “Arrow” has had such an impact on me. And one area in particular that it has impacted me is in writing. Back in the summer of 2016, I decided to write a superhero novel, which was at the time titled “The Crusade.” I didn’t get very far into it – it was cheesy in the worst way and I didn’t really have a clear image of where the story was going. I just knew I wanted to write a superhero story.

 

Fast forward to Fall 2018, and I again decided to pick up “The Crusade.” Renaming it “Vigilante’s Light” and giving the main character and the story a major overhaul, I started from scratch and this time, the story just flowed. Taking inspiration from “Arrow” and another favorite show of mine, “Daredevil,” I had finished a first draft of “Vigilante’s Light” in a few short months. Now, with “Arrow” coming to an end, I am in the process of getting “Vigilante’s Light” published by Ambassador International.

 

Tonight, an era will end. I am both saddened and excited by what is to come. I am so glad that I got to watch through “Arrow” at its prime, and that I was able to share my love for it with my loved ones. My biggest thanks and congratulations to Stephen Amell, David Ramsey, Emily Bett Rickards, Katie Cassidy, and all the rest who made “Arrow” such a success from day 1. You did not fail this TV series.

 

Writer’s note: On Thursday, I will be publishing a Top 10 list of my favorite moments in “Arrow” history. Stay tuned!