Arrow came to an end after the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event, but the show’s perfect finale had already happened three seasons earlier. From a Smallville successor to the foundation of an entire franchise, Arrow surprised many people and changed the way superheroes are adapted to the small screen. Still, an eight-season run rarely happens without quality inconsistencies – a problem that Arrow had to deal with in its final seasons. Arrow’s final episodes, just like the later seasons of the show, were way too flawed to be a satisfying ending – which is why Arrow should have ended three years earlier.
Arrow season 5 was not only the best season since the widely praised seasons 1 and 2 but also a perfect conclusion for the show. After Arrow seasons 3 and 4 struggled with finding a new tone for the show now that magic and aliens existed in the Arrowverse, Arrow season 5 went back to basics and brought the sense of realism that had originally defined the show. Arrow season 5 was closer to seasons 1 and 2 in terms of tone, an impressive feat considering how convoluted the Arrowverse had become at that point. Instead of introducing new characters or paying off Arrowverse crossovers, Arrow season 5 tells an Oliver Queen story, which is something the actual Arrow finale couldn’t. As a result, it would have been much more satisfying for Arrow to end after season 5.
Arrow Season 5 Was A Celebration Of The Show
Arrow establishes that Oliver Queen spent five years “in hell” before returning home and becoming the Green Arrow. Considering that Arrow’s signature flashbacks would follow one of Oliver’s five years away per season, the original plan was for Arrow to last five seasons. By the time Arrow reached season 5, the show had become way too popular to end. Still, Arrow season 5 managed to be a celebration of the show, and it made Oliver Queen’s story come full circle. Arrow’s final flashback arc ended right where Arrow’s pilot began, a visual and thematic celebration of the show’s legacy. In addition, Arrow’s season 5 villain only existed because of Oliver’s season 1 mistakes, which put Green Arrow’s legacy in a whole new perspective. This made it a natural conclusion for the show as a whole.
Why Arrow Should Have Ended After Season 5
While Oliver Queen’s role in “Crises on Infinite Earths” was exciting, Arrow deserved a more self-contained, intimate series finale. The Arrow finale was essentially a Crisis on Infinite Earths epilogue, and it asked viewers to have watched three other shows to understand Oliver Queen’s death. Arrow season 5, on the other hand, puts the Arrowverse aside and focuses on an Oliver Queen character study in an arc that could have very well wrapped up the show. There is also a quality issue when it comes to Arrow seasons 6, 7, and 8 – none of which were as well received as Arrow season 5. Therefore, Arrow could have ended on a much higher note if had been wrapped up during season 5.
The concept of Arrow lasting five seasons, one for each year Oliver was missing, would have worked much better than extending the show through eight seasons. After season 5, Arrow began to reuse storylines, undo character arcs, and focus on expanding the show and the Arrowverse. Oliver Queen’s story became an afterthought, thus leading Arrow to lose what had made it so special in the first place. Arrow season 5 offered the show an opportunity to end with a definitive Oliver Queen arc that revisited the very reason why the Arrow came to be, the flaws in Oliver’s initial crusade, and what his legacy to Star City would be.
