Could Mia Smoak Carry on Green Arrow's Legacy After Arrow Ends?

Arrow may have reinvigorated its storyline this year with the inclusion of flash-forwards, but that didn't stop The CW from announcing that a shortened Season 8 will be Arrow's last.

It's not all that shocking that the show that launched the Arrowverse has now reached the end of its cycle, considering most CW shows don't make it past Season 8 these days. Not every show can be Supernatural, with 14 seasons under its belt and no signs of stopping. And in retrospect, Arrow has already lost Colton Haynes (Roy) and Katie Cassidy (Laurel) once -- though they both eventually came back for seconds -- and Willa Holland (Thea), Paul Blackthorne (Detective Lance) and now Echo Kellum (Curtis) have all left the show. It only felt like a matter of time until a member of OTA -- Oliver (Stephen Amell), Diggle (David Ramsey) or Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) -- decided it was time to peace out, which is why we're thankful the series is ending with its core cast still locked in, and a shortened season for condensed storytelling to boot!

Arrow Will End After Season 8

Luckily for fans that aren't quite ready to let go, the Arrowverse has some masterminds hard at work creating these shows, and it's possible that they could have already built in a safety net for a few characters' stories to continue on after Season 8.

In addition to flashing forward 20 years in the future, Season 7 has introduced adult versions of William (Ben Lewis), Rene's (Rick Gonzalez) daughter Zoey (Andrea Sixtos), and even Oliver and Felicity's unborn daughter, Mia (Katherine McNamara). Most surprising of all, the show has even introduced an adult version of Connor Hawke (Joseph David Jones), who has turned out to be the adoptive son of John Diggle. The Flash has even introduced Barry Allen's (Grant Gustin) daughter, Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy), from the future, who could and probably should be added to this little super team of the future. With a full group of five vigilantes, all with their own specialties and abilities, an "Arrowverse Next Generation" spin-off seems more than feasible.

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There's even precedent of this tactic working with The CW's audience in the form of Legacies, the next generation spin-off of The Originals and The Vampire Diaries; this new series was developed using the children of beloved characters fromboth parent shows, and Legacies has already received a Season 2 renewal thanks to its successful launch.

CW President Mark Pedowitz spoke to the possibility of this kind of spin-off series at the Television Critics Association, saying, "You know what, we are looking for what works. The nice thing about having this Arrowverse is you get to see characters, and if something pops you have the ability to extend it. So yes, we look all the time."

This debate is a bit premature, given that Arrow still has the rest of Season 7 to wrap up and a shortened Season 8 in the works, but it is good food for thought as we ponder how The CW will continue to develop their DC lineup without its flagship show.

Arrow airs Mondays at 8/7c on The CW.

(Disclosure: TV Guide is owned by CBS, one of The CW's parent companies.)

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