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6 things to read before the Arrow series finale

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Published on January 28, 2020 09:24AM EST

Arrow has reached the end of the road.

On Tuesday, the hard-travelin’ superhero show signs off with a two-hour series finale event that begins with a retrospective called “Hitting the Bullseye” at 8 p.m., followed by the show’s actual final episode at 9 p.m. We’ve known this day was coming for almost a year now, but it’s still insane to think this is the last time we’ll see Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards), Diggle (David Ramsey), Laurel (Katie Cassidy), and the rest of Team Arrow on Arrow (Who knows what the future holds for them in the rest of the Arrowverse?). Over the past 169 episodes, they’ve been through so much and the final episode intends to honor all of that.

“It’s really such a beautiful way to bring such an epic way legacy and such an epic story to a close,” star Katherine McNamara, who plays Oliver and Felicity’s daughter, Mia, recently told EW about the series finale. “There’s something about Arrow that’s always been a redemption story, and it’s been [about] Oliver’s journey from the person that he was to the father and husband and the hero that he became. It’s really a beautiful way to tie up any loose ends in as much as we can and to nostalgically revisit so many things, and to parallel a lot of other elements and to look forward to the future and look at his journey from 50,000 feet and see the effect he had on Star City and on the whole Arrowverse.”

Ahead of what’s guaranteed to be an emotional conclusion to a series that spawned an entire shared universe, EW has gathered together six articles that delve into Arrow‘s impressive journey and will get you ready for the ending. Check them out below.

How Arrow saved the TV superhero — and why it had to end:

EW August 2019 Cover - Stephen Amell as Green Arrow — Carlos Serrao for EW

In EW’s first monthly issue, star Stephen Amell and executive producers Greg Berlanti, Beth Schwartz, and Marc Guggenheim walked us through the show’s unexpected evolution from a risky, comic book-y pilot to a shared universe-spawning, network-defining series. Plus, Amell offers a small tease about the series finale. (Read it here.)

Stephen Amell reflects on his Arrow journey: ‘I f—ing care a lot about it’

AV_SA_745784983948543 — Carlos Serrao for EW

In July 2019, EW sat down with Amell for a long in-depth chat about his time on the show. The star opened up about deciding to hang up the hood after seven seasons, his audition, how he’s grown as an actor, and more. “The biggest thing I’ll take away from doing the show is my kiddo really admires what I do,” said Amell. “She comes to the set all the time, and I know that won’t last forever, but she sits there in video village, and she wears her cans, and she calls action every once in a while. Honestly, that’s the coolest thing.” (Read it here.)

Every episode of Arrow ranked, from worst to best

From crossovers to deaths to resurrections and more bone-crunching fights than you can count, the past 160 episodes have seen it all, and one of the joys of this show is watching how it has evolved over time. But which hour is the best, and which is the worst? Ahead of the final season, EW rewatched every single episode to answer that question. Remember to check back on Monday to find out where the final season’s episodes fall in the ranking! (Here’s the current ranking of the past 169 episodes.)

Arrow producer recalls the happy accident that led to Deathstroke’s debut

Guggenheim reveals the surprising stories behind the introductions of Manu Bennett as Slade Wilson, a.k.a Deathstroke, and Colton Haynes as Roy Harper. Spoiler alert: Neither one of them were part of the original plan. (Read it here.)

Greetings from Vancouver: Battling the rain for a marathon session of TV set visits

Arrow called Vancouver home during its entire run, and in 2014, former EW senior writer Natalie Abrams revealed what it was like to shoot in the rainy Canadian territory. (Read it here.)

Watch the Arrowverse stars say goodbye to Arrow: ‘I love you, Stephen’

Not only did Arrow run for eight seasons, but it also gave birth to an entire shared universe that includes The Flash, Supergirl, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, and Batwoman. Last summer, EW asked stars Grant Gustin, Caity Lotz, Melissa Benoist, and Ruby Rose to pay tribute to the hero who started it all. “None of this would’ve been possible without Stephen and the groundwork that Arrow laid,” said Gustin. Ain’t that the truth. (Read and watch it here.)

Arrow‘s series finale airs Tuesday at 9 p.m. on The CW.

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