Arrow‘s Emily Bett Rickards Returns for Series Finale — Will ‘Olicity’ Reunite?
It’s official: Arrow star Stephen Amell announced on Friday that Emily Bett Rickards will be on hand when the superherro drama wraps its eight-season run in early 2020.
Back in March, Rickards most unexpectedly announced her exit from the Arrowverse‘s flagship series, saying on Instagram, “Felicity and I are a very tight two, but after [seasons] one through seven we will be saying goodbye to you.”
Rickards’ final appearance as a series regular was in the Season 7 finale. As that episode drew to a close, the Monitor (played by LaMonica Garrett) showed up in Oliver and Felicity’s near-future to collect on the deal he and Oliver made during last year’s “Elseworlds” crossover. The multiverse required that Oliver assist the Monitor in preventing the inevitable, saving countless lives in the process — even though Oliver was destined to die in doing so.
Decades later, after visiting Oliver’s grave site with adult Mia and William, Felicity met up with the Monitor to be taken… somewhere.
“Where I’m taking you, there is no return,” the cosmic being made clear.
“I’ve been waiting a very long time to see him,” Felicity answered. “I’m ready.”
Now with the news of EBR’s return, it appears Felicity will in fact see… him.
Shortly after Arrow‘s penultimate finale aired, Rickards seemed bearish on returning for the series ender, saying, “I feel like Felicity has done her time.
“We knew this was coming for a while – for over a year,” she explained, “so the whole thing is exactly what we wanted to happen.”
CW president Mark Pedowitz seemed to be of the same mind when asked at the May Upfronts about Rickards possibly returning. “[Showrunner] Beth Schwartz did a great job wrapping up Felicity’s storyline,” he said. “If Beth can find a way to bring her back that makes sense, and Emily is available, we’d love to have her. Otherwise, I’m pleased by how they said goodbye to the character.”
And as recently as Oct. 10, Schwartz reiterated her stance that “we’d welcome [Emily] back, and we’ll see what happens.”
Arrow‘s series finale — the 10th episode of its farewell run — began filming Oct. 31.
YASSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!
I was loving this season, best since season 2 or 3 and then they do this. In the end the biggest villain in the show was known by one monster like name……….OLICITY!!!!!!
If they didn’t bring her back, what else would you have to incessantly whine about?
Ray, you’re quite the Trolicity!!!!!!!
Why are you even here if the last season you loved was season 3? Seriously. :D That was 5 years ago. Also, the most heavy Olicity season IS S3, but…. you say you loved it? Hey, I loved it too. And if you thought Arrow would end any other way than with Olicity, you don’t understand the basic fabric of the show since S2 episode 1.
I kindof assumed that they had shot something at the end of last season with her that they were saving for the series finale.
I asked Marc Guggenheim back in August; they did not film anything.
We have paparazzi photos of Felicity (same clothes as her final scene but with glasses and no age makeup, suggesting she went back in time) and The Monitor filming a scene where they arrive at the rural cabin and she runs in. So I suspect Guggenheim is pulling the wool over your eyes, for whatever reason.
Cool.
Matt Mitovich: When you shot the Season 7 finale with Emily and LaMonica on the street with the fog and everything, did you happen to pre-shoot something else with her, while you had her there?
Marc Guggenheim: No…. I guess there’s a world where you’re thinking that far in advance, but that’s pretty rare. In fact, the last scene that I’ve written for the show, I only wrote that [in late June].
Again, I don’t know why he’s saying otherwise. He’s completely aware that fans and media in Vancouver saw and heard them filming an extra scene, and yet he’s making out they didn’t. The photos are still up, I believe via Canagraphs.
Cool. #RIPPrincessDiana
Matt, I don’t get the Princess Diana reference, but it seems in poor taste.
Also, you aren’t really proving that Guggenheim isn’t being misleading to maintain some surprises by sharing what Guggenheim said. But yeah….cool.
Most episodes of most shows will film more for a script than they have time to air in an episode. A deleted scene from that episode is not the same as filming something specifically for the next season’s finale.
Yes sure, but this scene is likely set after the very final scene from the Season 7 finale. So it being a deleted scene? Sure, perhaps it was the original ending to S7. But they didn’t use it, so that means it could have been saved for the potential series finale.
I would have been shocked if she HADN’T returned for the series finale.
Right? Of course she was always coming back for it. And as for the title of this article: c’mon, TVLINE. “No, I bet Emily comes back and Olicity does NOT reunite. I bet Emily comes back and she and Stephen don’t share a single scene.” C’mon! Let’s be a little less dumb please.
Looks like she didn’t have any luck finding a new job.
LOL so painfully hateful. She’s worked on many things since she’s been on Arrow. Plus it’s the final episode. You people were kidding yourselves if you thought she wasn’t going to be in the final episode.
She left because SHE DID have stage work lined up and other projects.
LOL you can’t reason with these people. They only want leathered fighters on this show that shoot a gun and then pose in a middle of a fight scene. Also she had a show lined up but they want us to believe that the ones that keep themselves or are stuck at the CW are so in demand. It’s laughable. Emily Bett has been praised in her work and has starred in an Oscar nominated movie. Can’t say the same for most of the CW stars.
George needs to make himself feel better somehow!
Actually Emily doesn’t really want to work in TV anymore. She says she wants to do stage work.
Lmao you all are attacking me like I said something mean. You’re the reason people give her so much grief when you jump down someone who has a different opinion than yours throat. I was simply implying that she must not be busy with another show or projecti f she has time to fly out to Vancouver to shoot the finale in November.
Well you’re obviously wrong since she was working in a play. You seem to act like you don’t know what’s going on with the Arrow cast but also have the audacity to say something about how you think she has no job prospects.
It’s not about us jumping down anyone’s throats and that’s why she gets hate. She gets hate for the most stupidest reasons.
I think she also was working on another indie movie with the director of Funny Story… but that’s beside the fact that you’re acting like a whining child because you were called out. So yeah, she’s in Vancouver in November for a few days to say goodbye to a show she was on for seven years. If I recall correctly, Colin Donnell would show up overnight to do a bonus scene while he was also filming Chicago Med. Making cameos doesn’t mean she doesn’t have work, and after the grief she got for calling Marc out about Kreisberg, I wouldn’t blame her for choosing not to come back.
It’s literally one episode of a show that she did for 7 seasons. If she didn’t come back for the series finale, y’all would have been whining about how ungrateful she is to the show. These comments are so pathetic at this point.
Actually no. She was the reason I stopped watching after season 3 and I personally wouldn’t have given her 2 thoughts if she never showed up in the finale. For whatever reasons she left, good riddance! Out of site … out of mind.
Just one (1) user name per IP address, thank you so very much! –Mgmt.
She’s really not out of anyones mind though, is she? It’s Arrow’s final season, she’s not here and somehow STILL the only person who gets more attention than her is Stephen. Cassidy’s directed episode aired recently, ppl talked about it for MAYBE 24 hours (positively), and it was over. Colin Donnell (whom I like very much) showed up on Arrow, again ppl very excited for a minute and that’s it. The current attention span of a TV viewer is super short, because new stuff happens ALL THE TIME. And yet, the talk about Emily returning/not returning hasn’t shut down since the finale of last season. So, no, she was never out of most viewer’s minds.
just when Arrow was finally becoming what it was meant to be and moving away from the endless Olicity drama….a kickass, powerful superhero show. well at least there will be no Olicity in Crisis.
I just hope this won’t bring down the finale too much. There are more important things in this show to resolve in the finale then Olicity. With luck it is just one little scene of them reuniting in the pocket universe dimension.
Exactly what is more important than Oliver reuniting with his wife, after his fight is finished? I know some people have a major olicity boner but chill dude. Oliver has mentioned time and time again he is doing it for his family. While you might hate Felicity, Oliver does not.
Agreed… Of all former castmates, her return was most needed to properly close the story. They did a good job handling her exit, so her return can be easily wrote back in…
Wow. Rarely has there been a comment so realistic and reasonable.
She’s his wife. She is a part of the story. Get over it already. The show started off with a love triangle. Don’t be telling me it’s Olicity drama. Every character has brought drama to the show. You were probably one of those people who wanted him to cheat on his wife and leave his children for someone else. Embarrassing. Also the action hasn’t been that good for a long while. Only if you like someone shooting a gun or kicking someone down and then posing in a middle of a scene. I’m sorry but that’s just not realistic in a fight scene.
I’m glad. She was a huge part of the show and a huge part of Oliver’s life – it’s only right she should be there to close it out. Looking forward to the bitterness that’s sure to follow this announcement, LOL.
She is a huge part of the show and they would shoot themselves in the foot if they didnt get her back at least for the ending. Amazing that she’s back and their story and Oliver’s story can now have a happy ending! He deserves it. Their whole family does and Diggle + Lyla Connor and JJ?!
This is great news!
Great! The series has had a spike in quality. This will make the ending better.
AWESOME NEWS!!! I couldn’t imagine an arrow finale without Felicity Samoak
the most fitting end for the series. With the King and Queen of DCTv
Yes!
I’m so happy right now i can’t even. This is the best news. YAAAS 😭😍❤
The best news ever! No other way to end Arrow that with all the most important people in it!
I’m just so happy to get to enjoy Felicity and Olicity for the last time. End of an era ❤
Yeeeeeeessssss!!!!! 🤗😘😘😘😘
Even after everyone and their brother were announced to be coming out of the woodwork for Crisis, this is the only news I cared about. Oliver and Felicity made this show, so hopefully they’ll have a happy ending together. Haters can die mad.
BEST NEWS EVER! I have to admit i had my doubts because Emily seemed so done with the show so i’m very happy she’s back, even if it’s just for the finale. I would’ve wanted more Felicity than that but beggars can’t be choosers so I’ll take this! Hopefully this means I’ll get my long-awaited much deserved Olicity reunion.
YASS QUEEN!
So happy that our Queen (literally) is back! I love it even more that Stephen announced it. He loves spoiling us about Olicity news so much that he must have been dying inside having to keep this news a secret, LOL.
I love this so much. Our dctv Queen is back as she should. Arrow could never end without her! Everyone knows it. She’s the heart of the show since day one (episode 3). Olicity fandom, we keep winning! Feels really good, doesn’t it?! I can’t wait for the finale.
I’m so freaking excited!! Stephen has always said this show couldn’t end without her and I couldn’t agree with him more.
Best news 😭
OMG! BEST NEWS EVER! Arrow ending wouldn’t be complete without Emily Bett
I was getting scared that she wouldn’t come back for a scene or two at least. So glad I can breathe again!
Very happy to hear this though it would have been very exciting if they had saved this as a surprise during the finale instead of announcing it in advance. Thank you Emily for choosing to return. You were under no obligation to do so. Thank you TVline for your excellent coverage of the Arrowverse.