Spoilers & Speculation: Running Hot & Cold

[BkWurm1]

Felicity split between three shows would be the absolute worst case scenario to me.  It would scream to me them pretending she's really important while actually marginalizing her in all shows and yeah, would signal to me from a meta standpoint that they are basically getting her off Arrow without actually getting her off Arrow. If that happens I can see quitting all three shows since she'd be reduced to the quippy IT gal that breezes in with assignments or information but never really gets involved with any of the main story lines or main characters since she would by definition become someone that 2/3's of her job is for a different show.  

 

Please, please let it be someone else.

 

Let it be Diggle because he already has an established personal life that I don't want them to tamper with, just lock it down as permanent.  He'd actually get more screen time and could be used in the action sequences so he'd not be confined to exposition fairy.  He's awesome as a mentor and extremely observant and so underused on Arrow that he could keep his current presence on Arrow without much difficulty, plus he is the one that just told his wife he was leaving behind the risks of Team Arrow to be there for his family. He's also a fan favorite that would bring eyeballs from Arrow to the new show and him going to be a connector to all three shows would be legitimately making him more important to the show without me feeling like they are just trying to get rid of him since he isn't "in the way" like some may view Felicity over on Arrow.

 

  Lyla is also a great choice from a storytelling standpoint but has less status to bring in new viewers.  She does have her gender in her favor cause Flash and Team Justice are getting overloaded with the testosterone.  

[Morrigan2575]

I don't get the argument that it would be good for Diggle but, not good for Felicity. This whole screentime thing doesn't make sense since Diggle had more screentime in S1 and S2 than anyone but Oliver. In S2 Felicity took 3rd place and right now for S3 they're reversed with Felicity in 2nd and Diggle in 3rd.

If sharing Felicity among 3 shows is bad for that character, I would say the same applies to Diggle. He'd be in the same boat, IMO.

Edited April 5, 2015 by Morrigan2575

[Sakura12]

I don't watch Arrow, so Diggle or Felicity going over to the spin off every once in awhile is fine with me. I'd be happy to see them interact with other characters and get to do something else. 

Edited April 5, 2015 by Sakura12

[Lokiberry]

I don't watch Arrow, so Diggle or Felicity going over to the spin off every once in awhile is fine with me. I'd be happy to see them interact with other characters and get to do something else. 

I don't watch Arrow anymore either, so what I want out of this is someone who makes sense bouncing around between the shows, and that's pretty much Felicity. I don't really see how it could be anyone else.

[BunsenBurner]

I think it could be Laurel. She needs to go off on her own and establish her credentials. By being on all three shows she would not overstay her welcome. TPTB would then be able to figure out who she actually has chemistry with and could push more and varied story lines with her. It would actually be a win win situation for KC and DC Comics. The EPs also love her and it would be a win for them as well.

[BkWurm1]

I don't get the argument that it would be good for Diggle but, not good for Felicity. This whole screentime thing doesn't make sense since Diggle had more screentime in S1 and S2 than anyone but Oliver. In S2 Felicity took 3rd place and right now for S3 they're reversed with Felicity in 2nd and Diggle in 3rd.

If sharing Felicity among 3 shows is bad for that character, I would say the same applies to Diggle. He'd be in the same boat, IMO.

The reason I think it could be good for Diggle is a lot of his time in season three we have him standing there getting screen time, but not doing anything or even more often, him being misused because the lair is too crowded.  I think moving him around could open him up to be better and more consistently used while still preserving him for the traditional couple Diggle focused episodes on Arrow and also be around for words of wisdom and family scenes. 

 

He's just not getting used enough on Arrow to the point where I'm afraid they will kill him off if they don't find a better way to use him.  This would keep him safe and contribute to fixing the overcrowding problem.  They've already sidelined him in the lair, at least this would explain it AND we'd get more substance with him since they wouldn't have him just stand there in the back ground in the other shows.    

 

The other reason why I think Diggle would be a better option is he doesn't need as much personal development on Arrow.  We need to address Andy and the Hive connection but that is a storyline that could be addressed in a few concentrated episodes.   His relationship with Lyla is established and while I love seeing it, it already is only something we see occasionally so that wouldn't change.

 

If Felicity were to be the one that floats I fear that she would get no storylines on the other shows, just be exposition or support to them (since she can't do the action shots or offer a lot of mentoring).  I would love to see some friendships develop but I worry it would be only to prop the other characters and since she'd be gone so much from Arrow, It would mean the development she needs on the relationship side couldn't be done in a natural organic way that is incorporated into the show in small incremental ways rather it would have to either not happen at all or happen only in a feast or famine way that doesn't bode well for anyone, IMO.   

 

I'd rather not water down Diggle either and just fix the way he's used on Arrow but they seem so enamored with the masks that I fear that's not realistic. Also it's while I feel Diggle is being edged out by the masks, I feel that there isn't anyone that can do Felicity's job on Arrow while we have Cisco on Flash and presumably both Ray and Stein on Team Justice. 

Edited April 5, 2015 by BkWurm1

[nksarmi]

I think it could be Laurel. She needs to go off on her own and establish her credentials. By being on all three shows she would not overstay her welcome. TPTB would then be able to figure out who she actually has chemistry with and could push more and varied story lines with her. It would actually be a win win situation for KC and DC Comics. The EPs also love her and it would be a win for them as well.

I like this option the best and I think it is the absolute best way for Laurel to come into the Black Canary role as an equal to Green Arrow and Flash (which in the Justice League she is).  On Arrow, I think she is too close to being a sidekick - having her float between the three shows as BC and an attorney gives her some significant development and prominence as an action hero.

[Sakura12]

Putting Laurel next to Sara will show even more the mistake the made. Sara is a master martial artist like the BC, Laurel is not.

Sara training Laurel would also not make sense, because why would Sara train Laurel to take over the name she choose for herself?

Edited April 5, 2015 by Sakura12

[BunsenBurner]

She doesn't necessarily have to be the BC with Sara. She could be there in a supporting role as a lawyer. Maybe she could be the one chosen to do the legalese to begin the justice league. I'm sure they could work around it. They might just be sisters seeing each other.

[Sakura12]

They said it was a job not a visit. Whoever does it, it will be their job to be liaison between the hero teams. They wouldn't need a lawyer and they wouldn't need an untrained hero.

[nksarmi]

Putting Laurel next to Sara will show even more the mistake the made. Sara is a master martial artist like the BC, Laurel is not.

Sara training Laurel would also not make sense, because why would Sara train Laurel to take over the name she choose for herself?

I am not 100% sure that even if Caity is playing Sara (which isn't confirmed yet) that Sara will maintain her old code name and costume.  Depending on how they bring her back (and more and more - I am hoping it is done on the spin-off, not on Arrow) she could come back without memories (think clone or amnesia) or as an AU/time-travel stunt. 

 

Since Sara was never meant to be Black Canary (and she wasn't - she was Canary), they might have decided to alter her character to play yet another comic book character.  Sara might decide that Canary was her old life and she wants to adopt a new code name for her new life. I don't have many idea as to who yet, but maybe some lesser known character who has similar martial arts/fighting skill as Sara?  Hmmm after doing some Google research - altering the story of Lady Shiva might work or if they cloned her, they might be able to adopt the Crimson Fox story. They could also change the story for WildCat II or alter Lady Blackhawk's story a little and say she was an ancestor of Laurel and Sara Lance, explaining why she looks just like Sara/Caity.  My favorite would be in the paint her green and make her Miss Martian, but that has nothing to do with Sara so I digress. :)

 

At any rate, the point is that there is room to develop Sara's character and bring Laurel into full Black Canary status even with the cross-overs.

They said it was a job not a visit. Whoever does it, it will be their job to be liaison between the hero teams. They wouldn't need a lawyer and they wouldn't need an untrained hero.

I think it is time to let go of the untrained hero tag for Laurel.  While it has been nice that they made her transition somewhat realistic - I am actually tired of a Black Canary that can't hold her own in a fight.  They've setup Nyssa as her trainer and this may continue throughout the summer.  They can also tell me she is training with WildCat off screen if Nyssa's story ends up trying back into the LOA this season.  Tell me she has trained all summer and by season four/spin-off air date - I will be more than ready to see Laurel kick ass.  So please, let's drop the untrained hero thing and start assuming she is getting the training she needs offscreen.

[tessaray]

If it is Felicity, and she and Oliver are together on Arrow, it could be a slightly less cliched way to keep some conflict in the relationship.  ETA:  It would be possible for her to consult on the spin-offs and still support TA remotely. Especially for someone who can hack into the feeds she would need. 

 

Adding... If the shows are going to be connected via some storylines, having a common infrastructure to share information could make sense.  Personally I think Lyla would be better from an action standpoint but none of the shows execute formal missions do they?  Unless that is going to change?  For example, I'm all for Clancy Brown on my screen any time but I don't think he originated on Arrow.  

Edited April 5, 2015 by tessaray

[Sakura12]

Laurel will be untrained until she has years of training under her belt.

They said she stopped training with Ted awhile ago. And since she has a job that requires more then 9 to 5. She can't be training enough to be good enough in a few months. If they are saying it's realistic then they have to keep it that way and not just rush through it suddenly.

Edited April 5, 2015 by Sakura12

[nksarmi]

Sakura - you are right, but I'm still over it.  They need to advance her to trained next season.  It's getting old her being a liability and unequal.  Frankly, I'm starting to think they didn't make a huge mistake not making her Black Canary from the start.  Like she could have already been operating when the show began and she and Oliver would cross paths now and then and it just took several seasons for them to learn each other's secret.  But since they can't fix it that way now - I need them to just establish her training, let her stunt double earn her pay, and move on with this story already.

[tessaray]

Laurel will be untrained until she has years of training under her belt.

They said she stopped training with Ted awhile ago. And since she has a job that requires more then 9 to 5. She can't be training enough to be good enough in a few months. If they are saying it's realistic then they have to keep it that way and not just rush through it suddenly.

 

Maybe someone will schedule her a three month intensive with Sensei Ping.  :-)  

Edited April 5, 2015 by tessaray

[Sakura12]

I agree, I think they should've made Laurel trained from the start and not made Sara such a highly trained canary. Casting Caity also hurt because she can actually do most of the stunts.

[FurryFury]

Please no Laurel. I've already dropped one show because of her (well, and other stuff, but mostly her), I don't want her to ruin something else for me.

[apinknightmare]

It's probably going to be Lyla or someone else to connect the worlds via her (or his, if it's a man) role with some large, possibly nefarious government entity that will make itself felt on on three shows for whatever reason.

[Starfish35]

I am not 100% sure that even if Caity is playing Sara (which isn't confirmed yet) that Sara will maintain her old code name and costume. Depending on how they bring her back (and more and more - I am hoping it is done on the spin-off, not on Arrow) she could come back without memories (think clone or amnesia) or as an AU/time-travel stunt.

Since Sara was never meant to be Black Canary (and she wasn't - she was Canary), they might have decided to alter her character to play yet another comic book character. Sara might decide that Canary was her old life and she wants to adopt a new code name for her new life.

I'm pretty sure she won't be Canary still. I think it will be like you said. Sara will decide that Canary was her LoA name, and will end up taking a new name of some sort.

[Sakura12]

Then what reason does Laurel have to use the name? Because a book said so.

[Chaser]

There is no story reason for her to take the name Black Canary. There is only comics. We are told its honoring Sara by taking her mantle but they keep saying she was Canary not Black Canary. Way add the Black? Why have Quentin be the first to call her that in anger, in hate for what she was doing? Doesn't talking the changed name dishonour Sara?

It really really bugs me that they never addressed it. Badly done show.

Edited April 6, 2015 by 10Eleven12

[Starfish35]

Not saying it makes sense. But they've made it clear they're not going to backtrack on Laurel as BC, however little sense it makes. So if we're going to have Sara, our Sara, back, she's going to have to take up a new superhero identity, and I think that line of thinking is most likely what they'll use to justify it.

Edited April 6, 2015 by Starfish35

[strikera0]

Since Sara was never meant to be Black Canary (and she wasn't - she was Canary), they might have decided to alter her character to play yet another comic book character.  Sara might decide that Canary was her old life and she wants to adopt a new code name for her new life. I don't have many idea as to who yet, but maybe some lesser known character who has similar martial arts/fighting skill as Sara?  Hmmm after doing some Google research - altering the story of Lady Shiva might work or if they cloned her, they might be able to adopt the Crimson Fox story. They could also change the story for WildCat II or alter Lady Blackhawk's story a little and say she was an ancestor of Laurel and Sara Lance, explaining why she looks just like Sara/Caity.  My favorite would be in the paint her green and make her Miss Martian, but that has nothing to do with Sara so I digress. :)

 

Does it have to be a code name that already exists in the comics? Maybe they are going to make up an entirely new code name just for Sara.

 

Frankly, I'm starting to think they didn't make a huge mistake not making her Black Canary from the start.  Like she could have already been operating when the show began and she and Oliver would cross paths now and then and it just took several seasons for them to learn each other's secret.

 

I don't think she would have needed to run around in full BC gear, but she definitely should have had a real martial arts background from the beginning. Maybe she could have taken up martial arts as a stress reliever after the gambit sank and proven to be a real natural at it - so good that she has won several martial arts tournaments and works as a martial arts instructor in her free time. And if not that, then I think it would have been better if the show had followed the Smallville formula and introduced Laurel as a fully formed BC in one of the later seasons and told her backstory in a couple of flashback episodes.

[Sakura12]

I don't think she would have needed to run around in full BC gear, but she definitely should have had a real martial arts background from the beginning. Maybe she could have taken up martial arts as a stress reliever after the gambit sank and proven to be a real natural at it - so good that she has won several martial arts tournaments and works as a martial arts instructor in her free time. And if not that, then I think it would have been better if the show had followed the Smallville formula and introduced Laurel as a fully formed BC in one of the later seasons and told her backstory in a couple of flashback episodes.

You mean what they did with Sara.

 

I could see Sara possibly being the unknown Earth 22 Lady Blackhawk. They can go with Rip Hunter put Sara in the LP, then sent her to the past where she fights in World War 2 as a member of the Blackhawk Squadron or takes her to the future where she's a member of a group called the Blackhawk Squadron. Then she comes back the present for her spin off as Lady Blackhawk. 

Edited April 6, 2015 by Sakura12

[strikera0]

You mean what they did with Sara.

 

In parts. Bring Laurel in as a fully formed BC like Sara, but don't immediately feature her in every episode. Give her a short guest-arc first and then increase the number of episodes from season to season to avoid viewer fatigue. And show us how Laurel became the costumed superhero she is now in specific flashback episodes (Sara's flashbacks weren't really about her. They were in service of Oliver's story).

[tv echo]

An Arrow character who will "sort of hover between all three shows and it will be their job"?

 

My immediate thought was Felicity in an Oracle-like role.  I agree that it would be the obvious choice, but that might mean that her role/screentime on Arrow gets reduced and I really don't want that to happen.  In fact, I hate this idea.  I think that it would be a sign that they are pushing her aside as a main character on Arrow (possibly in order to bring Laurel/BC to the forefront again).

 

I don't think it's Laurel because she has nothing that would qualify her for that description.  The shows take place in different cities, so as an ADA she would have no legal jurisdiction outside of Starling City.  And as a lawyer, you can only practice law in the states in which you are licensed (passed the bar).  She is likely only licensed in the state in which Starling City is located.  Of course, they could have her jump to a federal organization like the U.S. Attorney's Office or the FBI (like Becket did in Castle) which would give her a broader jurisdiction.  Yes, I know she's not qualified, barely does her DA job, and has violated legal ethics and the law - but when has that stopped the EPs' plans for "always trying to save the world" Laurel?

 

Quentin? Nyssa? Roy? Malcolm? Thea? Maseo? None of these seem likely.

 

I think that Lyla or Diggle would make the most sense, if one of them somehow becomes head of ARGUS (replacing Waller).  I'm hoping Lyla, because I don't want Diggle's role/screentime on Arrow even further reduced - which would happen if he's spread across three shows. (I don't want him to become like Director Vance on the NCIS shows.)  Lyla would make the most sense.  Plus it would enable Diggle to still have a happy home life without making Lyla a regular cast member on Arrow.  She could be away frequently on her job.

 

I would've guessed that Waller is going to be the floater -- but there's going to be a different Waller in the Suicide Squad movie and, considering they x-ed Deadshot on Arrow because of the big screen Deadshot, they probably won't want 2 Wallers either (despite the claim that the movie-verse and tv-verse are going to be different).

Edited April 6, 2015 by tv echo

[Sakura12]

I'd be fine with Felicity, Diggle or Lyla. Just not Laurel. I want to watch the spin off now because of CL, VG and Rory. Laurel will ruin that. She's a reason I stopped watching Arrow. Seeing her for an episode, fine. But not across multiple shows for multiple episodes. 

 

If they are not going to give Dig anything to do on Arrow, I'd be happy for him to get to do something on the Flash and the Spin off. 

 

With my Lady Blackhawk theory. I think it would be better if Sara was Black Hawk and Laurel was Black Canary. Hawks are more formidable than a Canary so it fits. 

Edited April 6, 2015 by Sakura12

[kismet]

Felicity is an obvious but bad choice imo. It would ruin arrow, duplicate a lot if similar energy on flash & skills on SOff.

Realize people's fear of it being LL, imo it would work. But honestly not that invested in her either way. So if she used for continuity & plot at least she'll have a role.

I know the wording said not major character on SO, but since they haven't announced her character could it be Sara??? It's stretching word choice but we're picking apart a casual answer, not a deposition or well worded riddle/clue. Sara makes sense, has appeal & is currently not a major character on SO yet. CL is attached to project but we still have no idea as who yet.

Malcolm I think also needs something to do. JB is under contract. Im sure they want to utilize him for more than just staring at tv screens & sleeping on couches. He also has advantage of bring both evil and possibly on track for redemption. He can't operate above board in sc, so he can float easier than LL or FS. If government is involved perhaps they work out part of his plea agreement as working in this role rather than prision. I've always seen MM as the Sloan (from alias) of arrow. So I can see EPs easily trying him in this role. JB also has talent to overcome writing so he can make his character work despite writing inconsistencies, which is a strength they have to consider when casting role.

[Morrigan2575]

No, it's not CL/Sara. SA specifically said it's not one of the main spinoff characters, that eliminates Ray and Sara.

[dtissagirl]

I'm wondering if it's one of the Arrow regulars -- do they get demoted to recurring on Arrow so they can be recurring on three shows? There's got to be a whole bunch of SAG-AFTRA rules they'll have to abide to. I know this isn't a completely new thing, because Rocky Carroll does it on NCIS, but he's not really in all episodes of the mothership show anyway.

[Morrigan2575]

I'm not sure, I think it depends on how big of a role it is. I'm assuming it's not that big, 2 episodes on Flash, one episode on spin-off plus crossover events. In that case I doubt it would require anything fancy as far as contract status on Arrow.

I know Kristen Vourhese (sp?) on Criminal Minds was a series regular on both the original and spin-off but it makes sense, most of her scenes are solo (phone calls /skype) she could easily film for both shows.

To some extent they could do the same with Felicity. Unless the specific intention is to have Felicity physically interacting with characters on other shows, they could easily have her appear frequently via skype/phone calls, etc.

Edited April 6, 2015 by Morrigan2575

[kismet]

No, it's not CL/Sara. SA specifically said it's not one of the main spinoff characters, that eliminates Ray and Sara.

It's semantics at this point. Frankly how much does SA really know about the spinoff? Hes been busy filming, working on tmnt contract, hanging with family & charity work. I doubt he even pays attention to what's been released or held secretly regarding spinoff. If it was the EPs or TPTB I could see holding their word choice more closely. You're likely right that it's not CL, but I just don't think that SA's answer absolutely eliminates her. I think it eliminates Ray & the others who have had their character names revealed.

[Morrigan2575]

It's semantics at this point. Frankly how much does SA really know about the spinoff? Hes been busy filming, working on tmnt contract, hanging with family & charity work. I doubt he even pays attention to what's been released or held secretly regarding spinoff. If it was the EPs or TPTB I could see holding their word choice more closely. You're likely right that it's not CL, but I just don't think that SA's answer absolutely eliminates her. I think it eliminates Ray & the others who have had their character names revealed.

I'm sorry but no. Anyone who has ever paid any attention to SA interviews and comments at Cons knows that if he says he knows something it's accurate. He may play coy on occasion (Oliver is dead) but, if he makes a statement like "this is what I know" then he knows.

[apinknightmare]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure Stephen has a pretty good idea of what's going on, and if he didn't, he never would've said anything about the spin-off. He must've gotten an okay from some higher-up to mention the "floater."

I think his word choice definitely excludes Ray, but I don't think it necessarily excludes Sara (if CL is indeed playing Sara).

[Sakura12]

Agreed. SA has probably known about the Spin Off for awhile. His show is the one that ties them all together. If a character from Arrow is going to be on all three shows then he knows who that person is. 

[Chaser]

He said that it would be the job of that character. He could mean that literally like a Maria Hill/Phil Coulson(movie-verse) character or he could mean that as in the sole purpose of this character will be to be the go between.

 

I'm okay with Felicity being option 1 because like Morrigan said, it would be limited appearances. But if its option 2, I think the role would be much bigger and move Felicity to far from Arrow.

Edited April 6, 2015 by 10Eleven12

[tv echo]

Intriguingly, Kreisberg dropped some hints about the untitled spinoff for The Flash and Arrow, which he promised would be off-the-rails insanity that would be like a crossover every week. He also said that episodes of The Flash and Arrow will set up the spinoff next season.

WonderCon 2015: The Flash Panel Report

April 5th, 2015 Blair Marnell

http://www.craveonline.com/tv/articles/843199-wondercon-2015-flash-panel-report

(warning! article also contains Flash and Arrow spoilers)

Edited April 6, 2015 by tv echo

[SonofaBiscuit]

When he says "episodes," I hope that Kreisberg means like AN episode of each show, because using Arrow to prop the Atom character for the spinoff has really hurt this show, IMO.

[Sakura12]

I really don't think they need someones full time job to be an intermediary between the shows. Especially if Sara is involved she along with Ray would be the connection to Arrow.  They'll set up Ray's connection to Team Flash and they can use an episode to set up Sara's. Then we have The Flash connection with Martin Stein, Captain Cold and Heatwave who can show up for an episode of Arrow. That's all they would really need to do to show the three shows are connected. 

 

Everyone getting together would just be a special giant crossover event. 

[BkWurm1]

I agree that they don't really need someone to hover between all three shows but it sounds like it's what we're going to get and as I think on it, "hover between" and "their job" all sounds to me like an awful lot more than a couple episode commitment, it sounds to me like a three way split of their time between all three shows.  A third of Flash is 7 episodes  and assuming the spin off is only 13 episodes to start with a third would be 4 episodes. That's 11 episodes leaving whoever to appear full time  in just over half of Arrow episodes and that number would go down if/when the spin off gets a full order of episodes.     

 

When Felicity did her crossover with The Flash, she was no more than a walk on and a single throw away line in Arrow.   Imagine that happening on half or more of her episodes on Arrow?

[Trini]

It may not be all that involved; it could just be one character that makes appearances in all 3 shows. It might only be one or two scenes per episode(on the spin-off), and maybe not even interacting with the other actors.

Edited April 6, 2015 by Trini

[BkWurm1]

Then why make a point of it being a specific actor's job to hover between and connect these shows, these shows that will be more connected than ever and feel like a crossover every week?

 

Seriously, I'm asking.  I would like to be talked down from this very unhappy ledge.  

[apinknightmare]

He definitely made it sound like there would be one particular character that originated on Arrow whose sole purpose would be to tie the three shows together. All we know for sure is that it's not Ray (and probably not Sara or whoever Caity's playing). It could literally be anyone else on Arrow apart from Oliver.

Story-wise, I think it makes the most sense that instead of just randomly showing up on each of these shows, they have a specific pupose relevant to the plot and a storyline of their own that sends them from show to show getting those characters involved in whatever it is they're doing, so that people who watch one show will want to tune into the other to follow that storyline. For all we know it could be a character that hasn't been introduced yet on Arrow, but is part of one of the S4 episodes that is used to set up the spin-off.

I'm worried it's Felicity too, but we don't know enough about this role and the way Stephen mentioned it was so strangely worded...who even knows?

[kismet]

I'm sorry but no. Anyone who has ever paid any attention to SA interviews and comments at Cons knows that if he says he knows something it's accurate. He may play coy on occasion (Oliver is dead) but, if he makes a statement like "this is what I know" then he knows.

Alright... I just thought he might be playing coy or had limited info. But I'll take your word for it. :)

[MarkHB]

Then why make a point of it being a specific actor's job to hover between and connect these shows, these shows that will be more connected than ever and feel like a crossover every week?

 

Seriously, I'm asking.  I would like to be talked down from this very unhappy ledge.  

 

My gut feeling is that it would be Lyla; that sort of role sounds like a callback to the original Harbinger in Crisis, and it also fits her character history on Arrow as I understand it.  Second choice (in terms of predicting) would be Waller.  I would be very surprised if it's Felicity.

 

It's actually the spinoff itself, not the other 2 shows, that was said to be "off-the-rails insanity that would be like a crossover every week."  That description, and everything I've heard so far, makes the spinoff sound like a superhero version of The A-Team, both in action and in tone, and while I would be totally psyched for that I can understand that MMV.

[nksarmi]

He definitely made it sound like there would be one particular character that originated on Arrow whose sole purpose would be to tie the three shows together. All we know for sure is that it's not Ray (and probably not Sara or whoever Caity's playing). It could literally be anyone else on Arrow apart from Oliver.

Story-wise, I think it makes the most sense that instead of just randomly showing up on each of these shows, they have a specific pupose relevant to the plot and a storyline of their own that sends them from show to show getting those characters involved in whatever it is they're doing, so that people who watch one show will want to tune into the other to follow that storyline. For all we know it could be a character that hasn't been introduced yet on Arrow, but is part of one of the S4 episodes that is used to set up the spin-off.

I'm worried it's Felicity too, but we don't know enough about this role and the way Stephen mentioned it was so strangely worded...who even knows?

Hmm, I'm still kind of hoping it's Laurel because I think it would do her character a lot of good (and I find her so much more enjoyable when she isn't around Oliver).  But as you describe this and given what they have said about

HIVE being a focus in season four of Arrow

, I think there is a good chance that it could be Diggle in a strategic leadership/investigator type role.

[statsgirl]

But isn't that the real argument for it being Laurel, that it gets her off Arrow and finally gives her something to do?    If that's the motivation for this float character, to give the character something to do rather than a purpose in the show itself, then the show is sunk already. Not to mention, Laurel isn't the most popular of characters so why think the audience would follow her to the spin-off and around all the shows?

 

Felicity would supply something that isn't on the other two shows (computer expertise), unlike Laurel or Roy who would be fighters on shows that already have fighters,  but she's already kind of wearing out her welcome on The Flash and Rayliciy wasn't the audience favorite they thought it would be, not to mention awkward if she's with Oliver next season.

 

Lyla or Diggle in a leadership or administrative-type role would be the strongest connection between the three superhero shows.

[Sunshine]

It could be Diggle or Lyla and the arguments for it make sense. However, as said by others previously, Felicity has computer skills that no one else has. She solved a problem for Ray in 2 minutes that he had been working on for 2 weeks. Cisco recently couldn't trace someone because they had "Felicity-like" skills. Has anyone else noticed that because she has been on Palmer Island, Team Arrow has often been operating without her? Sometimes they call her. Often she's not answering. Her lair scenes this year have been about personal things more so than Team Arrow work. Diggle has been the main support on comms etc. I know there haven't been that many monster of the week episodes but it does seem like perhaps they have been trying to downplay her role on the team.

[Genki]

God I really, really hope not.

Making Felicity the link will probably make me stop watching all the shows in the franchise. The way this season has gone does not give me good vibes about this type of set-up. I disliked Felicity's time on Ray Island, plus her development being on the Flash and her generally being excluded from Team Arrow really grates.

I can accept almost anyone else but Felicity. Diggle is not an ideal for me either but there are reasons if could work.

I guess it will ultimately depend on what they want to achieve.

[Chaser]

Even if the EPs intend to make Felicity float between shows, I wonder if the Network would insist she spend 90% of her time on Arrow. Some people on tumblr pointed out the with Nina leaving TVD, Delena is over. Based on social media, that puts Olicity front and center for CW power couple. I'm not sure the Network would want to separate Oliver and Felicity. Or is that a crazy thought?

 

Lyla is my first choice. And with the HIVE story line coming up, I think she makes the most logical sense. She also doesn't threaten/annoy any other fandoms (The stupid Iris/Felicity thing, Ray with Olicity/Felicity). Felicity may bring some tech to the Flash, but Ray is going to be the established as the genius on the new show so I'm not sure what she brings there. 

 

This spoiler is really annoying. It may not even be set in stone yet; a lot can happen between now and then.