Season 7 Spoiler Archive

[tv echo]

This 10-part summary contains all S7 topical spoilers up to July 18, 2018. (Episode-specific spoilers will be posted in advance of each episode.) This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion thread...

SUMMARY OF S7 SPOILERS BY TOPIC - PART 1 of 10

S7 Premiere, Scheduling and Episode Order
-- For S7, Arrow will be moving to Mondays. (May 17, 2018 TVLine article, page 273 of Starling City Times thread and page 528 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Arrow S7 will premiere on Oct. 8, 2018. (May 27, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 533 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Arrow S7 will premiere on Oct. 15, 2018, at 8pm ET. (Jun. 20, 2018 TVLine tweet & article and Entertainment Weekly article, page 541 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Arrow S7 will have 22 episodes. (May 27, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 533 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- DCTV's Hector Navarro: "First up is Arrow. It's coming back October 15th at 8pm on The CW for Season 7." (Jul. 16, 2018 DC video, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "If the show was 12 episodes a year, I would do it forever. But because it's 23, although I believe next year it's 22, um, I don't have the opportunity to do a lot of things that I would like to do." (Motor City Comic Con, May 19, 2018: Akasuki ShikiHollow video of SA panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 696 of Social Media thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "David has confirmed to a fan that the S7 will have 22 episodes...." (HVFF-London, May 26, 2018: FlarrowAndMore tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread)

S7 Showrunner and Writers
-- For S7, Beth Schwartz has been promoted to EP and showrunner. MG will be moving into an executive consultant role (for both Arrow and LoT, where Phil Klemmer will become sole showrunner for S4 of LoT). WM will be exiting Arrow. (Apr. 17, 2018 Entertainment Weekly tweet & article, page 1757 of Spoiler Discussion thread and page 268 of Starling City Times thread)
-- Greg Berlanti: “We are all so incredibly thrilled to announce Beth Schwartz as the new showrunner of Arrow... She has been a source of some of the show’s most exciting and memorable moments from the beginning. Beth is a true leader and a captivating storyteller, and we all can’t wait for the audience to see what she and her team dream up as they take Arrow into its next big chapter.” (Apr. 17, 2018 Entertainment Weekly tweet & article, page 1757 of Spoiler Discussion thread and page 268 of Starling City Times thread)
-- DCTV's Hector Navarro: "And, congratulations to the new showrunner for Arrow, Beth Schwartz. Congratulations!" (Jul. 16, 2018 DC video, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "I got the whole pitch for Season 7 from Beth Schwartz, who's our new showrunner. And I met everyone in the writers room... We got three or four holdovers from before, but we also have a lot of new people on the show. And the cool thing, when you get to Season 7, we have a lot of people who are in this writers room because they are fans of the show... and they wanted the job. So it's very exciting." (May 10, 2018 Entertainment Weekly facebook video, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 1778 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- SA: "We have a new showrunner in Beth Schwartz, and we have about three or four holdovers in the writers room. But we also have four or five new people, all of whom are fans of the show, which I think is really, really cool. And indicative of a show that's been on for seven years - well, six full years and going into year seven." (May 15, 2018 Build Series video, page 694 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: "Beth's been around since the very beginning, since she was a shy writer's assistant who was sitting on set for two days and didn't say a word, and I had no idea who she was. Um, and to see her mature into a showrunner and to have such a clear and fantastic vision for Season 7, and a very specific vision for it... I think that in any creative endeavor, it's always good to have an injection of energy and a new viewpoint... Marc and Wendy and Greg and Andrew and all the people that have been involved in Arrow for years, they've all done a fantastic job. But, I think new blood is nice. Um, I think the first person to say that would be Greg Berlanti, who likes creating something, putting it in a good position, and then handing it off. Right? Marc is still going to be around. Wendy's getting a new job, and I'm very excited for her... We also have a bunch of new writers in the room. And what I like about this and what you get, having done six seasons of the show, is, a lot of writers in the room now are fans of the show, and that's great." (Motor City Comic Con, May 19, 2018: Akasuki ShikiHollow video of SA panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 696 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: "We have a new showrunner this year. Um, Beth Schwartz... She has such a very specific idea of where this season's going to go, and it's so specific that she sent me an e-mail before this convention going, 'please do not spoil the following things.' So I'm going to read them out right now. (Laughs)... Um, no, I get to have input, but ultimately, um - ultimately it's up to them. Um, I have had some input on where Oliver might end up at the end of the [unintelligible word]... at the end of the season. (Aisha asked, "At the end of Season 7?") Yeah." Also SA: "I'm very, very excited for Season 7. It seems very specific." (HVFF-London, May 27, 2018: Simone Wegener video of SA panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 701 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: “We have a new showrunner this year, Beth Schwartz, who’s been with the show since season one,” he explains. “[The writers] have a very clear vision of what they want season seven to be, and what I asked them to do – and it’s not up to me – but what I asked of them is to not just assume that we have an eighth season. I wanted them to write like, ‘If you have a good idea, and you have something you’ve always wanted to do or see on the show, then just do it! Do it right now!’ Also SA: “I think that’s one of the things I’m getting out of what they’ve planned for season seven – we’re not writing like we’re guaranteed something beyond this, because we’re not; nobody is. I want them to really push forward and take the fact we have a certain license and a certain respect from the fans to take some chances.” (Jun. 15, 2018 The Music Australia article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 280 of Starling City Times thread)
-- EBR: "We have Beth Schwartz taking over, who is a mastermind. She's a super - she, like, writes from her heart. You know, um, pretty much every episode.that is my favorite was written by Beth - um, in the past six years, not just in the past season, like, all of them... She's phenomenal, she really is. And I think she's going to twist it in a way that we just haven't seen at all before. Um, so she's going to give it a really cool voice and a new take, and hopefully we all love it." (May 21, 2018 Build Series video, page 697 of Social Media thread)
-- EBR: "Well, we're going into our seventh season and we've had a massive change in our writers room. Beth Schwartz, who's been there since the beginning, is now our showrunner, and she is so overly qualified and writes from her heart." (Jun. 13, 2018 Kiss Radio podcast interview with EBR, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1797 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On how they top what they've already done, DR: "I don't know . You know how you do it? You do it with our new leadership. With Beth Schwartz. She's the one who's at the top. We have the utmost confidence in her. Season 7 is going to be a treat." EBR: "Yeah, Beth will do it... Go back and look at what episodes that Beth has written or co-written, and you will understand that they are some of your favorite episodes... She's been there from the beginning. I can guarantee you, it's going to be a great season." DR added that he couldn't say "enough good things" about Beth taking over as showrunner. (HVFF-London, May 26, 2018: bettunicorns and Simone Wegener videos of Arrow Heroes panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "We now had a show-runner of the series who will be taking the role full time, and her vision for the show is superb, I’m sure she will take it to the next level." (Melbourne Oz Comic Con, Jun. 8, 2018: Spotlight Report article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 279 of Starling City Times thread)
-- DR: "[Beth Schwartz has] already kinda given a mandate of upward and onwards, we're going even higher this season, we're taking gloves off... I mean, they kinda give us an outline of what the season's going to be about every beginning of the year - or beginning of the season. And Beth just wants to do big, big, big things." (Melbourne Oz Comic Con, Jun. 8, 2018: Shaken Not Nerd podcast, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 279 of Starling City Times thread, and Shaken Not Nerd video, page 280 of Starling City Times thread)
-- DR: "[A]t the beginning of every season, you talk to the show runners, previous seasons it was Marc Guggenheim and Wendy Mericle and they would tell you what was happening, kind of an overview of what’s happening. The arc, if you will.  And it’s always incredible. But Beth is just really kind of just going for it.  She’s just really like 'we’re going to do this, we’re going to do that' and it’s like oh my gosh.  So it’s just great. She’s just fantastic and I’m looking forward to doing it.  And I don’t…she hasn’t said this but my feeling is that I won’t get any mercy in terms of the episode that I’ll be directing.  It’s going to be in the same daring vein as all the other episodes of the season." (Jun. 10, 2018 Moviehole article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 279 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On what Beth Schwartz will bring that's a little different than in the past, DR: " I think some of the stuff is just…some of these fans are talking about 'Oh I would love to see…' yeah they’ll see it.  'Wow it’s time to see, why don’t try…' Yeah we’re going to try it. It’s kind of, to some degree, answering some of the things I think fans want to see.  And I think in other ways, taking it in directions the fans would never have thought of. And really to Marc and Wendy’s credit, and to Beth’s credit, for Season 6, I think we ended in a way people didn’t think we were going to end it. There was no Big Bad guy ending finding justice, it’s continuing into Season 7, putting Oliver in the prison and all that.  I mean, that was a risky for our show." (Jun. 10, 2018 Moviehole article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 279 of Starling City Times thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "Ramsey himself told me point blank today that this season [Season 6] was a lot of 'plot over character' and went on to explain that the writers allowed themselves to write many characters out of character in order to service this seasons plot. Then proceeded to say that next season would be better because several writers were leaning the show. Not 'let us finish this season and then decide' like MG is saying. Ramsey basically threw the writers under the bus and blamed the plot entirely, not fans 'affection' for OTA." (HVFF-Chicago, Apr. 8, 2018: adiwriting tumblr post, page 1746 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "I was giving him the Diggle Pop I made as I told him I thought it was ridiculous that the only Digg Pop option was him in the hood. Ramsey asked if I had seen the latest episode and when I said I had, went on to tell me how much of the season has been plot over character with many people acting out of character to service the plot. I agreed. He then said not to worry that it wouldn’t be happening next season. That there were some big change ups happening. I looked shocked and said 'what?!' Thinking he meant cast for some reason. He said it was BTS with many writers leaving. He seemed… excited wouldn’t be the right word to use… but he was at least positive it was a good thing for the show." (HVFF-Chicago, Apr. 8, 2018: adiwriting tumblr post link in Apr. 10, 2018 Trisha post, page 1750 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "David is super pumped that Beth is now the showrunner. He said when Beth told him what was going down in season 7, he was just 'you’re not ready for it.' His facial expressions were so telling." (HVFF-Nashville, May 13, 2018: andyouloveher88 tweet, page 1782 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "'I really can’t say enough great things about @SchwartzApprovd,' @david_ramsey on the new @CW_Arrow showrunner, who also gave him a list of things he couldn’t spoil here." (Melbourne Oz Comic Con, Jun. 9, 2018: ClareKramer tweet, page 706 of Social Media thread)
-- On May 14, 2018, Beth Schwartz tweeted: "FYI just emailed Kevin @StephenAmell ! My to-do list is complete ????#overachiever." (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 1783 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On May 15, 2018, Tonya Kong tweeted diagram pic of Arrow writers "bunker blueprint" that showed blocks labeled for the following: Sarah, Tonya, Oscar, Becky, Liz, Maya, Jill, Ben/Deric, Emilio, Rebecca, TBD, Jeane and Beth. (Tonya_Kong tweet, page 694 of Social Media thread)*
-- On May 29, 2018, Arrow writers room tweeted pic of themselves (mostly women), with comment: "Meet the writing staff of #Arrow Season 7! ????." (Arrowwriters tweet, page 701 of Social Media thread)

(* My guesses: Sarah = Sarah Tarkoff, Tonya = Tonya Kong (NEW), Oscar = Oscar Balderrama, Becky = Rebecca Rosenberg (NEW), Liz = Elizabeth Kim, Maya = Maya Houston (NEW), Jill = ?, Ben/Deric = Benjamin Rabb (NEW) and Deric A. Hughes (NEW), Emilio = Emilio Ortega Aldrich, Rebecca = Rebecca Bellotto, TBD = ?, Jeane = Jeane Wong, and Beth = Beth Schwartz (EP/showrunner))

S7 Directors
-- SA said that Glen Winter "may come back this year to direct." (HVFF-Nashville, May 12, 2018: May 15, 2018 viajantesim video of SA panel, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- On directing a scene or episode of Arrow, SA: "It is an option, and I'm not interested... I'm much more interested in other people on the cast directing, which is why I'm so excited that David Ramsey's going to direct an episode next year." (Motor City Comic Con, May 19, 2018: Akasuki ShikiHollow video of SA panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 696 of Social Media thread)
-- DR confirmed that he will be directing 711. He also joked that it's "the weakest script of the season." (HVFF-London, May 26, 2018: bettunicorns and Simone Wegener videos of Arrow Heroes panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- On directing in S7, DR: "I am slated for episode 11 of Season 7... You know, I am excited. And I'm excited because Beth Schwartz, our new, fearless showrunner - and Marc Guggenheim and Wendy were also fearless - but I don't think Beth is going to have any mercy on me. She's already kinda given a mandate of upward and onwards, we're going even higher this season, we're taking gloves off... I mean, they kinda give us an outline of what the season's going to be about every beginning of the year - or beginning of the season. And Beth just wants to do big, big, big things... And I don't think episode 11 is going to be the one that's the weak link in the chain at all. She's not going to have any mercy on me."  (Melbourne Oz Comic Con, Jun. 8, 2018: Shaken Not Nerd podcast, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 279 of Starling City Times thread, and Shaken Not Nerd video, page 280 of Starling City Times thread)

S7 Planning and Production
-- S7 production schedule will begin on July 6, 2018 and will end on April 11, 2019. (Jun. 16, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 539 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Papp tweeted: "#Arrow - which kicked off production of season 7 in the #Vancouver area today - has a wrap date of April 18th, 2019 per DGC." (Jul. 6, 2018 WhatsFilming tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- MG: “We’ve already started talking about, ooh, we have a shape for Season 7 already... This is the earliest we’ve ever had an idea for a season that far ahead, but it’s come out of our conversations about season six.” (TCA Summer Press Tour, Aug. 2, 2017: SlashFilm article, page 5 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- MG: "The way it tends to work with Arrow is that as we get into the back half of the year, past the midseason premiere, we're still breaking the current season, but in the writers room our minds will wander to the next season... That has happened even earlier in our process than as is typical. We actually already have ideas for things we want to do Season 7. We're way ahead of where we typically are with those ideas." (Oct. 11, 2017 Syfy article, page 8 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 241 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On Jun. 13, 2018, papp tweeted: "Arrow Season 7 begins filming in Vancouver July 6th." (lemon_buzz tweet, page 1797 of Spoiler Discussion thread and page 279 of Starling City Times thread)

S7 Storytelling Technique and Style
-- Fan report on what MG said: "After the program ended, I had a chance to ask Guggenheim a couple of questions. Satiating my curiosity, it seems they have discussed the prospect of developing shorter story arcs to build to their primary arc, and there may be some changes afoot, particularly for Arrow, with the creative changes taking effect in the fall." (New York State Writers Institute-MG Presentation, Apr. 20, 2018: thelandofwhatever blog post, page 686 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: "We're going to introduce a new storytelling technique that I'm very excited about. That's all I can say." (The CW Upfronts, May 17, 2018: May 19, 2018 TVLine video of red carpet interview with SA, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 696 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: "In Season 7 we're introducing a new storytelling technique, which I'm very, very excited for, personally, um, in no small part because I think it'll give me some time off, which is always nice. Um, but I'm very, very excited about Season 7. I feel like, um, we kind of had an in-between year, in between Season 5 and Season 7, where I don't know if we knew exactly what we wanted to do with the show. But Season 7 feels very, very set in place." (The CW Upfronts, May 17, 2018: ExtraTV red carpet interview with SA, page 1788 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- SA: "Well, we're doing something from a storytelling, uh, technique that we have never done before. In Season 7. And I was very excited when I heard about it. Um, it's going to be really, really cool." When asked if he meant something that he's never done before as an actor, SA: "Something we've never done before as a show." He also rejected the interviewer's suggestion that it might be a musical episode. (The CW Upfronts, May 17, 2018: May 22, 2018 TV Insider video of red carpet interview with SA, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "But, hearing what they have planned and how specific they were about it, uh, was very exciting. The thing that I really want to do with the show, um, being where we are, is, I don't want to assume that - I don't want to assume as if we're going to exist in perpetuity. I don't want to assume there's going to be a Season 8. I want to - if Lin's listening - write like we're running out of time... I want to write like we're running out of time, because we are not guaranteed a Season 8. Period. Nobody is. Not everybody is Supernatural. Not everybody exists forever. So I would hope that, if we got a good story, if they have something that they want to do, do it. Right?" (May 15, 2018 Build Series video, page 694 of Social Media thread)
-- EBR: "The structure of the episodes is going to be a little different, too, um, so we're excited about that." (Jun. 13, 2018 Kiss Radio podcast interview with EBR, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1797 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On what they're looking forward to in S7, JH: "I want to see how the energy changes with this, you know, sorta of passing of the guards... I've heard that they're going to have a - um - like, the style is going to be a little different, without giving too much away. I want to learn what that means for myself as well." EBR: "This is news to me." JH: "Yeah, they said it was going to be a little stylistically different." (HVFF-London, May 26, 2018: bettunicorns and Simone Wegener videos of Arrow Heroes panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread)

(Continued...)

Edited July 21, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

SUMMARY OF S7 SPOILERS BY TOPIC - PART 2 of 10

S7 Synopsis
-- Official CW Arrow synopsis: "After a violent shipwreck, billionaire playboy Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) was missing and presumed dead for five years before being discovered alive on a remote island in the North China Sea. He returned home to Star City, bent on righting the wrongs done by his family and fighting injustice. As the Green Arrow, he protects his city with the help of former soldier John Diggle (David Ramsey), computer-science expert Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards), former protégé Roy Harper (Colton Haynes), brilliant inventor Curtis Holt (Echo Kellum), street-savvy Rene Ramirez (Rick Gonzalez) and meta-human Dinah Drake (Juliana Harkavy). Oliver will find himself vulnerable in a way unlike ever before when a mysterious new enemy begins to unravel his work as Green Arrow, forcing him to redeem his name or risk losing everything. Based on the characters from DC, ARROW is from Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television, with executive producers Greg Berlanti ('The Flash,' 'Supergirl'), Beth Schwartz and Sarah Schechter ('The Flash,' 'DC’s Legends of Tomorrow')." (The CW press release in May 17, 2018 cwtvpr article, page 18 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- SDCC's Arrow Synopsis: "There has been no shortage of close calls for Oliver Queen when it comes to protecting his Super Hero identity, but in the season six finale, he was finally backed into a corner and forced to reveal himself to the world as the Green Arrow. Now, Oliver will come face-to-face with many of the criminals he placed behind bars, as he makes a new home for himself at Slabside Maximum Security Prison. Oliver will find himself vulnerable in a way unlike ever before when a mysterious new enemy begins to unravel his work as Green Arrow, challenging him to redeem his name or risk losing everything. Join series stars Stephen Amell, David Ramsey, Emily Bett Rickards, Katie Cassidy, Echo Kellum, Juliana Harkavy, Rick Gonzalez and Colton Haynes and executive producer Beth Schwartz at their annual Comic-Con panel to be among the first to learn more about what this means for Oliver and the rest of his team. From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television, Arrow will return to The CW on Monday, October 15 at 9/8c. Ballroom 20." (Jun. 25, 2018 Deadline tweet & article, page 281 of Starling City Times thread and page 542 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)

Transition From and Effect of S6
-- On whether there'll be a time jump going into S7, MG: "It’ll be the traditional time jump. Every year we always do the same time jump, which is five to six months depending on when our season premiere is." (May 17, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- On whether there'll be a larger-than-usual time jump when the show returns for S7, MG: "No. No, it will be the typical six months or so." (May 17, 2018 TVLine article, page 1786 of Spoiler Discussion thread and page 274 of Starling City Times thread)
-- MG: "Between the development of Oliver going to prison and his secret identity becoming public, those were very much designed to shake the show up so that in Season 7, the show has to be fundamentally different. There’s no way to go back to the status quo. That was very exciting for us, because there’s probably a very safe conventional way to do Arrow where every episode is the villain of the week and every episode is kind of the same. Probably that version might even be very successful, but that wasn’t something that I think the writers and the cast are particularly interested in doing. We always keep the show moving forward and evolving and trying to push new boundaries. We’re very cognizant of the fact it’s not only that we’re in our sixth, now gong into the seventh season, we’re also cognizant that we’re the first of the Arrowverse shows, so we feel like we’ve got to do stuff on Arrow that the other shows haven’t done yet. The identity reveal is a good example of that. None of the other shows have revealed their protagonist’s secret identity to the rest of the world, so we wanted to do it first." (May 17, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- On whether S7 will feel like a new beginning, SA: "I wouldn't say it's like a refresh or a reboot. But that being said, everything is different. I mean, Oliver told the FBI that he's the Green Arrow. So there's no more secret identity. It's gone. It's no longer a thing... I mean, it changes everything." (The CW Upfronts, May 17, 2018: viralotz9 video of red carpet interview with SA, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- SA: "I think that Season 5 was definitely the end of a chapter, right? With the flashbacks and bringing Oliver back to the point where we found him in the pilot. I look at this year [Season 6] a lot like as a transitionary year, in terms of, there were no flashbacks... And we did the thing where Oliver doesn't have a secret identity, not that he was the best at keeping it a secret in the first place. But no - there's no more secret identity. So there's a fundamental shift in the show. Um, and I feel like, you know, it's next year and knowing some of the things that I know about Season 7, it - very, very excited." (Wizard World Philadelphia, May 18, 2018: video of SA panel in BluePhoenix1 tweet, page 18 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 696 of Social Media thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: "Stephen says the end of the [sixth] season will be like a 'reset' of sorts." (Awesome Con, Apr. 1, 2018: Anonymous message posted on CallistaWolf tumblr site, page 1736 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: "'The event that will end our sixth season will give us an opportunity to maybe explore' having other comic book stuff be in the Arrowverse." (Awesome Con, Apr. 1, 2018: MaeAbdu tweet, page 1736 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: "Now his identity is out Stephen says it will change the direction of the show." (HVFF-London, May 27, 2018: JoAnne_Rowney tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "And really to Marc and Wendy’s credit, and to Beth’s credit, for Season 6, I think we ended in a way people didn’t think we were going to end it. There was no Big Bad guy ending finding justice, it’s continuing into Season 7, putting Oliver in the prison and all that.  I mean, that was a risky for our show." (Jun. 10, 2018 Moviehole article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 279 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On Oliver's admission of being the GA, EBR: "I think it's going to expedite our storyline for next season... I do think what it does is really puts a lot of stress on the identity of who Oliver Queen is and how the team is going to deal with it, and what is their new identity as a team going forward... How do you deal with a secret that's been going on for so long and still keep it as close to home as possible?" (May 14, 2018 TV Guide article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- On how S6 ended, EBR: "I think... it's different than any season we've had before. I mean, not that this is literal, but it feels like this season ended in an ellipsis, where every other season like ended in an exclamation point. Like, everything ends in a bang, and this one's sort of just like, 'wait, what?' You know. And not in a bad way. I think, like in a really personal way. Like, things are just sort of like, that feeling when you get sort of a - I don't know, there's am empty - like, there's something missing. And that's because we knew we had a Season 7... It wasn't an accident. It was on purpose. Yeah, I was surprised. I was interested, because where do you go?" (May 21, 2018 Build Series video, page 697 of Social Media thread)
-- EBR: “The idea now is: If Oliver’s in prison, is he actually more protected than the team? ... The rest of the team is all going to be in danger as well. Where that puts Felicity and William, I mean, we can only do so much to protect them. We’ve seen how strong and intelligent and ferocious [Diaz] can be; I don’t think he stops. In terms of keeping her safe, we can do our best, but I don’t think she’s going to have much luck.”  (May 24, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 1 of Spoilers thread)

S7 Generally
-- From TV Guide's SDCC special issue: "Everyone the team will be 'in a different place than you would expect when the show returns,' says [EP Beth] Schwartz. 'They're all going to have different reactions to Oliver being in prison and what their responsibilities are now.'" (Pic of Burning Questions section from 2018 TV Guide Comic-Con Special in Jul. 14, 2018 smoak3d tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Per MG, there have been multiple discussions of retrofitting the script from the cancelled ‘GREEN ARROW ESCAPE FROM SUPERMAX’ film to include the storyline on Arrow for a possible 5-episode arc; however, the only issue that stemmed from this is that they first need to populate a prison full of rogues. (Dec. 10, 2017 Discussing Film article that's linked in Apr. 16, 2018 JJ928 post, page 1755 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On whether S7 will deal with the Supermax movie that was supposed to come out featuring the GA, SA: "I can't comment on that. I'll get in a lot of trouble." (Wizard World Philadelphia, May 18, 2018: video of SA panel in emptiedwallets tweet, page 18 of Spoilers/S6 thread, and video of SA panel in BluePhoenix1 tweet, page 696 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: "I love the Year One Green Arrow comics. It's one of my faves. I also love the, uh, Hard Travelling Heroes... Spoiler. Maybe." (Wizard World Philadelphia, May 18, 2018: video of SA panel in emptiedwallets tweet, page 18 of Spoilers/S6 thread, and video of SA panel in BluePhoenix1 tweet, page 696 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: "And, um, we're also meeting a new character that, when I heard about it, I got goosebumps, I was so excited." (Motor City Comic Con, May 19, 2018: Akasuki ShikiHollow video of SA panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 696 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: "We're also introducing some new characters in Season 7 that I think that, if we do it right, um, could carry the show on for a very long time." (The CW Upfronts, May 17, 2018: May 22, 2018 TV Insider video of red carpet interview with SA, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how much of Arrow is from the DCU and how much of it is "original or organic or native" just to the show, SA: "When the show started, the inspiration for it - the inspiration for the first season was absolutely, positively The Dark Knight. Like, when I was sitting in David Nutter's office - you know David Nutter? He was the director of our pilot. Um, it was just photos of The Dark Knight. That was the inspiration for the first season... (Aisha interjected, "That's why you have that... Dark Knight voice?") ... I think that we're going to lean into more of the comic canon version of the Green Arrow this year. I mean, the show is the show. Um, and I am me... But this year, I think we're going to lean into it little bit more, because - sorry to spoil the finale, but - my secret identity, which wasn't really a secret identity, is definitely not a secret identity." (HVFF-London, May 27, 2018: Simone Wegener video of SA panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 701 of Social Media thread)
-- When asked for spoilers, SA wrote: "Tough to fight family." with his autograph on a fan's photo. Fan report: "Apparently when asked for a spoiler this weekend, SA signed a photo with 'it’s hard to fight family' which is making people on Twitter speculate that maybe a half-sibling surfaces." (HVFF-London, May 26, 2018: fallforkian tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1796 of Spoiler Discussion thread, and Trisha post, page 1795 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Per SA,  there will be new faces both known and unknown to comic book fans. SA: “I think that you will see some very, very new and exciting characters in season seven; characters that have a canon in DC... And I think that we will continue to do what we’ve always done on this show, which I’m very, very proud of, which is create some new characters. Hopefully, long after I’m done playing Arrow – whenever that may be – hopefully we’ll carry on in the DC universe." (Jun. 15, 2018 The Music Australia article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 280 of Starling City Times thread)
-- Fan reports on what SA said: "STEPHEN HAS PROMISED THE SALMON LADDER IN S7 IT IS CONFIRMED." and "@StephenAmell promises Salmon Ladder in s7." (Supanova Sydney, Jun. 17, 2018: estheryam and traveller15 tweets, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1798 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On S7 of Arrow, EBR: "Well, we're going into our seventh season and we've had a massive change in our writers room. Beth Schwartz, who's been there since the beginning, is now our showrunner, and she is so overly qualified and writes from her heart. And it's going to be this - it's just going to be a different type of season. I think it's going to be a different show in a sense. Um, still with all the, like, original things that, like, make us know that Arrow is Arrow. And going forward, um, since our characters are in different spots, I think there's going to be different types of storylines, and more character growth this season, as well as, you know - people are going to learn - those characters are gonna have to like learn how to deal with sort of a lack of knowledge of what their purpose is, 'cause they've been so purpose-driven for six seasons, and I think now the purpose is sort of lost. And, um, you know, I believe we sort of like work with that like in our own lives. It's like if we don't have purpose, like, where are we going? We're just constantly trying to find purpose. And I think that's where they're gonna go. The structure of the episodes is going to be a little different, too, um, so we're excited about that." (Jun. 13, 2018 Kiss Radio podcast interview with EBR, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1797 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- DR: "We haven't fully discussed with the producers all the places we want to go for Season 7... [A focus on family] is certainly one of them. The William/Felicity/Oliver relationship. Now, Lyla's come back more involved as I'm involved with ARGUS. Roy has come back to the team. So, clearly, we're moving into a place where even though we are wrapping up to the end of the season where you're kind of isolating Oliver, that in the beginning of next season, obviously, you'll start to see these very familiar family tightness, very personal relationships, come to the forefront. Arrow's always been the one to kind of lift you up to put you down and to put you down to lift you up, right? We are wrapping up for next season, which, obviously, as you see we're already preparing to bring these very familiar, very intimate, relationships back into the forefront. Roy, William, Oliver, Felicity, my wife, Lyla. So we're wrapping up to that. And you can see it in the writing." (Apr. 26, 2018 ComicBook article, page 16 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 1766 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- DR said that, when he went to the Arrow writers room when they were editing the S6 finale, he saw their board with all the characters and what they've outlined for what they want to do with them. DR: "You probably heard online that Batwoman's coming, right? But, listen, guys... that ain't nothing compared to what they have planned. Like, they have some serious stuff... I think you're really in for a good treat in Season 7." (HVFF-London, May 26, 2018: bettunicorns and Simone Wegener videos of Arrow Heroes panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "I saw the script for the first episode of Season 7 as is amazing. This season  will probably be one of the biggest and most ambitious to date. ... Oliver’s time in prison will be hard, and many things will happen while there. ... Regarding my character, I can only share with you that he is still working at Argus with Lyla, and teaming up with the others once in a while to take down Diaz once for all. But, many things happen, there are some huge twists that nobody saw coming. It’s so good…I’m so sad I cannot tell you more." (Melbourne Oz Comic Con, Jun. 8, 2018: Spotlight Report article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 279 of Starling City Times thread)
-- DR: "Some of these fans are talking about 'Oh I would love to see…' yeah they’ll see it.  'Wow it’s time to see, why don’t try…' Yeah we’re going to try it. It’s kind of, to some degree, answering some of the things I think fans want to see.  And I think in other ways, taking it in directions the fans would never have thought of." (Jun. 10, 2018 Moviehole article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 279 of Starling City Times thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "'SEASON 7 of @CW_Arrow is the most ambitious season ever I think'. Oooooo @david_ramsey getting us psyched about the next season of Arrow! I can't wait." (Melbourne Oz Comic Con, Jun. 10, 2018: MishManners tweet, page 706 of Social Media thread)
-- On whether he would do a guest spot on Arrow, Justin Hartley: “If it was the right part, yeah… I love interesting characters. Yeah, if it was something that I could get excited about, yeah, of course.” (May 31, 2018 CBR article, citing May 28, 2018 Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum podcast, page 534 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)

S7 Flashbacks 
-- On Jul. 1, 2018, Pagey posted video about unconfirmed leaked spoilers, saying: "The flashbacks will be returning. So Oliver flashbacks will be returning in Season 7 for a part of it. And apparently these flashbacks are apparently going to be showing us Oliver's time in prison and how it connects to events going on in the present day." (Pagey video, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

Team Arrow
-- From TV Guide's SDCC special issue: "Can Original Team Arrow and New Team Arrow please get along? Oliver, Felicity and Diggle (David Ramsey) spent much of the season battling disgruntled dropouts Dinah (Juliana Harkavy), Curtis (Echo Kellum) and Rene (Rick Gonzalez). Fans were not about it - and the writers heard our sighs! Come fall, vows [EP Beth] Schwartz, 'There is not going to be a divide.'" (Pic of Burning Questions section from 2018 TV Guide Comic-Con Special in Jul. 14, 2018 smoak3d tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- From TV Guide's SDCC special issue: "Those graphics that fill tech genius Felicity Smoak's (Emily Bett Rickards) computer screen? Much of it is visual effects added during postproduction, according to exec producer Beth Schwarts, who says that Felicity, Diggle (Ramsey, below, with RIckards) and the Arrow team will search for another lair next season since theirs was destroyed." (Pic of Behind the Scenes section from 2018 TV Guide Comic-Con Special in Jul. 16, 2018 smoak3d tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- DR: "That kind of philosophical argument between team members [on how their vigilante group should be run] will spread through Season 6 and continue through Season 7. So this is a - it's a long running arc throughout our story and, um, it's going to continue even through the end of Season 6 into 7 ” (Melbourne Oz Comic Con, Jun. 8, 2018: Heavy Mag article & podcast, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 279 of Starling City Times thread)
-- Fan report on what JH said: "Juliana says going into season 7 of Arrow Dinah feels remorse aboit what went down and that NTA is probably going to take on a softer approach when it comes to the NTA / OTA relationship." (Supanova Sydney, Jun. 16, 2018: estheryam tweet, page 1797 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

Original Team Arrow ("OTA")
-- Per DR, the classic Team Arrow will once again reunite down the stretch. DR: "It's not the end. These guys are pretty much destined to be together." Also DR: "By the way, the Oliver-Diggle-Felicity thing will happen again, but they're gonna take their time. This is not going to be an easy fix. These guys have fought and broken up before and some place between four to six episodes, they're back together. That's not this time. They both have some learning to do and they will, and the show in the seventh season will take their time bringing this relationship back around. As well they should in a Season 7 that shoots 23 episodes. We really should shake the boat a little bit. So I'm glad the writers did." (Apr. 12, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 15 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 1752 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Apr. 3, 2018, SA tweeted b-t-s pic of himself with DR and EBR, all holding up 7 fingers, with comment: "Tradition. Season VII." (SA tweet, page 1739 of Spoiler Discussion thread and page 678 of Social Media thread)

Not Team Arrow ("NTA")
-- From Apr. 28, 2018 papp blog: "Also, as a random side detail. I ran into 2 cast from the show at the movies the same night I shot that set. I congratulated them on a season 7, and asked 1 (I was assuming the other would be) of them if he was coming back, and he said 'yes'. That makes me believe NTA (New Team Arrow... the team name given to Curtis/Mister Terrific, Rene/Wid Dog & Dinah/Black Canary by the fandom for those of you not up to date on all of that.) will be back in season 7 in some capacity." (canadagraphs blog post, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 1767 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On May 4, 2018, Tonya Kong tweeted: "The @ARROWwriters ended a spectacular week with visits from @JulianaHarkavy @officialrickg and @EchoK! Triple threat! #NTA couldn’t be nicer people in real life! Happy Friday #arrowfans!." (Tonya_Kong tweet, page 1776 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

(Continued...)

Edited September 3, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

SUMMARY OF S7 SPOILERS BY TOPIC - PART 3 of 10

Oliver & Felicity ("Olicity")
-- On what's next for Oliver & Felicity's marriage and whether they can survive Oliver going to prison, MG: "I will tell you this: I’ve been married now 14 years, and when I make unilateral decisions, my wife is not generally happy about it — and those include the unilateral decisions that don’t involve me going to prison. So I think it’s probably not spoiling anything to say that there’s going to be some challenges Felicity will have to overcome in light of Oliver making this big, momentous move without consulting Felicity." (May 17, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- On whether Felicity will be bitter towards Oliver because of his unilateral decision in S6, MG: "I wouldn’t say bitter; but I would say that Oliver is going to have some work to do. This was a momentous decision that affects not only her but their son, and at the end of the day he didn’t consult her. Oliver says in the finale, 'There wasn’t enough time,' but if I were Felicity I would quibble with that. There were plenty of moments where Oliver was talking to people, saying hid good-byes…. Felicity I think would be well within her rights to say, 'Why didn’t you take some of that screen time talking to me about it?' Obviously it will be up to Beth [Schwartz] and the writers to decide which way to go here, but my thinking about the reason he didn’t [consult with Felicity] was because he knew she would talk him out of it." (May 17, 2018 TVLine article, page 1786 of Spoiler Discussion thread and page 274 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On what he forsees for Oliver & Felicity in S7, SA: "I feel the dynamic of them having to parent has been interesting. Um, whatever they do, I just hope that they both trust each other. That's all. And I hope that - I feel like we've kept enough secrets on the show - or at least Oliver's kept enough secrets. So I would hope that - I would hope that he has finally learned his lesson from that perspective and that he is, um - whatever they do, they rely on each other to make each other better, because I think that that's the most dynamic place that we could take it." (HVFF-Chicago, Apr. 8, 2018: Apr. 12, 2018 Wayward Fanboy video of SA panel, page 16 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 682 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: "[Felicity's] a little bit perturbed with Oliver and the action that he takes in the finale, which we'll sort of have to sift through since the - in the early part of Season 7." (The CW Upfronts, May 17, 2018: viralotz9 video of red carpet interview with SA, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- In response to MG's comment that Felicity might not be entirely okay/on board with Oliver's unilateral decision, SA: "I think she understands it in the moment, but I think that, you know, retrospectively, especially if he has to spend a lot of time in prison, she'll get a little bit sour about it." (The CW Upfronts, May 17, 2018: May 19, 2018 TVLine video of red carpet interview with SA, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 696 of Social Media thread)
-- Fan reports on what SA said when he autographed fan's pic of Oliver & Felicity kissing in 622: "“you’re gonna love season 7 but you’re not getting spoilers.” and "For those wondering I was there and Stephen looked at Nat's pic and said you are gonna love season 7 but no spoilers. Maybe talk to David. He emphasized the word love." (HVFF-Nashville, May 12, 2018: amellxwood and Fangrlmoment tweets, page 693 of Social Media thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: "I asked Stephen to please tell Beth to do whatever she can to erase the last scene we have of Oliver in bed with someone (flashbacks don't matter!). He said, "sure, it's gonna be tough the first half of the season then it's gonna be great.' #Arrow #Olicity." (HVFF-London, May 27, 2018: itakha2015 tweet, page 1794 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- EBR: "I think it's going to be quite a bit different this year. I mean, she's probably going to be, you know, helping William grow up solo, cause we're not sure where we leave her husband at the end of Season 6. We're not sure if he'll be back out in the real world. It's going to be quite dangerous." (May 21, 2018 Cheddar video & tweet, page 697 of Social Media thread)
-- On where Arrow will go from here now that Oliver is in jail, EBR: "I know we have to start, you know, that couple, that couple who's in love, Felicity and Oliver do need to start with a separation and, you know, a lack of, um, communication in a way of being forbidden to see each other, I think, off the top of our series. We'll se how that goes." (Jun. 21, 2018 CTV Morning News video, page 1799 of Spoiler Discussion thread and page 281 of Starling City Times thread)
-- DR: “What happens between [Oliver] and Felicity will last for a long time, what happened between [Oliver] and myself will last for a long time. Likewise, whatever recovery that happens during Season 7 will not happen quickly.” (May 3, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 1771 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "Me: Yeah, man, how are you guys going to deal with him in jail?? Are you going to go visit him? David: Of course. Felicity is going to get her conjugal visits." (Wizard World Philadelphia, May 18, 2018: x_kmall_x tweet, page 1789 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

Olicity Baby
-- On whether Oliver & Felicity will be ready for a baby of their own soon, SA: "Sure, but the events of the [Season 6] finale will make that incredibly difficult." (May 16, 2018 TV Guide tweet & article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- On whether a baby is the next chapter for Olicity, SA: "In Season 7? No. Oliver has his hands full." (The CW Upfronts, May 17, 2018: viralotz9 video of red carpet interview with SA, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: "He was very firm on telling me there's no Olicity baby in season 7, and when I told him I didn't believe him he straight up told me 'I'm dead serious'. He *tried* to keep a straight face while saying that but failed miserably" and "I just remembered he also said David needs to be lectured on how many spoilers he can give away, FAST. He laughed so much when I told him David was the king of spoilers." (HVFF-London, May 27, 2018: oliverjsmoak tweets, page 1794 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On whether Oliver & Felicity will be ready for a baby of their own soon, EBR: " "I think the possibilities are limited, but I wouldn't say they're excluded completely." (May 16, 2018 TV Guide tweet & article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- EBR: "In terms of the way we leave Season 6, it would be quite weird sort of putting Oliver and Felicity in a position where we're not so sure if... having a child might be extremely difficult for them at the beginning of Season 7. Without spoiling anything too crazy!" (May 18, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 1788 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- EBR: "I don't know if I would be interested in exploring [an Olicity baby] storyline right now with Felicity... I feel like she deserves a little something more than that, and I don't want that to be taken the wrong way. I'd just be interested in seeing her, I don't know, like, deal with a villain face-to-face for a consistent number of episodes?" (May 24, 2018 TV Guide article, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- When interviewer mentioned EBR's previous comment about not wanting Felicity to be pregnant, EBR: "I did say that and I regretted it saying it right afterwards because I got some hate. I said that just because I didn't want her to revolve around just being in this relationship. That's why." (Jun. 20, 2018 Daily Hive video of EBR interview, page 281 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On whether a Felicity pregnancy would change the dynamic of the show: DR: "What would have to happen different? I don't know, you know. I mean, that's - it'll be great if it happened. But I don't know what would have to happen differently. I don't know. That's a great question." (HVFF-Nashvillle, May 13, 2018: Video clip of Arrow panel in its_mjayy tweet, page 1782 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "so I asked David how he thinks Oliver and felicity would be with a new baby. David said that Lyla and diggle have jj (we are all still bitter about sara) and that they’re soldiers, they know they could die but Oliver still has not accepted that yet." and "when felicity and William are in danger, he snaps. He hasn’t found a way to deal with it yet and adding a baby would be a lot as well. He said he wants them to have a family (oliver, felicity, William, and new baby)" and "he said he wants to add their baby in the mix and we asked when and he said 'next season' and I asked if it was soon and he just like nodded and was like 'it would be good.'” (HVFF-Chicago, Apr. 8, 2018: emilyxamell tweets, page 1745 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "Based on twitter I’m guessing DR confirmed Felicity is pregnant? Or at least will be in S7." (HVFF-Nashville, May 12, 2018: Chaser post, page 1780 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan reports on what DR said: "Will the Olicity fandom lose their sh*t over this??" and "The timeline is not confirmed." and "I feel bad but the spoiler was DMed to me. I wont post it without permission. But you can guess." and "Ya'll already know what it is. Yes. THAT." and "You guys is not my spoiler to give! :( but is good. ya'll. Is GOOD." (HVFF-Nashville, May 12, 2018: OlicityDreams and OlicityShipper3 tweets, page 1781 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "Just met David Ramsey. ... Oh, and he did confirm Felicity being pregnant." and "To be fair I only asked Ramsey about if she’s going to be pregnant not in which season/episode it would be revealed." (HVFF-Nashville, May 13, 2018: scarynikki12 posts, page 1781 of Spoiler Discussion thread, and page 1787 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "Oh, one last thing. He said they wanted to do the baby SL like 2 seasons ago but they kept putting if off." (HVFF-Nashville, May 13, 2018: KaiNesbitt tweet, page 1782 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "David has confirmed to a fan that the S7 will have 22 episodes and that there will be sure baby # Olicity . # Arrow  # ArrowNewS7." (HVFF-London, May 26, 2018: FlarrowAndMore tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "David couldn’t GIVE me spoilers, but he did confirm a couple of them! Baby [check mark emoji] Oliver in prison for a while [check mark emoji] He also said some of the bigger stuff (which Stephen suggested) needs to go for approval to Warner Bro’s/DC. He felt so bad he couldn’t give me concrete spoilers." (HVFF-London, May 27, 2018: lexiblackbriar tweet, page 1794 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "I was like ‘so I heard you’ve been giving out season 7 spoilers care to share any??’ & he was like ‘well there might be a baby’." (HVFF-London, May 27, 2018: lrnmccb tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1796 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "OLICITY BABY CONFIRMATION" and "He only said 'They're having a BABY!'" (Melbourne Oz Comic Con, Jun. 9, 2018: beinmyheart8 tweets, page 1796 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "Kay, guys, I’m just gonna say this once because I’m seeing a lot of stuff going around - I specifically asked David about an Olicity baby and the man could NOT confirm it. What he said was that it was on the (Beth’s) board, but the TPTB (CW/WB/DC) have not greenlit it (1/3)" and "It doesn’t it mean it’ll happen but it doesn’t mean it won’t. The showrunner/network are busy trying to green light other plot points for the season and they may come back to it, but as of yesterday at 11:30am the baby isn’t a done deal. No one should get their hopes up (2/3)" and "Because it might set you up for disappointment. But as of 11:45am yesterday morning, the baby wasn’t confirmed. It’s been on the board (for a long time) but it’s never been able to pass through the network approvals. Here have a pic of me chatting with david (3/3)." (Melbourne Oz Comic Con, Jun. 10, 2018: estheryam tweets, page 1796 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

Oliver Queen AKA Green Arrow
-- From SDCC's Arrow Synopsis: "Oliver will come face-to-face with many of the criminals he placed behind bars, as he makes a new home for himself at Slabside Maximum Security Prison. Oliver will find himself vulnerable in a way unlike ever before when a mysterious new enemy begins to unravel his work as Green Arrow, challenging him to redeem his name or risk losing everything." (Jun. 25, 2018 Deadline tweet & article, page 281 of Starling City Times thread and page 542 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- On whether Oliver is done as the GA, MG: "Well, let’s proceed from first assumptions, which is that I think it’s safe to say that all of season 7 will probably not take place with Oliver in prison, so I don’t think it’s spoiling anything to say that he will get out at some point. It never occurred to me, quite frankly, that once he comes out that he necessarily has to stop being the Green Arrow. I think it probably all depends on the circumstances under which he eventually gets out." (May 17, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- MG: "I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that Oliver won’t remain in prison for the remainder of the series; that would be silly. He’ll get out at some point, and the circumstances under which that happens… there’s a really cool plan in place for. So, stay tuned!" (May 17, 2018 TVLine article, page 1786 of Spoiler Discussion thread and page 274 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On Oliver now being revealed as the GA, MG: "When we were doing the pilot, I had a bucket list of ideas for the show. The identity reveal in my original conception happened in a very different way, but the idea of him revealing his identity, that was my penultimate card to play. Going into this season, we knew that that's how we wanted to end the season. We were cognizant going into Season 6 that if the show was going to be a six-plus season show, it needs to constantly evolve and change. Oliver revealing his identity at the end of the season would be a great way to fundamentally change the series going into Season 7... He's not going to remain in prison for the remainder of the series. When he gets out of prison, the fact that he now has to deal with the consequences of the public knowing his secret identity, that is huge. It's not just Oliver, it's also Felicity and his son William. She's now married to the Green Arrow. William's dad is the Green Arrow. That's going to be huge for their family. That just creates so many cool stories to tell, interesting complications, challenges, dangers. It makes the prison storyline so much more visceral. If we wanted to just stick Oliver in prison, we could have done that without revealing his secret identity, but for us what always made the prison storyline exciting was he's not just trapped in prison, but he's trapped in prison with all these people who know that he's the one who put him there. That's such rich, exciting territory for us to be able to undertake in Season 7." (May 17, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 1790 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- MG tweeted pic of visitor's pass for Slabside Maximum Security Prison, with comment: "Come pay Oliver a visit..." The badge has an I.D. number of "201." It was issued on "02/05/2018" and will expire on "31/06/2019." (Jul. 9, 2018 MG tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1801 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- From TV Guide's SDCC special issue: "'Prison isn't great for Oliver Queen. It's not going to go well,' says [EP Beth] Schwartz, teasing that 'we'll see some of the people that he's put in prison' over the past six seasons. ... Why wasn't Oliver sent ot Iron Heights? Instead of doing time in the Arrowverse's go-to penitentiary, the unmasked good guy is behind bars in what Schwartz calls the 'brutal' Slabside Maximum Security Prison. Adds Schwartz, 'We wanted to up the stakes and see a new prison that was filled with a little more dangerous type of people.'" (Pic of Burning Questions section from 2018 TV Guide Comic-Con Special in Jul. 14, 2018 smoak3d tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- DCTV's Hector Navarro: "The first episode back is called 'Inmate 4587,' which is of course a reference to Oliver Queen. He's been locked up. That is it. And if he's been locked up - it's just a Hector theory here - maybe he's had enough time to grow out that goatee. We finally get the goat, baby, the greatest of all time, right? Stephen Amell promised it on twitter. Okay, that's not me, that's him... So hopefully we get that classic Green Arrow goatee." (Jul. 16, 2018 DC video, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "I know very much where Oliver begins next year [Season 7], whereas at the end of Season 5, I didn't know where we were going to pick it up. I think we will do what we typically do, which is, we do a basic time cut. So if we wrap up Season 6 in May, when we find our characters in Season 7, we will be in October, um, I know - again, I know where Oliver begins the year. And I know that it is something on the show - more so than anything that we've ever done, more so than blowing up the island - it is something on the show that we can never undo. If that makes sense. And if it doesn't make sense, even better." (HVFF-Chicago, Apr. 8, 2018: Apr. 12, 2018 Wayward Fanboy video of SA panel, page 16 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 682 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: "Well, assuming Oliver survives, you can expect - alright, since this doesn't live that long and since no one will parce it and prove that I said it, I think that you can expect a different hairstyle from Oliver. Does that make sense? A different hairstyle. All around. (Gestures with hand around head) An all-around different hairstyle." (Apr. 12, 2018 SA instagram live video, page 16 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 1754 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- SA: "I think there may be a way for Oliver to have a superpower this year. As The CW gets more and more and more nervous... Nervous, nervous, nervous." (HVFF-Nashville, May 12, 2018: May 13, 2018 Comicbook.com article & video and May 15, 2018 viajantesim video of SA panel, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- On whether Oliver will have a goatee in S7, SA: "Just because you've been polite, and just because everyone has been so nice to me today, I can break some news for you and let you know that, in Season 7, I am going to debut the goatee... I can't promise that I'm going to keep it forever. I can definitely promise that I'm not going to wear the stupid hat. Okay? But we've actually been thinking a lot, you know, assuming that - assuming that Oliver gets out of prison - thinking a lot, uh, if he suits back up as the Green Arrow, what does that costume look like? Because there's no more secret identity. The cat is out of the bag. Not that it was that secret before. But, um, we will see. Yeah, we're gonna debut the goatee. And, um, we're also meeting a new character that, when I heard about it, I got goosebumps, I was so excited." (Motor City Comic Con, May 19, 2018: Akasuki ShikiHollow video of SA panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 696 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: "I have had some input on where Oliver might end up at the end of the [unintelligible word]... at the end of the season. (Aisha asked, "At the end of Season 7?") Yeah." (HVFF-London, May 27, 2018: Simone Wegener video of SA panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 701 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: "One of the things that we didn't have this year that I would love to have next year is, we usually have one fight that's just definitely all me." As an example, he then mentioned when he fought Ra's al Ghul on the mountain top in S3. (HVFF-London, May 27, 2018: Simone Wegener video of SA panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 701 of Social Media thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: "'The event that will end our sixth season will give us an opportunity to maybe explore' having other comic book stuff be in the Arrowverse." (Awesome Con, Apr. 1, 2018: MaeAbdu tweet, page 1736 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: "Stephen thinks there's a very high possibility that the 'classic' green arrow look could show up next season." (Awesome Con, Apr. 1, 2018: MaeAbdu tweet, page 1735 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: "Stephen says he hopes that with the way season 6 is ending, that it would possibly open up an opportunity to have more classic and traditional elements from the Green Arrow comics introduced into the show." (Awesome Con, Apr. 1, 2018: rousehold tweet, page 1735 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: "whatever happens at the end of this season might give way for oliver to become more like traditional GA ??" (Awesome Con, Apr. 1, 2018: amellxwood tweet, page 1735 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: "Any season 7 outlines? Knows exactly where Oliver will be, there will be usual time cut. Will be something on the show that can never be undone." (HVFF-Chicago, Apr. 8, 2018: CMDragonia tweet, page 1745 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: "STEPHEN TOLD ME OLIVER DOESN'T WEAR HIS WEDDING RING IN JAIL." (HVFF-London, May 26, 2018: mariapiarrow tweet, page 1793 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: "@StephenAmell will have a goatee for part of s7." (Supanova Sydney, Jun. 17, 2018: traveller15 tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1798 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: "Stephen: hopefully I get to wear a different superhero suit in the future ... hm am I being cryptic? I’m being cryptic." (Supanova Sydney, Jun. 17, 2018: estheryam tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1787 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Oliver's comics goatee coming in S7, S7. EBR: "Yeah, it's well on its way. I don't know if I'm happy about it. He's very happy about it. I'm more impartial...  (To JH) The goatee is coming back... He's going to make it stylish. He's got a million different colors in there. (To DR) I don't know if you've seen it? Have you taken a solid close look? You should go look." (HVFF-London, May 26, 2018: Simone Wegener video of Arrow Heroes panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "Oliver’s time in prison will be hard, and many things will happen while there." (Melbourne Oz Comic Con, Jun. 8, 2018: Spotlight Report article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 279 of Starling City Times thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "David couldn’t GIVE me spoilers, but he did confirm a couple of them! Baby [check mark emoji] Oliver in prison for a while [check mark emoji] He also said some of the bigger stuff (which Stephen suggested) needs to go for approval to Warner Bro’s/DC. He felt so bad he couldn’t give me concrete spoilers." (HVFF-London, May 27, 2018: lexiblackbriar tweet, page 1794 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Per KA, Oliver will probably resume his GA costume, but may well stay longer than we imagine behind bars in S7. KA: "He is an avenger but now all the world knows his identity, he is in prison. I don’t know if it’s going to be something else... I don’t know if there is a legal way to get him out of prison, he killed people, he lied, he stole, he did something illegal. This is an avenger, it is against the law. I don’t know how they’re going to make it out of prison. It better be good ! I think it would be more fun if it escaped. It would be a vigilante criminal, it would be more fun, this storyline would be better !" (Jun. 25, 2018 The Koz Times article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1799 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On May 9, 2018, SA tweeted: "Just got S7 of Arrow laid out by @SchwartzApprovd and @GBerlanti — I am so incredibly fired up." (SA tweet, page 1777 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On May 9, 2018, SA posted: "I just had the most lovely meeting with our new showrunner, Beth Schwartz, along with the entire writing room - or writers' room, as the case may be... I'm excited for everything that's happened this past year, and I'm excited for what's to come, um, in no small part because of the meeting I just had." (SA instagram video, page 1777 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On May 9, 2018, Tonya Kong tweeted: "How special was #arrowednesday? THE GREEN ARROW himself @StephenAmell visited the @ARROWwriters!  Awesome for us to hear how passionate, thoughtful and excited he is about the end of S6 and future S7! Can #Arrow drop by our bunker every hump day? #teamarrow ????." (Tonya_Kong tweet, page 1777 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On May 21, 2018, MG tweeted: "One of my last acts as co-showrunner of Arrow was to ask the art department to mock-up a picture of what @StephenAmell would look like with a goatee as proof of concept.  (No, I won't post it, but it looks cool.)" (MG tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 1, 2018, Pagey posted video about unconfirmed leaked spoilers, saying: "Oliver Queen will be in prison for three episodes. ... Previous villains that Oliver had faced and put into prison will be in the same prison as him, which is, of course, Slabside." (Pagey video, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 1, 2018, Pagey posted video about unconfirmed leaked spoilers, saying: "The flashbacks will be returning. So Oliver flashbacks will be returning in Season 7 for a part of it. And apparently these flashbacks are apparently going to be showing us Oliver's time in prison and how it connects to events going on in the present day." (Pagey video, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 2, 2018, Reddit user (Intelligent_Arachnid) posted rumored spoiler: "Oliver in prison for only 3 episodes." (Arrow reddit post by Intelligent_Arachnid, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 3, 2018, in response to rumored spoiler that Oliver will be in prison for 3 episodes, SA tweeted: "False." (SA tweet, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Freedom Fighters: The Ray: On Jul. 17, 2018, CW Seed tweeted: "#Arrow joins #TheRay in a new chapter of Freedom Fighters this Thursday. Catch up on Part 1 now: ..." (cwseed tweet, page 548 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)

Felicity Smoak AKA Overwatch
-- On the effect of Oliver's GA reveal on Felicity and William, MG: "It's not just Oliver, it's also Felicity and his son William. She's now married to the Green Arrow. William's dad is the Green Arrow. That's going to be huge for their family. That just creates so many cool stories to tell, interesting complications, challenges, dangers." (May 17, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- From TV Guide's SDCC special issue: "How is Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) handling the fact that her husband is locked up? Most likely with her usual pluck and resilience! Everyone the team will be 'in a different place than you would expect when the show returns,' says [EP Beth] Schwartz. 'They're all going to have different reactions to Oliver being in prison and what their responsibilities are now.'" (Pic of Burning Questions section from 2018 TV Guide Comic-Con Special in Jul. 14, 2018 smoak3d tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- SA tweeted a pic of himself wearing a blue Smoak Technologies t-shirt at Supanova Sydney, with a shrug emoji. (Supanova Sydney, Jun. 17, 2018: SA tweet and manateesoz video, page 707 of Social Media thread)
-- EBR: "The way that we leave the end of Season 6, she's really going to have to step up even more into her position, if that's even possible. I know she can do it just on the way that she's grown across the years, but it's just going to be a big difference for her in Season 7. Things have shifted off the mantle and she's gonna have to try some new things." Also EBR: "I think her and William fit so well together and it's really quite beautiful what they are doing together and how much William is teaching her and what they're learning from each other. In terms of the way we leave Season 6, it would be quite weird sort of putting Oliver and Felicity in a position where we're not so sure if... having a child might be extremely difficult for them at the beginning of Season 7. Without spoiling anything too crazy!" (May 18, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 1788 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Felicity in S7, EBR: "Well, I think she'll still be very active in terms of, you know, saving the city, hopefully. Um, hopefully staying under the radar. In a way she has been exposed a little bit as part of the team, um, as the whole team has. And it is still her responsibility to keep her city safe and, you know, keep holding up the mantle, and then also try to get her husband out of prison." (May 21, 2018 Cheddar video & tweet, page 697 of Social Media thread)
-- On Smoak Technologies, EBR: "Because it's been teased in a future world in one of our universes, it's definitely a possibility... But it also is one of those things where we don't have to do it. I think it would be extremely enjoyable to see what's next there. Like is Helix Dynamics going to spur Smoak Tech? What are they going to do with it? What would be their goal, what would be their journey, what would be their purpose? I think that would be an interesting conversation, and it's what Curtis and Felicity are sort of trying to do with Helix Dynamics." (May 24, 2018 TV Guide article, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "There are storylines that still need approving from Warner Bros. and DC but he truly believes this season is gonna be great for both Diggle and Felicity and they have their own arcs (I told him it was about time!)." (HVFF-London, May 26, 2018: oliverjsmoak tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- Fan report on what Carlos Valdes said: "I asked Carlos if he enjoyed filming Cisco scenes with Felicity and said filming scenes with Emily feels like home and that he loves the techy geeky stuff, and that he and Emily are always pushing for more scenes like that" and "Also I asked if we would see more of that in the future, and he said that the writers are very aware of how well they play off each other so maybe??" (Supanova Sydney, Jun. 16, 2018: esteryam tweets, page 539 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- On May 11, 2018, when asked if EBR had visited the Arrow writers yet, Tonya Kong tweeted: "We hope to see her soon!" (Tonya_Kong tweet, page 1779 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 1, 2018, Pagey posted video about unconfirmed leaked spoilers, saying: "Felicity Smoak will have her own season long storyline outside of Team Arrow. Now my only guess for what this could be is that it has to do with Helix Dynamics, the company that she started with Curtis. I don't see what else it could be unless Felicity becomes a vigilante and, uh - yeah, I don't think, uh - no, no, no one wants to see that." (Pagey video, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 2, 2018, Reddit user (Intelligent_Arachnid) posted rumored spoiler: "Felicity will have an arc outside the team." (Arrow reddit post by Intelligent_Arachnid, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

William Clayton
-- On the effect of Oliver's GA reveal on Felicity and William, MG: "It's not just Oliver, it's also Felicity and his son William. She's now married to the Green Arrow. William's dad is the Green Arrow. That's going to be huge for their family. That just creates so many cool stories to tell, interesting complications, challenges, dangers." (May 17, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- On William, SA: "I don't think Oliver would want him to go into the field at all." (Motor City Comic Con, May 19, 2018: Akasuki ShikiHollow video of SA panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 696 of Social Media thread)
-- On where he hopes to see the William/fatherhood storyline going in S7, SA: "Well, it's a little difficult for them to have a relationship right now. Um, first of all, I'm excited to get back in two months and see that Jack has grown another six inches. He's going to be taller than me by the end of next season. Um, I really enjoy the dynamic of Oliver as dad, and Felicty as a parent - them essentially becoming parents together. Um, that was really exciting. I have no idea where it's going to go, though. I have absolutely no idea. I know a lot about Season 7, but I don't know where the Oliver/William dynamic goes. I hope that it continues to be good. And I hope that he continues to be interested in superhero stuff, because that's fun." (Motor City Comic Con, May 19, 2018: Akasuki ShikiHollow video of SA panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 696 of Social Media thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: "Stephen was so nice. Asked him about Oliver’s relationship with William next season, if he thought there was going to be a change of dynamics btw them. He said changes were definitively coming but he trusted their relationship enough not to worry about it." (HVFF-London, May 27, 2018: lrnmccb tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1796 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- EBR: "I think her and William fit so well together and it's really quite beautiful what they are doing together and how much William is teaching her and what they're learning from each other." (May 18, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 1788 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Felicity becoming a stepmom to William, EBR: "Well, I think it was easier when Jack was shorter at the beginning of the season. But he grew like - he grew like a foot in nine months. So it was like, when I first saw him, it was like, 'oh yeah, William, no problem.' Then I was like, (tilting her head to look up) 'William, sir, you should shrink.' ... Yeah, he's extremely tall... I think it's good for Felicity. Obviously, it's sort of that thing in life where it worked out, but it wasn't planned, and she's rolling with the punches... She's just so giving anyway, as a human being, like, you know, before William was in the picture. Um, I don't think she ever pictured it for herself. But she's definitely really capable, and she does well at it. And I think her and William as - you know, he's her stepson, but he's also a friend." (May 21, 2018 Build Series video, page 697 of Social Media thread)

(Continued...)

Edited July 18, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

SUMMARY OF S7 SPOILERS BY TOPIC - PART 4 of 10

John Diggle AKA Spartan 
-- DR: "We were talking at the beginning of [Season 6], I've said this to other folks, about how do we break a character like Diggle. What do you do to him? He just seems to, when things happen to our particular hero, he kind of wears it. You see these things come back in Oliver's life, whether he's learned a lesson of losing the Black Canary or losing his mother or losing Tommy. These things keep hitting him over and over again. You see him relearning these lessons. But Diggle, you get the sense that he learns it pretty quickly, he's more evolved, he's more centered. So we just kinda wanted to break that a bit. He has some stuff to learn as well, and we'll see that evolve through his experience with ARGUS and his separation from Oliver through Season 7." (Apr. 12, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 15 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 1752 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- DR: “What happens between [Oliver] and Felicity will last for a long time, what happened between [Oliver] and myself will last for a long time. Likewise, whatever recovery that happens during Season 7 will not happen quickly.” (May 3, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 1771 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- DR: "I think Diggle should have some parents. To find out who's Diggle - where Diggle came from. Like, I think we know everyone - nearly everyone’s parents." (HVFF-Nashville, May 13, 2018: May 14, 2018 ComicBook article & video, page 694 of Social Media thread)
-- On the GA suit, DR: "But what I enjoy more is that I'm hearing that I won't be in it next season, which is awesome. The suit is very hot." (HVFF-London, May 26, 2018: bettunicorns and Simone Wegener videos of Arrow Heroes panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "Regarding my character, I can only share with you that he is still working at ARGUS with Lyla, and teaming up with the others once in a while to take down Diaz once for all. But, many things happen, there are some huge twists that nobody saw coming. It’s so good…I’m so sad I cannot tell you more." (Melbourne Oz Comic Con, Jun. 8, 2018: Spotlight Report article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 279 of Starling City Times thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "You know they'll get back together soon. My man can't stay away from me too long. My boo boo gotta come home." (Melbourne Oz Comic Con, Jun. 9, 2018: xoalana6ox tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "Y'all I just met David and this time it was even better than last year. David has already given most of the spoilers he can away but there are just big ones he can't reveal. He's so excited about Beth, and what it means to Diggle. (1/5)." and "There are storylines that still need approving from Warner Bros. and DC but he truly believes this season is gonna be great for both Diggle and Felicity and they have their own arcs (I told him it was about time!) (2/5)." (HVFF-London, May 26, 2018: oliverjsmoak tweets, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- On May 1, 2018, Tonya Kong tweeted: "Guess what #arrowfans? @david_ramsey visited the @ARROWwriters yesterday and he was every bit as cool and charismatic as you would expect! Great meeting you, David! #johndiggle #spartan #OTA #arrowfamily??S7." (Tonya_Kong tweet, page 1777 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

Lyla Michaels AKA Harbinger 
-- DR: "We want to make some logical use of ARGUS and also the dynamic that his wife [Lyla] is the director of ARGUS What does that mean? What does that mean to the Team Arrow? How can we utilize her resources? What does that mean to the relationship? So there's a lot that has to kind of play out in Season 7 in terms of ARGUS and Diggle's involvement." (Apr. 26, 2018 ComicBook article and Apr. 27, 2018 ComicBook article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)

Thea Queen AKA Speedy
-- Willa Holland will not be returning for S7 as a series regular. (Jul. 10, 2018 TVLine article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 545 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Fan reports on what WH said: "Willa confirmed that Speedy coming back is definitely in the realm of possibilities" and "Willa says it's a possibility for her to come back as a guest. She recalls that no one really dies in Arrow." (Heroes Assemble Convention, Jun. 9, 2018: Englishismine and RosterCon tweets, page 536 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)

Roy Harper AKA Arsenal
-- Colton Haynes will return as a series regular in S7 of Arrow in his previous role of Roy Harper, a/k/a Arsenal. (Apr. 9, 2018 Deadline, Entertainment Weekly, The Hollywood Reporter, TV Guide and TVLine articles, page 15 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- Colton Haynes, who plays Roy Harper, is returning for S7 as a series regular. (Jul. 10, 2018 TVLine article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 545 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- MG: "Their planned trajectory for Roy in season seven is really exciting. It's something that we're not just bringing him back to the show and picking up where we left off with him. He's really going back in a new, really cool and interesting way. One of the many consequences of Oliver revealing his identity, especially revealing his identity in the way that he does in the finale is it gives Roy a new lease on life. Roy has had to go underground as a result of the events of season three and because of the way Oliver outed himself at the end of season six, Roy has his whole life back and his whole identity back. That's very interesting territory for us to play. We haven't been able to do that with a character yet, where someone gets their whole life returned to them in one fell swoop and will now have to deal with the consequences." (May 17, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- Per MG, the Roy Harper who returns in S7 is not from another Earth. MG: “I can tell you it’s absolutely our Earth’s Roy... Colton is coming back as our one Roy Harper. We have a cool plan for Roy — now I should really get into the habit of saying the writers have a cool plan for Roy — but I think it’s premature to talk about that. I’ll let Beth [Schwartz] address that.” (May 24, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- From TV Guide's SDCC special issue: "Thea (departing series star Willa Holland) just left town with Roy (Colton Haynes), so how is Roy coming back without her? [EP Beth] Schwartz promises viewers will learn early on why the two aren't together. We'll also see Roy - aka the former vigilante Arsenal - 'being a hero in a different sort of way,' she says." (Pic of Burning Questions section from 2018 TV Guide Comic-Con Special in Jul. 14, 2018 smoak3d tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- DCTV's Hector Navarro: "And we've also got actor Colton Haynes coming back as a series regular, Roy Harper AKA Arsenal. Super stoked about that." (Jul. 16, 2018 DC video, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On CH returning next season, SA: "I think that, in general, our universe is better with Roy Harper in it, so I'm very, very excited." When mod joked as long as Roy doesn't run for mayor, SA: "Anyone that Oliver cares about is not allowed to be mayor." (Motor City Comic Con, May 19, 2018: Akasuki ShikiHollow video of SA panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 696 of Social Media thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said about CH's return in S7: "David: SO EXCITED. He’s— wait, I was going to give something away. You nearly got me." (Melbourne Oz Comic Con, Jun. 9, 2018: xoalana6ox tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the return of Roy Harper, RG: "Yes, excited that Colton Haynes joins the cast again. I think having Roy Harper as a part of the show will take us back to where the show first started. Interestingly enough, Rene Ramirez and Roy Harper are from the “Glades”. I’m sure on some level there’s a good connection to be had from two good guys from a tough neighborhood." (Jun. 7, 2018 Meaww article, page 279 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On Jun. 7, 2018, Arrow writers tweeted: "Over the past few weeks, we've been so lucky to be visited by our awesome actors that make up #TeamArrow. The last on the stop was today -- @ColtonLHaynes! We're very excited to have him back and we CAN'T WAIT for you all to see what we've been cooking up. #Arrow." (Arrowwriters tweet, page 1796 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jun. 27, 2018, CH tweeted: "I still have no idea how some ppl can cope with jetlag. I'm basically a 2 yr old haha. But I'm excited to see y'all back in Paris on July 7th for my first convention in a loooong time! Then I go right back filming #Arrow ?? I'm so excited!" (CH tweet, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 8, 2018, fan tweeted the following from Colton Haynes' panel: "Colton says that tomorrow he returns to Vancouver for the shooting of Arrow! # HATM2." and "Colton is super excited to return to Arrow! This new season will be more fun than the others, we return to the roots of the beginning of the series, that's why he must also keep his beard he would like to shave a lot." (Howl at the Moon 2, Jul. 8, 2018: FrConventions tweets, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1801 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 9, 2018, CH flew from Paris, France, to Vancouver, Canada, to begin shooting S7 of Arrow. (Jul. 9, 2018 Just Jared Jr article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1802 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

Quentin Lance
-- Per TVLine, Paul Blackthorne, who plays Star City lawman-turned-interim mayor Quentin Lance, will not be returning to Arrow in S7 as a series regular. (May 2, 2018 TVLine article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread, and The Hollywood Reporter article, page 1770 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Paul Blackthorne will not be returning for S7. (Jul. 10, 2018 TVLine article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 545 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- KC: “I love Paul [Blackthorne] so much... He’s such an incredible actor and person. He and I got really close, I think he would probably say I was the closest one to him. So, he’s gone, but I mean…is he really gone? ... It’s sad, it really is... It makes me sad because we all worked so hard for so long. It just kinda sucks when it’s like…He’s an OG. He was there from day one, I was there from day one, with Stephen, David, and Willa... Let’s hope that there’s a way to work him back in.” (HVFF-Nashville, May 13, 2018: May 16, 2018 ComicBook article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)

Curtis Holt AKA Mr. Terrific
-- EK: "The direction I see Curtis going in Season 7 is - I like to fly on T-Spheres. I mean, that's pretty much the biggest thing I would like to do. That would be awesome. Um, but, I mean, I just think, leaning more into the tech - that's really what I like to do. And also I would like to add, really just getting that love life poppin' ... you know, just gettin' it going with the nastiness, some hot nastiness or, you know, whatever. I think, you know, he deserves to have that happiness, you know, and to have someone to come home to, who gets him - who isn't trying to stop him from being who he is, and who just loves him unconditionally. I hope he definitely gets that too." (May 16, 2018 DC video, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- Fan report: "Oh, u know that spoiler I got yesterday we won't find out next week. I'm sorry I didn't spill yet to all y'all. ???? its a next season thing. Oh, BS is in next season for maybe a few ???? & the newbies too. Whoosh! I just need to get everything confirm. Jeez!" (HVFF-Nashville, May 13, 2018: KaiNesbitt tweet, page 1781 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On May 4, 2018, Tonya Kong tweeted: "The @ARROWwriters ended a spectacular week with visits from @JulianaHarkavy @officialrickg and @EchoK! Triple threat! #NTA couldn’t be nicer people in real life! Happy Friday #arrowfans!." (Tonya_Kong tweet, page 1776 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

(Continued...)

Edited August 11, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

SUMMARY OF S7 SPOILERS BY TOPIC - PART 5 of 10

Rene Ramirez AKA Wild Dog
-- On whether there's a chance we're going to see Wild Dog back in Season 7 of Arrow, RG: "In next season? ... Yeah, I mean, we definitely got picked up for next season. And, uh, as far as I'm concerned, I better be there next season." When asked if he was working on any new tv or film projects, RG said that, right now, all of his time and attention is devoted to Arrow, adding: "We're excited for Season 7." (May 8, 2018 D-Hour Radio Network podcast interview with RG, page 1777 of Spoiler DIscussion thread and page 272 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On what's coming up for him next in 2018, RG: "Well, hopefully, we'll be shooting our seventh season of Arrow. And, um, I'm looking forward to that. I mean, we shoot 23 episodes 'out the year, so my entire year is just filled up with playing Wild Dog. So hopefully that - that's the plan." (Mar. 9, 2018 AriseEntertainment 360 video, page 14 of Spoilers thread and page 263 of Starling City Times thread)
-- Fan report: "Oh, u know that spoiler I got yesterday we won't find out next week. I'm sorry I didn't spill yet to all y'all. ???? its a next season thing. Oh, BS is in next season for maybe a few ???? & the newbies too. Whoosh! I just need to get everything confirm. Jeez!" (HVFF-Nashville, May 13, 2018: KaiNesbitt tweet, page 1781 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Apr. 2, 2018, RG tweeted pic of Wild Dog helmet, with comment: "Season 7. Another Wild ride. [praying hands emoji]." (officialrickg tweet, page 1737 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On May 4, 2018, Tonya Kong tweeted: "The @ARROWwriters ended a spectacular week with visits from @JulianaHarkavy @officialrickg and @EchoK! Triple threat! #NTA couldn’t be nicer people in real life! Happy Friday #arrowfans!." (Tonya_Kong tweet, page 1776 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

Dinah Drake AKA Black Canary
-- On whether Dinah/BC and Laurel/BS can team up next season, JH: "I gotta say, when I watched back the [S6] finale, I was like, I kinda like this duo. I was feeling it. So I really hope so, because I think they've both been through a lot. They obviously have a lot of obvious similarities, right? But, um, now they've been through emotional tribula - trials and tribulations that are similar as well. So I would like them to pair up. I think they will. In fact, I'm pretty sure you'll see more of them together next year." (Puerto Rico Comic Con, May 20, 2018: May 25, 2018 LosCriticologos video of JH panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 699 of Social Media thread)
-- On what's next for her, JH: "Well, Season 7 of Arrow. I mean, honestly, we shoot - we film for 10 months out the year. So there's not much time for a lot of else. Some people manage to do other things. Like, Echo Kellum, who plays Mr. Terrific - he writes like a script every week. So does Emily from our show. Um, like, there are people who have figured out how to do more than just Arrow... I'm on my second year. I dedicate every ounce of my creational being - creational? creative? - being to Arrow right now. It's kind of all-encompassing. So I'm really excited for Season 7, because that's what all of my stuff's going." (Supanova Perth, Jun. 22, 2018: Jun. 23, 2018 BB11673 video of JH interview, page 281 of Starling City Times thread)
-- Fan report on what JH said: "Juliana says going into season 7 of Arrow Dinah feels remorse aboit what went down and that NTA is probably going to take on a softer approach when it comes to the NTA / OTA relationship." (Supanova Sydney, Jun. 16, 2018: estheryam tweet, page 1797 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report: "Oh, u know that spoiler I got yesterday we won't find out next week. I'm sorry I didn't spill yet to all y'all. ???? its a next season thing. Oh, BS is in next season for maybe a few ???? & the newbies too. Whoosh! I just need to get everything confirm. Jeez!" (HVFF-Nashville, May 13, 2018: KaiNesbitt tweet, page 1781 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On May 4, 2018, Tonya Kong tweeted: "The @ARROWwriters ended a spectacular week with visits from @JulianaHarkavy @officialrickg and @EchoK! Triple threat! #NTA couldn’t be nicer people in real life! Happy Friday #arrowfans!." (Tonya_Kong tweet, page 1776 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 1, 2018, Pagey posted video about unconfirmed leaked spoilers, saying: "Dinah Drake gets a new love interest. And this new love interest will cause a divide. ... I really don't know what they will do with Dinah this season, well, apart from this apparently, but maybe also some stuff with Black Siren? Because of what happened at the end of last season with them." He then said that we also know from that audition video for "Konomi Rhodes" that Dinah will be a "mentor of sorts" for her. (Pagey video, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 2, 2018, Reddit user (Intelligent_Arachnid) posted rumored spoiler: "New love interest for Dinah that will cause trouble in the team." (Arrow reddit post by Intelligent_Arachnid, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

Earth-2 Laurel Lance AKA Black Siren
-- On whether KC is back as a series regular in S7, MG: "Yes, she is." (May 17, 2018 TVLine article, page 1786 of Spoiler Discussion thread and page 274 of Starling City Times thread)
-- MG: "I wouldn't say it was always the plan [to kill Quentin Lance]. It was something that we slowly came to. Sometimes we know exactly what our plans for a character are and other times it's a slow discovery. In the case of Paul, it was a combination of two things. We started thinking about Lance's character in season seven and coming to the conclusion that we felt like we told all the story there is to tell with Lance. We ran out of story with him while at the same time we were thinking about Katie Cassidy's character, Earth-2 Laurel, and thinking about if Diaz were to kill Lance, what does that do for her character? It opened up a lot of very exciting storytelling possibilities for us and it fit in with a lot of things we were already thinking about in terms of the trajectory for Laurel's character in Season 7... Oftentimes, we do what we call story math: if we killed off Lance, x, y and z happen. What are x, y and z? If we get excited about x, y and z, the idea starts to develop its own momentum. The more we talked about it, the more it felt like the natural and right thing to do. It's always hard but at the same time, the show has always had an element to it where no one was safe. Unlike some of the other Arrow-verse shows, we've killed off more characters on Arrow than all the other Arrow-verse shows combined. There is something in the DNA about the show that makes that resonant and makes that visceral. As a result, we're less precious about holding on to characters past their expiration date. But it's hard because I will really miss working with Paul." (May 17, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- MG: "The idea that Diaz is responsible for [Quentin] Lance’s death has huge ramifications for Laurel’s character and her story line. That really intrigued us as we started talking about where Laurel was headed in Season 7. As has been the case with every other death on the show, once we start getting excited about those consequences and start getting excited about the stories that the death leads to, it kind of takes on its own momentum." (May 17, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- On Diaz and Laurel in S7, MG: "The idea that Diaz is out there as an antagonist, albeit he’s going to have to operate in a different way because he no longer has his empire, was very intriguing to us. Like I alluded to when talking about Lance’s death, we’re certainly setting up a pretty major collision between Laurel and Diaz, and that is something that’s very exciting. We talk about Laurel as a woman on fire and I think those fireworks will be a lot of fun to see." (May 17, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- From TV Guide's SDCC special issue: "How will Lance's (Paul Blackthorne) death impact Earth-2's Laurel (Katie Cassidy)? The demise of her father's Earth-1 counterpart is 'a huge story point going forward,' [EP Beth] Schwartz reveals. 'She will try to live up to the Laurel Lance legacy to make him proud.' But her alter ego, Black Siren, has her craving vengeance." (Pic of Burning Questions section from 2018 TV Guide Comic-Con Special in Jul. 14, 2018 smoak3d tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- From TV Guide's SDCC special issue: "Another warehouse, another sonic cry! Katie Cassidy practices what she calls Black Siren's fearsome 'death stare or "Where's my dinner?" look.' With Earth-2 Laurel Lance potentially going good, [EP Beth] Schwartz says she has a new baddie in mind to make up for alter ego Black Siren." (Pic of Behind the Scenes section from 2018 TV Guide Comic-Con Special in Jul. 16, 2018 smoak3d tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Laurel "bungling" Diaz's capture in the finale and whether he likes that the show has kept her in the "frenemy zone," SA: "Yeah. I don't know if this ends up in the cut, but I ad libbed a line where I tell Lance that he's strong and then I go, 'despite' - and I like, I like, chew it out, like, 'Laurel's strong too.' And I like the frenemy spot. And I hope that there's a lot of fun stuff for her to do in Season 7." (The CW Upfronts, May 17, 2018: May 19, 2018 TVLine video of red carpet interview with SA, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 696 of Social Media thread)
-- On whether there's any chance we might see a relationship between Earth-2 Laurel and Oliver in S7, SA: "Um, I know they have some plans to, uh, reintroduce Laurel Lance into public life a little bit, uh, after Earth-2 Laurel pretended to be Earth-1 Laurel - um, in the eyes of Star City, is Earth-1 Laurel. I don't know how that pertains to Oliver and Laurel's relationship though. Um, I actually went to great lengths last year to never refer to her as Laurel because Oliver does not trust her - at all. And he understood Lance's relationship with her. And he understood, uh, Dinah's, uh, tension with her. But he certainly doesn't trust her, even though he, I think, towards the end of the year, especially the last episode, begrudgingly gets to respect her, if that makes sense." (Supanvoa Sydney, Jun. 17, 2018: diggletron tweet & audio, page 1798 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- EBR: "I'd love to have more female-based episodes. Juliana and I, and Katie Cassidy is around as well. But she's around other shows too." (May 22, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 275 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On Black Siren possibly being a "frenemy" to Team Arrow next season, KC: "Maybe she moves to the city next door? (Laughs) We’ll be on Wednesdays at 9 pm and she has her own sort of vigilante thing going." (Apr. 18, 2018 TVLine article, page 16 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 269 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On Black Siren's possible redemption, KC: ”Yeah, absolutely... I think there’s room for redemption for her character. And I think, what I believe is that if they do reveal more of her back story, and sort of tell her story actually, there’ll be a lot more of an understanding of why she acts the way that she does.” (HVFF-Nashville, May 13, 2018: May 16, 2018 ComicBook article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- On Black Siren's possible redemption, KC: "I think that a lot more will be revealed next season. Um, sorry, careful how I answer this, 'cause again we really like our jobs, and we don't want to spoil anything. Um, I do think there's room for redemption. I feel like she's almost her own island, in a way. And I do think that there will be a way for - she's a bit of a loose cannon. And you never know what you're going to get with her, and I think there will be a way towards - if the team were [unintelligible words] her, that they would be able to utilize her, in a way, um, whether - but I don't think she's ever to be trusted fully. Um, but I definitely think we'll find out more about her back story, and her journey will certainly continue to evolve, and we'll see what happens - we'll see if it happens in Season 7. Stay tuned." (HVFF-London, May 27, 2018: Jess video, page 1 of Spoilers thread, and Simone Wegener video, page 703 of Social Media thread)
-- On whether Dinah/BC and Laurel/BS can team up next season, JH: "I gotta say, when I watched back the [S6] finale, I was like, I kinda like this duo. I was feeling it. So I really hope so, because I think they've both been through a lot. They obviously have a lot of obvious similarities, right? But, um, now they've been through emotional tribula - trials and tribulations that are similar as well. So I would like them to pair up. I think they will. In fact, I'm pretty sure you'll see more of them together next year." (Puerto Rico Comic Con, May 20, 2018: May 25, 2018 LosCriticologos video of JH panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 699 of Social Media thread)
-- On whether Team Arrow would be able to forgive and work with Black Siren, RG: "In comic books having the villain team up with the heroes is a timeless idea. If Black Siren does team up with Team Arrow it would not be a shock. What’s fun is how does this complicate things in the future for Team Arrow? We’ll see." (Jun. 7, 2018 Meaww article, page 279 of Starling City Times thread)
-- KA doubts that Earth-2 Laurel is really on the path of redemption. KA: “To play the villain, the antagonist, as an actor you have a lot more things to do. If you are the hero, there is only an option. If you have a hero, the only way a series works is that there is a villain. If it was a show that has villains, this show can continue to operate, but that can’t work with just a hero without a villain. There are several sizes. So according to me, she prefers to play the evil, because it is more fun, there’s more things to do. The hero will always be good and if it is not, you have no more heroes. The bad guys are more fun, so it will remain an evil.” (Jun. 25, 2018 The Koz Times article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1799 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report: "Oh, u know that spoiler I got yesterday we won't find out next week. I'm sorry I didn't spill yet to all y'all. ???? its a next season thing. Oh, BS is in next season for maybe a few ???? & the newbies too. Whoosh! I just need to get everything confirm. Jeez!" (HVFF-Nashville, May 13, 2018: KaiNesbitt tweet, page 1781 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On May 3, 2018, new Arrow writer Tonya Kong tweeted: "Attention #arrowfans! @ARROWwriters had another visitor today @MzKatieCassidy! It was awesome meeting a sister-in-law! (Laurel Lance is an attorney and so am I!) Excited to write for you, Katie! #taleoftwolaurels #blacksiren #blackcanary ??S7." (tonya_kong tweet, page 1772 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 1, 2018, Pagey posted video about unconfirmed leaked spoilers, saying: "Black Siren will start off as, like, a no-nonsense vigilante type, following the death of Quentin Lance. Her story is based around Diaz, so that's the wording of the leak. So I'm guessing that, since Season 6 ended, Laurel has gone off on her own to track down Diaz. I hope that during that time, she has run into other team members as well, mainly Dinah Drake, just because of what happened with them at the end of Season 6. ... Black Siren should be an interesting character to see play out in Season 7 and how they carry on the strong ending that she had in Season 6. Even if you didn't like Earth-1 Laurel from Seasons 1 to 4, you have to admit Black Siren is a bit of a badass and - you know, I'd be a bit shocked if you said you weren't sort of interested to see what happened there." (Pagey video, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 5, 2018, Declan McKinney posted video about unconfirmed leaked spoiler (by 4chan) about E2-Tommy Merlyn appearing in S7 of Arrow, saying: "Now there is an argument to be made, of course, a big character at the moment is Black Siren, who is, of course, the Earth-2 Laurel. Now that's the only connection I see to this, is Earth-2 Laurel. Perhaps Earth-2 Laurel is with Earth-2 Tommy? Or knew Earth-2 Tommy very, very well? I don't know. Obviously, we've never been told this. We haven't been given Black Siren's back story. We're still waiting on that. And, based on what Katie Cassidy said, we're going to be getting that next season, although she said that about Season 6 as well, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see. So maybe we're going to see Colin Donnell come back in flashbacks for Earth-2 Laurel? I don't know. I could see them doing that. I could see Colin Donnell coming back for that. But I don't really see, you know, three episodes? That's quite a lot. I mean, if it said just the one episode, then yeah, I would totally buy that. But the fact it says three episodes, I find that very weird - unless we're going to go over to Earth 2. But Arrow's not exactly the multiverse show. You know, that's more Flash's thing. Arrow's never really done that, so I don't see why we would do that now, just to - I don't know, reminisce? I don't know. I just find it incredibly weird... Again, what is the point? So, unless he is connected to Earth-2 Black Siren - unless he is connected to Earth-2 Laurel, I don't see why he would be relevant at all... And personally, if we are going to see Earth-2 Tommy next season, the only place I could see it happening is with Earth-2 Laurel flashbacks. If that's the case, then sure. But other than that, I don't see where Tommy's going to fit into this show." (Declan DCTV TALK McKinney video, page 1802 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

Earth-X Laurel Lance AKA Siren-X
-- On the unrequited love that Earth-X Laurel AKA Siren-X had for the now deceased Earth-X Oliver AKA Dark Arrow (that's mentioned in 419-Fury Rogue of The Flash), KC: "What do I think of that? Well, I can't say anything. I like my job. I want to keep it." Also, on whether she was aware of this back story, KC: "Yes, we had discussed it. But I also think, for me, playing a villain, I also love - I think, I love to play against what's written, or play against the dialogue. So that was an interesting way I - I kinda went about it when I went onto The Flash." (HVFF-London, May 27, 2018: Jess video and ArrowTheFlashIt facebook video of Arrow Villains panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread, and Simone Wegener video, page 703 of Social Media thread)

(Continued...)

Edited July 17, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

SUMMARY OF S7 SPOILERS BY TOPIC - PART 6 of 10

Big Bad
-- From official CW Arrow synopsis: "Oliver will find himself vulnerable in a way unlike ever before when a mysterious new enemy begins to unravel his work as Green Arrow, forcing him to redeem his name or risk losing everything." (The CW press release in May 17, 2018 cwtvpr article, page 18 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- From SDCC's Arrow Synopsis: "Oliver will find himself vulnerable in a way unlike ever before when a mysterious new enemy begins to unravel his work as Green Arrow, challenging him to redeem his name or risk losing everything." (Jun. 25, 2018 Deadline tweet & article, page 281 of Starling City Times thread and page 542 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- DCTV's Hector Navarro: "We also know that this season that we have a mysterious new threat in the Longbow Hunters, which of course is another reference to the classic comic book storyline, Mike Grell's Green Arrow Volume 1: The Longbow Hunters... It's Oliver Queen coming to Seattle with Black Canary. It kicks the whole thing off, so go check that out!" (Jul. 16, 2018 DC video, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- MG: "And we have, for Arrow, a plan for the Big Bad. I can't say that both [plans for Arrow and LoT] will absolutely come to pass, because we always give ourselves the freedom to come up with a better idea. And that does happen on occasion. But I would describe it as some really nice clarity about where both shows would be going in their subsequent seasons." (Dec. 11, 2017 ComicBook article, page 12 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 453 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- On Jul. 19, 2018, Pagey tweeted: "#RumourMill for #Arrow Season 7. There are the Longbow Hunters. Codename: Assassin, Crimson Archer, Black Spider, Captain Boomerang II. Don't shoot the messenger (me lol). This is what is being spread. Longbow Hunters are apparently the MAIN Villains." (Pagmyst tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

Longbow Hunters
-- 702 title is "Longbow Hunters." (Jul. 15, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- The mention of the Longbow Hunters in the S6 finale set the stage for what's ahead in S7. MG: “I will say that the reference to the Longbow Hunters is us planting a flag, much the same way we referenced Damien Darhk in the Season 3 finale... We would be [not nice people] to name-drop the Longbow Hunters and not see them in Season 7.” (May 17, 2018 TVLine article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- DCTV's Hector Navarro: "We also know that this season that we have a mysterious new threat in the Longbow Hunters, which of course is another reference to the classic comic book storyline, Mike Grell's Green Arrow Volume 1: The Longbow Hunters... It's Oliver Queen coming to Seattle with Black Canary. It kicks the whole thing off, so go check that out!" (Jul. 16, 2018 DC video, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we'll see the Longbow Hunters in S7, MG: "I don’t feel like I can spoil that or not spoil that. I will say this: We would be dicks if we were to drop that big of a name and never follow through on it." (May 17, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- On whether he's excited to have the Longbow Hunters element introduced to the show, SA: "Very much so. I think that's going to be very cool. I don't know what they're going to do with it, but, um, I like teasing stuff in the finale that you can then play out the next season." (The CW Upfronts, May 17, 2018: May 19, 2018 TVLine video of red carpet interview with SA, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 696 of Social Media thread)
-- On the Longbow Hunters, KA: “It’s going to happen but I have not yet read it. It’s funny because Diaz appears just like a criminal way, he has no super powers. In the comics, Richard Dragon taught Batman martial arts. I think we’re going to delve her [sic] backstory. I think that yes you will see the Longbow Hunters." (Jun. 25, 2018 The Koz Times article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1799 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Per KA, he doesn't think the Longbow Hunters will betray Diaz (like Laurel and Anatoly did), saying: “I don’t think it will be the same with the Longbow Hunters. I don’t know but I don’t think, they have already used this story, it would be to recycle the same storyline. Anatoly and Laurel have betrayed but I don’t think we will redo it. They will be loyal to him.” (Jun. 25, 2018 The Koz Times article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1799 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 1, 2018, Pagey posted video about unconfirmed leaked spoilers, saying: "The Longbow Hunters will all be new characters. Now that's all it said. So I'm not too sure if this means they will all be original creations for the show, so, you know, not from the comics, like Diggle, or if it means they will be, you know, comic book characters but just ones that haven't been on Arrow or possibly even just in the entire Arrowverse at all yet. ... But either way, it means we won't be getting Brick or Count Vertigo as part of the Longbow Hunters. Both Brick and Count Vertigo were a part of the Longbow Hunters in the New 52, with Ricardo Diaz, and many, along with myself, thought that, you know, it could be an option that they could come back and be a part of those Longbow Hunters again." (Pagey video, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

Ricardo Diaz AKA The Dragon
-- On Diaz in S7, MG: "The idea that Diaz is out there as an antagonist, albeit he’s going to have to operate in a different way because he no longer has his empire, was very intriguing to us. Like I alluded to when talking about Lance’s death, we’re certainly setting up a pretty major collision between Laurel and Diaz, and that is something that’s very exciting. We talk about Laurel as a woman on fire and I think those fireworks will be a lot of fun to see." (May 17, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- From TV Guide's SDCC special issue: "Ricardo is at large! Uh-oh. For the first time, the show's big bad wasn't vanquished in the finale, which means the mobster is sticking around and, per the showrunner, is furious about Oliver's attack on his gang. 'When we see him again, he is not going to be very happy. He'll definitely be out for blood,' says [EP Beth] Schwartz." (Pic of Burning Questions section from 2018 TV Guide Comic-Con Special in Jul. 14, 2018 smoak3d tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- KA: "You know, it's funny. When I first - Wendy Mericle and Marc Guggenheim, when they pitched the idea of me playing the bad guy, they said, 'we don't want the typical Arrow bad guy,' meaning like, over the top - see, I've never seen the show, so I don't know - this is what, their words. 'We want' - they named me two references - "We want Michael Corleone or Scarface.' That's what they want. They want a simmering, low, methodical - so that's what I did." Interviewer: "And you pulled it off perfectly. Perfectly." (Motor City ComicCon, May 18-20, 2018: Jun. 1, 2018 Comics, Beer & Sci-fi video, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 702 of Social Media thread)
-- On what he has coming down the pipeline, KA: "I don't know if I could say - you up to date on Arrow?" Interviewer: "Yeah." KA: "Well, that starts up in five weeks. So that's - that's what I'll be doing." Interviewer: "I'm glad he's coming back and he's saving my show. I'm really happy. You're doing a great job. Thank you so much." KA: "Don't tell that to Stephen. Don't tell Stephen I'm saving his show." Interviewer: "He's saving his show - no, I'm sorry. I don't want to  fail." (Motor City ComicCon, May 18-20, 2018: Jun. 1, 2018 Comics, Beer & Sci-fi video, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 702 of Social Media thread)
-- On what's next for him in terms of projects, KA: "I go back to Arrow... It starts up in, like, five weeks." Interviewer: "So you're about to start shooting again?" KA: "Yeah. In July. Yeah." (Motor City ComicCon, May 18-20, 2018: Jun. 1, 2018 Ginger Beggs video, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 702 of Social Media thread)
-- On what he wants Diaz to achieve in S7, KA: "I wanna kill off some big people. I’m being dead serious. I want Top Three.” On whether he means Felicity, KA: “Yes, that’s my goal. I don’t think that’ll happen. I want to at least get Oliver Queen’s arm. I don’t know if I can ever kill him, but I want his arm. I want damage done.” On other Arrow villains, KA: “I’m competitive. I don’t give a fuck what the other villains did. I want to do better than all of the other villains. I want to be the top bad guy. But, having said that, I’m tied because I’m only as good as what I’m written.” (Motor City Comic Con, May 18, 2018: May 24, 2018 WeGotThisCovered article, page 275 of Starling City Times thread)
-- KA: “I’ll be back, I love to play Diaz. As Marc Guggenheim and Wendy Mericle have talked to me about what they wanted and they told me : ‘We want something discreet like Al Pacino in The Godfather, as a low rumbling sound... You start on the 6th of July, this is the first day of the shoot. I just have the script but it’s still early. I know what it’s going to happen but I can’t say any more." (Jun. 25, 2018 The Koz Times article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1799 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- KA hopes that S7 will include more flashbacks about Diaz's childhood. KA: “This will be the decision of the writers and I hope they will do. It was the first time that they did it, they were showing the past of the villain, the story of its origins. It has helped, I think they had to do it. When you have seen me in the first few episodes, I knew this was going to happen, I knew where it was going to begin and end, I knew that I was going to kill Cayden James before you turn anything. But I think that it was lost during the first few episodes, we said : ‘what is he doing here ?’ I don’t know if they will show more of his childhood but I hope so." (Jun. 25, 2018 The Koz Times article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1799 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On the Longbow Hunters, KA: “It’s going to happen but I have not yet read it. It’s funny because Diaz appears just like a criminal way, he has no super powers. In the comics, Richard Dragon taught Batman martial arts. I think we’re going to delve her [sic] backstory. I think that yes you will see the Longbow Hunters." (Jun. 25, 2018 The Koz Times article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1799 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Per KA, he doesn't think the Longbow Hunters will betray Diaz (like Laurel and Anatoly did), saying: “I don’t think it will be the same with the Longbow Hunters. I don’t know but I don’t think, they have already used this story, it would be to recycle the same storyline. Anatoly and Laurel have betrayed but I don’t think we will redo it. They will be loyal to him.” (Jun. 25, 2018 The Koz Times article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1799 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan reports on what KA said: "A fan asks if we can have information on season 7. Kirk says he has the script of the first episode on his phone. He looks to see if he can read us the first page and says no because otherwise he will end up in jail with Stephen :)." and "Kirk has received by email the script of the first episode of Arrow's season, but he is not allowed to talk about it." and "Kirk already has the premiere script on his phone. He received it a few days ago. But again he says he can not say anything 'If not, I'd go to jail with Oliver.'" (SuperHheroes Con IV, Jun. 24, 2018: RosterCon, just_about_tv and ToDoArrow tweets, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1799 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 1, 2018, Pagey posted video about unconfirmed leaked spoilers, saying: "Ricardo Diaz, or Richard Dragon, isn't the main threat or even that big of a threat in general in Season 7. He serves more as connective tissue." (Pagey video, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 2, 2018, Reddit user (Intelligent_Arachnid) posted rumored spoiler: "Diaz isn't the main villain but will help introduce whoever it is." (Arrow reddit post by Intelligent_Arachnid, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

Ricardo Diaz OR New Character?
-- In Vimeo video of actor Mark Taylor auditioning for the Arrow role of "Marquez AKA Ricardo," he read two scenes. Transcription of first audition scene: MT: "Hello. My name is Mark Taylor, and I'm auditioning for the role of Marquez aka Ricardo." ... MT: "I'm impressed you found me so quickly." Male Voice (off-screen): "I've had practice." MT: "I can see that. The idiot cops, they'd still be scratching their heads, wondering where to look. That for me?" Male Voice: "This ends tonight." MT: "Yeah, sure. You could take me downtown tonight, drop me off at the SCPD, but - what's that really going to accomplish?" Male Voice: "You'd be back in prison." MT: "You see, I think that's where you and I don't see eye to eye, man. Because you say 'prison' like it's a bad thing, but to me, it's home. I spent 15 years in Iron Heights, trying to turn those concrete walls into my palace, and I succeeded. I was running that hell-hole from top to bottom by the time I was done there. So you think it's the best idea to send me back?" Male Voice (off-screen): "I'll keep an eye on you. You try anything, I'll know." MT: "You got a lot of faith in yourself, brother. Some might find that faith noble. But I just think you're a cocky son of a bitch. (Mimes taking someone down) I ain't never going back to prison. You got to kill me first. Just consider yourself lucky I still need you alive. Haaah!  By the time I'm through with you, the whole world's going to know that this city is mine." (Slaps chest) Transcription of second audition scene: MT: "D?" Male Voice: "Anthony." MT: "Oh, you look good, Daisy. I mean - I mean, it's good to see you. You always look good. It's been too long." Male Voice: "15 years. I'm surprised you reached out to me." MT: "You're suprised. Why? Never mind, never mind. I ordered us some apps. And got the maitre d' to bring out some Dom, put it on ice. It's going to be fancy tonight." Male Voice: "That was so thoughtful of you." MT: "Yeah, anything for you, D. Anything. Alright, let me get you a seat." Male Voice: "I'm okay." MT: "It's kinda hard to eat, standing up." Male Voice: "I'm not here to have dinner." MT: "Then why'd you come?" Male Voice: "I wanted to see you, make sure you were okay. Like you said, 15 years is a long time, Anthony. I've moved on." MT: "You got remarried and you didn't tell me." Male Voice: "Paul didn't want me to. He thought it would be better for everyone." MT: "You know, when I went in, I thought that ou would be my solid. I thought that you would be the one person that I could count on to see me through." Male Voice: "I know, I wanted to be that person. I just couldn't do it any more." MT: "Well, I'm out. You know, I'm free. We could get our old life back and then some. Sure you don't want to be a part of that?" Male Voice: "I can't. I'm sorry." MT: "Hey, Daisy. You know that I would never hurt you, you know that, right? But your man Paul, he better watch his back." (May 2018 Vimeo video of Mark Taylor auditioning for "Marquez AKA Ricardo," page 1799 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

Anatoly Knyazev
-- KA: “I think it is finished with Laurel but Anatoly should be afraid of Diaz. He has many lives, how many times will he survive ? If you like Game of Thrones, you know why this series is so good… Because they kill people you would never have thought that they would kill him, this is what they should do, they should start to kill people because it makes the show better. Everyone told me : 'You’re gonna die in the last episode' because it is often too predictable and this is why Game of Thrones is awesome, and that is what they should do. I think more characters should die in the series ! This would be more fun, more exciting, because even if you’re angry, even if they kill someone you love, that causes an emotion. Even if it was a bad emotion, it works ! If you feel something, it works !" (Jun. 25, 2018 The Koz Times article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1799 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

Samanda Watson
-- Sydelle Noel: "Hopefully, you’ll probably see me in the seventh season of Arrow as well since I’m still recurring and my character didn’t die. So you’ll probably be seeing me in that as well." (Jun. 14, 2018 Rolling Out article, page 280 of Starling City Times thread)

(Continued...)

Edited July 21, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

SUMMARY OF S7 SPOILERS BY TOPIC - PART 7 of 10

"Jessie Bowden" (New Female SCPD Cop)
-- Per TVLine's Michael Ausiello: "[W]hile Oliver’s in Supermax, Team Arrow will have to contend with an ambitious, young, anti-vigilante recruit at the SCPD. (If vigilantes were vampires, consider her your Buffy.)" (May 22, 2018 TVLine article, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- ThatHashtagShow: "First up, is a new Star City Police Department player who is most likely going to take over the role of Quentin Lance (Paul Blackthorne) as the team’s connection to the police force in Star City. Meet 'Jessie Bowden' who the casting department is looking to have a recurring Caucasian 18+-year-old actress play as late teens to early 20s. She is the rookie recruit in the Star City Police Department and is both athletic, comedic, and intelligent. But underneath her youthful attitude, lies a woman who has had enough of vigilantes in Star City and is willing to get rid of them no matter what it takes. Think of her as Buffy Summers, if she was slaying superheroes instead of vampires." (May 25, 2018 ThatHashtagShow article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1794 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- While Oliver's in Supermax, Team Arrow has to contend against an ambitious, anti-vigilante who has been recruited by the SCPD. But that's not all! The role of a male tech wiz with a heartbreaking past has been thrown into the mix for next season as well. (Jul. 16, 2018 Zimbio article, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- In Vimeo video of actress Maddy Exarhos auditioning for the Arrow role of "Jessie," she read for two scenes being shared with an SCPD cop and Oliver/GA, respectively. Transcription of audition scenes: Scene 1: ME: "Oh, c'mon! I can't have lost you that easily." Male Voice (off-screen): "Not a chance." ME: "Oh, good. I was worried you'd had too much." Male Voice: "You're mighty cocky for someone your age." ME: "What are you talking about? This is fun! Most of those SCPD Blues would've run out of gas by now." Male Voice: "I know your buyer. Just give me back what you stole for him and I'll be lenient. You don't have to resort to a life like this." ME: "Listen. Are you going to lecture me, or are you going to arrest me? Because I've got other places to be." Male Voice: "Fine. We'll do this the hard way." ME: "Uh, uh, uh! You're gonna have to be quicker than that." Male Voice: "You should take your own advice." ME: "Fair enough." Male Voice: "I've got one more of those for you right here. Or you can give me the device." ME: "What's so special about this thing anyway? My buyer tells me it's expensive as hell, but nothing else. What's got you so gung ho about getting it back?" Male Voice: "That device controls the temperature levels of the Star City nuclear plant's core reactor." ME: "No kidding. So I guess it'd be kind of bad if I just broke it then." Male Voice: "Don't! This is bigger than you and me both. Give me the device and I swear I'll help you from here." ME: "I've got a better idea. I'm going to leave here scot free, while you, Fido, play catch!" (Throws device up in the air) Scene 2: ME: "You know, people would stop thinking vigilantes are criminals if you stopped meeting in such shady places. This place practically screams mob hangout." Male Voice: "Thanks for coming." ME: "Your friend in black leather said you have an offer for me." Male Voice: "I do." ME: "Look. I don't have time for your stoic, monosyllabic hero speak. You've got five seconds to tell me what your offer is, or else I will gladly help the SCPD put you right back in the slab." Male Voice: "I need your help. I need you to work with me." ME: "That's hilarious! You're hilarious! No one ever talks about how funny you are. I've heard 'weird scary voice,' 'good archer,' but no, never 'sense of humor.'" Male Voice: "Jessie. I know what happened to your parents." ME: "What are you talking about?" Male Voice: "I know they didn't die in an accident. I know they were murdered." ME: "This is a joke." (Turns to leave) Male Voice: "Wait! I want to help." ME: "Well, you're a little late for that. As you so bluntly pointed out, my parents are pretty dead. So, unless you can make them undead, there's nothing you have to offer me." Male Voice: "I lost my parents too." ME: "So you think you can relate to me? I was only 5." Male Voice: "That must have been awful." ME: "It's why I became a cop. I swore I would never let another criminal get away with murder ever again." Male Voice: "Bet you kept that promise." ME: "I tried the best I could. (Catches something that's thrown to her) What's this?" Male Voice: "The proof you need to convict your parents' murderer." ME: "So. When do we start?" (Jun. 22, 2018 Vimeo video of Maddy Exarhos, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1799 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- An audition video was also posted by actress Daya Czepanski, which included the same first audition scene as for Maddy Exarhos' audition. (Jun. 22, 2018 Vimeo video of Daya Czepanski, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1799 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

"Konomi Rhodes" (New Female Fighter)
-- ThatHashtagShow: "Last, but not least, we have another mystery female character that could be either an original character or one of these DC female characters with a slight adjustment for the show. Arrow is looking for an actress to fill the role of Konomi Rhodes, who is half Japanese as well as half Caucasian somewhere in her late 20s to early 30s. 'Konomi' is a formidable fighter who ends ups clashing with the heroes of Star City. Her background consists of being a tactician in the military while also carrying on as a street fighter." Speculation that she could be one of the Longbow Hunters and also Lady Shiva, Cheshire or Emiko Queen. (May 25, 2018 ThatHashtagShow article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1794 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- In Vimeo video of actress Izzy Alan auditioning for the Arrow role of "Konomi Rhodes," she read for scenes being shared with Oliver/GA and Dinah/BC. Transcription of audition scenes: IA: "Hi. My name is Izzy Alan. I'm 5'7" and I'm located in Los Angeles." (First scene - she mimes drawing back a bow.) Male voice: "Freeze." IA: "Oh good, I was worried that I'd lost you." Male voice: "Stand down and you won't get hurt." IA: "Funny, I was thinking of saying the same to you." (She mimes being struck in the arm by something and dropping her bow.) IA: "That's the first time someone has drawn my blood in almost two years. Kudos. You got lucky." Male voice: [unintelligible words] IA: "Well, you're going to need more than luck to escape tonight." Male voice: "After what you pulled over there at City Hall, there's no way tonight ends any other way than me taking you in." IA: "Four dead civil servants with ties to the mob. And he talks like I started World War 3." Male voice: "It's not justice. You're out of control." IA: "Well, you've gone soft. Those councilmen made their own beds. And now they can lie in it. Six feet deep. Why are you so opposed to my help? Don't you want your city free of this scum?" Male voice: "It's not help. It's murder. They had families." IA: "As did those under the control of the mob. Why should someone in office get preferential treatment?" Male voice: "They're not." IA: "Doesn't look that way to me. It just looks like you're unwilling to do what's necessary. Why, though? You used to be that man." Male voice: "No. I was a killer, but I've changed. I've learned there's a better way. One that doesn't lead to death upon death. Real heroes save life, they don't destroy it." IA (shaking head): "Ahh, you should put that on a card. (Throws forward right hand, and then crosses her arms) That's the thing about you heroes. Your idea of justice is tailored to whatever paints you in the best light. It's good for boy scouts, but this is the real world. When you have an arm with gangrene, you lop it off as a whole, from the shoulder to the elbow to the hand to the fingernails. Nothing can be spared, when everything is diseased. Stay out of my way and I won't be forced to kill you." (Cut to second scene) IA: "Thank you for coming. Don't worry, I'm unarmed." Male voice: "I'm not. You're lucky I considered coming." IA: "Want a drink? They make a pretty mean Moscow Mule." Male voice: "Let's not pretend we're having a girls' night out. Can we just cut to the chase?" IA (sighs): "I want to apologize for everything. I didn't mean to hurt you or anyone else." Male voice: "Tell that to the shell casings in my Kevlar." IA: "That's fair. I made a few mistakes. But I heard you made quite a few mistakes too before you joined the team." Male voice: "That was a long time ago. I've had my rage in check since then." IA: "I'm sure Laurel would have a different story." Male voice: "She killed Vinnie. I don't have to explain myself to you. I am so out of here." IA: "Wait! I'm not the best at apologizing." Male voice: "That's an understatement." IA: "It's just - there's a reason I'm here, and why I operate the way that I do. My dad was murdered when I was a kid." Male voice: "I didn't realize -" IA: "I got home from school one day, and I noticed that my green and blue friendship bracelet was missing. It must've just fallen off on the way home. You must've thought it was a diamond bracelet, the way that I was carrying on. My mom thought I was being ridiculous, but my dad said he'd retrace my steps with me. Being a kid from the Glades, I knew the neighborhood wasn't the greatest, but having my dad with me made me feel invincible. What I didn't account for was that he wasn't." Male voice: "What happened?" IA: "We made it right outside the school yard, and there it was. I saw the blue in the blades of grass. I was so excited that I didn't even see the two men getting into a fight. And then a gunshot. And then I saw my dad hit the ground. Just like that. In a blink of an eye, he was gone." Male voice: "Konomi, that's awful." IA: "I'm not telling you this for you to feel sorry for me. I just want you to know why it's so important for me to clean up the Glades and why I'll do anything, no matter the cost, so that no one else has to go through this kind of trauma ever again. So will you help me?" (Jun. 18, 2018 We Got This Covered article & Vimeo video of Izzy Alan auditioning for Konomi Rhodes, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1798 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- An audition video for "Konomi Rhodes" was also posted by actress Lisa Dring, which included the same audition scenes as for Izzy Alan's audition. (Jun. 5, 2018 Vimeo video of Lisa Dring auditioning for Konomi Rhodes, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1799 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Per unconfirmed leaked spoiler from Pagey, we also know from that audition video for "Konomi Rhodes" that Dinah will be a "mentor of sorts" for her. (Jul. 1, 2018 Pagey video, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

"Daniel Porter" (New Male Tech Whiz)
-- Per TVLine's Michael Ausiello: "Another recurring role to be cast is that of a successful tech whiz who is gay, and who harbors a heartbreaking past." (May 22, 2018 TVLine article, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- ThatHashtagShow: "Next up is another recurring character in the form of 'Daniel Porter', who they are looking for a Caucasian actor in his mid-30s. He is an intelligent and homosexual technological entrepreneur whose creativity has given him a huge success as a businessman. But having gone through tragic losses in his life is something he hides from the people around him, thus struggling with shaping new relationships with others." Speculation that this character could be Ted Kord. (May 25, 2018 ThatHashtagShow article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1794 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- While Oliver's in Supermax, Team Arrow has to contend against an ambitious, anti-vigilante who has been recruited by the SCPD. But that's not all! The role of a male tech wiz with a heartbreaking past has been thrown into the mix for next season as well. (Jul. 16, 2018 Zimbio article, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- In Vimeo video of actor Tyler Sellers auditioning for the Arrow role of "Daniel Porter," he read for a scene shared with Curtis Holt. Transcription of audition scene: TS: "Hi. Tyler Sellers, reading for Daniel Porter. 5'10. Based out of Santa Monica, California." TS: "Hey! What took you so long? Usually you're here before me." Male voice:" Dan, we got to talk." TS: "I agree. I'll go first. Here." (Mimes handing over something) Male voice: "No, you're not proposing, are you? I mean, this couldn't be worse timing, though, 'cause I actually have to talk to you about something first." TS: "Relax. Just open it." Male voice: "I don't get it. I mean, I love croissants, but -" TS: "I finally, finally found a buyer for my magnetic levitation tech. I mean, it's a company called La Fantastique, based out of Paris. You know, everybody told me that I was crazy, saying I could make anything as light as a feather. But these guys are totally on board. They want to utilize it in construction and, boy, do they pony up big time." Male voice: "Holy crap, this is genius! You are a genius." TS: "Hey! Your man just told you that he's now richer than the King of France. Why do you look like I just kicked a puppy?" Male voice: "I'm getting back together with my ex-husband." TS: "Uh, okay, I didn't even know that you guys were still talking." Male voice: "I wasn't. I mean, he recently showed up at my work. We started talking and then realized we've been missing each other." TS: "I thought that he said that your job was too dangerous." Male voice: "It's complicated. I'm sorry." TS: "Yeah, yeah, me too. I was gonna see if Helix wanted to invest." Male voice: "Ouch. Look, Dan, you're the smartest man that I've ever been with - and did I mention adorable?" TS: "No, Curtis, you don't have to do that." Male voice: "It's just that Paul and I have a lot of history." TS: "Look, this isn't the first time I've been dumped. Don't worry. Everything's paid for. Just sign a tip when you're done." Male voice: "Dan, please, don't leave." TS: "Bye, Curtis." (May 21, 2018 Vimeo video of Tyler Sellers auditioning for Daniel Porter, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1799 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Audition videos for "Daniel Porter" were also posted by actors Miles G. Jackson and Oliver Thomson, which included the same audition scene as for Tyler Sellers' audition. (June 2018 Vimeo videos of Miles G. Jackson and Oliver Thomson auditioning for Daniel Porter, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1799 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

"Daniel Porter" or New Character?
-- In Vimeo videos (3 takes) of actor Carey Feehan auditioning for an unspecified Arrow role, he read for a scene shared with a waiter or waitress at a restaurant. Transcription of audition scene: CF: "Hey! Thanks again for your help the other day." Male Voice (off-screen): "It was nothing." CF: "Oh, it was more than nothing. That app is number one on Tom's Guide List because of your expertise. You are full of suprises, [Aaron/Erin]." Male Voice: "Ah, I'm pretty sure I just touched someone's soggy snot rag. So I'm also living the dream." CF: "Hey, I hope I'm not one of those customers that you secretly complain about." Male Voice: "You? No way. You're polite. You clean up after yourself. And your hygiene game's pretty on point." CF: "That bar seems pretty low." Male Voice: "Work here five months, you'll change your mind." CF: "Oh, maybe you can change my mind for me. Over dinner? I owe you a thank you drink, at least. Unless, that just put me onto your creepy customer list." Male Voice: "You're asking me out?" CF: "And now I'm regretting it." Male Voice: "No, I'm flattered. Because you're very, very charming and nice. But I'm kinda - well, it's complicated." CF: "You're not interested. I get it." Male Voice: "Trust me. You definitely don't." CF: "It's okay. Thanks." (Jun. 27, 2018 Vimeo videos of Carey Feehan audition for Arrow role, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

"Dover" (New Male Intimidating Character) [Longbow Hunter?]
-- ThatHashtagShow: "To kick this off, we have 'Dover', a male in his 30-40s who is teased as a physically intimidating player. Even though he may not be the brightest person in the room, anyone who is in his presence will feel incredibly small. Whether or not 'Dover' is a cover name for a DC character or not, he will be recurring this season." (Jul. 11, 2018 ThatHashtagShow article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

"Leah" (New Female Mercenary) [Longbow Hunter?]
-- ThatHashtagShow: "Next is 'Leah', a 30-something woman who is a world-class mercenary who was born to be a leader. Don’t mess with this one because once you see what 'Leah' has in her toolbox of skills, you will see why those are known across the world." (Jul. 11, 2018 ThatHashtagShow article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

"Angeline" (New Female Fighter) [Longbow Hunter?]
-- ThatHashtagShow: "Last, but definitely not the least we have another recurring character, 'Angeline' who may be something we should pay great attention to. Described as a diverse woman in her 30s, she is a fierce fighter despite of her smaller stature. Not only is she experienced in stealth, 'Angeline' is able to wipe out buildings filled with foes all by herself before she is gone like a ghost. It will be made very clear that 'Angeline' thinks incredibly highly of her work." (Jul. 11, 2018 ThatHashtagShow article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

New Character?
-- Fan report on what Andrew Lees said: "Oh, and Andrew Lees mentioned at #Supanova con, he just auditioned for a recent upcoming role on #Arrow." (Jul. 1, 2018 dmichellewrites tweet, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Andrew Lees is an Australian actor who's best known for his role of Lucien Castle on The Originals. (Andrew Lees' IMDb link in tv echo post, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 2, 2018, Reddit user (Intelligent_Arachnid) posted rumored spoiler: "Andrew Lees confirmed that he has auditioned for an upcoming role on Arrow." (Arrow reddit post by Intelligent_Arachnid, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

Ted Kord AKA Blue Beetle
-- When fan asked if Booster Gold or Blue Beetle will ever be introduced, MG said "never say never." He then added that both those characters are characters that they've talked about, that Ray Palmer was originally supposed to be Ted Kord, and that there's nothing he could "announce or speak to at the moment." (ACE Comic Con, Dec. 9, 2017: ACE Universe video of MG panel, page 653 of Social Media thread and page 451 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)

"Yorke" (Prison Guard) 
-- In Vimeo video of actor Jason Matthew Smith auditioning for the Arrow role of "Yorke", a prison guard, he read one scene that could be shared with Oliver. Transcription of audition scenes: JMS: "Hi, I'm Jason Mathew Smith, 6'3, located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I have a valid US passport." JMS: "On your feet, inmates! Time for a cell check. You all know the drill. Everyone against the wall. You're next, Harper. Hands on your head." Male Voice (off-screen): "Yorke, I need you to listen to me very carefully. You're in danger." JMS: "No chit-chat, inmate." Male Voice: "There are people in here who want you dead. Warner Zytle and his guys, they have a plan, a weapon." JMS: "If this is supposed to distract me, it won't work." Male Voice: "I can prove it." JMS: "What the hell is that?" Male Voice: "Just listen to me!" JMS: "You're in deep shit, Harper!" Male Voice: "Yorke, I'm trying to help you. You know who I am. If I wanted to use that, I could've." JMS: "Turn around." Male Voice: "You need to protect yourself. Transfer, quit, whatever you have to do, but do it today." JMS: "And Zytle told you his plan because you're friends now?" Male Voice: "You don't believe me." JMS: "I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but if you don't knock it off, I promise, you will regret it." Male Voice: "I'm just trying to do the right thing here." JMS: "You don't get it. You think you're some kind of hero? There are no heroes in here." (Jun. 25, 2018 Vimeo video of Jason Matthew Smith, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1799 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- An audition video was also posted by actor Evan Parke, which included the same audition scene as for Jason Matthew Smith's audition. (Jun. 25, 2018 Vimeo videos of Evan Parke, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1799 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

Jackhammer
-- Daniel Cudmore, who played Jackhammer in 414 (Code of Silence), is apparently returning to Arrow. (Jul. 17, 2018 OlicityDreams tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1804 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 14, 2018, Daniel Cudmore posted pic of Vancouver, with comment: "Annnd that’s a wrap on #Fraturday #Vancity looking lovely this AM." (danielcudmore instagram post, page 2 of Spoilers and page 1804 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 16, 2018, fan posted bts filming pic of GG with someone who looks like Daniel Cudmore, and fan tweeted: "That looks like @danielcudmore in the picture with Grant." On Jul. 18, 2018, when asked about the GG pic, Daniel Cudmore tweeted: "Hmmm." (GrantGustinNews article & RavenHaviland tweet and danielcudmore tweet, page 1805 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 17, 2018, fan tweeted pic of Daniel Cudmore, with comment: "Apparently this guy has been filming for #Arrow... He is probably one of the inmates... ?." (OlicityDreams tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1804 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 17, 2018, Daniel Cudmore posted pic of Vancouver, with comment: "#vancouver you stunner! Ive been having a blast on this gig, only one day left.. #monday." (danielcudmore instagram post, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1804 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 17, 2018, Daniel Cudmore posted pic of himself, with comment: "Just a man in black waiting to do #badguy things.. #boredinmytrailer." (danielcudmore instagram post, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1804 of Spoiler Discussion thread) (Continued...)

Edited July 25, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

SUMMARY OF S7 SPOILERS BY TOPIC - PART 8 of 10

Nick Anastas
-- On Jul. 9, 2018, Evan Roderick posted pic of himself in police uniform on the Arrow set, with comment: "Took a bullet for this chair. Great to be back at work in Star City ???????." (eroderickanderson instagram post, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1802 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

Malcolm Merlyn
-- On whether we've really seen the last of Malcolm Merlyn on Arrow, JB: "I have no idea but if they ask me back I would happily go back as long as all the 't’s' were crossed and the 'i’s' were dotted. But it’s not up to me, it's up to the writers. I understand the writing team has all changed, some of the production team has changed. So you never know. I do know that the fans have been saying, all over the country, that they want Malcolm Merlyn back, they miss him. If they write me a good story, I’d be happy to do it. In fact, my sister and I have talked about it and we’d even like to write the episodes." (Jun. 13, 2018 The Gazette article, page 280 of Starling City Times article)

Tommy Merlyn
-- Colin Donnell hinted that he'll be returning for the new season (S4) of Chicago Med, saying: "One of the things that I always love is when Rhodes is able to come back down to the emergency department and be around his people, really. He’s been up in Cardiothoracic with Dr. Bekker and Dr. Latham for a couple seasons now, and I have heard that maybe he’ll be spending some more times downstairs for now on... So, I’m excited. I think [the writers] have got some really cool stuff up their sleeves.” (NBC Upfronts, May 14, 2018: May 16, 2018 US Magazine article, page 1802 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 2, 2018, Reddit user (Intelligent_Arachnid) posted rumored spoiler: "E2 Tommy Merlyn set to make an appearance." (Arrow reddit post by Intelligent_Arachnid, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 5, 2018, Declan McKinney posted video about unconfirmed leaked spoiler (by 4chan) about E2-Tommy Merlyn appearing in S7 of Arrow, saying: "Now there is an argument to be made, of course, a big character at the moment is Black Siren, who is, of course, the Earth-2 Laurel. Now that's the only connection I see to this, is Earth-2 Laurel. Perhaps Earth-2 Laurel is with Earth 2-Tommy? Or knew Earth-2 Tommy very, very well? I don't know. Obviously, we've never been told this. We haven't been given Black Siren's back story. We're still waiting on that. And, based on what Katie Cassidy said, we're going to be getting that next season, although she said that about Season 6 as well, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see. So maybe we're going to see Colin Donnell come back in flashbacks for Earth-2 Laurel? I don't know. I could see them doing that. I could see Colin Donnell coming back for that. But I don't really see, you know, three episodes? That's quite a lot. I mean, if it said just the one episode, then yeah, I would totally buy that. But the fact it says three episodes, I find that very weird - unless we're going to go over to Earth 2. But Arrow's not exactly the multiverse show. You know, that's more Flash's thing. Arrow's never really done that, so I don't see why we would do that now, just to - I don't know, reminisce? I don't know. I just find it incredibly weird. Plus, we don't really know who Earth-2 Tommy is, really. Is he some version of the Green Arrow after Robert Queen? 'Cause we know Robert Queen became the Green Arrow. Or is he the Earth-2 Dark Archer, like he is in the comics? 'Cause that would be pretty cool. Again, what is the point? So, unless he is connected to Earth-2 Black Siren - unless he is connected to Earth-2 Laurel, I don't see why he would be relevant at all. Also, every time we discuss Tommy coming back on the show, there's always one thing that gets brought up and that is obviously the actor who plays Tommy, Colin Donnell, is a series regular on Chicago Med, making it very, very difficult to come over to Arrow, which is why every time we see him, it's only ever for one scene... We never actually Colin Donnell for a full episode, because he's always so busy, because he's a series regular. He can only ever come down for a day and shoot a scene. So that is why Tommy's use in the show after he died is very sporadic, because we can't actually get Colin Donnell for that amount of length of time - which again, the three-episode thing that it points out, I find very suspect, because I can't see Colin Donnell taking time out from that busy Chicago Med schedule to come and film Arrow for three individual episodes... You know, that could take a couple of weeks. So I don't really see why they do that... And personally, if we are going to see Earth 2-Tommy next season, the only place I could see it happening is with Earth-2 Laurel flashbacks. If that's the case, then sure. But other than that, I don't see where Tommy's going to fit into this show." (Declan DCTV TALK McKinney video, page 1802 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

Derek Sampson
-- On Jul. 8, 2018, Cody Rhodes (a/k/a Cody Runnels) tweeted: "I’m taking a lil’ time off from wrestling to heal my body & explore another very fun project. Thank you all. Let’s meet at @ALL_IN_2018." There's speculation that this project may be a return to Arrow. (Jul. 8, 2018 Cody Rhodes tweet and The Ring Report article, page 1801 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 16, 2018, fan tweeted: "SPOILER ALERT:  Cody Rhodes will be back as Sampson in #Arrow premier." and "Or maybe not, but that chair sure did look like one from Arrow..... either way, good on him for more projects outside of wrestling.  Plus the video had some great jokes about David and Emily, so it was fun to speculate." Cody Rhodes tweeted: "Not arrow. Secret project." (CMDragonia tweet and replies in that tweet thread, including CodyRhodes tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

Slade Wilson AKA Deathstroke
-- Media/fan reports on what Manu Bennett said (English translation): "If the film Deathstroke is a success, we will not see Manu in Arrow but if the film makes a flop, there is the possibility of a return. He says that the film will have more means but that the actor concerned will have less time to build the character." and "Manu has commented that if the movie Deathstroke is a success, we will not see Manu in # Arrow , but if the film makes a flop, there is the possibility of a return." (Super Heroes Con IV, Jun. 23, 2018: RosterCon and TodoArrow tweets, page 709 of Social Media thread)

The Question
-- MG: "I've made no secret of the fact that one day I would love to see The Question on Arrow. I think the Question is just tailor-made for Arrow. I've always felt that." (ACE Comic Con, Dec. 9, 2017: ACE Universe video of MG panel, page 653 of Social Media thread and page 451 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)

(Continued...)

Edited July 17, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

SUMMARY OF S7 SPOILERS BY TOPIC - PART 9 of 10

Mega Crossover: Prior to Batwoman Announcement
-- MG said that he was talking with Andrew Kreisberg about an "arena" idea for next season's crossover. (Video interview with MG in Sep. 6, 2017 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 358 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- On the next big crossover, MG hinted that they might not go the typically comic book-inspired route of bringing every character together for an epic battle, much like they did in "Crisis" and in "Invasion!" That said, the plans are still up in the air. MG: "We haven't talked any specifics but we have talked about a general agreement of thinking outside the box and doing something a little differently than what we've done in the past... What that is, I have no idea. None of us really know." (Jan. 13, 2018 ComicBook article, page 12 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 469 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- On whether they've already started talking about next year's crossover event, MG: "Yes, we actually have started talking about it. We've had our earliest meetings, uh - like, we've never met with the studio as early as we have this year. We've tried to get out as far in front of it as humanly possible... We have a germ of an idea, um, kind of know what the shape of it's going to be. Um, there's still a whole lot of work left to do. Um, but given the fact that the writing of the crossover usually happens in late August, early September, um, we're so far ahead of the game. We're literally a good, you know, five months ahead of the game. That's a really nice place to be." (Apr. 13, 2018 Entertainment Weekly's Superhero Insider podcast interview with MG, page 16 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 1754 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- SA: "Not to get too inside baseball here, but they have made it bigger than ever… The crossovers this year took up six full weeks of shooting. And I think that in order for us to continue down this path, um, you know, we as productions and The CW as the network and Warner Bros. as the studio are going to have to fundamentally like reconceive how we execute these, because this was - this sort of broke the schedule mold. I mean, it just simply didn't fit. It wasn't that it was like 14 hour days every day. It was - it was a very long day. Furthermore, I think that, if we're going to shoot it like a big four-hour movie, we're going to have to board it like a big four-hour movie. And we have to prioritize the schedules of the people who are going to be working the most, um, you know, if that's me, if that's Melissa, if that's Caity Lotz, if that's Grant, like, it's going to change, year after year, based off of the story." (Nov. 23, 2017 KSiteTV video of Nov. 7, 2017 on set interview with SA, page 11 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 429 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- On the next big crossover, SA: "I personally think that, I don't know how we scale up more... unless all the productions shut down and we - I don't know, just shoot it like you would a feature film. Um, but what you could do, I think, you could make it a little bit more of a character-based story and, you know, maybe it's about one or two characters from each show being sequestered out somewhere. I don't know. I'm not a writer. I just say the words. And then after the fact, I critique them. But I certainly create nothing on my own." (Nov. 28, 2017 SA facebook video, page 649 of Social Media thread)
-- On how they're going to top the last big crossover, SA: "I don't think we can... You don't to top something. Something doesn't have to be bigger for it to be better. Something can just be different or more interesting. I think it's always about, like, um, having characters that don't interact with one another interact with one another, and just - give the fans what they want. Yeah. Yeah." (Dec. 7, 2017 SA facebook video, page 653 of Social Media thread)
-- On the next big crossover, SA: "I don't know what the next scaling step is. I'm sure it exists, but I'm not sure how to do it without cloning me. Um, so I think it might be interesting to get a few select characters from all of the shows and maybe make it more of a character-driven piece and less of an event - less of a stage. More of seeing these characters interact and having it be more of an actor piece. You know, maybe that would be more interesting, maybe it wouldn't. I don't know. That's what I would like." (HVFF-Chicago, Apr. 8, 2018: Apr. 12, 2018 Wayward Fanboy video of SA panel, page 16 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 682 of Social Media thread)
-- SA got pitched the next big crossover the day before, adding: "I think there's going to be some news coming out about that... When I got pitched it - um, the good thing for me about the show is, it's impossible to say how long, uh, you know, I'm going to do it. I don't totally forsee a Jared and Jensen type situation. I [unintelligible word] those guys started younger than I did, and, uh, there's two of them. Right? So, technically, going into Season 7, there's just one of me. So I'm going to count it the same way... When I got pitched the crossover yesterday, I was as excited to hear that pitch as I was when I got pitched that we were going to be introducing Barry Allen, you know, all those years ago. So I'm still just as excited and enthused about doing the show." (May 10, 2018 Entertainment Weekly facebook video, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 1778 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- DR: "The crossovers really should be separate and above and beyond the shows. They should be like a two-hour movie. Like, there should be one big two-hour movie. And that's the mix-mash. And it's an event, right? That's it. Spreading it over, in my opinion, um - even though it's great to do that so people can see that during their hourly time with the shows - I think it causes a certain amount of confusion. So to make one big two-hour movie, I think, is some place in the works. I don't know if it's going to happen, but I think they're talking about that. Because otherwise you kinda have to be caught up on all the shows." (HVFF-Atlanta, Nov. 19, 2017: Huchgirl tweet & video, page 11 of Spoilers/S6 thread)

Mega Crossover: Gotham, Batwoman, and Court of Owls
-- Per EW, the big crossover event this year will include Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl - but not DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. (Jul. 18, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 547 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- CW President Mark Pedowitz: “We’re adding the city of Gotham into the Arrowverse." MP promised “another full-throttled action packed event.” (The CW Upfronts, May 17, 2018: TVLine article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 530 of Mind Your Surroundings thread, and Entertainment Weekly article, page 529 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- SA: “We’re incredibly excited to announce that we’ll be doing another crossover event this fall on the CW, and we’ll be introducing a new character... For the very first time appearing, we’ll be fighting alongside Batwoman, which is terrific. The crossover is going to make it to air in December. I need to leave right now and start filming it.” (The CW Upfronts, May 17, 2018: Entertainment Weekly article, page 529 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Per SA, he knew all of the details of the next crossover event (which will air in early December), adding that whereas in the past they have gone “big” — fighting aliens and Nazis from another Earth, for example — this time the premise would be “very specific.” (The CW Upfronts, May 17, 2018: TVLine article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- On the next big crossover, SA: "I know the entire thing... We can't go bigger than we went last years, so we're going more specific." (The CW Upfronts, May 17, 2018: May 19, 2018 TVLine video of red carpet interview with SA, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 696 of Social Media thread)
-- SA tweeted: "So... pretty excited to fight alongside Batwoman." (May 17, 2018 SA tweet, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- SA: "Oh, let me tell you about the crossover next year. When I - when I got pitched the crossover by Greg Berlanti, and any time I talk about it, I get goosebumps just thinking about it. I think that the crossover this year, um, aside from the first time we're ever going to introduce - uh, that Batwoman has ever been seen on screen before, which is amazing, and the fact that we're going to go to Gotham, you know, that's like 'holy shit,' pardon my language." On who he wants to play Batwoman, SA: "Pass... I don't know. I know what the suit's going to look like a little bit, but I don't care. I want the best actor to play Batwoman. I don't have a vision of what that is. I just hope that they hire the best actor." (Wizard World Philadelphia, May 18, 2018: video of SA panel in emptiedwallets tweet, page 18 of Spoilers/S6 thread, and video of SA panel in BluePhoenix1 tweet, page 696 of Social Media thread)
-- On the Arrowverse heading toward Gotham City, SA: "This fall during the crossover event that we do, um, myself and probably - probably Barry, will be fighting alongside Batwoman." (Motor City Comic Con, May 19, 2018: Akasuki ShikiHollow video of SA panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 696 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: "I do know that, in the crossover this year, I get to work with a major character that I have never worked with before." (Motor City Comic Con, May 19, 2018: Akasuki ShikiHollow video of SA panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 696 of Social Media thread)
-- On where Batwoman will be coming from, SA: "I don't know where she's coming from. I know the entire story of the crossover. It's awesome. And I can't talk about it at all." (HVFF-London, May 27, 2018: Jess and Simone Wagener videos of SA panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- On who he would fan-cast as Batwoman, SA: "I don't know. I really don't know... David Rapaport has been the casting director on all the shows. Casted me. Casted Grant. Casted Caity. Casted Melissa. Um, I trust whatever he's going to do. He's gonna nail it." (HVFF-London, May 27, 2018: Jess video of SA panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- Media report on what SA said: "He did, however, express his excitement for Batwoman making her live-action debut in next year’s crossover event. From what he personally knows of the crossover, he gets goosebumps thinking about it. While he does know what the suit will look like, he doesn’t want to pick an actor to portray the character. Instead he hopes the best person for the part, gets it." He was "excited to bring in Gotham and some of the Bat mythos to the Arrowverse." (Wizard World Philadelphia, May 18, 2018: 4YourExcitement article, page 275 of Starling City Times thread)
-- Fan/media reports on what SA said: ".@StephenAmell just announced another crossover among the superhero shows, this time with Batwoman. (In the city of Gotham.)" and "@TheCW is also adding the city of Gotham into the Arrowverse!!" and "@StephenAmell is here to promote the arrival of Batwoman and the city of Gotham to the Arrowverse." and "Arrow is key to this year's crossover." and ""Stephen Amell says Batwoman(!) will be part of the big DC superhero crossover this fall." (The CW Upfronts, May 17, 2018: KateAurthur, yourPHXCS, PlanetED and wayoutstuff tweets, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 529 of Mind Your Surroundings thread, and jasonlynch tweet, page 1785 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: "Stephen knows the whole story of this seasons crossover but can’t talk about it. Just said it’s awesome." (HVFF-London, May 27, 2018: QueenSMOAK_93 tweet, page 700 of Social Media thread)
-- DR said that, when he went to the Arrow writers room when they were editing the S6 finale, he saw their board with all the characters and what they've outlined for what they want to do with them. DR: "You probably heard online that Batwoman's coming, right? But, listen, guys... that ain't nothing compared to what they have planned. Like, they have some serious stuff... I think you're really in for a good treat in Season 7." (HVFF-London, May 26, 2018: bettunicorns and Simone Wegener videos of Arrow Heroes panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Batwoman debuting in the crossover, DR: "I know as much as you to be honest. However, I’m really excited to find out what’s going on, as I’m curious about where does Gotham City is in this universe we created, and get to know about Bruce Wayne and what will be the take on the whole Batman legend, because you know there have been some hints at it during all the series, but finally get to see something about it is just awesome." (Melbourne Oz Comic Con, Jun. 8, 2018: Spotlight Report article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 279 of Starling City Times thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "Who should play batwoman? David: it'd be good if she came from a diff world and to know where the Bruce Wayne is in our universe There's so much to play with with the diff earths." (HVFF-London, May 26, 2018: JoAnne_Rowney tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- When fan asked about having an episode where the good guys turn into bad guys and the bad guys turn into good guys in the future, DR: "Hey! The crossover... (Fan asked, "For Season 6?") No, the upcoming crossover for 7. Just wait for that. Just wait for that." (HVFF-London, May 26, 2018: bettunicorns and Simone Wegener videos of Arrow Heroes panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- On SA's announcement that Batwoman was coming to the Arrowverse crossover, and whether Dinah will be in it, JH: "Yeah, that was one that I geeked out for... I got really excited when I found out that Batwoman was coming and we were going to start to integrate Gotham into Star City. Uh, I'm so excited for that. Again, all the strong, awesome characters we can get, I want them all. I want to work with them all. I can't wait for that. I don't know what capacity we're going to be working with her yet, but I hope I'm there for it." (Puerto Rico Comic Con, May 20, 2018: May 25, 2018 LosCriticologos video of JH panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 699 of Social Media thread)
-- RG: "I really hope we get to see Wild Dog fight alongside 'Batgirl' this year who will make her appearance in our 'Crossover'." (Jun. 7, 2018 Meaww article, page 279 of Starling City Times thread)
-- Per ThatHashtagShow, Kate/Batwoman will appear in the ninth episodes of Supergirl, Arrow, and The Flash. (Jul. 18, 2018 ThatHashtagShow article, page 548 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- On Jul. 1, 2018, Pagey posted video about unconfirmed leaked spoilers, saying: "The crossover villains are a take on the Court of Owls, but they won't be going by that name. But they will have the same traits and everything like that. ... The crossover for this season is meant to be much more grounded and be, like, very Arrow in tone in how it plays out. We know the crossover is in Gotham, so this does make sense in regards to the Court of Owls being involved, or a take on them. But the only big issue around this is, like, how would Supergirl and Flash, like, not deal with this group fairly quickly? ... That's my only issue with it." (Pagey video, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 2, 2018, Reddit user (Intelligent_Arachnid) posted rumored spoiler: "Court of Owls will be introduced in the crossover." (Arrow reddit post by Intelligent_Arachnid, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 16, 2018, DCTV's Hector Navarro: "Plus - this is another thing to get really excited about - we have Batwoman appearing for the first time ever in live action anywhere. That's happening this season on the crossover. It's going to be mind-blowing. It's going to be nuts." (DC video, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

Batwoman in the Arrowverse
-- Batwoman is now being developed as a series for The CW by Warner Bros. Television and Berlanti Productions. Slated for a potential 2019 premiere, Batwoman would follow the adventures of Kate Kane — the second incarnation of the Batwoman character in DC Comics lore, introduced in 2006. Batwoman‘s official logline is as follows: "Armed with a passion for social justice and a flair for speaking her mind, Kate Kane soars onto the streets of Gotham as Batwoman, an out lesbian and highly trained street fighter primed to snuff out the failing city’s criminal resurgence. But don’t call her a hero yet. In a city desperate for a savior, Kate must overcome her own demons before embracing the call to be Gotham’s symbol of hope." (Jul. 17, 2018 TVLine tweet & article, page 547 of Mind Your Surroundings thread, and Jul. 17, 2018 Variety article, page 283 of Starling City Times thread)
-- The new Batwoman series, which has only reached a script-development deal at this point, will be written by Caroline Dries, who is also executive producing alongside Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and Geoff Johns (under his new Mad Ghost Production banner). (Jul. 18, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 547 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- The new Batwoman series, which currently has a script development deal at The CW, will not only feature TV’s first gay lead superhero character, but an out lesbian actress will ideally fill the title role. Sources tell TVLine that the would-be Arrowverse addition is seeking an out lesbian actress, open ethnicity, to play age 25 to 29. (Jul. 17, 2018 TVLine article, page 547 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
--ThatHashtagShow: "Kate is fully aware of how bad-ass she is whenever she enters a room, even though she prefers to put a smile on your face. Young Ms. Kane is physically and intellectually confident while being a woman who is proud to be openly gay. However, Kate still deals with her inner demons that go back to her history with her dad. Their relationship is quite complicated as she struggles to get praise from him. She once aspired to have a successful military career, but those dreams sadly came to an end as she was kicked out of West Point once she came out of the closet. But that didn’t stop her from becoming the crime-fighting vigilante known as Batwoman. Striking fear into the criminals she fights, Kate is someone who must also fight the complications of living a double life, both as a citizen and hero of Gotham. While she has her shield up when fighting criminals, she lets herself be vulnerable when dating women. Being eyed for a pilot option, whoever plays Kate is being listed as a recurring guest star, making us hope we will see her in the shows after the crossover too." (Jul. 18, 2018 ThatHashTagShow article, page 2 of Spoilers thread, page 1805 of Spoiler Discussion thread, and page 549 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)

Mini Crossovers 
-- The Flash's Danielle Nicolet: "I don’t think I’m spoiling anything to say that there are going to be more crossovers this next season. And yes, there is a very strong likelihood that there - one or two people at this table will be crossing over, probably both." The other person at the table was The Flash's Jessica Parker Kennedy. (MCM Comic-Con, May 26, 2018: May 28, 2018 Geektown video, page 535 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Fan report on what The Flash's Carlos Valdes said: "I asked Carlos if he enjoyed filming Cisco scenes with Felicity and said filming scenes with Emily feels like home and that he loves the techy geeky stuff, and that he and Emily are always pushing for more scenes like that" and "Also I asked if we would see more of that in the future, and he said that the writers are very aware of how well they play off each other so maybe??" (Supanova Sydney, Jun. 16, 2018: esteryam tweets, page 539 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- On May 21, 2018, Arrow EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "Thanks for letting me crash your lunch today @LoTWritersRoom !" (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 1791 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 10, 2018 CW Seed tweeted: ".@Megalyn returns as Vixen in the next chapter of #TheRay, premiering July 19 on @cwseed." (cwseed tweet, page 545 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- On Jul. 13, 2018, CW Seed tweeted: "#TheFlash joins forces with #TheRay on July 19. Catch up on Freedom Fighters right now at @cwseed...." (cwseed tweet, page 546 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- On Jul. 17, 2018, CW Seed tweeted: "#Arrow joins #TheRay in a new chapter of Freedom Fighters this Thursday. Catch up on Part 1 now: ..." (cwseed tweet, page 548 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)

The Flash in the Arrowverse 
-- The CW renewed Flash for a 5th season. (Apr. 2, 2018 Deadline, Entertainment Weekly and Variety articles, page 510 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Flash will be staying on Tuesdays. (May 17, 2018 TVLine article, page 273 of Starling City Times thread and page 528 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Mega Crossover: Per EW, the big crossover event this year will include Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl - but not DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. (Jul. 18, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 547 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- On Jul. 13, 2018, CW Seed tweeted: "#TheFlash joins forces with #TheRay on July 19. Catch up on Freedom Fighters right now at @cwseed...." (cwseed tweet, page 546 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)

DC's Legends of Tomorrow in the Arrowverse
-- The CW renewed LoT for a 4th season. (Apr. 2, 2018 Deadline, Entertainment Weekly and Variety articles, page 510 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- LoT will be moving to Mondays. (May 17, 2018 TVLine article, page 273 of Starling City Times thread and page 528 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Mega Crossover: Per EW, the big crossover event this year will include Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl - but not DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. (Jul. 18, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 547 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)

Supergirl in the Arrowverse
-- The CW renewed Supergirl for a 4th season. (Apr. 2, 2018 Deadline, Entertainment Weekly and Variety articles, page 510 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Supergirl will be moving to Sundays. (May 17, 2018 TVLine article, page 273 of Starling City Times thread and page 528 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Mega Crossover: Per EW, the big crossover event this year will include Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl - but not DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. (Jul. 18, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 547 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)

Black Lightning in the Arrowverse?
-- The CW renewed Black Lightning for a 2nd season. (Apr. 2, 2018 Deadline, Entertainment Weekly and Variety articles, page 510 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Black Lightning will be staying on Tuesdays. (May 17, 2018 TVLine article, page 273 of Starling City Times thread and page 528 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- On whether there'll be any crossover between Black Lightning and the other DC shows in S2, Cress Williams: "I don’t think there is going to be a crossover, at least not in the near future. We shoot in Atlanta, and all the other DC shows shoot in Vancouver, so uh, there hasn’t been talk about anything like that happening anytime soon." (Apr. 29, 2018 FandomWire article, page 522 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- On whether he has any desire to do a crossover with the Arrowverse or whether he wants Black Lightning to remain separate forever, Cress Williams: "I wouldn’t say forever. We’re going into our second season and I really want to make sure that we explore all the possibilities of our world first. We’ve introduced the characters. I want to see Jennifer come into her own. I even want to see Anissa go through some ups and downs, and bring in some other characters. ... Our show is so different than anything in the Arrowverse and I don’t wanna compromise that. Logistically, we shoot in Atlanta when everyone else shoots in Vancouver, and I’m not excited about hopping on a plane in the middle of a season to have to fly all the way to Vancouver to film and fly all the way back to Atlanta. I don’t know how all of that works. ... It would be great, maybe, down the line when our world’s fully established. I would love for somebody to come visit us.” When the interviewer threw out the possibility of doing a crossover in S3, he responded with a "yeah." (May 27, 2018 WeGotItCovered article, page 533 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- On the possibility of Black Lightning being involved in the 2018 crossover, MG: "My preference actually would be to start talking about it sooner rather than later. Because it really is like doing — I know there's now five shows along with Black Lightning, that's not to say that Black Lightning is a part of the Arrowverse, that's above my pay grade — but I will say whether you consider it four shows or five shows, doing the crossover is like doing a fifth or sixth show. And getting out as far ahead of it as possible is always good." (Jan. 13, 2018 ComicBook article, page 12 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 469 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- SA: "I don't know if Black Lightning is on Earth-1. I think it would be fun to do a crossover because I like Cress and I like the people on that show. I'm not confirming it. I don't know anything. I just think it would be fun." (Motor City Comic Con, May 19, 2018: Akasuki ShikiHollow video of SA panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 696 of Social Media thread)

Vixen in the Animated Arrowverse
-- On Jul. 10, 2018 CW Seed tweeted: ".@Megalyn returns as Vixen in the next chapter of #TheRay, premiering July 19 on @cwseed." (cwseed tweet, page 545 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)

DC's Freedom Fighters: The Ray in the Animated Arrowverse
-- On Jul. 10, 2018 CW Seed tweeted: ".@Megalyn returns as Vixen in the next chapter of #TheRay, premiering July 19 on @cwseed." (cwseed tweet, page 545 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- On Jul. 13, 2018, CW Seed tweeted: "#TheFlash joins forces with #TheRay on July 19. Catch up on Freedom Fighters right now at @cwseed...." (cwseed tweet, page 546 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- On Jul. 17, 2018, CW Seed tweeted: "#Arrow joins #TheRay in a new chapter of Freedom Fighters this Thursday. Catch up on Part 1 now: ..." (cwseed tweet, page 548 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)

(Continued...)

Edited July 22, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

SUMMARY OF S7 SPOILERS BY TOPIC - PART 10 of 10

Looking Beyond S7 and Ending Arrow
-- Beyond S7, it may be time to begin thinking about giving Arrow a proper series finale. However, when that inevitable time comes, MG would not require long-term planning to deliver the ending he, GB and AK had planned. MG: “I think we’ve always had an endpoint in mind... We’ve always known how we want to end the show. That end point doesn’t require X number of seasons. If we had to, we could work towards it as long as we knew with enough leeway, we could work towards the moment we’ve been talking about since day one.” (TCA Summer Press Tour, Aug. 2, 2017: SlashFilm article, page 5 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- When MG was asked if there is a plan for bringing Arrow to an end, MG: "We've always known how we want to end the show. That endpoint doesn't require X number of seasons... Let's say the ratings completely tank and Season 6 is the last season; we could work toward it as long as we knew with enough leeway. We could work toward the moment that we always knew about since Day 1. I always say when you get into any season, especially at this point, the ratings and the feedback and the network -- my instinct is we'll get sense halfway through the season how many more seasons we think we might get. We have a lot of ideas that can expand or contract depending."  (TCA Summer Press Tour, Aug. 2, 2017: IGN article, page 5 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- Interviewer asked if they were thinking in terms of Supernatural-distance for the Arrow series. MG said that "it's too far in the horizon." But he then quoted SA saying, "what's the point of doing the first five if you're not going to do the second five." MG also mentioned The Vampire Diaries ending at around S8. He then said that he doesn't know "what numbers we have to do in order to stay on the air through Season 10"  and that it's not just about live ratings any more but also about streaming ratings. He said that Arrow's live ratings went down 20% from S4 to S5, but that it's streaming ratings went up 17%, so that it's only a 3% loss over the course of Seasons 4 to 5. (Video interview with MG in Sep. 6, 2017 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 358 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- On whether they have an endpoint in mind for Oliver's story as the GA, MG: "We don't know when [unintelligible words] ends. Though, I think, a lot of times, it just depends upon Stephen, the ratings." (Nov. 7, 2017 WCCB video of MG interview, page 12 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- MG: "I always say, the franchise of the show is Oliver making mistakes... This year on Arrow, you know, because of the first five years, we've been trying to have his mistakes be from a more informed, self-aware, mature place. You know, he's making different kinds of mistakes. Yeah, he's a very flawed character. The moment Oliver gets all his stuff together, that's probably when the show ends." (ACE Comic Con, Dec. 9, 2017: ACE Universe video of Anti-Heroes panel, page 653 of Social Media thread and page 451 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- MG: "We're in that point for network television where you start to look at the ratings and go, OK, how many years does the show have left in it? We're going into season seven, Beth and the team have a fantastic game plan and something that I think will both reinvigorate the show and set us up for seasons eight and beyond if that's what we end up doing, or at the same time, will provide the basis for some closure if we end up ending in season seven. We're all going into this interesting, uncharted territory where we don't know how long the show can go for. [Laughs.] There are literally plans for every contingency, which is nice. Beth is a lot like me, we both really like having multiple plans and back up plans." (May 17, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- On whether he would want to see a flash-forward to Oliver’s death, and whether it’s a flash-forward to a year from now, 10 years from now, whatever, if that is something that would ever interest him, SA: "Yeah. I think that the key to a story like that is that — look, Green Arrow was obviously pitched as a five-year origin story, but we’re breaking the flashback story as we go along. There’s always an overarching plan, but it generally has to go season to season. Like, I don’t think we knew at the beginning of the season that at the end of season 2, Oliver would end up in Hong Kong. We don’t necessarily know that stuff, and that’s just the nature of episodic television in 23 episodes a year. I think that the critical element, if we ever did something like a flash-forward, would be to make sure that we understood the precise beginning point and end point of that story and all the things that went into it, because I think that if we try to piecemeal it together, especially because it’s a flash-forward, that it just wouldn’t work. You know what I mean? We’d have to know the end game if we did something like that. I mean look, I’ve always had a very specific idea for how the series would end. It came to me at some point during season 1, and whether it’s through a flash-forward or whatever, I just hope that we end up getting to do that." (Feb. 21, 2017 Entertainment Weekly article, page 53 of Spoilers/S6 thread) 
-- SA: "I think we have the stuff in place for a nice, long run." (PaleyFest, Mar. 18, 2017: thesuperboytheater video, page 56 of Spoilers/S6 thread)
-- SA: "I have an idea of how I'd like the show to end for me personally. And I don't know when that will be. But I would hope that, whenever the show does end, that we would write for the end. Um, I know that a lot of people were, you know, somewhat dissatisfied with how Lost ended, in terms of, there were a lot of questions that people answered and they weren't necessarily answered. But I did feel like that show, from a creative perspective and just from a spot that it was going to, really picked up steam when they decided, 'okay, we're going to do X number of years, and then the show's done.' Right? The Sopranos. 'We're doing the final season. This is it.' I feel like, whenever you decide to end something, you should make sure that you write appropriately towards that ending. And don't just decide, because the show's on the bubble, to pivot during Episode 16, and you're like, 'alright, we've got 9 more, let's just figure out a way to end it.' So I just hope that whenever we're done, that we know it and that we write for it." (HVFF-Chicago, Apr. 8, 2018: FanFestNews tweet & video, page 681 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: "The good thing for me about the show is, it's impossible to say how long, uh, you know, I'm going to do it. I don't totally forsee a Jared and Jensen type situation. I [unintelligible word] those guys started younger than I did, and, uh, there's two of them. Right? So, technically, going into Season 7, there's just one of me. So I'm going to count it the same way... So I'm still just as excited and enthused about doing the show." (May 10, 2018 Entertainment Weekly facebook video, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 1778 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- SA: "I want to write like we're running out of time, because we are not guaranteed a Season 8. Period. Nobody is. Not everybody is Supernatural. Not everybody exists forever." (May 15, 2018 Build Series video, page 694 of Social Media thread)
-- On whether he sees the show lasting a long time like Supernatural, SA: "For me? I don't think so. I think that, I would like Arrow to live on. But I think that, I am definitely on the back 9 of my run - does that make sense? Are you a golf fan? ... I feel like I might be on the 14th or 15th hole." (The CW Upfronts, May 17, 2018: May 22, 2018 TV Insider video of red carpet interview with SA, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "I don't know how long, um, I'll be doing - I don't know how long I'll do the show for. I mean, it's going into Year 7 now, and I'm officially into my late 30's. (Laughs) Getting more sore all the time. Um, I think I'll have more perspective on it when I'm on the B side of it." (Motor City Comic Con, May 19, 2018: Akasuki ShikiHollow video of SA panel, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 696 of Social Media thread)
-- On how he would pitch the ending of the show, SA: "And as for the ending, I can't tell you because I have a very, very specific idea for what it is. And they're going to listen to me. So I can't spoil it. But I've told it to a couple of people and they hear it and they're like, 'yeah.' So you'll have to keep watching for like 6, 7 more years." (HVFF-Portland, Jun. 24, 2017: Video in WeAreSecondU tweet, page 1545 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: ".@StephenAmell just said he might already know where Oliver ends up at the end of the series." (HVFF-London, May 27, 2018: 4_Y_E tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- Fan report on SA's response to question of whether he still likes the idea of Oliver dying at the end of the show, now that he has a wife and son: "He thought about it then said 'maybe'. Then he explained that for him, the only way for a hero who hasn't superpowers to end is to die. We said it would break our hearts and he answered it would break his too." and "He added that maybe he was wrong though. He was very nice and thoughtful. And it was a joy to watch him interact with the fans." (HVFF-London, May 27, 2018: MissChlollifan tweets, page 1794 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On the future of Arrow, EBR: "What we only want to do in TV and entertainment is to tell stories and to tell good stories and hopefully influence the world... and sometimes the best way to do that is to have a new show and sometimes the best way to do that is to keep the show going... I think it would depend on what the sort of goal would be when Season 7 wraps. I think it would have to depend on how this one goes. People could say that's in terms of popularity but I think it also has to go in terms of story and where's the best way to take the story." Also, on any potential moves to another Arrowverse show after Arrow ends, EBR: "I guess it would depend on what would become more interesting in terms of storyline and what people want to watch... People can still love these characters and see these characters on other shows." (May 31, 2018 TV Guide article, page 278 of Starling City Times thread)

Edited July 13, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This summary includes all topical spoilers from July 19, 2018 to July 31, 2018, including but not limited to spoilers from San Diego Comic Con International (SDCC), July 19-22, 2018. This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion thread...

ADDENDUM #1 TO SUMMARY OF S7 SPOILERS BY TOPIC

S7 Showrunner and Writers
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "Well, I've been on the show since Season 1, so I've been here for a long time. So it's not going to be a different show, but I definitely put my spin on it." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz confirmed that there are ideas that she's been sitting on that she now gets to do as the new showrunner. She also said that she's still honoring the characters that the creators created and that MG is still consulting, but that it's "definitely my spin and the writers." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "I don't know if I have an approach as much as I really care about these characters and I'm going to make sure, um, you know, to honor the creator and, um, to make sure this is the season that we actually get deeper into the characters... That's like my one goal that I have this season." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 KSiteTV video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "I've been on the show since Season 1. It's been, um, an incredible ride, and I love these characters so much. I feel close to them. And, for me, I - you know, I love the show and I want it to be the same, but one thing I want to add is, um, getting to know our characters and finding out new things that we haven't - you know, that we have not known about them, even in six years of a series." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: "[T]he writing is very, very intelligent. Um, our new showunner, Beth Schwartz, has a lot of fantastic plans on the direction to take our characters and how to introduce our new characters." (Interviewer: "Is it canon or something else?") Yes." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- When asked about the vagueness of his responses, SA joked: "You know what? We have a new showrunner. She hates spoilers. I'm terrified of her. So I'm trying to keep it as vague as possible." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: XFINITY video of red carpet interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Beth Schwartz's spin on the show this season, CH: "It's the best spin that's been put on the show since the show started." EBR: "Co-sign." CH: "Having the female energy and having female directors and female producers, and having all this female energy is really, really special to all of us, and I think it's important. I'm so happy for you, man." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- CH: "This year we're told what our stuff is, and they redact other things... I'm in the same boat as you. We're all in the dark. But I think it's really smart. I think Beth is an absolute genius." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: XFINITY video of red carpet interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- CH: "A lot of us don't know each other's storylines 'cause they take them out of the script... which I think is genius, but it's frustrating... but it's smart." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 Syfy article & video of red carpet interviews with Arrow cast, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- JH: "I think there are a lot of changes, just to the whole infrastructure of the show this year, yeah, from the top down. Our showrunner is new. Some of our writers are new. It's different stylistically and it's incredible. The scripts have been insane. I think everyone's going to lose it." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Clevver News video of red carpet interview with JH, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

S7 Directors and Technical Advisors
-- JBamford described himself as "the producing director of Arrow Season 6 and 7." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: "I've been on the show since the pilot and I was responsible for training Stephen before the pilot and martial arts. I was the fight choreographer to start out with and the stunt coordinator. And then I went on to start directing... Because of what have you, um, my contributions or - and/or what not with the show um, they made me the producing director. So, um, I'm sort of responsible for the look of the show, the visual look of the show. I try to, when we do have action on the show, I try to ensure that it's a gritty brutality that we all are used to, you know." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the prison storyline, JBamford: "I've been acting somewhat as a technical advisor as well. I was a corrections officer at one point very early on in my life, when I was about 22 - so, like last year. Um, no, I'm old. So the incarceration portion is quite, just natural to me, because I spent a lot of time in prison. That sounds really... but on the other side." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: "I was myself a corrections officer while I was very young.... a couple years ago. A long time ago." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Seat42F video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page of 3 of Spoilers thread)

S7 Tone and Style
-- On the overall tone for S7, EP Beth Schwartz: "So the tone is going to be dark... It's going to be - you know, the concept of the show is very dark and, um, there's going to be a lot of callbacks to Season 1... So we're going to continue in that dark, kind of sad tone that I love." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 27, 2018 CODY SCHULTZ video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether S7 is a darker season tone-wise, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yeah, it's not light. (Laughs) ... I think the concept of the show was dark. And we're definitely channeling Season 1 a lot. And there's going to be lots of sort of callbacks to Season 1 this season that I'm really excited about. Um, so going back to the roots is definitely you'll see in Season 7." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how this season will differ from previous seasons in terms of darkness, EP Beth Schwarts: "It's tonally similar to Season 1. We're just going back to our roots... There's a lot of demons that are going to come out, and that's all I can say." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Video of facebook live interview with Arrow cast in Entertainment Weekly article, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- When asked for one word to describe S7, EP Beth Schwartz: "I can't swear, though." SA: "Why would you want to?" Beth Schwartz: "Because it's the word I was choosing in my head... Dark." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Video of facebook live interview with Arrow cast in Entertainment Weekly article, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- In response to (male) interviewer who said that he was "bother[ed]" when the show took a "soapy direction" with "the kid and the married life" and who then asked something unintelligible about Oliver being in prison, EP Beth Schwartz replied: "For me, I don't know if this is soapy or not, but what I love is, um, you know, I like grounding our characters in reality. So the reality is he has a wife and he has a child, and how does that affect them when he's in prison? So getting into the real of that - to me, I don't know if I would call that 'soapy' or not. It's more about the - you know, the effects of how that - how it affects everyone on the team, his family. Um, yeah, it's going to be - it's going to be a dark season." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 27, 2018 CODY SCHULTZ video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- In response to (male) interviewer who complained that the later seasons of Arrow turned "too soapy" and who opined that Arrow "is at its best when the action is happening" (commenting that the Diaz stuff last season was better) and who then asked if James Bamford could "diminish" the stories about the "kid and the married life that we don't really need in an action show," JBamford replied: "Well, I'm not a writer so I don't have control over the story. Um, I get given the scripts and my job is to elevate the materials... Because of what have you, um, my contributions or - and/or what not with the show um, they made me the producing director. So, um, I'm sort of responsible for the look of the show, the visual look of the show. I try to, when we do have action on the show, I try to ensure that it's a gritty brutality that we all are used to, you know. Aside from Season 4, we deviated for a second... anyway, we're back. Um, Season 7 promises to be even more so than Season 1. When you see the premiere, you'll think it's - you'll feel Season 1, but it's a new show." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: “We’ve always prided ourselves on being the darkest show, and we’re going to continue to be... Within the universe, we have The Flash. We have Supergirl. We have Legends [of Tomorrow], self-described as more ‘blue sky,’ if you will. We are definitely a nighttime-on-rooftop show. We’re not going to change.” (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Aug. 22, 2018 CBR article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: “So, although it is very dark — of course, we still have our characters that bring those elements of fun and we pepper it in, but we try to — within moments of combat and whatnot — we try to stay very serious about what we’re doing. And we want to stand out from those other shows, now that there’s like Titans and such. That’s dark. We’re nowhere near that, but we — within the confines of our network and, you’ll see, this season — we are pushing the limits to where we can go. I had several phone calls just for the premiere alone, with our censors, with BSMP[sic], which I’ve never had before as a director, just about handling certain issues which you’ll see in the premiere.” (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Aug. 22, 2018 CBR article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: "[W]e're taking the show to new levels of grit, um, right off the bat in the premiere and, uh, some things will happen that will be like, 'holy shit, I' can't believe they did that.'" (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Fangirlish video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: "[O]ur goal is to try to portray - you know, within our established mythology - to try to portray the prison as realistic as humanly possible, you know, as you can, while keeping, you know, as I said, our established mythology intact. Um, but we're trying very hard to be as technically correct with different aspects of the policies and procedures that you would find within a prison... Obviously, we're taking liberties because it's a television show, but, uh... but you'll find that it's as close to real as you can get. I mean, it's not Oz... 'cause we're not HBO. We can't go there. We would if we could." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Seat42F video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page of 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: "In the premiere, you'll find some elements with a Season 1 feel, but, um, you'll find other elements that are new, uncharted territory that we've - going places that we've never done... What I can say is this - and I've said this to some of the other folks over there - Beth and I had a phone call with BS&P, which is our censors, um, a very lengthy phone call about a particular scene sequence that we've never had before. So we're really trying to push the limits on the show in the gritty factor and what - you know, and trying to go as far as you can go, within the confines of, you know, our network and what's expected of us and what we can and can't do. We're not on Netflix, so we'll never be able to, you know, X, Y and Z. But, um, we're damn sure gonna try." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On S7, JH: "It's different stylistically and it's incredible." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Clevver News video of red carpet interview with JH, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On S7, JH: "It's new. The format is new. You know, we have new writers, new showrunners, so it's a little bit different, um, just stylistically. And, um, I think it's going to be amazing. I have a good feeling. I think it's going to be a great season." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 haydenclaireheroes video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 3 of Spoilers thread)

Transition From and Effect of S6
-- On whether the way S6 ended prevented her, as the new showrunner, from doing a reset of the show, EP Beth Schwartz: "I feel like last season did set me up for a reset, because Oliver's in prison and his identity is out, so that's something we've never done on the show. So that does open up a lot of cool, creative stories for us. It's going to feel fresh." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: “But starting off this season, Oliver is — as you can imagine — in a pretty, pretty dark place. Usually, by the end of the season, as we did at the end of most seasons with the finale, we usually vanquish our big bad for the season and we start off, everything’s great, it’s a new world... We didn’t do that last season, right? So we tried to paint a very different picture at the end of last season and leave Oliver in a different place than we’ve seen him, and so there’s a lot of ‘What If?’s and that’s the beauty of Season 7, is it could go any direction.” (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Aug. 22, 2018 CBR article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: "So there's a lot of 'if's' [from last season]. And the season could go anywhere, and it's going to." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Seat42F video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page of 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the rest of the team, DR: "Well, we can't do anything, right? We can't put on our masks anymore. That was part of the deal with Watson, was that, um, we give up these aliases and, um, we don't have to do any time, but he will be the sacrificial lamb. So, um... it hurts in that sense, but we still have the resources of ARGUS. So the team has taken advantage of these resources... But certain people are in protective custody, so there's that." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 30, 2018 GameSpot article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- RG: "Everything that's been established at the end of last season... we have to bring that baggage along with us in order to make Season 7 make sense... We lost Quentin. Diaz is still out there. Being a vigilante is outlawed. Uh, there's just a lot of things happening in the world of Star City and within the group that, um, we're going to bring along with us for 7. So right away, you'll see those things, you know, come into play, just with a simple hello...Because five months have passed, everyone is like just holding onto things that have hung on and that have permeated from previous [Season 6]." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with RG, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- RG: "We still have Diaz out there... So there's a lot of pieces in place that we left in Season 6 that still need to be resolved." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with RG, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

S7 Synopsis
-- SDCC's Arrow Synopsis: "There has been no shortage of close calls for Oliver Queen when it comes to protecting his Super Hero identity, but in the season six finale, he was finally backed into a corner and forced to reveal himself to the world as the Green Arrow. Now, Oliver will come face-to-face with many of the criminals he placed behind bars, as he makes a new home for himself at Slabside Maximum Security Prison. Oliver will find himself vulnerable in a way unlike ever before when a mysterious new enemy begins to unravel his work as Green Arrow, challenging him to redeem his name or risk losing everything. Join series stars Stephen Amell, David Ramsey, Emily Bett Rickards, Katie Cassidy, Echo Kellum, Juliana Harkavy, Rick Gonzalez and Colton Haynes and executive producer Beth Schwartz at their annual Comic-Con panel to be among the first to learn more about what this means for Oliver and the rest of his team. From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television, Arrow will return to The CW on Monday, October 15 at 9/8c. Ballroom 20." (Jun. 25, 2018 Deadline tweet & article, page 281 of Starling City Times thread and page 542 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)

S7 Trailers 
-- Arrow Comic-Con 2018 Trailer posted, featuring Oliver in prison, prison shower fight scene, familiar inmates (Derek Sampson, Bronze Tiger, Danny Brickwell), Oliver looking at photo of Felicity and William, shot of his Count of Monte Cristo book, Diggle visiting Oliver in prison, Black Siren posing as E1 Laurel and announcing Star City's zero tolerance policy against vigilantes, someone posing as the Green Arrow, Felicity running toward William in the woods, Diaz threatening to take everything from Oliver, Diaz pointing a gun at someone on the ground, Dinah as a cop, and Rene. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: The CW Television Network video and CW_Arrow tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

S7 Theme 
-- Mod: "I get the sense that this upcoming season is about redemption in a lot of ways for a lot of the characters." EP Beth Schwartz: "Yes, definitely." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "So the big theme for this year is redemption, um, definitely for Oliver and all our other characters. He has - because his identity was outed last season, there's definitely, you know, mixed feelings about how people in the city felt about the Green Arrow, whether he was a hero, whether he wasn't... He's got a long way to go... He's got to redeem himself." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "And the theme is going to be redemption, for all the characters, including obviously Oliver." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 27, 2018 CODY SCHULTZ video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "This season is all about redemption for Oliver... Last season, unfortunately, there was - they didn't end up getting Diaz, and then he is in prison now. So he has - he kind of has a far way to go to redeem his name, redeem the Green Arrow, and so on." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- RG: "This season is about redemption." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with RG, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

S7 Generally
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "There'll be some more comic book characters, definitely, that we'll see this season. I can't tell you which ones." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 30, 2018 GameSpot article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: “There are some new costumes... I can’t really tease anything else. I’m sorry! But you guys are going to be so excited. I cannot wait for everyone to see this season.” (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Aug. 26, 2018 CBR article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On who's Mayor of Star City now, EP Beth Schwartz: "There will be a new Mayor, you will see." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what Star City is like without Oliver's vigilante-ing, EP Beth Schwartz: "So Star City is not doing well. (Laughs) It did not end in a great place, because first of all, Diaz basically corrupted the whole city and then without the Green Arrow, there's a lot of crime and... it's not a good place to be." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Fangirlish video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 22, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: “It’s so exciting to be on a show that has lasted for seven years and it’s exciting to get to grow with the characters. There’s a lot of new - you’re going to see our characters in a lot of new roles, which is exciting. That we haven’t seen before... There’s going to be just a new little flavor on everything. It’s going to be the same Arrow, but it’s going to feel a little fresh and new, so I’m excited for that.” (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Aug. 22, 2018 CBR article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: “We do have our characters that we pepper in elements of fun, so we will, you’ll see, with the other characters. But starting off this season, Oliver is — as you can imagine — in a pretty, pretty dark place. Usually, by the end of the season, as we did at the end of most seasons with the finale, we usually vanquish our big bad for the season and we start off, everything’s great, it’s a new world... We didn’t do that last season, right? So we tried to paint a very different picture at the end of last season and leave Oliver in a different place than we’ve seen him, and so there’s a lot of ‘What If?’s and that’s the beauty of Season 7, is it could go any direction.” (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Aug. 22, 2018 CBR article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: "I think you'll find a lot of surprises this season." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we're going to see a lot more action this season, DR: "Yes, because we have something to prove, right? ... So, um, there'll be a lot more action. There will be action in that prison as well. A lot." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Clevver News video of red carpet interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether there's more action this season, JH: "There is. There's a ton of action. More than, I think, maybe there's ever been?" (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Clevver News video of red carpet interview with JH, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

Team Arrow
-- From TV Guide's SDCC special issue: "Can Original Team Arrow and New Team Arrow please get along? Oliver, Felicity and Diggle (David Ramsey) spent much of the season battling disgruntled dropouts Dinah (Juliana Harkavy), Curtis (Echo Kellum) and Rene (Rick Gonzalez). Fans were not about it - and the writers heard our sighs! Come fall, vows [EP Beth] Schwartz, 'There is not going to be a divide.'" (Pic of Burning Questions section from 2018 TV Guide Comic-Con Special in Jul. 14, 2018 smoak3d tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- From TV Guide's SDCC special issue: "Everyone the team will be 'in a different place than you would expect when the show returns,' says [EP Beth] Schwartz. 'They're all going to have different reactions to Oliver being in prison and what their responsibilities are now.'" (Pic of Burning Questions section from 2018 TV Guide Comic-Con Special in Jul. 14, 2018 smoak3d tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread, and Jul. 21, 2018 TVInsider article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- From TV Guide's SDCC special issue: "Those graphics that fill tech genius Felicity Smoak's (Emily Bett Rickards) computer screen? Much of it is visual effects added during postproduction, according to exec producer Beth Schwarts, who says that Felicity, Diggle (Ramsey, below, with RIckards) and the Arrow team will search for another lair next season since theirs was destroyed." (Pic of Behind the Scenes section from 2018 TV Guide Comic-Con Special in Jul. 16, 2018 smoak3d tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "So the team by the end of last season has, um - they sort of, you know, rallied around Oliver when he,, uh - when he went to prison. And so we're not really - there's no fracture between the team. However, we're going to see, um - everyone is sort of going to be doing something, uh, separate, in their eyes of what Oliver's speech meant. Like, to save the city, what does that mean to each one? And they all have a different way of doing that. But they all get along." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 27, 2018 CODY SCHULTZ video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the rest of the team when S7 starts, EP Beth Schwartz: "Everyone's kind of spread out, doing their own thing. They all get along. Everyone, you know, has made up. At the end of last season. But they've all found, you know, what makes them a hero to the city that was not necessarily being on a team, um, without their leader. So they all have kind of a different role - we're going to find them in different roles." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oliver's decision to go to prison, EP Beth Schwartz: "It definitely affects the rest of the team because vigilantes are not, um - you know, they're not the heroes when we - they were last season, where people have really mixed feelings about them. And so they have to find their own way to sort of be a hero for the city. So when we find them in the premiere, they're all doing something a little different, um, maybe not what you would expect." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "All of our characters are kind of in a new role and trying to figure out how to save the city and honor Oliver's request at the end of Season 6." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 30, 2018 GameSpot article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: "The rest of the team will be, um, dealing with their lives with Oliver absent and, you know, not having a team leader per se and, um, what the consequences of, not only what's happened when he's admitted to the world that ''yes, I am, you know, the Green Arrow,' but the consequences that's had on the rest of the team, because they've all been outed as well. So, you'll see how, you know, the rest of the world sort of has to handle that and how they go on with their lives, you know, accordingly and - or not go on with their lives, what have you. It's a pretty dark space, uh, without Oliver Queen around in his original position, I think you'll find." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Fangirlish video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 24, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: "Like I said, you'll find [Oliver] a different person in how he handles himself within the confines of the structure of the prison. And you'll see some new character development as a result of that. And then the same thing for the other characters outside of that, how they're doing with their lives while their team captain is incarcerated. And what happens after he tells the world 'I'm the Green Arrow.' You know, it doesn't only affect him in a certain way, but it affects everyone else. All the other vigilantes effectively have been outed as well, so how the hell do you go on the rest of your life?" (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Seat42F video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page of 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: "And then on the outside, our other characters - well, they're, you know, basically in mourning for Oliver being incarcerated and being away from the team. And you see how they individually deal with that and try to take, you know, matters into their own hands and deal with, you know, the rest of the challenges that arise." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On where we find Team Arrow when S7 starts, JBamford: "Fractured. Um, not in a way that we found Team Arrow fractured last season, but for a different reason. ... And then, alternatively, the rest of the team, who are going on with their own lives, um, they may have some new and/or old friends, uh, that they have to deal with as well. And, um, we have to also take into account, not only his outing affecting himself Oliver Queen, but it's also affected the rest of the team and the rest of the guys that used to wear masks. Their identities are now blown. So what do they do in their lives now? How do they go on with the rest of their lives?" (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 KSiteTV video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- EBR: ""Going forward, relationships are broken. Somebody said we're going to be doing more fighting and I was like 'how [is that] possible?' but sure." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 25, 2018 ComicBook article & video of red carpet interview with EBR and EK, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Felicity will become the inside team leader in Oliver's absence, EBR: "Yeah, I would presume so... She will... And if she can call Iris for tips, I think that would be a really cool thing to do. I think the two of them should work together more. The fact that we live in separate worlds and pretend we live in the same world for only one episode of the year is very strange to me. They should call more and there should be more crossovers than just the one crossover." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: GeekRock TV and Fangirlish videos of press roundtable interview with EBR and EK, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Diggle is the leader of Team Arrow in Oliver's absence, DR: "I think when Team Arrow was more intact, we could kind of look at him as being the de facto leader. Um, Team Arrow is very fractured, as you obviously know. I would say that, everyone is going after Diaz in their own way. Um, but I think ARGUS is a big part of that because of their resources... They have long arms. So New Team Arrow and Old Team Arrow are taking advantage of ARGUS' resources... And there's a certain amount of leadership that comes with that, because Diggle does have a high-ranking position in ARGUS. Um, but I would say, in terms of - ... to even think of him as kind of the leader of Team Arrow, uh, that type of - I think that day is a little bit over, past over." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "Their trail of Diaz has gone cold at the beginning of the season. And the resources that they're using for ARGUS, because they can't play dress-up anymore. So ARGUS has really become the de facto headquarter type of long arm that they're using to kind of track down Diaz, because they don't have a lair. ... Diggle's kind of picking up some of the mantle in terms of leadership. It's not the same kind of stretch that it was before. You kind of looked at Diggle as the de facto leader every time Oliver disappeared. But they really are taking advantage of what ARGUS has to offer - New Team Arrow and Old Team Arrow." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: GeekRock TV video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "New Team Arrow and Old Team Arrow is very fragmented. So, um, the long reach of ARGUS is something that both teams have really taken advantage. And we're all trying in our own way to find Diaz. And that trail's gone cold." (SDCC, Jul. 22, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "[O]ur headquarters is gone, right? So New Team Arrow, Old Team Arrow is basically using the resources of ARGUS...." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 25, 2018 ComicBook article & video, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Team Arrow is using ARGUS like their Arrow Cave, DR: "Well, let me put it like this, we are definitely using the resources of ARGUS." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "We can no longer play dress-by-night, because of the storyline. Oliver's in jail and his deal is we can no longer be vigilantes. So, um, we have to figure out a way to stop this guy without dressing up." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Clevver News video of red carpet interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "We didn't dispose of our Big Bad, which is what we usually do at the end of every season. So we're still on the trail, still on Diaz's trail, which has gone a bit cold. Um, but he's using ARGUS resources for it. So, um, you know, he and his wife are working that angle, while Oliver's doing his time, on good behavior, or not so good behavior." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what the rest of the team is doing in Oliver's absence, DR: "Well, we can't do anything, right? We can't put on our masks anymore. That was part of the deal with Watson, was that, um, we give up these aliases and, um, we don't have to do any time, but he will be the sacrificial lamb. So, um... it hurts in that sense, but we still have the resources of ARGUS. So the team has taken advantage of these resources... But certain people are in protective custody, so there's that." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 30, 2018 GameSpot article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "Because they don't have any more resources, Old Team Arrow and New Team Arrow, they have to use the resources of ARGUS... That provides a conundrum of sorts, because they have to answer for this. And you also have to play this, um, outside of the eyes of Watson, who you have a deal with, that we can't put on the mask anymore. And, uh, we can no longer play vigilante... Getting back to the old team, there's a pool for that, kind of within the media and, I think, the fans... I can't say when we will get back to that, but I think there's a lot of story to be told about how, uh - of how we're all trying to do the same thing without doing it Oliver's way. And I think that has to play itself out." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "I think hiding or concealing himself within the arm of ARGUS is a big part. I keep mentioning that, because they don't have any other cover, because we cannot play dress-up at night anymore... ARGUS will be the big shield that we use. (Smiles) ARGUS will be the SHIELD that we use." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the two teams' conflict, RG: "We did a lot of healing at the end of last year. We came together as a team and understood, 'I'm sorry because I did this, I own it, I apologiize,' um, and I think the team definitely grew in terms of - you have to have growth there. People learning and growing with each other and respecting each other for what they do... That won't disappear. I think that energy will permeate within the scenes when you see us next season. But it will also make it more interesting and complex to see, you know, characters make decisions that may feel like, 'wait, I thought we were good?' So this is what makes the show awesome to me." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with RG, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- RG: "Oliver left a directive for all of us to keep fighting, so we're all going to interpret that in our own way." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 Syfy article & video of red carpet interviews with Arrow cast, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- RG: "Because Oliver's in prison, he's given us a directive to keep on fighting. We're all going to interpret that in our own way... That's going to be the interesting part. It'll be like, 'oh well, I didn't see that coming, I didn't see him interpreting it that way.'" (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with RG, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- RG: "[M]entally, the thing to keep in mind is, obviously, being a vigilante has been outlawed, right, in Season 6. We've established that. So there's that dilemma of, like, you know, the characters also have to take that into account. That's what I love about the show. We ground it - we try to ground it as much in a real level, uh, with all the jurisdiction that happens on the show that the characters have to adhere to, or not... But there's a lot of decisions that have to be made, especially with Oliver being in prison, um, telling us to keep fighting, but how do we do that? ... How do we interpret that? So I think, right away, you see how we start to interpret what 'fighting back' means, for each character." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 Fangirlish video of press roundtable interview with RG, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 24, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how the rest of the team is managing, maskless and without suiting up, RG: "Well, I think that remains to be seen. The crux of 7 is kinda seeing how we take the mantle and continue on, uh, with the directive from our leader, Oliver, you know, saying 'keep fighting.' You know, so I think everyone has their own interpretation of that. And so we'll have to pick up and see what that looks like." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Video of TV Line interview with Arrow cast,  page 1812 of Spoiler Discussion thread and page 719 of Social Media thread)
-- On how the rest of Team Arrow faring with Oliver in prison, RG: "Now with him being in jail - in prison, we're having to kinda like interpret the idea of fighting for Star City, for continuing, you know, to move forward and doing what we need to do to help the city. But how do we interpret that?... The choice of me being behind the mask, do I do that? How do I do that? Or do I not do that? ... So we'll see that througout the entire season." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Video of facebook live interview with Arrow cast in Entertainment Weekly article, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- JH: “Yeah. I think the team is definitely broken. And after all of the animosity that happened between us last season, and now the predicament that Oliver is in, and just the sacrifice he made for us, you know, we need to kind of - the hierarchy is broken and so we need to restructure and re-evaluate, you know, how we approach the team.” (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Video of facebook live interview with Arrow cast in Entertainment Weekly article, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether there's still team animosity, JH: "I think because of what happened to Oliver, everybody softened a little bit. You know, a lot of that animosity last season kind of got broken up when we realized what a huge sacrifice he made for us, even though we were fighting and had been in such a dark place. So, no, a little less animosity this year." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- JH: "Well, I think that last season ended in such a heart-wrenching moment for everybody, and I think we all kind of reevaluated how to handle - like, how to compose ourselves as a team after Oliver made that gigantic sacrifice for us. There's definitely going to be a bit less animosity. You know, I think there's [unintelligible words] softened and now we need to pick up the pieces and figure out how to take care of the city without our main guy." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Dinah, Rene and Curtis will return to Team Arrow once Oliver gets out of prison, JH: "I hope so. I really don't know the answer to that yet. I'm not sure when he does get out. Um, but I would hope that we are able to re-connect as a full unit. Although things will probably be different because we are exposed as vigilantes, so if we do do it, it's going to have to be a little bit different. But I hope when he does come out, it's all copacetic between us." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

Oliver & Felicity ("Olicity")
-- On what fans can expect with respect to Oliver & Felicity's relationship and their family dynamic, EP Beth Schwartz: "So they're going to struggle, mostly because, you know, Felicity's husband is in prison. So I really want to play with the, um, the reality of that, you know. What is it like for your husband to be now his identity is outed, her safety is in question, you know, everyone knows who she is and her son. And so, we're just playing with the real and how hard that is, you know, even without him being a superhero, but having your husband be in prison. Like, that's not, you know, going to be great for her. Or him." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Fangirlish video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Oliver's imprisonment will affect his relationship with his wife and the toll it will take on her, EP Beth Schwartz: "They're going to struggle. Because, you know, Felicity's husband is in prison, so I really want to play with the reality of that. What is it like for your husband now that his identity is outed, and her safety is in question? You know, everyone knows who she is and her son. So we're just playing with the real, and how hard that is, even without him being a superhero, but having her husband in prison. That's not gonna be great for her. Or him." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per media article, there were "rumors that there could be a major disconnect between Oliver and Felicity" in S7. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 WBLZ Media article, page 1811 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- SA: "[Oliver] hasn't had any contact with Felicity." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Serienjunkies video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "[Oliver] hasn't had any contact with Felicity or his son." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 30, 2018 GameSpot article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "Well, maybe what he did in the finale was stupid... It's possible. It could've been a giant mistake. Who knows?" EBR: "And who told you that so many times?" (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oliver not treating Felicity like a partner last season and going to jail without telling her his plan, SA: "I thought that he let her in a lot last year. Um, I thought that what he did in the finale, um, you know, [unintelligible word] a lot of people, certainly didn't help their relationship. Um, and, uh, you know, one of the things that we wrestle with in the premiere is what if we made the wrong f**kin' call? You know, we might've. It wouldn't have been the first time. Uh, but we really - we really wrestle with that." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz and SA, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Felicity will be angry at Oliver, EBR: "Felicity has a lot of emotions. I think they're very confusing and anger is one of them. Also, she's extremely horny because she hasn't had sex in five months." EK: "No conjugal visits!" EBR: "You know what I was thinking of? Not to spoil anything, but yeah, if she goes to prison, like, I would just have to [slide/slite?] right in, like, 'Sex Room'... On the top of the day, it's like 'Sex Room.' And at the top of the day, it's still 'Sex Room.'" EK: "So there's not of happenin' the last five months, you know." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with EBR and EK, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Oliver's being in jail has affected Felicity, EBR joked: "There has been no sex for five months. And people are mad." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Pure Fandom video of press roundtable interview with EBR and EK, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

Olicity Baby
-- Fan: "I was wondering if Oliver and his wife will have a kid." EP Beth Schwartz: "Nope." Mod: "No babies this year. Alright, fair enough." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- Interviewer: "Everybody wants to see the baby. Can you give me anything there?" SA: "What baby?" Interviewer: "We want to see the Olicity baby, man." Interviewer: "It's not coming? Ever?" SA: "Not that I know of." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 ComicBook article & video of red carpet interview with SA, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On an Olicity honeymoon and possible baby in the future, SA: "No honeymoon, no baby. Sorry." EBR: "Oh, thank god." SA: "Is that good? Beth?" (Beth Schwartz nods.) EBR: "Seeing fan pictures of Felicity pregnant is already too much for me." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: ExtraTV tweet & video, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

Oliver Queen AKA Green Arrow
-- From SDCC's Arrow Synopsis: "Oliver will come face-to-face with many of the criminals he placed behind bars, as he makes a new home for himself at Slabside Maximum Security Prison. Oliver will find himself vulnerable in a way unlike ever before when a mysterious new enemy begins to unravel his work as Green Arrow, challenging him to redeem his name or risk losing everything." (Jun. 25, 2018 Deadline tweet & article, page 281 of Starling City Times thread and page 542 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- From TV Guide's SDCC special issue: "'Prison isn't great for Oliver Queen. It's not going to go well,' says [EP Beth] Schwartz, teasing that 'we'll see some of the people that he's put in prison' over the past six seasons. ... Why wasn't Oliver sent ot Iron Heights? Instead of doing time in the Arrowverse's go-to penitentiary, the unmasked good guy is behind bars in what Schwartz calls the 'brutal' Slabside Maximum Security Prison. Adds Schwartz, 'We wanted to up the stakes and see a new prison that was filled with a little more dangerous type of people.'" (Pic of Burning Questions section from 2018 TV Guide Comic-Con Special in Jul. 14, 2018 smoak3d tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread, and Jul. 21, 2018 TVInsider article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On S6 ending with Oliver in prison, EP Beth Schwartz: "It's really cool that we ended that season that way because it's such a huge series moment. And so I think that's part of Season 7 is going to feel a little bit different, because we've never had that sort of in the show. And so that's going to be a huge challenge for him, his family, the former teammates and, um - that's part of his redemption story, because everyone's going to have - everyone in the city is going to have a different opinion of 'Was the Green Arrow a hero?' He's now in prison, um, so he'll be - he's got a lot to prove." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "So the big theme for this year is redemption. Um, definitely for Oliver and all our other characters. He has - because his identity was outed last season, there's definitely, you know, mixed feelings in the city about how people felt about the Green Arrow, whether he was a hero, whether he wasn't... He's got a long way to go. He's got to redeem the [unintelligible word-Green Arrow?] and himself." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "I just think the fans are gonna go nuts... You see Oliver like you've never seen him before. All of our characters are kind of in a new role and trying to figure out how to save the city and honor Oliver's request at the end of Season 6." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 30, 2018 GameSpot article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oliver in prison, EP Beth Schwartz: "Oh, it does not look great for him. He's there with a bunch of - you'll see some familiar faces and people from the past that he put in there. So they're definitely going to make sure his life is a living hell there." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how much "prison content" there will be and how large a theme that prison story will have on Arrow, EP Beth Schwartz: "It's going to be a lot larger than you might think. It's not going to be one and done. Like, it's not going to be like over after one episode." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 27, 2018 CODY SCHULTZ video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Oliver has changed, EP Beth Schwartz: "He has done so much growth, like, just from where we saw him even in the pilot. Like I said, we were doing a lot of callbacks to Season 1, so, you know, just rewatching the first season and it's been - especially for me, I've been on the show since Day One... But he's gone from that, like, spoiled rich kid to being, like, a killer, a hero that kills, and then, to now having his - he has a family, he's married with a kid. He revealed his identity and he's now in prison. So, a lot has happened. And he also - just - you're going to see a different, um - you're going to see a different Oliver in the premiere. It's something we haven't seen from him before and it's really - it's fresh and it's exciting." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 27, 2018 CODY SCHULTZ video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- Denying that they're doing anything based on the scrapped Green Arrow Super Max movie project, EP Beth Schwartz said: "We're doing our own thing, kind of, for the prison - for the prison story. It's, uh - oh my god, it's like one of my favorite things. I cannot wait for everyone to see it." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: "You'll find Oliver Queen in a completely different light than we've ever seen him. I know, going in to every new season, you always hear things like that. But Season 7 in particular, you'll find him in a completely different place than he's ever been. Um, when he was back on Lian Yu in the flashbacks, he was very vulnerable when he started out, and progressively he became what we know as the Green Arrow. Um, now I would say that we can look at Season 7 as a new start, if you will, in progression in his character, within his character... You'll get to see what, hopefully we're painting the picture properly, but you'll get to see what prison life - how prison life would affect a human being, even someone as strong, both mentally and physically, as the Green Arrow... We'll get to see how prison life affects even the strongest of people. How it can break you down, and how it can - I know it all sounds very dark, because it is. ... Like I said, you'll find him a different person in how he handles himself within the confines of the structure of the prison. And you'll see some new character development as a result of that." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Seat42F video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page of 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: "But now the world knows that he's the Green Arrow. So, what you'll see is a lot of having to deal with that and, um, the dynamics in that prison, depending on how long we stay in that prison, or how long he stays in the prison. A very, very different Oliver and the dynamic that you've seen on the rest of the show previously. So it's a new element to the show that way, and it's something that, like I said, you haven't seen before and that you're going to find really interesting. Like, for instance, what would happen if Batman went to prison and, for instance, in the cell next to him the Joker was just chilling, making hamburgers, or what have you. The possibilities are endless, so we're sort of trying to take advantage of all those situations that could and would probably arise within that for the mythology." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Fangirlish video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 22, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the prison storyline, JBamford: "I've been acting somewhat as a technical advisor as well. I was a corrections officer at one point very early on in my life, when I was about 22 - so, like last year. Um, no, I'm old. So the incarceration portion is quite, just natural to me, because I spent a lot of time in prison. That sounds really... but on the other side. Um, so that has added another layer of grit and rawness to the show that we didn't have before. And I think, um, the audience is going to find some really interesting surprises both in the look of the show, but in performances, uh, from our friend Stephen Amell and, uh, the other characters that you will encounter along the way in prison. It opens up, you know, another - maybe there's some folks we haven't seen for awhile because they've been incarcerated. Well, guess what? Anything can happen... What if Batman was put in jail and, you know... 'Oh, the Joker! Oh shit, he's my cellmate.' ... The possibilities are endless, and we're sort of taking it there, which is really cool." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: "As you know, at the end of the season, ... I had Stephen look right into the camera and tell the world, 'I am the Green Arrow.' And I did that specifically so that he really was telling the world, not only the world within the world in our mythology, but also the rest of the world as in the audience that 'I am the Green Arrow.' Now we really hadn't done that before, we don't usually break the fourth wall and have the actors look into the lens, so now what you'll find is, how does he deal with that with the world out there everywhere, including families, knowing who he is, what his true identity is. And now he's in prison, locked up with who knows. The possibilities are endless there. Look how many people from Season 1 to now. If he didn't kill them first, which, there were were quite a few of those. But, um, I used to do a running body count with Season 1 of, you know, 'oh, this week we killed 18 people'... But, um, you'll get to know some new and old friends, or not friends, are who he has to deal with inside the prison." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 KSiteTV video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what it is about Green Arrow that lends itself to prison storylines, like in the comics, JBamford: "What's fantastic about it is, he's somebody that can handle it. But, how does he handle it? How does prison change him, the strongest, both mentally and physically, of human beings? That's what we'll find out. Will it change him? Of course it will. But how does it change him? Just imagine if that man went to prison." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 KSiteTV video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA:  "You'll see a completely different Oliver Queen, in fact. And then you'll see the old Oliver Queen explode at a certain point, but we're investigating completely different dynamics within the mythology of the show and that is within Slabside Supermax Prison." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Aug. 21, 2018 IBTimes article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how long Oliver can realistically stay in prison while things go down outside, SA: "He has a life sentence... Well, Oliver can break out of prison at any point in time. Right? He's in prison because that's the terms of the deal that he made, right? And Beth and I talked a lot about this because I was like, 'we know that Oliver can break out of prison at any point, right?' So, um, no, he's there, he's in." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz and SA, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "His journey in prison is really, really interesting. And I know - I feel like everyone assumes he's going to get out of prison. Eh. (Uses both hands to make weighing gesture)" (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the 'Green Arrow: Escape from Super Max' live-action film script, SA: "I don't know if that's going to influence it, but Oliver is definitely in jail and I think that he's going to be in jail I think longer than people expect." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 ComicBook article & video, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oliver's imprisonment, SA: "It's really bad. He's in prison with a bunch of people that he put in prison." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how prison's treating Oliver, SA: "Oliver's in prison with a bunch of people that he put in prison. It's not good. It's bad." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 30, 2018 GameSpot article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "Oliver's in prison with a bunch of people that he put in prison. And, uh, we were fortunate enough to get some people back on the show that you haven't seen in quite a while." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Pure Fandom video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "He's in jail with people that he put in jail... We have been very fortunate to get some people back on the show that you haven't seen in awhile." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz and SA, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how rough is Oliver having it in prison, SA: "It's bad. Oliver's in prison with a bunch of people that he put in prison. So it's not great.... We got some people to come back to the show that we haven't seen in quite some time." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: GeekRock TV video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 22, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Oliver is being a model inmate, SA: "He's trying... He's actually trying to keep his head down and stay out of trouble." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Video of TV Line interview with Arrow cast,  page 1812 of Spoiler Discussion thread and page 719 of Social Media thread)
-- On life behind bars, SA: "It's, um - it's one day at a time. This will make more sense when you see the trailer. One day at a time. Actually, like, Oliver has his head down, trying to, you know, avoid conflict. And he's just (pats table) pressing on." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "He's trying to keep his head down, trying to just manage his time, day by day, step by step." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Serienjunkies video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "[Oliver is] trying to keep his head down, trying to just manage his time... Day-by-day, step-by-step. He hasn't had any contact with Felicity or his son. He's just trying, again, head down, press on." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 30, 2018 GameSpot article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what kind of emotional place Oliver is in, since he has no contact with the outside world, SA: "Bad. Real bad. He's really bad... The thing that I really enjoy playing in the premiere is that there's absolutely nothing heroic about Oliver. In fact, like, it's kind of the opposite. Uh, and if you're a fan of his and you root for him, I really hope that the premiere makes you mad." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz and SA, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "The thing that I like about Oliver right now and, uh... If I was a viewer and not a fan of it, it would make me mad, which is good. Um, in the pilot, there's nothing about him that's heroic. It's kind of the opposite of that. And that, you know, is really, really fun for me to play. Because, you know, he's always the take charge, solve the problem, save people... That's not what he's doing in the premiere." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: GeekRock TV video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 22, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "The coolest thing about the premiere for me and what's happening with Oliver in the early part of the season is there's nothing about him that's heroic. At all. If you're a fan of the character, and if you root for the character, then I really hope the premiere pisses you off. Um, and that's been really fun... Sorry. Seven years of my life. Give me a break... I really enjoyed it. There's one scene in particular in the premiere where what Oliver does is kinda reprehensible and, um, that's interesting. Sorry."  Mod was "concerned and bothered" by SA's comment. Mod said that "it's been such a long road for Oliver" because he started off "so dark" and "through the love of his friends and family and the women in his life and the friendships that he's made along the way, he has become more complete as a human being." So Mod didn't want to see Oliver "regress again in prison." SA: "Well, maybe what he did in the finale was stupid... It's possible. It could've been a giant mistake. Who knows?" EBR: "And who told you that so many times?" (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how prison life is treating Oliver, SA: "It's bad. He has to consider that he may have made the wrong decision." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Video of TV Line interview with Arrow cast,  page 1812 of Spoiler Discussion thread and page 719 of Social Media thread)
-- On whether he thinks that Oliver's now mentally in one of the best places he's been in, even though he's in prison, SA: "No. He's in a horrible place, when we start the year. I mean, you know, he made this deal with the FBI and he gave himself up. And he's really got a question, like, was it all for nothing? 'Cause Diaz is - he's alive, you know? And he's put himself in prison with a bunch of people that he sent to prison. Bad in there for him. Really, really bad." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Oliver is doing emotionally being separated from his family and his team, SA: "Bad." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: GeekRock TV video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how he's dealing with being in prison emotionally and mentally, SA: "Badly. Badly. There's nothing about him in the premiere - there's nothing about him that's heroic. It's kind of the opposite, actually. It's really tough." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Serienjunkies video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 30, 2018 GameSpot article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether it's more challenging to play a less likeable Oliver, SA: “Is it more challenging? It's more rewarding. I love it. I really hope that people watch the premiere and are super-pissed at Oliver. There’s one scene in particular where he should be better. He’s not. He sucks.” (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Video of facebook live interview with Arrow cast in Entertainment Weekly article, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Oliver is after five months in prison, SA: "He's not good. He's bad. He's in prison. He has no allies. He's not in control. And that's bad, for him. And he's in prison with a bunch of people that he put in prison." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "He literally can't trust anybody, period. He has no allies. Not a one. And the thing I really enjoyed playing, in the premiere at least, is, there's nothing heroic about him. It's kind of the exact opposite. Like, there's this one scene where he does the opposite of what you'd expect from him. And, like, the opposite of what you'd hope that he'd do. I f**kin' love that scene. So much fun." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether he has any allies in prison at all, SA: "No, he doesn't. I think we're going to see in the sizzle that we're going to show - sizzle, trailer, teaser - um, he's trying to keep his head down, trying to just manage his time, day by day, step by step." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether he has any allies in prison, SA: "No, he doesn't." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Serienjunkies video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we can expect surprising alliances during his prison term, SA: "Yep... You'll see in the trailer today, we did get some people to come back to the show that we haven't seen in awhile that are in prison with him." On whether that'll make his time easier, SA shook his head, saying: "He put them in prison." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "There might be a prison workout scene." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: GeekRock TV video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what S7 premiere scene he's very proud of, SA: “I’m proud of the shower fight... That was eight hours of, like, hard fighting. It was amazing. I’m very proud of that.” (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Video of facebook live interview with Arrow cast in Entertainment Weekly article, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On who was the culprit who kicked him in the groin while filming, SA: "Um, he is in the sizzle reel." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: XFINITY video of red carpet interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "If Oliver gets out of prison, I'm excited to see how he'll interact back in Star City with people knowing his identity." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 25, 2018 FanFest article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how the prison experience will change Oliver going forward, SA: "I feel like you'll get a little bit of a hint of that in the sizzle reel that we're putting out today. Um, you know, I think the main thing is that, in the premiere, there's really nothing about him that is in any way heroic. And he's in prison with a bunch of people that he put in prison." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: XFINITY video of red carpet interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how he thinks the world is going to react to the news that Oliver is the GA, SA: "We touch on that a little bit in the premiere and the lack of vigilantes in Star City. Um, but Oliver really has effectively no contact with the outside world. Like, his day-by-day and his prison time is just that. Time." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz and SA, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether he took inspiration from any prison movies, SA: "I took a lot of inspiration in the pilot [701] from our director James Bamford... I don't know how much of it will end up in the episode, but we did a lot of stuff where I stare down the barrel of the camera, a lot of stuff from Oliver's perspective. Um, you know, prison life is - (uses edge of hand to tap along the table methodically) - and we really try to show that." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: GeekRock TV video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "Oliver gets a little bit of a lead on Diaz in prison. Um, but he gets it because he gets the shit kicked out of him." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos and Serienjunkies videos of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On his facial hair, SA: "I don't know if it will last. I feel like it's a little bit of a prison look. So if he's lucky enough to get out, I don't know. We'll see." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On his prison beard, SA: "Oliver... has a prison look, that's for sure." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz and SA, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "I haven't worked with any of the series regulars yet this year - I've worked with one. I'm in prison." On whether he's safer than the rest, SA: "No. Because Oliver's in prison with a bunch of people that he put in prison." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Clevver News video of red carpet interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "Yeah, Oliver's at his best when he's a dad. And, um, I haven't had the opportunity to have any scenes with Jack yet this year - who plays William - and I miss him." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On 2 truths and 1 lie about Oliver at the beginning of the season, SA: "Oliver eats some mac and cheese, and he puts ketchup on it." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- Media report on what SA said: "Quick #Arrow press room highlights: Stephen says that Oliver is the furthest thing from heroic in the premiere. If you are an Oliver fan, he thinks you’ll question rooting for him in this ep...." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: ckinger13 tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "There will be action in that prison as well. A lot." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Clevver News video of red carpet interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "Oliver's very concerned with the people that are in protective custody, if you will. That might be a bit of a spoiler, but who cares." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 22, 2018, SA tweeted pic of a bruised Oliver in the prison yard being watched by all the other inmates, with comment: "S7." (SA tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

Felicity Smoak AKA Overwatch
-- From TV Guide's SDCC special issue: "How is Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) handling the fact that her husband is locked up? Most likely with her usual pluck and resilience! Everyone the team will be 'in a different place than you would expect when the show returns,' says [EP Beth] Schwartz. 'They're all going to have different reactions to Oliver being in prison and what their responsibilities are now.'" (Pic of Burning Questions section from 2018 TV Guide Comic-Con Special in Jul. 14, 2018 smoak3d tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread, and Jul. 21, 2018 TVInsider article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Oliver's reveal as the GA was, by extension, an identity reveal for Felicty as well, EP Beth Schwartz: "It is. Yeah, yeah, I mean, it's, uh - well, not for her - not necessarily for her being on Team Arrow... Her husband is the Green Arrow and every - the whole public knows, so she'll have to deal with those challenges as well." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "So I really want to play with the, um, the reality of that, you know. What is it like for your husband to be now his identity is outed, her safety is in question, you know, everyone knows who she is and her son. And so, we're just playing with the real and how hard that is, you know, even without him being a superhero, but having your husband be in prison. Like, that's not, you know, going to be great for her. Or him." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Fangirlish video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 22, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "I like grounding our characters in reality. So the reality is he has a wife and he has a child, and how does that affect them when he's in prison? So getting into the real of that - to me, I don't know if I would call that 'soapy' or not. It's more about the - you know, the effects of how that - how it affects everyone on the team, his family." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 27, 2018 CODY SCHULTZ video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- When a fan asked about the possibility of Felicity and Iris having a nice friendship scene in order to "mend fandoms" (due to the double wedding), JBamford replied: "I had a lot of scenes in last year's crossover with Emily and Candice, and we just had the greatest time ever. And it's like, afterwards, everybody's texting each other, 'Hey, did you have any pictures of when we were on set?' ... There's no ill will whatsoever, so the fans should know that, you know. Everybody... we're all a big family and, um, no amount of, you know, 'this, this, hate each other, bleh, bleh.' That's not going to change it, so - everybody loves each other." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 haydenclaireheroes video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, joined by Beth Schwartz, page 3 of Spoilers thread and page 554 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Interviewer: "Fans are very concerned about how Felicity is handling this whole ordeal." SA: "She'll be fine." Interviewer: "She'll be fine?" SA: "Yeah. She's strong." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: XFINITY video of red carpet interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the effect of Oliver's imprisonment on Felicity and William, Mod: "They are -?" EBR: "Alone. Scared." On the weight falling on Felicity to keep them safe, EBR: "Well, I think just like Oliver is watching his back, Felicity's tired of watching hers and she's going to take some action." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread, video clip from Arrow panel in HoechsStiles tweet, page 1808 of Spoiler Discussion thread, and Jul. 30, 2018 GameSpot article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Felicity being in protective custody, EBR: "She is in protective - like, witness protection, yes. Though, as much as it was a joke, uh, it's also true. She isn't in anybody's protective custody. She - I think, Felicity has always been a free woman and a strong woman, and is constantly battling being sort of a woman who continually having to check back. I think she's tired of it." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with EBR and EK, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Oliver's loved ones, Felicity and Diggle, are dealing with his imprisonment, EBR: "They're not dealing well." DR: "I agree, they're not doing well." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Video of TV Line interview with Arrow cast,  page 1812 of Spoiler Discussion thread and page 719 of Social Media thread)
-- On whether Felicity will become the inside team leader in Oliver's absence, EBR: "Yeah, I would presume so... She will... And if she can call Iris for tips, I think that would be a really cool thing to do. I think the two of them should work together more. The fact that we live in separate worlds and pretend we live in the same world for only one episode of the year is very strange to me. They should call more and there should be more crossovers than just the one crossover." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: GeekRock TV video of press roundtable interview with EBR and EK, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 27, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- EBR: "I do feel like she has stepped up to the role as a mother, but I think, too, as a friend. I mean, the kid isn't so much a kid. He's lost a lot, he's grown up a lot." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Felicity and Curtis are still working on their business, EK: "Yeah, we're trying to create a new type of tech for people who haven't had [unintelligible words]. We're really working on that... But you know, we're working, we're working hard, trying to make something." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with EBR and EK, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Felicity and Diggle grow closer in Oliver's absence, DR: "Uh, we're kinda hunting down - there's a piece of that, 'cause we're kind of hunting down Diaz in our own way, I think, so -" EBR: "Yeah, they're a little bit separate, um, unless they are together." Mod: "So they're separate and together, Emily, is that what you're telling us?" DR: "Our showrunner's to the left of us." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread) 
-- DR: "Oliver's very concerned with the people that are in protective custody, if you will. That might be a bit of a spoiler, but who cares." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what the rest of the team is doing in Oliver's absence, DR: "But certain people are in protective custody, so there's that." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

William Clayton
- On whether William will become the next archer on Team Arrow, EP Beth Schwartz: "Well, he's a little young, but he has, um, you know, with his father in prision, he's got a lot to deal with this season. Um, it's not going to be a good time for him either." EK: "I'm more worried about William becoming the next Joker, with all the hardships he's gone through." SA: "I think, in the early part of the beginning of the season, I think that William's arc is the most interesting arc of any character on the show." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: “William’s arc is the most interesting arc of anyone on the show." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: CBR and HiddenRemote articles, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we'll see William vising Oliver in prison, SA: "Oliver has not interacted with William at all." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos and Serienjunkies video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "I haven't had the opportunity to have any scenes with Jack yet this year - who plays William - and I miss him." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "[Oliver] hasn't had any contact with Felicity or his son." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 30, 2018 GameSpot article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Felicity's been as a stepmother to William while Oliver's in prison, EBR: "If Felicity had actually birthed William, she would've been taller... I do feel like she has stepped up to the role as a mother but only because - I think too as a friend. I mean, the kid isn't so much a kid. I mean, he's lost a lot, he's grown up a lot... Every time we start to do scenes together, I'm like, you're older than we treat you... He has to be older. And I think, like, he's becoming an adult more rapidly than I think I became an adult... That character suffered losses... He's got to be like 75 years old now." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: GeekRock TV video of press roundtable interview with EBR and EK, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 24, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "Oliver's very concerned with the people that are in protective custody, if you will. That might be a bit of a spoiler, but who cares." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
--- On what the rest of the team is doing in Oliver's absence, DR: "But certain people are in protective custody, so there's that." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

John Diggle AKA Spartan 
-- On whether we find Diggle still with ARGUS, DR: "No, Diggle's dead... Yeah, Diggle's with ARGUS." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Oliver's loved ones, Felicity and Diggle, are dealing with his imprisonment, EBR: "They're not dealing well." DR: "I agree, they're not doing well." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Video of TV Line interview with Arrow cast,  page 1812 of Spoiler Discussion thread and page 719 of Social Media thread)
-- On what Diggle's doing while Oliver's in prison, DR: "We didn't dispose of our Big Bad, which is what we usually do at the end of every season. So we're still on the trail, still on Diaz's trail, which has gone a bit cold. Um, but he's using ARGUS resources for it. So, um, you know, he and his wife are working that angle, while Oliver's doing his time, on good behavior, or not so good behavior." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Diggle is the leader of Team Arrow in Oliver's absence, DR: "I think when Team Arrow was more intact, we could kind of look at him as being the de facto leader. Um, Team Arrow is very fractured, as you obviously know. I would say that, everyone is going after Diaz in their own way. Um, but I think ARGUS is a big part of that because of their resources... They have long arms. So New Team Arrow and Old Team Arrow are taking advantage of ARGUS' resources... And there's a certain amount of leadership that comes with that, because Diggle does have a high-ranking position in ARGUS. Um, but I would say, in terms of - ... to even think of him as kind of the leader of Team Arrow, uh, that type of - I think that day is a little bit over, past over." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "I think you kind of originally looked at Diggle as kind of the de facto leader every time Oliver disappeared. There's some of that. But, as you know, Old Team Arrow and New Team Arrow are very fragmented... But he is high-ranking in ARGUS, and both teams are taking advantage of those resources at the beginning of the season. So ARGUS is playing a big role just in us continuing to track down Diaz. And we have no lair, so it's serving like almost, um, mission headquarters, if you will."
-- On Diggle's relationship with Oliver now, DR: "Despite the fight and the breakup that they had, I think he - I think they worked somewhat near the end of the season, episodes 22 and 23, to see where these men are kinda mending fences. I think you continue that in 701 and beyond. They're together... I think they look at leadership a little differently. But, aside from that, they're both of the same mind about taking out Diaz. So Diggle, at the very top, you'll see there's been a routine of the past several months of visiting Oliver. So, um, you see that at the beginning of 701... that Oliver and Diggle have a lovely relationship, if you can say that, as lovely as you can visiting someone in jail... For all intents and purposes, they're back together." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 30, 2018 GameSpot article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "At the beginning of the season, he’s visiting Oliver in prison. There’s a relationship that’s really formed. These guys are bros again. He’s giving him updates about what’s happening in the world, of trying to catch and take down Diaz. So... over the past five months of the imprisonment of Oliver Queen, John Diggle’s been right there for him.” (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 25, 2018 ComicBook article & video, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "But in terms of the [Oliver/Diggle] relationship, right off the top in 701, we're five months into the prison sentence, and Diggle's visiting Oliver. And this is a regular occurrence. And, um, he's giving him a report. He's, uh, there for morale... You saw this at the end of last season, maybe near the last two or three episodes, there was a relationship kind of re-bonding between the two guys, even though they have two different leadership styles and it's a complicated relationship. But certainly, over the past five months, it's, uh - he's very concerned with Oliver, and Oliver's very concerned with the people that are in protective custody, if you will. That might be a bit of a spoiler, but who cares... It's a relationship that's ongoing, but it's strong. It's strong. I mean, it's not second-quite-in-command again, because like the command center is different - command structure is different." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "You're going to see Diggle visiting Oliver. We're five months into his prison sentence, I think... There's a regular kind of visitation that Diggle has, and a report-in of 'here are the current things happening.' ... And I think the team's taking advantage of Diggle's resources at ARGUS. A lot. A lot. 'Cause we no longer have a lair.. New Team Arrow and Old Team Arrow is very fragmented. So, um, the long reach of ARGUS is something that both teams have really taken advantage. And we're all trying in our own way to find Diaz. And that trail's gone cold." (SDCC, Jul. 22, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Oliver's absence affects Diggle, DR: "At the beginning of the season, you see that five months in - Diggle's visiting Oliver in prison in the beginning and, um, he's giving him reports... You see a strong relationship that I think was beginning to reshape itself at the end of Season 6, uh, just by their differences. So, uh, he's giving him a report of what's happening. Their trail of Diaz has gone cold at the beginning of the season. And the resources that they're using for ARGUS, because they can't play dress-up anymore. So ARGUS has really become the de facto headquarter type of long arm that they're using to kind of track down Diaz, because they don't have a lair. So all that provides, obviously, a lot of stress for Oliver. But Diggle's kind of picking up some of the mantle in terms of leadership. It's not the same kind of stretch that it was before. You kind of looked at Diggle as the de facto leader every time Oliver disappeared. But they really are taking advantage of what ARGUS has to offer - New Team Arrow and Old Team Arrow." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: GeekRock TV video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Diggle will return to working with Oliver as part of Team Arrow now that Roy is returning, DR: "There's always that chance. But I think they really want to play out the whole, um - I think ARGUS is big... Getting back to the old team, there's a pool for that, kind of within the media and, I think, the fans... I can't say when we will get back to that, but I think there's a lot of story to be told about how, uh - of how we're all trying to do the same thing without doing it Oliver's way. And I think that has to play itself out." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Felicity and Diggle grow closer in Oliver's absence, DR: "Uh, we're kinda hunting down - there's a piece of that, 'cause we're kind of hunting down Diaz in our own way, I think, so -" EBR: "Yeah, they're a little bit separate, um, unless they are together." Mod: "So they're separate and together, Emily, is that what you're telling us?" DR: "Our showrunner's to the left of us." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread) 
-- On whether we'll see any of Diggle's family background, DR: "That's a very good Beth Schwartz question. But, from what I'm understanding, we are going to get into Diggle's extended family, even beyond Lyla. Perhaps. They talk about that every season, but they really talked about it this season." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 30, 2018 GameSpot article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we'll see more of Diggle's back story in the future, DR: "You will, You will see a lot more, because, uh, our headquarters is gone, right? So New Team Arrow, Old Team Arrow is basically using the resources of ARGUS, who John Diggle is a part of and obviously his wife is the leader of. So, um, you'll see a lot of back story between him - he and Lyla, and also, um, of his extended family... Where does Diggle come from? I think you'll see some of that this season as well." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 25, 2018 ComicBook article & video, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "I think you're going to see a lot more, not just of Diggle's, uh, life with Lyla, but also his extended family, which we haven't seen." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 3 of Spoilers thread)

Lyla Michaels and A.R.G.U.S.
-- DR: "Because ARGUS is such a big [unintelligible word] part of this season, there's going to be a lot to do with Lyla, as head of [ARGUS]." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "[O]ur headquarters is gone, right? So New Team Arrow, Old Team Arrow is basically using the resources of ARGUS...." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 25, 2018 ComicBook article & video, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "For Diggle, um, I think he's always kind of been at - there hasn't been much [conviction?] for him and his wife in terms of what they do in raising a child. Somehow or another, he and Lyla are very well adjusted.in going out every day and risking their lives, yet being parents. I think they're probably two of the more adjusted couples in that respect... But I do think we are going to see what this all means at some point... I like the idea that we have to find out what's going on with he and Lyla, and what that means to his life, being married to the leader of ARGUS, and how that plays into Team Arrow. I think that's a very interesting story." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "You have Lyla Michaels effectively the new Amanda Waller... That's just rife for conflict with someone who's another vigilante, or a vigilante for her husband. So that exploration is all throughout this season. And I think also, there's like, if you would - if we can parallel it - to the SHIELD dynamic, and they're answering to the government... We're playing with that this season as well, with ARGUS. ARGUS has - they have bosses. And, um, they used a lot of resources last year, last season, to find Diaz. And we have to - we're going to answering for that. And it'll be interesting to see who we answer to." (SDCC, Jul. 22, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we'll see more of Lyla this season, DR: "Yes. I think it's a show. I mean, like, being married to, like, effectively Amanda Waller, or at least the woman who has her finger on the pulse of the Suicide Squad... There are so many tentacles... What we also start to explore is, uh, who ARGUS answers to, much of what - kind of like what Marvel did with SHIELD, that they do have bosses and they can't run willy-nilly. So we kind of play with that a little bit... So yeah, you'll see more of Lyla. He's married to the head of ARGUS, she's married to a vigilante." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: GeekRock TV video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Diggle and Lyla are in sync or in conflict, DR: "Well, 23 episodes, you know we're in conflict... I think, um, we use some ARGUS resources to try to track down Diaz and there's some repercussions of that. There's some governmental repercussions. ARGUS is a governmental agency, and they have to answer to somebody. So we have to play that story out and just, um, what limits we can place on ARGUS in terms of tracking down Diaz. So we play with some of that at the beginning of the season. And that will provide some friction between Diggle and Lyla. For sure." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 30, 2018 GameSpot article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "ARGUS, like in the SHIELD counterpart of Marvel, has bosses. We used a lot of resources last year to track down Diaz in ARGUS, and I think that's a story. You know, there's some bosses that they have to answer to. And because they don't have any more resources, Old Team Arrow and New Team Arrow, they have to use the resources of ARGUS... That provides a conundrum of sorts, because they have to answer for this." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "I think hiding or concealing himself within the arm of ARGUS is a big part. I keep mentioning that, because they don't have any other cover, because we cannot play dress-up at night anymore... ARGUS will be the big shield that we use. (Smiles) ARGUS will be the SHIELD that we use." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 3 of Spoilers thread)

Thea Queen AKA Speedy
-- From TV Guide's SDCC special issue: "Thea (departing series star Willa Holland) just left town with Roy (Colton Haynes), so how is Roy coming back without her? [EP Beth] Schwartz promises viewers will learn early on why the two aren't together." (Pic of Burning Questions section from 2018 TV Guide Comic-Con Special in Jul. 14, 2018 smoak3d tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread, and Jul. 21, 2018 TVInsider article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Speedy will be back, EP Beth Schwartz: "Right now, there aren't plans for it, but you never know." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

Roy Harper AKA Arsenal
-- From TV Guide's SDCC special issue: "Thea (departing series star Willa Holland) just left town with Roy (Colton Haynes), so how is Roy coming back without her? [EP Beth] Schwartz promises viewers will learn early on why the two aren't together. We'll also see Roy - aka the former vigilante Arsenal - 'being a hero in a different sort of way,' she says." (Pic of Burning Questions section from 2018 TV Guide Comic-Con Special in Jul. 14, 2018 smoak3d tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread, and Jul. 21, 2018 TVInsider article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Roy's return, EP Beth Schwartz: "All I can tell you is, he's going to come back... The first episode he appeared in is one I wrote, so I feel a special bond with that character. So he's going to come back in a different way than, um, we've seen him, um, and I'm excited. I can't tell you much more." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Fangirlish video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "I am so excited that Roy is back. Personally because my, uh - his first episode on the show I wrote and so I feel definitely sort of [unintelligible word] toward his character. And he's going to come back and again he's going to be in a - we're going to see him in a different capacity than we usually see him." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On CH's return, EP Beth Schwartz: "First of all, I'm so excited he's back on the show... I feel like a sense of ownership for his character because I actually wrote the first episode that he was introduced in... He's also going to come back in a different way than you would expect." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Colton Haynes returning to the cast, SA: "His stuff this season - I could give you an hour to guess, to like pontificate as to what he's going to be doing, and none of you will get it. It's amazing." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Pure Fandom video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- CH: “I got a call from Greg Berlanti, and he said ‘Hey.' I was shooting [American] Horror Story at the time. And, um, he said ‘If you want to come back,you know, we have a great idea.’ And, um, it’s the craziest idea. Roy Harper’s coming back in a way that no one is going to understand. It’s amazing, and I was like, ‘I can’t wait to be around my friends and my family!’ And so I, of course, jumped at that opportunity.” (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 ComicBook article & video, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- CH: “You guys have no idea what’s happening with Roy Harper... It's a crazy storyline, I can say. It’s nothing like he’s been before. It’s going to shock - I'm shocked right now. It's going to shock a lot of people. It's not the same person... I can’t say much. It's going to be, uh - we’re returning back to our roots on the show. Not the characters, but the show. We’re going back to, like, how we were a couple of seasons ago. But it’s going to just be so good. Beth Schwartz, our new showrunner, is just - she’s a dream. She’s changing everything and she’s making everything the way, I think, the show was at the beginning.” (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 ComicBook article & video, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Roy could fill the void left on Team Arrow while Oliver's in jail, CH: "Oh man, um, he's off on a whole different thing, I can't even get into it. But it's going to be a pretty big shocker, I can say that... I can't wait to read the next script, 'cause I have no idea... It's nuts." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 ComicBook article & video, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per CH, Roy Harper is not going to be the same character that we once knew. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: HiddenRemote article, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- CH: "The good thing is, Roy's coming back with a - he's not the same person. Um, it's going to be very, very interesting, that's all I can say." EK joked: "He's Curtis now." CH: "Beth did - she's a genius. She wrote me a version of the character that was just so special, so it's going to be hard for me to do. But I'm super happy to do it, and I'm so excited to be back. So thank you, guys." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- CH: "A lot of my stuff is condensed in a certain place, so I don't get to work as much as everybody else... I can tell you that Roy comes back and it's so mind-blowing that I can't - I can say that. You're going to freak out because it's not the same Roy. It's just - I don't know how I'm going to do it. I don't know how I"m going to - you know, rise to this occasion, but, um, it's going to be fun. Super, super fun. The fans are going to effin' f**kin' freak out. And it's going to be so cool... It's going back to the beginning of how the show used to be, so it's super exciting. Yeah, I'm real excited about it." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with CH, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- CH: "I can only say for - with my character, I'm coming back in a way different way... It's pretty crazy... Everyone should be super excited because I'm not coming back as the same Roy Harper... Or the same anything that I've been before. Arsenal. Red Arrow. It's crazy." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Clevver News video of red carpet interview with CH, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- In response to interviewer saying that it's rare that a show has a turning point like this after six seasons and asking where we go from here, CH: "I'm so excited for everybody because people are going to lose their minds... I probably can't say the 'F' word, but it's a brain F... (DO: "Stephen did.") Well, it's a brain f**k, uh, because it's pretty shocking what Beth - you know, Beth Schwarz, our new showrunner - was able to do... We had a conversation and she brought it back to me, and I was like, 'Wow, this is the Arrow that was, you know, towards the beginning'... This is going to be so amazing. The fans are going to freak out... It's just a different thing. And Roy Harper's coming back, and in the weirdest way - not weird, in a good way - but in the craziest way, that I'm still wondering how I'm going to still do it. So I have to, like, wrap my head around it, but it's going to be pretty shocking... It's going to cause a pretty big stir online, I can say that... It's all I can say. I'm still reeling from it. So, yeah, it's going to be amazing." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: XFINITY video of red carpet interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Roy is returning without Thea, CH: "Oh, it's gonna to be batshit crazy, but still it's super - it's well-written. All jokes aside, it's very well-written... It's weird as shit. It's fun. But, you know, you'll still love him... You're going to see him in a different light... He'll be a fan fave." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Video of TV Line interview with Arrow cast,  page 1812 of Spoiler Discussion thread and page 719 of Social Media thread)

Curtis Holt AKA Mr. Terrific
-- On what's in store for Curtis, EK: "Curtis is just chillin', you know. He's just taking in the city, like, falling in love, you know what I'm saying... He's doing Lyft, he prefers Lyft [over Uber]... But it's that same thing that Rene says is, um, you know, we're all still trying to do the best we can for Star City. Um, we're just trying to see if we can approach it a different ways in different [unintelligible word]. Some aspects will be vigilante-ism. [More unintelligible words]." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Curtis' suffering loss last season make him more on board with the mission or make him back off, EBR: "I got it." EK: Yeah." EBR: " So Curtis, I think, will not back down. (Looks at EK, who nods) I think he will find love. (EK continues to nod)." EK: "I think he'll definitely stick with it. Maybe approach it from a different aspect maybe. I think the loss will not deter him from doing the right thing." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: GeekRock TV and Fangirlish videos of press roundtable interview with EBR and EK, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Felicity and Curtis are still working on their business, EK: "Yeah, we're trying to create a new type of tech for people who haven't had [unintelligible words]. We're really working on that... But you know, we're working, we're working hard, trying to make something." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with EBR and EK, page 3 of Spoilers thread)

Rene Ramirez AKA Wild Dog
-- On two truths and a lie about Rene at the beginning of the season, RG: "I break dance, rock climb, and become a chef." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the effect of Oliver's imprisonment on Rene, RG: "I think that's the crux of the season, is kinda see how Rene interprets, uh, Oliver's directive to us to, you know, keep fighting." On the mantle being passed to him, RG: "Well, in a way. I mean, it's how we interpret that. I think we're going to see if, you know, Rene does find his way with the mask or without it." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- RG: "The choice of me being behind the mask, do I do that? How do I do that? Or do I not do that? ... So we'll see that througout the entire season." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Video of facebook live interview with Arrow cast in Entertainment Weekly article, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- RG: "This season is about redemption. Rene's journey is going to be a story about trying to understand the choices he made about becoming Wild Dog and why he made those choices, being a dad, and, um, also, you know, having Oliver in prison, what does that mean in terms of him, you know, continuing to fight back? We still have Diaz out there... So there's a lot of pieces in place that we left in Season 6 that still need to be resolved." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with RG, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- RG: "I think [the theme of] redemption for me is perfect, because that's where Rene's been his entire life, just wanting to right the wrongs in his life or to change the trajectory that he's been dealt... So redemption's no stranger to him. For me, that's totally fine... And I like the idea of him always striving to be a better dad or to be the complete dad for Zoe... When I see more of that in him, ... it makes the action in him, it makes the energy in him, the darkness in him, that much more interesting and fun to play." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 Fangirlish video of press roundtable interview with RG, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- RG: "To me, Wild Dog's theme the entire time has been redemption. So personally speaking, from his perspective, like, what are the choices of him becoming, you know, becoming a vigilante. With Oliver going to prison now, Oliver gave a directive to say, 'hey, keep on fighting.' So now we have to see how Rene interprets that. Right? ... I think this entire season will be like - will take us all the way back to the beginning of why each character decided to become a vigilante or not, and all the choices they've made in between that leads them to this moment here, which will be the redemption arc that we kinda want to complete for this season. But again, I feel like I've - my character's always been living in that place. Every decision he's made is because he's felt like, I didn't like where I started from, so I'm going to correct it, you know, 'cause I'm going to change my trajectory. So, uh, with this year, I feel like there may be something pivotal for Rene, I hope, you know, that the writers can come up with, because I care about Rene, you know. I want to see him do good." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with RG, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- RG: "He's struggling with his leader in prison. That's a tough thing. I think they came together at the end of Season 6 with a strong understanding of where each made their mistakes and, um - so there's a soft spot... He's said that Oliver's in prison and wishes it probably was him in prison. So I think, um, with this season being about redemption, this is going to be mostly about the choices that Rene's made as becoming a vigilante and why he made those choices. Also, Oliver telling him to keep fighting and how Rene's interpreted that. So that'll be the immediate reveal for the show this season, is explaining the choices we made to become vigilantes and how we interpret fighting back. And, uh, I think everyone has their own way of interpreting it. So that'll be the interesting thing to see into play." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with RG, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how all of last season's changes/drama are going to shake things up for Rene, RG: "Well, it's going to shake it up in a way that, it's gonna have to show the choices that Rene makes... Oliver left a directive for all of us to keep fighting, so we're all going to interpret that in our own way. For Rene, we'll see how far Rene goes with that, or if he does or he doesn't. And so, we'll have to see how he interprets 'fighting.' ... We know the energy that Rene's always displayed, so, you know, some things won't change, but again, what I love about being on Arrow is like the characters do grow and they do, um, evolve." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 Syfy article & video of red carpet interviews with Arrow cast, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On where Rene is at the beginning of S7, RG: "I don't want to tease too much about that because I feel like that's going to be like a nice reveal... but I think, mentally, the thing to keep in mind is, obviously, being a vigilante has been outlawed, right, in Season 6. We've established that. So there's that dilemma of, like, you know, the characters also have to take that into account. That's what I love about the show. We ground it - we try to ground it as much in a real level, uh, with all the jurisdiction that happens on the show that the characters have to adhere to, or not... But there's a lot of decisions that have to be made, especially with Oliver being in prison, um, telling us to keep fighting, but how do we do that? ... How do we interpret that? So I think, right away, you see how we start to interpret what 'fighting back' means, for each character." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 Fangirlish video of press roundtable interview with RG, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On fatherhood, RG: "It's a big part of Rene's life. I think, uh, especially with this season being about redemption, I think that Rene's journey has always been about redemption. How he can redeem himself from everything that he's been through. And especially not having Zoe in his life for such a long time, um, now that he has her in his life, I think it kind of brings a nice juxtaposition to the darkness that he is in being someone who wants to be a vigilante and, um, to have that type of aggression that he is. So I love the juxtaposition between him being a father to Zoe but at the same time having that energy and going out there and being a vigilante. So for me, it's a lot of fun to play." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we'll see love in Rene's life this season, RG: "I think the love of Rene's life is Zoe... For him, it's like, being a dad. For me, it's more interesting to see him like to become a complete dad, in his own way, um, than to find a love interest. Now, if that happens, that's fine, you know. He struck out with Thea. So I don't think he's going to try again. Um, I don't think he wants to get, as they say, curved... But he loves his daughter. I think he's more focused on that." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 Fangirlish video of press roundtable interview with RG, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

Dinah Drake AKA Black Canary
-- Dinah will continue to fight cime, but in a legitimate way, as a member of the police force. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: HiddenRemote article, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Dinah being the only person who can legally fight crime, JH: "Hopefully, she can get a little bit of work done on the other side of the law." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how she's going to rebuild the trust in law enforcement systems in Star City, JH: "That's a big job that she has on her hands. It's not going to be easy for her... That's going to be a big part of her mission this season, is, uh, figuring out how to restore the city's faith in its heroes." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we'll see how the exposure of her vigilante activities affects her life now, JH: "I think so. Yes, yes, for sure. For sure. She has to look at everything a little bit differently now." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- JH: "Well, it's funny, but I think it's in Dinah's nature to be very independent and not want anybody there to help her and not want a team, but again, I think that once Oliver made that sacrifice, and despite all of their differences, it changed the way that she thought - thinks about the team... And she has to do it differently now because the team's divided and broken. But I think she wants everybody there and she's softening in that way." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Dinah feels about the split teams, JH: "I think, despite her inclination to want to be a loner and do things on her own and take care of business on her own, um, having the team gave her a family, so, I think, she does want everybody back together. And I think she does feel bad and guilty about what happened to Oliver... We're better as a unit... That's the other thing about her this season. I really want her to, um, keep understanding the meaning of a team and of a family." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 Fangirlish video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- JH: "I think despite her inclination to want to be a loner, to do things on her own and take care of business on her own, the team gave her a family. So I think she does want everybody back together, and I think she does feel bad and guilty about what happened to Oliver. And we're better as a unit, you know? That's the other thing about her this season, I really want her to keep understanding the meaning of the team and the family." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- JH: "Especially with Oliver in prison, she really wants to - you know, she's looking at things differently." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 haydenclaireheroes video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- JH: "Well, she definitely needs to evaluate how she's going to function as a vigilante, as a police officer, um, and how she's kind of going to treat and look at her team, because now that the main component is gone, it's a little eye-opening, I think, for everybody." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 Syfy article & video of red carpet interviews with Arrow cast, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- JH: "I think Dinah's definitely reevaluating the way that she needs to, um - she needs to protect herself now that they're exposed. So everybody's being a lot more cautious. And she has to be a little more sophisticated in how she [unintelligible words]... Her instinct is to lean on herself and she always struggles with a team... She's relying on herself, but she's also questioning, you know - I think she's realizing that she does want a group around her." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how S7's redemption theme affects Dinah, JH: "I think it's all connected. I think Dinah, she's going to be redemptive in the way she approaches her relationships and the way that she approaches her heroism and her vigilante-ism and her life as a cop. You know, she's doing that whole reevaluation." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On where she wants to see Dinah go as a hero this season, JH: "I want her to really find her definition of heroism, because it's changed so much. You know, the seeking vengeance last year, like, she thought that that was justice. And then kinda realized toward the end that maybe that's not justice. So, I would love for her to kind of just like keep embracing that and growing as a person, like, evolving as a character and, like, maybe not - I love her harshness and her darkness and all of that, but I would love it to be a bit nuanced and just have more love[?] in how she approaches her vigilante-ism and her work." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 Fangirlish video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- JH: "I really hope to see more of Dinah's background and her past, you know, the flashbacks or however we do it. Um, I have my own story that I set up for her in my head, but it's always interesting to see how that differs from what's written. And it just adds so many layers to see so many bits and pieces of her past, especially since she did come in later." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 haydenclaireheroes video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- JH: “I just hope that [Dinah] grows into herself. One thing I love about Dinah is she’s not a perfect character. She’s got darkness in her, and she messes up, and she gets mad at her team. She’s not a perfect character, and so I think that just her growing into herself and trying to not just redeem herself but mature as a vigilante, as a cop, and just become the Black Canary. She’s still growing into her title. So I’m excited for all of that." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Aug. 24, 2018 CBR article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether S7 will include any more Dinah-centric flashbacks, JH: “I spoke to [showrunner] Beth [Schwartz] a little bit about that and I hope so, because those were some of my favorite parts about Dinah’s story, seeing little bits and pieces of where she came from. There are like little things that they drop that I love that are these little gems, like in Season 5 mentioning that she liked to garden. She found an apartment with a garden. I love all those little things about Dinah that show her — just the minutia of her character that you would not expect. So I hope for more stuff like that. I’ve been pushing the band. She has a band in the comics, so I keep bringing up she should start something musical. I would love that.... “I play piano and guitar. Some flute, but I don’t know if that would be her instrument... Just in costume, with the flute.” Dinah hit the road as lead singer of a band in 2015’s Black Canary DC Comics series by Brenden Fletcher and Annie Wu. Though a reluctant rock star, she stuck with the band — redubbed Black Canary — out of a sense of duty, but soon became fiercely protective of its members. She left the band after the series concluded with issue #12. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Aug. 24, 2018 CBR article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how she's going to cope with the loss of Quentin, JH: "Dinah... she's had a lot of loss. I think she considered Quentin a real ally, almost a father figure in a way, um, so yeah, it's very hard." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what Dinah's relationship with Black Siren will be this season, JH: "It's complicated, you know, it's complicated. But I do think that the death of Quentin, um, gave her a little bit of empathy for Black Siren, for sure." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 haydenclaireheroes video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- JH: "Well, I do think the death of Quentin gave her a little more empathy for [E2 Laurel]. So, while, you know, she's not her favorite person, for sure, but I think, you know, somewhere there's growth there. She's evolving towards forgiveness, maybe." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether there'll be an improved Black Canary/Black Siren relationship, JH: "With Laurel, they don't love each other, but I think it's going to be, you know, somewhere in her to at least, you know, attempt to communicate with her and get through, yeah." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Dinah's intense relationship with Black Siren last season, JH: "Yes, um, it was intense, and I think that that relationship and that dynanic is evolving in a very cool way. Uh, you know, they are still definitely at odds, uh, but - yeah, there is going to be a shift there. For sure. .. It's actually some of my favorite writing this season has been the stuff between Dinah and Laurel... (Male Interviewer: "Some Birds of Prey action maybe?") God, I hope so! That's like my dream. Pitching it to everyone. Yeah, that would be awesome. I want a spinoff! ... And they're making a movie now." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 Fangirlish video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 25, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)

Earth-2 Laurel Lance AKA Black Siren
-- From TV Guide's SDCC special issue: "How will Lance's (Paul Blackthorne) death impact Earth-2's Laurel (Katie Cassidy)? The demise of her father's Earth-1 counterpart is 'a huge story point going forward,' [EP Beth] Schwartz reveals. 'She will try to live up to the Laurel Lance legacy to make him proud.' But her alter ego, Black Siren, has her craving vengeance." (Pic of Burning Questions section from 2018 TV Guide Comic-Con Special in Jul. 14, 2018 smoak3d tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- From TV Guide's SDCC special issue: "Another warehouse, another sonic cry! Katie Cassidy practices what she calls Black Siren's fearsome 'death stare or "Where's my dinner?" look.' With Earth-2 Laurel Lance potentially going good, [EP Beth] Schwartz says she has a new baddie in mind to make up for alter ego Black Siren." (Pic of Behind the Scenes section from 2018 TV Guide Comic-Con Special in Jul. 16, 2018 smoak3d tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On where Black Siren is going this year, EP Beth Schwartz: "So, I love Black Siren. She is so fun. Um, what we loved about, you know, Katie and the character from last year is how you never really know which side she's on. Um, is she good? Is she bad? She falls somewhere in between. And so, this year she's got a - you know, with Lance's death - it's really sad, I'm still not over it - um, she has a lot, you know, she's pissed. She's pissed at Diaz, and so she has a grudge and we're going to see her dealing with that... She's going to definitely play between good and bad again. And, um, we're going to see how that affects - how it affects her when she wants to get revenge for her - for Lance's death." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Fangirlish video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 25, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what Dinah's relationship with Black Siren will be this season, JH: "It's complicated, you know, it's complicated. But I do think that the death of Quentin, um, gave her a little bit of empathy for Black Siren, for sure." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 haydenclaireheroes video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- JH: "Well, I do think the death of Quentin gave her a little more empathy for [E2 Laurel]. So, while, you know, she's not her favorite person, for sure, but I think, you know, somewhere there's growth there. She's evolving towards forgiveness, maybe." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether there'll be an improved Black Canary/Black Siren relationship, JH: "With Laurel, they don't love each other, but I think it's going to be, you know, somewhere in her to at least, you know, attempt to communicate with her and get through, yeah." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Dinah's intense relationship with Black Siren last season, JH: "Yes, um, it was intense, and I think that that relationship and that dynanic is evolving in a very cool way. Uh, you know, they are still definitely at odds, uh, but - yeah, there is going to be a shift there. For sure. .. It's actually some of my favorite writing this season has been the stuff between Dinah and Laurel... (Male Interviewer: "Some Birds of Prey action maybe?") God, I hope so! That's like my dream. Pitching it to everyone. Yeah, that would be awesome. I want a spinoff! ... And they're making a movie now." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 Fangirlish video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 25, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- This may be the season that we get some backstory on Black Siren. Last year, we just didn’t get enough last year. There was a cheer for Paul Blackthorne, who won’t be part of Arrow Season 7. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: HiddenRemote article, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

Big Bad(s)
-- From SDCC's Arrow Synopsis: "Oliver will find himself vulnerable in a way unlike ever before when a mysterious new enemy begins to unravel his work as Green Arrow, challenging him to redeem his name or risk losing everything." (Jun. 25, 2018 Deadline tweet & article, page 281 of Starling City Times thread and page 542 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- From TV Guide's SDCC special issue: "With Earth-2 Laurel Lance potentially going good, [EP Beth] Schwartz says she has a new baddie in mind to make up for alter ego Black Siren." (Pic of Behind the Scenes section from 2018 TV Guide Comic-Con Special in Jul. 16, 2018 smoak3d tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- JBamford: "And, uh, as far as our Big Bad or Big Bads, if I said anything, I'd get completely put away, so... (Interviewer: "Is it canon or something else?") Yes." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 3 of Spoilers thread)

Longbow Hunters
-- After teasing The Longbow Hunters last season, Arrow is finally introducing the villain team-up this season. The iconic group of assassins takes shape onscreen in the form of three new characters: ruthless and precise killer Red Dart played by Holly Elissa, a beast of a man with brute force Kodiak played by Michael Jonsson, and master of stealth Silencer played by Miranda Edwards. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 28, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 1814 of Spoiler Discussion thread and page 553 of Mind Your Surroundings thread, and Jul. 21, 2018The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Deadline and HiddenRemote articles, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "We have three Longbow Hunters coming, working with Diaz. And we have - should I say it now? ... We've got Red Dart, we have Kodiak, and we have the Silencer." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "Yes, we're super excited by it. They were mentioned in the finale of Season 6 and we have three Longbow Hunters coming, working with Diaz. And we've got Red Dart, we have Kodiak, and we have the Silencer."" (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Aug. 1, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "I'll tell you that we've heard of Longbow Hunters at the end of Season 6 with Diaz... I can't really tell you that much more about it. There definitely will be more. There'll be some more comic book characters, definitely, that we'll see this season. I can't tell you which ones." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 30, 2018 GameSpot article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)

Red Dart (formerly described as "Leah")
-- Holly Elissa will play Red Dart, a ruthless and precise killer. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety articles, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- Red Dart had a few different prior incarnations in the comics but after The New 52 reboot, she's pretty much exactly how Arrow is bringing her to life. A female assassin with the Longbow Hunters working for Richard Dragon aka Ricardo Diaz, she actually came up against the Green Arrow and failed to take him out. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 28, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 1814 of Spoiler Discussion thread and page 553 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Per CinemaBlend, the character of Red Dart is currently shrouded in mystery, although The Wrap reports that she'll be played by Holly Elissa, who is known for roles on Whistler, Fringe, and Supernatural. The Arrow version of Red Dart will be "ruthless" and "precise" as a killer. In DC Comics lore, there were actually two villains who went by the name "Red Dart," and the one to be adapted for Arrow will clearly be the New 52 character from the DC reboot. The comics character fights with a number of trick darts and teamed up with Brick and Killer Moth after being brought together by Richard Dragon. The goal was to collect a bounty on Green Arrow and split it between them. The connection between Red Dart and Ricardo Diaz will apparently follow the comics, but her teammates on Arrow will be very different. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Aug. 1, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)

Kodiak (formerly described as "Dover")
-- Michael Jonsson will play Kodiak, a beast of a man with brute force. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety articles, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- Kodiak is known in the comics as the leader of the Shield clan but not much else is really known about him aside from his intense combat skills. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 28, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 1814 of Spoiler Discussion thread and page 553 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Per CinemaBlend, Michael Jonsson, who can be seen in episodes of Van Helsing, The 100, and Supernatural, will tackle the role of Kodiak, and it's clear just by the look of him that he's not somebody anybody wants to be tackled by. On Arrow, he'll be a "beast of a man" who assaults his victims with brute force rather than tricks or powers. Not a whole lot is known about the background of the DC Comics New 52 character of the same name, but he is a formidable foe thanks to his agility and stamina. He's also handy with a shield. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Aug. 1, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)

Silencer (formerly described as "Angeline")
-- Miranda Edwards will play Silencer, a master of stealth. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety articles, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- Silencer, also known as Honor Guest, is a relatively new comic book character with her first appearance in 2018. Talia al Ghul's protege is one of the DC Universe's most skilled assassins. But with her source material so new and fresh, Arrow has essentially a blank slate for this female villain. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 28, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 1814 of Spoiler Discussion thread and page 553 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Per Cinemablend, Silencer will be one stealthy villain, played by Miranda Edwards of The Magicians, Orphan Black, and yes, Supernatural. In DC Comics, the character was a retired assassin who was previously a high-ranking member of the League of Assassins thanks to her power to silence all sounds around her, thus allowing her to do whatever she wanted to whoever she wanted without alerting victims to her presence via sound. While many fans may have welcomed Silencer using her ability in the Arrow bunker during one of Team Arrow's more ridiculous arguments in Season 6, she'll probably be quite a thorn in the good guys' side when the show returns. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Aug. 1, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)

Ricardo Diaz AKA The Dragon
-- From TV Guide's SDCC special issue: "Ricardo is at large! Uh-oh. For the first time, the show's big bad wasn't vanquished in the finale, which means the mobster is sticking around and, per the showrunner, is furious about Oliver's attack on his gang. 'When we see him again, he is not going to be very happy. He'll definitely be out for blood,' says [Beth] Schwartz." (Pic of Burning Questions section from 2018 TV Guide Comic-Con Special in Jul. 14, 2018 smoak3d tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread, and Jul. 21, 2018 TVInsider article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Ricardo Diaz still being on the loose at the end of S6, EP Beth Schwartz: "We've never done that before. We''re continuing the villain from Season 6 with an unfinished story to Season 7. What I can tell you is that he's going to be different from when we saw him last season." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 30, 2018 GameSpot article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "Oliver gets a little bit of a lead on Diaz in prison. Um, but he gets it because he gets the shit kicked out of him." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos and Serienjunkies videos of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "[Diggle is] still in the trail... He's still on Diaz's trail, which has gone a bit cold. But he's using ARGUS resources for it." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 30, 2018 GameSpot article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "And we're all trying in our own way to find Diaz. And that trail's gone cold." (SDCC, Jul. 22, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

Samanda Watson
-- On Jul. 31, 2018, Sydelle Noel tweeted: "In Canada and just seen people line up in a straight line to get on the bus. Blew my mind. ? Never seen that before. There was no pushing or shoving...wtf! Come teach the states. ??." (sydelle_noel tweet, page 1815 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

"Jessie Bowden" (New Female SCPD Cop)
-- Per CinemaBlend, a new, as yet unnamed, recruit to the Star City Police Department will appear in Season 7 and become a problem for the remnants of Team Arrow. Young and passionately anti-vigilante, she'll have ambitions to rise in the SCPD, and that could mean hunting vigilante crime-fighters. Well, at least she can't catch Oliver! The new Green Arrow (who may or may not be Roy), on the other hand, may not be so lucky. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Aug. 1, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)

"Daniel Porter" (New Male Tech Whiz)
-- Per CinemaBlend, a new, as yet unnamed, gay tech whiz will be introduced in Season 7. This character has found no shortage of success, but hasn't lived a carefree life. A heartbreaking past is concealed behind all the success and smarts. Could this tech genius come into play as part of Felicity and/or Curtis' efforts to launch a company? The role will be recurring, so at least this character will be around more than once. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Aug. 1, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)

"Daniel Porter" or New Character?
-- On Jul. 24, 2018, actor Ian Collins posted head shot of himself with comment: ""Feeling myself today"#fresshactor - @cw_arrow can't wait ??." (fresh_collins instagram post, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 24, 2018, fan tweeted video clip of Arrow filming EBR, with pink-tipped long blonde hair, talking in a coffee shop with a new male character wearing glasses, who's played by Ian Collins. (smoakinqtech tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 25, 2018, fan tweeted instagram pic of Ian Collins, with comment: "Apparently this is the actor sharing scenes with Emily yesteraday! Ok so rumor has it he will be investing in her company." (OlicityDreams tweet, page 1813 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

Malcolm Merlyn
-- When asked whether there's any chance we'll see Malcolm Merlyn again, EP Beth Schwartz: "I don't know. You never know who's going to come back. That's all I can say." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

Derek Sampson AKA Stardust
-- Ben Turner/Bronze Tiger, Derek Sampson and Danny “Brick” Brickwell will appear in S7. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: CBR and Variety articles, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- Returning to Arrow this season are some familiar faces that Oliver put in jail in previous seasons: Ben Turner/Bronze Tiger (Michael Jai White), Derek Sampson (Cody Rhodes) and Danny “Brick” Brickwell (Vinnie Jones). All three are locked up in Slabside Maximum Security Prison, aka Oliver's new home. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: The Hollywood Reporter article, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 
-- Cody Rhodes tweeted: "SAMPSON IS BACK! ...and he’s got a few friends in prison with him... Incredibly proud to be back on Arrow for multiple episodes in season 7." (Jul. 21, 2018 CodyRhodes tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

Ben Turner AKA Bronze Tiger
-- Ben Turner/Bronze Tiger, Derek Sampson and Danny “Brick” Brickwell will appear in S7. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: CBR and Variety articles, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- Returning to Arrow this season are some familiar faces that Oliver put in jail in previous seasons: Ben Turner/Bronze Tiger (Michael Jai White), Derek Sampson (Cody Rhodes) and Danny “Brick” Brickwell (Vinnie Jones). All three are locked up in Slabside Maximum Security Prison, aka Oliver's new home. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: The Hollywood Reporter article, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 

Danny Brickwell AKA Brick
-- Ben Turner/Bronze Tiger, Derek Sampson and Danny “Brick” Brickwell will appear in S7. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: CBR and Variety articles, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- Returning to Arrow this season are some familiar faces that Oliver put in jail in previous seasons: Ben Turner/Bronze Tiger (Michael Jai White), Derek Sampson (Cody Rhodes) and Danny “Brick” Brickwell (Vinnie Jones). All three are locked up in Slabside Maximum Security Prison, aka Oliver's new home. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: The Hollywood Reporter article, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 

Mega Crossover: Batwoman (Arrow/Flash/Supergirl)
-- This year's big crossover will unite the casts of Arrow, Flash and Supergirl (but not LoT) and is intended to serve as a launching pad for a possible Batwoman series. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 DigitalSpy article, page 551 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Per ThatHashtagShow, Kate/Batwoman will appear in the ninth episodes of Supergirl, Arrow, and The Flash. (Jul. 18, 2018 ThatHashtagShow article, page 548 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- The CW posted video titled "Heroes and Villains" that teased the arrival of Batwoman in December. (Jul. 20, 2018 The CW Television Network video, page 549 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- On Batwoman coming to the crossover, EP Beth Schwartz: "Well, we're super excited about it, but we are still - we're still working on the first half of the season, so the crossover is not yet something we -"  SA interrupted: "I'm going to spoil the crossover just quickly for a moment... It's a 44- minute long conversation between Oliver and Batwoman in prison." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Batwoman coming to the crossover, EP Beth Schwartz: "I wish I could tell you more, but it's a little early for the crossover. You know, we haven't even - we're still working on the beginning of the season. But I was so excited when I saw that. It's going to be awesome." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the crossover with Batwoman, EP Beth Schwartz: "I can't tell you much... mostly because we haven't started. It's too soon. Um, we've been, you know, mostly focusing on the first chapter of the season." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 27, 2018 CODY SCHULTZ video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- When asked for crossover details, EP Beth Schwartz: "Too soon." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 haydenclaireheroes video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, joined by Beth Schwartz, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: "Oh, the crossover. Um, I'll be directing the crossover again this year. It will be episode 9, not episode 8, this year. So it will also be the midseason finale." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 haydenclaireheroes video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, joined by Beth Schwartz, and Jul. 26, 2018 TheBatmanUniverse article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Batwoman coming to the crossover, SA: "I'm very excited. I don't know how that's going to work. I don't know who's playing Batwoman. I have the utmost faith in David Rapaport, our esteemed casting director. We'll see." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 Syfy article & video of red carpet interviews with Arrow cast, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Batwoman coming to the crossover, SA: "Hopefully, he's out of prison to interact with Batwoman. It's kind of a spoiler, isn't it? I'm very excited." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Batwoman coming to the crossover, SA: "When Greg pitched it to me, I was like, 'oh man, that's awesome. Really.' Because we went so big with the crossover last year, we can't go bigger. We have to go more about, like, the characters and the story." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 25, 2018 FanFest article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the Arrowverse crossover, DR: "How do you go bigger? Like, every single year they do these crossovers, it's like, it's bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger. So it's just, I have no idea how they do it. So of course, they don't have a script yet, but they kind of break the story somewhat. So when I found out kind of what they want to do, it was just like, 'Really? You're just gonna go even bigger?' So every year it's just bigger and bigger and bigger." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 ComicBook article & video, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether there'll be any crossovers for him, DR: "Yes, there'll be tons of crossovers. Batwoman's going to show up in our crossover. You hear about that?" (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Clevver News video of red carpet interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

Mega Crossover: Mystery Character
-- SA: "Oliver's interaction with Batwoman is not the interaction that I'm most interested in." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz and SA, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: “Oliver’s interaction with Batwoman is not the interaction in the crossover I’m most interested in... Then again, I have to get out of prison." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 26, 2018 TheBatmanUniverse article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "Also, there's going to be, like - I feel like there's a character in the crossover that actually, like, no one knows about yet, which is also very exciting." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: GeekRock TV video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- Media report on what SA said: "Also teased that as excited as he is for Batgirl, he’s more excited for Oliver to interact with another character during the crossover." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: ckinger13 tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

Batwoman in the Arrowverse
-- This year's big crossover is intended to serve as a launching pad for a possible Batwoman series. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 DigitalSpy article, page 551 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- In the Kate Kane/Batwoman comics, "her father helps her train to become a vigilante and provides her with a suit and gadgets." (Jul. 19, 2018 Hypable article, page 549 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- On trying to cast an openly out actress as Batwoman and whether Arrow is trying to do more "authentic" casting, EP Beth Schwartz: "We're definitely making sure inclusion is a big deal this season. I don't know if we haven't in the past, but, um, yeah, it's definitely something that we're focused on." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 haydenclaireheroes video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, joined by Beth Schwartz, page 3 of Spoilers thread and page 554 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- On a Batwoman series joining the Arrowverse, SA: "Our show exists to make other shows." DR: "It really is true. It really is true." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: ExtraTV tweet & video, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On a Batwoman series joining the Arrowverse, SA: "I think it’s great. The more the merrier. I’ve always taken a lot of pride in the fact that our show has helped - not been detrimental - but helped and lent a hand to other shows. I hope Dave Rapapport nails the Batwoman casting. I hope she’s awesome. I hope their show does ten years." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 25, 2018 FanFest article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- In Vimeo video of actress Chasty Ballesteros, auditioning for the Arrowverse role of Kate/Batwoman, she read for two scenes, the first one shared with an unidentified villain, and the second one shared with a female date. Transcription of Audition Scene 1: Voice (off-screen): "Looks like a bat, smells like a bat, and yet, still not Batman. You get that a lot?" CB: "Where is he?" Voice: "Batman?" CB: "Um-hmm." Voice: "I thought that was the whole point of the big gaudy floodlight. Flip it on and - poof - a hero telegram." CB: "So I'm new to this. Do all the other good guys indulge in this side of you? Because, really, who has the time?" Voice: "Good point. [Point taken.]" CB: "Yeah." Voice: "Let's get down to business. First, tell me why you care. Is it because A) you're tired [terrified] of being Gotham's hero du jour or B) all of the above?" CB: "C) He's the only one [person] who'll maybe convince me not to kill you?" Voice: "Uh, uh, uh. Murder is a 'no-no' per the Batcode article 2, section 8." CB: "Hmm. True. But, like you said, I'm not Batman." (Points knife at other speaker) Voice: "No. Batman knows where the carotid is located. You're a teeny touch to the left, dear." CB: "I'm not interested in your carotid. I'm interested in puncturing your larynx and rendering you speechless for the rest of your life. What's wrong? The idea of insanity is less fun without words? Tell me where he is, or I'll sharpen this eyeliner with your voicebox." Voice: "Siberia." CB: "Get specific." Voice: "The border of Kazakhstan. That's all I know." CB: "Anyone teach you how to properly apply eyeliner? [Anyone ever tell you the secret to applying eyeliner? You just - (makes jabbing gesture).]"  Transcription of Audition Scene 2: CB: "Sorry, when I made the reservation, I didn't realize we'd be having [I was taking us to] dinner in 1959." Voice (off-screen): "Are you kidding? I'm loving this place." CB: "Really?" Voice: "Yeah. I feel like I want to smoke a cigar and objectify someone." CB: "Preferably me. And preferably after dessert. Because they have molten lava cake." Voice: "Oh. We'll see who lasts until dessert." Second Voice (off-screen): "Pardon the interruption, ladies. But unfortunately, sneakers are not permitted in the dining area." CB: "Oh, these? They're not sneakers. They're super rare Jordan Retro 1 High OGs. But, you wouldn't know that, [Not that anyone could tell,] seeing as they're hidden underneath the table." Second Voice: "Regardless. They are a violation of our dress code." CB: "Cool. I have a pair of boots in the car I'll just change into, [I have some boots in my car. I'll go get them,] so that everyone feels comfortable." Second Voice: "Or perhaps, you'd enjoy our lounge outside [instead]." CB: "Because it's dark and dead and less likely to offend people? No, thanks. I'm good right here." Voice: "Maybe we should, uh, we should just go?" CB: "We will. As soon as this man admits that my shoes are only offensive [the only thing offensive about my sneakers is] because I'm here dating a woman." Second Voice: "Okay. Now I'm afraid I need to ask you to leave." CB: You sure 'afraid' is the word that you're looking for [you want to use]? Because 'afraid' means wondering whether you're going to be treated less than every time you go out for dinner. 'Afraid' is being a woman and walking around alone anywhere. 'Afraid' is existing as [is being] anything other than a straight white man in the year 2018. So what you meant to say is that you feel privileged to ask us to leave [So I think, what you meant to say is that you have the privilege of asking us to leave], to which I am responding, she will have the fillet and I will have the branzino. And we'll have [we will be happy to accept] two glasses of your best [finest] Scotch on the house. In lieu of calling [a phone call to] the ACLU, of course." Second Voice: "And did you want that cake?" CB: "Oh, no. We'll just go home and have sex." (Jul. 19, 2018 Vimeo video of Chasty Ballesteros auditioning for Kate/Batwoman, page 2 of Spoilers thread, page 1805 of Spoiler Discussion thread, and page 549 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Audition videos were also posted by actresses Lyla Porter-Follows and Brooke Lee, which included the same audition scenes as for Chasty Ballesteros' audition. (Jul. 20, 2018 Vimeo videos of Lyla Porter-Follows and Brooke Lee, page 2 of Spoilers thread, page 1805 of Spoiler Discussion thread, and page 549 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Audition video was also posted by actress Katerina Tannenbaum, which included the same audition scenes as for Chasty Ballesteros' audition. (Jul. 20, 2018 Vimeo video of Katerina Tannenbaum, page 2 of Spoilers thread, page 1805 of Spoiler Discussion thread, and page 550 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Audition video was also posted by actress Gabrielle Bourne, which included the same audition scenes as for Chasty Ballesteros' audition. (Jul. 21, 2018 Vimeo video of Gabrielle Bourne, page 2 of Spoilers thread, page 1809 of Spoiler Discussion thread, and page 551 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Audition videos were also posted by actresses Ashley Platz and Nicole Pacent, which included the same audition scenes as for Chasty Ballesteros' audition. (Jul. 22, 2018 Vimeo video of Ashley Platz and Jul. 23, 2018 Vimeo video of Nicole Pacent, page 551 of Mind Your Surroundings thread, and Vimeo videos of Ashley Platz in Jul. 23, 2018 petrinajc tweets, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- Audition video was also posted by actress Madeleine Mckinlay, which included the same audition scenes as for Chasty Ballesteros' audition. (Jul. 23, 2018 Vimeo video of Madeleine Mckinlay, page 552 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Audition video was also posted by actress Chloe Zuel, which included the same audition scenes as for Chasty Ballesteros' audition. (Jul. 26, 2018 Vimeo video of Chloe Zuel, page 553 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Audition video was also posted by actress Millie Samuels, which included the same audition scenes as for Chasty Ballesteros' audition. (Jul. 26, 2018 Vimeo video of Millie Samuels, page 553 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)

The Flash in the Arrowverse 
-- When a fan asked about the possibility of Felicity and Iris having a nice friendship scene in order to "mend fandoms" (due to the double wedding), JBamford replied: "I had a lot of scenes in last year's crossover with Emily and Candice, and we just had the greatest time ever. And it's like, afterwards, everybody's texting each other, 'Hey, did you have any pictures of when we were on set?' ... There's no ill will whatsoever, so the fans should know that, you know. Everybody... we're all a big family and, um, no amount of, you know, 'this, this, hate each other, bleh, bleh.' That's not going to change it, so - everybody loves each other." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 haydenclaireheroes video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, joined by Beth Schwartz, page 3 of Spoilers thread and page 554 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Mega Crossover: Fan tweeted: "The Flash showrunner just confirmed on their EW facebook interview that the crossover WILL be episode 9 this year for them, so their 100th episode (ep 8) will serve as their mid-season finale." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Paigeota tweet, page 717 of Social Media thread)
-- Mega Crossover: Fan report on what was said by Flash EP: "We got confirmation. #Arrow-verse crossover happening on episode 9." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: OlicityDreams tweet, page 1805 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Mega Crossover: Fan report on what was said by Flash EP: "Flash producer Todd Helbing confirmed that the crossover IS episode 9 this year." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: ruby24 post, page 550 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)

DC's Legends of Tomorrow in the Arrowverse
-- LoT will not be part of the big crossover this year, which will unite the casts of Arrow, The Flash and Supergirl, and which is intended to serve as a launching pad for a possible Batwoman series. CL: "We're not in the crossover this year – Legends are not in them at all... We're doing our own thing." EP Phil Klemmer: "There's another show that's gonna get launched and it just became over capacity... Our show is very, very difficult [to produce]... there are no easy episodes, everything pushes production and post-production and our actors to the absolute brink of exhaustion, and we frankly reached a breaking point." Also PK: "We only have 16 episodes," he said. "So for us, we love the crossover, but it was always a tonal speed-bump, or a departure, and we just don't have time to step away from our story this year." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 DigitalSpy article, page 551 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- On whether Sara will deal with her father's death and E2 Laurel, CL said that Sara will deal with Quentin's death during the hiatus and that LoT was a comedy now. She also said that "there's a lot of opportunity with Black Siren" for her to go over to Arrow or for KC to go over to LoT. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Video clip from LoT panel in HoechsStiles tweet, page 550 of Mind Your Surroundings thread) 

DC's Freedom Fighters: The Ray in the Animated Arrowverse
-- Season 2 of Freedom Fighters: The Ray debuted at SDCC on Jul. 18, 2018, and was available on The CW Seed the same day. (Jun. 25, 2018 Bleeding Cool article, page 542 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)

Looking Beyond S7 and Ending Arrow
-- On how rare it is for a TV show to last 7 seasons and whether he expected Arrow to make it this far, SA: "No, no. I mean, um, I was saying earlier today, like, we're compared to Smallville, which went 10 seasons, and we're on the same network as Supernatural, which has gone - is going into its 14th season. And so I feel like... people think like getting into a seventh season, there's an element of it like it's pedestrian. But that's not the case at all. Like, we're in rarefied air for a TV show. And, uh, we're so fortunate - I've talked with Emily, I've talked with David, just talked with everyone today about just how lucky we are. We really are." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Video of facebook live interview with Arrow cast in Entertainment Weekly article, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

Edited August 27, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This summary includes all topical spoilers from August 1, 2018, to September 5, 2018. This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

ADDENDUM #2 TO SUMMARY OF S7 SPOILERS BY TOPIC

S7 Premiere, Scheduling and Episode Order
-- Arrow is scheduled to air at 8pm (ET) on Mondays, beginning with its S7 premiere on Oct. 15, 2018. (Sep. 4, 2018 eonline article, page 4 of Spoilers thread, and Aug. 30, 2018 CW_Arrow tweet and Sep. 4, 2018 etonline article, page 70 of Ratings and Scheduling thread)

S7 Showrunner and Writers
-- RG: "[EP Beth Schwartz is] going to infuse new ideas and a new energy into our show." (itsstevenmccoyb facebook video of Steven McCoy podcast interview with RG, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 2, 2018, new Arrow writer Onalee Hunter tweeted: "I am so impressed by the very “green” #Arrow set! Not only are the cast and crew fantastic — they don’t do plastic water bottles!" (onaleehunter tweet, page 722 of Social Media thread)
-- On Aug. 4, 2018, new Arrow writer Onalee Hunter tweeted pic of Vancouver coastline, with comment: "Wilderness. Manhattan. Salt water. Mountains. This is #Vancouver . So fortunate to be shooting #Arrow in this paradise." (onaleehunter tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 7, 2018, Arrow writer Benjamin Raab tweeted pic of DC action figures for Green Arrow and Black Canary (Hard-Traveling Heroes), with comment: "Teaming up in the Arrowcave to help write this episode. #ArrowSeason7." (Wondermasons tweet, page 1815 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

S7 Tone and Style
-- On what's something people don't get or know about Arrow, RG: "We do not conform to conventional TV, storytelling-wise." (Aug. 13, 2018 Really Famous video interview with RG, page 284 of Starling City Times thread)

Transition From and Effect of S6
-- RG said that, since vigilantes are now outlawed and it was Oliver's wish that they continue fighting for Star City, "we're all interpreting that in our own way... Especially in the beginning of this season, we're going to tackle that immediately and kind of show fans, like, where each character is in terms of them interpreting Oliver's directive for all of us, in terms of keep fighting for the city, keep doing what's right. (Aug. 30, 2018 itsstevenmccoyb facebook video of Steven McCoy podcast interview with RG, page 4 of Spoilers thread)

S7 Trailers 
-- DCTV "Suit Up" Promo (2018) for Flash, Arrow, Supergirl, LoT and Black Lightning was posted. (Aug. 28, 2018 DCTV "Suit Up" promo video, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 6 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- The CW's 'Superheroes Fight Back Trailer" for Flash, Arrow, Supergirl, LoT and Black Lightning was posted. (Aug. 29, 2018 The CW's "Superheroes Fight Back Trailer" video, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 6 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

S7 Theme 
-- The CW tweeted pic of Oliver's naked back in the shower, with comment: "Seeking redemption this fall...." (Aug. 20, 2018 CW_Arrow tweet, page 725 of Social Media thread) 
-- SA posted pic of new Arrow S7 poster showing Oliver in prison, with tagline "REVELATION AND REPENTANCE", with comment: "This fall, Green Is The New Black." (Aug. 27, 2018 SA facebook post, page 726 of Social Media thread)
-- RG: "Our theme this year is redemption, which is pretty powerful,.. Redemption is an arc in itself, right? Because you start at one place and get the redemption at the end, right? So that's an arc in itself for each character. And that's what we're exploring." (Aug. 30, 2018 itsstevenmccoyb facebook video of Steven McCoy podcast interview with RG, page 4 of Spoilers thread)

S7 Generally
-- RG: "I think this season is going be a very transitional season for our show, especially because we have Beth and because she's going to infuse new ideas and a new energy into our show." (Aug. 30, 2018 itsstevenmccoyb facebook video of Steven McCoy podcast interview with RG, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- RG: "I feel like this is a very transitional period for us... in a really beautiful way, you know, for the characters to rediscover themselves... With Oliver being in jail, I mean, it just creates a brand new arc for each character." (Aug. 30, 2018 itsstevenmccoyb facebook video of Steven McCoy podcast interview with RG, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 13, 2018, SA tweeted: "Watching someone try on a superhero suit for the first time never gets old." (SA tweet, page 1 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Team Arrow
-- RG: "Well, Oliver's in prison. So, uh, what does Team Arrow do with their leader in prison? So I think we're all going to interpret that in our own way. Um, I wish I could say more. We're shooting now on episode 4. Mind blowing. Like, what's happening? Aaah, I wish I could tell you." (Teen Choice Awards, Aug. 12, 2018: WarnerChannelLatAm video of red carpet interview with RG, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- RG: "Especially in the beginning of this season, we're going to tackle that immediately and kind of show fans, like, where each character is in terms of them interpreting Oliver's directive for all of us, in terms of keep fighting for the city, keep doing what's right. (Aug. 30, 2018 itsstevenmccoyb facebook video of Steven McCoy podcast interview with RG, page 4 of Spoilers thread)

Oliver & Felicity ("Olicity")
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, since Oliver is the one who brokered the deal that traded his freedom for the feds’ help against Diaz — keeping wife Felicity in the dark — “He’s going to learn that might not have been the best idea!” (Sep. 5, 2018 TVLine article, page 4 of Spoilers thread

Oliver Queen AKA Green Arrow
-- What excites EP Beth Schwartz most about having Oliver behind bars, shoulder-to-shoulder with many of the baddies he bested in the past, is “they’re all on the same playing field.” But wanting to be a model inmate and not make waves, Oliver will need to “make different moral choices because of the position he’s in.” Of course, since Oliver is the one who brokered the deal that traded his freedom for the feds’ help against Diaz — keeping wife Felicity in the dark — “He’s going to learn that might not have been the best idea!” (Sep. 5, 2018 TVLine article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per SA, Oliver's big secret is out, which will lead to some "emotional" and "impactful" fallout. Namely, he's in prison, and things aren't going well. He'll have to face off against some of his old foes and do some pretty "reprehensible" things. (Sep. 4, 2018 eonline article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 12, 2018, SA tweeted: "Been trying to grow my beard to look like the iconic image of Green Arrow. Five months in... I’m closer to Thanos." (SA tweet, page 724 of Social Media thread)
-- On Aug. 14, 2018, SA posted an instagram live video. He had a bloodied, cut-up face and still had the mustache and beard. Fan report on what he said: "I haven't changed my wardrobe yet, that's exciting. I saw Maya, who heads up our wardrobe dept, for the first time, yesterday. Although, I'll tell ya what. I did have the most exciting, unique, never-thought-it-would-happen, what-am-I-doing-here, oh-my-god-I-look-silly, ... then-I-got-very-nervous, fitting that I've ever had before, and ever will have, in the history - however long we do the  show for - I will never have a fitting where I'm like ghhhh. Oh boy. So that was pretty exciting." (Paigeota tweets, page 1 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Aug. 14, 2018, SA tweeted video of himself with a bloodied, cut-up face (and still with the mustache and beard), saying: "I've had more physically taxing days in the first four episodes of Season 7 than I've had for the entirety of certain seasons. Just getting the shit kicked out of me every single day." (SA tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread and page 1 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Sep. 3, 2018, Reddit user (YVRinsider) posted the following unverified spoilers: "Character known as 'Desmond' is an early foe for Oliver in Prison. In a recent promo you see Oliver hit someone with a weight…he is striking Desmond. ... For those worried the prison story won’t be interesting and will drag out…think again. ... Based on scheduling, Stephen Amell (Oliver) could be the only Arrow character in the crossover this season." (Sep. 3, 2018 Arrow reddit post by YVRinsider, page 4 of Spoilers thread)

Felicity Smoak AKA Overwatch
-- The DCTV "Suit Up" Promo included scenes of (1) Felicity in the woods protecting William and yelling "Oliver, help!" and (2) Felicity wearing a red/black plaid shirt and throwing a coffee pot of hot liquid at someone in a kitchen. (Aug. 28, 2018 DCTV "Suit Up" promo video, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 6 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- The CW's 'Superheroes Fight Back Trailer" included an additional Felicity scene: with bruised, bloodied face and knuckles and pink-tipped hair, Felicity says "fight back" while visiting Oliver in prison. (Aug. 29, 2018 The CW's "Superheroes Fight Back Trailer" video, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 6 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, with husband Oliver behind bars for at least the first stretch of Season 7, “Felicity is definitely coping the worst, I would say,” out of all Team Arrow members, adding: “It’s been tough for her." (Aug. 23, 2018 TVLine article, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 4 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, Felicity is coping the worst in the wake of Oliver's imprisonment. (Sep. 5, 2018 TVLine article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz shared “a tease that I think you might be excited about…. It has to do with Smoak Tech. It’s possible you might see something like that this season.” (Aug. 23, 2018 TVLine article, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 4 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- SA tweeted: ".@emilybett should get an Emmy nom for her performance in our premiere." (Aug.26, 2018 SA tweet, page 726 of Social Media thread)
-- On Aug. 13, 2018, when asked if EBR and CH have been filming much for this season, papp tweeted: "Emily yes , Colton not really." (pursuit23 tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 14, 2018, EBR recorded a video from outside the BC Place stadium in Vancouver. (EBR instagram story video, page 1 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Aug. 29, 2018, papp posted summary of spoiled S7 Felicity scenes: Felicity and William are "threatened in the woods," Felicity "hides in plain sight as a barista," Felicity throws a "pot of hot coffee at an intruder," and Felicity visits Oliver in prison where she tells him to "fight back." (Aug. 29, 2018 yvrshoots tweet & HollywoodNorth.buzz article, page 7 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Sep. 3, 2018, Reddit user (YVRinsider) posted the following unverified spoiler: "Early on at least, apart from Oliver and Roy, Felicity is the 'Best of the Rest'. Probably the best she has been on the show storyline wise." (Sep. 3, 2018 Arrow reddit post by YVRinsider, page 4 of Spoilers thread)

John Diggle AKA Spartan 
-- On Sep. 3, 2018, MG tweeted "Back in the saddle..." with pic of partial Word document of script with words "INT. ARGUS - DIG's OFF -." (MG tweet, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 8 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Lyla Michaels and A.R.G.U.S.
-- On Aug. 8, 2018, Audrey Marie Anderson tweeted pic of her "LYLA MICHAELS" trailer door, with comment: "Good to be back! #ArrowSeason7." (aud_anderson tweet, page 1817 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

Roy Harper AKA Arsenal
-- On Colton Haynes’ return as a series regular, EP Beth Schwartz will only affirm that he is “definitely” playing the Earth-One Roy Harper that we know and Thea loves (loved?). (Sep. 5, 2018 TVLine article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 13, 2018, when asked if EBR and CH have been filming much for this season, papp tweeted: "Emily yes , Colton not really." (pursuit23 tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 28, 2018, CH posted pic of himself with tattoos all over his upper body, with comment: "Im not gonna say if this is real or fake ??????." (coltonlhaynes instagram post, page 6 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Sep. 3, 2018, Reddit user (YVRinsider) posted the following unverified spoiler: "Won’t spoil anything regarding Roy, not fair. Great stuff." (Sep. 3, 2018 Arrow reddit post by YVRinsider, page 4 of Spoilers thread)

Rene Ramirez AKA Wild Dog
-- On what we can expect from Rene this season, RG: "So, um, that's kind of the journey for Rene this year, is just kind of seeing where the chips fall in terms of him being a vigilante or not being a vigilante, and how he interprets that, and him being, you know, a father. And, um, you know, does he jeopardize that? Does he not? You know. He's kind of a hot-headed guy and he goes off instinct in terms of, like, you know, how he feels. So I think all of those questions are going to be answered this year right away." RG also said that he's "very excited" about Rene's character arc this season. (Aug. 30, 2018 itsstevenmccoyb facebook video of Steven McCoy podcast interview with RG, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Sep. 3, 2018, Reddit user (YVRinsider) posted the following unverified spoiler: "Rene actually has an interesting storyline. Builds his character." (Sep. 3, 2018 Arrow reddit post by YVRinsider, page 4 of Spoilers thread)

Dinah Drake AKA Black Canary
-- On Aug. 2, 2018, JH tweeted video in which she said: "So I just left the Arrow offices. Can't tell you why yet. But unh - I'm so excited! Gah! I'm so excited. This season - not even joking - this season is going to be dope. It's going to be so dope!" (JH tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Sep. 3, 2018, Reddit user (YVRinsider) posted the following unverified spoiler: "Dinah is basically a replacement for Lance in regards to her being our perspective of SCPD." (Sep. 3, 2018 Arrow reddit post by YVRinsider, page 4 of Spoilers thread)

Earth-2 Laurel Lance AKA Black Siren
-- On who is coping the best in the wake of Oliver's imprisonment, EP Beth Schwartz: "I would say Laurel." She also confirmed that Earth-2 Laurel is now Star City’s DA. (Sep. 5, 2018 TVLine article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)

Longbow Hunters
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, the Longbow Hunters — an almost mythical band of assassins — will prove they are “in fact quite real.” (Sep. 5, 2018 TVLine article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Sep. 3, 2018, Reddit user (YVRinsider) posted the following unverified spoiler: "The longbow hunters of Red Dart, Silencer and Kodiak are great. They are quite the threat early on. Can’t confirm if they are big bad yet." (Sep. 3, 2018 Arrow reddit post by YVRinsider, page 4 of Spoilers thread)

Ricardo Diaz AKA The Dragon
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, Diaz will resurface as “more of the Dragon” comic book character he’s based on. (Sep. 5, 2018 TVLine article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)

Samanda Watson
-- On her future involvement in Arrow, Sydelle Noel: “I don’t know if I’m allowed to say! But I can say that I’m leaving for Vancouver tomorrow. You can say that I’m leaving for Vancouver, literally tomorrow? So...." (TCA Summer Press Tour, Aug. 2, 2018: Consequence of Sound article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 3, 2018, Sydelle Noel tweeted: "#FB to Season 6, episode 23, @CW_Arrow is back shooting season 7 and hopefully you will see #SamandaWatson in the mix. ??????." (sydelle_noel tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 17, 2018, Sydelle Noel tweeted video clip of her shooting at a shooting range, with comment: "My first of many...  @TaranTactical is the BEST! Thank you! FYI: How #SamandaWatson trains on her off time...lol. @CW_Arrow." (sydelle_noel tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread)

"Konomi Rhodes" (New Female Fighter)
-- Audition videos for "Konomi Rhodes" were posted by actress Rachelle Goulding, which included the same two audition scenes as for other previously posted audition videos for this role. (Aug. 9, 2018 Vimeo videos of Rachelle Goulding auditioning for Konomi Rhodes, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- Audition videos for "Konomi Rhodes" were posted by actress Grace Demarco, which included the same two audition scenes as for other previously posted audition videos for this role. (Sep. 4, 2018 Vimeo video of Grace Demarco auditioning for Konomi Rhodes, page 4 of Spoilers thread)

Derek Sampson AKA Stardust
-- Cody Rhodes is back on Arrow in S7 for a longer run as Derek Sampson. When asked whether he was still filming Arrow or whether he had wrapped up his episodes, Cody Rhodes replied: "No, I have two more episodes to go back and do after All In [on Sep. 1, 2018]. Which is nice because I was afraid I’d be running all the way up to All In. I don’t know if you’ve seen the trailer but I’m going from a villain of the week to being around a group of villains of the week. Being around guys like Vinnie Jones is such a great learning experience for me." (Aug. 24, 2018 ComicsBeat article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- Cody Rhodes: "Arrow marches on, and we didn't necessarily get there with Stardust... But when we talked about this event, I obviously thought what a wonderful moment that would be, and at the same time, I was heading back to Arrow for five episodes now." (Aug. 26, 2018 ComicBook article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Sep. 4, 2018, Cody Rhodes posted pic of himself with dark hair, with comment: "Back to brunette - back to Arrow." (americannightmarecody instagram post, page 4 of Spoilers thread)

"Desmond" (Prison Inmate)
-- On Sep. 3, 2018, Reddit user (YVRinsider) posted the following unverified spoiler: "Character known as 'Desmond' is an early foe for Oliver in Prison. In a recent promo you see Oliver hit someone with a weight…he is striking Desmond." (Sep. 3, 2018 Arrow reddit post by YVRinsider, page 4 of Spoilers thread)

Slade Wilson AKA Deathstroke
-- On Aug. 22, 2018, Manu Bennett posted video of himself in Vancouver and said that he was in town only for 24 hours. MB: "A lot of memories in this town. Of course, Arrow is filmed here." (manubennett tweet and instagram post, page 4 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Raisa
-- On Aug. 8, 2018, Kathleen Gati tweeted: "Starting an exciting new project! #joy #gratitude." (gatitweets tweet, page 40 of Arrow Stars in Other Roles thread)

Not Debuting or Returning in S7
-- Per CW President Mark Pedowitz, Batman will not be showing up on the small screen anytime soon. MP: “There’s no discussion about a series. Batman already exists in the Arrowverse because last season Oliver Queen mentioned his name at one point. And Batwoman, if the series goes forward, lives in Gotham. There’s no plan at this time to have Batman appear.” (TCA Summer Press Tour, Aug. 6, 2018: Entertainment Weekly and IGN articles, page 3 of Spoilers thread)

Mega Crossover (Flash/Arrow/Supergirl)
-- New spoilers for this crossover event will be included in the summary of 709 spoilers (to be posted later).

DC's Legends of Tomorrow in the Arrowverse
-- Media report on what CW President Mark Pedowitz said: "'Beebo, i do not believe will be in the #crossover event...but we're thinking of doing Beebo in every show,' jokes Pedowitz." (TCA Summer Press Tour, Aug. 6, 2018: damianholbrook tweet, page 722 of Social Media thread)

Black Lightning in the Arrowverse?
-- Per CW President Mark Pedowitz, there are still no plans at this time to bring Black Lightning into the main Arrowverse continuity. MP: "It’s really [showrunner Salim Akil's] call - if he wants to do it, we’ll be glad to have that discussion. Right now, Salim’s is a different world and he’s doing a great job. This coming season, I’ve seen the first episode, it’s as socially relevant as it was last year, if not more." (TCA Summer Press Tour, Aug. 6, 2018: IGN article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)

Looking Beyond S7 and Ending Arrow
-- On whether there were any plans to end the older Arrowverse series (like Arrow) to make room for new shows like a potential Batwoman series, CW President Mark Pedowitz: "Shows do eventually end, we have no plans yet to end any of them; we’ll see where we come out as the season goes on... We've added a sixth night [of programming on Sunday], so we have more space." On potentially opening up Saturdays for more programming, MP: "We have to see how Sunday works. If it does work out and there is support, I'm sure it's a conversation with our board... I know both parent Warner Bros. and CBS are very happy with The CW's business model. They allowed us to grow into a sixth night, and hopefully a seventh. They're happy with how we're growing, and I expect with the new ownership that that will continue." (TCA Summer Press Tour, Aug. 6, 2018: The Hollywood Reporter and IGN articles, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- CW President Mark Pedowitz: “We’re pretty good at... giving people enough time to wrap up their shows." (Aug. 7, 2018 TVLine article, page 1 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what he wants to do after Arrow and whether he wants to take a break (like a year off), SA: "No... One of the issues that I have with the show - and it's just the nature of the show, it's not a new thing - is that I really don't have the ability right now to be aspirational elsewhere because of how many episodes it is. And so, you know, I worry sometimes about being the guy that people will think has ever only done Arrow. And I worry, you know, that if I stay until - if I stay on the show through 10 seasons - and I respect people who do that. I have great admiration for Tom [Welling] staying 10 years and for Jensen [Ackles] and Jared [Padalecki], you know, going into year 14 or 15 or whatever it is. I also have respect for you going, 'you know what, I did 7 and I'm good, it's time to move on.' I worry that if I stick around until I'm 40, is there a chance that I sacrifice the next 25 years of my career because I maybe stayed a little too long?" Michael Rosenbaum (MR) disagreed and thought that there wasn't much difference, career-wise, for SA between ages 37 and 40, between doing 7 seasons and 10 seasons, while making sure his family was financially secure, and that SA should stop only if he was tired of playing the same character and wanted to try new things and move on, and if the passion is not there. SA: "The passion is still there. 100%. And we have a lot of new blood on the show right now, which I think is important. But you bring up a good point. This is what I've been thinking about. What else does my character have to do?" When MR asked if the Arrow could die, SA: "Sure. He doesn't have superpowers... I think, the only thing, whether he dies or not - and I find it incredibly difficult to believe that that would ever happen. You know what I mean? I don't know if anyone would allow themselves to be cornered like killing the title character of the show." MR thought that would be a great idea for the last episode, but then we find out in another show he isn't dead. SA: "The only thing that is left for him to do, and he doesn't have to die to do this, is, he needs to leave a legacy. Because we have all these other shows that exist, so whether Arrow continued on in the absence of Oliver Queen, or someone else took up the mantle of the Green Arrow, um... (MR interjected, "His child.") ... He does have a child, but he's like 12... I think that leaving a legacy is the one box that is left to tick for the character." (Aug. 27, 2018 Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum podcast recording of Jun. 21, 2018 interview with SA, page 727 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: "My contract's up after 7... I think there's going to be some clarity on my future on the show soon... It was a very interesting feeling after we were picked up for Season 7, because all of a sudden I saw the finish line. Even if it's many, many years from now, that will be up to me and not up to studio, who has had me under contract willingly - I signed it, I have no regrets that I signed it. But every year, it's like, 'We're going to pick up another season, you have to come back.' Right? Season 8 would not be that. So, we're talking about it." (Aug. 27, 2018 Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum podcast recording of Jun. 21, 2018 interview with SA, page 727 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: "Onto Arrow, without getting into specifics, I did the Michael Rosenbaum podcast, as you know, and I've been getting a lot of notes on twitter and facebook, um, uh, telling me not to leave after Season 7, which I - seemed kinda strange. Anyway, I don't want to go too far into the weeds, but, um, I would just like to let everybody know that if, um, if we are lucky enough to get an 8th season, or another season that is on The CW, if CW is, you know, behind us, and WB is still behind us, and you, the viewers and the fans, are still behind us, I want to let everybody know that I will be back for Season 8. I'm not going anywhere. So, um, that's just the nature of the business. You work in your contract when you get into these later seasons, but I'm more than happy to report that, um, you know, I've reached an agreement with the WB and CW to continue on in the role of Oliver Queen and, um, nothing makes me happier, 'cause I love this job. That's it. ... Regardless of whether or not we do get an 8th season, and I really enjoy how things are going right now, um, the fact that we are even discussing something with the word '8' involved, or the number 8, as the case may be, is a testament to how much people enjoy doing the show, but more importantly, how much you guys have supported us. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you." (Sep. 5, 2018 SA facebook video, page 730 of Social Media thread)

Edited September 10, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This summary includes all topical spoilers from September 6 - October 15, 2018 (before 701 aired). This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

ADDENDUM #3 TO SUMMARY OF S7 SPOILERS BY TOPIC

S7 Premiere, Scheduling and Episode Order
-- SA: "We're only doing 22 instead of 23, which doesn't sound like a lot, but I promise you it is." (Oct 12, 2018 SA facebook video, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 5 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)

S7 Showrunner and Writers
-- On the challenges of taking over as showrunner in Arrow's seventh season, EP Beth Schwartz: "The challenges are sort of: How do we tell new stories? How do we shake things up? I always like to go into the writers’ room and say, “What have we never done before? How can we tell a story differently, from a fresh perspective?” (Sep. 14, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether there is anything specific that she wanted to bring to the show as the new showrunner, EP Beth Schwartz: "For me, because I’ve been on the show for so long, I just wanted to bring all my favorite aspects of the show and put together all of the things with all of the characters. I’ve been with them so long, and the things that I wanted to see them do, they haven’t done yet." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 18 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Beth Schwartz's promotion to Arrow showrunner, SA: “I will say from a collaboration standpoint, it’s been really good... Beth has empowered producers and writers of specific episodes; they’ve been on set every day. They have the ability to be the producer and the decision maker — in conjunction with the director and actors — for that episode.” SA also said that he as ideas both for Oliver and “the show at large” that the writers are implementing, which has been “really lovely and flattering.” SA: “I posed a question about the nature of the prison when I went to the writers’ room for the first time... My specific idea, and even my specific nature of the space of a particular character, all ended up in the show. That’s great. I like that there’s stuff I can pitch that comes to fruition on the show.” (Oct. 10, 2018 Variety article, page 17 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how much involvement he has in the creative content in terms of stories, villains and stunts, SA: "I mean, I always pitch stuff, but in terms of the macro overall stories, it's more like that's our creative team. So Beth Schwartz is our showrunner this year. She's running the room. Our writers room." (Oct 12, 2018 SA facebook video, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 5 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)
-- Fan report on what CH said: "Colton’s explaining how everyone on set doesn’t know what’s happening this season. They’ll receive only their script portions with everything else’s redacted. Most won’t know the full story until it airs. #arrow #hvffnj." (HVFF-NJ, Sep. 8, 2018: mariamichelexo tweet, page 730 of Social Media thread)
-- On Sep. 15, 2018, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "Typing away on a new #Arrow script....  ??." (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 11 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

S7 Directors and Technical Advisors
-- DR: "I'm directing this year... I was asked to direct several years ago. I just wasn't ready yet. I didn't feel I was ready. And I just stayed with it, stuck with it, went through some courses, and just stayed on the show. And now I'm ready to kinda offer my vision of the show. So coming up next month - two months - I'm directing... I'm going to be directing in two months." (Sep. 20, 2018 ExtraTV tweet & video, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 13 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what he can tell us about the episode that he's directing, DR: "I can't and I'll tell you why. I just don't know. I wish I knew... I wish I knew exactly what was happening with my episode, but I don't." On when he'll find out, DR: "Honestly, a week before. It's like a week-and-a-half before, I find out what I'm directing. I have prep. It's a whole, drawn-out thing, girl. It's crazy." (Sep. 20, 2018 ExtraTV tweet & video, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 13 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

S7 Tone and Style
-- On why it was important to try to recapture the dark tone of S1, EP Beth Schwartz: "For me personally, being on a show this long and having such a huge series moment of Oliver finally saying he’s the Green Arrow, it kind of brought us back to how did he start that journey and sort of answering season 1, in terms of basically now that everyone knows who he is, he has some explaining to do and he’s got to sort of answer to the city. There’s just a lot of callbacks to season 1 that we felt were fitting because of that reveal." (Sep. 14, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "I think Arrow is at its best when [we’re] just threading through a lot of mystery. There’s going to be a lot of that this season, which is why I have been the spoiler police, as I’ve been called. If you think back to the pilot, it’s all about how did he become Arrow. We’re keeping that kind of tone, where it’s not just that it’s dark in tone, but there’s going to be a lot of mystery. Some of my favorite parts of the show are when we’ve been able to pull off those cool reveals." (Sep. 14, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether the added level of brutality in the 701 prison shower fight is indicative of S7 as a whole, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yeah, James Bamford, who directed the [premiere], just killed that fight sequence. It was very ambitious and worked really hard on, and it came out so well and we’re very excited for everyone to see the full thing. But, yeah, since returning to season 1, we wanted our fight sequences to be a little grittier, a little more personal, painful like you said, kind of in your face. We want to feel Oliver’s pain, and we definitely do in that fight sequence." (Sep. 14, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we'll see more visceral fight scenes, EP Beth Schwartz: "James Bamford and I have had many conversations about what we wanted the fight sequences to look like this year. We wanted to get back to the feel of Season 1 and be a little grittier with some more exciting stunts. We talked a lot about that shower scene. That was a very in-depth conversation of, “Are they going to let us do that?” Because Oliver is in prison, we didn’t want to sugarcoat anything and we just really wanted to show how hard it is for him to be in there. We’ll continue that. We definitely have a lot of really cool stuff coming up, for sure." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 18 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Transition From and Effect of S6
-- TV Guide: "With Oliver (Stephen Amell) in jail for vigilantism, Star City is in trouble." (Quoted from page 34 of print version of TV Guide Magazine, Sep. 17-30, 2018 Double Issue, page 4 of Spoilers thread)

S7 Trailers 
-- New Arrow S7 trailer posted, featuring inmate Stanley approaching Oliver in prison, news of "Green Arrow" appearing in Star City while Oliver's still in prison, Laurel giving a press conference, Diggle visiting Oliver in prison, the newbies, and Diaz pointing a gun at Felicity and William in the woods. (Sep. 19, 2018 The CW Television Network video, and CW_Arrow and ya_boy_ben tweets, page 12 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Another new Arrow S7 trailer posted, featuring Oliver in prison, Felicity telling Diggle that she "doesn't have anything to lose," rest of Team Arrow, Diaz, Longbow Hunters, Anatoly, and E2 Laurel. (Oct. 8, 2018 CW_Arrow tweet, SA facebook video and TVLine article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)

S7 Theme 
-- On S7 theme, EP Beth Schwartz: "Redemption. It hits all of our characters, especially Oliver being in prison. [After] the way things ended last season, he’s got to prove himself to part of the city he’s been lying to for six years. He was their mayor and the Green Arrow, and they had no idea. Everyone’s got mixed opinions about him as a person, and he’s going to have to redeem himself through the season." (Sep. 14, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether this season's theme of redemption is going to be a full season theme, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yeah, it’s gonna affect all of our characters, but it will obviously affect Oliver the most, just in terms of everything that he’s done for the past six years and because his identity is outed. Everyone knows who he is, and that’s gonna be a huge. He’s gonna have to deal with that, all season. He can no longer hide behind the mask or prison, or any of those things." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 18 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how the theme of redemption affects the other characters, EP Beth Schwartz: "As we showed in the trailer for the season, there haven’t been vigilantes in five months. It’s actually illegal. So they all have to kind of, the same way that Oliver has to rebuild himself, they have to figure out what it means to be a hero in the city without going out as a vigilante. They all turn to something different." (Sep. 14, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- HVFF report on what DR said: "'A lot of the coming season is about Oliver’s idea of redemption' @david_ramsey." (HVFF-NJ, Sep. 8, 2018: heroesfanfest tweet, page 4 of Spoilers thread)

S7 Generally
-- From TVLine's "Fall TV Predictions" (unconfirmed, speculative): "Season 7 will open with Roy Harper, seven months into the future, being interrogated about the murder of Oliver Queen — and the rest of the story unfolds in flashbacks to the present." (Sep. 20, 2018 TVLine article, page 286 of Starling CIty Times thread)
-- On whether we can expect to see any familiar faces other than Bronze Tiger, Brick, and Derek Sampson, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yes, there will be another familiar face in prison, but I’m not going to say who." (Sep. 14, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether the identity of the new Green Arrow a season-long mystery, or whether it is something that they'll unveil and then explore before we get to the end of the season, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yes, we’ll definitely unveil and explore that before the end of the season, for sure." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 18 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what is the new Green Arrow's agenda, and whether he is a vigilante hero like Rene thinks he is, EP Beth Schwartz: "I can’t really tell you which way the new Green Arrow will go, but Dinah and Rene will definitely be arguing that point for a little bit. They will be on different sides for a little bit." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 18 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- SA: "But we are introduced to a new vigilante crew, a new Green Arrow, and when Beth [Schwartz] explained to me what the idea was, I was really excited, because it was nothing I ever anticipated." (Sep. 17, 2018 IGN article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "This season feels very different. It feels very bold. It feels like, in my mind, it’s taking one of the things we did in Season 4, where we introduced [a tease] someone was in the grave. It’s not doing anything like that, but that to me always felt like a bold choice. ... Even when we introduced Caity Lotz’s character, you think the biggest thing is going to be her seeing [her father] Quentin, so we’re not going to do that for a very long time. And then all of a sudden it happens. It feels like we’re making a lot of those choices, and that’s been very, very invigorating for me, because I never want to be safe. I’m of the mindset if you have a good idea, let’s do it. Season 8 is promised to no one. It’s been very refreshing, and it feels like we’re pushing the envelope this year." (Oct. 10, 2018 Variety article, page 17 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether there is anything about S7 that he's surprised that no one has asked him about, SA: No, because we’ve done a really good job this year of keeping spoilers to a minimum. But there is an element of Season 7 that I think will really, really surprise people." (Oct 10, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "One of the strangest thing about this season, for me, has been how little I’ve worked with my fellow cast mates that are series regulars, that I have been working with for a very long time. One of the reasons that I’m excited is that it would have been very easy to break Oliver out of prison by the end of the first episode, and that’s just not what we’ve done. We’re trying to true to the deal that he made and the reason that he’s there, and that has created a very unique schedule for me. I’ve had very, very concentrated time, but also more days off in the first part of this season than I probably had for the first three years of the show." (Oct 10, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether there are any new characters that he can tease for the new season, SA: "I’d say the one that I could tease is that I really enjoy some of the work that I’ve done with an unlikely ally and teammate in prison." (Oct 10, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we find out who the new Mayor of Star City is now, SA: "I believe we find out who the Mayor is. I think we actually talk about that in the premiere." (Oct 10, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "I'm just - fingers crossed, you know, double-crossed, because we have a lot of surprises this year. And, uh, we've gotten all the way to the premiere without anything leaking." (Oct 12, 2018 SA facebook video, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 5 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)
-- On how he feels about this season of Arrow and whether it is one of his faves, SA: "Um, yeah, actually... I think that on a show you ebb and flow. And I know that our first and our second season, to me, felt very special, the second being we learned a lot of lessons in the first and I felt we executed them in the second. I'm very, very fond of the fifth because it brought to an end an era to the show. Um, I really liked that we created  a villain and made that villain so iconic and Josh's performance was so wonderful, and just bringing the flashbacks back to the pilot was a real accomplishment. We also had our 100th episode. This year feels like such a departure because Oliver is in prison and the prison stuff is so different, and the prison stuff also gives other people a chance to really shine... So the seventh season feels really unique. We're going to hit 150 episodes in episode 12, which is amazing. We're only doing 22 instead of 23, which doesn't sound like a lot, but I promise you it is." (Oct 12, 2018 SA facebook video, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 5 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)
-- SA: "The other returning character that we have coming back that we haven't disclosed yet and certainly hasn't leaked. It was fantastic to work with them." (Oct 12, 2018 SA facebook video, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 5 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)
-- On Aug. 13, 2018, SA tweeted: "Watching someone try on a superhero suit for the first time never gets old." On Oct. 7, 2018, SA clarified by tweeting: "I wasn’t talking about Ruby. I was talking about a character that you’ve seen on Arrow. If I gave you 50 guesses, you wouldn’t get it." (SA tweet, page 1 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread, and SA tweet, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 3 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)

Team Arrow
-- TV Guide: "Team Arrow - which welcomes back Roy (Colton Haynes) - will struggle with their responsibilities. One no-no: visiting their leader." (Quoted from page 34 of print version of TV Guide Magazine, Sep. 17-30, 2018 Double Issue, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "But no one on the team is suiting up and doing the vigilante thing because obviously that would jeopardize what Oliver sacrificed for them." (Sep. 17, 2018 IGN article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Oliver's teammates are doing without him present and whether they're still vigilantes, SA: "There hasn’t been any vigilante activity in the city for three months. They can’t. If they go out and they put a mask on again, and they do the vigilante thing, then they’re not honoring the sacrifice that Oliver made to keep them out of prison. So it’s a very, very different dynamic. That being said, I think you can also tell from the trailer that there is some new vigilante activity happening within the city." (Oct 10, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- RG: "With new Team Arrow, a lot of questions will be answered right away." Also RG: "What I love about being on the show, season 7, we create a lot of storylines for each other and, at the end of the day, we don’t throw anything away... We still carry the weight of everything that we’ve been through, everything that we deal with, to make it super believable and make the fans invested." (Oct. 12, 2018 Metro article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)

Oliver & Felicity ("Olicity")
-- On Olicity's situation, EP Beth Schwartz: “What I found most interesting about what they’re going through this season is that having your husband in prison is really challenging on its own. But the fact that your husband is the Green Arrow, and everyone knows your husband is the Green Arrow, is a second challenge that couple will have.” (Sep. 10, 2018 TVLine article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, they've found other ways to give you Olicity feels, saying: "We obviously thought about that, just in terms of storytelling, it would be great if both of them are fighting for the same thing... So even if we don't physically see them together, their stories are pretty much — their goals are the same. So they connect without physically connecting, which I think is really cool because they're both fighting for their families, so you don't need to see them together to get that connection." (Oct. 11, 2018 TV Guide article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "[We thought] in terms of storytelling, it would be great if both of them are fighting for the same thing... So even if we don't physically see them together... their goals are the same. They connect without physically connecting, which I think is really cool, because they're both fighting for their families, so you don't need to see them together to get that connection." However, there will certainly be some tension between the two as the season goes on -- stemming from the constant threats to their lives from big bads like Diaz and the Longbow Hunters, as well as Oliver's unilateral decision to go to prison in order to grant immunity to the rest of the team. On Oliver's sacrifice, EP Beth Schwartz: "It's definitely going to affect his marriage... That's definitely going to be brought up. [Felicity] didn't like that too much." (Oct. 11, 2018 ETonline article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "I personally don’t think that Oliver’s seen Felicity since he’s gone to prison, because she’s in witness protection, and that’s sort of the main reason why Diggle is visiting on a regular basis - because he’s updating them, 'how they’re doing, are they safe, what’s going on?' ... But obviously Oliver and Felicity come face to face in the premiere. And Emily [Bett Rickards] and I were joking about it, because our last scene that we shot last year is the scene where I tell her that I’m going to prison, and then I say goodbye to William. And then this scene, in the premiere, it’s sort of the same scene, insofar as it’s really, really emotional, and Emily and I were laughing afterwards, like, 'can’t we just have a scene where they’re sitting around drinking coffee, and talking about their day, and not having to have these super emotional, tiring scenes?'" (Sep. 17, 2018 IGN article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On his dramatic scene with EBR in 701, SA: “I think people have seen the photos of when we get the chance to interact, and I just thought her performance in that scene was up there or even better than anything else that she has ever done on the show.” (Sep. 21, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 13 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- With Oliver stuck in prison and Felicity and William hiding from returning big bad Ricardo Diaz in witness protection, SA and EBR haven’t seen very much of each other. Basically, they’re experiencing the same isolation their characters are facing this year. SA: "It’s been a very, very unique year because I am in prison and because I’m not ‘kind of isolated’; I’m really isolated... It feels like there are two shows going on; There’s what’s happening out in Star City, and there’s what’s going on with Oliver. It feels like two very, very different things, but it has been a really interesting journey. It’s been a challenge for me thus far in a good way.” EBR: “It kind of feels like a little bit of a different show in terms of isolation, of not working with the people I’ve gotten to work with over the last six years... [Stephen and I] haven’t seen each other in a while, so it’ll be fun to get [everyone] back together. We all like each other too much.” (Oct. 12, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- Although Felicity misses Oliver, that doesn’t mean that she has gotten over Oliver making a unilateral decision that would affect both of their lives. EBR: “She’s pissed, as she should be. That decision had her life completely remade and it wasn’t her choice... She’s upset, she’s hurt, she’s lonely, and she’s heartbroken. So, all of those intense emotions together don’t make for the best recipe.” (Oct. 12, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)

Oliver Queen AKA Green Arrow
-- The CW tweeted video clip of Oliver's prison shower fight with other inmates. (Sep. 12, 2018 CW_Arrow tweet, page 10 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- TV Guide: "With the Green Arrow tightly locked away in jail, you'd think Star City would be in major trouble, but frankly, we're more worried about Oliver. His fellow inmates have it in for him, and jail isn't a safe place for the former mayor and vigilante extraordinaire to be." (Sep. 12, 2018 TVGuide article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "Prison is not great for Ollie." (Quoted from page 34 of print version of TV Guide Magazine, Sep. 17-30, 2018 Double Issue, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On why they decided to make Oliver pretty unheroic at the beginning of S7, EP Beth Schwartz: "I think the cool part of him being in prison is that having a hero be in prison is very challenging, especially for Oliver. Just being able to survive prison, similar to when he was on Lian-Yu, he has to make some questionable choices to survive. We sort of wanted to write to the real of what that situation would look like if he was locked up with a bunch of previous villains that he’d previously put in there, and they’re now on the same playing field. There’s so much conflict there. He can’t do things the way he did them as the Green Arrow. The rules are different in prison." (Sep. 14, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oliver in prison, EP Beth Schwartz: "It's one of my favorite things this season, because it's just so different from anything we've done before... And it allows his character to be with other people. And I think that's the fun of it... we wanted to keep him separate, because the reality of when you're in prison, you're not with your family. So his storylines are with the characters in the prison. And not as much with everyone else. So they are pretty separate." (Oct. 12, 2018 GameSpot article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: “The season feels very bold... To get new stuff to do with the character that you’ve been playing for seven seasons now, it’s not the easiest thing to pull off, so to be in prison and to be isolated from everyone else, and to have all of these new scene partners and a new dynamic about my personality and the way that [Oliver] is feeling and the way that he’s dealing with things, it’s just a lot of fun.” (Sep. 21, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 13 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- SA: "Normally I have a really good overall view of the season; the interesting thing thus far this season is, I had a scene [recently] and it was the first time that I had worked with a series regular in months, because Oliver’s very isolated in prison, obviously." (Sep. 17, 2018 IGN article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "The prison stuff, it’s really gritty. And we beat Oliver down. There’s one episode where I spend the entire episode in one room. That’s it, and it was just two straight days of super, super interesting and intense stuff that I don’t think we’ve really done on the show. We’ve never taken a character and isolated him and examined him psychologically the way we have this year with Oliver ... So that sort of examination has been a really interesting exercise for me." (Sep. 17, 2018 IGN article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "He’s in prison with a bunch of people that he basically put there. And I would say that Brick is kind of the ringleader of the group. But the things that Oliver discovers about some of the prisoners, I think are a little bit unexpected for the first part of the season... And there’s a couple of interesting employees in the prison, and there’s also an inmate that I don’t think Oliver ever thought he would see again." (Sep. 17, 2018 IGN article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "Stanley and Oliver have a relationship where, when he first gets in there, he seeks out Oliver for help and for protection... And there's a very, very interesting scene, where Brick and his whole crew use Stanley as leverage against Oliver. And especially in the first episode, it really illustrates how far Oliver’s fallen, and how he’s had to cope with being in prison." (Sep. 17, 2018 IGN article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- While fans might expect Oliver to try and establish himself as the Alpha dog in the yard to avoid becoming a target, SA explained that he's mostly trying to "just keep his head down, and not to get into trouble. The viewers don’t know exactly how long Oliver’s sentence was for, but the finale of the previous season was called 'Life Sentence.' But there’s still an inkling that, with good behavior and with keeping your head down, maybe there’s an opportunity for him to eventually get out. So it’s strange, he’s struggling a ton with trying not to be the hero." (Sep. 17, 2018 IGN article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On fight scenes this season, per SA, it feels like "things have ramped up. We have a fight scene in the first episode that, it’s actually dueling fight scenes, and it’s one of our best stunt achievements, I think. It was me for almost thirteen hours, just non-stop fighting. And it was amazing, and we couldn’t use a stunt double for it. We’ve only had that a couple of times in the history of the show. I like to do a lot of my own stunts, but in this instance, we physically could not have a double, and it was really something." (Sep. 17, 2018 IGN article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "One of the things that I chatted with the writers about is, we have to make sure there’s an anchor to keep Oliver in prison. That’s something that I’ve thought a lot about. Because he’s in there for three reasons: He’s in there to keep Felicity and William safe. He’s in there to give his friends immunity. And he’s in there because that means that the FBI and A.R.G.U.S. are gonna track Diaz. So, if all three of those things go away, he would just break out. And that’s something that we talk about all the time. So, he’s aware that Diaz is still out there, but he’s also having trouble being convinced that Felicity and William are safe. He’s having recurring nightmares about Diaz finding them, and obviously doing what Diaz would do." (Sep. 17, 2018 IGN article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Oliver is handling his time in prison, SA: "He’s doing OK. Despite the fact that [his son] William and [his wife] Felicity are in witness protection, he can’t rest easy with the fact that it’s five months in and Diaz is still out there. He’s sacrificed everything to take him off the board, and he’s not off the board. He’s also having to go against a lot of his better instincts in order to survive. He’s in there with a lot of people he helped put in there. There’s a target on his back." (Oct. 10, 2018 Variety article, page 17 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether Oliver has found any allies inside prison or whether it is truly him versus everyone else, SA: "We start with him versus everyone else. He starts to gain a few allies along the way. Some people we’re meeting for the first time, some people we’ve seen on the show. Prison is never what it seems. Just when he thinks it can’t get any worse, it’s obviously going to get a lot worse. ... It’s been fun, as an actor, [because in the past] Oliver would immediately try to problem-solve, be heroic, try to help the less fortunate. Prison, and his desire to just get through it and eventually get back to his family, make him act the opposite of what people would expect." (Oct. 10, 2018 Variety article, page 17 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what lessons does he hope that Oliver will have learned when he ultimately gets out of prison, SA: "I think that not everything is black and white; there is a middle ground. Even at his best, he had a tendency to be very dictatorial. He hasn’t really understood the psyche of a criminal. So hopefully he comes out with a better understanding of the types of people he’s dealing with. And hopefully that helps him, if he gets out, be a better person, a better hero." (Oct. 10, 2018 Variety article, page 17 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- SA: “One of the themes of the season is that there are no heroes in prison, so Oliver has had to go against a lot of his instincts so far this year... There’s an element that reminds of how beaten down he got in those first few years of flashbacks. I’ve [only] had one day on set this year where I’m not covered in cuts and bruises. It’s been very unique.” (Oct. 12, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- Oliver’s prison stay will not only challenge some of Oliver’s growth from the past six seasons, but it will also force him to reconsider his views on criminals. SA: “We see him examined this year in prison in a way that feels kind of like the logical evolution from what Chase tried to do to him back in season 5 where he got him to admit that he liked killing... I don’t think Oliver has given a lot of consideration the moral and emotional complexities of criminals. He’s always just thought that if you’re a criminal, that means you are bad, period. Things aren’t always black and white, and that’s something we’re really focusing on his character learning. I hope that if and when he does get out of prison, he will take some of those lessons and take some of that empathy and apply it to being a better version of himself.” (Oct. 12, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "That’s the one thing I’m very, very curious to know about that I know precious little about. What’s Oliver’s like with the team when he gets out of prison — what is his relationship with the population of Star City? He’s outed now; he outed himself. What does that mean? We have to respect the enormity of that decision. He can’t live in that apartment anymore, because he’s the Green Arrow and everybody knows it. What are those dynamics? I’m very interested to see." On how that's been handled so far, SA: "He’s in prison. That’s it. … I’ve had very, very intensive work when I’ve been working, but one of the things I’m very, very proud of this year, is I didn’t know if when Oliver went to prison, I’d be working every day, and we wouldn’t see a lot of the [other] cast members. We’ve gone to great lengths to make sure those stories continue. Oliver is an element of the show, but he’s also isolated from everyone. The stuff I’ve been doing has been labor-intensive, but I’ve then had big breaks." (Oct. 10, 2018 Variety article, page 17 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how long Oliver is going to be in prison, SA: "Longer than everybody expects." (Oct 12, 2018 SA facebook video, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 5 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)
-- On whether Oliver will have a new costume when he gets out of prison, SA: "I don’t know! Good question. We’ve been trying to figure that out, and I actually don’t know where we’ve landed." (Oct 10, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "Oliver Queen from Season 1 is totally different than the Oliver Queen in Season 6. (CH interjected, "Especially this season.")  Especially this season." (HVFF-NJ, Sep. 8, 2018: Sep. 12, 2018 Fan Fest video of Arrow Vets panel, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 731 of Social Media thread)
-- DR: "I can't speak for the writers of the show, but I've been an actor on the show for seven seasons and I know that the John Diggle and Felicity Smoak characters particularly have been conduits used to help our lead, Oliver Queen, regain his humanity. Okay? Oliver Queen from Season 1 is totally different than the Oliver Queen in Season 6. (CH interjected, "Especially this season.")  Especially this season. So, I think, part of this is about his understanding of redemption. Like I said, I can't speak for them. But, from my vantage point, that's how I read the character. So I read part of what the allowance that he gives to this new Laurel, and the, um, license he gives to her to change, is almost a mirror image of himself being able to change. And also he feels guilty, right? About the death of the original Laurel Lance. But the bigger story to your question of, you know, just in the whole world of the city, how are they allowing her to kind of assume this new life, I think they will get to that. But part of this - part of this was - because all of these stories lead to our lead, Oliver Queen, right? So that's why I always go back to him. So I think that's part of what the writers want to show is, how this relates to Oliver. But I think some of what you're asking will be addressed this season." (HVFF-NJ, Sep. 8, 2018: Sep. 12, 2018 Fan Fest video of Arrow Vets panel, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 731 of Social Media thread)
-- On Sep. 9, 2018, fan report on what DR said: "David told me Oliver is out of prison already. (They started 706) so I guess by the end of 705 or 706 he’s out!! ????" and "Don’t be mad if I possibly misheard because it happened so quickly I almost blacked out LMAOO but then later in the convo when I asked what episode they are currently filming, he said 706  So basically I put the two together and there you go." (HVFF-NJ, Sep. 9, 2018: amellshood tweets, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 9 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Sep. 28, 2018, SA tweeted two pics of himself, one the side profile with the beard that he posted the other dayand one of him with a closely shaved goatee, with comment: "Wednesday / Thursday —." (SA tweet, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 14 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Oct. 4, 2018, SA tweeted: "Sometimes you can change a superhero suit with addition by subtraction. ?????" (SA tweet, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oct. 12, 2018, SA: "I'm happy to be back to a more normal, facial hair length. It just got to be a bit much towards the end there. But I'm just about to watch a cut of episode 7, which I believe is Oliver's last episode with the beard." (SA facebook video, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 5 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)

Felicity Smoak AKA Overwatch
-- On how Felicity is handling Oliver being in jail, EP Beth Schwartz: "We’re going to see a different side to Felicity than we’ve ever seen. She wasn’t in on the decision that Oliver made — the deal he made which led him to prison — so she’s going to take matters into her own hands a lot this season. She’s going to fight back, and we’re just going to see a different side to her that I think the fans are going to be really excited about. That’s all I can say." (Sep. 14, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, Felicity's storyline is one of her favorites of the upcoming season, noting that "we played her pretty parallel to Oliver." (Oct. 11, 2018 ETonline article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- While Oliver toils away in the Iron Heights prison, Felicity and William will be adjusting to life in the witness protection program as the FBI continues to hunt down Diaz, and to say they're adjusting to their new lives poorly is an understatement. EP Beth Schwartz: "They are not adapting well... They're both pretty miserable. Felicity is away from her husband, William's away from his father, and their family and their city and their real lives, so it's not going well." (Oct. 11, 2018 TV Guide article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Felicity and William's life on the run, EP Beth Schwartz: "They are not adapting well [to life in witness protection]," ... They're both pretty miserable. Felicity's away from her husband, William's away from his father, and their family and their city and their real lives. It's not going well." (Oct. 11, 2018 ETonline article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Felicity and William, EP Beth Schwartz: "They are not adapting well... They are both pretty miserable. They are away, Felicity is away from her husband, William is away from his father, and their family, and their city, and their real lives. So, it's not going well." (Oct. 12, 2018 GameSpot article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Felicity and William are adapting to life in Witness Protection, EP Beth Schwartz: "They are not adapting well. They are both pretty miserable. Felicity is away from her husband, and William is away from his father. They’re away from their family, their city and their real lives, so it’s not going well." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 18 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On EBR's fight scene in 701, SA: "She has a kick-ass action scene that I know specifically that James Bamford let her go crazy [with], in this action scene with a stunt performer... When I was watching it, it’s actually happening alongside another action scene, and I was actually kind of jealous with how visceral and aggressive Emily’s scene was.” (Sep. 21, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 13 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- SA: "[Oliver's prison shower fight scene is] not the most visceral fight scene in the episode [701]. Emily has the most visceral fight scene in the episode... Beth is going to kill me." (Sep. 22, 2018 IGN video of Nocking Point event with SA and Aisha Tyler, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 732 of Social Media thread)
-- Felicity is struggling with the isolation of witness protection because she hasn’t seen anyone from Team Arrow in months. EBR: “It’s sort of that concept of your life changes and the people around you are the ones that matter, and not having them in it can really detrimentally affect your lifestyle and who you are and who you’ve become... It’s sort of that feeling that you can be surrounded by a million people but be so lonely if you don’t have the ones you love. I think that’s where we find pretty much everyone at the beginning of the season.” (Oct. 12, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- EBR: “[Felicity's] upset [over Oliver's unilateral decision], she’s hurt, she’s lonely, and she’s heartbroken. So, all of those intense emotions together don’t make for the best recipe.” (Oct. 12, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- When the S7 begins, Felicity misses being Overwatch, but that might end up being her saving grace. EBR: “I think there’s a void, like she has numbed a part of her heart so she can get over that because I think it’s just been so detrimental being away from her partner and her friends... Overwatch is sort of what lets her come back in easier as the season progresses. That’s the tool that she uses to connect.” (Oct. 12, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Diggle is in contact with Felicity and William, DR: "It's interesting that you ask that. They both are working to get Oliver out of prison." (Sep. 20, 2018 ExtraTV tweet & video, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 13 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

William Clayton
-- While Oliver toils away in the Iron Heights prison, Felicity and William will be adjusting to life in the witness protection program as the FBI continues to hunt down Diaz, and to say they're adjusting to their new lives poorly is an understatement. EP Beth Schwartz: "They are not adapting well... They're both pretty miserable. Felicity is away from her husband, William's away from his father, and their family and their city and their real lives, so it's not going well." (Oct. 11, 2018 TV Guide article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Felicity and William's life on the run, EP Beth Schwartz: "They are not adapting well [to life in witness protection]," ... They're both pretty miserable. Felicity's away from her husband, William's away from his father, and their family and their city and their real lives. It's not going well." (Oct. 11, 2018 ETonline article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Felicity and William, EP Beth Schwartz: "They are not adapting well... They are both pretty miserable. They are away, Felicity is away from her husband, William is away from his father, and their family, and their city, and their real lives. So, it's not going well." (Oct. 12, 2018 GameSpot article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Felicity and William are adapting to life in Witness Protection, EP Beth Schwartz: "They are not adapting well. They are both pretty miserable. Felicity is away from her husband, and William is away from his father. They’re away from their family, their city and their real lives, so it’s not going well." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 18 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- SA: "William will have a bigger role this season." (Oct 12, 2018 SA facebook video, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 5 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)

John Diggle AKA Spartan 
-- On what's in store for Diggle, EP Beth Schwartz: "Diggle is full-time Argus now, and his wife is his boss, which I love. You’ll see, in the next few episodes, how he’s dealing with what happened with Felicity. Diggle feels like he’s Oliver’s brother, in a sense, and he obviously wants to protect Oliver’s family, but he’s full-time Argus now. So, we’ll see some Argus stories, which is really fun." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 18 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On when fans can expect to see Diggle's family, DR: "This season... I know we're seeing them this season. You may see them in the crossover, I'm not quite sure. But you will be seeing them this season. I can't tell you if it's early or late in the season." (Sep. 20, 2018 ExtraTV tweet & video, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 13 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how Oliver's imprisonment impacts Diggle, DR: "I wouldn't say [unintelligible word], but very emotionally. It's affected the whole team emotionally. Um, but he's his best friend, so he stays very close to him. He's visiting him in prison. And he's still after the bad guy who ultimately placed him in prison. So they still have a very, very close relationship. And he's working to get Oliver out." (Sep. 20, 2018 ExtraTV tweet & video, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 13 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether Diggle is in contact with Felicity and William, DR: "It's interesting that you ask that. They both are working to get Oliver out of prison." (Sep. 20, 2018 ExtraTV tweet & video, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 13 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether Diggle and Roy will be fighting over the GA suit now that Oliver is in jail, DR: "I think we're beyond that. I mean, here's the quick answer to your question and the real answer to your question... I think there's part of a message that the show was trying to say other people wanted the suit... I think we're getting away from that. I think that's not really our story, our show. Green Arrow is Green Arrow. Oliver Queen... And though I think other people have worn the suit, it's like the cowl on Bruce Wayne, right? That's who he is. So, um, no. The answer is that you won't find John Diggle and Roy Harper fighting over the Green Arrow suit. No. That won't happen." (HVFF-NJ, Sep. 8, 2018: Sep. 12, 2018 Fan Fest video of Arrow Vets panel, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 731 of Social Media thread)

Lyla Michaels and A.R.G.U.S.
-- On whether we can expect to see more Lyla this season, DR: "Yes. You'll see a lot of, um, Lyla on our show. Diggle and Lyla are working together at ARGUS. Lyla is our new Amanda Waller... and, um, she leads ARGUS. I'm working with her. We're married... And, um, you'll see a lot more of Diggle and Lyla together." (Sep. 20, 2018 ExtraTV tweet & video, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 13 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Roy Harper AKA Arsenal
-- TV Guide: "There also appears to be a new archer in town though, and we've got a few theories about who it could be. After all, Roy Harper (Colton Haynes) is returning full time to the show this year!" (Sep. 12, 2018 TVGuide article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Roy is different from when we’ve seen him in the past, EP Beth Schwartz: "He’ll be the same Roy that we love. Last time we saw him, he went off with Thea, so a lot has happened since then, and he’ll be affected by what happened when he left when he returns." (Sep. 14, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we will have to wait long to see Colton Haynes, SA: "It is nice to have him back on the show, and I don’t think that you’ll have to wait very long." (Oct 10, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On CH's return as Roy Harper, SA: "I can’t give you a single thing... I can say stuff, but the really cool thing is that I could give you like a hundred guesses, and I don’t think that you would get it. We find him in a spot that you would never expect to find him, talking to a character that you’ve never seen before, but is incredibly familiar." (Sep. 17, 2018 IGN article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether they see their characters fighting for the GA suit now that Oliver is in jail, DR: "I think we're beyond that. I mean, here's the quick answer to your question and the real answer to your question... I think there's part of a message that the show was trying to say other people wanted the suit... I think we're getting away from that. I think that's not really our story, our show. Green Arrow is Green Arrow. Oliver Queen... And though I think other people have worn the suit, it's like the cowl on Bruce Wayne, right? That's who he is. So, um, no. The answer is that you won't find John Diggle and Roy Harper fighting over the Green Arrow suit. No. That won't happen." (HVFF-NJ, Sep. 8, 2018: Sep. 12, 2018 Fan Fest video of Arrow Vets panel, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 731 of Social Media thread)
-- CH: "This beard is not working out." DR: "I like the beard. Jeesh[not sure of word]!" CH: "The beard's for work. Otherwise I would shave it. So that's one of the only spoilers I can give you, so-" DR: "Oh, the beard's for work... What kind of work are you doing that requires a beard, Colton Haynes?" CH: "Well, I work on a television show, uh, called Arrow, as you guys know, now I'm back. And, um, now I have to have a beard. And not get haircuts. So that's - you know, how much that makes me upset. But I still love being on the show. But I'd like to somehow find my face back." (HVFF-NJ, Sep. 8, 2018: Sep. 12, 2018 Fan Fest video of Arrow Vets panel, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 731 of Social Media thread)
-- CH: "I can say that, um, you're not going to - you have no idea what my character's - what's going to happen to him this year. You're not going to recognize me and you're not going to have any idea what's happening." (HVFF-NJ, Sep. 8, 2018: Sep. 12, 2018 Fan Fest video of Arrow Vets panel, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 731 of Social Media thread)
-- On whether Roy was getting an updated suit, since he gave his Arsenal suit to Thea, CH: "I don't know if Roy is coming back as Roy, if he's coming back as Arsenal. I don't know what - if he's coming back as Superman. I don't know... I'm not sure where the suit is at the moment. I can say that." (HVFF-NJ, Sep. 8, 2018: Sep. 12, 2018 Fan Fest video of Arrow Vets panel, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 731 of Social Media thread)
-- CH: "I think that Roy and Thea will always love each other. I really don't know if Roy's going to have - I promise, I don't know this. I'm not lying. I don't know if there's going to be a love interest for Roy this season. But if there is, it's going to be kind of hard to top not having Thea." (HVFF-NJ, Sep. 8, 2018: Sep. 12, 2018 Fan Fest video of Arrow Vets panel, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 731 of Social Media thread)
-- On whether they saw their characters developing the way they did on the show, CH: "The development now, especially with this season, I did not see this coming. Like, I have no idea how that - what you guys are going to do." DR: "The few things I know about this season, and this is exactly what Colton is saying, like, I had no idea where they're going, your head might explode, and the asthma attack might return." CH: "You can't explain it. So, no, I have no idea, at all. You'll see. October 15th." (HVFF-NJ, Sep. 8, 2018: Sep. 12, 2018 Fan Fest video of Arrow Vets panel, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 731 of Social Media thread)

Quentin Lance
-- On whether Lance will be back, SA: "I don't think so. I mean, that was a pretty deadly death. That being said, Paul Blackthorne is always welcome back, and if they can find a way for him to come back, be it a flashback or an alternate universe or a you name it. But we certainly miss him. Paul, if you're watching, we miss you." (Oct 12, 2018 SA facebook video, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 5 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)

Curtis Holt AKA Mr. Terrific
-- ThatHashTagShow: "Described as smart and ruthless, Leonard Gibbons, aka Javelin, is a French chemical weapons trader. In the midst of a huge ongoing deal, he does business with an undercover Curtis Holt/Mr. Terrific, bringing Team Arrow squarely into the mix.'" (Sep. 13, 2018 ThatHashTagShow article, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 11 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether Curtis will also factor into ARGUS stories this season, EP Beth Schwartz: "Uh-huh." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 18 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what's to come for Curtis this season, EP Beth Schwartz: "We are going to see that Curtis was little more traumatized than we thought from how things went down last season, which is why he specifically chose this position in Argus. That will come out this season." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 18 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how things are with Curtis and his boyfriend, EP Beth Schwartz: "They’re doing well. They are still together. They respect each other." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 18 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Rene Ramirez AKA Wild Dog
-- On what is the new Green Arrow's agenda, and whether he is a vigilante hero like Rene thinks he is, EP Beth Schwartz: "I can’t really tell you which way the new Green Arrow will go, but Dinah and Rene will definitely be arguing that point for a little bit. They will be on different sides for a little bit." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 18 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Dinah Drake AKA Black Canary
-- JH's Dinah Drake is going to have a new role on the series, keeping her promise to put her vigilante alter ego aside and taking over as Star City’s new police captain. EP Beth Schwartz: "It just felt like that was the natural position she would be in when everyone was choosing what makes them a hero for this city... Her beginning, her origin story, she was a cop before she was Black Canary, so it just made the most sense. She’s kind of going back to her roots a little bit, and as we see in the premiere, she’s on the other side of things. It’s interesting- and Rene is calling her out on it – because she is now the people who used to chase after them, but she believes that what’s best for the city is law and order, and not necessarily vigilantes anymore.” (Oct. 11, 2018 GreenArrowTV tweet & article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the decision to make Dinah the police captain, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yeah, it just felt like that was the natural position she would be in. When everyone was choosing what makes them a hero for the city, her beginning and her origin story was as a cop before she was Black Canary, so it just made the most sense. She’s going back to her roots a little bit. She fully believes in the law now. She’s on the other side of things, which is so interesting because Rene is calling her out on it, now that she’s the people who used to chase after them. But she believes that what’s best for the city is law and order, and not vigilantes anymore." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 18 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what is the new Green Arrow's agenda, and whether he is a vigilante hero like Rene thinks he is, EP Beth Schwartz: "I can’t really tell you which way the new Green Arrow will go, but Dinah and Rene will definitely be arguing that point for a little bit. They will be on different sides for a little bit." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 18 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Earth-2 Laurel Lance AKA Black Siren
-- TV Guide: "Villainous Laurel (Katie Cassidy) is torn between going legit and seeking revenge on Ricardo Diaz (Kirk Acevedo) for killing her father (Paul Blackthorne), says exec producer Beth Schwartz." (Quoted from page 34 of print version of TV Guide Magazine, Sep. 17-30, 2018 Double Issue, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- When asked about E2 Laurel, EP Beth Schwartz: "We’re very excited about her story. As you guys know, the theme [of Season 7] is redemption, and she has kind of the farthest [to go] to redeem herself... She’s the D.A. as we see in the premiere, but her season-long arc is about ‘is she Laurel or is she Black Siren, and which one is she going to land on’?” (Oct. 11, 2018 GreenArrowTV tweet & article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what she can tease about what Laurel is up to this season, EP Beth Schwartz: 'We’re very excited about her story. As you guys know, the theme is redemption and she has the farthest to go, to redeem herself. She’s the DA, but her season-long arc is about, is she Laurel or is she Black Siren? Which one is she gonna land on?" (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 18 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Male Fan: "Hi, my name is Dash. And my question is, why is everybody seemingly okay with Evil Laurel Lance just walking around in society, like, she's already outed as the Black Canary, she's supposed to be dead, and, like, the good guys just don't seem to care at all that she's taking over their Laurel's life, like, how do the characters react to that?"  DR: "It's a great question. It's a very good question. Um, I think they're going to address that more this season. That's the quick answer to it. But I also think there's, um - I can't speak for the writers of the show, but I've been an actor on the show for seven seasons and I know that the John Diggle and Felicity Smoak characters particularly have been conduits used to help our lead, Oliver Queen, regain his humanity. Okay? Oliver Queen from Season 1 is totally different than the Oliver Queen in Season 6. (CH interjected, "Especially this season.")  Especially this season. So, I think, part of this is about his understanding of redemption. Like I said, I can't speak for them. But, from my vantage point, that's how I read the character. So I read part of what the allowance that he gives to this new Laurel, and the, um, license he gives to her to change, is almost a mirror image of himself being able to change. And also he feels guilty, right? About the death of the original Laurel Lance. But the bigger story to your question of, you know, just in the whole world of the city, how are they allowing her to kind of assume this new life, I think they will get to that. But part of this - part of this was - because all of these stories lead to our lead, Oliver Queen, right? So that's why I always go back to him. So I think that's part of what the writers want to show is, how this relates to Oliver. But I think some of what you're asking will be addressed this season." (HVFF-NJ, Sep. 8, 2018: Sep. 12, 2018 Fan Fest video of Arrow Vets panel, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 731 of Social Media thread)
-- Per KC, S7 will take a deeper dive into what makes this version of Laurel Lance tick. KC: "There’s a lot, but it’s cool to get an opportunity to explore the backstory of Black Siren... We’ll dive more into her story." (Oct. 12, 2018 Metro article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)

Leonard Gibbons AKA Javelin
-- ThatHashTagShow: "DC comics villain Javelin is coming to town! ... Described as smart and ruthless, Leonard Gibbons, aka Javelin, is a French chemical weapons trader. In the midst of a huge ongoing deal, he does business with an undercover Curtis Holt/Mr. Terrific, bringing Team Arrow squarely into the mix. The studio is currently on the lookout for a French-speaking male in his 30s to take on what was described as a 'large principle role.'" (Sep. 13, 2018 ThatHashTagShow article, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 11 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Ricardo Diaz AKA The Dragon
-- Per GATV, the credits for the S7 premiere episode indicate that Kirk Acevedo is a series regular this season. (Oct. 11, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per EW, Kirk Acevedo, who plays big bad Ricardo Diaz, has been promoted to series regular in S7. When the new season begins, Diaz is still in the wind, while Oliver remains in the prison. Arrow showrunner Beth Schwartz told EW that the calculating baddie will slightly off his rocker when he appears in season 7, saying: "He’s coming back even stronger and a little more unhinged... He’s more the Dragon this season than Diaz.” However, Diaz won’t be alone when he makes his return, as he’ll be joined by the Longbow Hunters, a deadly trio of assassins who set their sights on Team Arrow. (Oct. 11, 2018 GreenArrowTV and Entertainment Weekly articles, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "Diaz is off the board... he’s been in hiding for five months." (Sep. 17, 2018 IGN article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Sep. 26, 2018, KA tweeted pic of himself sitting shirtless in a room, with comment: "Morning meditation???? Gonna try to whoop @StephenAmell ass today! We fighting butt naked too.?? #WishMeLuck??  #Arrow #TheDragonVsGreenArrow???? #KidVicious??." (kirkacevedo tweet, page 4 of Spoilers thread)

Longbow Hunters
-- Per EW, Diaz will be joined by the Longbow Hunters, a deadly trio of assassins who set their sights on Team Arrow. (Oct. 11, 2018 GreenArrowTV and Entertainment Weekly articles, page 5 of Spoilers thread)

Maya (f/k/a "Jessie Bowden")
-- Katherine McNamara has been cast for a "pivotal recurring role" on Arrow. According to sources, KM will appear during the first half of S7 as Maya, a scrappy street fighter and thief from Star City. The initial — and unofficial — casting notice for the character likened the character to “Buffy the Superhero Slayer.” (Sep. 21, 2018 TVLine article, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 13 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Sep. 21, 2018, Katherine McNamara tweeted: "THRILLED to finally be able to share this news. So excited to be joining @CW_Arrow! ?? Thanks @tvline." (Kat_McNamara tweet, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Sep. 21, 2018, SA tweeted: "Met @Kat_McNamara on Monday. She seems lovely. Welcome to the family!!" (SA tweet, page 4 of Spoilers thread)

"Konomi Rhodes" 
-- Fan posted: "This actress Sea Shimooka posted on her instagram about filming a shirtless scene last week after following SA and the Arrow instagram and SA and other crew members followed her. After a fan tagged her for Arrow, she set her instagram to private. Might be the Koonami character?" (Oct. 1, 2018 way2interested post, page 15 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Derek Sampson AKA Stardust 
-- On Cody Rhodes' appearance on Arrow this year, SA: "I think that, just professionally, he did an excellent job. He's good." (Oct 12, 2018 SA facebook video, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 5 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)

Ben Turner AKA Bronze Tiger 
-- SA: "I really enjoyed working with Michael Jai White a lot." (Oct 12, 2018 SA facebook video, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 5 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)

Danny Brickwell AKA Brick 
-- SA: "Vinnie Jones was fantastic to work with." (Oct 12, 2018 SA facebook video, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 5 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)

Stanley (Prison Inmate)
-- A prison inmate named Stanley (played by Brendan Fletcher) appears in some promo pics for 701 and 702. (Sep. 17, 2018 IGN article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "Stanley and Oliver have a relationship where, when he first gets in there, he seeks out Oliver for help and for protection... And there's a very, very interesting scene, where Brick and his whole crew use Stanley as leverage against Oliver. And especially in the first episode, it really illustrates how far Oliver’s fallen, and how he’s had to cope with being in prison." (Sep. 17, 2018 IGN article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per SA, prison inmate Stanley (Brendan Fletcher) “becomes an interesting ally for Oliver in prison and kind of his very mini-version of a team member." (Oct. 12, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)

Slade Wilson AKA Deathstroke
-- Manu Bennett: "Unfortunately - or fortunately, 'cause I hope Joe - listen, I hope Joe Manganiello makes a frickin' kickass, great Slade Wilson/Deathstroke in the film. Joe Manganiello is a really great guy. I've met him a couple of times. Amazing, amazing physique. And, uh, when he puts that outfit on, I really wish him the best. (Softly) Motherf**ker (laughs). (Normal voice) I do. I do. But, unfortunately, as a result of that, you know, we can't continue the television storyline, you know, for awhile. I don't know. I don't know what's happened... But hopefully, at some stage, we'll get back there, because the story line that they started taking me on, you know, Slade and going after his family, you know, that's a really interesting part of the Marv Wolfman universe for the character. So who knows, you know. Maybe after the movie comes out...." (FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention, Sep. 7, 2018: Ammaross Danan video of Manu Bennett panel, page 731 of Social Media thread)
-- On Oct. 6, 2018, MB posted video clip of himself and Liam Hall on a mountain top, with comment: "Slade & Joe Wilson #likefatherlikeson @cw_arrow @arrowwriters #deathstroke #sladewilson #joewilson #arrow @dccomics." (manubennett instagram post, page 16 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Mega Crossover (Flash/Arrow/Supergirl)
-- All spoilers for this crossover event will now be included in the summary of 709 spoilers (to be posted later).

Looking Beyond S7 and Ending Arrow
-- On whether S7 is the last season of Arrow, SA: "No, I don't think so. I'm signed on beyond this year. Um, you know, when you get up to these stages, you tend to go year by year. But I have a contract for another season of Arrow. It'll come down to if the people at WB and The CW and DC and my family feel like doing another season. But I'm here for another season beyond this. And then, if we get to that season, we'll decide beyond that." (Oct 12, 2018 SA facebook video, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 5 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)
-- On whether they'll have an Arrow movie in the works, SA: "No, because we're still shooting the show. I will say, though, that - no, I won't say that." (Oct 12, 2018 SA facebook video, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 5 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)
-- On how long can Arrow go, DR: "We're in our 7th season... I don't know. How long can we go? Smallville went 10 years. Maybe. Maybe. I don't know." (Sep. 20, 2018 ExtraTV video, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 13 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Edited October 21, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

SUMMARY OF 701 SPOILERS:

S7, Episode 1: Inmate 4587
-- Production code: 701. Shoot Dates: July 6-18, 2018. Director: James Bamford. Writers: Beth Schwartz & Oscar Balderrama. Airdate: Oct. 15, 2018. (Jun. 26, 2018 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- 701 will air on Monday, Oct. 15, 2018, at 8pm ET. (Jun. 20, 2018 TVLine tweet & article and Entertainment Weekly article, page 541 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- 701 synopsis: "LOCKED UP — Following Oliver’s (Stephen Amell) shocking decision to turn himself over to the FBI and reveal his identity as the Green Arrow to the public, Oliver has spent the past five months in Slabside Maximum Security Prison. Determined to keep a low profile to shorten his sentence for the sake of his family, Oliver is tested when he runs into old foes. Meanwhile, Diggle (David Ramsey) and Dinah (Juliana Harkavy) have taken on new jobs and left their costumes behind but not everyone is following suit. With her focus on William (guest star Jack Moore), Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) tries to start over but when someone from her past resurfaces, things become complicated. James Bamford directed the episode written by Beth Schwartz & Oscar Balderrama (#701). Original airdate 10/15/2018." (Sep. 27, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)

-- 701 promo pics were posted, featuring Felicity in her kitchen, a bruised Felicity visiting Oliver in prison, and Diggle visiting Oliver in prison. Felicity has long, pink-tipped hair in all pics. (Sep. 10, 2018 GreenArrowTV tweet/article and TVLine article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- Additional 701 promo pics featuring Oliver in prison were posted. (Sep. 14, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 11 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Additional 701 promo pics were revealed in an IGN exclusive, featuring Oliver, Brick (Vinnie Jones), Derek Sampson (Cody Rhodes), Bronze Tiger (Michael Jai White) and Stanley (Brendan Fletcher) in prison. (Sep. 17, 2018 IGN article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)

-- The DCTV "Suit Up" Promo included scenes of Felicity in the woods protecting William and yelling "Oliver, help!" and Felicity wearing a red/black plaid shirt and throwing a coffee pot of hot liquid at someone in a kitchen. (Aug. 28, 2018 DCTV "Suit Up" promo video, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 6 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- The CW's 'Superheroes Fight Back Trailer" included an additional Felicity scene: with bruised, bloodied face and knuckles and pink-tipped hair, Felicity says "fight back" while visiting Oliver in prison. (Aug. 29, 2018 The CW's "Superheroes Fight Back Trailer" video, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 6 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- The CW tweeted video clip of Oliver's prison shower fight with other inmates. (Sep. 12, 2018 CW_Arrow tweet, page 10 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- New Arrow S7 trailer posted, featuring inmate Stanley approaching Oliver in prison, news of "Green Arrow" appearing in Star City while Oliver's still in prison, E2 Laurel (posing as E1 Laurel) giving a press conference, Diggle visiting Oliver in prison, the newbies, and Diaz pointing a gun at Felicity and William in the woods. (Sep. 19, 2018 The CW Television Network video, and CW_Arrow and ya_boy_ben tweets, page 12 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Another new Arrow S7 trailer posted, featuring Oliver in prison, Felicity telling Diggle that she "doesn't have anything to lose," rest of Team Arrow, Diaz, Longbow Hunters, Anatoly, and E2 Laurel. (Oct. 8, 2018 CW_Arrow tweet, SA facebook video and TVLine article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- 701 sneak peek video was posted, featuring Danny "Brick" Brickwell and Derek Sampson threatening Oliver in prison, with Brick holding Oliver's pic of Felicity and William. (Oct. 15, 2018 GameSpot article & TV Promos video, page 5 of Spoilers thread)

-- TV Guide: "With Oliver (Stephen Amell) in jail for vigilantism, Star City is in trouble. Villainous Laurel (Katie Cassidy) is torn between going legit and seeking revenge on Ricardo Diaz (Kirk Acevedo) for killing her father (Paul Blackthorne), says exec producer Beth Schwartz. Meanwhile, Team Arrow - which welcomes back Roy (Colton Haynes) - will struggle with their responsibilities. One no-no: visiting their leader. 'Prison is not great for Ollie,' Schwartz says." (Quoted from page 34 of print version of TV Guide Magazine, Sep. 17-30, 2018 Double Issue, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- DCTV's Hector Navarro: "The first episode back is called 'Inmate 4587,' which is of course a reference to Oliver Queen. He's been locked up. That is it. And if he's been locked up - it's just a Hector theory here - maybe he's had enough time to grow out that goatee. We finally get the goat, baby, the greatest of all time, right? Stephen Amell promised it on twitter. Okay, that's not me, that's him... So hopefully we get that classic Green Arrow goatee." (Jul. 16, 2018 DC video, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- After watching 701, Chris Hayner tweeted: "Just saw the #Arrow Season 7 premiere. Holy shit, you guys." and "Oliver, Felicity, and Diggle each have some really great moments, and the jail stuff is as punishing and visceral as it needs to be. Life in that cage is not happy.  #Arrow" and "Beyond that, some really good character development for the rest of the team and other stuff that’s just...man. They’re not playing around and I’m into it. #Arrow" and "In a word, it’s all just bonkers. These CW superhero shows are starting to win me back. (Legends never lost me) #Arrow" and "Oh yeah, there was also a lot of naked fighting talk. Jail doesn’t mess around. #Arrow." (Oct. 11, 2018 ChrisHayner tweets, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- After watching 701, Christina Radish tweeted: "I have seen the Season 7 premiere of #Arrow and all I can say is ...... HOLY SHIT!!!" and "While Oliver, Felicity and Diggle are on separate paths, they are very much all working toward the same goal." and "And jail involves a lot of naked fighting, of course!" (Oct. 11, 2018 ChristinaRadish tweets, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- After watching 701, Meredith Kile tweeted: "Whew, that #Arrow season 7 premiere is..." and "There's a section of my notes that's just ALL CAPS YELLING and I'm INTO it." and "oh and fear not, #Olicity fans. times are tough, but you'll still be all up in your feels." (Oct. 11, 2018 em_bee_kay tweets, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- After watching 701, GATV tweeted: "I feel like I say this every year, but #Arrow has a really strong season premiere. The best part is that even though Oliver is separated from other characters (being in prison at all) that interaction and presence is still felt with the others, all of whom are written well." and "There's a strong sense of danger involved with Season 7 that kind of reminds me of when Prometheus was scaring the heck out of everyone. And a good mystery, too. A+ fight scenes as well, involving multiple characters." (Oct. 11, 2018 GreenArrowTV tweets, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- From GATV's advance preview of 701: "The prison storyline is one that had to be handled just right, and so far it appears to be here. Last season, I couldn’t wait for Barry Allen to get out from behind bars, and the notion of Riverdale’s Archie in jail still seems ill-advised. Yet, here? Oliver is thrown into a veritable snake pit, surrounded by foes like Derek Sampson, the Bronze Tiger, and Brick, all of whom hate his guts. There are also new faces that Oliver meets in prison, including Stanley, who looks up to the Green Arrow as a hero and very well may learn that you should never meet your heroes. Oliver in prison is a bit stoic but with a mix of longing and responsibility for being there. There is also a strong survival instinct and a hope and need for the people he loves to remain safe, especially Felicity and William. There are nightmares and there are injuries. Stephen Amell committed to these scenes 100% and both the dramatic and fight work (all directed by James Bamford) are top notch. ... Meanwhile, in Star City, vigilantes are off limits after the deal that Oliver made with Agent Watson. Laurel — now the DA — is crusading against any vigilantes who will be punished to the full extent of the law… something Star City’s new police captain Dinah Drake supports, even if she has had her conflicts with Laurel. Meanwhile, Rene, who is training the young people of the Glades boxing so they can defend themselves, is being told by some of these kids that what he really needs is to continue to be Wild Dog. Things happen that solidify Rene’s position that Star City still needs vigilantes — and this position puts him in direct conflict with Dinah. ... Another character very well handled in the premiere is Felicity. When we first see her, she is in witness protection, calling herself “Erin” and working at a place that this time is not a fictional equivalent of Radio Shack. Again, like the Dinah and Rene storylines, Emily Bett Rickards brings her A-game, whether it’s finding out she’s still “got it” with a fun interaction with a new friend or defending herself in a scene where she does indeed kick some @$$. The bond between Oliver and Felicity is also strong despite their different locations; there is a particular scene, well played by Stephen Amell, where he believes he has lost her, but when we see their reunion, seen in the official promotional photos, Oliver gets a look of relief and love. Despite all the drama and danger around them, it’s still important to see your characters having a “win,” and their reunion, while still being a part of that drama and danger, is a good moment. ... Next, there’s Diaz (new series regular Kirk Acevedo) who was also controversial in Season 6, and Arrow seems to have finally cracked the character to see what works. Here, Diaz is far more menacing when we don’t see much of him… so when we do, the drama is up. He has his hands in anything and everything negatively affecting the other characters, and this menace is becoming Prometheus level scary for anyone involved. It’s like there’s a snake (or a dragon, in this case) around every corner that will bite the second you turn your back. ... Sadly, we don’t see a whole lot of Laurel, Curtis and Diggle, but we do find out that those last two are working together at ARGUS, and they seem well adjusted and happy. I have no doubt bigger stories are coming for them as everything intersects; we’ve already seen shots in trailers with a lot of the old gang reunited. ... Beth Schwartz wrote the classic Arrow Season 2 episode "Seeing Red" with Wendy Mericle, and I remember when watching the episode in a room with other press,when Slade killed Moira, there was a collective shock that made the following press Q&A silent for a few minutes. [REDACTED] ... after Felicity... [REDACTED]." (Oct. 15, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 19 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

-- On 701, EP Beth Schwartz: "I just think the fans are going to go nuts... You see Oliver like you've never seen him before. Um, all of our characters are kind of in a new role in trying to figure out how to save the city and honor Oliver's request at the end of Season 6." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 30, 2018 GameSpot article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "You're going to see a different Oliver in the premiere. It's something we haven't seen from him before and it's really - it's fresh and it's exciting." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 27, 2018 CODY SCHULTZ video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether the added level of brutality in the 701 prison shower fight is indicative of S7 as a whole, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yeah, James Bamford, who directed the [premiere], just killed that fight sequence. It was very ambitious and worked really hard on, and it came out so well and we’re very excited for everyone to see the full thing. But, yeah, since returning to season 1, we wanted our fight sequences to be a little grittier, a little more personal, painful like you said, kind of in your face. We want to feel Oliver’s pain, and we definitely do in that fight sequence." (Sep. 14, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we can expect to see any familiar faces other than Bronze Tiger, Brick, and Derek Sampson, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yes, there will be another familiar face in prison, but I’m not going to say who." (Sep. 14, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Oliver's decision to go to prison affects everyone else, EP Beth Schwartz: "It definitely affects the rest of the team because vigilantes are not, um - you know, they're not the heroes when we - they were last season, where people have really mixed feelings about them. And so they have to find their own way to sort of be a hero for the city. So when we find them in the premiere, they're all doing something a little different, um, maybe not what you would expect." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what Star City is like with Oliver in prison, EP Beth Schwartz: "So Star City is not doing well. (Laughs) It did not end in a great place, because first of all, Diaz basically corrupted the whole city and then without the Green Arrow, there's a lot of crime and... it's not a good place to be." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Fangirlish video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Olicity's situation, EP Beth Schwartz: “What I found most interesting about what they’re going through this season is that having your husband in prison is really challenging on its own. But the fact that your husband is the Green Arrow, and everyone knows your husband is the Green Arrow, is a second challenge that couple will have.” (Sep. 10, 2018 TVLine article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Dinah taking over as Star City’s new police captain. EP Beth Schwartz: "It just felt like that was the natural position she would be in when everyone was choosing what makes them a hero for this city... Her beginning, her origin story, she was a cop before she was Black Canary, so it just made the most sense. She’s kind of going back to her roots a little bit, and as we see in the premiere, she’s on the other side of things. It’s interesting- and Rene is calling her out on it – because she is now the people who used to chase after them, but she believes that what’s best for the city is law and order, and not necessarily vigilantes anymore.” (Oct. 11, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)

-- JBamford: "When you see the premiere, you'll think it's - you'll feel Season 1, but it's a new show." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: "But we're taking the show to new levels of grit, um, right off the bat in the premiere and, uh, some things will happen that will be like, 'holy shit, I' can't believe they did that.'" (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Fangirlish video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: "We're taking the show to new levels of grit right off the bat in the premiere, and some things will happen that you'll be like, 'Holy shit, I can't believe they did that.'" (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what he can tease about 701, JBamford: "Well, a bunch of stuff's going to happen with a bunch of people, and then it's over... What I can tease is that, when we left off in the finale, which you saw, Oliver admitted to the world that he is in fact the Green Arrow... And I wanted him to look right into the camera - it's not something we usually do, break the fourth wall - um, and I had Stephen look right into the camera and he's like, 'I'm not used to that, this is weird.' But I wanted him to actually be addressing the world. So, um - so we did that, and I think that came off very well. But now the world knows that he's the Green Arrow. So, what you'll see is a lot of having to deal with that and, um, the dynamics in that prison, depending on how long we stay in that prison, or how long he stays in the prison. A very, very different Oliver and the dynamic that you've seen on the rest of the show previously. So it's a new element to the show that way, and it's something that, like I said, you haven't seen before and that you're going to find really interesting. Like, for instance, what would happen if Batman went to prison and, for instance, in the cell next to him the Joker was just chilling, making hamburgers, or what have you. The possibilities are endless, so we're sort of trying to take advantage of all those situations that could and would probably arise within that for the mythology." When interviewer asked if that meant there'd be someone familiar in the cell next to Oliver, JB said not to quote him on that and maybe it wouldn't be the next cell, but added: "I think you'll find that he'll be running into some familiar faces that I can't spill out here without someone shooting me in the head." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Fangirlish video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: "The dynamics in that prison, depending on how long he stays in that prison, are very, very different from the Oliver and the dynamic that you've seen on the rest of the show previously. So it's a new element to this show that way, and it's something that you haven't seen before. And you're gonna find it really interesting. For instance, what would happen if Batman went to prison, and in the cell next to him, The Joker was just chilling, making hamburgers, or what have you. The possibilities are endless of trying to take advantage of all the situations that could and would probably arise within that sort of mythology." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the prison storyline, JBamford: "I've been acting somewhat as a technical advisor as well. I was a corrections officer at one point very early on in my life, when I was about 22 - so, like last year. Um, no, I'm old. So the incarceration portion is quite, just natural to me, because I spent a lot of time in prison. That sounds really... but on the other side. Um, so that has added another layer of grit and rawness to the show that we didn't have before. And I think, um, the audience is going to find some really interesting surprises both in the look of the show, but in performances, uh, from our friend Stephen Amell and, uh, the other characters that you will encounter along the way in prison. It opens up, you know, another - maybe there's some folks we haven't seen for awhile because they've been incarcerated. Well, guess what? Anything can happen... What if Batman was put in jail and, you know... 'Oh, the Joker! Oh shit, he's my cellmate.' ... The possibilities are endless, and we're sort of taking it there, which is really cool." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether he got direct something new this year, JBamford: "Yes. In the premiere, you'll find some elements with a Season 1 feel, but, um, you'll find other elements that are new, uncharted territory that we've - going places that we've never done... What I can say is this - and I've said this to some of the other folks over there - Beth and I had a phone call with BS&P, which is our censors, um, a very lengthy phone call about a particular scene sequence that we've never had before. So we're really trying to push the limits on the show in the gritty factor and what - you know, and trying to go as far as you can go, within the confines of, you know, our network and what's expected of us and what we can and can't do. We're not on Netflix, so we'll never be able to, you know, X, Y and Z. But, um, we're damn sure gonna try." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: "You'll find Oliver Queen in a completely different light than we've ever seen him. I know, going in to every new season, you always hear things like that. But Season 7 in particular, you'll find him in a completely different place than he's ever been. Um, when he was back on Lian Yu in the flashbacks, he was very vulnerable when he started out, and progressively he became what we know as the Green Arrow. Um, now I would say that we can look at Season 7 as a new start, if you will, in progression in his character, within his character... You'll get to see what, hopefully we're painting the picture properly, but you'll get to see what prison life - how prison life would affect a human being, even someone as strong, both mentally and physically, as the Green Arrow... We'll get to see how prison life affects even the strongest of people. How it can break you down, and how it can - I know it all sounds very dark, because it is. Um, and our goal is to try to portray - you know, within our established mythology - to try to portray the prison as realistic as humanly possible, you know, as you can, while keeping, you know, as I said, our established mythology intact. Um, but we're trying very hard to be as technically correct with different aspects of the policies and procedures that you would find within a prison... I was myself a corrections officer while I was very young.... a couple years ago. A long time ago... Obviously, we're taking liberties because it's a television show, but, uh... but you'll find that it's as close to real as you can get. I mean, it's not Oz... 'cause we're not HBO. We can't go there. We would if we could... Like I said, you'll find him a different person in how he handles himself within the confines of the structure of the prison. And you'll see some new character development as a result of that. And then the same thing for the other characters outside of that, how they're doing with their lives while their team captain is incarcerated. And what happens after he tells the world 'I'm the Green Arrow.' You know, it doesn't only affect him in a certain way, but it affects everyone else. All the other vigilantes effectively have been outed as well, so how the hell do you go on the rest of your life? Not to mention, where's Ricardo Diaz? ... So there's a lot of 'if's'. And the season could go anywhere, and it's going to." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Seat42F video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page of 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On where we find Team Arrow when S7 starts, JBamford: "Fractured. Um, not in a way that we found Team Arrow fractured last season, but for a different reason. As you know, at the end of the season, ... I had Stephen look right into the camera and tell the world, 'I am the Green Arrow.' And I did that specifically so that he really was telling the world, not only the world within the world in our mythology, but also the rest of the world as in the audience that 'I am the Green Arrow.' Now we really hadn't done that before, we don't usually break the fourth wall and have the actors look into the lens, so now what you'll find is, how does he deal with that with the world out there everywhere, including families, knowing who he is, what his true identity is. And now he's in prison, locked up with who knows. The possibilities are endless there. Look how many people from Season 1 to now. If he didn't kill them first, which, there were were quite a few of those. But, um, I used to do a running body count with Season 1 of, you know, 'oh, this week we killed 18 people'... But, um, you'll get to know some new and old friends, or not friends, are who he has to deal with inside the prison. And then, alternatively, the rest of the team, who are going on with their own lives, um, they may have some new and/or old friends, uh, that they have to deal with as well. And, um, we have to also take into account, not only his outing affecting himself Oliver Queen, but it's also affected the rest of the team and the rest of the guys that used to wear masks. Their identities are now blown. So what do they do in their lives now? How do they go on with the rest of their lives? So that's a very interesting dynamic that we're exploring quite deeply in the premiere and for the rest of the season. That, coming right off the bat, you know, is the biggest difference of the season. Not just being in prison, but of the world knowing your identity if you're a superhero." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 KSiteTV video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- JBamford: "The rest of the team will be, um, dealing with their lives with Oliver absent and, you know, not having a team leader per se and, um, what the consequences of, not only what's happened when he's admitted to the world that ''yes, I am, you know, the Green Arrow,' but the consequences that's had on the rest of the team, because they've all been outed as well. So, you'll see how, you know, the rest of the world sort of has to handle that and how they go on with their lives, you know, accordingly and - or not go on with their lives, what have you. It's a pretty dark space, uh, without Oliver Queen around in his original position, I think you'll find." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Fangirlish video of press roundtable interview with James Bamford, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

-- SA: "One of the reasons that I’m excited is that it would have been very easy to break Oliver out of prison by the end of the first episode, and that’s just not what we’ve done." (Oct 10, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "We have a fight scene in the first episode that, it’s actually dueling fight scenes, and it’s one of our best stunt achievements, I think. It was me for almost thirteen hours, just non-stop fighting. And it was amazing, and we couldn’t use a stunt double for it. We’ve only had that a couple of times in the history of the show. I like to do a lot of my own stunts, but in this instance, we physically could not have a double, and it was really something." (Sep. 17, 2018 IGN article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "But obviously Oliver and Felicity come face to face in the premiere. And Emily [Bett Rickards] and I were joking about it, because our last scene that we shot last year is the scene where I tell her that I’m going to prison, and then I say goodbye to William. And then this scene, in the premiere, it’s sort of the same scene, insofar as it’s really, really emotional, and Emily and I were laughing afterwards, like, 'can’t we just have a scene where they’re sitting around drinking coffee, and talking about their day, and not having to have these super emotional, tiring scenes?'" (Sep. 17, 2018 IGN article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "[T]he final scene of the Season 7 premiere is a scene that, really, I don’t think anyone will anticipate. I think it’s very, very, very exciting." (Sep. 17, 2018 IGN article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On EBR's fight scene in 701, SA: "She has a kick-ass action scene that I know specifically that James Bamford let her go crazy [with], in this action scene with a stunt performer... When I was watching it, it’s actually happening alongside another action scene, and I was actually kind of jealous with how visceral and aggressive Emily’s scene was.” (Sep. 21, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 13 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Oliver's prison shower fight scene in 701, SA: "It's not the most visceral fight scene in the episode. Emily has the most visceral fight scene in the episode... Beth is going to kill me." (Sep. 22, 2018 IGN video of Nocking Point event with SA and Aisha Tyler, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 732 of Social Media thread)
-- On his dramatic scene with EBR in 701, SA: “I think people have seen the photos of when we get the chance to interact, and I just thought her performance in that scene was up there or even better than anything else that she has ever done on the show.” (Sep. 21, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 13 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- SA tweeted pic of Felicity visiting Oliver in prison, with comment: "Don’t tempt that... please..." (Sep. 10, 2018 SA tweet, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA tweeted: ".@emilybett should get an Emmy nom for her performance in our premiere." (Aug. 26, 2018 SA tweet, page 726 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: "The tease about the Season 7 premiere is, when I read the last scene, my like jaw hit the floor. Never saw it coming. Didn't know what was happening." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Video of TV Line interview with Arrow cast,  page 1812 of Spoiler Discussion thread and page 719 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: "The coolest thing about the premiere for me and what's happening with Oliver in the early part of the season is there's nothing about him that's heroic. At all. If you're a fan of the character, and if you root for the character, then I really hope the premiere pisses you off. Um, and that's been really fun... Sorry. Seven years of my life. Give me a break... I really enjoyed it. There's one scene in particular in the premiere where what Oliver does is kinda reprehensible and, um, that's interesting. Sorry."  Mod was "concerned and bothered" by SA's comment. Mod said that "it's been such a long road for Oliver" because he started off "so dark" and "through the love of his friends and family and the women in his life and the friendships that he's made along the way, he has become more complete as a human being." So Mod didn't want to see Oliver "regress again in prison." SA: "Well, maybe what he did in the finale was stupid... It's possible. It could've been a giant mistake. Who knows?" EBR: "And who told you that so many times?" (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "The coolest thing about the premiere for me and what's happening with Oliver in the early part of the season is there's nothing about him that's heroic. At all. If you're a fan of the character, and if you root for the character, then I really hope the premiere pisses you off. Um, and that's been really fun." SA: "Well, maybe what he did in the finale was stupid... It's possible. It could've been a giant mistake. Who knows?" (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 Daniel Alvarez video of Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what we'll see about Oliver in this situation that we haven't seen before, SA: "The thing that I like about Oliver right now and, uh... If I was a viewer and not a fan of it, it would make me mad, which is good. Um, in the pilot, there's nothing about him that's heroic. It's kind of the opposite of that. And that, you know, is really, really fun for me to play. Because, you know, he's always the take charge, solve the problem, save people... That's not what he's doing in the premiere." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: GeekRock TV video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "The thing that I like about Oliver right now - and if I was a viewer and I was a fan of it, it would make me mad, which is good - in the [premiere], there's nothing about him that is heroic. And that has been really, really fun for me to play. Because he's always the 'take charge, solve the problem, and save people' and that's not what he's doing in the premiere." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "There's nothing about him in the premiere. There's nothing about him that's heroic... It's kinda the opposite, actually. It's really tough. I've enjoyed it. I'm having a good time playing it, but it's been tough." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 30, 2018 GameSpot article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "He literally can't trust anybody, period. He has no allies. Not a one. And the thing I really enjoyed playing, in the premiere at least, is, there's nothing heroic about him. It's kind of the exact opposite. Like, there's this one scene where he does the opposite of what you'd expect from him. And, like, the opposite of what you'd hope that he'd do. I f**kin' love that scene. So much fun." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what he can tease about Oliver doing some things this season that the audience might not necessarily like, SA: "There’s a real element in the premiere, where he just does the opposite of what people would expect. If somebody’s in trouble, Oliver would try to help them, and there’s just a moment in the premiere where you expect him to be heroic and he’s the exact opposite of that. That’s been a lot of fun to play. I guess the tag line would be that 'there are no heroes in prison.' They are just prisoners in there, and it’s just getting by. And getting by, to him, and having an opportunity way down the line to eventually get back to his family… it just takes priority over everything else, and leads him down some questionable paths." (Oct 10, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether it's more challenging to play a less likeable Oliver, SA: “Is it more challenging? It's more rewarding. I love it. I really hope that people watch the premiere and are super-pissed at Oliver. There’s one scene in particular where he should be better. He’s not. He sucks.” (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Video of facebook live interview with Arrow cast in Entertainment Weekly article, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what S7 premiere scene he's very proud of, SA: “I’m proud of the shower fight... That was eight hours of, like, hard fighting. It was amazing. I’m very proud of that.” (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Video of facebook live interview with Arrow cast in Entertainment Weekly article, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "There might be a prison workout scene." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: GeekRock TV video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether he took inspiration from any prison movies, SA: "I took a lot of inspiration in the pilot [701] from our director James Bamford... I don't know how much of it will end up in the episode, but we did a lot of stuff where I stare down the barrel of the camera, a lot of stuff from Oliver's perspective. Um, you know, prison life is - (uses edge of hand to tap along the table methodically) - and we really try to show that." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: GeekRock TV video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the Arrow fans being so passionate about the show and whether the fans' suggestions affect the story somehow or the actors' performances, SA: "No. Not at all. Um, the premiere, the last scene in the premiere, okay, like, affected me - by the way, I'm not in it, okay? - affected me in a way I hadn't been affected since like, I think, like Season 2. Right? I read it and was like, 'Oh shit! Really? Oh, wow.' And so I'm glad that seven years in, we get to do stuff like that. But no, I think, you can't let fan suggestions like dictate what you do. Right? You got to do your own thing." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- When asked to tease 701, SA: "There are some tears." RG: "Anger. Frustration." DR: "Violence." JH: "Lots of violence." EBR: "A lot of confusing emotions and a lot of therapy." JH: "Muscles." EBR: "So many abs." JH: "Steam." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 22, 2018 ExtraTV tweet & video interview of Arrow cast, page 1810 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On how he thinks the world is going to react to the news that Oliver is the GA, SA: "We touch on that a little bit in the premiere and the lack of vigilantes in Star City. Um, but Oliver really has effectively no contact with the outside world. Like, his day-by-day and his prison time is just that. Time." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz and SA, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what kind of emotional place Oliver is in, since he has no contact with the outside world, SA: "Bad. Real bad. He's really bad... The thing that I really enjoy playing in the premiere is that there's absolutely nothing heroic about Oliver. In fact, like, it's kind of the opposite. Uh, and if you're a fan of his and you root for him, I really hope that the premiere makes you mad." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz and SA, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "[O]ne of the things that we wrestle with in the premiere is what if we made the wrong f**kin' call? You know, we might've. It wouldn't have been the first time. Uh, but we really - we really wrestle with that." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 WithAnAccentTV video of press roundtable interview with Beth Schwartz and SA, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we find out who the new Mayor of Star City is now, SA: "I believe we find out who the Mayor is. I think we actually talk about that in the premiere." (Oct 10, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- Media report on what SA said: "He also said he shot stuff in the premiere that he and Beth had to check with the ratings board to make sure it was okay." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: ckinger13 tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- Media report on what SA said: "Oliver does something 'reprehensible' in the premiere that @StephenAmell loved. He warns that there is nothing heroic about Oliver this season. 'Maybe what he did in the finale was stupid,' he adds of Oliver turning himself in." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: SydneyBucksbaum tweet from Arrow panel, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: "He's going to read the first script of s7 in a week or two, he's very excited about it." (HVFF-London, May 26, 2018: wombat06 tweet, page 699 of Social Media thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: "Even @StephenAmell doesn't know the final scene of 701. Was blacked out in his script. He's excited to find out WTF happens!" (Supanova Sydney, Jun. 15, 2018: PHEEEEEE tweet, page 1797 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: "@StephenAmell on Oliver outing himself as the Green Arrow: 'Maybe what [Oliver] did in the finale was stupid.' He hints that Oliver does something 'reprehensible' in the season 7 premiere & there is nothing heroic about the character this season." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: insidethetube tweet, page 1810 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

-- Felicity is struggling with the isolation of witness protection because she hasn’t seen anyone from Team Arrow in months. EBR: “It’s sort of that concept of your life changes and the people around you are the ones that matter, and not having them in it can really detrimentally affect your lifestyle and who you are and who you’ve become... It’s sort of that feeling that you can be surrounded by a million people but be so lonely if you don’t have the ones you love. I think that’s where we find pretty much everyone at the beginning of the season.” (Oct. 12, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- When the S7 begins, Felicity misses being Overwatch, but that might end up being her saving grace. EBR: “I think there’s a void, like she has numbed a part of her heart so she can get over that because I think it’s just been so detrimental being away from her partner and her friends... Overwatch is sort of what lets her come back in easier as the season progresses. That’s the tool that she uses to connect.” (Oct. 12, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)

-- DR: "I saw the script for the first episode of season 7 as is amazing. This season  will probably be one of the biggest and most ambitious to date. ... Oliver’s time in prison will be hard, and many things will happen while there. ... Regarding my character, I can only share with you that he is still working at Argus with Lyla, and teaming up with the others once in a while to take down Diaz once for all. But, many things happen, there are some huge twists that nobody saw coming. It’s so good…I’m so sad I cannot tell you more." (Melbourne Oz Comic Con, Jun. 8, 2018: Spotlight Report article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 279 of Starling City Times thread)
-- DR: "On my way here, I just got episode 701. And I read it. And I even said in my tweet, my jaw dropped, and I gave props out to Beth. She wrote me back - she said, 'David, thanks for the shout-out and being such a great response, fantastic. Don't say this, don't say that, don't say that, don't say that, don't say that, don't say that, don't say that. And God forbid, you say this.' So I'm sworn to secrecy."  (Melbourne Oz Comic Con, Jun. 8, 2018: Shaken Not Nerd podcast, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 279 of Starling City Times thread, and Shaken Not Nerd video, page 280 of Starling City Times thread)
-- DR: "But in terms of the [Oliver/Diggle] relationship, right off the top in 701, we're five months into the prison sentence, and Diggle's visiting Oliver. And this is a regular occurrence. And, um, he's giving him a report. He's, uh, there for morale... You saw this at the end of last season, maybe near the last two or three episodes, there was a relationship kind of re-bonding between the two guys, even though they have two different leadership styles and it's a complicated relationship. But certainly, over the past five months, it's, uh - he's very concerned with Oliver, and Oliver's very concerned with the people that are in protective custody, if you will. That might be a bit of a spoiler, but who cares... It's a relationship that's ongoing, but it's strong. It's strong. I mean, it's not second-quite-in-command again, because like the command center is different - command structure is different." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "You're going to see Diggle visiting Oliver. We're five months into his prison sentence, I think... There's a regular kind of visitation that Diggle has, and a report-in of 'here are the current things happening.' ... And I think the team's taking advantage of Diggle's resources at ARGUS. A lot. A lot. 'Cause we no longer have a lair.. New Team Arrow and Old Team Arrow is very fragmented. So, um, the long reach of ARGUS is something that both teams have really taken advantage. And we're all trying in our own way to find Diaz. And that trail's gone cold." (SDCC, Jul. 22, 2018: Jul. 23, 2018 Showbiz Junkies video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "At the beginning of the season, he’s visiting Oliver in prison. There’s a relationship that’s really formed. These guys are bros again. He’s giving him updates about what’s happening in the world, of trying to catch and take down Diaz. So... over the past five months of the imprisonment of Oliver Queen, John Diggle’s been right there for him.” (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 25, 2018 ComicBook article & video, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "At the beginning of the season, you see that five months in - Diggle's visiting Oliver in prison in the beginning and, um, he's giving him reports... You see a strong relationship that I think was beginning to reshape itself at the end of Season 6, uh, just by their differences. So, uh, he's giving him a report of what's happening. Their trail of Diaz has gone cold at the beginning of the season. And the resources that they're using for ARGUS, because they can't play dress-up anymore. So ARGUS has really become the de facto headquarter type of long arm that they're using to kind of track down Diaz, because they don't have a lair. So all that provides, obviously, a lot of stress for Oliver. But Diggle's kind of picking up some of the mantle in terms of leadership. It's not the same kind of stretch that it was before. You kind of looked at Diggle as the de facto leader every time Oliver disappeared. But they really are taking advantage of what ARGUS has to offer - New Team Arrow and Old Team Arrow." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: GeekRock TV and Fangirlish videos of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "Despite the fight and the breakup that they had, I think he - I think they worked somewhat near the end of the season, episodes 22 and 23, to see where these men are kinda mending fences. I think you continue that in 701 and beyond. They're together... I think they look at leadership a little differently. But, aside from that, they're both of the same mind about taking out Diaz. So Diggle, at the very top, you'll see there's been a routine of the past several months of visiting Oliver. So, um, you see that at the beginning of 701... that Oliver and Diggle have a lovely relationship, if you can say that, as lovely as you can visiting someone in jail... For all intents and purposes, they're back together." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Whedonopolis Videos video of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread, and Jul. 30, 2018 GameSpot article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- Media report on what DR said: "And Diggle is going to visit Oliver in prison in the S7 premiere so we’re prepared for all the fees already!" (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: fangirlish tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

-- RG said that EP Beth Schwartz has been very careful about no spoilers and "making sure that the fans have their surprises in store for them when this premiere happens." (Aug. 30, 2018 itsstevenmccoyb facebook video of Steven McCoy podcast interview with RG, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- RG: "Again, I wish I could give stuff to you guys. But I just want people to, like, be excited for the premiere and, like, everything that we're going to drop on them. Especially within these first four, five episodes, there's going to be so many bombs dropped, it's crazy." (Aug. 30, 2018 itsstevenmccoyb facebook video of Steven McCoy podcast interview with RG, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- RG said that Oliver's in prison and being a vigilante is outlawed, but that it was Oliver's wish that they continue fighting for Star City and for what's right, "so we're all interpreting that in our own way... Especially in the beginning of this season, we're going to tackle that immediately and kind of show fans, like, where each character is in terms of them interpreting Oliver's directive for all of us, in terms of keep fighting for the city, keep doing what's right." (Aug. 30, 2018 itsstevenmccoyb facebook video of Steven McCoy podcast interview with RG, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what's happening with the rest of the team, RG: "I don't want to tease too much about that, because I feel like that's gonna be a nice reveal for the first episode, but I think mentally, the thing to keep in mind is: obviously, being a vigilante has been outlawed. In Season 6, we've established that. So there's that dilemma, and you know, the characters have to also take that into account. And that's what I love about the show, we try to ground it as much on a real level with all the jurisdiction on the show that the characters have to adhere to -- or not. There's a lot of decisions that have to be made, especially with Oliver in prison, telling us to keep fighting. But how do we do that? How do we interpret that? So right away, I think you'll see we start to see what fighting back means, for each character." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)

-- JH: "It is, within the first paragraph of reading the pilot episode, my jaw was on the floor.. So it's really exciting." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Jul. 24, 2018 haydenclaireheroes video of press roundtable interview with JH, page 3 of Spoilers thread)

-- Fan reports on what KA said: "A fan asks if we can have information on season 7. Kirk says he has the script of the first episode on his phone. He looks to see if he can read us the first page and says no because otherwise he will end up in jail with Stephen :)." and "Kirk has received by email the script of the first episode of Arrow's season, but he is not allowed to talk about it." and "Kirk already has the premiere script on his phone. He received it a few days ago. But again he says he can not say anything 'If not, I'd go to jail with Oliver.'" (SuperHheroes Con IV, Jun. 24, 2018: RosterCon, just_about_tv and ToDoArrow tweets, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1799 of Spoiler Discussion thread)

-- Fan report on what was said during SDCC Arrow panel: "2 Truths and a Lie Time! In the premiere: Rick: I break dance, rock climb, and become a chef  Stephen: Oliver eats Mac & Cheese, and he puts ketchup on it." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: tia323araceli tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread)

-- On Jun. 7, 2018, DR tweeted: "Ok, I'm on the plane enroute to #OzComicCon18. Can't wait to see you Melbourne!!! Lo & beyond, episode 701 of Arrow appears in my inbox. I read. I pick up my jaw. I read. Repeat. I don't think y'all ready...  @SchwartzApprovd strikes! #arrowseason7." (DR tweet, page 705 of Social Media thread)
-- On Jun. 8, 2018, SA: "I read 701 of Arrow a couple of days ago, before we got here, actually. And, yeah, it's incredible. It's, uh - it's really, really incredible. That's all I'm allowed to say." (SA facebook video, page 705 of Social Media thread)
-- On Jun. 13, 2018, papp tweeted: "Arrow Season 7 begins filming in Vancouver July 6th." (lemon_buzz tweet, page 1797 of Spoiler Discussion thread and page 279 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On Jun. 16, 2018, SpoilerTV posted that S7 production schedule will begin on July 6, 2018 and will end on April 11, 2019. (SpoilerTV article, page 539 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- On Jun. 26, 2018, Beth Schwartz tweeted: "First day of prep on the premiere! #ArrowSeason7 @ojbalderrama @JamesBamford ??." (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jun. 27, 2018, CH tweeted: "I still have no idea how some ppl can cope with jetlag. I'm basically a 2 yr old haha. But I'm excited to see y'all back in Paris on July 7th for my first convention in a loooong time! Then I go right back filming #Arrow ?? I'm so excited!" (CH tweet, page 1800 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 1, 2018, JBamford posted pic of back of woman with long blondish hair and wearing a "We Got Your Back" (Shethority?) shirt which appear striped with prison bar shadows, with comment: "Mystery guest for my annual shotlisting Canada ???? Day fun at the studio......Arrow 701 is shaping up to be very special.....with the help of a few friends, of course." (james2bambamford instagram post, page 710 of Social Media thread)
-- On Jul. 5, 2018, Arrow writers posted pic of SA, DR, EBR and EK, with comment: "Happy #ARROW table read day! A few familiar faces stopped by today... ??." (Arrowwriters tweet, page 711 of Social Media thread)
-- On Jul. 5, 2018, Tonya Kong tweeted above Arrow writers tweet and tweeted: "Are you excited for October 15 #ArrowFans? @ARROWwriters are after hearing all the fabulous actors table read 701! Guess who showed up in L.A.?!" (Tonya_kong tweet, page 712 of Social Media thread)
-- On Jul. 5, 2018, EK posted variant pic of Arrow writers' pic of himself with SA, DR and EBR, with comment: "echokellsIt begins.... #Arrow #Season7 #TableRead #EmilyOverHere #Frands #BeardGang." (EK instagram post, page 711 of Social Media thread)
-- On Jul. 5, 2018, KC posted pic of herself with JH, with comment: "Sitting in traffic = Losing your mind  @julianaharkavy #arrow." (KC instagram post, page 711 of Social Media thread)
-- On Jul. 6, 2018, Tonya Kong tweeted pic of table read for 701 in L.A. (including Arrow writers, MG, SA, DR, EBR and EK), with comment: "Happy Friday! Thought you guys would enjoy another pic from yesterday’s table read (the L.A. side) with @ARROWwriters to?? the first day of ??S7??! #Inmate4587 ??:@elcincodemaya." (Tonya_Kong tweet, page 712 of Social Media thread)
-- On Jul. 6, 2018, papp tweeted: "#Arrow - which kicked off production of season 7 in the #Vancouver area today - has a wrap date of April 18th, 2019 per DGC." (WhatsFilming tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 7, 2018, JH posted pic of herself partially dressed in her Black Canary suit, with comment: "Season 7. Let’s do this. ?????? #Arrow." (JH instagram post, page 1 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 8, 2018, fan tweeted the following from Colton Haynes' panel: "Colton says that tomorrow he returns to Vancouver for the shooting of Arrow! # HATM2." and "Colton is super excited to return to Arrow! This new season will be more fun than the others, we return to the roots of the beginning of the series, that's why he must also keep his beard he would like to shave a lot." (Howl at the Moon 2, Jul. 8, 2018: FrConventions tweets, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1801 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 9, 2018, CH flew from Paris, France, to Vancouver, Canada, to begin shooting S7 of Arrow. (Jul. 9, 2018 Just Jared Jr article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1802 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 9, 2018, SA tweeted that he was back at work on Arrow. He also tweeted pic of clapperpboard for 701, which named James Bamford as director. (SA tweets, page 713 of Social Media thread)
-- On Jul. 9, 2018, MG tweeted pic of visitor's pass for Slabside Maximum Security Prison, with comment: "Come pay Oliver a visit..." The badge has an I.D. number of "201." It was issued on "02/05/2018" and will expire on "31/06/2019." (MG tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1801 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 9, 2018, Evan Roderick posted pic of himself in police uniform on the Arrow set, with comment: "Took a bullet for this chair. Great to be back at work in Star City ???????." (eroderickanderson instagram post, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1802 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 9, 2018, papp/fan tweeted pic of Beckmark Prep sign pointing to Britannia Beach, south of Squamish and north of Vancouver. (HockeyWest tweet, page 1802 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 11, 2018, EBR posted pic of what looks like Britannia Beach. CH's instagram story also indicated that they were at Britannia Beach. (EBR instagram post and lemotomato post, page 1802 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 11, 2018, Arrow makeup guy, Paul Edwards, posted pic of Britannia Beach. (pauledwardshair instagram post, page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 11, 2018, papp tweeted: "Signs for #Arrow & #Loudermilk spotted at Riverview Hospital in Coquitlam by @belcarradeb." (WhatsFilming tweet, page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 12, 2018, CH posted pic of himself looking out a hi-rise window at what appears to be Britannia Beach. (coltonlhaynes instagram post, page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 12, 2018, fan tweeted: "BECKMARK/ARROW signs at PNE. Lots of activity right now (: many trucks and shuttle vans going in and out." PNE is the Pacific National Exhibition amusement park in Vancouver. (mariimakii tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 12, 2018, fan tweeted: "Loudermilk production (trucks and cars)and Beckmark signs spotted at Crease Building." Papp then tweeted: "Signs for Loudermilk and Arrow spotted at Riverview Hospital still by @RubyDogsMom." (RubyDogsMom and WhatsFilming tweets, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 13, 2018, papp tweeted pic of Jul. 9, 2018 Arrow filming notice for filming scenes in late evening on Thursday, Jul. 12, 2018, and finishing on Friday, Jul. 13, 2018, with comment: "#Arrow stunts. Hoped to catch glimpse of exterior stunt jump in east Vancouver but had closed 1200 block east Pender Street." From Arrow filming notice: "Wednesday, July 11th... Stunt rehearsal on 1200 block E. Pender Street. VPD will be on site to assist with a full road closure between these times. ... Thursday, July 12th... Filming scenes inside the warehouse at 1250 E. Pender Street. Scenes will involve stunt fighting, simulate special effects gunfire, simulated special effects atmospheric smoke, simulated special effects sparks, actors dressed as police officers and exposed weapons... Filming an exterior scene in the lane way south of 1200 block E. Pender Street. Scene will involve a stunt performer running along the low rooftop of 1250 E. Pender Street and jumping into the laneway... Filming an exterior scene in the gated lot at 1250 E. Pender Street. Scene will involve some special effects simulated and controlled explosions. The scene will involve a stunt performer suspended on wires above 1200 block E. Pender Street." (yvrshoots tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 13, 2018, fan tweeted pics of Arrow nightshoot, with comment: "More #Arrow bts from 7.01!" (OlicityDreams tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 13, 2018, SA tweeted: "Arrow! Season 7!! Don’t Drop The Soap!!!" (SA tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 13, 2018, SA tweeted: "When you see the premiere you'll understand the irony of our producer @ojbalderrama bringing an ice cream truck to set today. In a related story, I'd like to thank Oscar for all of his work on Arrow. Good luck in your future endeavors." (SA tweet, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 14, 2018, SA tweeted: "I've been singularly proud of 3 action sequences in Arrow. In order of appearance: 1. GA's taking on Adam Hunt's men in the pilot. 2. Fighting R'as al Ghul on a freaking mountain. 3. 701." (SA tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 14, 2018, JBamford tweeted: "Days like today make all the other days that aren’t like today worth waiting for a day like today. @StephenAmell." (JBamford tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread
-- On Jul. 14, 2018, SA posted pic of his bare back, with comment: "Big stunts all night and it’s always the partially exposed screw with the vaguely sharp edge that gets ya. Also... the grouping at the bottom of my tricep looks like the Olympic illustration for ski jumping." (SA instagram post, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1803 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 14, 2018, fan tweeted: "#Arrow "Beckmark" prep signs pointing towards Riverview today." (ThemysciraBound tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 14, 2018, Daniel Cudmore posted pic of Vancouver, with comment: "Annnd that’s a wrap on #Fraturday #Vancity looking lovely this AM." (danielcudmore instagram post, page 2 of Spoilers and page 1804 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 15, 2018, fan tweeted: "Arrow at Riverview grounds.Sorry no pic." (ChuckHall22 tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 16, 2018, fan posted bts filming pic of GG with someone who looks like Daniel Cudmore, and fan tweeted: "That looks like @danielcudmore in the picture with Grant." On Jul. 18, 2018, when asked about the GG pic, Daniel Cudmore tweeted: "Hmmm." (GrantGustinNews article & RavenHaviland tweet and danielcudmore tweet, page 1805 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 17, 2018, fan tweeted pic of actor Daniel Cudmore, with comment: "Apparently this guy has been filming for #Arrow... He is probably one of the inmates... ??." (OlicityDreams tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1804 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 17, 2018, Daniel Cudmore posted pic of Vancouver, with comment: "#vancouver you stunner! Ive been having a blast on this gig, only one day left.. #monday." (danielcudmore instagram post, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1804 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 17, 2018, Daniel Cudmore posted pic of himself, with comment: "Just a man in black waiting to do #badguy things.. #boredinmytrailer." (danielcudmore instagram post, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1804 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 17, 2018, SA tweeted: "140 episodes, countless stunt sequences... and I managed to avoid getting kicked in the nuts... UNTIL TODAY!!!" (SA tweet, page 1804 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 18, 2018, SA tweeted: "That’s a wrap for me on the 139th episode of Arrow. I’m tired. I also feel great. @SchwartzApprovd is a savage. I love it." (SA tweet, page 715 of Social Media thread)
-- On Jul. 19, 2018, papp tweeted: "#Arrow will be filming interiors at JJ Bean on Commercial Drive in Vancouver on Tuesday, July 24th 5pm to 10pm." (WhatsFilming tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 21, 2018, SA: "I haven't worked with any of the series regulars yet this year - I've worked with one. I'm in prison." On whether he's safer than the rest, SA: "No. Because Oliver's in prison with a bunch of people that he put in prison." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Clevver News video of red carpet interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 21, 2018, SA: "David [Ramsey], thus far this year, is the only series regular that I've worked with. And it was one scene. I feel like I'm on an island, no pun intended. I'm in jail." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Lisa Steinberg video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 22, 2018, SA tweeted pic of a bruised Oliver in the prison yard being watched by all the other inmates, with comment: "S7." (SA tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 24, 2018, papp tweeted: "Reminder: #Arrow is filming inside JJ Bean on Commercial Drive from 5pm to 10pm tonight." (Whatsfilming tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 24, 2018, fan tweeted b-t-s pic of Arrow filming, with comment: "Lots of set up in front of jjbeans commercial st." (otakufan300 tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 24, 2018, fan tweeted b-t-s pics of Arrow filming, with comment: "Pics from J.J. Bean tonight." One pic shows a hanging store sign labeled "RADU'S COFFEE  HOPE SPRINGS  1991" (angiereid tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 24, 2018, papp tweeted filming pic of EBR with pink-tipped long blonde hair, with comment: "Felcity's working as a barista with pink-streaked hair in Radu's Coffee aka JJ Bean's in Vancouver. Maybe it's time to break hubs out of Slabside Prison? #Arrow Season 7's #Olicity." (yvrshoots tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 24, 2018, fan tweeted b-t-s pics of EBR with pink-tipped long blonde hair, with comments: "Emily Rickards was on set." and "More pictures of Emily Rickards on set for Arrow season 7." (otakufan300 tweets, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 24, 2018, fan tweeted video clip of Arrow filming EBR, with pink-tipped long blonde hair, talking in a coffee shop with a new male character wearing glasses, who's played by actor Ian Collins. (smoakinqtech tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 25, 2018, fan tweeted instagram pic of Ian Collins, with comment: "Apparently this is the actor sharing scenes with Emily yesteraday! Ok so rumor has it he will be investing in her company." (OlicityDreams tweet, page 1813 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Oct. 12, 2018, SA: "I am. We premiere Monday, uh, much to the chagrin of Emily, who thought we premiered on Thursday. And, uh, I know that a bunch of journalists screened the premiere episode on, uh, I believe it was Wednesday, although it's possible it was yesterday, the days are conflating in my mind right now - it was yesterday. And, um, I got a great note from Beth Schwartz afterwards that there was a phenomenal reaction towards the end of the premiere. And I'm just - fingers crossed, you know, double-crossed, because we have a lot of surprises this year. And, uh, we've gotten all the way to the premiere without anything leaking. So, um, I always want what's best for you guys - you guys being fans and people who watch the show - and the best thing, I swear to God, is to be surprised on Monday night at, like, 8:58. Great surprise." (SA facebook video, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 5 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)

Edited October 19, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread (as we now know, EBR's "Erin" barista scenes were filmed during the 702 shooting schedule but aired as part of 701, so those spoilers have been moved to the summary of 701 spoilers above)...

SUMMARY OF 702 SPOILERS:

S7, Episode 2: The Longbow Hunters
-- Production code: 702. Shoot Dates: July 18-31, 2018 (down July 20). Director: Laura Belsey. Writers: Jill Blankenship & Rebecca Bellotto. Airdate: Oct. 22, 2018. (Jul. 23, 2018 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 2 of Spoilers thread and page 1811 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- 702 will air on Monday, Oct. 22, 2018, at 8pm ET. (Jun. 20, 2018 TVLine tweet & article and Entertainment Weekly article, page 541 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- 702 synopsis: "FELICITY IS DETERMINED TO FIND DIAZ AT ANY COST — In order to track down Diaz (Kirk Acevedo) from inside prison, Oliver (Stephen Amell) realizes that will require aligning with an old enemy. Meanwhile, in Star City, Felicity’s (Emily Bett Rickards) attempts to root out Diaz are thwarted by Diggle (David Ramsey), whose allegiance to ARGUS now requires him to keep civilians like her on the outs. Realizing that she can no longer rely on her old team or old methods, a clear-eyed Felicity resolves to find a new way to go after Diaz. Laura Belsey directed the episode written by Jill Blankenship & Rebecca Bellotto (#702). Original airdate 10/22/2018." Oct. 4, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- 702 promo was posted. (Oct. 15, 2018 SpoilerTV video, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- 702 sneak peek video was posted, featuring Diggle/ARGUS, Felicity and Curtis. (Oct. 22, 2018 TV Guide article & video, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 25 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 702 second sneak peek video was posted, featuring Diggle, Felicity, Curtis, Rene and Dinah. (Oct. 22, 2018 SpoilerTV video, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 26 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 702 promo pics were posted, featuring Oliver, Stanley, Brick, Sampson, Turner, Felicity, Diggle, Curtis, Rene, Dinah, and E2 Laurel. (Oct. 16, 2018 GreenArrowTV and TVLine articles, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- After screening 702, Sydney Bucksbaum tweeted: "Watching next week’s #Arrow and there are so many amazing things in the first 5 min that I can’t talk about juuuust yet. But my favorite is the new season 7 voiceover intro at the beginning of the episode. Ahhhhhhhh!" (Oct. 19, 2018 SydneyBucksbaum tweet, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- After screening 702, GATV tweeted: "Just finished watching #Arrow 702. Some teases, without breaking any DNRs: Repentant Laurel. Clever Oliver. Bold Felicity. Authoritative Diggle. WWGAD. And 'I CALLED IT!'  All in all good times, again with lots of love for the entire cast." (Oct. 19, 2018 GreenArrowTV tweet, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- When asked if 702 has more than one scene with Laurel, GATV tweeted: "There are several. A heck of a lot more than the premiere." (Oct. 19, 2018 GreenArrowTV tweet, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- After screening 702, Matt Mitovich tweeted: "[Episode consumed, DNR now read, and... lips zipped] .  VERY good episode, tho. Things happen. [arrow in bullseye emoji]." (Oct. 19, 2018 MattMitovich tweet, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- Matt Mitovich tweeted 702 dialogue tease: "'My wife taught me a thing or two. Sit tight....' #Arrow 7x02." (Oct. 19, 2018 MattMitovich tweet, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- When asked if Felicity and/or Diggle content in 702 is good, Matt Mitovich tweeted: "There is much." (Oct. 19, 2018 MattMitovich tweet, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- When asked if we get flashforwards in 702 too and find out more about Roy, William and other future things, Matt Mitovich tweeted: "Ohhhhhh yes." (Oct. 19, 2018 MattMitovich tweet, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- Laura Hurley tweeted: "I have a few favorite moments from tonight's #Arrow, and one of them is Oliver doing the most Oliver thing ever to be done. Season 7 is going to be a RIDE." (Oct. 22, 2018 lah9891 tweet, page 26 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- DC Comics: "Felicity Smoak has always been an important part of Team Arrow (to say nothing about Oliver’s life in general), but she’s always been more of a behind-the-scenes girl. Her contributions come from behind a computer monitor, safe at home base. However, with Oliver in jail and Ricardo Diaz vowing vengeance, Felicity’s become determined to hunt him down at all costs, even if it puts her at odds with John Diggle and ARGUS, as the newest Arrow episode photos seem to show. Also, what’s going on behind bars between Oliver and the mean team of Brick, Bronze Tiger and Derek Sampson?" (Oct. 19, 2018 DCComics tweet with link to Oct. 17, 2018 DC Comics article, page 23 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Hypable's advance preview of 702: "After teasing their arrival in the season 6 finale, Diaz has made good on his promise to bring in this infamous band of assassins. The trio comprises Red Dart, 'a ruthless and precise killer'; Silencer,' a master of stealth'; and Kodiak, 'a beast of a man with brute force.' They are a competent, dangerous threat for the good guys to face down. My favorite is probably Silencer; there is a very cool audio effect that goes along with her ability. ... The climax of the episode revolves around two different, but equally badass, fight scenes. One involves sonic screams versus a sound dampener and the other takes place on a moving train and involves a flamethrower. Action sequences have always been one of Arrow‘s greatest strengths, and these do not disappoint. ... After barely getting away from Diaz while in protective custody, Felicity has turned her full attention on catching him. After all, Oliver went to prison in exchange for the FBI helping take down Diaz; if Diaz is still on the loose, Oliver shouldn’t be behind bars. This obsession with catching Diaz puts her at odds with some of her closest friends and leads to her making an unexpected alliance to get what she wants. ... With Diaz back in town, SCPD has placed Laurel under protective custody. Laurel, however, has no interest in being protected by SCPD officers — forcing Dinah to step in. As much as she has no interest in protecting the woman who killed Vincent, she must protect Star City’s district attorney, so Laurel’s rebellion against protection forces Dinah to do the job herself. ... It goes about as smoothly as you’d expect, though there is a development in this dynamic I’m interested to see continue playing out over the course of the season. ... Oliver has had enough of keeping his head down since Diaz went after Felicity and William. He knows Brick is a potential lead to track down Diaz from prison, but Brick isn’t going to just share that information; he has a price, and it’s one Oliver has to find a creative way to pay. What would Green Arrow do? He’s not that person anymore, so what would Oliver Queen do?" (Oct. 21, 2018 Hypable article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 25 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- TVGuide's sneak peek at 702: "Diggle (David Ramsey) is ready to take on the thieves of an ultra-high density renewable battery with his snazzy new ARGUS team, but they're not the only ones piecing together the mystery of this crime. Curtis (who has been left out the briefing, being a measly tech guy) obviously has to show off the specs for this cool new battery to his bestie Felicity, who immediately goes into vigilante mode. It doesn't help that the tech used to steal the battery is the exact same kind as the one Diaz (Kirk Acevedo) used to break into Felicity's secure Witness Protection safe house. Hmm... Felicity eventually deduces (and Diggle confirms in his own briefing) that this heist was pulled off by the dreaded Longbow Hunters. These baddies were name-dropped last season, but we have yet to see them in action. Something tells us if they're partnering up with Diaz, we won't have to wait long for them to arrive in Star City. And with Oliver (Stephen Amell) still in jail, it might be up to the rest of Team Arrow to take these guys down." (Oct. 22, 2018 TV Guide article & video, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 25 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- SpoilerTV's advance preview of 702: "Oliver (Stephen Amell) continues to stay in shape. We get more flash forwards. We learn some interesting things about William (Ben Lewis). Something is stolen from ARGUS. Oliver makes a deal with someone. Rene (Rick Gonzalez) is proud of Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards). It’s amazing what you can do with a broken pencil! Two canaries are better than one. Felicity forms a surprising alliance." (Oct. 22, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- SpoilerTV's dialogue teases from 702: "A little more. I got bored. I can take care of myself. No one’s that clean. Thank you for the back up. And that someone is not you. You’ve had it in for me since day one. I know exactly what this is. It’s not how I do things. I just want to do the right thing. I somehow ended up here without a pen. And then it makes predictive suggestions. I’ll do anything to protect them. So much for not making a mess. Are you familiar with famous last words. Stay behind me. We need a computer. Looking for answers is only going to cause you pain. He got sent down the river too which is worse than a death sentence." (Oct. 22, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Diggle and Felicity’s interactions while Oliver is in prison, EP Beth Schwartz: “In the second episode, we’ll see how they’re working together, because obviously they both want to see Diaz behind bars... But there’s definite tension, for sure — with everyone,” Dinah, Curtis and Rene included. BS: “Some people want to go back to how it was, and some people have moved on. So that will be the challenge at the beginning of the season.” (Oct 17, 2018 TVLine article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the older Roy Harper who's residing on Lian Yu in the flashforwards, EP Beth Schwartz: "You'll see a lot more in episode 2 that he's much darker... He's definitely been burned. There will be a lot of mysteries to reveal throughout the season about what happened to him in that time span. We don't like the happily-ever-afters, apparently." (Oct. 20, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- EBR: "Some of the things that come up in the first six episodes was something I’d been hoping for her to do, so I’m excited for you guys to see that." (Oct. 22, 2018 International Business Times article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 25 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- RG: "Especially within these first four, five episodes, there's going to be so many bombs dropped, it's crazy." (Aug. 30, 2018 itsstevenmccoyb facebook video of Steven McCoy podcast interview with RG, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 24, 2018, papp tweeted: "#Arrow on The Drive -- Vancouver's Commercial Drive." (yvrshoots tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 25, 2018, JH tweeted: "My 3rd AD asked what kind of food I’d like to eat in this scene and I responded 'low carb'. Despite my efforts Hollywood has officially gotten the best of me." (JH tweet, page 1814 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Jul. 30, 2018, papp tweeted: "Got a tip that #Arrow is setup at the Port Mann Power Station in Surrey." (WhatsFilming tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oct. 18, 2018, Miranda Edwards posted pic showing dark silhouettes of the three Longbow Hunters, with comment: "Woohooo! It has begun! #arrowseason 7 I'm so excited to bring #silencer to life. She definitely doesn't play! So much fun being part of the #longbowhunters w/my partners @tundrawild and @mjonssonlegit. Catch us Monday on The CW 8/7c." (realmirandaedwards instagram post, page 5 of Spoilers thread)

Edited October 22, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

SUMMARY OF 703 SPOILERS:

S7, Episode 3: Crossing Lines
-- Production code: 703. Shoot Dates: July 31-August 13, 2018. Director: Gordon Verheul. Writers: Story by Elizabeth Kim and teleplay by Onalee Hunter Hughes & Sarah Tarkoff. Airdate: Oct. 29, 2018. (Aug. 6, 2018 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 18 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread, and Oct. 18, 2018 GreenArrowTV tweet and Oct. 12, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- 703 synopsis: "CURTIS GOES UNDERCOVER FOR ARGUS — Still in prison, Oliver (Stephen Amell) faces his biggest challenge yet.  Meanwhile, Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) gets an intriguing offer, and Diggle (David Ramsey) asks Curtis (Echo Kellum) to go undercover for ARGUS. Gordon Verheul directed the episode with teleplay by Onalee Hunter Hughes & Sarah Tarkoff and story by Elizabeth Kim (#703).  Original airdate 10/29/2018." (Oct. 18, 2018 GreenArrowTV tweet and Oct. 12, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- 703 promo video was posted, featuring Oliver prison scenes and Diaz. (703 promo video, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- 703 sneak peek was posted. (Oct. 29, 2018 CBR article & 703 sneak peek, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- 703 promo pics were posted, featuring Oliver, Brick, Stanley, Agent Watson, Felicity, Dinah, Rene, Diaz and the Longbow Hunters. (Oct. 23, 2018 GreenArrowTV, SpoilerTV and TVLine articles, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 26 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Leaked 703 dialogue between Felicity and FBI Agent Watson: "FELICITY: ... haven't done 'legally' in a long time. SAMANDA WATSON: ... due process. FELICITY: ... I prefer to spend my ... actually catching ...." (Aug. 6, 2018 dmichellewrites tweets, page 1815 of Spoiler Discussion thread and page 16 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Curtis going undercover for ARGUS in 703, EP Beth Schwartz: “We are going to see that he was little more traumatized than we thought [about] how things went down last season — which is why he specifically chose this position in ARGUS." Per EK, fans “will really enjoy seeing Curtis undercover” since it finds him “still trying to do what he can to make sure he doesn’t blow the mission, but still being uniquely himself." (Oct. 25, 2018 TVLine article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- EBR: "Some of the things that come up in the first six episodes was something I’d been hoping for her to do, so I’m excited for you guys to see that." (Oct. 22, 2018 International Business Times article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 25 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- RG: "Especially within these first four, five episodes, there's going to be so many bombs dropped, it's crazy." (Aug. 30, 2018 itsstevenmccoyb facebook video of Steven McCoy podcast interview with RG, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On or about Aug. 2, 2019, when asked about her future involvement in Arrow, Sydelle Noel: “I don’t know if I’m allowed to say! But I can say that I’m leaving for Vancouver tomorrow. You can say that I’m leaving for Vancouver, literally tomorrow? So...." (TCA Summer Press Tour, Aug. 2, 2018: Consequence of Sound article, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 3, 2018, Sydelle Noel tweeted: "#FB to Season 6, episode 23, @CW_Arrow is back shooting season 7 and hopefully you will see #SamandaWatson in the mix. ??????." (sydelle_noel tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 4, 2018, Arrow writer Onalee Hunter Hughes tweeted pic of Vancouver coastline, with comment: "Wilderness. Manhattan. Salt water. Mountains. This is #Vancouver . So fortunate to be shooting #Arrow in this paradise." (onaleehunter tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 6, 2018, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted 703 title page, with comment: "Episode 703 written by @sarahtarkoff @onaleehunter @lizmkim #ArrowSeason7." This title page lists Gordon Verheul as the director, with story by Elizabeth Kim and teleplay by Onalee Hunter Hughes & Sarah Tarkoff. (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 18 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Aug. 8, 2018, Audrey Marie Anderson tweeted pic of her "LYLA MICHAELS" trailer door, with comment: "Good to be back! #ArrowSeason7." (aud_anderson tweet, page 1817 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Aug. 9 and 10, 2018, SA posted live videos from Hawaii, saying that he "got a stretch of days off [which] coincided with a long weekend," so he decided to go to Hawaii and spend some time with his family. SA also said that he will return to work "on Monday" (Aug. 13). (SA facebook videos, page 723 of Social Media thread)
-- On Aug. 10, 2018, papp tweeted: "Signs for Arrow, Riverdale and The Good Doctor spotted by @belcarradeb." This was in response to fan who tweeted: "traveling along Willingdon south to North. Beckmark Prep, then SLF crew top BCIT lot and BLP across from BCIT." (WhatsFilming and belcarradeb tweets, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 11, 2018, papp tweeted: "Signs for Arrow spotted near their secondary studio by @bellatrixisme." This was in response to fan who tweeted: "Beckmark + to set signs up at Gilley and Kingsway. Not sure if new or old." (WhatsFilming and bellatrixisme tweets, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 12, 2018, fan tweeted: "EBR and SA seem not to have filmed much for episode 3 but AA in still in Vancouver and Lyla seems to be heavily involved so I have absolutely nothing against a John Diggle filled episode! #Arrow." (itakha tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 13, 2018, when asked if EBR and CH have been filming much for this season, papp tweeted: "Emily yes , Colton not really." (pursuit23 tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread)

Edited October 30, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This summary includes all topical spoilers from October 15 (after 701 aired) - October 28, 2018. This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

ADDENDUM #4 TO SUMMARY OF S7 SPOILERS BY TOPIC

S7 Showrunner and Writers
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "What I brought [to this season with my promotion] is extremely collaborative... I've known a lot of these people for a long time. I'm just focusing on season seven right now but with the flash forwards, it feels like now the stories are endless. There's a lot of material." (Oct. 20, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "I just wanted to add with - in people's writers' rooms, that, yes, diversity is important and it's also extremely important with who the hierarchy in the room. Like, you can't just have inclusion at the bottom level... People who are running the room - similar - you know, we've all seen the same people running the room - and then, those voices still aren't heard. So that was really important to me when I was, um, you know, making up my room. I wanted to make sure I had equal, you know, female and male co-EPs. So it wasn't just one gender." (The CW Fall Launch Event with #SeeHer, Oct. 14, 2018: Oct. 19, 2018 The CW Television Network video of Executive Producer panel, page 735 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: "It's strange. I always worry so much about quality control on the show, just in terms of continuity and making sure that stuff's true to character, so when I'm not around, I have a tough time loosening my grip. But at the same time, one of the things that we're doing a little bit differently this year is, we've had either a producer or writer on set for every episode and that has really empowered them to make a lot of unilateral decisions because that is their episode. And that's been very helpful because I spend a lot of time talking with them and it gives me a lot of confidence that when I'm not there, there's not any sort of dip in quality. Not that I'm the one who's solely capable of keeping up the quality of the show. Far from it! It's just it allows me to relax a little bit because I've had several episodes where, because I'm in prison, we'd block my stuff at the top of the episode. I'm on a stage, because it's prison, and then I've been off for like 10 days." (Oct. 15, 2018 TVInsider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 24 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On 701's surprise ending, SA: "It's fantastic. I was so pumped when I read it. I think that there's been a lot of new blood in the writer's room and, not to say that things were stale, but it's important to have that happen and I think that a lot of bold moves are being made and a lot of things are being put in the scripts that can never be undone. That's something that I feel like we did a little bit more in our earlier days and then we maybe went a little bit of the safer route in some instances and I've always said if you have a good idea, let's not save it. Another season is promised to nobody. So if you've got a good idea, let's do it." On Arrow having to be safe and responsible show while it was launching all the spinoffs and now being able to go back to being risky, SA: "We have no responsibility now! We can just to go and do our own thing and it's been a lot of fun. The only thing is, we've got a lot of new team members on the set and a lot of new cast members that I just haven't had the chance to interact with yet and so it's been very strange and I always like to try and make people feel at home and feel comfortable and see if they need anything. So to have people who are now a part of the family that I've just never seen is strange." (Oct. 15, 2018 TVInsider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 24 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On having EP Beth Schwartz step up as showrunner for S7, RG: "It’s amazing! Season 7 is a transitional year for us, and having her as a part of our show, coming in as showrunner, she brings this energy that I think are powerful for the show. Her ideas are also powerful for the show. She embodies a spirit that welcomes everyone and that empowers women. That energy is awesome to be around. I think she’s such a talented writer that her work screams off the pages for us. I’m biased to Season 5 ‘cause that’s when I first came in, but after reading the first 10 episodes of this season, I’m like, “Okay, this might give Season 5 a run for its money.” I just think the energy that Beth is bringing to the show is pushing the envelope. It’s something that the show probably always needed. When you get to Season 7, you need to go outside the box, and not too far, but you need to find a way to keep the audience engaged, and she does that effortlessly. We’re very blessed and lucky to have her come on board and inject the energy that we needed, story wise." (The CW Fall Launch Event with #SeeHer, Oct. 14, 2018: Oct. 18, Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oct. 15, 2018, RG posted: "This season is turning out to be pretty special and I’ve only read 10 episodes so far. @schwartzapproved I’m ?? at you. You and the @arrowwriters are killing it...." (RG instagram post, page 21 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

S7 Tone and Style
-- On whether therer was a concerted effort to stay away from sci-fi elements this year, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yeah. We’re sticking to the more grounded storytelling." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what to expect this season, Evan Roderick: "You can expect to see some new styles of storytelling, a couple of new characters, and of course the intense action scenes that Arrow has become renowned for!" (Oct. 17, 2018 Occhimag article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 25 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

S7 Trailers 
-- New Arrow "Justice Is Served" trailer was posted. (Oct. 21, 2018 The CW Television Network video, page 6 of Spoilers thread)

S7 Theme 
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, this season's theme of redemption is "going to affect all of our characters. Obviously, Oliver's character the most." (Oct. 15, 2018 ETonline article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, the overall theme S7 is redemption, and that doesn't just apply to Oliver serving time for crimes he committed as the Green Arrow: "It's focused on Oliver but it will hit on all the characters, just in the choices they've made this season by becoming a hero in a different way... It affects Laurel/Black Siren, she has a large way to go to redeem herself from last season. It will even affect some of our characters in the future story as well." (Oct. 20, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)

S7 Generally
-- On whether there's something that he's excited for the audience to experience this season, Evan Roderick: " I’m excited for the audience to see where things have fallen into place. There have been some big hierarchal changes with some characters taking on more responsibility for the team. There are also some new styles of storytelling that we are excited to share!" (Oct. 19, 2018 FanFest article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 23 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

S7 Flashbacks & Flashforwards
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, the future scenes depicted in the flashforwards are “20 years in the future." (Oct. 15, 2018 GreenArrowTV, ETonline and IGN articles, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On exactly how many years in the future we are seeing, EP Beth Schwartz: "It’s 20 years. I think it’s 2040." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether this future storyline is going to parallel the season, like the flashbacks used to, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yeah. Ever since the flashbacks went away and we didn’t know how long the show was gonna go on for, we always knew, after Season 5, that there wouldn’t be flashbacks, so we had talked about doing flash-forwards, years ago. So, we’re gonna keep it all season." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, the flashforwards take place before the LoT S1 episode "Star City 2046." However, the events of Arrow‘s 2038 will not point toward the same future depicted in "Star City 2046," saying: “This is not connected. This is our own future." Also, while LoT and Flash trade in sci-fi elements such as time travel, BS: “We’re sticking to the grounded storytelling." (Oct. 25, 2018 TVLine article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we're seeing a fixed future in the flashforwards, or whether there is the possibility that they can change things, EP Beth Schwartz: "This is not connected to Legends. This is our own future. They don’t know what happens in the future. Legends is like that and The Flash is like that, but on Arrow, they don’t know. This is very much for the audience. They don’t know what’s happening to them, in the future. It’s better that they don’t know." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether there was a concerted effort to stay away from sci-fi elements this year, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yeah. We’re sticking to the more grounded storytelling." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "I feel we have our own unique way of doing our flash-forward story. But yeah, I love that kind of story telling, of where you are kind of putting the pieces together, and that’s what I love about the [Season 7] premiere... Because all the pieces are kind of there and at the end you are like 'What the f***?' So, there will be a lot of, hopefully, those kind of moments this season." (Oct. 15, 2018 IGN and GreenArrowTV articles, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: “When you’re on a show for so long, the challenges are trying to tell new stories with your characters... [But the flashforwards] just opened up a huge world for us, and the creativity just poured in. Now the stories are endless.” (Oct. 15, 2018 TVLine article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, the flash forwards will be a season-long arc, much as they were in the first five seasons - and that they'll continue to play out for as long as the show remains on the air. (Oct. 15, 2018 IGN, ETonline and TV Guide articles, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "Part of what I think made this series so successful in having the flashbacks is that you were able to really get into your characters... Especially with Oliver, you knew how he became the way he is. And now with the flash forwards, you’re able to see what is happening in the present day, how that affects the characters in the future. Which is really, really, really fun creatively to tell those stories." (Oct. 15, 2018 GreenArrowTV, TVLine, ETonline, IGN and TV Guide articles, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, while the flashforwards won’t be included in every episode, they will be present “a lot,” and “all season and series." (Oct. 15, 2018 TVLine and ETonline articles, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, the flashforwards will get sprinkled in on a “sporadic” basis over the course of Season 7. (Oct. 25, 2018 TVLine article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, the flashforwards will not be in every episode, but they will be in most episodes: "When we had flashbacks in every episode, sometimes it felt like a little too much... I wanted to make sure that we were telling the story we needed to tell instead of being forced to tell them in every episode. With the flashforwards, we're able to see the consequences of what our team has done in the present day story. In the future storyline you're going to be able to see were vigilantes effective? How did that affect Star City in the future? How did it affect The Glades? How did it affect all the characters we love? Are people going to be the same or different? It opens up the world a lot." (Oct. 20, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we're going to get to see all of the other characters aged up, or whether they are going to be played by different actors, in the flashforwards, EP Beth Schwartz: "You’re gonna see some of our characters, yes." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we're going to find out about what happened to Thea, with the flashforwards, EP Beth Schwartz: "It’s possible. I don’t know." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether other familiar names will appear in the future, either played by series regulars or guest stars, EP Beth Schwartz: “We’re going to see some of our characters” aged up in the flashforwards besides Roy, and we'll dig deeper into how the past affects the future. (Oct. 15, 2018 TVLine and IGN articles, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, we'll see several other characters future selves in the jumps. She also confirmed that this is a fixed future, so we don't need to worry about Barry Allen turning up and resetting the timeline or anything. (Oct. 15, 2018 TV Guide article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "We’ve told the story for seven years of our characters and have they really helped the city [as] vigilantes -- are they good or are they bad? Now we’re able to see if their actions really helped in the future. That’s the cool part for us and really getting to know more mystery of like, what happened in that missing time is always good. Mystery on Arrow is key and that’s what I love about the show." (Oct. 15, 2018 ETonline article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "There’s so much territory to choose from... Because we’ve opened it up so much, we have so much story we can tell. We can introduce something in the future and then you’re like, 'How the hell did that happen?' and then you’re going to be watching our present-day story like, 'Wait, when is this going to happen?' I think it just adds a lot to the story." (The CW Fall Launch Event with #SeeHer, Oct. 14, 2018: Oct. 22, 2018 ETonline article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "We always knew after Season 5 there [wouldn't] be flashbacks, so we had talked about doing flash-forwards years ago, like 'is this what we're gonna do when there aren't flashbacks?' So we're gonna keep it all season and series." (Oct. 15, 2018 IGN, ETonline and TV Guide articles, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "I've been on the show since the beginning and we had always in the room discussed the possibility when the flashbacks ended that we would do the flash forwards... Especially since we knew about William and we thought that would be really cool to see how he's been affected by his childhood and his father. We always wanted to do something like that and then this season I pitched it to Greg [Berlanti] and he was like, 'Yes!' We knew we wanted something fresh and new for season seven and my favorite part of the show was always the flashbacks and the mystery of how Oliver became the Green Arrow and his origin story." (Oct. 20, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- While EP Beth Schwartz doesn't remember which writer or producer originally came up with the flashforward idea in the early days of Arrow, it was set in the core mythology of the series years ago: "It was when we realized this show might go on beyond five seasons and I know that Marc [Guggenheim] had always said the flashbacks were five years... What do we do after five seasons? It just made sense to go forward into the future instead of continuing flashbacks. We're kind of breaking two shows. We have a whole separate mythology for the flash forwards and we have a lot of new characters and that's why it feels so fresh; we're doing two shows in one." (Oct. 20, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, while Lian Yu was blown up by Adrian Chase in the S5 finale, it wasn't completely destroyed: "We definitely talked about that... He blew up the island but he didn't decimate it. We figured that 20 years in the future, life finds its way back on the island so that’s why we had some greenery having grown over the graves. And he just didn't burn Robert Queen's grave." (Oct. 20, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "[This season's theme of redemption] will even affect some of our characters in the future story as well." (Oct. 20, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the flashforwards, EBR: "Flashforwards, I dare say this, are more of a commitment than a flashback, because your storyline has to go in a way of which you have designed it to, you know, progress towards these - and how far in the future, right? In some reality. I mean, we're lucky in our show - lucky and destroyed a little bit by it -  that we have so many areas of different realities because of the universe that we've established. You know, things can happen that maybe did happen or didn't. Um, that's the sort of reality they live in. Um, you know, but really committing to that type of storyline and feeding the characters of where they're going to go, it sort of creates the question. I mean, like, if you're not there already, is it nurture or is it nature that got you there?" (Oct. 24, 2018 Entertainment Tonight video of interview with EBR, page 6 of Spoilers thread, page 288 of Starling City Times thread, and page 7 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)
-- On how much they get to know about the flashforwards, EBR: "I don't know everything about these flash-forwards, especially if they're not constitutional to my character. I know a few things about Felicity's flash-forwards and potentially where they want it to go, which I think is a really interesting question. You sort of want things to go somewhere, but then you have to commit to going to that place, and with Felicity growing in such a different direction, I think that there's questions in which there's so many different outlets and directions. [There are] so many opportunities for us to mess with her. But that's a writer question mostly." Also, on whether she has gotten to put on the old-person makeup yet, EBR: "I haven't yet. I hope she also has stubble. But yeah, I mean, we can hope!" (Oct. 26, 2018 TV Guide article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- JH: "I love how the characters relationships have developed in the future... I just think it's so interesting to see where they start and where they end up. And also the makeup! Just seeing everybody old has been really, really excellent." (Oct. 15, 2018 TV Guide article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)

Team Arrow
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, "everyone in our old team is trying to figure out what it means to them to be hero to the city." (Oct. 15, 2018 ETonline article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: “In the second episode, we’ll see how [Diggle and Felicity are] working together, because obviously they both want to see Diaz behind bars... But there’s definite tension, for sure — with everyone, [Dinah, Curtis and Rene included]. ... Some people want to go back to how it was, and some people have moved on. So that will be the challenge at the beginning of the season.” (Oct 17, 2018 TVLine article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we are still going to get scenes in the Arrow cave, even though no one seems to be on Team Arrow anymore, EP Beth Schwartz: "No, not yet. We will not see that, in the beginning." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- With Rene already leaning back into the vigilante thing, on whether it will be a gradual thing, getting the team back together, EP Beth Schwartz: "We are playing with that, in the first half of the season. Our old team is trying to figure out what it means to them to be a hero to the city. Rene definitely has the biggest struggle. He got back in that Wild Dog outfit in the premiere. Everyone will have a different opinion of getting back." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Team Arrow facing the Longbow Hunters, EBR: “The team doesn’t necessarily have a designated leader since they’ve been broken up. It goes back to, what is everybody’s cost? If you don’t have the same amount of cost, you’re going to face disagreement and trouble and possibly not having good teamwork against three people that are working together as a team with a dedicated message, which is probably, at the root, of it evil. They’re kind of outnumbered in terms of mental game, which transfers into the powers that they have.” (Oct. 21, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)

Oliver & Felicity ("Olicity")
-- Although Oliver & Felicity are separated by their circumstances, per EP Beth Schwartz, they’re “fighting for the same thing,” which is their family. BS: “So even though we don’t physically see them together, their goals are the same. So they connect without physically connecting, which I think is really cool. You don’t need to see them together to get that connection.” (Oct. 15, 2018 TVLine article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how fans will get their Olicity feels this season, given that Oliver is separated, EP Beth Schwartz: "We obviously thought about that. In terms of storytelling, we thought it would be great if both of them are fighting for the same thing. So, even though we don’t physically see them together, their goals are the same. They connect without physically connecting, which I think is really cool. They are both fighting for their families, so you don’t need to see them together to get that connection, which is awesome." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Oliver's fear of Felicity not being in Witness Protection anymore is going to continue to be a struggle for him, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yes. He doesn’t like not controlling things." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what kind of ways they are finding to still create that relationship even though Oliver and Felicity can't really be together right now, EBR: "I think the main part of a relationship is talking and communicating. And knowing somebody through and through is sort of knowing when they're at their worst and accepting when they're at their worst, when they don't feel accomplished and those sort of things. They're both fighting for so much at such a visceral, animalistic place, which is survival. I think that's the hardest place to probably resonate from. They know each other very well, but the space part is going to change them. It's kind of like trying to predict where somebody's headed when that person can't even predict it themselves, which is going to be extremely interesting on the other side." (Oct. 26, 2018 TV Guide article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oliver's making a huge, life-altering decision without his wife, EBR: “Felicity is not only hurt, she’s pissed... Her life has gone up in flames and everything she’s worked for — everything she had chosen for herself six years ago and then again a couple years ago and then a year ago marrying Oliver — everything that she’s chosen and worked for was destroyed, was taken away from her. So yeah, she’s angry and very sad.” (Oct. 15, 2018 International Business Times article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- EBR: "Well, Felicity didn't want [Oliver] to do it in the first place. She, you know, is sort of holding a - I wouldn't say grudge, but there's anger there for him making this decision and sort of like leaving her life. And, you know, using that decision alone. Um, with that being said, I wonder - I bet she would do the same thing if she was in prison. She'd fight for her life and her family." (Oct. 24, 2018 PeopleTV tweet & video, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 289 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On when Oliver & Felicity will finally reunite, EBR: "And they will be reunited in episodes to come. Before half the season is done." (Oct. 24, 2018 PeopleTV tweet & video, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 289 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On whether they've filmed the Oliver & Felicity reunion yet, EBR: "Well, maybe. But who knows if it's in reality or not. ... ooh la la, sexy, sexy. (Laughs) I don't know... It has to happen because the crux of Felicity's desire and main objective and goal for the season would be to be with her husband. So, if that doesn't happen, then - I mean, she's just going to light everything on fire and she's going to go to prison for arson." (Oct. 24, 2018 Entertainment Tonight video of interview with EBR, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 288 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On what she can tease about the Olicity reunion, EBR: "The first kiss has some scars in it. Is that weird? That's weird." Leanne Aguilera: "It's Arrow. There's lots of scars." EBR: "That's true. Scars and hearts... Scars and hearts, I think, should be the new title this year." (Oct. 24, 2018 Entertainment Tonight video of interview with EBR, page 6 of Spoilers thread, page 288 of Starling City Times thread, and page 7 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)
-- On whether Oliver & Felicity's relationship will have shifted in any way when they do finally reunite, EBR: "Yeah, I think there's definitely going to be a fracture. There already was, Felicity's already said, 'You've decided — Oliver's decided to do this alone. It didn't include me.' There's already a fracture, so where do we move from that?" (Oct. 26, 2018 TV Guide article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On any teases for fun Olicity scenes coming up, EBR: "Reunion? I don't know if there's things that are fun, so everyone loves watching that. But there are Olicity moments, it's just going to be different now. Life changes." (Oct. 26, 2018 TV Guide article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On crossover hints, EBR: "Felicity is very shocked as a character, and also, [she] and Oliver weren't necessarily in the best spot - they're not in the best part of their relationship in this season, so that played into where they sort of lie when all things go to sh--." (Oct. 26, 2018 TV Guide article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On future William's statement about Olicity abandonment, EBR: "Well, children have a different idea of abandonment. Clearly... You know, they might have, in a way, but it might have been for his own protection... We'll see." (Oct. 24, 2018 Entertainment Tonight video of interview with EBR, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 288 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On Oct. 23, 2018 (after 702 aired), CH posted pic of himself as Older Roy in the flashforward, with comment: "A lot revealed last night on #Arrow . #OldRoy found out that Felicity & Oliver may have abandoned William :( How’d y’all like episode 2??? #arrowseason7." (coltonlhaynes instagram post, page 26 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Oliver Queen AKA Green Arrow
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "I love the prison story and it's what separates it from the previous seasons... Oliver is away from his team, away from his wife and child and he's with some old characters and some new characters. This allows us to tell a different kind of narrative. He's not the Green Arrow anymore. I always wanted it to be a longer arc – I loved Prison Break and I thought it was such a great opportunity to see how our hero reacts to being in prison. There is so much story to be told there so it's a longer arc and the studio and network were extremely supportive. It's one of the strongest stories we have, at least in the first half of the season." (Oct. 20, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: “I love the prison story. It’s one of my favorite things this season, because it’s just so different from anything we’ve done before... It allows [Oliver] to be with other people. We wanted to keep him separate, because the reality of when you’re in prison [is] you’re not with your family. So his storylines are with the characters in the prison." (Oct. 15, 2018 TVLine article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, prison life will not be getting much easier for Oliver in upcoming episodes, especially now that he has given up on his mission to keep his head down and avoid the angry antagonists among his fellow inmates. (Oct. 15, 2018 ETonline article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "[Oliver] learns a lot while he's there, which is really cool... He was kind of different than we've ever seen him where he was not the hero and just laying low and thinking that was the best way for him to be in prison. Then obviously when his family gets attacked, he can't not be the Green Arrow... So he's going to continue to struggle with what does that look like, being the Green Arrow while you're behind bars? It's not easy."  (Oct. 15, 2018 ETonline article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "As we saw [in the premiere], he was kind of different than we have ever seen him, where he was not the hero, and just laying low, and just thinking that was the best way for him to be in prison... And then, obviously, when his family gets attacked he can't not be the Green Arrow, even if he's in prison. So he's going to continue to struggle with what does that look like, being the Green Arrow while you're behind bars? It's not easy." (Oct. 15, 2018 IGN article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, Oliver, who "doesn't like not controlling things," will grapple the most with being locked up as villains like Diaz and the Longbow Hunters wreak havoc on Star City. BS: "He's on the inside while the Big Bad is out there. So that's been really hard on his character, but creatively, really interesting for us to play with. You'll have to see how our group manages to deal with that." (Oct. 15, 2018 ETonline article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "In terms of everything he's done for the past six years and... because his identity is outed, which is, like, a huge series moment as well... everyone knows who he is and that's going to be huge. He's going to have to deal with that all season as well. He no longer can hide behind the mask or prison or all those things." (Oct. 15, 2018 ETonline article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oliver's attitude moving forward after 701, EP Beth Schwartz: "He’s different than we have ever seen him. He was not the hero. He was just laying low and thinking that was the best way for him to be in prison. And then, obviously, when his family gets attacked, he can’t not be the Green Arrow, even if he’s in prison. So, he’s gonna continue to struggle with what does that look like, being the Green Arrow while you’re behind bars. It’s not easy." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we are going to see more of Oliver being a dad, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yeah, definitely." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- James Bamford posted pic of Oliver's prison cell sign: "D-8 PRISONER I.D. 4587 [bar code] HANDLING RATING-5 EXTREMELY LETHAL." (Oct. 23, 2018 james2bambamford instagram post, page 735 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: "After the premiere, we really isolate Oliver... He goes a long time without interacting with really any familiar face. I have enjoyed the couple of visitors that I’ve had. I actually had one recently with a character that I haven’t had a sit-down scene with in some time, and it was really fun to work with them again." Also SA: "He finds some enemies that you would expect to be his enemies in prison, but we also have him team up with a few unexpected people, and those scenes have been fun." (Oct. 16, 2018 ComicBook article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oliver not getting out of jail quickly, SA: "Yeah, and so no, he doesn't. It's not like a season of 24 where Jack Bauer is put in prison by the Chinese government but then you realize that they're not gonna keep him in China for like nine episodes. [Laughs] He's gonna show up like 20 minutes into the show! So we've really isolated Oliver in prison and it's been a very interesting dynamic because I haven't been interacting with a ton of the cast." (Oct. 15, 2018 TVInsider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 24 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether it feels like he's on a different show right now, SA: "It totally feels like I'm on a different show. We've seen in the preview that Oliver interacts with both Diggle and Felicity in the premiere, but then I go a stretch of episodes [alone]. In fact it was just last week, I worked with one of the regulars and that was the first time in months. It's been really strange, although there are people in prison that Oliver interacts with where there's some familiarity that we haven't yet seen in the previews." (Oct. 15, 2018 TVInsider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 24 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Oliver being in prison, SA: "Well, he's been laying low. And also the name of our season finale was 'Life Sentence,' so he isn't focusing on getting out on good behavior, but he's passively avoiding conflict and trying to stay out of everybody's way. One of the things I talk with the writers a lot about is that Oliver can break out of prison any time he wants. We've broken into prison, we've broken out of prison, I can't count how many times during the show. [Laughs] So there has to be a reason that he's staying in there and right now, it's the fact that he's done this to keep his friends from being arrested, has the FBI and A.R.G.U.S. looking for Diaz, and Felicity and William are theoretically safe. But the moment that all three of those things go away, then there's no reason for him to be in there anymore, that wouldn't make sense for the character." (Oct. 15, 2018 TVInsider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 24 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether we can assume that Oliver's imprisonment will be resolved in some way before the crossover, SA: "That would be a safe assumption, I think. But the one thing that I can tell you is there aren't any breakouts of prison planned, so assuming that Oliver does eventually get out, I'm very, very excited to see how he gets back into society because, again, he's out as the Green Arrow now. People know, everyone knows it. So what does that mean, how is that gonna affect him?" (Oct. 15, 2018 TVInsider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 24 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Felicity Smoak AKA Overwatch
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "We played [Felicity] pretty parallel to Oliver, where she's hiding, she's not being herself... She's in protective custody and then when someone attacks her family, she can't ignore that." Also BS: "She has to fight back, so she's going to figure out how do I fight back without my husband who happens to be the Green Arrow? ... That will be her challenge in the first half this season." (Oct. 15, 2018 ETonline article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Felicity's journey going forward after she made the decision to stay and fight, EP Beth Schwartz: "Her storyline is one of my favorites, this season. We played her pretty parallel to Oliver, where she’s hiding and not being herself. She’s in protective custody, but when someone attacks her family, she can’t ignore that, so she has to fight back. She’s gonna figure out, how do I fight back without my husband, who happens to be the Green Arrow? That will be her challenge, in the first half of the season." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Felicity's mindset going forward in S7, EBR: "Well, I think her, like, original mindset is a little broken because it's been sort of jaded and - and dis - deconstructed if not completely destroyed. And I think the danger is wondering - or the danger is in, has it been completely destroyed or is it repairable? Um, and I think that is pretty much her arc for the season, is deciding, you know, where now she, like, believes justice and her morals lie, and whether or not she can accomplish that by being the person she was or does she have to accomplish it now by being the person she has made herself into." (Oct. 24, 2018 Entertainment Tonight video of interview with EBR, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 288 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On the most exciting part of Felicity's putting herself on a kind of dark, isolated path this season, EBR: "It opens up avenues to work with different characters that she hasn't worked with before, which is really exciting. For me as an actor though, mostly, I love working with Stephen all the time, except that his character happens to be in prison. So we've had a little bit of a sabbatical from each other, which has been sad. It's been quite a different season. But it's interesting to have a character driven by such a different force than she has been for six seasons. Her objective has stayed the same but the nucleus which drives her objective had to change her tactics, her strategies. If it continues in that same direction, it will ultimately change her disposition. It'll change who she is." (Oct. 26, 2018 TV Guide article, tweet & video, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Felicity's FBI team-up is a good path for her, or whether it have pitfalls for darkness, EBR: "I feel like it has pitfalls and darkness because it's not her natural state, right? It doesn't seem like somewhere she naturally came to. It seems like a place that she was forced to be in, in which case we're not always our authentic selves in that area. So I do think there's danger there in her becoming someone that she doesn't want to be." (Oct. 26, 2018 TV Guide article, tweet & video, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Felicity is coping with working with the FBI when she's so used to Team Arrow, EBR: "Nowhere is fun if you do it alone, and she has to do it alone. And you know, two heads are better than one, four heads are better than two. I don't know how you take on the world alone and think it was your best possible option. And it just feels like her only option right now, and I think that that's sad and also extremely dangerous." (Oct. 26, 2018 TV Guide article, tweet & video, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we will definitively learn whether Smoak Tech will become a part of Felicity's storyline, EBR: "I don't know yet. I'd like to say that we would have it, but I mean, definitively it's already been out there, so potentially? Still potential." (Oct. 26, 2018 TV Guide article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we'll finally see Felicity with her own company, Smoak Tech, EBR: "Smoak Tech has not come into play yet, but it has been referenced in the future." (Oct. 24, 2018 PeopleTV tweet & video, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 289 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On whether she has more "fight or action scenes this season," EBR: "Yep... I have so much fun with that." (Oct. 24, 2018 Entertainment Tonight video of interview with EBR, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 288 of Starling City Times thread)
-- EBR: "Some of the things that come up in the first six episodes was something I’d been hoping for her to do, so I’m excited for you guys to see that." (Oct. 22, 2018 International Business Times article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 25 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On her wish list of things she'd like to see Felicity do on Arrow, EBR: “I would like to see her suit up. I really would." Though Felicity had once rejected Oliver’s suggestion that she wear a mask as Overwatch, EBR thinks a suit could be warranted: “I don’t think she needs like a mask and a cape or that sort of thing, but I think that because she’s sort of been in this world for so long, it’s not like she hasn’t been learning self-defense and that’s certainly — I think she’ll always be sort of uncoordinated — I just think that’s not too far out there for her." EBR didn’t share many specifics about what she imagines Felicity’s superhero uniform to look like, but she knows one must-have: “It better be, like, super techy.” (Oct. 22, 2018 International Business Times article, page 25 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how sending William away and losing that kind of "Mama Felicity" identity has affected her, EBR: "She's made space for him in her heart, and now with him gone, there is absence. She has to sort of send him away to protect him and also for her to accomplish ultimately what she'd set out to do years ago and continues to set out to do. I think, once again, she feels like it's her only option. You can wash over the feelings of regret and guilt and sadness if you keep driving yourself at this pace and force, which she's trying to do. But you can only ignore absence for so long, you can only numb yourself to those things for so long. It'll catch up with you." (Oct. 26, 2018 TV Guide article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- EBR: “You get some Black Siren-Felicity scenes right off that bat. I was pretty excited about that." She couldn’t say much about her dynamic with KC's villain, but it sounds like it’ll be entertaining. EBR hinted: “Oh you will see, it is quite something." (Oct. 15, 2018 International Business Times article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Felicity will factor into the new Green Arrow, EBR: "It's not who you think. Felicity is going to factor into it once she meets the person. She will ultimately feel guarded but then hopefully jump on board. That would be my want." (Oct. 26, 2018 TV Guide article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- EBR: "I know a few things about Felicity's flash-forwards and potentially where they want it to go, which I think is a really interesting question. You sort of want things to go somewhere, but then you have to commit to going to that place, and with Felicity growing in such a different direction, I think that there's questions in which there's so many different outlets and directions. [There are] so many opportunities for us to mess with her. But that's a writer question mostly." (Oct. 26, 2018 TV Guide article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether she has gotten to put on the old-person makeup yet, EBR: "I haven't yet. I hope she also has stubble. But yeah, I mean, we can hope!" (Oct. 26, 2018 TV Guide article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Colton Haynes' return, EBR: “We’re very good friends, so just having him on set is a blessing... We’ll see each other on set and we’ll see each other offset, but we haven’t had any scenes together yet, which just feels like evil, really.” (Oct. 22, 2018 International Business Times article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 25 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On people speculating that Colton Haynes' character will be the "next fake Green Arrow," EBR: "That is a a great prediction... I mean, these leading questions are pretty much a trap... We haven't spent a whole lot of time together on set, because our characters haven't really interacted quite yet, which is very sad, in my personal opinion." (Oct. 24, 2018 PeopleTV tweet & video, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 289 of Starling City Times thread)
-- ET's Leanne Aguilera: "You're sitting with me now while a lot of your co-stars are filming the crossover. Is Felicity in the crossover?" EBR: "She is in the crossover. I just happen to be here for the day." (Oct. 24, 2018 Entertainment Tonight video of interview with EBR, page 6 of Spoilers thread, page 288 of Starling City Times thread, and page 7 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)

William "Will" Clayton
-- Ben Lewis is joining the Arrow cast for a season-long arc after being introduced in 701 as the future adult version of William “Will” Clayton, the son of Oliver Queen and the late Samantha Clayton. (Oct. 17, 2018 Deadline article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On introducing actor Ben Lewis as adult William, EP Beth Schwartz: “I’m so excited to announce him because he's so great. He’s a really good actor and that’s another thing we’ve been doing a great job of keeping quiet." (Oct. 15, 2018 ETonline and GreenArrowTV articles, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- The Arrow creative team was also excited to explore more of William's story via the timeline jumps, including how the trauma of growing up around vigilantes might affect him later in life. EP Beth Schwartz: "We were always like, that kid’s had some bad times!... What does that look like when you’re an adult dealing with that? That was always something we talked about." (Oct. 15, 2018 ETonline article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "I've been on the show since the beginning and we had always in the room discussed the possibility when the flashbacks ended that we would do the flash forwards... Especially since we knew about William and we thought that would be really cool to see how he's been affected by his childhood and his father." (Oct. 20, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, while the timeframe of the flashforwards is around 20 years in the future, we can still expect to see William in the present-day storyline, despite being sent away by Felicity to keep him safe from Diaz. (Oct. 15, 2018 IGN article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether William is still going to be prevalent in present-day storyline, given that he's going away to school, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yeah. Part of what I think made this series so successful, in having the flashbacks, is that you were able to really get into your characters. Especially with Oliver, you knew how he became the way he is. And now, with the flash-forwards, you’re able to see what is happening in the present day and how that affects the characters in the future, which is really, really, really fun, creatively." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "Last year we spent a lot of time with Oliver as a father, and those stories were extremely dynamic... Trying to figure out what it's like for a child to have a father who is Oliver Queen has been endless with the amount of stories we can come up with. How that affects a small child with all the trauma he's been through, it's interesting to see how William turns out when he's an adult." (Oct. 20, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Adult William got his techy side from Felicity, EBR: "Absolutely! Where else is he going to get that from? Yeah, he has to." (Oct. 26, 2018 TV Guide article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On future William's statement about Olicity abandonment, EBR: "Well, children have a different idea of abandonment. Clearly... You know, they might have, in a way, but it might have been for his own protection... We'll see." (Oct. 24, 2018 Entertainment Tonight video of interview with EBR, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 288 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On Oct. 15, 2018, SA tweeted: "lease say hello to @benlewishere — Welcome to the family." (SA tweet, page 734 of Social Media thread)
-- On Oct. 16, 2018, Ben Lewis tweeted in reply to SA's tweet: "Thanks Dad! Humbled & proud to be your (TV) son... especially after watching that premiere!." (benlewishere tweet, page 734 of Social Media thread)
-- On Oct. 17, 2018, in response to same day Deadline article, Ben Lewis tweeted: "If you didn’t know, now you know. ????." In reply, Katherine McNamara tweeted: "Woo! Way to go @benlewishere! @CW_Arrow." (benlewishere and Kat_McNamara tweets, page 5 of Spoilers thread)

John Diggle AKA Spartan 
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, another original team member stepping away from the vigilante lifestyle is John Diggle, who is now working for his wife, Lyla, at ARGUS, "which I love." (Oct. 15, 2018 ETonline article, page 5 of Spoilers thread) 
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "We'll see in the next few episodes how [Diggle's] kind of dealing with what happened to Felicity,... He's kind of Oliver's brother, in a sense, and he obviously wants to protect Oliver's family. But he's full-time ARGUS now, and so we'll see some ARGUS stories, which is really fun." (Oct. 15, 2018 ETonline article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)

Roy Harper AKA Arsenal
-- On the older Roy Harper who's residing on Lian Yu in the flashforwards, EP Beth Schwartz: "You'll see a lot more in episode 2 that he's much darker... He's definitely been burned. There will be a lot of mysteries to reveal throughout the season about what happened to him in that time span. We don't like the happily-ever-afters, apparently." (Oct. 20, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Colton Haynes' return, EBR: “We’re very good friends, so just having him on set is a blessing... We’ll see each other on set and we’ll see each other offset, but we haven’t had any scenes together yet, which just feels like evil, really.” (Oct. 22, 2018 International Business Times article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 25 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On people speculating that Colton Haynes' character will be the "next fake Green Arrow," EBR: "That is a a great prediction... I mean, these leading questions are pretty much a trap... We haven't spent a whole lot of time together on set, because our characters haven't really interacted quite yet, which is very sad, in my personal opinion." (Oct. 24, 2018 PeopleTV tweet & video, page 6 of Spoilers thread, page 289 of Starling City Times thread, and page 7 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)

Thea Queen AKA Speedy
-- On whether we're going to find out about what happened to Thea, with the flashforwards, EP Beth Schwartz: "It’s possible. I don’t know." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)

Curtis Holt AKA Mr. Terrific
-- On Curtis going undercover for ARGUS in 703, EP Beth Schwartz: “We are going to see that he was little more traumatized than we thought [about] how things went down last season — which is why he specifically chose this position in ARGUS." (Oct. 25, 2018 TVLine article, page 6 of Spoilers thread, and Oct. 15, 2018 ETonline article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per EK, fans “will really enjoy seeing Curtis undercover” for ARGUS (in 703) since it finds him “still trying to do what he can to make sure he doesn’t blow the mission, but still being uniquely himself." (Oct. 25, 2018 TVLine article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)

Rene Ramirez AKA Wild Dog
-- With Rene already leaning back into the vigilante thing, on whether it will be a gradual thing, getting the team back together, EP Beth Schwartz: "We are playing with that, in the first half of the season. Our old team is trying to figure out what it means to them to be a hero to the city. Rene definitely has the biggest struggle. He got back in that Wild Dog outfit in the premiere. Everyone will have a different opinion of getting back." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, Rene is definitely the "most interested" in learning more about the new Green Arrow, saying: "Rene definitely has the biggest struggle... Obviously, in the premiere, he got back in that Wild Dog outfit and he's... Everyone will kind of have a different opinion of getting back." (Oct. 15, 2018 ETonline article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Rene will be dealing with figuring out what his place is now, with Oliver in prison and a new Green Arrow vigilante in town, RG: "It makes him feel like, maybe I should be pushing the envelope and continuing to be in a place of vigilantism. I think the stance is, if I do that, then I go to jail and I jeopardize being a dad for my daughter. But what makes Rene, Rene is being someone who says, 'I can go around the rules, as long as I’m doing what I feel in my heart.' Those are the normal dilemmas for Rene. He’s like, do I do the right thing, or do I just say F it and do what I feel in my heart? Those are the questions we’ll probably see Rene ask this year." (The CW Fall Launch Event with #SeeHer, Oct. 14, 2018: Oct. 18, Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Rene ever considered going to work at ARGUS with Diggle and Curtis, RG: "Oh, no. He [punched the clock] for awhile at City Hall. Working with Lance was his way of giving that a shot. I do think Rene is either a person who has big ideas and wants to control the narrative, or is somebody who just does it on his own. Although he’ll force himself to be administrative when he needs to be, I think he sees himself in the pilot seat." (The CW Fall Launch Event with #SeeHer, Oct. 14, 2018: Oct. 18, Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the tension between Rene and Dinah, RG: "They both have opposing ideas on how to help the city. Dinah’s takes a really important role that she decides is gonna be the best way for her to help the city, and she wants Rene to also follow in those footsteps. They want to help in different ways, and those ways clash. I think they love each other, and they’re like brother and sister, but they’re very passionate. The fireworks are gonna fly." (The CW Fall Launch Event with #SeeHer, Oct. 14, 2018: Oct. 18, Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the conflict between Rene and Dinah, RG: "There’s going to be tension there... Because he decides to suit up... that lends itself to who Rene is. He’s someone who does the right thing in terms of wanting to be a dad. But at the same time, to be a vigilante is pretty reckless, but that’s what we love about him. ... That clashes with Dinah, who’s now the police captain... She has to walk the straight and narrow. She has a different idea on how to help the city. There’s going to be friction there." (The CW Fall Launch Event with #SeeHer, Oct. 14, 2018: Oct. 22, 2018 ETonline article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the tension between Rene and Dinah, JH: "Because the hierarchy has changed and Oliver is not there anymore, all of their relationships are shifting, and there’s extra stress and tension on the whole team. That’s probably going to ebb and flow everybody’s relationships. They’re gonna have to work through some conflict because they don’t really have a solid team anymore, and their leader is not there."  (The CW Fall Launch Event with #SeeHer, Oct. 14, 2018: Oct. 18, Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)

Dinah Drake AKA Black Canary
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, for Dinah, her new position as police captain has her questioning a return to the world of vigilante heroics, saying: "She's kind of going back to her roots a little bit... We see in the premiere, she fully believes [in] the law now, she's now on the other side of things, which is what's so interesting. It's because, and Rene is calling her out on it, that she's now the people who used to chase after them, but she believes that what's best for the city is law and order and not necessarily vigilantes anymore." (Oct. 15, 2018 ETonline article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On where Dinah is and her journey this season, JH: "I was excited because I think it’s so important to build on these characters, to give them layers, and to give their stories a lot of movement. There are so many episodes and there is so much story to tell, so it’s a great step for her. It’s not necessarily where she wanted to be, but I like that she’s in that place because now she has to think and be resourceful." (The CW Fall Launch Event with #SeeHer, Oct. 14, 2018: Oct. 18, Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Dinah will start to regret or question her choice to work at the SCPD and enforce the law, JH: "Dinah has this urge to provide justice and to be a hero, but I don’t know if the SCPD on its own is gonna cut it. I think she’s gonna miss being in that suit." (The CW Fall Launch Event with #SeeHer, Oct. 14, 2018: Oct. 18, Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
--- On the tension between Rene and Dinah, JH: "Because the hierarchy has changed and Oliver is not there anymore, all of their relationships are shifting, and there’s extra stress and tension on the whole team. That’s probably going to ebb and flow everybody’s relationships. They’re gonna have to work through some conflict because they don’t really have a solid team anymore, and their leader is not there."  (The CW Fall Launch Event with SeeHer, Oct. 14, 2018: Oct. 18, Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the tension between Rene and Dinah, RG: "They both have opposing ideas on how to help the city. Dinah’s takes a really important role that she decides is gonna be the best way for her to help the city, and she wants Rene to also follow in those footsteps. They want to help in different ways, and those ways clash. I think they love each other, and they’re like brother and sister, but they’re very passionate. The fireworks are gonna fly." (The CW Fall Launch Event with #SeeHer, Oct. 14, 2018: Oct. 18, Collider article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the conflict between Rene and Dinah, RG: "There’s going to be tension there... Because he decides to suit up... that lends itself to who Rene is. He’s someone who does the right thing in terms of wanting to be a dad. But at the same time, to be a vigilante is pretty reckless, but that’s what we love about him. ... That clashes with Dinah, who’s now the police captain... She has to walk the straight and narrow. She has a different idea on how to help the city. There’s going to be friction there." (The CW Fall Launch Event with #SeeHer, Oct. 14, 2018: Oct. 22, 2018 ETonline article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)

Earth-2 Laurel Lance AKA Black Siren
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "[The S7 theme of redemption] affects Laurel/Black Siren, she has a large way to go to redeem herself from last season." (Oct. 20, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Earth-2 Laurel, EP Beth Schwartz: "She has kind of the farthest to redeem herself... She's the D.A. as we saw in the premiere, but she is sort of, her season-long arc is about, is she Laurel or is she Black Siren?" (Oct. 15, 2018 ETonline article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: “She’s always sort of struggling with the line between good and evil, and she lies somewhere in between that. With Quentin’s death, she’s definitely been affected in terms of she wants to live her life how Quentin would’ve wanted her to, but the Black Siren in her is always going to exist... Also, she has not forgotten about Diaz and how her father died, so she will definitely be wanting to seek revenge for Quentin’s death.” (Oct. 21, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: “No one can fully trust her, obviously, but we are going to see some interesting team-ups with her and some of our team." (Oct. 21, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- EBR: “You get some Black Siren-Felicity scenes right off that bat. I was pretty excited about that." She couldn’t say much about her dynamic with KC's villain, but it sounds like it’ll be entertaining. EBR hinted: “Oh you will see, it is quite something." (Oct. 15, 2018 International Business Times article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what she's most excited to have fans see this season, KC: "In terms of my character, I think you will see - we'll definitely get into more of Black Siren and, um - her back story, and what her motives are and why. Um, you know, obviously she has it out for Diaz. Um, and she's now come into the position of being, um, Mayor... basically. She - there's a lot going on with her. There's a lot of layers. And she is still a bit of a loose cannon though. You never know what you're going to get from her... It's been really fun playing her, you know. .... We'll get into her back story, and I think everyone's going to be pretty surprised." (L.A. Comic Con, Oct. 27, 2018: Media Discord video of KC panel, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 736 of Social Media thread)
-- On how E2 Laurel got her "law skills" in order to be District Attorney this season, KC: "Oh, she studied up really quick. Um, in Season 6, if you remember, there was an episode - because I actually asked this exact question to Beth Schwartz, our showrunner, who's fantastic. I love her. Um, you know, and basically Quentin had given Laurel - uh, well, Black Siren - in Season 6, uh, Laurel Earth-1's law books. Uh, so she's sort of doing that whole thing 'fake it till you make it.' But I do think she's actually - she's doing it, you know, as best she can, and I think she's doing some reading. She's a good actor. She's putting on a show for everyone." (L.A. Comic Con, Oct. 27, 2018: Media Discord video of KC panel, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 736 of Social Media thread)
-- On how Diaz's love-hate relationship with Black Siren will play out this season, KA: "I don’t think so much, which is unfortunate because she was pretty much my partner in crime the whole (especially the second half) of last season. I just don’t think leaning in that direction." (Oct. 15, 2018 StarryMag article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)

Mysterious New Green Arrow
-- On the identity of the mysterious new Green Arrow, EP Beth Schwartz: “We’ll definitely unveil and explore [that] before the end of the season." (Oct. 15, 2018 ETonline, IGN and TVLine articles, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Felicity will factor into the new Green Arrow, EBR: "It's not who you think. Felicity is going to factor into it once she meets the person. She will ultimately feel guarded but then hopefully jump on board. That would be my want." (Oct. 26, 2018 TV Guide article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)

Big Bad(s)
-- On whether he can say anything about the villain this season, RG: "No. Um, but I think you guys are going to be in for a, like, 'ooh,' a doozy. Like, it's going to throw you - it's going to be awesome. And I'm literally like - I just read episode 10 and, like, things start to unfold and make sense to people - like, it's going to be crazy." (The CW Fall Launch Event with #SeeHer, Oct. 14, 2018: Oct. 15, 2018 Access video of red carpet interviews with Arrow cast members, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oct. 23, 2018, SA tweeted: "Read a bunch of stuff about 702 and speculation about who is our Big Bad is for S7. Well... what if there isn’t a Big Bad?" (SA tweet, page 26 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Ricardo Diaz AKA The Dragon
-- On how do Oliver and his family approach staying safe, knowing that Diaz is out there and has his hands in pretty much everything, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yeah, that’s gonna be challenging. What was interesting about it, in the writers’ room when we were talking about this season, is that this is the first time the Big Bad is continued from the previous season. And also, Oliver is in prison and on the inside while the Big Bad is out there, so that’s been really hard on his character. Creatively, that’s been really interesting for us to play with. You’ll have to see how our group manages to deal with that." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "It is the first time we've [kept the same villain for a second season] and it's the first time we've had a big bad going after our team while Oliver is in prison... Oliver is very much isolated on the inside and he'll struggle with trying to go after Diaz while he's stuck in prison so he'll have to get creative. Our team on the outside isn't really a team anymore either so having them trying to figure out their new normal and take down Diaz is also very challenging so they'll have to do things in a different way than they've done before." (Oct. 20, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "Diaz will be [the Longbow Hunters'] leader, so he'll have this fierce group of assassins that are on his side for him to fight the team with.". (Oct. 20, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On his recent projects, KA: "I am a series regular on 'Arrow.' I can’t really do anything else." (Oct. 15, 2018 StarryMag article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what kind of physical changes we'll see in Diaz this season, KA: "I think he’s a little banged up and that kind of plays into the beginning of the season. You’ll see what I do to remedy that. He’s a little banged up physically." (Oct. 15, 2018 StarryMag article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we'll get more flashbacks and insight into who Diaz was growing up, KA: "I don’t know. You’ll have to wait and see. That’s neither a denial or a yes. [laughs] I’ll say this much, the show is not called 'The Dragon.' That’s what I’ll say. [laughs] Unfortunately, I don’t think they can do that every season. They did my character justice by giving me that episode last season." (Oct. 15, 2018 StarryMag article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what he can tease about the rumored, scantily clad fight scene, KA: "There is an epic fight scene. It’s epic. It’s literally like ten or fifteen minutes long. It’s brutal. I was so sore for like three days. Then, the fight scene was one whole day or a day and a half. It was a day and a half or two days of fights! So, that’s a lot. It should be epic. There will be nude people fighting. [laughs] I don’t necessarily think it will be me and Stephen. But you never know! We’re only up to episode seven right now." (Oct. 15, 2018 StarryMag article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Diaz's love-hate relationship with Black Siren will play out this season, KA: "I don’t think so much, which is unfortunate because she was pretty much my partner in crime the whole (especially the second half) of last season. I just don’t think leaning in that direction." (Oct. 15, 2018 StarryMag article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)

Longbow Hunters
-- On the Longbow Hunters, EP Beth Schwartz: "Diaz will be their leader, so he'll have this fierce group of assassins that are on his side for him to fight the team with." (Oct. 20, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, each Longbow Hunter — Red Dart (Holly Elissa), the shield-loving Kodiak (Michael Jonsson), and Silencer (Miranda Edwards) — will essentially be paired against one of the heroes: “They’re a force... Each one has a different team member that they’ll go toe-to-toe with, specifically with what weapons they use.” (Oct. 21, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Team Arrow facing the Longbow Hunters, EBR: “When you have a multitude of people who are sort of distracting [you] and working as a team toward evil, you’re, for lack of a better word, screwed... The team doesn’t necessarily have a designated leader since they’ve been broken up. It goes back to, what is everybody’s cost? If you don’t have the same amount of cost, you’re going to face disagreement and trouble and possibly not having good teamwork against three people that are working together as a team with a dedicated message, which is probably, at the root, of it evil. They’re kind of outnumbered in terms of mental game, which transfers into the powers that they have.” (Oct. 21, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether the Longbow Hunters are as dangerous as they appear, EBR: "I think so. Plus, there's three of them, right? Multiple of them. So yes, strength in numbers, not to mention, like, completely educated in tactical, close combat, violent human beings." (Oct. 24, 2018 PeopleTV tweet & video, page 6 of Spoilers thread, page 289 of Starling City Times thread, and page 7 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)
-- On Oct. 18, 2018, Miranda Edwards posted pic showing dark silhouettes of the three Longbow Hunters, with comment: "Woohooo! It has begun! #arrowseason 7 I'm so excited to bring #silencer to life. She definitely doesn't play! So much fun being part of the #longbowhunters w/my partners @tundrawild and @mjonssonlegit. Catch us Monday on The CW 8/7c." (realmirandaedwards instagram post, page 5 of Spoilers thread)

Nick Anastas (SCPD Officer)
-- On what is going to surprise people about Nick in S7, Evan Roderick: "All I can say is that there is going to be a lot of action and he and Dinah will be working together once again. Expect lots of action!" (Oct. 17, 2018 Occhimag article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 25 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how he would describe Nick's personality, Evan Roderick: "If he believes in something, he will dedicate himself wholeheartedly to that cause. He has an unwavering sense of loyalty to Dinah Drake and Curtis Holt and would sacrifice himself for them any day. I’d say, his loyalty, determination, and compassion are his best traits." Also ER: "He’s a gunslinger. Anytime we shoot an action scene I know I’m going to be in the thick of it. I really enjoy that." (Oct. 17, 2018 Occhimag article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 25 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Evan Roderick: "Nick is a patrol officer with the Star City Police Force. He is Dinah Drake’s right hand man and the love interest of Curtis Holt, also known as Mr. Terrific. He is a natural gunslinger, so most of his expertise serves best when involved in heavy action scenes!" More about Nick, ER: "Reliable and dependable — you know what you’re getting every time and you can’t go wrong!" (Oct. 19, 2018 FanFest article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 23 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nick's impact on Dinah's life, Evan Roderick: "I think he’s had a huge impact. Moving forward, Dinah is going to need more people to trust. It has been important for her to know she still has someone in the SCPD that she can count on." (Oct. 19, 2018 FanFest article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 23 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what he would love to see happen to Nick’s character in the future, Evan Roderick: "I’d love to see Nick work closer with team Arrow. Most of his efforts have been through Dinah and the SCPD so far but having more responsibility within team Arrow would be an interesting change." (Oct. 17, 2018 Occhimag article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 25 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how Nick copes with his and Curtis’ relationship regarding their stances on vigilantism, Evan Roderick: "I think if Nick had any preconceptions about vigilantism, they were shifted when Curtis took a bullet for him and was discovered as Mr. Terrific. That moment allowed him to see vigilantism in a positive light, and from then on has been more willing to cooperate with vigilantes." (Oct. 17, 2018 Occhimag article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 25 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nick's relationship with Curtis, Evan Roderick: "I think the relationship is interesting because Nick and Curtis have found each other and grown closer despite their many differences — especially when it comes to their stances on vigilantism. I believe Nick’s changing stance on vigilantism throughout the last season is a testament to their bond, and to the loyalty and love Curtis has for Nick. Definitely expect to see more of these two!" (Oct. 19, 2018 FanFest article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 23 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Maya (f/k/a "Jessie Bowden"?)
-- On Maya (Katherine McNamara), EP Beth Schwartz: "We'll see her in the first half of the season... There are still many surprises to come." (Oct. 20, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Katherine McNamara joining Arrow this season, EBR said that she has not shared any scenes with her yet and has not met her in Vancouver yet. (Oct. 24, 2018 Entertainment Tonight video of interview with EBR, page 6 of Spoilers thread, page 288 of Starling City Times thread, and page 7 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)
-- Katherine McNamara: "It's really exciting! There's just about nothing that I can say yet because I'm sworn to so much spoiler secrecy, but Maya is kick-ass...She's a fighter. She's someone not to be messed with, I'll put it that way." Also KM: "But it's been a real joy... That's such a family and I was welcomed with open arms and it's such an exciting thing." (Oct. 15, 2018 ETonline article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what it's like being part of Arrow now, Katherine McNamara: "I feel very fortunate... It's amazing. It's such great family. I mean, I've shot my first episode and they've been so welcoming and so wonderful. And, uh, it's a very exciting character, very different from Clary on Shadowhunters, sort of the antithesis of everything she was, um, which is really cool. And - and fun for me as an actor to do something different." (Oct. 19, 2018 Circa POP Live facebook interview with Katherine McNamara, page 6 of Spoilers thread)

Emiko Queen (f/k/a "Konomi Rhodes"?)
-- It's rumored that Sea Shimooka will play Emiko Queen. Her instagram page includes pic and video of her training with T3 Athletics in Vancouver. (Oct. 17, 2018 Velocity23 post containing link to Sea Shimooka's instagram page, page 21 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Oct. 1, 2018, fan posted link to and quoted from Sea Shimooka's instagram post (since deleted), with comment: "Sea Shimooka: first day shooting and I learned don’t do an all you can eat of the chia pudding right before your shirtless scene ... Actress Sea Shimooka will be featured in 707 in a TBA role. (She recently followed the Arrow show instagram and Stephen. It is unknown at this time if she’ll be a recurring character. This was taken 2 days ago. They’ll be working on 708 today." (Oct. 1, 2018 dmichellewrites tumblr article linked in Oct. 21, 2018 tv echo post, page 24 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Derek Sampson AKA Stardust
-- On whether Vinnie Jones and Cody Runnels will be sticking around for a bit, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yeah." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)

Danny Brickwell AKA Brick
-- On whether Vinnie Jones and Cody Runnels will be sticking around for a bit, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yeah." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)

Stanley Dover (Prison Inmate)
-- Per ComicBook, Stanley's full name is Stanley Dover. (Oct. 19, 2018 ComicBook article, page 23 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Oliver's prison storyline with wrongly convicted inmate Stanley, played by Brendan Fletcher, EP Beth Schwartz: “The reason I love their relationship so much is because, first of all, they are opposites... He’s kind of the voice of the hope of the city, who believed in [the Green Arrow], because he’s the Green Arrow’s biggest fan. So he’s kind of a little bit of the light for Oliver in prison.” (Oct. 15, 2018 TVLine article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Oliver finds someone that he can actually trust in prison, EP Beth Schwartz: "His relationships in prison, especially with him and Stanley, that’s my favorite relationship of the season, so far. He’s just a phenomenal actor, and he’s the voice of hope for the city because he’s the Green Arrow’s biggest fan. You’ll get some of that inside prison, but everyone else hates him. He’s a little bit of the light for Oliver in prison, which is a really fun dynamic. Things don’t get easier for Oliver, but he learns a lot while he’s there, which is really cool." (Oct. 15, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "We have a new character, Stanley, that we meet in the pilot and he and Oliver sort of form an unlikely alliance." (Oct. 16, 2018 ComicBook article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)

Malcolm Merlyn 
-- John Barrowman: "At the moment, uh, you know, I'm still involved in Arrow, and I play the bad guy on The CW and the Warner Bros. TV show Arrow. And I'm the super villain on that." (Oct. 25, 2018 Good Morning Britain video, page 29 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- John Barrowman (pointing to his brown hair): "This hair color is wrong, right? This is Malcolm Merlyn hair color. Spoiler alert! I'm totally gray, okay?" (Alamo City Comic Con, Oct. 28, 2018: teufels kind video of JB panel, page 31 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Slade Wilson AKA Deathstroke
-- On whether Manu Bennett's Deathstroke will return to the Arrowverse, MB: "The answer of that question lies in the power of pen. It really comes down to the directors of Warner Brothers and the CW seeing where they can maximize the return on their investment. There's something to be said in the fact that they even thought to make Deathstroke a standalone film. I guess we brought him back to popularity in our TV show to where they can cash in on a popular character by bringing him to a feature film. I've been flattered by the support of fans who have come out in large numbers saying that they would like to see me play in the film. At the same time I understand that many people have been behind the mask of Batman, and many people have worn the Superman cape, and there are many people who will dress up as Deathstroke. I really wish that I had the opportunity to make Deathstroke in a TV series that concentrated on him. The great writer Marv Wolfman’s storyline is still being written about the character. I would like to do with what they did with Punisher and Daredevil. I think Deathstroke the series could go to the next level! I have suggested it and my fans have suggested it, but the ability to do that is really just up to the Network's and the producers." (Oct. 14, 2018 iliveindallas article, page 288 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On returning to Arrow, Manu Bennett: "I’d love to come back on it at some stage... I don’t know.” (Dallas Fan Days, Oct. 20, 2018: Oct. 28, 2018 ComicBook article, page 289 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On Aug. 22, 2018, Manu Bennett posted video of himself in Vancouver and said that he was in town only for 24 hours. MB: "A lot of memories in this town. Of course, Arrow is filmed here." (manubennett tweet and instagram post, page 4 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Other Returning Characters in S7
-- On a mystery returning character, SA: "He finds some enemies that you would expect to be his enemies in prison, but we also have him team up with a few unexpected people, and those scenes have been fun. We have a new character, Stanley, that we meet in the pilot and he and Oliver sort of form an unlikely alliance. We also have someone come back that I know we were able to slip through without anyone knowing about it, and it was really really exciting to work with that character." (Oct. 16, 2018 ComicBook article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)

Mega Crossover (Flash/Arrow/Supergirl)
-- All spoilers for this crossover event will now be included in the summary of 709 spoilers (to be posted later).

Edited November 5, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

SUMMARY OF 704 SPOILERS:

S7, Episode 4: Level Two
-- Production code: 704. Shoot Dates: August [14-23], 2018. Director: Ben Bray. Writers: Emilio Ortega Aldrich & Tonya Kong. Airdate: November 5, 2018. (Aug. 16, 2018 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 3 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread, and Oct. 20, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- 704 synopsis: "RULES ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN — Oliver (Stephen Amell) makes a drastic move in his quest to find Diaz (Kirk Acevedo). Like her husband, Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) pulls out all the stops to get to Diaz. Meanwhile, when arsonists target Rene’s (Rick Gonzalez) community center, injuring Zoe (guest star Eliza Faria) in the process, the mysterious new Green Arrow swoops in to help save the day. Faced with pressure from the mayor to capture the vigilante, Dinah (Juliana Harkavy) must decide if following the rules at all costs is the best plan to keep the city safe. Ben Bray directed the episode written by Emilio Ortega Aldrich & Tonya Kong (#704). Original airdate 11/5/2018." (Oct. 20, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- 704 promo was posted. (704 promo video, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- 704 sneak peek was posted, featuring Felicity and E2 Laurel. (704 sneak peek video, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 31 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 704 sneak peek 2 was posted, featuring Felicity and Rene with captured Silencer. (Nov. 3, 2018 The Hollywood Reporter article & 704 sneak peek 2 video, page 6 of Spoilers thread, and The Hollywood Reporter tweet, page 32 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 704 promo pics were posted, featuring Diggle, Rene, Zoe (in hospital), Curtis (with Beebo), Dinah, Felicity, and the Silencer. (Oct. 30, 2018 GreenArrowTV, SpoilerTV and TVLine articles, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- EBR: "Some of the things that come up in the first six episodes was something I’d been hoping for her to do, so I’m excited for you guys to see that." (Oct. 22, 2018 International Business Times article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 25 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- RG: "We're shooting now on episode 4. Mind blowing. Like, what's happening? Aaah, I wish I could tell you." (Teen Choice Awards, Aug. 12, 2018: WarnerChannelLatAm video of red carpet interview with RG, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- RG: "Especially within these first four, five episodes, there's going to be so many bombs dropped, it's crazy." (Aug. 30, 2018 itsstevenmccoyb facebook video of Steven McCoy podcast interview with RG, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- From Arrow reddit post (u/YVRinsider): "Episode 4 is the best episode out of the opening 5 based on script." (Sep. 3, 2018 Arrow reddit post, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 13, 2018, SA tweeted: "Watching someone try on a superhero suit for the first time never gets old." On Oct. 7, 2018, SA clarified by tweeting: "I wasn’t talking about Ruby. I was talking about a character that you’ve seen on Arrow. If I gave you 50 guesses, you wouldn’t get it." (SA tweet, page 1 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread, and SA tweet, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 3 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)
-- On Aug. 14, 2018, SA posted an instagram live video. He had a bloodied, cut-up face and still had the mustache and beard. Fan report on what he said: "I haven't changed my wardrobe yet, that's exciting. I saw Maya, who heads up our wardrobe dept, for the first time, yesterday. Although, I'll tell ya what. I did have the most exciting, unique, never-thought-it-would-happen, what-am-I-doing-here, oh-my-god-I-look-silly, ... then-I-got-very-nervous, fitting that I've ever had before, and ever will have, in the history - however long we do the  show for - I will never have a fitting where I'm like ghhhh. Oh boy. So that was pretty exciting." (Paigeota tweets, page 1 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Aug. 14, 2018, SA tweeted video of himself with a bloodied, cut-up face (and still with the mustache and beard), saying: "I've had more physically taxing days in the first four episodes of Season 7 than I've had for the entirety of certain seasons. Just getting the shit kicked out of me every single day." (SA tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread and page 1 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Aug. 14, 2018, EBR recorded a video from outside the BC Place stadium in Vancouver. (EBR instagram story video, page 1 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Aug. 14, 2018, papp tweeted pic of front of Prive nightclub, with comments: "#Arrow has prepped the Prive nightclub in downtown Vancouver's Plaza of Nations for filming. Not an active set yet." and "2nd floor at Plaza of Nations which isn't the nightclub, apparently." In reply, fan tweeted: "No action today they are there tomorrow." (yvrshoots and mischischloegl tweets, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 15, 2018, fan tweeted: "I was told Amell isn’t on set today but they’ll have a set here tonight somewhere outside the Prive night club." (comicsfun_30 tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 15, 2018, fan tweeted pic of barricades set up outside of Plaza of Nations building, with comment: "This is the place they’re filming the set." and "They won't start filming til midnight." (comicsfun_30 tweets, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 15, 2018, fan tweeted: "I heard @ColtonLHaynes might be filming on set tonight at the Prive nightclub for #Arrow." and "@ColtonLHaynes  will most likely be on #Arrow set tonight based on these from his instagram. The second picture is from his filming trailer." and "Sorry guys. No @ColtonLHaynes  tonight. Just Dinah filming a cop near the nightclub’s door. But the area with the black cloth was where they were filming inside." and "They won’t start filming til midnight." (comicsfun_30 tweets, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 15, 2018, fan tweeted pics of crane and construction cones near Plaza of Nations building, with comment:  "#Arrow idk what building they’re using but it’s close to/at Prive Nightclub." (mariimakii tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 16, 2018, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted 704 title page (with blacked-out title), with comment: "Episode 704 started shooting this week! Written by Emilio Ortega Aldrich & @Tonya_Kong!!!" This title page lists Ben Bray as the director and Emilio Ortega Aldrich & Tonya Kong as the writers. (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 18 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Aug. 16, 2018, Tonya Kong tweeted: "When #BossBeth redacts the title, you mark your calendar for Nov.5, because an #ArrowFan can’t miss 704 under any circumstances. ????????S7 Directed by @BoxerBray!" (Tonya_Kong tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 16, 2018, SA tweeted pic of himself with mustache and long straggly beard, with comment: "This situation is becoming untenable." (SA tweet, page 3 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Aug. 17, 2018, RG tweeted pic of himself with EOAldrich and BBray, with comment: "On the left is our writer #EmilioOrtegaAldrich and to the right is this week’s director for our episode @BoxerBray. What you see is three #Latinos working on a @warnerbrostv and @TheCW production. I choose to celebrate what I see. #RepresentationMatters #Arrow ???." (officialrickg tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 17, 2018, JH posted video clip of herself with stunt people all training with bo staffs, with comment: "'Relentless consistency on the fundamentals is the pathway to mastery'. -Unknown #Arrow #StuntSquad #Season7 ????." (julianaharkavy instagram post, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 19, 2018, fan tweeted: "#Arrow filming at Vancouver Technical high school on Monday (tomorrow)" and "Parking signs are 6am to 11pm so probably 7-9 sort of thing; you very likely won't be able to see anything but you can go look; they are filming on the West side of the school" and "They already have most of the trucks there (with security to guard them) which means they plan to start first thing Monday; if it was just a night shoot, they would roll in during the day Monday (and not have to pay for security all day/night Sunday)." (BastardSonVan tweets, page 3 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 20, 2018, fan tweeted pic of hallway inside school, with comment: "Is Jack filming today? Picture of today's filming, inside the vancouver technical school. #Arrow." and "They have been preparing for this filming since last Wednesday, one of the scenes with visual effect showed fire on a stage. And today I discovered that it was the theater room of this school. I'm angry that I did not save the photo from the fire??." (kathychatty_ tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread, and kathychatty_ tweets, page 3 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Aug. 20, 2018, KC tweeted pic of herself with EBR, with comment: "...just another #lovefest moment @emilybett." This pic shows EBR with a bruise on her forehead and KC wearing a nose ring. (KC tweet, page 3 of Spoilers thread and page 3 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Aug. 22, 2018, Manu Bennett posted video of himself in Vancouver and said that he was in town only for 24 hours. MB: "A lot of memories in this town. Of course, Arrow is filmed here." (manubennett tweet and instagram post, page 4 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Aug. 23, 2018, JH tweeted: "Just wrapped ep. 704 and while I can’t give any spoilers, I just want to say BRAVO to all involved, cast & crew alike. Y’all really brought it. ???????????????????????????????? #Arrow." (JH tweet, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Sep. 12, 2018, SA tweeted: "The email @SchwartzApprovd sent me after watching the cut of 7.04 makes it all worth it." (SA tweet, page 10 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Edited November 4, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

SUMMARY OF 705 SPOILERS:

S7, Episode 5: The Demon
-- Production code: 705. Shoot Dates: August [24]-September 4, 2018. Director: Mark Bunting. Writers: Benjamin Raab & Deric A. Hughes. Airdate: November 12, 2018. (Oct. 1, 2018 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 15 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread, and Oct. 26, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- 705 synopsis: "FELICITY DISCOVERS A SECRET ABOUT OLIVER; CURTIS GOES UNDERCOVER — Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) learns something new about Oliver (Stephen Amell) that shocks her. Meanwhile, Diggle (David Ramsey) asks Curtis (Echo Kellum) to go undercover for ARGUS. Dinah (Juliana Harkavy) works with an unlikely ally. Mark Bunting directed the episode written by Benjamin Raab & Deric A. Hughes (#705). Original airdate 11/12/2018." (Oct. 26, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- 705 promo was posted. (705 promo video, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- 705 sneak peek was posted, featuring Felicity and E2 Laurel. (705 sneak peek video, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- 705 sneak peek #2 was posted, featuring Curtis, Diggle and ARGUS Deputy Director Bell. (Nov. 9, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article & video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 35 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 705 sneak peek #3 was posted, featuring Felicity and Stanley. (Nov. 10, 2018 TVLine tweet and 705 sneak peek #3 video, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- 705 promo pics were posted, featuring Oliver prison scenes, Felicity, Dinah and E2 Laurel. (Nov. 6, 2018 GreenArrowTV tweeted article and Nov. 7, 2018 SpoilerTV and TVLine articles, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- EBR: "Some of the things that come up in the first six episodes was something I’d been hoping for her to do, so I’m excited for you guys to see that." (Oct. 22, 2018 International Business Times article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 25 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether Curtis will be stuck in a van all season or whether we'll see him back in action either with ARGUS or as Mr. Terrific, EK: "I mean, there's definitely, uh, a lot of van love for Curtis this year. Uh, you know, he's become very close with that van. But, you know, he's definitely going to be going undercover with ARGUS in some future episodes, and Mr. Terrific definitely has the capabilities to come back at any point. You know, I don't want to give away too many spoilers, but he'll definitely be getting back into the field in a lot of different, interesting and familiar ways." (Oct. 29, 2018 Nerdist video interview with EK, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- In 705, Curtis has to go undercover as a biochemist to help his new employer, ARGUS, catch an arms dealer. EK: “It’s a way you’ve never seen Curtis before. I had a lot of fun shooting it, but it was very difficult... I can’t spoil too, too much about it, but I think it will be a really cool episode for people to see how Curtis gets undercover and how he handles it when he is.” To succeed, Curtis will have to live up to his superhero moniker and put his 14 PhDs and his fluency in five six different languages to use — and it was that second bit that made filming the episode somewhat challenging for EK. EK: “The only thing that made it difficult for me personally as an actor is that I had to learn different languages to be in this episode. It was the fun part of it, too... You’ll see Curtis kind of hone into that aspect that he’s highly intelligent and knows multiple languages and has many degrees. You really see us hone into those comic book aspects of him.” (Nov. 9, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 35 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Curtis is reluctant to go back out into the field in 705 because he’s still traumatized by everything that happened last season. EP Beth Schwartz: "We’re gonna find out everything that happened last season definitely hit him hard with Oliver going to prison and also just being the field and people getting hurt." EK: “It’s definitely something that weighs heavily on his mind — just how things turned out last year, how they all really are constantly put at risk and constantly just sacrificing so much to do what they can for the city, and that’s never an easy mental hoop to always jump through. There are some PTSD-esque feelings there with Curtis and all the events that transpired last season. So, he will struggle with that in some parts, but I think he’ll always fall back to the aspect of how can I help people and use his brain for humanity in some positive way.” (Nov. 9, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 35 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- RG: "Especially within these first four, five episodes, there's going to be so many bombs dropped, it's crazy." (Aug. 30, 2018 itsstevenmccoyb facebook video of Steven McCoy podcast interview with RG, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 7, 2018, Arrow writer Benjamin Raab tweeted pic of DC action figures for Green Arrow and Black Canary (Hard-Traveling Heroes), with comment: "Teaming up in the Arrowcave to help write this episode. #ArrowSeason7." (Wondermasons tweet, page 1816 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Aug. 27, 2018, Mark Bunting tweeted pic of 705 clapboard that named him as the director, with comment: "Day 3 in the books." (mrkbunting tweet, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 27, 2018, fan tweeted that she " spotted several Arrow signs down Pacific Blvd." (claudiajean tweet, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 27, 2018, papp tweeted pics of front of Imperial building and Aug. 23rd filming notice, with comment: "#Arrow prep at Vancouver's Imperial event venue on Main Street. Filming tomorrow, August 28th." From filming notice: "Please take a moment to read this notice about the filming of a Warner Bros. TV Series called 'Arrow' at The Imperial, 319 Main Street, on Tuesday, August 28th, 2018. ... Tuesday, August 28th...  8:00am-4:30pm Filming interior scenes at 319 Main Street. Scenes to be filmed will included dialogue, stunt fighting, some special effects simulated atmospheric smoke and exposed weapons.  4:30pm-6:00pm Filming an exterior scene on the sidewalk in front of 319 Main Street. Scene involves dialogue and a picture vehicle parked in the curb lane in front of 319 Main Street. No stunts or special effects will be used during this scene. The picture vehicle will remain parked during the filming of the scene. 6:00pm-9:00pm Filming an exterior scene in the curb lane of 300 Main Street. At this time we will have a single lane closure (right hand lane) on Main Street South Bound for a 3 hour event. There will be a member of the VPD on site to assist with this closure. No stunts or special effects will be used during this scene. The picture vehicle will remain parked during the filming." (yvrshoots tweet, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 28, 2018, papp tweeted: "#Arrow filming at Vancouver's Imperial event venue today." (yvrshoots tweet, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 28, 2018, fan tweeted pic of two big white vans parked in front of the Imperial building, with comment: "#Arrow still setting up." (comicsfun_30 tweet, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 28, 2018, papp tweeted pic of black van parked in front of a building, with comment: "Diggle (David Ramsey)'s in this black van. #Arrow's exterior scene tonight." (yvrshoots tweet, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 28, 2018, CH posted pic of himself with tattoos all over his upper body, with comment: "Im not gonna say if this is real or fake ??????." (coltonlhaynes instagram post, page 6 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Aug. 29, 2018, papp tweeted: "Arrow signs spotted by @JordanVanMusic" and fan tweeted: "Signs for #Beckmark and their #Crewpark outside of @RogersArena in #Vancouver #BC #Canada." (WhatsFilming and JordanVanMusic tweets, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 30, 2018, RG: "We're in episode 5 right now. We're coming up on episode 6." (itsstevenmccoyb facebook video of Steven McCoy podcast interview with RG, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 31, 2018, JBamford posted pic of his laptop sitting on the top floor railing on the third floor balcony of inside a prison block, with comment: "This mornings office......." (james2bambamford instagram post, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oct. 1, 2018, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted pic of title pages for 705, 706 and 707 with episode names covered, with comment: "Presenting you episodes 705-707 #Arrowseason7." (Oct. 1, 2018 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 15 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Edited November 11, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

SUMMARY OF 706 SPOILERS:

S7, Episode 6: Due Process
-- Production code: 706. Shoot Dates: September 5-17, 2018. Director: Kristin Windell. Writers: Sarah Tarkoff & Tonya Kong. Airdate: November 19, 2018. (Oct. 1, 2018 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 15 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 706 synopsis: "LAUREL STEPS IN TO HELP OLIVER — Slabside becomes even more dangerous after a guard is murdered and everyone is a suspect. Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) enlists help from a surprising source in her pursuit of Diaz (Kirk Acevedo), and Laurel (Katie Cassidy) flexes her muscles as the District Attorney. Kristin Windell directed the episode written by Sarah Tarkhoff & Tonya Kong (#706). Original airdate 11/19/2018." (Nov. 2, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- 706 promo was posted. (706 promo video, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- 706 sneak peek was posted, featuring Felicity, E2 Laurel and Rene. (706 sneak peek video, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- 706 sneak peek #2 was posted, featuring E2 Laurel visiting Oliver in prison. (705 sneak peek #2 video in AmellDaily tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- 706 promo pics were posted, featuring E2 Laurel, Felicity, Diggle, Curtis, Dinah, and Rene. (Nov. 14, 2018 GreenArrowTV and SpoilerTV articles, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 39 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Director Kristin Windell posted b-t-s pic of herself with DR as Diggle, EK as Curtis and EBR as Felicity, which she subsequently deleted; however, fan re-posted pic in the Arrow forum at PTV. (Nov. 2, 2018 Velocity23 post, page 31 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EBR: "Some of the things that come up in the first six episodes was something I’d been hoping for her to do, so I’m excited for you guys to see that." (Oct. 22, 2018 International Business Times article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 25 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "David told me Oliver is out of prison already. (They started 706) so I guess by the end of 705 or 706 he’s out!! ????" and "Don’t be mad if I possibly misheard because it happened so quickly I almost blacked out LMAOO but then later in the convo when I asked what episode they are currently filming, he said 706  So basically I put the two together and there you go." (HVFF-NJ, Sep. 9, 2018: amellshood tweets, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 9 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- When asked whether he was still filming Arrow or whether he had wrapped up his episodes, Cody Rhodes replied: "No, I have two more episodes to go back and do after All In [on Sep. 1, 2018]. Which is nice because I was afraid I’d be running all the way up to All In. I don’t know if you’ve seen the trailer but I’m going from a villain of the week to being around a group of villains of the week. Being around guys like Vinnie Jones is such a great learning experience for me." (Aug. 24, 2018 ComicsBeat article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 26, 2018, director Kristin Windell posted pic of herself holding an Arrow script, with comment: "This cafe is definitely too cool for me but I’m still happy to be back in Vancouver. Get ready @cw_arrow fans! Season 7 is a wild ride." Her hands block most of the title page of this script, but the shooting dates appear to be "9/5/18-9/17/18." (directorkristin instagram post, page 5 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Sep. 4, 2018, Cody Rhodes posted pic of himself with dark hair, with comment: "Back to brunette - back to Arrow." (americannightmarecody instagram post, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Sep. 6, 2018, director Kristin Windell posted pic of clapboard for 706, dated "09/05/2018" and "12 12 1908" in red neon lights, with comment: "Day one. Starting with lucky Scene 13. Let’s do this! @cw_arrow #directorslife." (directorkristin instagram post, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 9 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Sep. 14, 2018, director Kristin Windell tweeted two b-t-s pics of two crew members while filming Arrow S7. They appear to be on the set for the SCPD police station. (directorkristin instagram post, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Sep. 17, 2018, fan tweeted: "Heyyy. Arrow is filming around my school right now at Byrne Creek secondary" and "Not quite sure who is actually there right now, but there is a lot of set up and scenes being filmed right now. If your in the area I’d totally suggest to come and see. It’s pretty cool" and "Just found out that the school is the 'slabside prison.'” (_Saijal tweets, page 4 of Spoilers thread, and pages 11 and 12 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Sep. 17, 2018, reddit user (triolgys) posted pic of exterior of building with barbed wire fence and "SLABSIDE Maximum Security Prison" concrete sign. (Reddit post by triolgys, page 12 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Sep. 18, 2018, director Kristin Windell posted pic of Vancouver skyline, with comment: "It’s smoggy and crowded...but it’s home. That’s a wrap on Arrow 706. See ya in the winter, Vancouver!" (directorkristin instagram post, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
[-- On Friday, Sep. 21, 2018, SA tweeted: "Met @Kat_McNamara on Monday. She seems lovely. Welcome to the family!!" (SA tweet, page 4 of Spoilers thread)]
[-- On Friday, Sep. 21, 2018, SA tweeted: "A good old fashioned Monday to Friday on Arrow.  Blood. Bare knuckle fights. Tears. Fever dreams. I love my job." (SA tweet, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 13 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)]
-- On Oct. 1, 2018, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted pic of title pages for 705, 706 and 707 with episode names covered, with comment: "Presenting you episodes 705-707 #Arrowseason7." (Oct. 1, 2018 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 15 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 18, 2018, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "Tomorrow night with Anatoly #Arrow." (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Nov. 18, 2018, Andrea Sixtos posted Arrow 706 promo pic with words "Time to #flashforward" and tags for JH, CH and Ben Lewis. (dresixtos instagram post in way2interested post, page 42 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 19, 2018, director Kristin Windell posted pic of herself with DR, EK and EBR on Arrow set, with comment: "It was so great to be back with my #ARROW family. Watch an all new episode tonight. 8:00 on #cw. Written by @queenkong001 and @sarahtarkoff. Edited by #PatrickBrian And directed by me! #directorslife #WomenInTelevision." (directorkristin instagram post, page 43 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Edited November 19, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

SUMMARY OF 707 SPOILERS:

S7, Episode 7: The Slabside Redemption
-- Production code: 707. Shoot Dates: September [18-28], 2018. Director: James Bamford. Writers: Jill Blankenship & Rebecca Bellotto. Airdate: November 26, 2018. (Oct. 1, 2018 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 5 of Spoilers thread, and Nov. 15, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- 707 synopsis: "JAMES BAMFORD DIRECTS AN EPIC EPISODE — Oliver (Stephen Amell) makes a choice that will affect his entire life, as well as the lives of everyone he cares about. James Bamford directed the episode written by Jill Blankenship & Rebecca Bellotto (#707). Original airdate 11/26/2018." (Nov. 15, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- 707 promo was posted, featuring Oliver, Diaz, and prison fight. (707 promo video, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- 707 promo pics were posted, featuring Oliver, Stanley, and other prison inmates. (Nov. 20, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On 707, MG tweeted: "This is one of the most ambitious and stunning episodes of Arrow we’ve ever done." (Nov. 24, 2018 MG tweet, page 47 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread
-- MG: " I was just in the editing room today on the seventh episode of Arrow's seventh season, 707, and that is like - it's massive, huge." (Oct. 27, 2018 Comic Book Central article & podcast interview with MG, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 736 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: "I was speaking with a producer today who mentioned that they had seen a cut of episode 7, which is a big action piece episode for us, and it was incredible. She'd just seen the director's cut. But that's always very exciting." (Oct. 9, 2018 SA facebook video, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "I'm happy to be back to a more normal, facial hair length. It just got to be a bit much towards the end there. But I'm just about to watch a cut of episode 7, which I believe is Oliver's last episode with the beard. And, um, that episode's going to be bananas. Just totally bananas. Um, oh, it's also going to be a good time to say, when I did my wrestling match at All In, I fractured my hip. I have an occult fracture in my hip. What can you do about an occult fracture? Absolutely nothing. It just hurts. And I had to go from that match into episode 707, which is probably one of, if not the most, physically demanding episodes that we've ever had on the show. So I'm an idiot. Never forget this. But, just for the record, and in case anyone from WB is watching or any of our producers or writers, it prohibited me from doing nothing. I just didn't have the best time, because I was in pain." (Oct 12, 2018 SA facebook video, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 5 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)
-- When asked whether he was still filming Arrow or whether he had wrapped up his episodes, Cody Rhodes replied: "No, I have two more episodes to go back and do after All In [on Sep. 1, 2018]. Which is nice because I was afraid I’d be running all the way up to All In. I don’t know if you’ve seen the trailer but I’m going from a villain of the week to being around a group of villains of the week. Being around guys like Vinnie Jones is such a great learning experience for me." (Aug. 24, 2018 ComicsBeat article, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On 707, Laura Hurley tweeted: "Let me just say now that I've seen the next episode of #Arrow, and it's one of the most intense hours of network television I've ever seen. It's bound to be one of the most unforgettable of the entire series." (Nov. 19, 2018 lah9891 tweet, page 44 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On 707, Lindsay MacDonald tweeted: "This episode is insane and possibly my favorite thing #Arrow has ever done. Seriously, this is one you can’t miss!" (Nov. 24, 2018 lindsayjoane tweet, page 46 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Reddit user report (unconfirmed) on 707: "Not gonna say who the source is out of respect. But let me just say this: Anyone who has ever called Diaz a loser. Prepare to eat your words next episode :P  Also: Prepare for a surprising end moment. Prepare to also be very happy. Prepare for incredible fights. One of the best Arrow episodes ever. BARELY ANY FELICITY SCENES. Not gonna go into specific details in the sub, sorry :P but... Get ready." (Quote in Nov. 24, 2018 apinknightmare post, page 46 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Sep. 19, 2018, SA posted: "Been trying to post a video about this for the past two days but my face has been covered in spoilers. Actually. Can’t wait to see everyone!: (SA facebook post, page 12 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Sep. 19, 2018, SA posted facebook video in which he still has the beard and also bruises all over his face. (SA facebook video, page 12 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Sep. 20, 2018, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "So I haven’t been posting the last couple title pages because they have spoilers in the title ??." (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 13 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Sep. 21, 2018, SA tweeted: "Met @Kat_McNamara on Monday. She seems lovely. Welcome to the family!!" (SA tweet, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Sep. 21, 2018, SA tweeted: "A good old fashioned Monday to Friday on Arrow.  Blood. Bare knuckle fights. Tears. Fever dreams. I love my job." (SA tweet, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 13 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Sep. 25, 2018, SA tweeted: "I’m gonna need a vacation after episode 7.07." and "Episode 7 of Arrow has an all male pillow fight. We know where our bread is buttered." (SA tweets, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Sep. 26, 2018, KA tweeted pic of himself sitting shirtless in a room, with comment: "Morning meditation???? Gonna try to whoop @StephenAmell ass today! We fighting butt naked too.?? #WishMeLuck??  #Arrow #TheDragonVsGreenArrow???? #KidVicious??." (kirkacevedo tweet, page 4 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Sep. 26, 2018, papp tweeted: "#Arrow (Beckmark) signs pointing to area under south Burrard Bridge." (yvrshoots tweet, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Sep. 27, 2018, SA tweeted of himself, still with beard, showing a side profile of his bloodied, cut-up face, with comment: "Really lightening things up this year." He also posted the same pic, with comment: "Tough week." (SA tweet and instagram post, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 14 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Sep. 28, 2018, SA tweeted two pics of himself, one the side profile with the beard that he posted the other day and one of him with a closely shaved goatee, with comment: "Wednesday / Thursday —." (SA tweet, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 14 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Sep. 29, 2018, fan tweeted b-t-s pics of prison set after shooting prison riot scene in 707, with comment: "Pillow fight = Riot in prison = Escape from Oliver Queen." and "I can not wait to see how crazy this episode will be. Backstage episode 7.07, there was apparently a riot in jail, which supposedly may have contributed to Oliver's escape." (arrowverse.dc.tv instagram posts, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 14 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Sep. 30, 2018, fan tweeted video of prison set after shooting prison riot scene in 707, with comment: "Backstage episode 7x07 #Arrow." (arrowverse.dc.tv instagram post, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oct. 1, 2018, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted pic of title pages for 705, 706 and 707 with episode names covered, with comment: "Presenting you episodes 705-707 #Arrowseason7." (Oct. 1, 2018 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 15 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Oct. 1, 2018, fan posted link to and quoted from Sea Shimooka's instagram post (since deleted), with comment: "Sea Shimooka: first day shooting and I learned don’t do an all you can eat of the chia pudding right before your shirtless scene ... Actress Sea Shimooka will be featured in 707 in a TBA role. (She recently followed the Arrow show instagram and Stephen. It is unknown at this time if she’ll be a recurring character. This was taken 2 days ago. They’ll be working on 708 today." (Oct. 1, 2018 dmichellewrites tumblr article linked in Oct. 21, 2018 tv echo post, page 24 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Edited November 25, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

SUMMARY OF 708 SPOILERS:

S7, Episode 8: Unmasked
-- Production code: 708. Shoot Dates: October 1-10, 2018. Director: Alexandra La Roche. Writers: Oscar Balderrama & Beth Schwartz. Airdate: December 3, 2018. (Nov. 16, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- 708 synopsis: "FELICITY MAKES CERTAIN DECISIONS FOR HER FAMILY — Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) stands by her recent decisions regarding her family. Meanwhile, Diggle (David Ramsey) and Lyla (Audrey Marie Anderson) continue to look into the Dante painting that Curtis (Echo Kellum) found. Alexandra La Roche directed the episode written by Oscar Balderrama & Beth Schwartz (#708). Original airdate 12/3/2018." (Nov. 16, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- 708 promo was posted, featuring Oliver/GA, Diggle, Lyla, Rene and Dinah. (708 promo video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 50 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 708 promo pics were posted, featuring Oliver, Felicity, Diggle, Lyla, Curtis, Nick Anastas, Rene, Dinah, E2 Laurel, Mayor Pollard (Laara Sadiq) and others at the "Star City Initiative for Inmate Rights Gala Fundraiser.". (Nov. 27, 2018 GreenArrowTV, SpoilerTV and TVLine articles, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 50 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 708 dialogue teases: "We do this together." "She seems easy to talk to." "Oh. I’m always right!" "Like I said. I’d love to talk." "If we get recognized here, we’ve got big trouble." "This should be fun." "You’ll always be the best part of me." "You’re looking for skeletons." "Let’s hope you’re not rusty!" "This is me because of you." "As long as I get paid, you can ask for whatever you want." "You were right. This is going to be dangerous." "We’re friends with her now?" "Our institutions have a long way to go before they achieve true justice." "You gotta be kidding me." (Dec. 3, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 58 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per TVLine, Katherine McNamara's Maya, "a scrappy street fighter and thief from Star City," will first appear in 708. TVLine also posted a pic of Maya getting ready to slug it out in a cage match. (Nov. 29, 2018 TVLine article, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz retweeted TVLine's article about KM debut in 708, with comment: "Can’t wait for you to meet her Monday ??." (Nov. 29, 2018 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 54 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "There is a blast from the past character in tonight’s episode. Any guesses? #Arrow." The promo pics already spoiled that Max Fuller was appearing in 708. (Dec. 3, 2018 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 59 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per his IMDb page, actor Marcus Rosner will be returning to Arrow as Max Fuller in 708: "Max Fuller is the owner of Poison, one of the most popular clubs of Starling City back in 2012. Before the Lian Yu, Oliver Queen slept with Max’s fiancée at their rehearsal dinner, shortly before she and Max Fuller married. Max last appeared in episode 1x03 'Lone Gunmen.'” (Nov. 23, 2018 oli_verdant tweet & linked oliverdant tumblr page, page 46 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- SA said that he's "extremely excited" for people to see Monday's episode (708-Unmasked), saying: "It's a very fun episode to play... It felt like a reset for me, to say nothing of the fact that I got to shave my beard, which I did immediately after 707. If you haven't seen it, I won't spoil it for you, but directly after the final scene, I went and before I even took the blood off of my face, I shaved. Can't do any pickups. That's my trick. But, uh, yeah! It was nice to get rid of the beard. And this episode coming up is really cool. It, in a lot of ways, is our midseason - well, not midseason finale but winter finale, because the crossover, as always, sort of stands on its own. But please tune in, it's a great episode." (Nov. 29, 2018 SA facebook video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 740 of Social Media thread)
-- On 708, WBTV publicist Claire Gendel tweeted: "THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE EPISODES!!!! YOU MUST WATCH IT! #arrow." (Nov. 27, 2018 Clairetastic tweet, page 54 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On 708, GATV tweeted: "Only two minutes into watching the screener for Monday's new #Arrow and I've already exclaimed "YES!" at my screen. This season is so good." and, in response to EBR fan, "You'll be YES! at your screen around 3 minutes in. :)" (Nov. 29, 2018 GreenArrowTV tweets, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- GATV tweeted: "Courtesy of TV Line, here's a first look at @Kat_McNamara on #Arrow! Interestingly enough, the photo caption lists her character name as "Mia."... hmmm...." (Nov. 29, 2018 GreenArrowTV tweet, page 53 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On 708, EW's Chancellor Agard tweeted: "I haven’t stopped thinking about it. I’ll probably end up rewatching it again tomorrow morning." (Dec. 3, 2018 chancelloragard tweet, page 58 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On 708, TVGuide's Lindsay MacDonald tweeted: "Watching tonight's #Arrow will definitely make you realize how much you missed #Olicity scenes." (Dec. 3, 2018 lindsayjoane tweet, page 58 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On 708, Eonline's Lauren Piester tweeted: "Next week's #Arrow is bonkers and also ??????????" and "Of course there is Olicity in it! He just got out of prison after 7 months!" (Nov. 29, 2018 laurenpiester tweets, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 55 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On 708, CinemaBlend's Laura Hurley tweeted: "Super excited for everybody to see tonight's #Arrow. It packs in a lot of what I love about the show, and I've never felt better about the future of Season 7." (Dec. 3, 2018 lah9891 tweet, page 59 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On 708, in response to Olicity fan, TVLine's Matt Mitovich tweeted: "Judging by your profile pic you’ll greatly enjoy the first scene after credits." (Nov. 30, 2018 MattMitovich tweet, page 55 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- When asked if we learn where Olicity are living now, TVLine's Matt Mitovich tweeted: "Yes. And I’m frankly disappointed with their shower’s water pressure. ??." and then "Guys, Oliver just appreciates a nice hot shower after prison.  That all I said." (Nov. 30, 2018 MattMitovich tweets, page 55 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- TVLine's Matt Mitovich tweeted: "I said that we see a shower running." and "...who only said that a shower is taken." (Nov. 30, 2018 MattMitovich tweets, page 56 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- When asked on a scale of "1-Felicity" where he thinks we'll be after 708, TVLine's Matt Mitovich tweeted: "I’m just getting to second half now, where you’ll hit 17, maybe 18.  😣." (Nov. 30, 2018 MattMitovich tweet, page 56 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- In response to fan who said that she was still thinking about his shower comments, TVLine's Matt Mitovich tweeted: "You shouldnt be. You should be out buying wine." (Dec. 1, 2018 MattMitovich tweet, page 56 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- In response to fan who said that his comments were making her nervous,TVLine's Matt Mitovich tweeted: "It is SUCH a good episode. So so so good." (Dec. 1, 2018 MattMitovich tweet, page 56 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- In response to Olicity fan who asked if she should be nervous, TVLine's Matt Mitovich tweeted: "Biggest Olicity episode in a lonnng time." (Dec. 1, 2018 MattMitovich tweet, page 56 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- In response to fan who said "There's more to arrow then just a shitty soap opera ship. #NOlicity," TVLine's Matt Mitovich tweeted: "1) Don't cuss in my feed. 2) Monday's episode is outstanding for a MULTITUDE of reasons." (Dec. 1, 2018 MattMitovich tweet, page 56 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- In response to fan who asked why Max Fuller is appearing in 708, TVLine's Matt Mitovich tweeted: "Big reason." (Dec. 1, 2018 MattMitovich tweet, page 56 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- In response to fan asking if we find out in 708 what will happen to Oliver in the future, TVLine's Matt Mitovich tweeted: "That is a really good question." (Dec. 1, 2018 MattMitovich tweet, page 56 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- TVLine's Matt Mitovich tweeted: "Watching tomorrow's #Arrow again....." (Dec. 3, 2018 MattMitovich tweet, page 58 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- SpoilerTV's advance preview of 708: "Arrow 'Unmasked' was written by the team of Oscar Balderrama and Beth Schwartz and was directed by Alexandra La Roche. The title should give you some idea of what to expect in the episode… but it works on several levels. I can tell you that Katherine McNamara joins the cast as 'Street Fighter Maya' – but you’ll have to tune it to see where – or when – her character turns up! Oh! And she’s a blonde, not a redhead… Opening sequence of a pretty intense workout on rings. Oliver’s (Stephen Amell) re-entry to society is not seamless. Oliver is anxious about his re-integration into society. Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) runs interference for Oliver. We get to see almost everyone dressed up, which is always fun. ... Great fight scene. Really good rooftop chase scene. Nice hallway fight scene too! ... Dinah (Juliana Harkavy) makes a surprising suggestion to Rene (Rick Gonzalez). Oliver hasn’t lost his reflexes - and proves it in two scenes. ... Oliver and Rene work together to help Dinah. Felicity does something that shocks Oliver. There’s a great, classic Oliver/Diggle (David Ramsey) scene. ... Lyla (Audrey Marie Anderson) has information on the Dante painting. Lyla and Diggle do something epically stupid. ... In the flash forward, William (Ben Lewis), Zoe (Andrea Sixtos), and Dinah follow the lead on Blackstar to somewhere they’ve been before – that looks totally different. There’s some fun stuff with the set – then and now – or now and then…. Time travel is so confusing! Dinah shows William something cool that she got from Oliver. ... This is a pretty fast paced episode. It sets up a number of surprises to leave us with a lot of questions going into the December break – after the crossover event, of course!" (Dec. 3, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 58 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- SA: "Oliver and Felicity do not get in the shower together." (Nocking Point Party, Dec. 2, 2018: MafiaOlicity tweet, page 57 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether we'll see changes in Oliver post-prison, SA: "Yeah. We - I spent a lot of time talking with Beth about - about Oliver when he gets out because I felt like in the first episode this year, we were really trying to charge ahead with a lot of cool new ideas. But it didn't necessarily lend the proper weight to what happened at the end of Season 6, in an episode that's titled 'Life Sentence.' You know, one of the first drafts in the early part in the first episode of Season 7 focused a lot on Oliver - focusing on good behavior so that he would get released. I was like, well, I mean, one way or the other, he's been in there for five or seven months, whatever the case may be. What, he's got at least 14 or 15 to go if he has good behavior. So we changed the focus a little bit. Same thing happened when I read Episode 8. I know they wanted Oliver back in the world and he is, in a new and exciting way. Concurrently, it felt like we were treating my experience in Slabside like I spent a night in county jail, right? When in actuality, even for Oliver, it was a pretty horrific experience. So I did want a change in him. I wanted a change in him in the way that he interacts with people, with the public, and even so far as his wardrobe. I went to Maya, and I'm like, 'Oliver's in his mid-30s, he's a former politician. I want him to dress a little bit more like he used to dress for Sunday brunch at the Queen mansion.' I mean, WASP-y's the's wrong word, but it's not totally the wrong word. But that's not what we're going for. But I wanted him to, you know - in the first episode that I'm out [708], we have me going to a gala and, um, I was sort of in the same suit that I would wear as the mayor. I didn't like that. So we pushed that in a different direction. And, um - part of the fun of this year is, I've pitched a bunch of stuff and I think - not the opening scene of Episode 8, but the first time that you see Oliver, we came up with a really interesting way, I think, of showing what prison life did to him without really bashing people over the head with it." (Nov. 26, 2018 TV Diehard video of SA interview, and TVLine, TV Guide, GreenArrowTV, CinemaBlend, GameSpot, ComicBook and Bustle articles, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Oliver sees his role as protector of the city after coming out of prison, SA: "He runs into the new Green Arrow, or runs into the new Green Arrow’s exploits pretty quickly. But, coming out of prison, he gets asked that specific question very early on, like, 'What are you going to do?' and he says, 'I’m going to try and do what you guys did, which is just find a different way to help the city.' We come up with that idea pretty quickly, but I think one of the fun things is it’s not Oliver who comes up with it." (Nov. 26, 2018 TV Diehard video of SA interview and GameSpot, GreenArrowTV and Bustle articles, page 7 of Spoilers thread, and Nov. 27, 2018 IGN article, page 49 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether Oliver will regret his decision to leave Diaz alive and whether that decision will affect his relationship with Felicity, SA: "His decision to leave Diaz alive will not influence his relationship with Felicity. Um, but I think it's going to have an incredibly impactful moment on another person that he's very close with. I don't know if he'll come to regret the decision, actually. Probably. But, you know, those are the - maybe that's part of the new Oliver post-prison, is those are the decisions that he has to live with, you know, even if ultimately the best thing to do would've been to not leave him alive. Um, we shall see." (Nov. 26, 2018 TV Diehard video of SA interview and GreenArrowTV and ComicBook articles, page 7 of Spoilers thread, and Nov. 27, 2018 IGN article, page 49 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On the Olicity reunion and Oliver's reaction to the new version of Felicity, SA: "We have some really fantastic scenes in [Episode] 8. I mean, obviously we, um, see each other for the first time at the end of [Episode] 7. But then pretty quickly I learn that a lot of the stuff that Diaz was saying about Felicity is true. And I thought the way that we worked it out, and we do work it out pretty quickly, um, we come to an understanding that nothing's ever going to be perfect. I - we - one of the other things that we talked about a lot is, Oliver can't live in a normal apartment building anymore. Right? ... Actually, I thought that they should militarize the Queen mansion. I got shot down. I don't think we could afford to do that!  Um, but, uh - nothing's ever going to be perfect or normal about our relationship, and I think that the sooner that the two of them accept that, um, the sooner that they can move on with their lives." (Nov. 26, 2018 TV Diehard video of SA interview and TVLine, TV Guide, GreenArrowTV, CinemaBlend and Bustle articles, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether the horrible things that were done on Level Two to break the cycle of violence is ultimately going to be a positive thing for Oliver going forward, SA: "Absolutely. It teaches him a net lesson. Um, I think the person who's trying to teach him that didn't use the most nice tactics to get him there. So I think the lesson's a little less black and white. But it definitely teaches him something. And it's addressed, I think, in the first episode after he leaves prison [708], in sort of what is his new mantra is going to be, if and when he puts the suit back on." (Nov. 26, 2018 TV Diehard video of SA interview and GameSpot article, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: "I asked for spoilers for Monday's ep and he told me Oliver shoots an arrow.... what a smart ass. 😂🙃#hvffSanJose" and "But also! Oliver gets a new job and we meet someone important. #hvffSanJose." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 1, 2018: Fangirlw_oChill tweets, page 56 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On her top 5 Olicity moments, EBR: "Okay. First kiss. First date. First explosion. Oliver showing up in the back of the MIni Cooper covered in blood, duh. Um, and one of the scenes that we just shot. They are about to go somewhere fancy and they don't." (Oct. 29, 2018 TV Guide tweet & video, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 29 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Oliver's return from prison, JH: "I think the reason she’s really gone on this journey is because she does care so much about him, and I think that she regrets how the team kind of fell apart. So, no, I think Oliver’s return is gonna be very exciting for everybody, including Dinah." (Nov. 26, 2018 ComicBook article, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- The previous episodes of each show (Flash, Arrow, Supergirl) feature puzzling events that drive the action into the "Elseworlds" crossover. (Pics of Arrowverse crossover article in print issue of TV Guide Magazine, Nov. 26-Dec. 9, 2018, page 10 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)
-- On Sep. 28, 2018, fan tweeted pic of Arrow filming notice, with comment: "Just a heads up to film shoot buffs about Arrow filming inside the Metro on Carnarvon in New West next Wednesday... Unfortunately it looks like it's all gonna be interior shooting." From this Arrow filming notice: "Dear neighbours of The Metro Banquet Hall 759 Carnarvon St. ... Wednesday, October 3rd... 10:30AM - 11:30 PM: Our full crew will arrive and start filming interior scenes in the Metro Banquet Hall. ... All filming takes place interior of the Metro Hall. We are filming a night club scene and will have 100 Back Ground Performers. There will be large groups of people crossing Carnarvon Street. We will have two New Westminster Police Officers on set for road safety." (DeanMachine16 tweet, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oct. 1, 2018, fan posted link to and quoted from Sea Shimooka's instagram post (since deleted), with comment: "Sea Shimooka: first day shooting and I learned don’t do an all you can eat of the chia pudding right before your shirtless scene ... Actress Sea Shimooka will be featured in 707 in a TBA role. (She recently followed the Arrow show instagram and Stephen. It is unknown at this time if she’ll be a recurring character. This was taken 2 days ago. They’ll be working on 708 today." (Oct. 1, 2018 dmichellewrites tumblr article linked in Oct. 21, 2018 tv echo post, page 24 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Oct. 2, 2018, fan tweeted pic of JH, RG, DR and EK in formal wear sitting on set between takes, with comment: "If this is a party I hope Oliver makes a speech to the newbies that goes like: 'Thank you for dressing up and celebrating my release from prison, now gtfo of my city.'" (themediumplace tweet, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oct. 3, 2018, Arrow filmed a night club scene inside The Metro Banquet Hall on Carnarvon Street. (DeanMachine16 tweet, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oct. 3, 2018, papp tweeted: "#Arrow filming in the Metro Hall in New Westminster #NewWest today." (yvrshoots tweet, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oct. 3, 2018, fan tweeted pics of interior set-up for formal meal, JH, RG, DR and EK in formal wear sitting on set between takes with "Gaming in between takes" tag, and exterior shot of "Wallace Shipyards" sign with "Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier" tag, with comment: "#Arrow bts... apparently theres some kind of formal event?" Another fan tweeted: "David was there too. #Arrow 708" and "Juliana was the one with the sparkly rain boots per her instastory, but yeah both Emily and David filmed." (OlicityDreams and dmichellewrites tweets, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oct. 3, 2018, fan tweeted video of exterior of buildings on street, with comment: "#Arrow @WhatsFilming @yvrshoots everything set up for filming at today’s indoor Arrow shoot." Another fan tweeted: "There was a continuous parade of hot nightclub girls going in and out of there today and tonight. I did see Ollie in partial GA uniform at one point but it was very brief and had no time to snap a pic. I had to do a double-take because of his new haircut." (66mitchell and DeanMachine16 tweets, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 15 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Oct. 3, 2018, fan tweeted video clip of interior set, with comment: "#Arrow bts. Looks like a nightclub? ??." (OlicityDreams tweet, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 15 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Oct. 3, 2018, fan tweeted pics of interior set, with comment: "#arrow 708 bts Filming Tuesday" and "Filming yesterday at the Pinnacle Hotel. The source said that the entire cast was present and the event takes place after Oliver's departure from prison. And that is not a wedding. A villain appears, but not the biggest villain.?? The source can not give too many details. Arrow." Same fan also tweeted that " Juliana was getting ready ... I do not know if she's going to shoot." and "I saw nothing of the others. But if she is ... sure Rick will be too. They've always been on the same night shots." (arrowverse_DC tweets, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 15 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Oct. 3-4, 2018, fan tweeted: "I talked to someone else who said Emily was there. Stephen filmed yesterday too in the same interior scene as Emily. #Arrow" and, when asked if EBR only filmed half a day, "Not sure, but she was there with Stephen and the stunts crew before Juliana. The cast has some pretty early days." and "Starting at 5AM." (dmichellewrites tweets, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 15 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Oct. 4, 2018, SA tweeted: "Today felt amazing. #Arrow." (SA tweet, page 15 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Oct. 4, 2018, SA tweeted: "Sometimes you can change a superhero suit with addition by subtraction. ?????" (SA tweet, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oct. 4, 2018, JH tweeted: "Just watched @StephenAmell spit out his gum and kick it no less than fifty yards into outer space. The Olympics truly don’t know what they’re missing." (JH tweet, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oct. 4, 2018, fan tweeted: "@WhatsFilming signs for beckmark are up all around capilano university!" and papp tweeted: "Signs for Arrow spotted by @missalexad17." (missalexad17 and whatsfilming tweets, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oct. 6, 2018, fan tweeted b-t-s Arrow set pic that showed part of the loft(?) and the numbers "04 10", with comment: "#Arrow bts. Is that... Olicity's home?" (olicitydreams tweet, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oct. 9, 2018, fan tweeted pic of interior of unfinished set, with comment: "This house was assembled last week inside the studio. I have not yet confirmed whether in #Arrow or #TheFlash as soon as I confirm notice. Although the source often works on arrow." (arrowverse_DC tweet, page 17 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Oct. 10, 2018, Oscar Balderrama tweeted: "Last day of filming on 708. I’m on set remembering the last time I was up here filming 701. Three VERY long months ago. The wait’s almost over. Season 7 premiere. Monday. Get ready. #Arrow #FiveMoreDays." and "I was talking about the wait to air! Not working with the best boss and staff and crew ever." (ojbalderrama tweets, page 5 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oct. 26, 2018, when asked for her top 5 Olicity moments, EBR: "Okay. First kiss. First date. First explosion. Oliver showing up in the back of the MIni Cooper covered in blood, duh. Um, and one of the scenes that we just shot. They are about to go somewhere fancy and they don't." (Oct. 29, 2018 TV Guide tweet that included video clip from Oct. 26, 2018 EBR interview, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Nov. 29, 2018, Katherine McNamara retweeted TVLine's article about KM's debut in 708, with comment: "Float like a butterfly, sting like a... Meet Maya on December 3rd. @CW_Arrow @ARROWwriters @SchwartzApprovd." Her tweet included two pics of herself as Maya, including one showing Maya's shoulder tattoo of what looks like a large flying insect, a crescent moon, a planet and a sun.  (Kat_McNamara tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 53 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 29, 2018, in response to above KM's tweet, Ben Lewis tweeted: "There she is!" (benlewishere tweet, page 54 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 29, 2018, in response to pics of KM as Maya, fan tweeted: "so, um, maya's tattoo looks like the musca constellation which is a bee surrounding 4 stars." and "so uh, we keep digging and a star within that constellation is 'myia.'" (felictiyqueen tweets, page 54 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Dec. 1, 2018, Marcus Rosner tweeted: "Gonna be back on cw_arrow this Monday night so check that out. @cw_network #maxfuller #arrow #arrowverse #superherostuff #oliverqueen @ The Arrowverse." (themarcusrosner tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread)

Edited December 5, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This summary includes all topical spoilers from October 29, 2018, to December 8, 2018. This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

ADDENDUM #5 TO SUMMARY OF S7 SPOILERS BY TOPIC

S7 Showrunner and Writers
-- EBR: "Beth Schwartz, our new showrunner -- who has actually been with us since the beginning, as a writer's assistant in season one and made her way through the show -- cares so much about the storyline on the show, and the characters, and has such a beautiful new take on where this world is going... It's actually a very exciting time to be a part of a show that's been on for seven years -- it's like a newer show with the characters that we already love." (Oct. 29, 2018 ETonline article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- EBR: "The writers this year have really taken our show and sort of redesigned it in a beautiful way. Beth Schwartz, our new showrunner, who's been with us from the beginning of Season 1, and, you know, climbed the ladder in the writers' room and in the office and has dedicated, you know, seven years to the show as well, has decided to take this awesome new, you know, flavor in a different direction of the show." (Nov. 8, 2018 The Nerdist article and The Nerdist's Fangirling video of EBR interview, page 290 of Starling City Times thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "'It's been a breath of fresh air with new staff...' -David." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: Fangirlw_oChill tweet, page 740 of Social Media thread)
-- EK: “First and foremost, I loved working with Marc and Wendy and everyone who’s run the show from Season 1... I wouldn’t even be on the show if not for them, so I’m really thankful for the input from them and I love where they took the character, and the show, but having Beth there has really been a nice breath of fresh air. She has a great vision. She’s been a part of the show from the onset, and she’s uber-talented.” Also EK: “With shows, you have to switch it up every once in a while, to keep it fresh, keep a new perspective, and to keep some new eyes… seeing what other places you can take it… and I think she is knocking it out of the park... She and the writers’ room are giving us so much great material, and I think that’s why you do hear a lot of people say it feels really new, fresh, unique and fun. I think they’re just doing a great job, and I’m really thankful to get to be a part of it.” (Oct. 29, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- EK: "It’s always nice to switch it up and get a fresh pair of eyes on it. Obviously, Beth has been in the trenches of the show. She started off as an assistant and now she’s so showrunning, so she has a personal feel for the show and knows everything about the show. She’s such a brilliant study of all that comes into this, and she’s done such a great job, jumping in feet first. We’re all really thankful that she is as talented and brilliant as she is, and that she’s breathing a lot of new life into the show. I think people are gonna be really, really happy with where it goes this season." (Oct. 29, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 8 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)
-- EK: "I think our new showrunner, Beth, and the writers room are doing some really amazing things behind the scenes and giving us a lot of fun to play with." (Oct. 29, 2018 Nerdist video interview with EK, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Nov. 18, 2018, Arrow writer Maya Houston tweeted: "It's me with two hours of sleep versus this script. Who shall win?" (elcincodemaya tweet, page 43 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 19, 2018, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "Currently writing my 29th episode of #Arrow. What a journey it’s been." (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread)

S7 Directors and Technical Advisors
-- On James Bamford, SA: "He started as a stunt coordinator. He''s now a supervising producer... Before he was a stunt performer, he was a correctional officer. I'm dead serious. Which actually helped with the prison storyline a lot, just in terms of  making things as real as possible." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 1, 2018: Fan Fest video, page 741 of Social Media thread)
-- Fan report on what CH said: "Re: whether or not we’ll see more actors directing, Colton says there are people shadowing now." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: ElisaQueen tweet, page 740 of Social Media thread)

S7 Tone and Style
-- Katherine McNamara: "I'd seen a couple episodes of Arrow before I was cast on the show. And then as soon as I found out I was cast, I watched the entire series. Uh, and I really love it. I think it's so great. And I think what they're doing with the show this season is really smart, because it takes it back to kind of what the show was originally in its tone, but also finds a way to do something completely new and different." (Nov. 7, 2018 Golden Warrior video of KM instagram post, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 36 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

S7 Generally
-- James Bamford posted pic of the Mark of Four tattoo. (Dec. 7, 2018 james2bambamford instagram post, page 63 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- DR: "You know, there is no foundry anymore, or the - whatever it was called - the lair. I'll give you a little spoiler. You're going to see it again, the lair. We're going to get back there. Um, so ARGUS kind of works as the lair right now, everyone is in ARGUS." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: Dec. 3, 2018 steven alvarez video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 741 of Social Media thread, and lemotomato post, page 58 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EK: "I mean, there are so many twists and turns happening this season... It's going to be so different from anything people have ever seen. ... And when I say things will happen that you will never see coming, I mean, it is really true. I am still kinda shocked and flabbergasted at how some things will be [planned/playing-not sure of word?] out. So it will be an explosive, really dope season." (Oct. 29, 2018 Nerdist video interview with EK, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the "Mark of Four," JH: "It's something that will continue to unify the team in the future, basically." (Nov. 19, 2018 Eonline article, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 45 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Michael Jonsson: "It feels like they are amping up the action. Get ready for more fights and explosions.. (Oct. 29, 2018 StarryMag article, page 289 of Starling City Times thread)

S7 Flashbacks & Flashforwards
-- EBR: "Flashforwards, I dare say this, are more of a commitment than a flashback because your storyline has to go in a way of which you have designed it to progress towards these... We're lucky in our show -- lucky and destroyed by it, a little bit -- that we have so many areas of different realities. Because of the universe that we've established, you know, things can happen that maybe did happen or didn't. That's the sort of reality they live in." Also EBR: "Really committing to that type of storyline and feeding the characters [in terms of] where they're gonna go, it sort of creates the question, like, if you're not there already, is it nurture or is it nature that got you there?" (Oct. 29, 2018 ETonline article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "I asked and David said Arrow flashforwards are about POSSIBLE futures." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: marabrazil tweet, page 57 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On the flashforward reveal, EK: “My jaw definitely dropped... You know, initially when we read those scripts, that stuff was redacted for us, so I was like ‘what’s happening?’ It was all blacked out! And then when I found out I was definitely like ‘shut up. Wait. What?’ So it was all very cool, and seeing Colton in that old age makeup, it was very dope to see that. You guys are in for some really amazing stuff that you definitely won’t see coming.” On whether he wants to see an aged-up Curtis, EK: “I mean, yeah. Of course. Who doesn’t want to be aged up? That’s part of the fun! So, we’ll just have to wait and see if that happens.” (Oct. 29, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- EK: “I was definitely surprised to see where they were going with it… kind of future foreshadowing… there is so much more that opens up throughout the season. If your jaw was on the ground… just wait for it." Also EK: "A lot of characters are going to be involved in those flash forwards... I can say it will be more than just Roy and William.” EK couldn’t “confirm nor deny” if Curtis will be one of those characters, but did say, “I would love that — just to see a salt-and-pepper afro, I think it is worth it in the general sense, but yeah, it would be really fun to see Curtis in that story.” (Oct. 29, 2018 ExtraTV article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 29 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether everything Team Arrow did in the first six years of the show was for nothing, given the dark future portrayed in the flashforwards, JH: "I don’t think so... I actually don’t know what’s going to happen in the show. I don’t know how they are going to write the actual future or end of the show, or anything like that. I also think that the future we’re seeing, in my mind, it’s not the ultimate future, it’s not necessarily the end, it’s a part of the future." Also JH: "A lot of people are saying they’re disheartened by how down and depraved our city has become, and they’re saying, what’s the point of it all if it’s gonna be that dark? ... But t we don’t know that it’s gonna end there. That’s just a portion that we’re looking at." (Nov. 29, 2018 ComicBook article, page 7 of Spoilers thread, and Nov. 19, 2018 Eonline article, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 45 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Team Arrow
-- DR: "ARGUS kind of works as the lair right now, everyone is in ARGUS.... There's only so much I can say because there's a lot they want to do with Lyla and Diggle that has a lot to do with Team Arrow and where we go with this arc, in this future arc. So, uh, ARGUS plays a big role in that." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: Dec. 3, 2018 steven alvarez video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 741 of Social Media thread, and lemotomato post, page 58 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Original Team Arrow ("OTA")
-- On whether we'll get back to OTA now that Oliver is out of jail, DR: "Yeah, but not for a while. I mean, it's 22 episodes, a long, long season... Yeah, you got to draw it out. Make it somewhat dramatic. But yeah, that's the core. I think the show will ultimately get back to that. But there's a lot of story to be told. Obviously, new characters and finding out who this Arrow is. There's flashforwards. There's a lot of stuff. So it's a big story, a big arc this season." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: Dec. 3, 2018 steven alvarez video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 741 of Social Media thread, and lemotomato post, page 58 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "OTA doesn't come back for awhile...." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: Fangirlw_oChill tweet, page 57 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "Also, when I went to get an autograph, he mentioned that we'll see more OTA from episode 12 and on." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: ElisaQueen tweet, page 58 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "David, Spartan coming back on 7-12 and I said I didn't like what the writers were doing to OTA and he said that it will change." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 1, 2018: OlisaColorado tweet, page 57 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Oliver & Felicity ("Olicity")
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, Oliver & Felicity's marriage will be tested in upcoming episodes: "For their arc [this season], what I like about it the most is we're really going for the real struggles in marriage, so that's kind of where we're approaching their relationship. It's going to feel really authentic." (Nov. 5, 2018 TV Guide article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 289 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On the Olicity reunion after Oliver gets out of prison, SA: "We have some really fantastic scenes in [Episode] 8. I mean, obviously we, um, see each other for the first time at the end of [Episode] 7. But then pretty quickly I learn that a lot of the stuff that Diaz was saying about Felicity is true. And I thought the way that we worked it out, and we do work it out pretty quickly, um, we come to an understanding that nothing's ever going to be perfect. I - we - one of the other things that we talked about a lot is, Oliver can't live in a normal apartment building anymore. Right? ... Actually, I thought that they should militarize the Queen mansion. I got shot down. I don't think we could afford to do that!  Um, but, uh - nothing's ever going to be perfect or normal about our relationship, and I think that the sooner that the two of them accept that, um, the sooner that they can move on with their lives." (Nov. 26, 2018 TV Diehard video of SA interview and TVLine, TV Guide, GreenArrowTV, CinemaBlend and Bustle articles, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- Little girl in audience: "Can I be, uh, your and Felicity's daughter in the episodes?" Mod: "Awww." SA: "If that ever comes to pass and we ever do - how old are you now?" Little girl: "Seven." SA: "Okay, well, if we ever jump seven years in the future, I know your number." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 1, 2018: Fan Fest video, page 741 of Social Media thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: "Stephen told me things were going to be hard for the first half of the season, first half. That means something." Another fan "got the same info from David during hvff London" and further reported: "He said the first part of season gonna be rough but that it will be much better in the 2nd part. He also brought up the olicity kid all on his own. But as soon as i asked when the baby was coming he became evasive like he was not sure. Looking back it just confirms to me he was talking FF, and wasnt sure yet about the present time." (itakha2015 tweet in Dec. 5, 2018 Velocity23 post, page 61 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread, and Dec. 5, 2018 Velocity23 post, page 62 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: "He said "There's more to come." He was autographing a fan art pic of the Olicity reunion at the end of 707. (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 1, 2018: codeeveronica tweet, page 57 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Fan report on what SA said: "This little girl asked if she can play Oliver & Felicity's daughter. ???? He said if we do a 7yr time jump, he has her number. ???? Olicity babies in the future." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 1, 2018: codeeveronica tweet, page 56 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per EBR, Felicity's goal is to be reunited with a free Oliver, and while she couldn't tease any specific details of the beloved couple's possible reconciliation, she did note that it "has to happen." EBR: "The crux of Felicity's desire and main objective and goal for the season would be to be with her husband... If that doesn't happen, I mean, she's just going to light everything on fire and she's going to go to prison for arson." (Oct. 29, 2018 ETonline article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether SA and EBR have already filmed some reunion scenes, EBR teased: "Maybe, but who knows if it's in reality or not?" Also EBR: "The first kiss has some scars in it." (Oct. 29, 2018 ETonline article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On her top 5 Olicity moments, EBR: "Okay. First kiss. First date. First explosion. Oliver showing up in the back of the MIni Cooper covered in blood, duh. Um, and one of the scenes that we just shot. They are about to go somewhere fancy and they don't." (Oct. 29, 2018 TV Guide tweet & video, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 29 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether Oliver & Felicity had "abandoned" William in this flashforward future, EBR: "They might have, in a way, but I'd hope it would be for his own protection. We'll see." (Oct. 29, 2018 ETonline article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Nov. 17, 2018, fan tweeted: "'A cool thing that the studio supervisor told us is that #Arrow is going through a transition phase where they're making a lot of changes. So a lot of things we can not show because it was not displayed. I just came from Oliver's apartment Queen and I can not show it.'?? #Olicity." (arrowverse_DC tweet, page 41 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- The "Elseworlds" crossover, especially Arrow 709, will address Oliver and Felicity’s “fraught” relationship (her words) following his release from prison. (Dec. 7, 2018 TVLine article, page 64 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread in Arrow forum and page 14 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)

Oliver Queen AKA Green Arrow
-- On whether we'll see changes in Oliver post-prison, SA: "Yeah. We - I spent a lot of time talking with Beth about - about Oliver when he gets out because I felt like in the first episode this year, we were really trying to charge ahead with a lot of cool new ideas. But it didn't necessarily lend the proper weight to what happened at the end of Season 6, in an episode that's titled 'Life Sentence.' You know, one of the first drafts in the early part in the first episode of Season 7 focused a lot on Oliver - focusing on good behavior so that he would get released. I was like, well, I mean, one way or the other, he's been in there for five or seven months, whatever the case may be. What, he's got at least 14 or 15 to go if he has good behavior. So we changed the focus a little bit. Same thing happened when I read Episode 8. I know they wanted Oliver back in the world and he is, in a new and exciting way. Concurrently, it felt like we were treating my experience in Slabside like I spent a night in county jail, right? When in actuality, even for Oliver, it was a pretty horrific experience. So I did want a change in him. I wanted a change in him in the way that he interacts with people, with the public, and even so far as his wardrobe. I went to Maya, and I'm like, 'Oliver's in his mid-30s, he's a former politician. I want him to dress a little bit more like he used to dress for Sunday brunch at the Queen mansion.' I mean, WASP-y's the's wrong word, but it's not totally the wrong word. But that's not what we're going for. But I wanted him to, you know - in the first episode that I'm out [708], we have me going to a gala and, um, I was sort of in the same suit that I would wear as the mayor. I didn't like that. So we pushed that in a different direction. And, um - part of the fun of this year is, I've pitched a bunch of stuff and I think - not the opening scene of Episode 8, but the first time that you see Oliver, we came up with a really interesting way, I think, of showing what prison life did to him without really bashing people over the head with it." (Nov. 26, 2018 TV Diehard video of SA interview, and TVLine, TV Guide, CinemaBlend, GameSpot, GreenArrowTV, ComicBook and Bustle articles, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Oliver sees his role as protector of the city after coming out of prison, SA: "He runs into the new Green Arrow, or runs into the new Green Arrow’s exploits pretty quickly. But, coming out of prison, he gets asked that specific question very early on, like, 'What are you going to do?' and he says, 'I’m going to try and do what you guys did, which is just find a different way to help the city.' We come up with that idea pretty quickly, but I think one of the fun things is it’s not Oliver who comes up with it." (Nov. 26, 2018 TV Diehard video of SA interview and GameSpot, GreenArrowTV and Bustle articles, page 7 of Spoilers thread, and Nov. 27, 2018 IGN article, page 49 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether Oliver will regret his decision to leave Diaz alive and whether that decision will affect his relationship with Felicity, SA: "His decision to leave Diaz alive will not influence his relationship with Felicity. Um, but I think it's going to have an incredibly impactful moment on another person that he's very close with. I don't know if he'll come to regret the decision, actually. Probably. But, you know, those are the - maybe that's part of the new Oliver post-prison, is those are the decisions that he has to live with, you know, even if ultimately the best thing to do would've been to not leave him alive. Um, we shall see." (Nov. 26, 2018 TV Diehard video of SA interview and GreenArrowTV and ComicBook articles, page 7 of Spoilers thread, and Nov. 27, 2018 IGN article, page 49 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether the horrible things that were done on Level Two to break the cycle of violence is ultimately going to be a positive thing for Oliver going forward, SA: "Absolutely. It teaches him a net lesson. Um, I think the person who's trying to teach him that didn't use the most nice tactics to get him there. So I think the lesson's a little less black and white. But it definitely teaches him something. And it's addressed, I think, in the first episode after he leaves prison [708], in sort of what is his new mantra is going to be, if and when he puts the suit back on." (Nov. 26, 2018 TV Diehard video of SA interview and GameSpot article, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether there's another person like Thea that can fill her role of being someone that Oliver can't lose, SA: "Well, I mean, yeah, sure... he's lost that person a couple of times, right? But he always seems to gain someone, be it William or - William or Felicity. Um, but, I don't know. I don't know. He doesn't have a lot of people left to lose. So, hopefully, he gains someone along the way. Or a few people." (Nov. 18, 2018 KSiteTV video of SA interview, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 42 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how strange it has been not having worn the GA suit or held a bow through the first seven episodes of the season, SA: "Very strange. Although, as someone who hates wardrobe changes, I've really loved my wardrobe this year. I've either been wearing my prison outfit or I've been naked. It's just been one or the other." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 1, 2018: Fan Fest video, page 741 of Social Media thread)

Felicity Smoak AKA Overwatch
-- EBR: "I think her original mindset is a little broken, 'cause it's been sort of jaded and deconstructed, if not completely destroyed... I think the danger is in, has it been completely destroyed, or is it repairable? ... That is pretty much her arc for the season is deciding where now she believes justice and her morals lie, and whether or not she can accomplish that by being the person she was. ... Or does she have to accomplish it now by being the person that she has made herself into?" (Oct. 29, 2018 ETonline article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per EBR, for Felicity, some of this season's refreshed storytelling includes a bit of a new look, aided by the helpful practicality of a female showrunner: "This season's a little different because she's taking action. Beth is like, 'She doesn't need stilettos for that.' And I'm like, 'Yeah, she doesn't!'" (Oct. 29, 2018 ETonline article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- EBR: "And - and [EP Beth Schwartz] really does care about Felicity, which I was always very, um, very grateful for and very excited about for this year, because it gave me something new to do, it gave Felicity something new to live for. And people change, and so our characters change. And the way - and the way we want to see the world go, hopefully, changes as well. For the good or for the better, we're not really sure. And, um, I've just been lucky enough to have that changes, so that she doesn't stay that stagnant." (Nov. 8, 2018 The Nerdist article and The Nerdist's Fangirling video of EBR interview, page 290 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On whether EP Beth Schwartz sat her down at the beginning of the season and told her about Felicity's arc this season, EBR: "Yeah. And, actually, for a couple years too, 'cause her and I have always, always talked through the years and sort of always talked about Felicity and the show and other things as well. And she did. She called me. We had like three or four talks before the season started. And kind of knowing, you know, where Felicity was starting, 'cause of the end of last season, like, where she was going to be. I think, too, it's interesting to like test your character. I mean, what would be the most detrimental part of your inner disposition to challenge? And I think that that's sort of where Beth led from, which was like, what would happen and if she decided to fall in a pattern she had never taken before?" (Nov. 8, 2018 The Nerdist article and The Nerdist's Fangirling video of EBR interview, page 290 of Starling City Times thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "Yup. I asked him if Felicity was actually dead and he said everything is possible, depending on the timeline." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: tainted_wonder tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On who he would trade places with if he could switch with anyone on Arrow, CH: "Felicity. Not just 'cause she - never mind... I was going to say it, but I think he's too young. Yeah, Felicity, because she's a strong character. She has great storylines too. So probably Felicity, she has an amazing arc and she's got amazing stuff to do. But that would mean Emily would have to play Roy Harper." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: Dec. 3, 2018 steven alvarez video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 741 of Social Media thread, and lemotomato post, page 58 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Curtis and Felicity working together, EK: “I think there is room for them to team back up at some point this season, but right now the pressing issue is [Ricardo] Diaz constantly coming at Felicity and Oliver and making their lives a living hell. You just see her being fed up with that and really going all out to get him and stop him.” (Oct. 29, 2018 ExtraTV article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 29 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether Curtis is starting to worry about Felicity, who is seemingly willing to go to any lengths to get Diaz, EK: "How traumatizing is it, everything she’s been put through with Diaz? Her husband is in jail, and this guy is still trying to terrorize her. She’s off, trying to live her new life with pink hair, and this dude is still coming at her and William. The thing is that she’s just tired of running and tired of being chased by this guy. She wants to be proactive and take him down. Sometimes when you’re blinded by revenge, it might not work out best. She almost left John hanging on the train. I get that aspect of enough is enough. That will create some friction between her and Curtis, for sure, but in the end, he will support his friend. They all know that Diaz is a problem and they want him off the grid, not creating and sewing confusion and destruction in the city. Curtis will go about it the traditional way of using ARGUS and the police. They’re all supporting the same mission, but they have different ways of going about it, which they definitely will discuss with some tense back and forth conversations." (Oct. 29, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 8 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)
-- On whether Felicity is really dead in the future, JH: "I actually really can’t answer that. Like, I don’t know the answer... But, I think Felicity has set a path in just the work that she’s done, so that leaves a lot of room for us to explore where she’s gone on that path." (Nov. 19, 2018 ComicBook and Eonline articles, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 45 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- In the "Elseworlds" crossover, Caitlin Snow will share a heart-to-heart with Felicity. (Dec. 7, 2018 TVLine article, page 64 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread in Arrow forum and page 14 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum))

William "Will" Clayton
-- On whether Oliver & Felicity had "abandoned" William in this flashforward future, EBR: "They might have, in a way, but I'd hope it would be for his own protection. We'll see." (Oct. 29, 2018 ETonline article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we'll see any present time William or Roy in this season of Arrow, CH (after pause): "How do I get around this question? Um... (long pause) ... Yes, stay tuned... They're probably going to fire me anyway... I'm kidding. Hopefully." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: Dec. 3, 2018 steven alvarez video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 741 of Social Media thread)
-- On Nov. 18, 2018, Katherine McNamara posted pic of herself with Ben Lewis, who plays Adult William, and new Arrow writer Maya Houston. (kat.mcnamara instagram post in way2interested post, page 42 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

John Diggle AKA Spartan 
-- DR: "Spartan does return." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: Dec. 3, 2018 steven alvarez video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 741 of Social Media thread, and lemotomato post, page 58 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- DR: "The relationship - there's only so much I can say because there's a lot they want to do with Lyla and Diggle that has a lot to do with Team Arrow and where we go with this arc, in this future arc. So, uh, ARGUS plays a big role in that. And, uh, I can't say any more than that because I'll be really giving a huge secret away in terms of Diggle's future. But speaking of Diggle's future, all I can say is this: there's a big tease about Diggle's future in the crossover. And Lyla, who knows." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: Dec. 3, 2018 steven alvarez video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 741 of Social Media thread, and lemotomato post, page 58 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- DR: "We haven’t seen Diggle in the future yet, but I think you guys are going to got get a nice treat in the crossover. For some information about Diggle." After his more vague statement, he took the opportunity to elaborate just a bit more when a fan asked about Lyla. Instead of seeing Diggle in the future, he says the information we will be getting is about Diggle’s actual future. DR: "I really cant say anything because I’d be giving a big secret away on Diggle’s future. There’s a big tease about Diggle’s future in the crossover." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: FanFest article, page 57 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Mod (to CH): "A lot of people are referring to you as Old Man Roy, but you're actually Diggle's age? Pretty much? How are you feeling about that?" (DR reaction and audience laughter) DR: "I was not expecting that... You're asking me? Twenty years in the future, you're actually my present age? I don't know how I feel about that. Um, I don't know, I mean (Looks down at himself) I look pretty good. But, you know, we haven't seen Diggle in the future yet. And, um, I think you guys are going to get a nice treat, um, in the crossover."  Later, DR: "We got to represent the older folks, right?" (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: Dec. 3, 2018 steven alvarez video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 741 of Social Media thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "David, Spartan coming back on 7-12 and I said I didn't like what the writers were doing to OTA and he said that it will change." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 1, 2018: OlisaColorado tweet, page 57 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "... And we're going to see his family - it will be dramatic because it's Arrow - but it won't be for that reason." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 1, 2018: Fangirlw_oChill tweet, page 57 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Lyla Michaels and A.R.G.U.S.
-- On Diggle's relationship with Lyla now that Oliver is free, DR: "The relationship - there's only so much I can say because there's a lot they want to do with Lyla and Diggle that has a lot to do with Team Arrow and where we go with this arc, in this future arc. So, uh, ARGUS plays a big role in that. And, uh, I can't say any more than that because I'll be really giving a huge secret away in terms of Diggle's future." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: Dec. 3, 2018 steven alvarez video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 741 of Social Media thread, and lemotomato post, page 58 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "Lyla is fine! I asked him specifically if I should be worried! He said they definitely considered the idea but that ultimately she's safe." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 1, 2018: Fangirlw_oChill tweet, page 57 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

John Diggle Jr. AKA Connor Hawke
-- On whether we'll see Diggle's son, DR: "I think you will see his son, Connor Hawke, I guess... I don't know if you'll see him in the same way, because that was a possible future. So, um - Flash just messed up everything. (Audience laughs) It's really true. So, um - yeah, I said it, Grant... So I think there's that. And also, the second part of ... I can't say nothing about it." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: Dec. 3, 2018 steven alvarez video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 741 of Social Media thread, and lemotomato post, page 58 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Roy Harper AKA Arsenal
-- On 711, DR: "I wish you were in it." CH: "I wish I was too." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: Dec. 3, 2018 steven alvarez video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 741 of Social Media thread)
-- On whether we'll see any present time William or Roy in this season of Arrow, CH (after pause): "How do I get around this question? Um... (long pause) ... Yes, stay tuned. They're probably going to fire me anyway. I'm kidding. Hopefully." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: Dec. 3, 2018 steven alvarez video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 741 of Social Media thread)
-- CH: "It's so cool coming back. Um, I wish I got to work with, you know, OTA. So far, I'm working with... NTA? ... Future Team Arrow? Ooh,  that did not work... It's been really cool because I got to work with Ben, who plays Future William. Awesome. Good friend.... And I just love being around them. As of now, I'm not fully working with them yet. There's the possibility in the future for that." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: Dec. 3, 2018 steven alvarez video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 741 of Social Media thread, and lemotomato post, page 58 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Curtis Holt AKA Mr. Terrific
-- On whether Mr. Terrific will return, EK: “I think that is always a possibility, you will have to stay tuned.” (Oct. 29, 2018 ExtraTV article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 29 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what Curtis brings to Team Arrow, EK: "I think, uh, it's a privilege for him to be able to work on that team. Uh, Team Arrow has done a lot of great things for the denizens of Star City. And he definitely is a type of person who was somebody who was affected by what was going on and decided he wanted to take charge and get into the action of it. And Team Arrow actually embraced him and let him do that. And I think what he brings to the team is a lot of intelligence, a lot of dope tech, and a lot of humor. So, uh, I think those are some really important parts you want to have on a team." (Nov. 7, 2018 DC video, page 290 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On whether Curtis will be stuck in a van all season or whether we'll see him back in action either with ARGUS or as Mr. Terrific, EK: "I mean, there's definitely, uh, a lot of van love for Curtis this year. Uh, you know, he's become very close with that van. But, you know, he's definitely going to be going undercover with ARGUS in some future episodes, and Mr. Terrific definitely has the capabilities to come back at any point. You know, I don't want to give away too many spoilers, but he'll definitely be getting back into the field in a lot of different, interesting and familiar ways." (Oct. 29, 2018 Nerdist video interview with EK, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- EK: "I definitely miss wearing the costume... The Mister Terrific costume is so amazing, and there’s nothing quite as empowering as when you put that suit on. I definitely think Curtis is in a middle place right now. He definitely misses being out in the field, but he’s also trying to adhere to the plea deal that was made. But he’s doing whatever he can to still give back and help the people of Star City as best as he can.” (Oct. 29, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- EK: “He’s definitely going to be knee-deep working at ARGUS, but you’ll see some internal conflicts with him and his past life and what he wants for the future and whatnot. There will be some internal conflicts at ARGUS in terms of what’s being told to the workers vs. the mission they have to carry out. And there will be a back and forth with other members of Team Arrow who want to go about doing things differently, whether it’s Felicity being gung-ho about getting Diaz, or Rene trying to accept the new Green Arrow into the streets or what not… Curtis definitely mixes it up with all of them." Also EK: "Curtis is trying to stay true to the plea deal. He definitely wants to take down Diaz, but he wants to take him down through the venue of ARGUS, and the police, and the government, and things like that. He doesn’t want to go off the grid, per se, in that perspective. But he’s supportive of his friends and he wants just the right thing for the city.” (Oct. 29, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Curtis has any conflict with his cop boyfriend, Nick Anastas, EK: “I don’t think there’s as much conflict as there was in Curtis’ past marriage, but there’s always some push and pull there in a relationship. Anastas working heavily with Captain Dinah and whatnot… there’s always going to be work issues that arise from that, but I don’t think it’ll be at the level where they’re contemplating if they want to be together or not... I think Anastas is really accepting of Curtis and his career, whether he’s a vigilante or whatnot, and Curtis is accepting of him in that regard, too.” (Oct. 29, 2018 GreenArrowTV article, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Curtis is much more comfortable hanging out in a van with computers than going out in the field and fighting as Mr. Terrific, EK: "Just based on seeing his trajectory, going out into the field, I would have to say that he’s probably more comfortable in the van. There are less punches being thrown his way, so that’s always nice. But I really do feel like he was coming into his own in the field, too. If he had a preference, it probably would be behind the computer with tech. He can send the T-Spheres out." (Oct. 29, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 8 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)
-- On what's next for Curtis (after 703), EK: "Definitely, you’ll see Curtis getting into the field in some different ways than you ever have. He’s gonna be going undercover with ARGUS in some capacities. Whether he’s 100% on board or not doesn’t matter, he definitely will do what he can. You’re also gonna see him really struggling with the consequences of last year and what he wants to do, in terms of either getting back out into the field or chilling at ARGUS. There will be some really interesting things happening for him, in the future." (Oct. 29, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 8 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)
-- Curtis is reluctant to go back out into the field in 705 because he is still traumatized by everything that happened last season. EP Beth Schwartz: "We’re gonna find out everything that happened last season definitely hit him hard with Oliver going to prison and also just being the field and people getting hurt." EK: “It’s definitely something that weighs heavily on his mind — just how things turned out last year, how they all really are constantly put at risk and constantly just sacrificing so much to do what they can for the city, and that’s never an easy mental hoop to always jump through. There are some PTSD-esque feelings there with Curtis and all the events that transpired last season. So, he will struggle with that in some parts, but I think he’ll always fall back to the aspect of how can I help people and use his brain for humanity in some positive way.” (Nov. 9, 2018 Entertainment Weekly article, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 35 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how Curtis feels about where things are at now, EK: "He’s definitely torn. A part of him definitely enjoys being at ARGUS, and a part of him misses being more active, out in the field, doing what he can to help the denizens of Star City. I think although he is torn, he’s probably landed on the side of doing what he can while abiding by the plea deal and running the innoventions department at ARGUS." (Oct. 29, 2018 Collider article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 8 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)
-- On Curtis and Felicity working together, EK: “I think there is room for them to team back up at some point this season, but right now the pressing issue is [Ricardo] Diaz constantly coming at Felicity and Oliver and making their lives a living hell. You just see her being fed up with that and really going all out to get him and stop him.” (Oct. 29, 2018 ExtraTV article, page 6 of Spoilers thread and page 29 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Rene Ramirez AKA Wild Dog
-- RG: "I think Rene, maybe out of all of them, is not exactly on solid ground. You know? But I think in the beginning, when we pick up in the premiere episode, we see that his choice was, well, I may as well go back to the Glades, where I’m from, and, you know, give back to the community. You know, take everything that I learned from Lance, and everything I learned from Oliver, and, you know, try to help the people in my community. Rene can’t be Wild Dog, but maybe if I can help these young people defend themselves, then they can, you know, do the right thing, and help their fellow neighbor." (Nov. 26, 2018 ComicBook article, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Rene wants to return to super-heroing or has another destiny ahead of him, RG: "I think he truly cares about people, and I think he wants to feel engaged in terms of wanting to help people... I think, whatever that means to him in the moment - you know, and I think, him becoming Wild Dog through a traumatic experience of losing his wife, and then his daughter ripped away from him and going into childcare, I think forced him to evaluate himself and say, well, how can I be of service, how can I be of value, even to myself? You know, and so, these traumatic moments kind of push him forward in terms of finding his footing. And I think with Oliver going to prison, and losing Lance, we’re establishing this year in how we see each character find their footing. Because they can’t use the mask anymore, they can’t be the vigilante anymore. So, if they’re not being that, then how can they be of value?" (Nov. 26, 2018 ComicBook article, page 7 of Spoilers thread)

Dinah Drake AKA Black Canary
-- Andy Poon posted pic of concept art for flashforward version of Dinah's Black Canary suit, with comment: "Here is the concept I did of Black Canary 3.5 for costume designer Maya Mani. At the point I did not know it is for the flash forward version of Dinah of course played by the bad ass and fabulous @julianaharkavy it was a blend of her present day suit but with the iconic crop jacket flare with a hood. @dccomics @cw_arrow #blackcanary #future #flashforward #starcity #vigilanteresistance #dinahdrake @julianaharkavy #costume #design #concept #illustration #vancouver." (Nov. 23, 2018 andypoondesign instagram post, page 739 of Social Media thread)
-- JH: "Basically, she's just trying to stay open to, um, anything she needs to get the job done, whether it's on the side of the law or the side of the vigilantes. I think she's really just willing to do what it takes to help out. Um, she's trying to do it in her way, but I think she is just trying to lend a hand, especially with, you know, the advantages she has being law enforcement." (Nov. 19, 2018 KSiteTV article & video of JH interview, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 43 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Oliver's return from prison, JH: "I think the reason she’s really gone on this journey is because she does care so much about him, and I think that she regrets how the team kind of fell apart. So, no, I think Oliver’s return is gonna be very exciting for everybody, including Dinah." (Nov. 26, 2018 ComicBook article, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the older Dinah, JH: "She does have a scar, and we allude to it a couple of times, but we don't necessarily know where it's come from yet. So her powers are kind of in question, but I think that for sure, she's had all of this time to train, and a lot of years to grow stronger." (Nov. 19, 2018 Eonline article, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 45 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per JH, Dinah becomes a "mentor" for the older Zoe: "I think Dinah has a very maternal kind of instinct hidden in her that comes out with Zoe... So yeah, that'll continue." (Nov. 19, 2018 Eonline article, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 45 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what Dinah feels about E2 Laurel hanging around all the time now, JH: "I think that's where her arc is really like - she's really gone through a transformation because obviously, like, last season, she, uh, hated Laurel and it was - her whole mission was to destroy her basically. But I think Dinah is always open for growth, and I think that she needs camaraderie and she needs friends and she definitely needs women in her life. And at this point, you know, after the team has been fractured, it's kinda like, you gotta - you gotta work with what you have and, you know, make the most of what you have. And I think she's found that, you know, there's something good there in Laurel. So, yeah, they're, uh - she's working on it, she's growing and becoming more accepting." (Nov. 19, 2018 KSiteTV article & video of JH interview, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 43 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Earth-2 Laurel Lance AKA Black Siren
-- On who he would trade places with if he could switch with anyone on Arrow, DR: "It'd probably be Katie. I think Black Siren just has a lot of story... There's a lot you can tell with that story... A lot of redemption. A lot of falling back to her old Laurels." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: Dec. 3, 2018 steven alvarez video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 741 of Social Media thread, and lemotomato post, page 58 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Emiko Queen AKA New Green Arrow
-- The mysterious new Green Arrow was revealed to be Robert Queen's daughter (played by Sea Shimooka) in 708. Her name was not revealed in that episode, although fans assume that she is some version of DC Comics character, Emiko Queen.
-- Sea Shimooka tweeted: "In episode 10, I can tell you a lot of people will be hitting the floor if you know what I mean." (Dec. 8, 2018 seashimooka tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 65 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Oct. 30, 2018, fan posted video of Sea Shimooka training at T3 Athletics, with comment: "Actress Sea Shimooka (allegedly Emiko Queen) is training in the same gym where our other arrowverse heroes train.... #Arrow #arrowverse #emikoqueen #dctv #dccomics #seashimooka #greenarrow." (arrowvers.dc.tv instagram post, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On or before Nov. 28, 2018, Thomas Taylor of T3 Athletics posted instagram story of himself working out with Sea Shimooka, with tag: "#arrow newest @seashimooka final initiation." This instagram story was subsequently deleted. (t3athletics instagram post, page 740 of Social Media thread)
-- On Dec. 3, 2018, Arrow writers tweeted: "EVERYONE, it's finally time to welcome @seashimooka into the folds. Big things planned! Welcome to the family. ???? #Arrow." (Arrowwriters tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Dec. 3, 2018, SA tweeted: "Hey @seashimooka — we should probably chat before your character does anything rash. You have my number. Welcome to the family. #Arrow." In reply, SS tweetd: "I* can be quite impulsive but I’ll consider it." (SA and seashimooka tweets, pages 59 and 60 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Dec. 4, 2018, Arrow writer Benjamin Raab tweeted: "Game-changing debuts from kickass @Kat_McNamara and the superb seashimooka on tonight’s episode, #Unmasked!  Welcome to #ArrowSeason7!" (Wondermasons tweet, page 63 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Maya AKA Blackstar
-- Blackstar was revealed to be a mysterious cage fighter (played by Katherine McNamara) in the flashforwards future in 708. Her name Maya was not used in that episode.
-- Per Bleeding Cool, a new character called Blackstar, who's described as a "badass woman whose story starts as an underground cage fighter," will debut on Arrow this season. (Oct. 13, 2018 Bleeding Cool article cited in Nov. 20, 2018 way2interested post, page 44 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per Deadline, Katherine McNamara joined S7 of Arrow "in a pivotal recurring role as Maya, a scrappy street fighter and thief from Star City." (Nov. 9, 2018 Deadline article, page 36 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per Bello Mag: "In Arrow, Katherine [McNamara] plays Maya, a fearless, street-smart fighter who comes from life in an underground fight club. 'Maya's been raised in a really tough environment, so she's a product of that,' Katherine explains. 'She's not one to be intimidated, and not one to be messed with. It makes it fun for me as an actor because my character of Clary on Shadowhunters started out as very much an innocent, hopeful, optimistic person. Maya, on the other hand, is the antithesis of Clary. She's seen the dark side and she's forged by it. She's one to punch first and ask questions later.' Also KM: "Now on Arrow I get to continue my boxing and fighting skills in a whole new universe." (Quotes from Katherine McNamara article in Nov. 2018 issue of Bello Mag, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 34 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per Miami Living Magazine, Katherine McNamara is playing "Maya, a boxer in an underground fight club, who is a bit of a mystery. Rumor has it that she could also be a significant part of the flash-forward timeline." KM: "Getting to be a part of another show where the cast is so friendly and welcoming has been an amazing experience." (Pic of KM article in December 2018 issue of Miami Living Magazine, page 57 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per TVLine, KM's Maya, "a scrappy street fighter and thief from Star City," will first appear in 708. TVLine also posted a pic of Maya getting ready to slug it out in a cage match. (Nov. 29, 2018 TVLine article, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 53 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread
-- EP Beth Schwartz retweeted TVLine's article about KM debuting as Maya on Arrow in 708, with comment: "Can’t wait for you to meet her Monday ??." (Nov. 29, 2018 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 54 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- GATV tweeted same TVLine pic of KM as Maya, with comment: "Courtesy of TV Line, here's a first look at @Kat_McNamara on #Arrow! Interestingly enough, the photo caption lists her character name as "Mia."... hmmm...." (Nov. 29, 2018 GreenArrowTV tweet, page 53 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "Playing Clary [on Shadowhunters] taught me a lot of things. Um, endless, endless lessons. Uh, for one thing, it taught me how to fight, which is something I love because I'm now able to take that over to Arrow and continue to grow those skills and allow them to, um, feed into a new character, which is a lot of fun." (Oct. 30, 2018 Famous Birthdays video of KM interview, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what she can tell us about her new Arrow role, KM: "I can't say much about Arrow yet, but what I can say is, my character's name is Maya and she's a street fighter. So she's a boxer in a fight in an underground fight club. ... She grew up in a very rough environment and is very much a product of that environment. So, whereas Clary was very much the hopeful optimist, Maya is very much the realist and the one to punch first and ask questions later. She's not one to be underestimated or messed with." (Nov. 9, 2018 E! Red Carpet & Awards Shows video of KM interview, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 36 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "The biggest challenge so far that Arrow has brought me is not being able to talk about it, because there's so many things that I'm dying to share that I can't... I'd like to keep this job because I really, really adore this character and all of these people. They've been the kindest and welcomed me with open arms and also allowed me to really come into my own in this character and do something completely different. You know, where Clary was the beacon of hope who is the source of love and hope and joy and never giving up for the Shadowhunters, this character was raised in a very harsh, very hard world and she's a product of it. So she operates more under the guise of punch first, ask questions later. And she's not one to be underestimated or messed with... It's really different. It's really exciting." (Nov. 29, 2018 Shine On Media video of KM interview, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- KM: "On Arrow, I play Maya. She's a boxer. She's not one to be messed with. She's kickass." (Nov. 7, 2018 Golden Warrior video of KM instagram post, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 36 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what she can say about her arc on Arrow, KM: " I can’t say much, yet! And that’s probably the hardest part about joining the Arrow family, not being able to say anything. You know, there’s so much depth and richness to this character, and it’s soul food for my actor’s soul. Getting to join this new universe, Beth Schwartz, the new showrunner of the show, is really taking it back to its origins of being dark and gritty and truly pushing the limit, which is something Arrow has always done. Maya grew up in an environment that was very hard and very harsh and was forced to learn to simply survive, and she’s a product of that. So she’s very much a punch first, ask questions later kind of gal. [laughs] She’s certainly not one to be messed with or underestimated. So it’s exciting to be a part of this season." (Nov. 30, 2018 BriefTake article, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 56 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On playing a fighter on Arrow, KM: "Now playing a boxer and someone who fights for a living basically, it’s a really fun thing." (Nov. 30, 2018 BriefTake article, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 56 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what she would like viewers to look out for on Arrow, KM: "Something that has been so great is seeing the Shadowhunters fandom and the Arrow fandom really come together in this strange amalgamation of worlds. [laughs] The characters are so different, and I think that is one thing that people will notice right off the bat, which is that where Clary was a beacon of hope and love and community for the Shadowhunters world, Maya is very much a realist and often a cynic in many aspects, and she doesn’t have much hope in her life. But who knows, maybe that will change. [giggles] There’s a lot to happen and a lot to dig into with this character, but moving forward, I hope to have the opportunity to play characters like these that are interesting, and keep growing and changing and learning. My favourite thing is when I read a script and it scares me a little bit, and I question whether or not I can actually accomplish it, because that’s a challenge and an opportunity for growth and learning, and that’s what I strive for in life." (Nov. 30, 2018 BriefTake article, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 56 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Maya being a much better fighter than Clary (her Shadowhunters character), KM: “Maya has the experience of growing up — she has the experience of having the environment around her and not being thrust into it but being a product of that environment. So, it’s in her bones, and it’s in every fiber of her being for her entire life." (Dec. 4, 2018 IBTimes article, page 292 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On why she changed her hair color from red to blonde, KM: "You know, there are times when I do miss Clary's red hair, but that was Clary, and I didn't want that to carry over into Arrow, because I wanted it to be - have a separation. And I wanted to let Clary have her own life and then let Maya have her own life. So, that's why the hair color changed, among other reasons." (Nov. 7, 2018 Golden Warrior video of KM instagram post, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 36 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether she had to amp up her workouts to play Maya or whether Shadowhunters trained her well, KM: "It's been a bit of a process of building upon things that, you know, you learn. So when I started Shadowhunters, I didn't know how to throw a punch, I didn't know how to hold a sword, and now I have some modicum of knowledge. ... I'm just a perpetual student in life as well as work, and so I just try to keep building and learning and growing. ... Maya's certainly kickass, I'll tell you that much." (Nov. 9, 2018 E! Red Carpet & Awards Shows video of KM interview, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 36 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether Maya is joining Team Arrow, KM: "I can't say." (Nov. 9, 2018 E! Red Carpet & Awards Shows video of KM interview, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 36 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how hard it is keeping spoilers from the fans, KM: "The hardest thing about being on Arrow is not spoiling things, because I do - I do have a lot of secrets up my sleeve that have been so graciously shared with me by the showrunner and by everyone else on - on - on Team Arrow. ... The biggest thing I can say is that there's a lot to come from this character, and there's so much as an actor for me to mine out it. So I'm very excited. And just everyone at Arrow's been so welcoming. And it really is - been a situation where I feel like I'm part of the family." (Nov. 9, 2018 E! Red Carpet & Awards Shows video of KM interview, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 36 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "So I haven't worked with all of the cast of Arrow yet. I've met most of them. Honestly, everyone's been so lovely. ... Stephen Amell in real life is a doll. He was so kind when I met him, and I couldn't have been more grateful for that kind of welcome into the show." (Nov. 7, 2018 Golden Warrior video of KM instagram post, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 36 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether Maya will be part of the CW crossover episodes, KM: "Um, I can say that I'm not in the crossover episode, but that's about all I can say, as far as that goes." (Nov. 9, 2018 E! Red Carpet & Awards Shows video of KM interview, page 7 of Spoilers thread, page 36 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread, and page 8 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum) 
-- On Nov. 18, 2018, KM posted pic of herself with Ben Lewis and new Arrow writer Maya Houston. (kat.mcnamara instagram post in way2interested post, page 42 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 29, 2018, KM retweeted TVLine's article about KM debuting as Maya on Arrow in 708, with comment: "Float like a butterfly, sting like a... Meet Maya on December 3rd. @CW_Arrow @ARROWwriters @SchwartzApprovd." Her tweet included two pics of herself as Maya, including one showing Maya's shoulder tattoo of what looks like a large flying insect, a crescent moon, a planet and a sun.  (Kat_McNamara tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 53 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 29, 2018, in response to above KM's tweet, Ben Lewis tweeted: "There she is!" (benlewishere tweet, page 54 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 29, 2018, in response to pics of KM as Maya, fan tweeted: "so, um, maya's tattoo looks like the musca constellation which is a bee surrounding 4 stars." and "so uh, we keep digging and a star within that constellation is 'myia.'" (felictiyqueen tweets, page 54 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Dec. 4, 2018, Arrow writer Benjamin Raab tweeted: "Game-changing debuts from kickass @Kat_McNamara and the superb seashimooka on tonight’s episode, #Unmasked!  Welcome to #ArrowSeason7!" (Wondermasons tweet, page 63 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Zoe Ramirez
-- Per JH, Dinah becomes a "mentor" for the older Zoe: "I think Dinah has a very maternal kind of instinct hidden in her that comes out with Zoe... So yeah, that'll continue." (Nov. 19, 2018 Eonline article, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 45 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Big Bad(s)
-- Per CBR, based on 708 where ARGUS director Lyla and Diggle uncovered some clues in the Dante painting they picked up on a recent mission, the new S7 threat may be the Ninth Circle. CBR: "Introduced in 2016's Green Arrow: Rebirth #1 by Benjamin Percy and Otto Schmidt, the Ninth Circle is an international crime ring comprised of corrupt executives. However, some members are compelled to join through force or abduction and are subjected to a 'rebirth' during which they are physically burned and then brainwashed. Appropriately, their base of operations is called the Inferno and the organization is led by Dante, all of which are references to the the epic poem The Inferno by Dante Alighieri." (Dec. 3, 2018 CBR article, page 60 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Fan: "Is there going to be another villain this season. I know Diaz is a series regular, but that doesn't mean he's the main villain." SA: "That's correct. That is correct." (Nov. 29, 2018 SA facebook video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 740 of Social Media thread)

Ricardo Diaz AKA The Dragon
-- On whether Oliver will regret his decision to leave Diaz alive and whether that decision will affect his relationship with Felicity, SA: "His decision to leave Diaz alive will not influence his relationship with Felicity. Um, but I think it's going to have an incredibly impactful moment on another person that he's very close with. I don't know if he'll come to regret the decision, actually. Probably. But, you know, those are the - maybe that's part of the new Oliver post-prison, is those are the decisions that he has to live with, you know, even if ultimately the best thing to do would've been to not leave him alive. Um, we shall see." (Nov. 26, 2018 TV Diehard video of SA interview and ComicBook article, page 7 of Spoilers thread, and Nov. 27, 2018 IGN article, page 49 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 13, 2018, fan tweeted: "@kirkacevedo You have ruined Arrow can you please let me know if you are close to having your last episode as I have had to stop watching whilst you are involved." In reply, Kirk Acevedo tweeted: "No, I’m no where near close BUT I will be killing one of your favorite characters very soon! #TheDragon." (Jjk67Allsop and kirkacevedo tweets, page 38 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Longbow Hunters
-- Miranda Edwards: “I can say that they have their individual talents and skills that you will see more, and so they work really well individually and together as a team. We saw a little bit of that in ['The Longbow Hunters'], but you’re going to see a whole lot more of that, each of us showcasing what we can do and how we work in a really bad way." (Nov. 7, 2018 Tell-Tale TV article, page 7 of Spoilers thread)

Kodiak 
-- On how his character Kodiak was originally described to him, Michael Jonsson: "For the audition, the breakdown was vague. Kodiak was called something different altogether. Until I got the script, I didn’t even know I was a Longbow Hunter, let alone Kodiak. That was three days before filming, so as I said – secretive. When I found out, I ran to my kids and yelled, 'Guess who’s playing a super villain!' We all started screaming and jumping with excitement (which wasn’t too super-villainy, I guess)." (Oct. 29, 2018 StarryMag article, page 289 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On whether there was anything he added to Kodiak that might not have been in the initial breakdown, Michael Jonsson: "The 'Arrow' writers were great. What he said in the audition was just like how he is in the comics and the script. The usual villain type – maniacal, egotistical… and a total badass. The only thing I’ve added is even more sarcasm." (Oct. 29, 2018 StarryMag article, page 289 of Starling City Times thread)

Honor Guest AKA The Silencer 
-- Per Miranda Edwards, don’t expect a carbon copy of the Honor “The Silencer” Guest that appears in the comics. ME: “I find what I’ve done so far is a different introduction to the character through the Arrowverse, which is something you’re not seeing in the comics... I know as much as I know at the time I’m doing it, but yes, we’re seeing a new [part] of her that we don’t see in the comics.” Also ME: "You’ve already seen the way that her power and the silence that she creates is different from how it appears in the comics, too. They do some gadgetry on the show, and that’s a really fun thing to play with that I’m enjoying a lot.” (Nov. 7, 2018 Tell-Tale TV article, page 7 of Spoilers thread)

Stanley Dover 
-- Per Screenrant: "Created by Kevin Smith for his classic Green Arrow storyline Quiver, Stanley Dover was a serial killer who preyed on young children, known as The Star City Slayer. He was also a practitioner of dark magic, who was sacrificing children in a bid to trap a demon known as The Beast With No Name. Stanley befriended a newly resurrected and amnesiac Oliver Queen, intending to place his soul in the hero's body after helping Oliver to reestablish himself as Star City's protector. The plan fell apart, thankfully, and Stanley Dover found himself paying the price for his misdeeds with a one-way trip to Hell." (Nov. 27, 2018 ScreenRant article, page 50 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether we're going to see more of Stan in the near future, SA: "I love how people call him 'Stan' and not 'Stanley,' my buddy in prison who turned out to be a total sociopath. Uh, look, if he escaped from prison and he's alive, ehhh, probably see him again. But I'm so glad that people responded so well to Brendan. It was really fun working with him. You know, I was very isolated during that stretch, from people that I'm so used to working with all the time, Emily and David and Rick and Juliana and Echo - I'm going to forget somebody and it's really not on purpose. But I was isolated. And - oh, Katie, I'm sorry, jesus. But I was isolated and that was difficult, so, you know, Brendan and I got a lot of work to do together. And Michael Jai White, who I thought the reaction to in that episode was amazing. Cody. Uh, Vinnie Jones. All the people who made my stay at Slabside a little bit more palatable and the storyline for Stephen a little bit more palatable, I appreciate them. But Brendan was fantastic to work with... A lot of questions about Stanley." (Nov. 29, 2018 SA facebook video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 740 of Social Media thread)

Nick Anastas (SCPD Officer)
-- On Nov. 20, 2018, Evan Roderick posted pic of himself in SCPD gear with another actor in same SCPD gear, with comment: "SCPD geraing up for a messy shoot tonight... #Arrow #arrowseason 7 #thecw #scpd #popo." When asked if the other actor was Oscar Nunez from The Office, ER posted: "There's a good chance." (eroderickanderson instagram post, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 45 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

"Sam Hackett"
-- In Vimeo video of actor Ben Chase auditioning for the Arrow role of "Sam Hackett", he did two takes of the same scene (shared with Oliver Queen). Transcription: Ben Chase: "Fifteen minutes late. So much for your big hero. I guess your lives didn't mean all that much to him anyway. Now, who wants to die next?" (Take 2: "Fifteen minutes late. So much for your hero. I guess he didn't really care all that much for your lives anyway. Now, who wants to die next?") Reader (off-screen): "Enough!" BC: "Look who finally decided to show up." Reader: "You wanted me. Here I am. But keep them out of it. They have nothing to do with this." BC: "Well, of course they do. Whoa! Any funny business and this place goes sky high! Got it? The SCPD, the news - they're the ones that allow you to make yourself out into this big hero. But I know what you really are." Reader: "I'm a liar. Right, Sam? Because I lied about your father. He was on the Gambit with me and my dad before my father took his own life and murdered yours, so that I could live." (Take 2: " "I'm a liar. Right, Sam? Because I lied about your father. He was on the Gambit with me and my dad, and before my father took his own life, he murdered yours, so that I could live.") BC: "You finally admit it." Reader: "It's only the truth. I can't express how sorry I am for your loss, Sam. Truly." BC: "No. No, no, no, no! You and I are way past apologies. My father is gone and I need to make it right." (Take 2: "No. No, no, no, no, no, no! You and I are way past apologies now. My father is gone and I need to make things right.") Reader: "Then let me make it right." BC: "You can't!" Reader: "There's always a way back, Sam. Let me help you." BC: "No. Never really had any intention of us getting out of here alive. I just wanted to see what your face looked like when I blew us all straight to hell." (Take 2:  "You don't realize, I never had any intentions of any of us getting out of here alive. I just wanted to see what your face looked like when I blew us all straight to hell.") Reader: "Listen. In your heart of hearts, could you really picture your father believing that this is the right thing to do?" BC: "No." Reader: "This isn't justice!" BC: "But it's what I need. (Mimes getting shot in the shoulder with an arrow?) You don't know what justice is. You're a fraud. And one day the entire world will know." (Take 2:  "But it's what I need. (Mimes getting shot in the shoulder with an arrow?) You don't know what justice is. You're a fraud. And one day the entire world is going to know it.") (Nov. 2, 2018 Vimeo video of actor Ben Chase's audition, page 6 of Spoilers thread)

"Lara"
-- In Vimeo video of actress Ivette Novales Gomez auditioning for the Arrow role of "Lara," she did a scene with the husband of her character. Transcription: ING: "(Laughs) Diego, you're a dead man! Sara's going to totally kill you if she's late for the game." Reader (off-screen): "No way we'll we late, the way I drive." ING: "What do you think you're doing?" Reader: "[Unintelligible words] in the Glades, Lara. Like the worst part of the worst part of town. I brought a last-minute tozar." ING: "So you're admitting you broke the rule?" Reader: "Kinda what I do, bit." ING: "[Unintelligible words] that you keep nothing in the house because you said we needed it for home protection. As in, it stays home. Now, come on! You guys are going to be late." Reader: "I thought we were going as a family." ING: "I got a headache." Reader: "Oh yeah? You taking something stronger than an aspirin for this headache?" ING: "You got something to say to me, Alan?" Reader: "I guess I do. Are you using again?" ING: "Am I using again? How can you even ask me something like that?" Reader: "Actually, I've been working up the nerve to ask you that for awhile. Since I found this taped to the back of the dresser drawer." ING: "You searched our bedroom?" Reader: "Yeah, 'cause it looks like my wife's a freakin' junkie! I don't - I just don't get it.We got out, Lara. We got out of the Glades. And here you are, bringing it back here. Back into our home." ING: "You're the last person who can get on their high horse -" Reader: "No matter what I've done, I've never done drugs. And I've never done it in our baby girl's home." ING: "Screw you, Alan!" Reader (using softer voice, different character?): "Are you fighting?" Reader: "Go get your jacket, honey. It's cold tonight. I'm throwing this away. When I get home, either there's no more drugs in this house or there's no more you in this house." (Nov. 10, 2018 Vimeo video of actress Ivette Novales Gomez audition, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 36 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Max Fuller
-- Per his IMDb page, actor Marcus Rosner will be returning to Arrow as Max Fuller in 708: "Max Fuller is the owner of Poison, one of the most popular clubs of Starling City back in 2012. Before the Lian Yu, Oliver Queen slept with Max’s fiancée at their rehearsal dinner, shortly before she and Max Fuller married. Max last appeared in episode 1x03 'Lone Gunmen.'” (Nov. 23, 2018 oli_verdant tweet & linked oliverdant tumblr page, page 46 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Dec. 1, 2018, Marcus Rosner tweeted: "Gonna be back on cw_arrow this Monday night so check that out. @cw_network #maxfuller #arrow #arrowverse #superherostuff #oliverqueen @ The Arrowverse." (themarcusrosner tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread)

Malcolm Merlyn
-- On Malcolm's return to Arrow, John Barrowman: "I can't tease anything about it, but I will be returning to the show this year... I just filmed some stuff for it recently. If you follow my Instagram and social media, you might've seen something a couple of weeks back." Also JB: "Also, just before I went into isolation [for I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here], they checked my availability again... We were like, 'You guys knew the schedule. I'm not available right now, so it'll have to be after the new year'." (Nov. 17, 2018 Digital Spy article, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 42 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- JB: “At the moment I've got a company that I run with my business partner and I'm still on Arrow (TV show) and I'm travelling all over the place and it would be unfair to have a child that I would never really see.” (Nov. 18, 2018 Mirror UK article, page 7 of Spoilers thread)

Tommy Merlyn
-- On Oct. 24, 2018, Colin Donnell: "I see there are a lot of questions about Arrow. Um, so this is a Chicago Med live. But, uh, I don't have any plans to be back for Season 7 as of yet. Um, but, you know, I've been talking to Stephen. I know they're in the thick of their crossover right now and, uh, you know, certainly the Chicago shows can relate to the craziness that goes on when you are shooting a crossover. And so I wish all my friends over there with their huge, giant crossover that they're doing. And, uh, yeah, that's about it. That's all I have to tell you." (Colin Donnell facebook live video, page 8 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum) 

Rory Regan AKA Ragman
-- On Nov. 29, 2018, papp tweeted pic of Joe Dinicol at the airport, with comment: "Got #autographs today from a RETURNING #Arrow guest star Joe Dinicol." (canadagraphs tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 54 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 29, 2018, another papp tweeted: "Saw Joe Dinicol at the guest star hotel today. Wonder if he's back for #Arrow." and "Ya he was only here a day for filming. I liked him on the show." (pursuit23 tweets, page 7 of Spoilers thread)

Other New or Returning Characters in S7
-- Fan report on what CH said: "'Nobody ever really dies on Arrow...' -Colton." and "I wonder who's coming back. Colton also implied that it was good to work with someone from the past." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: Fangirlw_oChill tweets, page 57 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 29, 2018, GATV tweeted: "Didn't expect to see THAT character again.... #Arrow." (GreenArrowTV tweet, page 55 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Mega Crossover (Flash/Arrow/Supergirl)
-- All spoilers for this crossover event will be included in the summary of 709/crossover spoilers (to be posted later this week).

Looking Beyond S7 and Ending Arrow
-- Per MG, the 2018 "Elseworlds" crossover will have long-lasting impact. MG: "This lays the groundwork for next year's crossover." (Pics of Arrowverse crossover article in print issue of TV Guide Magazine, Nov. 26-Dec. 9, 2018, page 10 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum) 
-- On the possibility of "Crisis on Infinite Earths" being the 2019 crossover. The Flash has teased Barry Allen's apparent death since the pilot. When asked whether he knew how and when he intended to pay off the various teases, Flash EP Todd Helbing (smiling): "Yeah. But that's all I can say... Greg [Berlanti] really has a sort of master plan of things, and I’m really excited about how it’s going to pay off.” GG suggested that the plan is still to play out the crossover in 2024, so that the timeline of the episodes lines up with the events of the story. The future newspaper seen in the pilot was dated for April of 2024. GG: "It is really fulfilling" to see some of the Crisis stuff play out... I hope we can stick around long enough to see what's going on with that newspaper article. We'd have to make it four more seasons, five more seasons. It's cool, though. It feels like it's earned. Me and Stephen had that conversation a lot during the crossover, actually. There's a lot of even just comedic moments that we have that are funny because they're earned -- because of the history of the characters and the journey they've been on. It is one of the best parts of doing these as a series versus a film -- people have been with us. I've met kids who have gone through all of high school watching this show. To have that kind of stamp on people's lives is pretty special." That ten-year timeline mirrors what GG told ComicBook.com at SDCC 2017, when GG said: “We don’t really talk about on a yearly basis but it was mentioned early on and that's a goal. Obviously we’d have to go I think ten years to reach that. So there’s a possibility for sure. It’ll be fun to get there.” (Nov. 20, 2018 ComicBook article, page 10 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum) 
-- SA: "I never said anything about a 12-year contract... I hope that Arrow goes for a very, very long time. I don't have a 12-year contract. I really hope that, um - I really hope that... That doesn't mean that I can't be on the show for 12 years. I just don't have a 12-year contract." He then said that it was a real accomplishment for Arrow to set up five-year flashbacks in the pilot and get to finish those flashbacks. So he said that he hopes The Flash can also tell the 10-year story that was teased in its pilot. SA then said: "I have no idea how the shows will end. None whatsoever." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 1, 2018: steven alvarez and Fan Fest videos, page 741 of Social Media thread)

Edited December 13, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This thread is for archived spoilers only - new "Elseworlds" crossover spoilers and crossover discussion should go in the DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in the LoT forum...

SUMMARY OF 709 SPOILERS:

S7, Episode 9: Elseworlds, Part 2
-- Production code: 709. Shoot Dates: [October 11-November 3], 2018. Director: James Bamford. Writers: Teleplay by Marc Guggenheim and story by Caroline Dries. Airdate: Dec. 10, 2018. (Nov. 28, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 11 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum) 
-- 709 synopsis: "THE ELSEWORLDS CROSSOVER CONTINUES IN GOTHAM CITY WITH BATWOMAN (RUBY ROSE) — With Oliver (Stephen Amell) and Barry (guest star Grant Gustin) still stuck in the other’s bodies, the two get a lead on John Deegan (guest star Jeremy Davies) and head to Gotham City with Supergirl (guest star Melissa Benoist) to figure out why their reality has changed. While there, they meet the mysterious Kate Kane (guest star Ruby Rose) who provides them with information that leads the group to Arkham Asylum. James Bamford directed the episode with teleplay by Marc Guggenheim and story by Caroline Dries (#709). Original airdate 12/10/2018." (Nov. 28, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 11 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum) 
-- 709 ("Elseworlds, Part 2") promo pics were posted. (Nov. 28, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 11 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum) 

Because 709 is Part 2 of the three-part "Elseworlds" crossover with The Flash and Supergirl, I have posted my summary of all crossover spoilers on page 13 of the DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in the LoT forum, starting here:
http://forums.previously.tv/topic/73360-dctv-crossover-2018-elseworlds-arrow-flash-and-supergirl-have-a-playdate-with-batwoman/?do=findComment&comment=4900038

Edited December 7, 2018 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

SUMMARY OF 710 SPOILERS:

S7, Episode 10: My Name Is Emiko Queen
-- Production code: 710. Shoot Dates: [October 22]-November 7, 2018. Director: Andi Armaganian. Writers: Benjamin Raab & Deric A. Hughes. Airdate: Jan. 21, 2019. (Nov. 8, 2018 awkwardamerican instagram post, page 7 of Spoilers thread, and Nov. 12, 2018 CBR article, page 71 of Ratings and Scheduling thread)
-- SpoilerTV originally reported that 710 title was "My Name Is Emiko Queen." Subsequently, the 710 title was changed to "Shattered Lives." Then, when the official 710 synopsis was released, 710's title was changed back to "My Name is Emiko Queen." (Nov. 1, 2018 SpiolerTV article, page 6 of Spoilers thread, and Jan. 10, 2019 GreenArrowTV tweet & article and Jan. 11, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 75 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 710 synopsis: "OLIVER RETURNS TO HIS REGULAR LIFE IN STAR CITY — Oliver (Stephen Amell) is ready to get back to work with the SCPD and to focus on his marriage with Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards). However, when Dinah (Juliana Harkavy) tasks Oliver with tracking the new Green Arrow (Sea Shimooka) things take a surprising turn. Meanwhile, Diggle (David Ramsey) and Lyla (guest star Audrey Marie Anderson) must answer to ARGUS about Diaz (Kirk Acevedo). Andi Armaganian directed the episode written by Benjamin Raab & Deric A. Hughes (#710). Original airdate 1/21/2019." (Jan. 8, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 73 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 710 promo was posted, featuring Dinah, Oliver, Felicity, Rene, and Emiko. (Dec. 11, 2018 TheCW's 710 promo video, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 68 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 710 promo #2 was posted, featuring Emiko (voiceover), Oliver, Felicity, Rene and Diaz. (Jan. 7, 2019 SpoilerTV article and 710 promo #2 video, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 73 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Arrow extended promo was posted, featuring Oliver and E2 Laurel on CH52 tv news show, Oliver fighting as GA, Felicity, Rene/Wild Dog, Diggle, Curtis, Diaz, Kane Wolfman, Carrie Cutter and/or China White, and Emiko. (Jan. 16, 2019 Arrow extended promo video, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 710 sneak peek #1 was posted, featuring Lyla interrogating Diaz. (710 sneak peek #1 video, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- 710 sneak peek #2 was posted, featuring Oliver, Dinah and a Crime Scene Unit tech. (710 sneak peek #2 video, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- 710 sneak peek #3 was posted, featuring Rene and an injured Emiko Queen who says, "I'm not Oliver Queen." (710 sneak peek #3 video in Jan. 20, 2019 TVLine article & MichaelAusiello tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- 710 promo pics were posted, featuring Oliver, Felicity, Diggle, Lyla, Deputy Director Bell, Diaz, Rene, Curtis, Dinah, Older Dinah, Adult Zoe, someone named Marco, and an injured Emiko. (Jan. 8, 2019 GreenArrowTV article, Jan. 9, 2019 SpoilerTV article and TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 74 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Emiko Queen in 710, EP Beth Schwartz: “We’re gonna really be seeing a lot from her perspective. We have a really cool, fun opening where we learn about her mission [and] why she’s taken up the Green Arrow suit... We’ll explain in this episode who her parents are.”” (Jan. 16, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On 710, EP Beth Schwartz: "It focuses on [Emiko] and we have a cool, fun, opening montage of her kicking ass, and it's really told from her perspective... We get to find out what her mission is and sort of why she's around and what happened to her family, and more about Robert kind of not doing right by her."(Jan. 21, 2019 Eonline article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: “We’re going to find out a lot more about [Emiko] [on Monday, Jan. 21, 2019] — where she came from, who her mother is, why Robert [Queen] kept her a secret, what her mission is….. We’ll keep unraveling that as the season goes on.” (Jan. 20, 2019 TVLine article & MichaelAusiello tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On when we are going to find out about Emiko's backstory and how she ended up in Star City, EP Beth Schwartz: "We're going to find all of those answers out on Monday [Jan. 21] in Episode 10. The episode basically can be told from her perspective, and we're going to find out what her mission is, why she put on the suit, and basically everything that she's been up to so far." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "Well, we're in for a lot of more character development for Emiko, starting with episode 710. We'll be finding out more about her and what her mission's about, as well as all trying to figure out how the rest of our team fits in with Oliver back." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVInsider article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether we will find out how Robert Queen (James Sheridan) fits into Emiko's life story, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yeah, so we're going to find out what Robert did. Oliver's going to find out as well in this episode. And he's gonna obviously have a strong reaction to finding out he has a half-sister, another secret that his father kept, and Felicity will be there to support him in this journey." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oliver finding out the identity of the new Green Arrow in 710, EP Beth Schwartz: ""He is not expecting that... It is hard. We're going to see him dealing with what that actually means to him." (Jan. 21, 2019 Eonline article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- After everything that Oliver has been through this season, EP Beth Schwartz: "Now to find out that he has this secret half-sister, that his father had a different family is heartbreaking to him, and he can't even confront him, you know, because he's not alive... So he deals with that, and that's a great story with him and Felicity who's there supporting him as his wife." (Jan. 21, 2019 Eonline article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On it being a little convenient that the half-sister Oliver doesn’t know he has is a trained vigilante, just like him, and whether that will make more sense once we get into her back story, EP Beth Schwartz: "It will. We’re going to find out a lot more about her in [Monday’s Episode] 10 — where she came from, who her mother is, why Robert [Queen] kept her a secret, what her mission is…. We’ll keep unraveling that as the season goes on." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether Jamey Sheridan will come back for flashbacks as Robert Queen, EP Beth Schwartz: "Well… we have him coming back, but not necessarily on-camera. There will be a fun surprise with him in 10." Also, on whether it's new material that Jamey Sheridan did and not recycled stuff, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yes, yes." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On it being a little convenient that the half-sister Oliver doesn’t know he has is a trained vigilante, just like him, and whether that will make more sense once we get into her back story, EP Beth Schwartz: "It will. We’re going to find out a lot more about her in [Episode] 10 — where she came from, who her mother is, why Robert [Queen] kept her a secret, what her mission is…. We’ll keep unraveling that as the season goes on." Also, on whether Jamey Sheridan will come back for flashbacks as Robert Queen, EP Beth Schwartz: "Well… we have him coming back, but not necessarily on-camera. There will be a fun surprise with him in 10." Also, on whether it's new material that Jamey Sheridan did and not recycled stuff, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yes, yes." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On the dynamic between Oliver and Emiko (combative or understanding), EP Beth Schwartz: "It's definitely not understanding from Emiko's side, because she was abandoned by the Queen family, and Oliver's going to take it on himself to — as he does, as our hero that we love — to redeem what his father did, and want to have a relationship with her." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- In 710, Diggle and Lyla must answer to ARGUS about their new scheme involving Diaz. (Jan. 20, 2019 TVLine article & MichaelAusiello tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- 710 will also pick up with Diggle and Lyla turning to the newly captured Diaz for help with their current ARGUS case. This ultimately leads to the creation of a new Suicide Squad called the Ghost Initiative, which includes China White, Kane Wolfman and Carrie Cutter, and will be introduced in 711. EP Beth Schwartz: "It’s just a really fun way to use Diaz in a way that we haven’t seen before. Basically, the reason that they recruited him is that it’s the former Suicide Squad, but there’s a new name for it called the Ghost Initiative... I’ve always loved the Suicide Squad, and we’ve always loved the characters. Because we told the first half of the season being in prison with a lot of our former villains, that’s kind of the fun of the Suicide Squad — having our former villains working with our heroes, and it’s always fun to do an episode or two every season about it. But having Diaz join the Suicide Squad, I mean, that’s priceless.” (Jan. 16, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 710 will also feature another flash-forward that will show us a new part of future Star City: the Glades, which is nothing like the rundown city we’ve been spending time in. EP Beth Schwartz: “We’re kind of opening up our world a little because we’ve only our characters in the future Star City, [which] has looked a little glum... [The Glades] is much nicer than Star City, and we’ll get deeper into Rene and Zoey’s relationship and kind of how that dynamic has changed from the present day to the future.” (Jan. 16, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "In [Episode] 10, actually, we see the Glades for the first time and we meet Rene (Rick Gonzalez) in the future, which is exciting. We get to see, as terrible as Star City is, the Glades is a booming city, and that's the happy place of the future. And Rene has a lot to do with that. So we'll see that in 10 and then, yeah, the next couple episodes will start answering a lot of these questions." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "We'll get to see how the Glades are completely different from Star City... It's full of wealth. It's clean. There's no crime. And Rene has a big part of why the Glades is like that, so we'll get to that as well as his dynamic with his daughter Zoe, who has been helping Dinah fight crime in Star City secretly." (Jan. 18, 2019 CBR article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
--  EP Beth Schwartz: "We’re going to be revealing what’s behind the wall at The Glades, and in 10 we’re going to see out first glimpse of how the other, better half are living." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, we'll visit the Glades for the first time, which is the "complete opposite" of the "depressing" Star City. (Jan. 21, 2019 Eonline article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Olicity, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yes, they’re made up. They’re in a good place now... I think it worked out kind of perfectly because as, well, she’ll say, I guess not until the episode after that, but just the fact that he became a different person literally in the ['Elseworlds'] crossover and she’s become a different person, he was able to understand her journey, which made for a perfect time to realize that he might have been overreacting in episode 8, and it was a nice resolution as well.” Per Beth, Oliver & Felicity will discuss it a little more in future episodes. (Dec. 10, 2018 Entertainment Weekly and Eonline articles, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 66 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how Oliver & Felicity are doing when we pick back up with them, EP Beth Schwartz: "They're definitely on track. They're back to, in a sense, being normal between each other. There's no friction between the relationship. They have a lot of obstacles in their way, but they'll be a team. It won't separate them. ... They'll be a force to reckon with." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "David Ramsey just finished directing his first episode [711]... It was wonderful being directed by him. But it also proved to me the reason why I don't want to direct an episode of the show, because he had to be out of the previous episode [710] for prep, he had to be out a little bit the next episode [712] to go cut it, and, um, shooting scenes that he was in but also directing, I wouldn't say it was a quagmire, but it wasn't something that I would enjoy." (Nov. 29, 2018 SA facebook video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 740 of Social Media thread)
-- On whether he can say anything about the villain this season, RG: "No. Um, but I think you guys are going to be in for a, like, 'ooh,' a doozy. Like, it's going to throw you - it's going to be awesome. And I'm literally like - I just read episode 10 and, like, things start to unfold and make sense to people - like, it's going to be crazy." (The CW Fall Launch Event with #SeeHer, Oct. 14, 2018: Oct. 15, 2018 Access video of red carpet interviews with Arrow cast members, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- Sea Shimooka tweeted: "In episode 10, I can tell you a lot of people will be hitting the floor if you know what I mean." (Dec. 8, 2018 seashimooka tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 65 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Writer/director Emily Dell was in Vancouver shadowing Arrow director Andi Armaganian during 710 shooting. (Oct. 24, 2018 Dellsisters article, page 37 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per IMDb, 710 guest stars include: Riley Davis as Assistant, Raj Paul as Kevin Dale, and Sharlene Royer as Cassandra Abbott. (IMDb link in Jan. 7, 2019 tv echo post, page 73 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Oct. 22, 2018, fan tweeted pics of Star City police car and SWAT van, with comment: "Safely protected by the Star City PD & @CW_Arrow on Hastings & Broughton." (LeeJLipton tweet, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oct. 23, 2018, Emily Dell posted: "Pinch me, I’m in #canada???? !! Still can’t believe I’m here to shadow the director on #Arrow Episode 710. Today was scouting and shot breakdowns and graphics meetings and picture car meetings and.. watching the dreams get made. ???? ?? Thank you @marcguggenheim #bethschwartz @mericlewendy and most of all the amazing director Andi Armaganian (@awkwardamerican) ?? . #directing #arrow #television #Vancouver #canadadoesitbetter #femaledirectors #setlife #transpo." (emilyadell instagram post, page 37 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Oct. 25, 2018, John Barrowman: "At the moment, uh, you know, I'm still involved in Arrow, and I play the bad guy on The CW and the Warner Bros. TV show Arrow. And I'm the super villain on that." (Oct. 25, 2018 Good Morning Britain video, page 29 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread) [UNSURE WHETHER THIS WAS FOR CROSSOVER]
-- On Oct. 28, 2018, John Barrowman (pointing to his brown hair): "This hair color is wrong, right? This is Malcolm Merlyn hair color. Spoiler alert! I'm totally gray, okay?" (Alamo City Comic Con, Oct. 28, 2018: teufels kind video of JB panel, page 31 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread) [UNSURE WHETHER THIS WAS FOR CROSSOVER]
-- On Oct. 29, 2018, fan tweeted pic of residential mansion, with comment: "#Arrow is choosing the most incredible locations this season. But unfortunately difficult to access 'spies' I'm wondering if it's still for the crossover. But the crew is arrow. 'White Rock, BC.'* Fan subsequently deleted this tweet & pic. However, on Nov. 2, 2018, another fan re-posted the mansion pics in the Arrow forum at PTV. (arrowverse_DC tweet, page 29 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread, and way2interested post, page 31 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Oct. 30, 2018, papp tweeted: "#Arrow is setup at North Vancouver City Hall." (WhatsFilming tweet, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oct. 30, 2018, fan tweeted murky dark video clips of blonde Arrow actress, with comments: "So # Arrow is shooting on my friend's street tonight. She does not watch it, but I do. I think she's seeing # EmBett , and what she told me, the blonde actress must be freezing because it's too cold and raining. I asked her to give @ EmilyBett coffee but she's too shy." and "@EmilyBett My BFF lives in Vancouver. She doesn't watch Arrow but knows I do. U guys r filming on her street so I asked her to watch. She told me "there's a blond girl and she's probably freezing cuz it's cold and raining." I asked her to give you coffee but she's shy. I tried." and "Now I'm not sure if it's @ EmilyBett or @ MzKatieCassidy . Anyways, I tried to make her give some coffee or hot chocolate 'cuz it's freezing, BUT she's too shy. that's why she's hiding. She knows I love # Arrow and keeps sending me videos. Such a good friend!" and "Maybe it's @MzKatieCassidy. I'm not sure.. My friend has almost no clue, she's just sending me videos because she knows I like arrow, hahaha! Anyways, I tried to get you some hot beverage but she's shy." (MIksFernandes tweets, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oct. 30, 2018, fan posted video of Sea Shimooka training at T3 Athletics, with comment: "Actress Sea Shimooka (allegedly Emiko Queen) is training in the same gym where our other arrowverse heroes train.... #Arrow #arrowverse #emikoqueen #dctv #dccomics #seashimooka #greenarrow." (arrowvers.dc.tv instagram post, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Nov. 2, 2018, Emily Dell posted; "Good morning Canada! ???? The bright friendly wake-up is welcomed after late-night shoots in torrential rain. I still love ya #vancouver ?? #nofilter #filming #arrow #latecalltime." (emilyadell instagram post, page 37 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 3, 2018, Emily Dell posted: "Made new friends in Canada! ?????? #Vancouver #jiujitsu #morningroll #filming #arrow." (emilyadell instagram post, page 37 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 8, 2018, Emily Dell posted: "Shoot Day 8 of 8 on #arrow Episode 710 (9 of 8 with 2nd unit, but who’s counting??) ?? It’s been an honor to watch these incredible artists in action, especially Director Andi Armaganian. ?? Huge Thank You to the whole crew for welcoming a “shadow” lurking behind every shot! Brain exploding with movie magic ??#setlife #grateful ?? Thanks @marcguggenheim." (emilyadell instagram post, page 37 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 8, 2018, James Bamford posted pic of outside prison wire fence entrance with "SLABSIDE MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON / SECURITY CHECKPOINT" sign. (james2bambamford instagram post, page 35 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 8, 2018, director Andi Armaganian posted pic of 710 clapboard, which lists her as director and is dated "11/07/18," with comment: "That’s a wrap. Thanks Arrow cast and crew!!" (awkwardamerican instagram post, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Dec. 13, 2018, Sea Shimooka tweeted video clip of herself, with comment: "did my first ADR session for #Arrow today. Never made so made so many grunts, groans and umffffs in my life and I couldn’t stop laughing  #ep10." (seashimooka tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 70 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 16, 2019, Kelly Hu posted pics of herself from past episodes of Arrow, with comment: "THE BITCH IS BACK! The evolution of China White, starting from episode 2 in season 1, will continue in season 7 on Monday, Jan 21 at 8p on the CW’s Arrow when A. R. G. U. S. brings me back to play with #CarrieCutter (Cupid), #KaneWolfman, and #RicardoDias @cw_arrow @thecw @amygumenick @liamhall_ @dccomics #ChinaWhite #blondeshavemorefun." (kellyhu instagram post, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 21, 2019, Andrea Sixtos posted pics of herself as Adult Zoe and JH as Older Dinah, with comment: "Zoe returns in tonight’s midseason premiere of @cw_arrow at 8! #FlashForward #QuestionsAnswered #AdultZoe #Arrow 🏹." (dresixtos instagram post, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 83 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Edited January 21, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This summary includes all topical spoilers from December 9, 2018-January 21, 2019. This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

ADDENDUM #6 TO SUMMARY OF S7 SPOILERS BY TOPIC - PART 1 OF 2:

S7 Scheduling and Production
-- S7 production dates are from July 6, 2018, through April 11, 2019. (Jan. 8, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 73 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Arrow moves back to 9pm (ET) on Mondays starting on April 15, following a two-week break. (Jan. 10, 2019 TVLine article, page 295 of Starling City Times thread and page 73 of Ratings and Scheduling thread)
-- Arrow will not air on April 1 or April 8, 2019. (Jan. 10, 2019 ComicBook article, page 73 of Ratings and Scheduling thread)
-- Arrow will be preempted on April 1, 2019, for an April Fools Day Penn & Teller: Fool Us special and will air a rerun on April 8, 2019, against the NCAA mens basketball championship game. Arrow will then return with original episodes on April 15, 2019, at its new time slot of 9 PM, following LoT. (Jan. 10, 2019 Deadline article, page 73 of Ratings and Scheduling thread)
-- Per Newsarama (unconfirmed), Arrow will go on hiatus after its January 28 episode (711) and then return with its S7 mid-season premiere on Monday, April 15. This has not been confirmed or reported by other news sites. (Jan. 10, 2019 Newsarama article, page 75 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

S7 Showrunner and Writers
-- On Dec. 20, 2018, director/writer C.M. Landrus tweeted and posted pic of herself holding a giant green arrow, with comment: "It’s official. I’m part of the team! I will not fail this office setting. ???? Thanks @marcguggenheim @gberlanti and @schwartzapproved for the gift! I love hoodies! Also, in case anyone was wondering, yes, I did just have a giant green arrow hanging around in my apartment. Coincidence? Or Universal Law of Attraction? You decide... @cw_arrow @arrowwriters #Arrow #HappyHolidays #AssistantLife #ChristmasGifts #Hoodies #CWArrow #TheFlash #Supergirl #Batwoman #LawofAttraction." In response, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "Welcome!" (cmlandrus tweet & instagram post and SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 72 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 6, 2019, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "Back at it... typing away #ArrowSeason7." (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 73 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 9, 2019, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "Just realized I’m writing my 31st episode of #Arrow. Insane." (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread)

S7 Directors and Technical Advisors
-- On Dec. 20, 2018, director/writer C.M. Landrus tweeted and posted pic of herself holding a giant green arrow, with comment: "It’s official. I’m part of the team! I will not fail this office setting. ???? Thanks @marcguggenheim @gberlanti and @schwartzapproved for the gift! I love hoodies! Also, in case anyone was wondering, yes, I did just have a giant green arrow hanging around in my apartment. Coincidence? Or Universal Law of Attraction? You decide... @cw_arrow @arrowwriters #Arrow #HappyHolidays #AssistantLife #ChristmasGifts #Hoodies #CWArrow #TheFlash #Supergirl #Batwoman #LawofAttraction." In response, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "Welcome!" (cmlandrus tweet & instagram post and SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 72 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 9 and 10, 2019, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted title pages for 714 and 715, revealing that new Arrow directors for this season include Marcus Stokes (714) and Ruba Nadda (715). (SchwartzApprovd tweets, page 8 of Spoilers thread)

S7 Theme
-- On how she would describe the overall theme of the back half of Season 7, EP Beth Schwartz: "It's the same theme of redemption and this is kind of the answer, in everyone's arc, of their own redemption story. We'll get to see who is redeemable and who isn't by the end." (Jan. 21, 2019 CBR article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

S7 Generally
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "We're sort of finding our new normal in this midsection—Oliver working with the SCPD, how does the rest of Team Arrow fit into that, is there going to be a Team Arrow going forward, all of those answers we'll get to pretty fast." (Jan. 21, 2019 Eonline article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether whatever Diggle and Lyla are up to with the Dante painting is going to dovetail with the bigger picture, EP Beth Schwartz: "It will, yep. It will all come to a head. You’ll see, we’ve been playing the long game with that one." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz, “We are doing a Birds of Prey-inspired episode, that Laurel (played by Katie Cassidy) will be involved with.” (Jan. 18, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per KSiteTV, elements of the "Elseworlds" crossover will fix or affect elements from their respective shows (Flash, Arrow, Supergirl). KSIteTV: "Not going into detail here, but Oliver, Barry, and Kara will certainly learn and/or change from their experiences here." (Dec. 9, 2018 KSiteTV article, page 15 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum) 

S7 Flashbacks & Flashforwards
-- On whether the flashforwards are the future or a future, EP Beth Schwartz: "This is a future as we know it, but we haven’t even scratched the surface of it yet... We’re actually going to have an all-future episode, [Episode] 16, which will answer all the questions, including the backstory of Blackstar (Katherine McNamara), how she came to be in this group…. There are more surprises ahead as we fill in the blanks about what has been going on. That episode is titled 'Star City 2040.'" (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On all the questions raised by the flashforwards, EP Beth Schwartz: "The second half of the season will be all about answering the questions that we've sort of posed and set up in the first half, so we'll be paralleling a lot more of the present day story to the future storyline, as well as having an all-future episode coming up... We'll be able to open up our world that we've started and get a better sense of the characters and who they are and what sort of has really been happening, and what did we miss over the past 20 years, which is a lot." (Jan. 21, 2019 Eonline article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "You're going to find out everything this season." (Jan. 21, 2019 Eonline article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "The fun part of reading people's reaction is that I know what the answer is, obviously, so I'm just like oh, everyone just wait, just wait. You'll know all the answers, you'll get all the answers... I'll be very excited once everyone sees what's really going on." (Jan. 21, 2019 Eonline article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, the flash-forwards will be packed with new characters and reveals, like the Glades' new status quo. What's more, the back half of Season 7 will feature an episode that takes place entirely in the flash-forward timeline, which she promises will answer a lot of fans' lingering questions. EP Beth Schwartz: "Well, we're still going to meet a character in the future... That's going to happen at the end of [episode] 12, which will be hopefully very exciting for a lot of people, and then we're going to have an all-future episode -- episode 16 -- where we're going to answer a lot of the questions that we've posed in the first half of the season." (Jan. 18, 2019 CBR article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "We'll get to see how the Glades are completely different from Star City... It's full of wealth. It's clean. There's no crime. And Rene has a big part of why the Glades is like that, so we'll get to that as well as his dynamic with his daughter Zoe, who has been helping Dinah fight crime in Star City secretly." (Jan. 18, 2019 CBR article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "[W]e're doing an all flash-forward episode in Episode 16. So we will be answering a lot of the questions that we have been posing in the first half of the season. So people will get a lot more information about all of our characters, their backstory, a little more information of what really went on these past 20 years and why we found ourselves in this kind of Star City." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- KM: "What's great about Arrow is that, you know, this season - with Beth now as the showrunner and James Bamford and all these amazing people who are and have been taking care of the show for so many years - there's a new life to it this season. 'Cause now we have these flashforwards, which we're seeing the product of all of these actions 20 years in the future. And seeing the devolvement of this world all resulting of this - this thing that happened, that I truly don't even know what the 'thing' was, because they won't tell me, because it's so under wraps... Honestly, the hardest part about being a part of Arrow has been keeping all of the secrets..." (Jan. 14, 2019 SweetyHigh video interview with Katherine McNamara, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Oliver & Felicity ("Olicity")
-- On whether Oliver & Felicity are back to 100 percent, 90 percent, 80 percent or what percentage, EP Beth Schwartz: "I would say 100 percent." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "Oliver's growth in prison and sort of accepting what Felicity for who she is and sort of understanding what she's been through, because you know, he was in his own kind of hell in prison and she was also in her own kind of hell outside of prison without him, and once that clicked for him, the two are back in a great place. They will have a lot of obstacles headed their way, but they will be together as a team to face them." (Jan. 21, 2019 Eonline article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On the status of Olicity after the "Elseworlds" crossover, EP Beth Schwartz: “Yes, they’re made up. They’re in a good place now." Per Beth, she had to fit Oliver and Felicity’s relationship story into the crossover madness. Beth: “Since [Marc Guggenheim] wrote [episode 9] and I wrote [episode 8] and knew what the arc was, we just kind of worked together to make sure that it all came together as a piece... I think it worked out kind of perfectly because as, well, she’ll say, I guess not until the episode after that, but just the fact that he became a different person literally in the crossover and she’s become a different person, he was able to understand her journey, which made for a perfect time to realize that he might have been overreacting in episode 8, and it was a nice resolution as well.” Per Beth, Oliver and Felicity discuss it a little more in future episodes.(Dec. 10, 2018 Entertainment Weekly, Eonline, GreenArrowTV and TVLine articles, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 66 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how Oliver & Felicity are doing when we pick back up with them, EP Beth Schwartz: "They're definitely on track. They're back to, in a sense, being normal between each other. There's no friction between the relationship. They have a lot of obstacles in their way, but they'll be a team. It won't separate them. ... They'll be a force to reckon with." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Oliver & Felicity are going to have to go through a readjustment period when William comes back, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yeah. When he comes back ... he will explain a little bit. In the future we see him, [and] he feels like Oliver and Felicity abandoned him. We'll explain some of that in our present day story and just see how he's been affected by everything, not just this season. Most recently this season, but as well as just everything that happened to him as soon as he knew that Oliver was his father. He's definitely had a rough couple of years, so it will start affecting him, and we'll see that in the present day story." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the state of the Olicity marriage, EP Beth Schwartz: "After they sort of made amends in the crossover episode and Oliver was really able to see her for everything she's been through since he was in prison and they came to this great understanding, they're in a very good place in their marriage. And then, when he finds out about his half-sister, Felicity is just there for him as his wife, because obviously this is a hard realization for him." (Jan. 21, 2019 CBR article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Oliver finding out about Emiko, EP Beth Schwartz: "Now to find out that he has this secret half-sister, that his father had a different family is heartbreaking to him, and he can't even confront him, you know, because he's not alive... So he deals with that, and that's a great story with him and Felicity who's there supporting him as his wife." (Jan. 21, 2019 Eonline article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Oliver Queen AKA Green Arrow
-- On whether Oliver will be suiting up again, EP Beth Schwartz: "Oh, yeah. Yeah. You'll see him as Green Arrow, the majority of the back half of this season. And there's definitely a few villains that are lurking in the shadows. But they will make themselves more clear as the episodes go on." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVInsider article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Oliver's transition from secret life to outed vigilante, EP Beth Schwartz: "Well, nothing is very easy for Oliver Queen. [laughs] So there's definitely going to be some consequences to him having his identity out there and working publicly with the SCPD. Not everyone thinks this is the best idea and we'll definitely see some conflict there, as well him trying to work alongside the SCPD, obviously they have very different styles, so that will also bring some conflict." (Jan. 21, 2019 CBR article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether being officially affiliated with the police changes the way Oliver operates as the Green Arrow, EP Beth Schwartz: "Well, there's definitely going to be conflict there because he is not used to following rules, especially rules of the law. And so there will be conflict between how the SCPD does stuff and... growing pains of how the two differ. How he fights crime or the SCPD does." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Oliver now being more clearly on the side of the law by working with the SCPD, EP Beth Schwartz: "It's fun as someone who's been here from the very beginning, because the whole series was based on vigilantes vs. the SCPD, so now this new partnership just had a lot of rich story to it... There's obviously going to be some conflict to how the Green Arrow would do things and how the SCPD would do things, and how is this really gonna work?" (Jan. 21, 2019 Eonline article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Oliver now being a SCPD-sanctioned fighter of crime, EP Beth Schwartz: "Having our entire series based off the vigilantes not being in partnership with the SCPD, we found it super-exciting in the writers room to make this happen. But it’s not going to be without conflict. And the rest of the team is going to have to find their way as well, to figure out how this is all going to work." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "He will suit up with the police — but he will also wear a V-neck and blazer. [Laughs] He will do both." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether Oliver will get to deal with any Villains of the Week, or will be be frying bigger fish, EP Beth Schwartz: "A combination. Definitely some Villains of the Week." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- After everything that Oliver has been through this season, EP Beth Schwartz: "Now to find out that he has this secret half-sister, that his father had a different family is heartbreaking to him, and he can't even confront him, you know, because he's not alive... So he deals with that, and that's a great story with him and Felicity who's there supporting him as his wife." (Jan. 21, 2019 Eonline article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On the dynamic between Oliver and Emiko (combative or understanding?), EP Beth Schwartz: "It's definitely not understanding from Emiko's side, because she was abandoned by the Queen family, and Oliver's going to take it on himself to — as he does, as our hero that we love — to redeem what his father did, and want to have a relationship with her." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether they're positioning Emiko and Oliver as opponents, EP Beth Schwartz: "They definitely will have different views on things  as siblings do." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVInsider article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On the relationship between Oliver and Emiko, EP Beth Schwartz: "He's not her favorite person. And we'll see in this last half that Oliver is going to try to redeem himself to her, redeem his family, because he really feels like she was wronged. By their father." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVInsider article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what she can tease about the Oliver-Emiko dynamic and how it evolves moving forward, EP Beth Schwartz: "In [episode] 10, Oliver is going to learn more about what happened, how Robert kind of -- being such a great dad [laughs] -- has sort of abandoned this other family: Emiko and her mother. And Oliver has got to grapple, kind of, with this. He takes it on himself, as he does, as our hero that we love, that he feels guilty for what his father did and he's going to try to redeem his family, redeem what his father did and try to make it up to her, even though that's a very hard thing to do. So he's going to want to fully embrace her into the family, and she is not going to be so easy, because she obviously has a lot of negative feelings towards his family." (Jan. 21, 2019 CBR article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how Robert Queen really screwed this whole family up, EP Beth Schwartz: "I know! He really did and Oliver's just trying to do the best job to pick up the pieces." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVInsider article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how the formulation of the new Ghost Initiative team will affect Oliver and Diggle's relationship, EP Beth Schwartz: "Oliver's going to find out pretty soon about it. But Oliver and Dig are not going to have much friction, but they're definitely going to catch up in the terms of them being kind of separate this season, this far. We're going to see them come back together as a unit and be there for each other." Also, on whether it would create more tension, EP Beth Schwartz: "No, it won't. Oliver has evolved and Dig is going through his journey this season, and they come to an understanding and they have each others back." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVInsider article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "Well, [Diggle's] going to eventually tell Oliver [about working with Diaz in secret]. He does feel bad keeping that from Oliver but knows the importance of the enemy that they're going after and, because Diaz is the one with the connection, he kind of had no choice. He'll eventually tell Oliver and Oliver is someone who has been in very similar situations. He will understand. This won't cause a huge conflict between them and he will always have Dig's back. The two of them will realize that they have both kind of gone in their separate ways and they will come back together over this." (Jan. 21, 2019 CBR article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On the 711 synopsis saying that “Oliver and Laurel are haunted by the past," EP Beth Schwartz: "We are going to find out more about Laurel’s backstory on Earth-Two, which is really cool. And Oliver is sort of going to be haunted by the consequences of him being outed. The episode looks at the consequences of him being unmasked and everyone knowing who he is." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how the "Elseworlds" crossover impacts the story moving forward, EP Beth Schwartz: "That will more impact [Oliver] next season, so it's not really... This season, we're not going to see too much of that." (Jan. 21, 2019 CBR article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Felicity Smoak AKA Overwatch
-- On whether we will see more solo stories for Felicity as we move into the back half of the season, EP Beth Schwartz: "We're going to see both. We're going to see what -- she has defined her purpose, now that Oliver is back. Everyone was able to focus on themselves when Oliver was in prison, but she was so focused on her family and getting Oliver out of prison. So now that he is out of prison, she's going to get back to what makes her a hero, so we'll definitely focus on that and also the origins of Smoak Tech, which is exciting, but she'll also be part of the team as well. She'll be both. She'll be doing both." (Jan. 21, 2019 CBR article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether we will see Felicity on edge and getting darker, EP Beth Schwartz: "She definitely has a lot going on in the second half — specifically figuring out what she’s going to do now that Oliver’s back, and how she’s going to fit into his new role working for the SCPD, while also doing her own thing. She’s going to start getting back to creating tech and doing things to help the world." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On there being a dilapidated Smoak Tech in the future, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yes, yes. We’re going to see the origin story of that." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how Felicity's death in the future has been hanging over our heads for a while and whether we are going to learn about that puzzle and when it will start coming together, EP Beth Schwartz: "We're going to learn a lot about it in the next couple of episodes, but definitely [Episode] 16 is going to be the answer to that mystery and what's been going on in the Glades." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we should hold out any hope that Felicity's death just may be like a Roy Harper situation where everyone thinks she's dead, but she's actually alive, EP Beth Schwartz: "Well, I definitely can't say yes or no to that, but there's definitely a lot more to that mystery that will unravel in the next few episodes, especially in 16." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On viewers not being quick to believe that Felicity turned into a villain and then died in the future, EP Beth Schwartz: "I think it's just interesting because we have such a long, long...again, 20 years is a long time to fill in, and I think throughout our series we've always talked about people's characters and whether you're good or bad, and this season is all about how everyone has a little bit of both inside them, whether it's our villains or heroes, and it's not so black and white. So I think that's the interesting part of dealing with our future storyline and our future characters, because a lot can change in that time." (Jan. 21, 2019 Eonline article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread) 
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "There'll be a resolution between Dig and Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards), as well, for everything that went on in the beginning of the season." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVInsider article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether we will see more of that fun dynamic between E2 Laurel and Felicity, EP Beth Schwartz: "I love the dynamic between the two of them as well. And I know the actresses love being in scenes together, and they've had a really good time this season doing that. Building their relationship, there's going to be a little bit of conflict there that they'll get into because, obviously, it's complicated when you're friends with someone who used to be a former villain." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)

William Clayton
-- On William's return, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yeah. When he comes back ... he will explain a little bit. In the future we see him, [and] he feels like Oliver and Felicity abandoned him. We'll explain some of that in our present day story and just see how he's been affected by everything, not just this season. Most recently this season, but as well as just everything that happened to him as soon as he knew that Oliver was his father. He's definitely had a rough couple of years, so it will start affecting him, and we'll see that in the present day story." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)

John Diggle AKA Spartan 
-- On whether Diggle will become the Green Lantern on Arrow (after the "Elseworlds" crossover revealed that Earth-90 Diggle was the Green Lantern), EP Beth Schwartz: "To be continued. We were all really excited about that fun nod, but I'm not sure what's to come of that really." (Dec. 10, 2018 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether whatever Diggle and Lyla are up to with the Dante painting is going to dovetail with the bigger picture, EP Beth Schwartz: "It will, yep. It will all come to a head. You’ll see, we’ve been playing the long game with that one." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "Well, [Diggle's] going to eventually tell Oliver [about working with Diaz in secret]. He does feel bad keeping that from Oliver but knows the importance of the enemy that they're going after and, because Diaz is the one with the connection, he kind of had no choice. He'll eventually tell Oliver and Oliver is someone who has been in very similar situations. He will understand. This won't cause a huge conflict between them and he will always have Dig's back. The two of them will realize that they have both kind of gone in their separate ways and they will come back together over this." (Jan. 21, 2019 CBR article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how the formulation of the new Ghost Initiative team will affect Oliver and Diggle's relationship, EP Beth Schwartz: "Oliver's going to find out pretty soon about it. But Oliver and Dig are not going to have much friction, but they're definitely going to catch up in the terms of them being kind of separate this season, this far. We're going to see them come back together as a unit and be there for each other." Also, on whether it would create more tension, EP Beth Schwart: "No, it won't. Oliver has evolved and Dig is going through his journey this season, and they come to an understanding and they have each others back." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVInsider article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "There'll be a resolution between Dig and Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards), as well, for everything that went on in the beginning of the season." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVInsider article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Lyla Michaels AKA Harbinger
-- In response to GATV's asking whether there's any reason not to give "Lyla Michaels from some Earth a shiny blue costume with a red helmet" in the 2019 crossover, MG tweeted: "We've talked about it..." (Dec. 12, 2018 MG tweet, page 71 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 16, 2019, Audrey Marie Anderson tweeted pic of water and docks by city, with comment: "It is so insanely beautiful here that I can forget for a minute just how cold it is and how exhausted I feel. @CW_TheFlash #TheFlash #LylaMichaels." (aud_anderson tweet, page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 18, 2019, Audrey Marie Anderson tweeted pic of herself with Zibby Allen on the Flash set, with comment: "I met this lovely lady over a year ago on an airplane, two strangers chatting away about all things life. Cut to us on set together this week. Love that! @Zibby_Allen #TheFlash #SmallTownDicksPodcast" (aud_anderson tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread)

John Diggle Jr. AKA Connor Hawke
-- On Dec. 14, 2018, Joseph David-Jones (who played John Diggle Jr. AKA Connor Hawke in LoT 105-Fail-Safe & 106-Star City 2046) started following CH, BL and AS, and CH started following Joseph D. Jones. (way2interested post, page 70 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Dec. 16, 2018, media tweeted: "Joseph David-Jones is rumored to be reprising his role as Conor Hawke for ‘ARROW’ Season 7," with link to now deleted instagram post. (DiscussingFilm tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 71 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Dec. 16, 2018, fan tweeted b-t-s pic of Sea Shimooka, AS, CH and Joseph David-Jones, with comment: "We have visual on John Jr. I repeat John Diggle Junior has landed!!!  #Arrow" and link to now deleted instagram post. (OlicityDreams tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 71 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 8, 2019, Audrey Marie Anderson tweeted: "Back on set with the Arrow team! Harbinger is on task. @CW_Arrow." (aud_anderson tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 74 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Thea Queen AKA Speedy
-- On Nov. 28, 2018, fans tweeted close-up pics of 712 title page (150th episode), showing cast list that includes WH. (SweetzCupcake and Shieldreignz tweets, page 52 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Roy Harper AKA Arsenal
-- On 716, EP Beth Schwartz: "We're also going to find out sort of what happened to Roy (Colton Haynes), why he was banished on Lian-Yu and what his baggage is as well." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVInsider article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "[But speaking of Roy] we’re definitely going to answer why we found him banished on Lian Yu. We’ll get to know more about that." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether we should read anything into the fact that Roy wasn’t present when we first met Maya, and whether it was because he would recognize her, EP Beth Schwartz: "Oh, no — he doesn’t know her." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Rene Ramirez AKA Wild Dog
-- EP Beth Schwartz: “[The Glades] is much nicer than Star City, and we’ll get deeper into Rene and Zoey’s relationship and kind of how that dynamic has changed from the present day to the future.” (Jan. 16, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "In [Episode] 10, actually, we see the Glades for the first time and we meet Rene (Rick Gonzalez) in the future, which is exciting. We get to see, as terrible as Star City is, the Glades is a booming city, and that's the happy place of the future. And Rene has a lot to do with that. So we'll see that in 10 and then, yeah, the next couple episodes will start answering a lot of these questions." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Rene in the future storyline, EP Beth Schwartz: "We're going to see him in [episode] 10, and he's living the good life in the Glades. We'll get to see how the Glades are completely different from Star City... It's full of wealth. It's clean. There's no crime. And Rene has a big part of why the Glades is like that, so we'll get to that as well as his dynamic with his daughter Zoe, who has been helping Dinah fight crime in Star City secretly." (Jan. 18, 2019 CBR article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the continuation of Rene's support of Emiko Queen, EP Beth Schwartz: “He’s kind of been her number one supporter even from the beginning, even when he didn’t know who she was. He just always believed in the mission and he’s the one that’s been pushing from the beginning that vigilantes are important. They find out they have a lot in common, and so he’s fully onboard to support her.” (Jan. 16, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Rory Regan AKA Ragman
-- In response to fan who asked about Rory/Ragman, MG tweeted: "Coming. Arrow 712.   150." (Dec. 23, 2018 MG tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 72 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Earth-2 Laurel Lance AKA Black Siren
-- On the 711 synopsis saying that “Oliver and Laurel are haunted by the past," EP Beth Schwartz: "We are going to find out more about Laurel’s backstory on Earth-Two, which is really cool. And Oliver is sort of going to be haunted by the consequences of him being outed. The episode looks at the consequences of him being unmasked and everyone knowing who he is." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On 711, EP Beth Schwartz: "It's a really cool episode. We actually get in some deeper backstory with Laurel, with Black Siren and what happened to her on Earth 2.We get a little insight there...." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVInsider article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what else is coming up for E2 Laurel in the back half of this season, EP Beth Schwartz: "Well, we are doing a Birds of Prey-inspired episode, that she will be involved with. And we’ll get to see what happens in her overall arc, in her redemption story — whether she is really redeemed as Black Siren and did she really turn over a new leaf, or is she still the same evil Black Siren that we saw last season." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz, “We are doing a Birds of Prey-inspired episode, that Laurel (played by Katie Cassidy) will be involved with.” (Jan. 18, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, there will be an episode that will shed light on this Laurel’s Earth-Two backstory. (Jan. 18, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "We’ll get to see what happens in her overall redemption arc — whether she really did turn over a new leaf, or is she still the same evil Black Siren we met last season.” (Jan. 18, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what we can expect from E2 Laurel in the back half of the season, EP Beth Schwartz: "We're actually in Episode 11, which is David Ramsey's directorial debut. [It's] a fantastic episode, and he did such an amazing job. We're going to see some of Laurel's backstory from Earth 2. That will answer how she became Black Siren and the way she is. And we'll, in the back half of the season, get to the conclusion of is she redeemable? Is there redemption for her as Black Siren, or is she evil and there's no redemption for her?" (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we will see more of that fun dynamic between E2 Laurel and Felicity, EP Beth Schwartz: "I love the dynamic between the two of them as well. And I know the actresses love being in scenes together, and they've had a really good time this season doing that. Building their relationship, there's going to be a little bit of conflict there that they'll get into because, obviously, it's complicated when you're friends with someone who used to be a former villain." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)

Emiko Queen 
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "Well, we're in for a lot of more character development for Emiko, starting with episode 710. We'll be finding out more about her and what her mission's about, as well as all trying to figure out how the rest of our team fits in with Oliver back." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVInsider article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: “We’re going to find out a lot more about [Emiko in 710] — where she came from, who her mother is, why Robert [Queen] kept her a secret, what her mission is….. We’ll keep unraveling that as the season goes on.” (Jan. 20, 2019 TVLine article & MichaelAusiello tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Emiko Queen in 710, EP Beth Schwartz: “We’re gonna really be seeing a lot from her perspective. We have a really cool, fun opening where we learn about her mission [and] why she’s taken up the Green Arrow suit... We’ll explain in this episode who her parents are.”” (Jan. 16, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On when we are going to find out about Emiko's backstory and how she ended up in Star City, EP Beth Schwartz: "We're going to find all of those answers out on Monday [Jan. 21] in Episode 10. The episode basically can be told from her perspective, and we're going to find out what her mission is, why she put on the suit, and basically everything that she's been up to so far." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we will find out how Robert Queen (James Sheridan) fits into Emiko's life story, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yeah, so we're going to find out what Robert did. Oliver's going to find out as well in this episode. And he's gonna obviously have a strong reaction to finding out he has a half-sister, another secret that his father kept, and Felicity will be there to support him in this journey." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we'll get flashbacks for Emiko's backstory, EP Beth Schwartz: "We definitely will get to see some of her backstory, of how she got to where she is, for sure." (Jan. 21, 2019 CBR article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Emiko, EP Beth Schwartz: "She is very similar to Oliver in her sort of hot-headedness and stubbornness and also determination and even skills... We'll find out she's highly skilled and has been trained really well." (Jan. 21, 2019 Eonline article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On it being a little convenient that the half-sister Oliver doesn’t know he has is a trained vigilante, just like him, and whether that will make more sense once we get into her back story, EP Beth Schwartz: "It will. We’re going to find out a lot more about her in [Monday’s Episode] 10 — where she came from, who her mother is, why Robert [Queen] kept her a secret, what her mission is…. We’ll keep unraveling that as the season goes on." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether Jamey Sheridan will come back for flashbacks as Robert Queen, EP Beth Schwartz: "Well… we have him coming back, but not necessarily on-camera. There will be a fun surprise with him in 10." Also, on whether it's new material that Jamey Sheridan did and not recycled stuff, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yes, yes." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On the dynamic between Oliver and Emiko (combative or understanding), EP Beth Schwartz: "It's definitely not understanding from Emiko's side, because she was abandoned by the Queen family, and Oliver's going to take it on himself to — as he does, as our hero that we love — to redeem what his father did, and want to have a relationship with her." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether they're positioning Emiko and Oliver as opponents, EP Beth Schwartz: "They definitely will have different views on things  as siblings do. [Laughs]. We'll get deeper into knowing about who her mother is, what happened with Robert Queen and why her family was kept a secret." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVInsider article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On the relationship between Oliver and Emiko, EP Beth Schwartz: "He's not her favorite person. And we'll see in this last half that Oliver is going to try to redeem himself to her, redeem his family, because he really feels like she was wronged. By their father." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVInsider article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what she can tease about the Oliver-Emiko dynamic and how it evolves moving forward, EP Beth Schwartz: "In [episode] 10, Oliver is going to learn more about what happened, how Robert kind of -- being such a great dad [laughs] -- has sort of abandoned this other family: Emiko and her mother. And Oliver has got to grapple, kind of, with this. He takes it on himself, as he does, as our hero that we love, that he feels guilty for what his father did and he's going to try to redeem his family, redeem what his father did and try to make it up to her, even though that's a very hard thing to do. So he's going to want to fully embrace her into the family, and she is not going to be so easy, because she obviously has a lot of negative feelings towards his family." (Jan. 21, 2019 CBR article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: “The intention wasn’t to replace Thea, or once one sister left to introduce a new sister. We were just excited about this character [Emiko Queen] from the comic books, and we just felt like it was time to bring her into the fold... The fact that] Queen secrets are still happening from the grave, I thought, was really interesting, and that there was a whole hidden life that Oliver that didn’t know about.”” (Jan. 16, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: “[Emiko] is very similar to Oliver, which is fun and different, obviously, from Thea as well, who had her own sort of thing going. But we kind of love making those parallels of her to Oliver.” (Jan. 16, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On the continuation of Rene's support of Emiko Queen, EP Beth Schwartz: “He’s kind of been her number one supporter even from the beginning, even when he didn’t know who she was. He just always believed in the mission and he’s the one that’s been pushing from the beginning that vigilantes are important. They find out they have a lot in common, and so he’s fully onboard to support her.” (Jan. 16, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Dec. 13, 2018, Sea Shimooka tweeted video clip of herself, with comment: "did my first ADR session for #Arrow today. Never made so made so many grunts, groans and umffffs in my life and I couldn’t stop laughing  #ep10." (seashimooka tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 70 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

(Continued below)

Edited January 23, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

(Continued from above)

ADDENDUM #6 TO SUMMARY OF S7 SPOILERS BY TOPIC - PART 2 OF 2:

Maya AKA Blackstar
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "We’re actually going to have an all-future episode, [Episode] 16, which will answer all the questions, including the backstory of Blackstar (Katherine McNamara), how she came to be in this group…. There are more surprises ahead as we fill in the blanks about what has been going on. That episode is titled 'Star City 2040.'" (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Blackstar, EP Beth Schwartz: "We're going to find out a lot more about her and how she fits into the whole group in just a few more episodes, and then in our all-flash forward episode, we're going to find out a lot. She's basically going to be featured in that episode from her point of view." (Jan. 21, 2019 Eonline article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On KM as Maya, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yeah, she's amazing. And I'm very excited to tell you and everyone that we're having an all flash-forward episode coming up. So we're going to get all the answers, all the backstory of what really has been happening these past 20 years. We go more in-depth on Blackstar, her backstory and how she got involved with everyone. And so it's a really, really fun episode." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVInsider article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether we find out that Blackstar might be related to maybe some people already on the Arrow canvas, EP Beth Schwartz: "I don't know. [Laughs] We will definitely find out who...how she became part of this group and what her connection is. " (Jan. 21, 2019 TVInsider article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether we should read anything into the fact that Roy wasn’t present when we first met Maya, and whether it was because he would recognize her, EP Beth Schwartz: "Oh, no — he doesn’t know her." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, KM's Maya will make a comeback in future episodes: "Yes! We love her. She is amazing, and we're gonna get to know a lot more about her and sort of how she became involved in this group in the next couple episodes." (Jan. 18, 2019 CBR article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how much we are going to learn about Blackstar and how much skin she has in the game in this future storyline, EP Beth Schwartz: "We are going to learn a lot about her in the next couple episodes. And specifically, we're doing an all flash-forward episode in Episode 16. So we will be answering a lot of the questions that we have been posing in the first half of the season. So people will get a lot more information about all of our characters, their backstory, a little more information of what really went on these past 20 years and why we found ourselves in this kind of Star City." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- When asked how old her character Maya is on Arrow, Katherine McNamara: "So I've been told that I'm - I think, between - they haven't told me an exact age. I know I'm between 19 and like 23, I think. So I don't know where exactly I fall. But I know I'm playing my age now, which is awesome. (Laughs) Someone who's been playing 18 for the last four years, it's really awesome to play my own age." (Jan. 8, 2019 Popcorn Talk video of "I Could Never Be Katherine McNamara" interview, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 744 of Social Media thread)
-- On what it was about Maya that appealed to her when she first read the script, KM: "There is something that I absolutely love about this character. She is almost the antitheses of Clary. Coming off of a character that I loved playing so much, I wanted to make sure that my next job was something different. ... Even though it’s a similar genre and a similar type of show, where Clary was the wide-eyed, hopeful beacon in this tough world, this new character [Maya] has been the product of a dark world and has been raised in it. She had to be a survivor from a very young age. That hope, that sort of glimmer of optimism doesn’t really exist in her. Maya is a “punch first, ask questions later” kind of gal and it’s really interesting. She’s also a little bit older. Whereas Shadowhunters is based in a world of magic and powers, Arrow is definitely based in a world of grit and reality, weapons and skill. It’s a very different role and a challenge. I’m really enjoying every minute of it." (Jan. 1, 2019 Nephilim Updates article, page 295 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On whether she's going back to film Arrow again, KM: "Yes! ... I get to play this character who's - her name is Blackstar. She's a boxer. And it's a lot of fun because I get to continue the skills that I learned on Shadowhunters and all of the things that I learned as I - you know, learned how to fight and box and all of these things. But it's a completely different character in the sense that, Clary was this wide-eyed girl who got thrown into this world, who didn't really know what she was doing and had to learn as she went, whereas this character is a product of a world of that nature, a very harsh, brutal world, and she's one who will punch first and ask questions later. She's not one that I'd want to meet in a dark alley, that's for sure." (Jan. 20, 2019 Hollywire video of interview with Katherine McNamara, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- KM: “Maya is a fighter in form and in function. It’s her job and also who she is as a human being. She has grown up in this world and is not to be messed with. She has grown to be just as tough or tougher than her environment, and it’s served her well up until this point. I think it’s so smart and it’s not only reinventing the show, but also going back to its roots. It’s this dichotomy that somehow creates a fresh start with so much of the heart of the show that we love in Arrow.” (Jan. 15, 2019 tmrw article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 80 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "And with Arrow, it's, oh, now, I'm playing an actual badass who's really quite, um, a hard core human being in every sense of the word. Um, which is - you know, I'm a very bubbly, bright person and she is not. So, you know, you have to find that part of yourself." (Jan. 8, 2019 Popcorn Talk video of "I Could Never Be Katherine McNamara" interview, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 744 of Social Media thread)
-- When asked what fans can expect with her Maya character on Arrow, KM: "Well, there's a lot of speculation, um, and the hardest part about being a part of Arrow so far has been all the secrets, 'cause I have many that I'm not allowed to share and I'm dying to. But I'm very good about keeping secrets, so they have nothing to worry about. My employers, don't sweat... My character here has grown up in this world. She's a product of that harsh, brutal environment. And she's very much one that will punch first and ask questions later. And one who is not to be underestimated. And someone who has a lot of issues of her own to work through. Um, but she's a  - she's a very interesting person. And it's great to be a part of now this future storyline team, which is an amalgamation of new characters, new characters that have grown up, and an amalgamation of some of the old characters too. You know, I just got to work with Colton Haynes for the first time, who I know is a fan favorite - and a personal favorite. He's a fantastic human being, who I'm so excited I got to spend time with." (Jan. 8, 2019 Popcorn Talk video of "I Could Never Be Katherine McNamara" interview, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 744 of Social Media thread)
-- On what she can tease about her upcoming Arrow journey, KM: "The only thing I can say is that, as the episodes go on, I just had the best time working with everyone. Now that we’ve done a few episodes, all of the relationships have really come to marinate nicely and you start to see different sides of all these people; some of which we know, some of which we don’t know. It’s really exciting to see how it all fits together." (Jan. 1, 2019 Nephilim Updates article, page 295 of Starling City Times thread)
-- KM: "I haven't met everybody yet." (Jan. 8, 2019 Popcorn Talk video of "I Could Never Be Katherine McNamara" interview, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 744 of Social Media thread)
-- KM: "I haven't worked with Stephen yet. But I have met him and he's been so kind and so welcoming and so wonderful. I have nothing but lovely things to say. I actually - I hope I get to work with him. At some point. We'll see. I don't even have the answer to that question." (Jan. 11, 2019 Katherine McNamara instagram live video, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 76 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "You see [Maya finding] her strength in fighting for justice for her people and for those who had been down previously." (Jan. 1, 2019 Nephilim Updates article, page 295 of Starling City Times thread)
-- KM: "They tell me some [secrets] and I don't know all of them. I'm very good at keeping them. But it's very exciting. And there's a lot to mine out of this [Maya] character, and the way she grew up, and the way in which she has been a part of this world is very unique." (Jan. 14, 2019 SweetyHigh video interview with Katherine McNamara, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- When asked for a tease for Arrow, KM: "What can I say? It's so hard to answer this question without spoiling anything. I'm in an episode coming up soon." (Jan. 11, 2019 Katherine McNamara instagram live video, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 76 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- When asked if she missed her Clary hair, KM: "Sometimes I do, you know that? It's strange to me not being a ginger now. Sometimes I'll look in the mirror, I'll look at old photos and go, 'I don't understand...' - It's something - something feels off sometimes. And sometimes this hair color in particular is probably the closest to my mother's hair color I've ever been. And I've always so associated this particular shade of blonde with her that sometimes I'll catch it in the mirror and it makes me jump - not in a bad way, but just in the way of, I'm not used to seeing that on me. Um, but I think it works really well for Arrow... I always love doing different hair colors. I'd never do it on my own, but when a job makes me change my hair, I always find it really exciting, 'cause it's an opportunity to be that chameleon, you know? And to become someone else. ... My hair's naturally the definition of strawberry blonde. Um, I'm right smack dab in the middle of the two, so, uh, it makes it kind of fun to be every shade in between." (Jan. 11, 2019 Katherine McNamara instagram live video, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 76 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Maya being a Scotch drinker, Katherine McNamara: "Yes, and that’s actually a choice I made. In [Maya’s] first episode you see her finishing a drink and they initially wanted it to be vodka or beer or something like that. And I said, ‘No, no, no…my drink is scotch neat; that’s gotta be it.’ She’s a fighter, she’s a survivor, she’s not one to shy away from anything." (Jan. 4, 2019 Basic Stuff Magazine article, page 73 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- When asked what it was like filming the cage fight scene in Arrow as badass Maya and training for that fight, KM: "Well, I'm very lucky, given on Shadowhunters we have amazing stunt coordinators and trainers who trained on their off-time and our off-time. So I would train three to five times a week with these world-class martial artists during Shadowhunters. So I've had a few years of this kind of training. And now, moving on to Arrow, I'm so excited because I get to continue that. So, most of that fight was me, aside from a few of the tricks and things that, for insurance purposes, they won't let me do. But it was so fantastic to be able to show up for my first episode and do my own fight scene and do all of that. But it did make me chuckle, 'cause they said it was a cage fight - in the script, it says 'Cage Fight' - and I said, 'oh, okay, cool' ... An MMA cage, I'm thinking, a boxing ring sort of thing. Then, when I show up on set, it's a full-on, rebar cage. And I went, 'oh, that's interesting.' But sure, why not? It was really fun... When you have an environment that's so immersive, it provides so much more to do. You know, for example, the first thing I do now in the scene is I jump up on the ceiling and boot the guy in the chest. That wasn't in the script, that wasn't in the choreography. But when we got to set, we looked at it and went, 'oh, we can do that.' Let's add that in as the first time you see her be - you know, her booting a tall guy in the chest." (Jan. 8, 2019 Popcorn Talk video of "I Could Never Be Katherine McNamara" interview, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 744 of Social Media thread)

Zoe Ramirez
-- EP Beth Schwartz: “[The Glades] is much nicer than Star City, and we’ll get deeper into Rene and Zoey’s relationship and kind of how that dynamic has changed from the present day to the future.” (Jan. 16, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "We'll get to see how the Glades are completely different from Star City... It's full of wealth. It's clean. There's no crime. And Rene has a big part of why the Glades is like that, so we'll get to that as well as his dynamic with his daughter Zoe, who has been helping Dinah fight crime in Star City secretly." (Jan. 18, 2019 CBR article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)

Big Bad(s)
-- Arrow has changed how it's dealing with big bads in order to get a different reaction from the audience. This season, the traditional formula of a single big bad fighting Team Arrow for the whole season has been changed to having Ricardo Diaz in prison and Oliver & company facing a new battery of challenges. The Ghost Initiative team of baddies is only one of a half-dozen challenges facing Oliver as the season winds down. Some of these stories will play to the strengths and motivations of different characters, allowing Arrow's numerous heroes to each have their own "thing" going on, without dividing them into tribes like last season. EP Beth Schwartz: "I've been on the show since Season One, and we've done all different types of storytelling... Last season, I felt like everyone was kind of on the same story, and for me, I feel like having everyone having different storylines, you can get a little bit deeper into the characters. Because we have such a large cast, it's nice to have them more one-on-one than eight people in a scene at times." (Jan. 19, 2019 ComicBook article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 83 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

The Ghost Initiative
-- On whether the Ghost Initiative, comprised of Ricardo Diaz, China White, Carrie Cutter/Cupid and Kane Wolfman, is their workaround to not being able to use the Suicide Squad, EP Beth Schwartz: "It’s a new group but with the same kind of M.O. as the Suicide Squad. Diaz is going to be our leader of that, which is really fun. We’re going to get to see a lot of that in 11, which is [cast member] David Ramsey’s directorial debut. He did such an amazing job; I just had the mix this week and it’s so much fun seeing China White back, and Cupid and Kane Wolfman, with Diaz leading the charge. It’s a really, really cool episode." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what else she can say about the Ghost Initiative, EP Beth Schwartz: "Well they're basically [showcased] in David Ramsey's episode, his directorial debut, which is next week. And it is such a great episode, the fans are going to love it. He did such an amazing job. Yeah. It's a really cool episode. ... [W]e get to see the Ghost Initiative kicking butt with China White (Kelly Hu), Slade Wilson's son Kane Wolfson (Liam Hall), our favorite..." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVInsider article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Ricardo Diaz AKA The Dragon
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "He's still there, he's still there being Diaz. We're going to see him in the Ghost Initiative and he will be working with Dig (David Ramsey) and Lyla (Audrey Marie Anderson) in A.R.G.U.S. and with our other Ghost Initiative characters, which is really fun." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVInsider article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Diaz being like the first villain that we've really gotten that's not super redeemable, EP Beth Schwartz: "No, he's really not. He's pretty broken. [Laughs]" (Jan. 21, 2019 TVInsider article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On making Diaz part of ARGUS' Ghost Initiative team. EP Beth Schwartz: "It’s just a really fun way to use Diaz in a way that we haven’t seen before. Basically, the reason that they recruited him is that it’s the former Suicide Squad, but there’s a new name for it called the Ghost Initiative... I’ve always loved the Suicide Squad, and we’ve always loved the characters. Because we told the first half of the season being in prison with a lot of our former villains, that’s kind of the fun of the Suicide Squad — having our former villains working with our heroes, and it’s always fun to do an episode or two every season about it. But having Diaz join the Suicide Squad, I mean, that’s priceless.” (Jan. 16, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 11, 2019, Kirk Acevedo tweeted: "Love Y’all ???? @officialrickg @david_ramsey @JulianaHarkavy @JamesBamford StephenAmell @MzKatieCassidy @DNykl @aud_anderson @KellyHu @EchoK @CW_Arrow @EmilyBett @mguggenheim @MericlesHappen @SchwartzApprovd @ARROWwriters #TheDragon??." (kirkacevedo tweet, page 76 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 12, 2019, KA tweeted: "Relax everyone! The Dragon?? ain’t going anywhere! Just showing appreciation to the people I work with. Y’all can’t get rid of this  Motherfucker!! ??????????." (kirkacevedo tweet, page 77 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Joe Wilson AKA Kane Wolfman
-- 710 will pick up with Diggle and Lyla turning the newly captured Ricardo Diaz for help with their current ARGUS case. This ultimately leads to the creation of a new Suicide Squad called the Ghost Initiative, which includes China White, Kane Wolfman and Carrie Cutter, and will be introduced in 711. (Jan. 16, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Partial cast list for 714 appears to include Liam Hall. (Jan. 9, 2019 DCVerse1 and smoaktxch tweets, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 74 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Carrie Cutter AKA Cupid
-- 710 will pick up with Diggle and Lyla turning the newly captured Ricardo Diaz for help with their current ARGUS case. This ultimately leads to the creation of a new Suicide Squad called the Ghost Initiative, which includes China White, Kane Wolfman and Carrie Cutter, and will be introduced in 711. (Jan. 16, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Partial cast list for 714 appears to include Amy Gumenick. (Jan. 9, 2019 DCVerse1 and smoaktxch tweets, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 74 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 17, 2019, Amy Gumenick posted pic of herself in front of her Arrow trailer labeled "Carrie Cutter," with comment: "The secret is out...and so is Miss Cutter!!! ?? #CUPID #Arrow #carriecutter #shesback #suicidesquad #comingsoon #staytunned #cupidstupid @cw_arrow @thecw." (amygumenick instagram post, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 80 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 18, 2019, Arrow writers tweeted pic of mini cheesecake and chocolate treats, with comment: "It’s from Cupid, stupid. ?? Thank you to @amygumenick for the yummy treats. We heart you! ????." (Arrowwriters tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jan. 18, 2019, Amy Gumenick posted pic of her red Cupid wig in the makeup trailer, with comment: "Reunited and it feels so good...??????? #Cupid #Arrow #carriecutter #shesback #transformation #makeuptrailer #acupuncture #redhairdontcare #flashbackfriday #fbf #bts @cw_arrow @thecw." (amygumenick instagram post, page 8 of Spoilers thread)

Chien Na Wei AKA China White
-- 710 will pick up with Diggle and Lyla turning the newly captured Ricardo Diaz for help with their current ARGUS case. This ultimately leads to the creation of a new Suicide Squad called the Ghost Initiative, which includes China White, Kane Wolfman and Carrie Cutter, and will be introduced in 711. (Jan. 16, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Partial cast list for 714 appears to include Kelly Hu. (Jan. 9, 2019 DCVerse1 and smoaktxch tweets, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 74 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 16, 2019, Kelly Hu posted pics of herself from past episodes of Arrow, with comment: "THE BITCH IS BACK! The evolution of China White, starting from episode 2 in season 1, will continue in season 7 on Monday, Jan 21 at 8p on the CW’s Arrow when A. R. G. U. S. brings me back to play with #CarrieCutter (Cupid), #KaneWolfman, and #RicardoDias @cw_arrow @thecw @amygumenick @liamhall_ @dccomics #ChinaWhite #blondeshavemorefun." (kellyhu instagram post, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 18, 2019, Kelly Hu posted pic of herself as China White, holding a small white dog, with comment: "WHO WORE IT BETTER? Donned the white/blonde wig again to play China White for the upcoming episode of Arrow that airs Monday night on the CW at 8p. It’s hard to compete with the natural blondes like Felicia but I think I came close thanks to her daddy @pauledwardshair #ChinaWhite #Arrow #CW #WhoWoreItBetter #pomeranian." (kellyhu instagram post, page 8 of Spoilers thread)

Longbow Hunters
-- The Longbow Hunters will continue to cause trouble in the back half of S7. (Dec. 31, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 76 of Golden Arrow thread)

Kodiak 
-- On what's next for him, Michael Jonsson: "I’m supposed to keep everything a little hush-hush right now. Hopefully, we’ll see more of the Longbow Hunters in the latter half of this season’s Arrow...." (Dec. 25, 2018 Hidden Remote article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)

Honor Guest AKA The Silencer 
-- On what's next for her, Miranda Edwards: "Well, keep watching Arrow, for sure!" (Dec. 24, 2018 Hidden Remote article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)

Anatoly Knyazev 
-- On Jan. 4, 2019, David Nykl posted pic of himself and Mike Dopud (who played the now deceased Viktor) wearing business suits, with comment: "2019. Have good business year, ok? @cw_arrow @dopudmike @arrowwriters #arrow #anatoly #bratva." He posted from the Vancouver Film Studios. (dav.nyk instagram post, page 73 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Nick Anastas (SCPD Officer)
-- On what fans should expect to see from his character in the near future, Evan Roderick: "Anastas will be working closer with Team Arrow this season, which I’m really excited about!" (Dec. 24, 2018 Hidden Remote article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per IMDb, 711 cast credits include Evan Roderick as Officer Nick Anastas. (IMDb link in Jan. 7, 2019 tv echo post, page 73 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per IMDb, 712 cast credits include Evan Roderick as Officer Nick Anastas. (IMDb link in Jan. 7, 2019 tv echo post, page 73 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- During 712 filming, Evan Roderick posted pics of himself wearing his SCPD police uniform with tag: "Last Arrow Epi for awhile" and of RG, JH and EK in the SCPD police station. (eroderickanderson instagram story posts, page 72 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Evan Roderick (who plays Officer Nick Anastas) has been cast as one of the leads of a new Netflix drama called Spinning Out. (Dec. 19, 2018 Deadline article, page 72 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread and page 42 of Arrow Stars in Other Roles thread)

"Srgt. Fred Bingsley" 
-- In Vimeo video of actor Hamish Allan-Headley auditioning for the Arrow role of "Srgt. Fred Bingsley," he read one scene that sounds like a speech to new SCPD cops. Transcription: Hamish Allan-Headley: "Becoming part of the SCPD is a great responsibility. The city will be watching you, holding you to the highest possible standard. Now that you're working with us, you should know how we do things here. We have rules, protocol. Abiding by them is critical. Use of excessive force will not be tolerated. Your objective is to defuse the situation, not escalate it. Firearms should only be used as a last resort. Do not discharge your firearm unless you're being fired upon or your life is in danger. All evidence against the suspect must be obtained within the parameters of the law. Evidence that is not obtained in this manner will be deemed inadmissible. In tactical situations, avoid suspect-based decisions. This leads to chaos and confusion. And above all, follow the orders of the commanding officer on the site. Wearing the uniform of an SCPD officer is a great honor. It isn't just a uniform. It's a symbol. Of law. Of justice. Of transparency. You're now all part of that." (Jan. 9, 2019 Vimeo video of audition by Hamish Allan-Headley, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 75 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Unidentified Role
-- Vimeo audition videos for actor Ryan Oliva was posted. He read two short scenes for an unidentified Arrow role with another unidentified character. Scene 1: Reader (off-screen): "You're making a big mistake, man. You're stupid if you can keep coming [unintelligible words] like that." RO: "Stop talking. Or I'll use the tape. Him next." Reader: "What the hell?" RO: "28 seconds. Impressive. Let's try the leg next." Scene 2: RO: "Where's Mr. Midas?" Reader (off-screen): "He wasn't able to make it. But he sends his regards. I trust you were happy with your sample?" RO: "Very. We'll take as many of those bullets as you have to sell." (Dec. 20, 2018 Vimeo audition videos for Ryan Oliva, page 8 of Spoilers thread)

Princess Noor
-- Per IMDb, actress Parmiss Sehat is guest starring as a character named "Princess Noor" in 714. (IMDb link in Jan. 14, 2019 tv echo poast, page 77 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Malcolm Merlyn
-- JB: "And if he were ever to return [to the Arrowverse], I'd want to see what they're going to make me play next." (Dec. 14, 2018 DC Daily video interview with JB, page 743 of Social Media thread)
-- JB: "I would love - if ever I return. I'd love to do some more scenes with Felicity. 'Cause I think, the character of Felicity, she - Malcolm respects her... so much because she's a strong young woman who looks at Malcolm in certain scenes like, 'I would totally kill you,' right? ... Just given the chance. And he totally respects that. Because they could band together and do some good. But, no, that, if you cross that line, I will kill you and you will kill me. And that keeps a very tight ship, if that's going to happen." (Dec. 14, 2018 DC Daily video interview with JB, page 743 of Social Media thread)

Arrowverse Mini-Crossovers
-- On Jan. 16, 2019, Audrey Marie Anderson tweeted pic of water and docks by city, with comment: "It is so insanely beautiful here that I can forget for a minute just how cold it is and how exhausted I feel. @CW_TheFlash #TheFlash #LylaMichaels." (aud_anderson tweet, page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 18, 2019, Audrey Marie Anderson tweeted pic of herself with Zibby Allen on the Flash set, with comment: "I met this lovely lady over a year ago on an airplane, two strangers chatting away about all things life. Cut to us on set together this week. Love that! @Zibby_Allen #TheFlash #SmallTownDicksPodcast" (aud_anderson tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread)

Looking Beyond S7 and Ending Arrow
-- CinemaBlend expects a S8 renewal in the spring of 2019. (Dec. 31, 2018 CinemaBlend article, page 76 of Golden Arrow thread)
-- TVLine: "The screen then cut to a title card that said 'COMING FALL 2019… CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS,' as in the name of the super-famous DC Comics storyline in which the Anti-Monitor — The Monitor’s evil counterpart, who counts Psycho-Pirate among his main accomplices — is unleashed on the multiverse and begins to destroy the various Earths that it comprises." (Dec. 11, 2018 TVLine article, page 68 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how the "Elseworlds" crossover impacts the story moving forward, EP Beth Schwartz: "That will more impact [Oliver] next season, so it's not really... This season, we're not going to see too much of that." (Jan. 21, 2019 CBR article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether there's anything that Arrow needs to do with the remainder of its season in service of next fall’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover, EP Beth Schwartz: "It’s possible. It’s possible…." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether there is anything The Flash needs to get done during the remainder of this season in service of next fall’s crossover, “Crisis on Infinite Earths", Flash EP Todd Helbing: "Oh, yes. There is, and we will."(Jan. 14, 2019 TVLine article, page 18 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)
-- On the future news headline that's been hanging over The Flash for nearly five seasons now: "Flash Missing, Vanishes in Crisis," Flash EP Todd Helbing: "We've certainly been teasing [the headline] a long time, but it's a major factor in next year's crossover ... There will be little tidbits here and there that people will be able to start to put together." (Jan. 16, 2019 TV Guide article, page 18 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)
-- On Dec. 11, 2018, SA tweeted pic of "CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS" title screenshot with mouthless smiley face emoji. (SA tweet, page 16 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum) 
-- On Dec. 12, 2018, in response to GATV's asking whether there's any reason not to give "Lyla Michaels from some Earth a shiny blue costume with a red helmet" in the 2019 crossover, MG tweeted: "We've talked about it..." (MG tweet, page 71 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Edited January 23, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

SUMMARY OF 711 SPOILERS:

S7, Episode 11: Past Sins
-- Production code: 711. Shoot Dates: November 8-[19], 2018. Director: David Ramsey. Writers: Onalee Hunter Hughes & Tonya Kong. Airdate: January 28, 2019. (Nov. 8, 2018 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread, and Jan. 12, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- 711 synopsis: "DAVID RAMSEY DIRECTS HIS FIRST EPISODE OF ARROW — The past comes back to haunt both Oliver (Stephen Amell) and Laurel (Katie Cassidy). Curtis (Echo Kellum) is upset when he discovers that Diggle (David Ramsey) and Lyla (guest star Audrey Marie Anderson) have restarted The Ghost Initiative with Diaz (guest star Kirk Acevedo), China White (guest star Kelly Hu), Kane Wolfman (guest star Liam Hall) and Carrie Cutter (guest star Amy Gumenick). David Ramsey directed the episode written by Onalee Hunter Hughes & Tonya Kong (#711). Original airdate 1/28/2019." (Jan. 12, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 76 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Arrow extended promo was posted, featuring Oliver and E2 Laurel on CH52 tv news show, Oliver fighting as GA, Felicity, Rene/Wild Dog, Diggle, Curtis, Diaz, Kane Wolfman, Carrie Cutter and/or China White, and Emiko. (Jan. 16, 2019 Arrow extended promo video, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 711 promo was posted, featuring Oliver and Emiko. (711 promo video, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- 711 sneak peek was posted, featuring Felicity and E2 Laurel. (711 sneak peek video, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- 711 sneak peek #2 was posted, featuring Lyla, Diggle, China White, Kane Wolfman, Carrie Cutter/Cupid, and Curtis. (711 sneak peek #2 video, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- 711 sneak peek #3 was posted, featuring Oliver and Felicity. (711 sneak peek #3 video, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 87 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 711 promo pics were posted, featuring Dinah, Curtis, Ricardo Diaz, Kane Wolfman, Carrie Cutter/Cupid and China White. (Jan. 17, 2019 GreenArrowTV article and Jan. 18, 2019 SpoilerTV and TVLine articles, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 79 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Behind-the-scene pics of DR directing 11 were posted. (GreenArrowTV tweet & article, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- The new Ghost Initiative team, which includes Ricardo Diaz, China White, Kane Wolfman and Carrie Cutter, will be introduced in 711. EP Beth Schwartz: "It’s just a really fun way to use Diaz in a way that we haven’t seen before. Basically, the reason that they recruited him is that it’s the former Suicide Squad, but there’s a new name for it called the Ghost Initiative... I’ve always loved the Suicide Squad, and we’ve always loved the characters. Because we told the first half of the season being in prison with a lot of our former villains, that’s kind of the fun of the Suicide Squad — having our former villains working with our heroes, and it’s always fun to do an episode or two every season about it. But having Diaz join the Suicide Squad, I mean, that’s priceless.” (Jan. 16, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 78 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether the Ghost Initiative is their workaround to not being able to use the Suicide Squad, EP Beth Schwartz: "It’s a new group but with the same kind of M.O. as the Suicide Squad. Diaz is going to be our leader of that, which is really fun. We’re going to get to see a lot of that in 11, which is [cast member] David Ramsey’s directorial debut. He did such an amazing job; I just had the mix this week and it’s so much fun seeing China White back, and Cupid and Kane Wolfman, with Diaz leading the charge. It’s a really, really cool episode." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what else she can say about the Ghost Initiative, EP Beth Schwartz: "Well they're basically [showcased] in David Ramsey's episode, his directorial debut, which is next week. And it is such a great episode, the fans are going to love it. He did such an amazing job. Yeah. It's a really cool episode. We actually get in some deeper backstory with Laurel, with Black Siren and what happened to her on Earth 2.  We get a little insight there and then we get to see the Ghost Initiative kicking butt with China White (Kelly Hu), Slade Wilson's son Kane Wolfson (Liam Hall), our favorite..." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVInsider article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On the 711 synopsis saying that “Oliver and Laurel are haunted by the past," EP Beth Schwartz: "We are going to find out more about Laurel’s backstory on Earth-Two, which is really cool. And Oliver is sort of going to be haunted by the consequences of him being outed. The episode looks at the consequences of him being unmasked and everyone knowing who he is." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what we can expect from E2 Laurel in the back half of the season, EP Beth Schwartz: "We're actually in Episode 11, which is David Ramsey's directorial debut. [It's] a fantastic episode, and he did such an amazing job. We're going to see some of Laurel's backstory from Earth 2. That will answer how she became Black Siren and the way she is. And we'll, in the back half of the season, get to the conclusion of is she redeemable? Is there redemption for her as Black Siren, or is she evil and there's no redemption for her?" (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA tweeted: "So... @david_ramsey is directing 7.11 of our show. That is all." And DR tweeted: "This is VERY true..." (May 13, 2018 SA and DR tweets, page 17 of Spoilers/S6 thread and page 1782 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- SA: "David Ramsey just finished directing his first episode [711]... It was wonderful being directed by him. But it also proved to me the reason why I don't want to direct an episode of the show, because he had to be out of the previous episode [710] for prep, he had to be out a little bit the next episode [712] to go cut it, and, um, shooting scenes that he was in but also directing, I wouldn't say it was a quagmire, but it wasn't something that I would enjoy." (Nov. 29, 2018 SA facebook video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 740 of Social Media thread)
-- DR: "I am slated for episode 11 of Season 7... You know, I am excited. And I'm excited because Beth Schwartz, our new, fearless showrunner - and Marc Guggenheim and Wendy were also fearless - but I don't think Beth is going to have any mercy on me. She's already kinda given a mandate of upward and onwards, we're going even higher this season, we're taking gloves off... I mean, they kinda give us an outline of what the season's going to be about every beginning of the year - or beginning of the season. And Beth just wants to do big, big, big things... And I don't think episode 11 is going to be the one that's the weak link in the chain at all. She's not going to have any mercy on me." (Melbourne Oz Comic Con, Jun. 8, 2018: Shaken Not Nerd podcast, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 279 of Starling City Times thread, and Shaken Not Nerd video, page 280 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On directing a S7 episode, DR: "Season 7, episode 11.  7-11. ... [Beth Schwartz] hasn’t said this but my feeling is that I won’t get any mercy in terms of the episode that I’ll be directing.  It’s going to be in the same daring vein as all the other episodes of the season." (Jun. 10, 2018 Moviehole article, page 1 of Spoilers thread and page 279 of Starling City Times thread)
-- DR: "I direct episode 11 of this season, so you're going to see a whole lot of action in that episode." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Clevver News video of red carpet interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the episode that he's directing, DR: "It's very exciting... I have no idea. Like, it's episode 11... but I don't know what it's about. I don't know if Oliver's still in prison. I don't know anything... I have an overreaching kind of arc of the season, the redemption kind of idea that they gave us, but exactly what that story is in 11, I don't know." DR also said that James Bamford is his mentor. (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: GeekRock TV and Fangirlish videos of press roundtable interview with DR, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: "I'm directing this year... I was asked to direct several years ago. I just wasn't ready yet. I didn't feel I was ready. And I just stayed with it, stuck with it, went through some courses, and just stayed on the show. And now I'm ready to kinda offer my vision of the show. So coming up next month - two months - I'm directing... I'm going to be directing in two months." (Sep. 20, 2018 ExtraTV tweet & video, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 13 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what he can tell us about the episode that he's directing, DR: "I can't and I'll tell you why. I just don't know. I wish I knew... I wish I knew exactly what was happening with my episode, but I don't." On when he'll find out, DR: "Honestly, a week before. It's like a week-and-a-half before, I find out what I'm directing. I have prep. It's a whole, drawn-out thing, girl. It's crazy." (Sep. 20, 2018 ExtraTV tweet & video, page 4 of Spoilers thread and page 13 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- DR: "In terms of the [711] script, because this is a continuing arc that Oliver has through the season, the big question was: At what place does this land within that arc? How much do we want to show, how much do we want to reveal, and how much of our hand do we want to play in terms of how this emotional beat connects to the third episode from now? ... I was thinking about this earlier. I’ve been working on this show for seven seasons, and it’s obviously a very successful show. But when I step back as a director and really worked the beats, really worked the story, really worked where this [episode] fits within the overall arc of the season, you then realize what an actor like Stephen, or an actor like Grant [Gustin on The Flash], or an actor like Melissa [Benoist on Supergirl] are really doing. They’re playing the long game, but only giving you pieces within each episode of an overall arc. Stephen in particular knows what’s going to happen at the end of the season." (Jan. 28, 2019 TVLine article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per DR, 711 will be about “continuing the story and theme” of Oliver as he dives deeper “uncovering his father’s past." DR: "It was really about that piece of character development and showing the audience what toll this is taking on him emotionally... But, obviously, Arrow is what it is – it’s a brutal action show, so I think the Ghost Initiative aka the Suicide Squad scene of action that we have are just fantastic.” (Jan. 28, 2019 ETonline article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On any action sequences in 711 that he was kind of impressed he pulled off, DR: "The Ghost Initiative. I think it really worked in this episode. I think the Ghost Initiative, aka Suicide Squad, really has a huge action sequence there that really works in this episode. I'm very proud of the episode, because both the character development, the acting, and I think the action really work. Both of those things are equal characters on our show. They're characters, the actors and the action. Both of those are equally significant characters on our show, and I think both of those work in this episode." (Jan. 28, 2019 TV Guide article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- DR: “I knew all the shots I wanted, I knew the crane work, I knew the CGI work and the pyro. I knew everything I’d need to know in order to create and direct an episode of Arrow – but what was unexpected was just how warm my cast accepted me as a director... It was just a beautiful, beautiful experience.” (Jan. 28, 2019 ETonline article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether Diggle & Lyla will be able to work past their current conflict, DR: "They will. There will be conflict between them because of the Ghost Initiative. But the Ghost Initiative is, like most mechanisms of our show, serving a bigger story. This isn’t a long-reaching arc, with the Ghost Initiative. It has been 'brought back from the dead' to serve a bigger story. And that bigger story will be Diaz’s connections to a bigger bad guy, Dante. We’ll find out more about him in this episode, and in the coming episodes." (Jan. 28, 2019 TVLine article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how big do the scenes get in 711 and whether there are any splashy pyrotechnics, DR: "This can’t be compared to any of the big, huge crossover shows, and I would say that even compared to other “regular” episodes of Arrow, it’s someplace in the middle. There were no car explosions or flips, but we do have a lot of action with the new Ghost Initiative aka Suicide Squad. And Arrow obviously has a good amount of action, as well. But I would say that this is really a character-driven episode, for Oliver and Laurel. Katie [Cassidy] does a fantastic job. She and Stephen really carry the episode." (Jan. 28, 2019 TVLine article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether we are going to get some Earth-2 backstory for E2 Laurel, DR: "You are. You are. And you get some looks at Arrow‘s version of Earth-Two. We’ve already seen it on Flash, so you’ll see Arrow‘s version." (Jan. 28, 2019 TVLine article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- DR: "Katie has a really good episode. She does great work in this episode." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: FanFest article, page 57 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether working with SA, EBR and KC for many years helped him with how he directed them, DR: "Yes. Directing them was the easiest part of the job!" (Jan. 25, 2019 DR tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- DR: “Stephen kind of jokingly said weeks before, ‘David, you can direct me – just don’t give me any notes,’ and of course he was joking, but you then kind of have that in the back of your head.". (Jan. 28, 2019 ETonline article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what was his favorite part about directing SA and EBR, DR: "That was the easiest part of the job." (Jan. 25, 2019 DR tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether directing EBR and SA is really as easy as other directors say, DR: "Much easier. They're totally locked in." (Jan. 25, 2019 DR tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- On which scene was the one that he liked most to direct or the one that took him the most work to direct, DR: "The scenes between Laurel and Felicity. Noone saw that relationship working as well as it has." (Jan. 25, 2019 DR tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether there are any scenes in 711 that he's particularly proud of or excited for the fans to see, DR: "I think every scene between Katie [Cassidy] and Emily [Bett Rickards]. So, Laurel and Felicity's relationship is just, I think it's one of the highlights of this season. Also, Arrow's kind of blessed, if you will. I don't know what the right term would be. It has a tendency of bringing out these unexpected performances or relationships. They just work. No one expected the relationship between Oliver (Stephen Amell) and Diggle to jump off the page and it did. To jump off the screen and it did. No one expected Oliver and Felicity to jump off the screen and it did. The new team really working together and really popping, no one expected it and it did. Grant [Gustin] coming to Arrow and being so good he gets his own show. Caity Lotz, who died on Arrow just really being so wonderful that she goes into Legends of Tomorrow. These unexpected things that kind of began on Arrow that I don't think just happens. I think it's really a mark of really good character development and storytelling. ... I think that's where it starts. It starts with these really good characters, and I'm saying all this to say that this is just another unexpected thing. The relationship between Laurel and Felicity that really pops off the screen." (Jan. 28, 2019 TV Guide article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what he had to do to prepare for directing 711 and how much it affected Diggle's screentime this season, DR: "8 days of prep (as it is for all ARROW Directors). Nope, Diggle was just as busy in this episode as others." (Jan. 25, 2019 DR tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we'll be seeing less of Diggle in 711 because he's directing, DR: "Well, that's a strange thing, right? Because my first day directing — now when I say the first day, I mean the very first scene of my first day — was me as an actor, me as Diggle. This was the strangest multiple personality challenge I can possibly imagine, kind of acting to thinking about what the shot should be and what I want and was my performance correct. ... And obviously I had to trust my first AD at the time, Mark Bunting, to call out some of those things. That was the strangest moment I had on set, when I was kind of directing myself. But, in answer to your question, will you be getting less Diggle in this episode? No, you'll be seeing just as much Diggle as you ever have in this episode. They didn't give me a break. They didn't write less of me in this episode because I was directing, which is what I asked Beth [Schwartz]. I said, 'Beth, listen. Don't give me a break. Just write this as if it's any other director.' And she said, 'Okay' and she did just that." (Jan. 28, 2019 TV Guide article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether there are any OTA moments to look forward to, DR: "But yes, the return of OTA is absolutely happening, and it’s going to be fantastic. It won’t happen in my episode, but we will get back together." (Jan. 28, 2019 TVLine article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On 711, DR: "Now that I've directed, I know secrets." CH: "Can you tell me later? ... What it was like directing?" DR: "I wish you were in it." CH: "I wish I was too." DR: "I had maybe 18 notes, 18 notes from Stephen, and he knew what I was going to say 7 out of 8 times. He's so on it. He's just really, really - I know that working with him, but directing him, you see it. You see him working it out, right there. He's just really, really good at his role, can't overestimate him." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: Dec. 3, 2018 steven alvarez video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 741 of Social Media thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "#Arrow Episode 7-11 will be a good day in the Arrowverse." and "Ep 711. It may be announced at the Arrow panel tomorrow." and "I asked David a question and he told me. He didn't say it was a secret but it isn't my information to share." (HVFF-Nashville, May 12, 2018: OTAStrong tweet & replies, page 1781 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "Soo [avocado emoji] is gonna be a big part of the episode David directed." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 1, 2018: Felizity_reina tweet, page 56 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per IMDb, 711 cast credits include Kathryn Bouchard as Erin (Co-Worker), Luke Camilleri as Sam Hackett, Peter Graham-Gaudreau as Brett Collins, Liam Hall as Kane Wolfman, Auralee Ivy as Agent Muncy, Evan Roderick as Officer Nick Anastas, and Scott Pocha as Bartender (uncredited). (IMDb link in Jan. 28, 2019 tv echo post, page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- In Vimeo video of actor Ben Chase auditioning for the Arrow role of "Sam Hackett", he did two takes of the same scene (shared with Oliver Queen). Transcription: Ben Chase: "Fifteen minutes late. So much for your big hero. I guess your lives didn't mean all that much to him anyway. Now, who wants to die next?" (Take 2: "Fifteen minutes late. So much for your hero. I guess he didn't really care all that much for your lives anyway. Now, who wants to die next?") Reader (off-screen): "Enough!" BC: "Look who finally decided to show up." Reader: "You wanted me. Here I am. But keep them out of it. They have nothing to do with this." BC: "Well, of course they do. Whoa! Any funny business and this place goes sky high! Got it? The SCPD, the news - they're the ones that allow you to make yourself out into this big hero. But I know what you really are." Reader: "I'm a liar. Right, Sam? Because I lied about your father. He was on the Gambit with me and my dad before my father took his own life and murdered yours, so that I could live." (Take 2: " "I'm a liar. Right, Sam? Because I lied about your father. He was on the Gambit with me and my dad, and before my father took his own life, he murdered yours, so that I could live.") BC: "You finally admit it." Reader: "It's only the truth. I can't express how sorry I am for your loss, Sam. Truly." BC: "No. No, no, no, no! You and I are way past apologies. My father is gone and I need to make it right." (Take 2: "No. No, no, no, no, no, no! You and I are way past apologies now. My father is gone and I need to make things right.") Reader: "Then let me make it right." BC: "You can't!" Reader: "There's always a way back, Sam. Let me help you." BC: "No. Never really had any intention of us getting out of here alive. I just wanted to see what your face looked like when I blew us all straight to hell." (Take 2:  "You don't realize, I never had any intentions of any of us getting out of here alive. I just wanted to see what your face looked like when I blew us all straight to hell.") Reader: "Listen. In your heart of hearts, could you really picture your father believing that this is the right thing to do?" BC: "No." Reader: "This isn't justice!" BC: "But it's what I need. (Mimes getting shot in the shoulder with an arrow?) You don't know what justice is. You're a fraud. And one day the entire world will know." (Take 2:  "But it's what I need. (Mimes getting shot in the shoulder with an arrow?) You don't know what justice is. You're a fraud. And one day the entire world is going to know it.") (Nov. 2, 2018 Vimeo video of actor Ben Chase's audition, page 6 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Nov. 8, 2018, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted pic of DR with part of 711 title page, listing title as "Past Sins" and listing Onalee Hunter Hughes & Tonya Kong as the writers, with comment: "Episode 711 started shooting today #nbd @david_ramsey." (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Nov. 8, 2018, DR posted b-t-s pic of himself taking a photo of the 711 clapboard, which lists him as director and is dated "11/08/18," with comment: "Thank you doesn't seem adequate enough to express how grateful I am to all of my family, friends, fans, crew members, executives and cast members that inexplicably offered support in my journey to get here. I am fortunate to have you all at my back. Day 1. Take 1." Also, Audrey Marie Anderson posted comment: "I’m so glad I got to be in your episode!! Such a fun and easy day. You’re a natural!!????." (DR instagram post and comment thread, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Nov. 9, 2018, papp tweeted: "#Arrow filming tonight in a garage in Burnaby at the Kodak Canada building." (canadagraphs tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Nov. 9, 2018, papp tweeted: "Congratulations Director Diggle. David Ramsey is directing Arrow 7x11 Past Sins. Tonight In an underground parking garage with stunt fighting & simulated gunfire. That sounds so #Arrow: ... @BethSchwartz @david_ramsey." From linked papp report: "Arrow is filming tonight in an underground parkade in Burnaby with stunt fighting, simulated gunfire and atmospheric smoke. That sounds so Arrow." (yvrshoots tweet & HollywoodNorht.buzz article, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Nov. 9, 2018, fan tweeted pic of Nov. 8, 2018 Arrow filming notice: "Please take a moment to read this notice about the filming of a Warner Bros. TV Series called 'Arrow' at 4225 Kincaid Street on Friday, November 9th, 2018. ... We will be filming a series of scenes inside the underground parking garage at 4225 Kincaid Street. The scenes to be filmed will involve some stunt fighting, and atmospheric smoke. ... Friday, November 9th... Filming inside the parking garage to include stunt fighting, simulated gunfire and atmospheric smoke." (goodkarma2017 tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Nov. 13, 2018, fan tweeted screenshot from KC instagram story showing KC with JH on the SCPD police station set. (portalkcassidy tweet, page 77 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 13, 2018, fan tweeted: "@kirkacevedo You have ruined Arrow can you please let me know if you are close to having your last episode as I have had to stop watching whilst you are involved." In reply, Kirk Acevedo tweeted: "No, I’m no where near close BUT I will be killing one of your favorite characters very soon! #TheDragon." (Jjk67Allsop and kirkacevedo tweets, page 38 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 15, 2018, Arrow writers tweeted pic of Arrowverse cupcakes, with comment: "Got a special little treat from [redacted] today! We’re very excited to have them on the show and can’t wait to share more soon. ?????? #Arrow." (ARROWwriters tweet, page 40 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 16, 2018, Evan Roderick posted pic of someone's shadowy silhouette (resembling an archer) against a water puddle and white dart(?) on the ground, with comment: "Water St." In response to fan asking if that was his dart, he posted: "That's up to the audience." (eroderickanderson instagram post, page 42 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 17, 2018, fan tweeted: "'A cool thing that the studio supervisor told us is that #Arrow is going through a transition phase where they're making a lot of changes. So a lot of things we can not show because it was not displayed. I just came from Oliver's apartment Queen and I can not show it.'?? #Olicity." (arrowverse_DC tweet, page 41 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 27, 2019, Peter Graham-Gaudreau posted pic of himself, with comment: "Catch me on Arrow, Monday Jan. 28, 8 pm on The CW. Directorial debut of David Ramsey, who was excellent. Katie Cassidy Rodgers." (peterdubbleGG instagram post, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 28, 2019, Peter Graham-Gaudreau posted: "Loved working with David Ramsey (directing his first episode) and Katie Cassidy Rodgers on Arrow - catch it tonight on The CW, 8 pm." (peterdubbleGG facebook post, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Edited January 28, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

SUMMARY OF 712 SPOILERS:

S7, Episode 12: Emerald Archer [150TH EPISODE]
-- Production code: 712. Shoot Dates: November [20]-December 4, 2018. Director: Glen Winter. Writers: MG & Emilio Ortega Aldrich. Airdate: February 4, 2019. (Nov. 28, 2018 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread, and Jan. 18, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- 712 synopsis: "ARROW FILMS THEIR 150TH EPISODE AS A DOCUMENTARY ENTITLED 'THE HOOD AND THE RISE OF VIGILANTES' NARRATED BY KELSEY GRAMMER — The 150th episode of 'Arrow' showcases a documentary entitled 'The Hood and the rise of vigilantism' starring Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards), and the rest of Team Arrow. As a camera crew follows Oliver and team around to talk about their past as vigilantes and what the Green Arrow means to Star City, Oliver must also deal with William’s (guest star Jack Moore) return from boarding school as well as a new threat to the city. The episode will feature 'documentary footage' captured by the BTS crew and interviews from those who have worked alongside the Green Arrow. The documentary is narrated by Kelsey Grammer. Glen Winter directed the episode written by Marc Guggenheim & Emilio Ortega Aldrich (#712). Original airdate 2/4/2019." (Jan. 18, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 79 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 712 promo was posted, featuring an anti-vigilante vigilante. (712 promo video, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- 712 sneak peek #1 (Syfy exclusive preview) was posted, featuring 2014 interview with Quentin Lance and Oliver's arrest footage. (Feb. 4, 2019 Syfy Wire video, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 90 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 712 sneak peek #2 (Scene 1) was posted, featuring Diggle. (Feb. 4, 2019 CW video, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 91 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 712 sneak peek #3 (Scene 2) was posted, featuring Oliver, Felicity and William. (Feb. 4, 2019 CW video, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 91 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 712 promo pics were posted, featuring Oliver, Diggle, Felicity, Dinah, Curtis, and Documentarian, who's played by Jessica Heafey. The b-t-s pics included a pic of DR, EBR and SA, with an OTA cake based on a Lord Mesa drawing. (Jan. 28, 2019 GreenArrowTV and TVLine articles, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 87 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 712 dialogue teases (per SpoilerTV): "You really shouldn’t be in here with us." "Sorry guys. Private party." "Take them into custody." "You promised me full access!" "It takes everything from them." "They’re not heroes; they’re criminals." "Consider this your chance to prove me right." "I enjoyed that." "Obviously, this particular comment didn’t age too well." "No one should have to lose their family or anyone they love." "There’s worse things out there than anarchy." "Turn that off." "You shouldn’t have sent me away." "If the police can’t protect the people, then the people need to learn to protect themselves." (Feb. 3, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 89 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 712 director Glen Winter posted b-t-s pic of himself with EBR and SA. Fan tweeted this pic, with comment: "Glen came through and posted a photo with Stephen and Emily for #Arrow150." (Feb. 3, 2019 georgishly tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- TV Guide: "Arrow is celebrating 150 episodes with a cheeky, inventive hour that looks at the making of a hero! Team Arrow takes part in a documentary called The Hood and the Rise of Vigilantism (narrated by Kelsey Grammer, no less), which allows Oliver ... and his crew to reflect on their history of saving Star City - and makes room for 'a lot of exciting guest stars,' says exec producer Beth Schwartz. The script, cowritten by exec producer Marc Guggenheim, is 'a love letter to the fans,' she adds. 'It's very personal.'" (Scan of Arrow article in TV Guide, Feb. 4-17, 2019 issue, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 87 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- TV Guide's Lindsay MacDonald tweeted: "eep eep eep #Arrow 150th screener LET'S GOOOOOO!" (Feb. 1, 2019 lindsayjoane tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 89 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- GATV tweeted: "Thoughts on the #Arrow150 screener so far, without spoilers, just emojis: [4 astonished face emojis, 1 smiling face with heart-shaped eyes emoji, 1 shushing face emoji]." (Feb. 1, 2019 GreenArrowTV tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 89 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- GATV tweeted: "#Arrow150 is full of surprises; honors the show's past but also catapults the series towards its next milestone. I've been so impressed by Season 7." (Feb. 1, 2019 GreenArrowTV tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 89 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether there are any great Felicity moments in 712, GATV: "That I can say 'yes' to." (Feb. 1, 2019 GreenArrowTV tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 89 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether there is any Laurel in 712, GATV: "Yes." (Feb. 1, 2019 GreenArrowTV tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 89 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- When asked for emojis for the rest of 712, GATV: "[5 bow and arrow emojis, 1 water pistol emoji]." (Feb. 1, 2019 GreenArrowTV tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 89 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- TVLine's Matt Mitovich tweeted: "[Quickly reading the DNR for #Arrow 150, because the first 5 minutes alone are [4 banana emojis]]" and "Oliver just gave us the first Jim Halpert face." and 'You "'HAVE met my wife, right, Curtis?' #Arrow 150" and, when asked it the preceding tweet was Olicity, "It's at least one of them ;)." (Feb. 2, 2019 MattMitovich tweets, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 89 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- TVLine's Matt Mitovich tweeted: "In summary, I exclaimed aloud, "NO WAY" at least four times. Also, an *outstanding* fight sequence at the end. #Arrow #Arrow150." (Feb. 3, 2019 MattMitovich tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 90 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- SpoilerTV: "It is the 150th episode of the series, so of course, they’ve done something a little special with the episode. There are some great guest stars – but of course, I can’t tell you who! There’s also a great reveal at the end of the episode… but I can’t tell you about them either! ... The episode is shot like a documentary. There’s some great use of graphics and different cameral[sic] techniques. Look for lots of flashback footage and interviews. Lots of hand held camera work to lend authenticity. ... There is still a bit of story going forward too as William (Jack Moore) finally makes it home from school. Rene (Rick Gozalez) runs into a little trouble. Emily Bett Rickards has two great scenes with William – who has a surprise for her. Oliver goes to Diggle (David Ramsey) for help – and it’s always great when they have a chance to work together. There’s actually a terrific scene with Diggle dispensing some Diggle-wisdom! ... Look for a circle back to the very beginning of the series. Rene gets to play Dad. As always, there are some great fight and action sequences. There is a villain of the week…." (Feb. 3, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 89 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Hypable tweeted: "#Arrow 7x12 is an honorable tribute to the series' past, yet it promises much to come in the future. This 150th episode is a milestone that isn't short on special twists and juicy surprises." (Feb. 3, 2019 Hypable tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- Hypable's Jay Ruymann tweeted: "For those who want a little bit more of a tease: Felicity steps back under the Overwatch name, Oliver and Felicity have to work as a team with a different issue (not the villain), and Diggle is instrumental in this episode. This episode has so much to offer. #Arrow." (Feb. 3, 2019 jayruymann tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 90 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Hypable's Jay Ruymann tweeted: "#Arrow’s 150th episode is a treat. There are visits from characters we miss, there’s some footage of E-1 Laurel Lance included in the documentary (which made me sad), and the writers emphasized the importance of Team Arrow as a whole. Really, don’t miss this special episode." (Feb. 3, 2019 jayruymann tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 90 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Hypable's Jay Ruymann tweeted: "There really wasn’t enough Laurel / @MzKatieCassidy in the 150th #Arrow episode, though the scenes she did have were fantastic." (Feb. 3, 2019 jayruymann tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 90 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether there are any Laurel scenes in present time, Hypable's Jay Ruymann tweeted: "Yes, there are!" (Feb. 3, 2019 jayruymann tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 90 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Hypable: "To celebrate the milestone 150th episode of Arrow, the writers have put together a moving tribute that addresses and honors the past seven seasons of the popular CW series, while still moving the stories along. ... Below are five secrets from Arrow 7×12 that will blow your mind. ... There’s an interesting flash-forward reveal  Kat McNamara’s character, Blackstar, appears in the episode in a very interesting and unique situation, and she definitely has some secrets to spill. Alongside her is a character we’ve seen before in the Arrow-verse, but not the exact incarnation. I wish I could spill more, but fans definitely do not want to miss this interaction. ... The lives of several vigilantes are in limbo  Emiko finds herself in trouble, which, as the trailer reveals, leads Oliver to the villain’s lair. While there, he discovers several masks from other heroes/anti-heroes we’ve seen before. The most worrisome is Huntress, whose mask is found in the lair, but is nowhere to be seen. With an upcoming Birds of Prey-inspired episode, it doesn’t seem like a coincidence that Helena’s life would be put at risk, especially if they’re planning on bringing her back. ... Old friends are revisited  While I won’t reveal exactly which characters are revisited, there are several that pay their respects to Oliver and the Green Arrow, as well as several that shed light on the rise of vigilantism in Star City over the last seven years. Several departed faces show up in new scenes, as the documentary that is being filmed has been a work-in-progress since the Green Arrow first appeared. With Oliver’s outing as the Green Arrow and his position with the SCPD, the creator of the documentary felt it was the perfect time to resume her work. Additionally, we do learn that the documentary was created and distributed, but it was banned as pro-vigilante propaganda at some point in Star City’s history. ... Another vigilante is unmasked  While everyone in Star City has been so focused on Oliver Queen coming into the light and working as the Green Arrow, Arrow 7×12 sees another hero take off their 'mask' and reveal themselves to the world. It’s unclear what implications this will have on the future of Arrow, but it’s quite possible that Oliver Queen won’t be the only person using their 'unique' abilities to protect the city. ... Team Arrow lives on  It’s been an interesting journey so far on Arrow season 7. Oliver’s imprisonment, plus the anti-vigilante law, has put a damper on all things Team Arrow as their lives depend on them not going out into the field. While Curtis and Diggle found their own path at ARGUS, with Dinah and Laurel as very important city employees, Felicity and Rene were left out on the sidelines. Since Oliver’s return, he’s found a way to continue working as the Green Arrow, with Dinah’s help. However, the rest of them continued to be ignored and their vigilante dreams crushed. This episode provides an interesting solution and gives hope to a future where Team Arrow can continue to fight criminals together and not be pursued by the police." (Feb. 3, 2019 Hypable article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 89 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- ComicBook: "Tonight, Arrow celebrates its 150th episode -- and as it does, the series that launched The CW's interconnected DC Universe of superhero shows delivers one of its best episodes in years and a masterclass in how to do an anniversary episode. ... With 'Emerald Archer,' tonight's episode of Arrow, they strike a great balance. The episode certainly has a lot of far-reaching implications for the future of the show, but as they do that, they parade a litany of guest stars that will pull at the heartstrings of longtime fans, give nearly every major season 7 character a moment or three to shine, and retains its sense of timing and urgency within the story of the season, feeling more current and significant to the plot than many anniversary episodes, which can feel disconnected from the ongoing storyline of a series and preoccupied with cramming in the nostalgia. ... More than anything, it feels like the Arrow team understands the importance of big-number episodes to comic book fans, and is striving to make the episodes worthy of that anticipation and attention. Arrow has routinely done its best to make 'big' episodes, whether it's by number or by plot event, special to audiences. Sometimes, that comes with mixed results, as it can feel like you're 'trying too hard.' With 'Emerald Archer,' it's just right. The cast each get relatively little time, so while Stephen Amell clearly has the most screentime of anybody, it is not enough to make the whole thing fall on his shoulders a la 'Invasion!' or Legends of Tomorrow's 'Here I Go Again.' Everyone, though, is at home, enjoying themselves, the even the "big" moments of the episode feel breezy and fun. In some ways, it seems like Arrow has delivered one of its best episodes of the season by finding the things that work about its sister shows and pilfering them. ...It would not be an Arrow standout without a great fight scene, and we do get one. Team Arrow is back in costume, facing off against a villain who feels a bit like Amazo or Super-Skrull; he has a crazy costume, an impressive arsenal, and a specific hangup with the team. Having really just the one action scene to handle, the capable Arrow stunt team delivered a fight that looks and feels a bit like the grimy, street-level version of the big fight against Thanos on Titan in Infinity War. You have a hulking, powerful baddie who is fighting off the heroes from all sides, but it works without feeling ridiculous or insulting to the heroes. ... Give this one a watch -- even if you are a bit behind, the mockumentary-style approach and the fact that so many of the characters are reconnecting for the first time in quite a while makes it not just an excellent episode, but a great jumping-on point. (Feb. 4, 2019 ComicBook article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 91 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- CinemaBlend's Laura Hurley tweeted: "Tonight’s #Arrow is a wild ride, and longtime fans do not want to miss the first five minutes. Or a bunch of the minutes that follow." (Feb. 4, 2019 lah9891 tweet, page 90 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On the 150th episode's documentary director being named as "M. PEDOWITZ," CW President Mark Pedowitz: "“I did not know they were doing it when I watched a rough cut... I watch a lot of my rough cuts on my treadmill. So when I heard the name come out, I almost fell down! ... It was really sweet of them to do that... I was honored, it was sweet, and I almost killed myself.” (Jan. 31, 2019 Give Me My Remote article, page 90 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether she has anything special in mind for the 150th episode, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yeah. We'll definitely do something special for that episode." (SDCC, Jul. 21, 2018: Video of facebook live interview with Arrow cast in Entertainment Weekly article, page 2 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what it was like shooting the 150th episode as a kind of Green Arrow documentary, EP Beth Schwartz: "Everyone loved it. Honestly, it was such a great experience for everyone all around — the actors, for the writers. Glenn Winter did a phenomenal job. It's way exceeded any expectations when I saw that first cut, and it was really fun. I like to call it, when I first saw some of that footage, it was like Arrow meets The Office because it's got some of that fun of our characters being like, 'What is going on?' Looking at the camera, which I love." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "When we knew our 150th episode was coming up, we obviously wanted to do something special... I know for our 100th episode that we were all very pleased with how that turned out and it felt so nostalgic and perfect, and so we knew we kind of had to try to one-up ourselves. The room came up with the brilliant idea to film it documentary-style, and it allowed us to use all of our favorite characters from past and present in this format, which was something that was really important to us because as you're hitting such a milestone, you want to see those characters that made the series what it is." (Jan. 21, 2019 ComicBook article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 83 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what inspired them to take a documentary-style approach to the 150th episode and how that will change the way we see Oliver and company, EP Beth Schwartz: "We are so excited about this episode. It is, honestly, one of my favorite episodes of all the 150 episodes of Arrow. The writers came up with this idea for the documentary style after our 100th episode, which we got lucky in terms of we were able to tell that kind of nostalgic story with all of our past characters. We wanted to do something very similar, in a more grounded way than obviously our 100th episode because it was during the crossover, which allows us to go a little off the beaten path. So, when the room came up with this idea, I loved it and I felt like it was a perfect way to showcase what the show has meant over the past seven years and we're able to tell that through this documentary." (Jan. 21, 2019 CBR article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether the documentary-style 150th episode will tie into the larger narrative or whether it will be a standalone episode, EP Beth Schwartz: "The best part of it is it does tie into our narrative that we've been telling. The timing could not have worked out [more] perfectly. We get both the nostalgic of things, some old faces, as well as basically what we love about the show, and we get to see our team back together, I think for the first time this season, maybe. I'm not sure, but we get to see our team together." (Jan. 21, 2019 CBR article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how they got Kelsey Grammar involved in the 150th episode, EP Beth Schwartz: "Well, he is the nicest man. I got to meet him yesterday, which was very exciting. Marc Guggenheim wrote him in the script from day one. Marc and Emilio Aldrich wrote this episode. They have been here -- I wanted the writers who have been here from the very beginning. Obviously, Marc, as the creator of the show, wrote the pilot and Emilio was actually the post-PA for the pilot, so he's been here even longer than me, because I joined once the season started for episode 2. It felt very special for them to write this episode. So Marc wrote Kelsey in the script from day one and then he so graciously agreed to do the episode for us." (Jan. 21, 2019 CBR article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On 712, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "This could possibly be my favorite episode yet..." (Jan. 17, 2019 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 80 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what we can expect from Arrow‘s 150th episode, when asked if there was any significant S7 character we haven’t met yet, EP Beth Schwartz (excitedly): "Yes. And you will meet them at the end of [Episode] 12, our 150th episode (airing Feb. 4)." (Jan. 25, 2019 TVLine article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 85 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "Well, we're still going to meet a character in the future... That's going to happen at the end of [episode] 12, which will be hopefully very exciting for a lot of people, and then we're going to have an all-future episode - episode 16 - where we're going to answer a lot of the questions that we've posed in the first half of the season." (Jan. 18, 2019 CBR article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Oliver & Felicity are going to have to go through a readjustment period when William comes back, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yeah. When he comes back ... he will explain a little bit. In the future we see him, [and] he feels like Oliver and Felicity abandoned him. We'll explain some of that in our present day story and just see how he's been affected by everything, not just this season. Most recently this season, but as well as just everything that happened to him as soon as he knew that Oliver was his father. He's definitely had a rough couple of years, so it will start affecting him, and we'll see that in the present day story." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the return of Rory/Ragman, MG tweeted: "Coming. Arrow 712. 150." (Dec. 23, 2018 MG tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 72 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per IMDb, 712 guest cast credits include Kelsey Grammer as Narrator and Evan Roderick as Officer Nick Anastas. (IMDb link in Jan. 31, 2019 tv echo post, page 88 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- During 712 filming, Evan Roderick posted pics of himself wearing his SCPD police uniform with tag: "Last Arrow Epi for awhile" and of RG, JH and EK in the SCPD police station. (eroderickanderson instagram story posts, page 72 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- SA: "We're going to hit 150 episodes in episode 12, which is amazing." (Oct 12, 2018 SA facebook video, page 5 of Spoilers thread and page 5 of DCTV Crossover 2018 thread in LoT forum)
-- SA: "David Ramsey just finished directing his first episode [711]... It was wonderful being directed by him. But it also proved to me the reason why I don't want to direct an episode of the show, because he had to be out of the previous episode [710] for prep, he had to be out a little bit the next episode [712] to go cut it, and, um, shooting scenes that he was in but also directing, I wouldn't say it was a quagmire, but it wasn't something that I would enjoy." (Nov. 29, 2018 SA facebook video, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 740 of Social Media thread)
-- Per DR, the 150th episode will be unlike anything they’ve ever done before. DR: “It’s a completely different, stylized episode. It’s a different episode of Arrow altogether – the style, the look, everything will be different.” (Jan. 28, 2019 ETonline article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "David, Spartan coming back on 7-12 and I said I didn't like what the writers were doing to OTA and he said that it will change." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 1, 2018: OlisaColorado tweet, page 57 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "Also, when I went to get an autograph, he mentioned that we'll see more OTA from episode 12 and on." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 2, 2018: ElisaQueen tweet, page 58 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM tweeted pic of herself as Blackstar, with comment: "Tomorrow @CW_Arrow... #ARROW150❗️🏹 Keep a sharp lookout because you may just see a certain camo clad blonde haired bad ass make an appearance… #Blackstar ✴︎." (Feb. 3, 2019 Kat_McNamara tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 90 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 20, 2018, Evan Roderick posted pic of himself in SCPD gear with another actor in same SCPD gear, with comment: "SCPD geraing up for a messy shoot tonight... #Arrow #arrowseason 7 #thecw #scpd #popo." When asked if the other actor was Oscar Nunez from The Office, ER posted: "There's a good chance." (eroderickanderson instagram post, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 45 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 22, 2018, fan posted b-t-s pic of director Glen Winter with SA, RG and JH on the SCPD set, with comment: "BTS episode150° #Arrow Ep.7x12?? #greenarrow #oliverqueen #dctv #dccomics." (arrowverse.dc.tv instagram post, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Nov. 28, 2018, SA tweeted a gif of The Office, with comment: "Episode 150 of Arrow, currently filming." (SA tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Nov. 28, 2018, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted pic of 712 title page, partially covered by Lord Mesa fan art, with comment: "Arrow 150." This title page states that the 712 title is "Emerald Archer", that the director is Glen Winter, and that the writers are MG & Emilio Ortega Aldrich. (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 52 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 28, 2018, fans tweeted close-up pics of 712 title page, showing cast list that includes SA, KC, DR, EBR, CH, EK, RG, Kirk Acevedo and Willa Holland. (SweetzCupcake and Shieldreignz tweets, page 52 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 28, 2018, Bex Taylor-Klaus posted instagram story of herself with Sin's haircut and wearing a black leather jacket, tagged "Deja vu." (bex_tk instagram post, page 51 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 28, 2018, Bex Taylor-Klaus posted pic of herself at the Vancouver International Airport, with comments: "If you were to insinuate that I flew to Canada for a haircut, I would not correct you" and "I was only in town for like 6 hours!!! Next round for sure." (bex_tk instagram post, page 53 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 29, 2018, papp tweeted pic of Joe Dinicol at the airport, with comment: "Got #autographs today from a RETURNING #Arrow guest star Joe Dinicol." (canadagraphs tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 54 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Nov. 29, 2018, another papp tweeted: "Saw Joe Dinicol at the guest star hotel today. Wonder if he's back for #Arrow." and "Ya he was only here a day for filming. I liked him on the show." (pursuit23 tweets, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Nov. 29, 2018, papp tweeted: "#Arrow ?? is filming its 150th episode in Vancouver this week & next. I was there when Arrow filmed its pilot in Gastown with Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen." (yvrshoots tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Nov. 29, 2018, fan tweeted: "Production signs and circus for BECKMARK (Arrow) at 142 St and 104 Ave in Surrey." (joesports tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Dec. 3, 2108, MG tweeted b-t-s pic of the construction of some type of raised platform with steps leading up to it and the beginnings of a roof skeleton, with comment: "On set." (MG tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Dec. 4, 2018, Sea Shimooka posted pic of herself with bruise makeup and wearing dark bodysuit, with comment: "I 'fell.'" (seashimooka instagram post, page 61 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Dec. 4, 2018, papp tweeted: "#Arrow 150th episode filming at Vancouver's former RCMP E Division HQ on Heather Street today. Stephen Amell on set." and "Stephen Amell has a distinctive Airstream trailer. When it's on set, he's on set. I never know if Emily Bett Rickards is on set unless there's a public scene with her." (yvrshoots tweets, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Dec. 4, 2018, SA tweeted: "That’s a wrap on our 150th episode. So lucky to have @Glen__Winter back in the directors chair. It’s a special one." (SA tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Dec. 20, 2018, SA tweeted: "Just watched our 150th episode. Oh my god, it's so much fun!!" (SA tweet, page 72 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Dec. 21, 2018, in response to SA's tweet that the 150th episode is "so much fun," EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "It is unlike the 149 we’ve done previously ??." MG then replied to Beth's tweet with: "This is true." (SchwartzApprovd and MG tweets, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 72 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 28, 2019, SA tweeted: "I thought Mark Pedowitz directing this ep was a bridge too far, but he proved me wrong. #Arrow150 —" and "Additionally... J.D. Davidson was our A Camera operator for the pilot and the 150th episode! Love that guy." (SA tweets, page 87 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 4, 2019, SA tweeted pic of himself as Oliver standing opposite someone whose head has been hidden by green ink, with comment: "#Arrow150 Tonight!" (SA tweet, page 90 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Edited February 4, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

SUMMARY OF 713 SPOILERS:

S7, Episode 13: Star City Slayer
-- Production code: 713. Shoot Dates: December 5-[14], 2018. Director: Gregory Smith. Writers: Beth Schwartz & Jill Blankenship. Airdate: February 11, 2019. (Dec. 18, 2018 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 71 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 713 synopsis: "THE TEAM IS TARGETED — Oliver (Stephen Amell) and Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) are disappointed after they learn that William (guest star Jack Moore) is hiding something from them. Wanting to focus on his family, Oliver steps back from his Green Arrow duties and let’s the team take over tracking down a serial killer. However, when the team becomes targets for the killer, things take a bloody turn. Gregory Smith directed the episode written by Beth Schwartz & Jill Blankenship (#713). Original airdate 2/11/2019." (Jan. 26, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- 713 promo pics were posted, featuring Oliver, Felicity, William, Diggle, Rene and Curtis. (Feb. 4, 2019 GreenArrowTV article, SpoilerTV and TVLine articles, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- 713 promo was posted, featuring villain with knife, Team Arrow, Oliver, Felicity and William. (713 promo video, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- 713 sneak peek #1 (TVInsider exclusive) was posted, featuring Oliver, Diggle, Dinah, Diggle and Curtis. (713 sneak peek video in Feb. 11, 2019 TVInsider article, page 93 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 713 sneak peek #2 (CW scene) was posted, featuring Oliver, Felicity and William. (Feb. 11, 2019 CW video of 713 scene, page 94 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- SA: "I just read the script for episode 713 and it came in at 58 pages." (HVFF-San Jose, Dec. 1, 2018: Fan Fest video, page 741 of Social Media thread, and ComicBook article, page 292 of Starling City Times thread)
-- SA tweeted Green Arrow comics panel of Oliver Queen pouring out a can of chili and saying "Hope you like chili... It's the only thing I do well," with comment: "Episode 713."  EP Beth Schwartz then retweeted SA's tweet, with comment: "Spoiler!!" (Dec. 5, 2018 SA and SchwartzApprovd tweets, page 7 of Spoilers thread and page 62 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- SA posted brief video of EBR resting on Arrow set, covered with pink blanket. (Dec. 7, 2018 snarky_bee tweet, page 741 of Social Media thread)
-- In response to 713 synopsis, Brendan Fletcher tweeted: "[grinning cat emoji] [knife emoji]." (Jan. 26, 2019 BrendanFletch tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- JH cancelled her scheduled appearance at Jekyll Comic Con, Dec. 8-9, 2018, "due to work schedule." (Dec. 5, 2018 tv echo post, page 741 of Social Media thread)
-- KM: "[Blackstar's anti-vigilante attitude] comes from how she was raised... and the environment in which she was raised. She was brought up in a very harsh world and a world that we haven't seen a lot of or heard a lot about and there's still a lot to discover. I can tell you next week's episode will have some answers." (Feb. 5, 2019 TV Guide article, page 92 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "But I’m in Episode 13, 14 and 15 as well, and there are multiple bombshells dropped from this point forward. What you saw at the end of the 150th episode [with Mia and Connor Hawke locating the decrepit bunker] is just the beginning. It’s the tip of the iceberg. Actually, this coming Monday is a huge episode for the future storyline. There’s at least one massive bomb drop this Monday." (Feb. 6, 2019 TVLine article, page 92 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On her character being called Mia by Connor, even though TVLine's original casting exclusive billed her as Maya, KM (coyly): "Yep! He did say that. And that’s what it was. Annnnd… I think you should talk to Beth about that one! I don’t know what I’m allowed to say on that subject. But I cannot wait for this Monday’s episode, because you see a lot more of Mia, and a lot more worlds collide…. A lot of these things that you’re asking me will be answered." (Feb. 6, 2019 TVLine article, page 92 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "There are many things that I cannot say, but there are many questions that will be answered on Monday." (Feb. 8, 2019 ETonline article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 92 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "The character is only growing and everything’s opening up more and more. There will be much more revealed very soon... All I can say is many answers to many questions happen on Monday, so just hang on ‘til Monday and then I can talk about it!" (Feb. 8, 2019 ETonline article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 92 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On the question of Blackstar’s parentage, KM: "Hmmmm. There are many questions about Blackstar and her past – and many of those questions will be answered on Monday (February 11th, a new episode of Arrow airs)! So, it’s a very pertinent time to be discussing all of this, but yes. There will be answers, maybe not all of the answers, but at least I can promise that as the season continues, every episode you will find out a little bit more and so will Blackstar. Because there’s a lot she finds that even she didn’t know." (Feb. 8, 2019 Pure Fandom article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 92 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per IMDb, 713 cast list includes actor Brendan Fletcher, who plays Stanley Dover, and actress Beverley Breuer, who's playing Irene Clayton. (IMDb link in Feb. 10, 2019 tv echo post, page 93 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Dec. 3, 2018, MG tweeted b-t-s pic of the construction of some type of raised platform with steps leading up to it and the beginnings of a roof skeleton, with comment: "On set." (MG tweet, page 7 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Dec. 6, 2018, Evan Roderick posted b-t-s pics of RG, JH and EK on set, and himself in cop uniform with tag: "Last Arrow Epi for awhile." (eroderickanderson instagram story, page 63 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread) 
-- On Dec. 6, 2018, JH tweeted: "I love my job so freaking much." (JH tweet, page 741 of Social Media thread)
-- On Dec. 12, 2018, CH posted an instagram story from the Arrow set and tagged BL and AS. (Chaser post, page 69 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Dec. 12, 2018, CH posted pic from Arrow set with JH, BL and AS, with comment: "Does this makeup make us look old lol? Old man Roy with his new #Arrow fam ?? @benlewishere @dresixtos @julianaharkavy." (CH instagram post, page 70 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Dec. 14, 2018, CH posted pic of himself as Older Roy on the Arrow set, with comment: "Feelin real cute today #Arrow." (CH instagram post, page 70 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Dec. 14, 2018, KM and AS were on the Arrow set. (KM instagram post, page 70 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Dec. 14, 2018, Joseph David-Jones started following CH, BL and AS, and CH started following JDJ. (way2interested post, page 70 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Dec. 16, 2018, media tweeted: "Joseph David-Jones is rumored to be reprising his role as Conor Hawke for ‘ARROW’ Season 7," with link to now deleted instagram post. (DiscussingFilm tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 71 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Dec. 16, 2018, fan tweeted b-t-s pic of Sea Shimooka, AS, CH and Joseph David-Jones, with comment: "We have visual on John Jr. I repeat John Diggle Junior has landed!!!  #Arrow" and link to now deleted instagram post. (OlicityDreams tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 71 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Dec. 18, 2018, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted pic of 713 title page with title covered by a knife, but revealing the director as Gregory Smith and the writers as Beth Schwartz & Jill Blankenship. (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 71 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 10, 2019, KM tweeted pic of her hand holding a knife, with comment: "What can I slay? A girl’s gotta accessorize... [star, horned smiley face, knife emojis] @CW_Arrow #StarCitySlayer tomorrow... #BLACKSTAR #ARROW." (Kat_McNamara tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 93 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 11, 2019, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "If you’re a fan of horror movies and a fan of #Arrow watch tonight’s episode!" and "Oh and kinda a big reveal #Arrow." (SchwartzApprovd tweets, page 94 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 11, 2019, TVLine's Matt Mitovich tweeted: "Cruel time for a brief hiatus, given what happens [grimacing face emoji]." In reply, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "Or the best time?" (MattMitovich and SchwartzApprovd tweets, page 94 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 11, 2019, EK posted b-t-s pics of himself with RG, EBR and DR, with comment: "So excited for tonight’s episode. It holds a special place in my heart. Also, this succession of photos is priceless. 😂 #Arrow." (echokells instagram post, page 94 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Edited February 11, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This summary includes all topical spoilers from January 22-February 24, 2019. This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

ADDENDUM #7 TO SUMMARY OF S7 SPOILERS BY TOPIC

S7 Scheduling and Production
-- S7 production dates are from July 6, 2018, through April 11, 2019. (Jan. 24, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- When asked if we were getting a new episode on Feb. 18, 2019, or whether there was going to be a small hiatus, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "There will be a short hiatus." (Feb. 10, 2019 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 74 of Ratings & Scheduling thread)
-- None of The CW's superhero shows will air new episodes the week of February 24, 2019. On Monday, February 25, Arrow will air "Unmasked" (708). (Feb. 7, 2019 ComicBook article, page 74 of Ratings and Scheduling thread)

S7 Generally
-- DR: "Stephen in particular knows what’s going to happen at the end of the season." (Jan. 28, 2019 TVLine article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "New characters? Yes, in both shows [Arrow, Shadowhunters], there are new characters I think you guys will really enjoy." (Feb. 18, 2019 KM instagram live video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 97 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

S7 Flashforwards
-- On whether we can prevent this bleak future, KM: "You can’t. It’s very different than the [Season 1] episode of Legends you saw, where you saw the future of Arrow." On that LoT episode being the one in which Joseph David-Jones first played Diggle's son, Connor Hawke, KM: "Exactly. This is a very different future, and it’s one that is what it is." (Feb. 6, 2019 TVLine article, page 92 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Team Arrow
-- DR: "The whole police connection to Team Arrow is going to take a very interesting twist. So in answer to your question [of whether Diggle is going to weigh in on Oliver's new SCPD gig], yes, but there’s even more to that than you would think." (Jan. 28, 2019 TVLine article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Original Team Arrow ("OTA")
-- DR: "[Y]ou will get to see OTA back in action... You will get to see your team back in action together and there will be major, major makeups, so it’s coming. It’s not coming in episode 711, but it is coming and it’s a big part of this season, so [fans] will get it. If they just hang on they will get it. It’s not a season of Arrow without a lot of twists of turns.” (Jan. 28, 2019 ETonline article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether we can look forward to any OTA moments, DR: "There are. You’ll see OTA again. It’s the crux of our show, right, but listen, there are 22 episodes, so we have to go away, we have to come back…. But yes, the return of OTA is absolutely happening, and it’s going to be fantastic. It won’t happen in my episode [711], but we will get back together." (Jan. 28, 2019 TVLine article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether we are getting any OTA scenes this season, DR: "Yes you will." (Jan. 25, 2019 DR tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- On when we will see Diggle finally happy with OTA and when OTA will come back, DR: "Soon" and "SOON!" (Jan. 25, 2019 DR tweets, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- On what will lead Diggle to take a step towards his old friends Felicity and Oliver, DR: "You will see. Soon." (Jan. 25, 2019 DR tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread)

Oliver & Felicity ("Olicity")
-- KM: "As the season continues, we get more answers and it becomes very clear how dire the world has become in the future and the lengths that Oliver and Felicity had to go to protect their children. We don’t know what went wrong, but something went very wrong, very quickly for them to have to resort to these kind of measures." (Feb. 11 2019 TVLine article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 94 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "What it really does is, it shows you how dire the world has become and really the ruin that has come to Star City to force to Felicity and Oliver to go to these lengths to protect their children." (Feb. 11, 2019 TV Guide article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 95 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On why Mia Smoak and William Queen don’t know each other in the future, KM: "It all goes back to the ruin that Star City has fallen into and showing the real lengths that Oliver and Felicity had to go to to keep their children safe." (Feb. 11, 2019 ETonline article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 95 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "And so, only the two of them [William and Mia] understand what it's like to have parents that - to have those parents that will sacrifice everything, including their children, to save the greater good." (Feb. 18, 2019 KM instagram live video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 97 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether it will all hopefully lead to a happy family reunion, with SA and EBR in old-age makeup, KM: "(Laughs) Wellll… we’ll see about that. I don’t know that there are any happy reunions in Future Star City, but we will certainly see something." (Feb. 11 2019 TVLine article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 94 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Oliver Queen AKA Green Arrow
-- The DR-directed episode [711] was about “continuing the story and theme” of Oliver as he dives deeper “uncovering his father’s past." DR: "It was really about that piece of character development and showing the audience what toll this is taking on him emotionally.” (Jan. 28, 2019 ETonline article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 25, 2019, SA tweeted: "Got an unexpected vacation with my family. Trying to chill. Bunch of drunk people are yelling 'Oliver Queeeeeennnn!!!' at me. Going to head over there shortly for a beer and tell them I'm only here because they killed my character." (SA tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 85 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Felicity Smoak AKA Overwatch
-- On whether Mia thinks Felicity could truly still be alive, or whether this is just wishful thinking or denial on Mia's part, KM: "I mean, at this point, she has really no information. I think at this point in the story she is operating on a blind hope that her mother is not dead. Given that their relationship doesn't seem to have resolved on the best of terms, she would probably like to resolve that." (Feb. 11, 2019 TV Guide article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 95 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether Mia's statement that Felicity is alive is based on hard evidence or just wishes, hopes and dreams, KM: "It’s a bit of both. Even though they have an obviously strained relationship, Felicity is still her mom and Mia doesn’t want her mom to be dead. She doesn’t want to feel like she’s completely alone and stranded without a mother in this world. She cares about Felicity, she doesn’t want to lose her. I think she doesn’t necessarily have hard evidence, but she knows her mother - and she knows her mother is a survivor as well, and odds are her mother’s not dead. But I do think a lot of it is hope and a prayer at this point." (Feb. 11 2019 TVLine article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 94 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- During 716 filming, fan tweeted partial clip from CH's instagram live video in which you can hear EBR in the background, with comment: "Seems like Emily Bett is on set with the Flash Forward crew!!!! Might be wrong but that is def her laugh right?! on Colton IG and she just posted also with Colton tagged. Are we getting Old Felicity!!!! #Arrow #Olicity." (Jan. 23, 2019 ya_boy_ben tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- During 716 filming, fan tweeted full video from CH's instagram live video, with comment: "The whole clip from Colton’s IG stories. You can hear Emily and Kat singing in the background." (Jan. 23, 2019 ElisaQueen tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- During 716 filming, fan tweeted: "(SPOILER) Colton yesterday uploaded videos of the shoot of # Arrow . Flashfowards were being recorded with the cast of the future and Emily was present at the shoot. So what is believed that Felicity is not really dead in the future that show." (Jan. 24, 2019 TodoArrow tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

John Diggle AKA Spartan 
-- DR: "Diggle is alive and well 20 years into the future, okay? And he's quite well in fact. I can't tell you what he's doing, because it is a huge thing. I can't tell you that exactly, but I can tell you that he's alive and that he's well, but, I think they're saving some of that for a later date. In fact, I know they are." (Jan. 28, 2019 TV Guide article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- We can expect to meet this spring the decorated Army general who served as Diggle's mentor back in the day. Though the two are now estranged, they meet up again under unexpected circumstances. (Feb. 20, 2019 TVLine article, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- In response to fan who doesn't understand Diggle's choices right now and what he hopes to see going foward, DR tweeted: "Some very special moments are coming..." (Jan. 25, 2019 DR tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Diggle's friendship with Felicity is repairable, DR: "Yes." (Jan. 25, 2019 DR tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Diggle will brush over or apologize for how he treated Felicity & William when she went to him for help, DR: "I can't give too many details but love is in the air. Remember this is family. Noone fights... or loves like family." (Jan. 25, 2019 DR tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the "Elseworlds" crossover hinting that Earth-90 Diggle was Green Lantern, DR: "We've been talking about that ring since Season 1... I always loved the idea of being able to jump into the John Stewart mythos, obviously, but I also loved the idea that we were creating something that didn't exist before. John Diggle never existed before. We created this character, Spartan, that never existed in the comics or in any other universe, and now it's part of the comics. So that was always something and continues to be something I'm really proud of. But who can resist playing the Green Lantern? So yeah, was I excited when I saw that? Without a doubt. Will it ever happen? Who knows. I don't have the answer to that - it's way above my paygrade - but it's something would love to do." (Jan. 25, 2019 TV Guide article, page 296 of Starling City Times thread)
-- On whether Diggle will ever become Green Lantern, DR tweeted: "Don't know." (Jan. 25, 2019 DR tweet, page 746 of Social Media thread)

Emiko Queen 
-- On Jan. 22, 2019, Sea Shimooka tweeted: "signed my lease today ! moving to LA in 2 weeks and cannot wait for the eternal sun to burn me." (seashimooka tweet, page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 4, 2019, Sea Shimooka tweeted pic of herself at Vancouver Film Studios, with comment: "back to work and rockin’ new lil hair wisps." (seashimooka tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 91 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Curtis Holt AKA Mr. Terrific
-- On whether he has started talking to the Arrow writers about when his potential return to the show might happen, EK: "We’ve had some discussions. Nothing’s been finalized at this point, but we’ve definitely discussed that aspect and they definitely made sure and clear that they want Curtis to come back. I can’t give you any definitive episodes or storylines, but it’s definitely something I’m 100-percent open to doing, and I believe they’re open to doing it too, so it should definitely work out at some point in the future." (Feb. 11, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 299 of Starling City Times thread)

Earth-2 Laurel Lance AKA Black Siren
-- On whether we are going to get some Earth-2 backstory for E2 Laurel in 711, DR: "You are. You are. And you get some looks at Arrow‘s version of Earth-Two. We’ve already seen it on Flash, so you’ll see Arrow‘s version." (Jan. 28, 2019 TVLine article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Roy Harper AKA Arsenal
-- On whether Roy will show up again soon, KM: Yes." (Feb. 6, 2019 TVLine article, page 92 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

William "Will" Clayton
-- On whether we will get any insight into why William feels abandoned by his parents, KM: "For sure. Both [William and Mia] feel extremely abandoned in their own ways, and as much as the two of them are at odds, their relationship is really, really wonderful and so rich, because there are all these different facets to it. First of all, you have this sibling rivalry - 'you were the biological kid'/'but you were the one who got to experience more of a normal childhood.' Both of them are jealous of each other, and yet they bond with each other because no one can else can understand the experience of being Oliver and Felicity’s child. They bond over the struggle that that entails, the feeling of abandonment, and the feeling of being second to the greater good of the city. ... It’s not easy growing up with superhero parents and feeling as though you are Priority No. 2. Yes, they understand it’s important, but also you’re a kid and you want your parents to care about you and what you need and what you want, and not put you aside to defend strangers." (Feb. 11 2019 TVLine article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 94 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "To speak about brothers and sisters on television, William and Mia's relationship... is also very interesting, because it's not easy to be the child of vigilantes. It's not easy to be the child of superheroes. And so, only the two of them understand what it's like to have parents that - to have those parents that will sacrifice everything, including their children, to save the greater good. And that causes a lot of ... (long pause) ... issues within and between the two of them. And also it's a very interesting situation because they're both jealous of each other, in certain ways. You know, William isn't the biological child of both of them, but Mia's childhood was a lot different than William's. So it's very interesting to see how the two of them relate, how they get along, and also where that little bit of sibling rivalry lies." (Feb. 18, 2019 KM instagram live video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 97 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether Mia's dynamic with William will change now that William knows they're brother and sister, KM: "It changes everything for both of them and whether that's for better or for worse we will find out soon." (Feb. 11, 2019 TV Guide article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 95 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Mia Smoak AKA Blackstar 
-- KM: "It's Mia, by the way. A lot of people are asking in the chat if it's Maya or Mia. It is Mia. That has been established. It changed once, but it is Mia. I think, as they were writing the show, they were figuring out what they wanted to do." (Feb. 18, 2019 KM instagram live video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 97 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "Why Mia Smoak and not Mia Queen? Interesting question. Question I've gotten a lot. Uh, what I can say is that it speaks to the harshness of Star City in 2040, the fact that even having the name 'Queen' puts a target on your back, and it also has a lot to do with how Mia feels about her father. Uh, but we'll get into more of that later." (Feb. 18, 2019 KM instagram live video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 97 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On why her character's name is Mia Smoak instead of Mia Queen, KM: "I can elaborate in the sense that you will be getting those answers -- but maybe not as soon as you’d like. In a few episodes, there will be an all-future episode [716] where we really get to see a lot of Mia’s childhood and a lot of moments that really shaped her into who she became and why those qualities are the way they are, including her last name. But for now, it’s enough to know that she is Mia Smoak and she claims to be the daughter of Oliver and Felicity. So she knows that Oliver is her father, but does not take his name. Ultimately, the most important thing to know at this point is that this is indicative of how dire the world has become... To know that even having the last name 'Queen' puts a target on your back." (Feb. 11, 2019 ETonline article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 95 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether everyone becomes fast friends after Mia reveals her identity, KM: "Mia isn’t one to make friends with anyone quickly. It’s like pulling teeth to get her to befriend anyone. [Laughs] But that just speaks to how hardened she has become, given the environment she has been living in. It also says something that she identifies herself as Mia Smoak, not necessarily Mia Queen - that even having the name 'Queen' puts a target on her back. She’s extremely guarded with who she trusts, and I would say that the others are equally so. Anyone who claims to be a member of that inner circle is going to have to prove it in order to be trusted. Everyone’s out to survive in this world, and Mia above any of them has had to survive on her own for quite a while now. We’ll find out later that she is well equipped to do so, but it has changed her for sure." (Feb. 11 2019 TVLine article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 94 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "Beth had said to me that they wanted her to be the perfect blend of the two of them – to be physically everything Oliver Queen and then intellectually everything Felicity Smoak, so I had my work cut out for me." (Feb. 11, 2019 ETonline article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 95 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether Mia takes after Oliver or Felicity more, KM: "It depends on the situation and from which perspective you look. Physically, she very much takes after Oliver. She's extremely aggressive in that she takes on situations from the point of offense before defense, and she will take you down before you can take her down, in a heartbeat. Emotions aren't necessarily her forte. She much more prefers to deal with things on an intellectual or physical level rather than an emotional level because she has trouble dealing with emotions, which we will discover very quickly. But that's where she lies on the Oliver spectrum. But she has quite a bit of tact. She's very quippy, very witty, very clever in the sense that Felicity is. It's very indicative of her childhood, which we do get to see in a few episodes, which will be a lot of fun." (Feb. 11, 2019 TV Guide article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 95 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "The Shadowhunters fandom and the Arrow fandom have always been very closely connected, so I've seen the massive support for Olicity from day one, and now having watched the show, I completely get it. I'm completely on board as well, but now having to fill those shoes, those are two very large pairs of shoes to fill. On top of that they say, 'Yeah, we want her to physically resemble and have the characteristics of Stephen and have the intellect and tact of Emily's character.' And I'm sitting there going, 'Wait, how soon do I have to do the salmon ladder? When do I have to look like Stephen Amell? Because I need some time for this.' But it's been really lovely and both Stephen and Emily have been really amazing. It's been such a collaborative, wonderful process and I'm truly honored to be taking on this responsibility." (Feb. 11, 2019 TV Guide article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 95 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "[W]hen Beth first called me and told me who I actually was, she goes, 'yeah, um, so, intellectually, we want her to have all the best qualities of Felicity, but physically we want her to have all the qualities of Oliver.' So I'm going, 'So salmon ladder? Or the 12-pack? Or what's - what, what do I need to do?'" (Feb. 20, 2019 Entertainment Tonight video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 748 of Social Media thread)
-- On how much she tried to incorporate Felicity and Oliver's traits into this character, KM: "Exactly! Well, as much as possible. A lot of that's been helped by the dialogue and the situations that Mia has been put in. I did a lot of research. I did as much as I could. You know, the wiki's online about the comic characters and I had a few months to watch the entire series, so I've watched all six — and now six and a half seasons — of the show just to try and pick up on any mannerisms or characteristics or ways of walking into a room or ways they handle certain situations just so I can find those little nuggets that will really make it real for the fans and for all of us." (Feb. 11, 2019 TV Guide article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 95 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On which Oliver and Felicity mannerisms she chose to infuse into Mia, KM: "Well, with Oliver’s physicality, obviously, I’m never going to look like Stephen Amell! [Laughs] No matter how much I work out or how much grilled chicken I eat -- that man is on a whole different level. But what’s neat about bringing that into a character -- especially a female character -- is to find really interesting ways to bring those kinds of masculine physicalities and the very offensive and aggressive way of moving into this character. It adds a very interesting quality that we haven’t necessarily seen in many of the characters in the Arrow'verse yet. She is very much like him in many ways, but also, you have these qualities of Felicity in her: her wit and her tact and her intellect and the way in which she thinks about things and plans and strategizes. Something you’ll find about Mia that you’ll love, as time goes on, is she has quite the mouth on her. She’s quite snarky. We’ve seen a little bit, but it only grows and I think that comes from combining Felicity’s humor and wit with Oliver’s aggression and brutishness." (Feb. 11, 2019 ETonline article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 95 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether SA and EBR both knew that she knew and whether it was a secret among the three of them, KM: "I believe so. There were some people on-set, certain department heads that knew, but Mia doesn’t find her parents right away, so I’ve met Stephen and Emily but I haven’t worked with them a ton. We’ve been on opposite schedules for a lot of the time I’ve been on the show but as people find out, it’s been interesting to see. The cast and crew have been so welcoming and everyone’s been excited to see this new iteration of their power couple. It’s been an interesting journey because from Day 1, Beth has said they’re trying to combine the best qualities of Oliver and Felicity - his physical strength and her intellectual strength. It’s been an interesting thought process trying to combine those and make them into something new. But I love challenges like that." (Feb. 11 2019 TVLine article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 94 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "I hope I can do justice by this character that's supposed to be a combination of this power couple." (Feb. 18, 2019 KM instagram live video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 97 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how much we will learn about Mia's upbringing and what her relationships with Oliver and Felicity are like, KM: "I can't say much about that, but what I can say is that the next few episodes — and I still don't know everything because we're still shooting Season 7 right now — but from what I know, the next few episodes reveal quite a bit about Mia and how she was raised and why she is the way she is and why she's so gosh darn angry all the time. A lot of that has to do with her upbringing and how she was raised, being this kid. A lot of it has to do with the relationship with her parents and that plays very heavily into who she became." (Feb. 11, 2019 TV Guide article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 95 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On when we can expect to start piecing together this mystery of why no one seems to recognize her for who she is, KM: "We start to get little pieces in this episode. Mia doesn't even have all of the pieces herself, but as things start to unravel and as information gets shared, more and more gets revealed as they get closer and closer to figuring out what this message that came to the Hozen means. Now that they have more people that have more information, it starts to all build. What it really does is, it shows you how dire the world has become and really the ruin that has come to Star City to force to Felicity and Oliver to go to these lengths to protect their children." (Feb. 11, 2019 TV Guide article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 95 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "Ooh, what can I tease without teasing too much? Uh, you get to see a lot about why Mia is the way she is, and what in her childhood and what events in her life up until this point happened to form her into this hardened fighter, into this person that doesn't deal with emotions well, doesn't deal with vulnerability well, and has really guarded herself." (Feb. 20, 2019 Entertainment Tonight video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 748 of Social Media thread)
-- On why Mia winded up being so anti-vigilante, KM: "She has a very specific perception of vigilantes based on her experience as well as based on the information she had as a kid [and] what's she's learned since being on her own. All of that has come together — plus her own personal struggles and pain and hurt that she's experienced — it all comes together to form this very strong feeling of animosity towards vigilantes and this almost vengeful resentment of them." (Feb. 11, 2019 TV Guide article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 95 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- When asked to talk about Arrow, KM: "I can say that, as the episodes move on, you learn even more about Mia and about her past and kinda why she is the way she is, as well as more about this future and the future of Star City and what it's become and more about the Glades and kinda this world and why it is so harsh and how it got to be the way that it is." (Feb. 18, 2019 KM instagram live video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 97 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On being surprised that Mia Smoak and William Queen don’t know each other in the future, KM: "I was surprised and that was another question I had for Beth. Thank god for Beth Schwartz because she has been such a lovely, collaborative wealth of information for me. There are many things that I don’t have the privilege of knowing yet, but she’s been so good to me in that I can call and ask her a question and she will give me some kind of answer to do my work off of that does not reveal what they still want to keep hidden. So thank goodness for her. But aside from my tangent, that is a very interesting question and one that we will get the answer to very soon. It all goes back to the ruin that Star City has fallen into and showing the real lengths that Oliver and Felicity had to go to to keep their children safe. (Feb. 11, 2019 ETonline article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 95 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On William and Mia not recognizing each other being a misdirect by design, KM: "One-hundred percent. I know that in talking to the writers and everything, they were trying to delay the inevitable figuring-it-out as much as possible, because they wanted to save the reveal for a bit later, in order to first establish the severity of the world and the twisted childhood that she had, which we’ll see more of as the season continues. There’s a reason why Mia is the way she is, and there’s a reason she has such a resentment for vigilantes and for her own parents. It’s been a challenge for me, because I get little bits of information as I get new scripts and as I’m entrusted with new secrets, but a lot of things have been question marks for me as much as they have been for the audience." (Feb. 11 2019 TVLine article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 94 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether we will get into how and why it is that Mia and William don’t know each other, KM: 'We get into a little bit of where she’s coming from and who she is and what she’s planning, what she wants. Finally we get that more than just 'ominous comments at the end of an episode.' As the season continues, we get more answers and it becomes very clear how dire the world has become in the future and the lengths that Oliver and Felicity had to go to protect their children. We don’t know what went wrong, but something went very wrong, very quickly for them to have to resort to these kind of measures." (Feb. 11 2019 TVLine article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 94 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether Mia's dynamic with William will change now that William knows they're brother and sister, KM: "McNamara: It changes everything for both of them and whether that's for better or for worse we will find out soon." (Feb. 11, 2019 TV Guide article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 95 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "Both [William and Mia] feel extremely abandoned in their own ways, and as much as the two of them are at odds, their relationship is really, really wonderful and so rich, because there are all these different facets to it. First of all, you have this sibling rivalry - 'you were the biological kid'/'but you were the one who got to experience more of a normal childhood.' Both of them are jealous of each other, and yet they bond with each other because no one can else can understand the experience of being Oliver and Felicity’s child. They bond over the struggle that that entails, the feeling of abandonment, and the feeling of being second to the greater good of the city. ... It’s not easy growing up with superhero parents and feeling as though you are Priority No. 2. Yes, they understand it’s important, but also you’re a kid and you want your parents to care about you and what you need and what you want, and not put you aside to defend strangers." (Feb. 11 2019 TVLine article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 94 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "To speak about brothers and sisters on television, William and Mia's relationship... is also very interesting, because it's not easy to be the child of vigilantes. It's not easy to be the child of superheroes. And so, only the two of them understand what it's like to have parents that - to have those parents that will sacrifice everything, including their children, to save the greater good. And that causes a lot of ... (long pause) ... issues within and between the two of them. And also it's a very interesting situation because they're both jealous of each other, in certain ways. You know, William isn't the biological child of both of them, but Mia's childhood was a lot different than William's. So it's very interesting to see how the two of them relate, how they get along, and also where that little bit of sibling rivalry lies." (Feb. 18, 2019 KM instagram live video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 97 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On 716, KM: "I cannot wait for people to see it because that is probably the episode in which you get the most answers and you get to see quite a bit of Mia's childhood as well as some really key moments that shaped who she became and how she got to be a fighter and how she got to be this really hardened person that she is." (Feb. 11, 2019 TV Guide article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 95 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On why KM's character name changed from Maya to Mia, AS: "Things changed, no need to overthink it. Mia is her forever name now [upside-down face and thumbs up emojis]." (AndreaSixtos1 tweet, page 96 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

John Diggle Jr. AKA Connor Hawke
-- Joseph David-Jones has joined the Arrow cast as a recurring guest for the rest of S7. In the official character description, provided by Warner Bros. Television, Hawke is described as "John Diggle's adopted son and friend of Mia who is hiding more secrets than it appears." (Feb. 11, 2019 ComicBook article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 96 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per KM, over the next couple of episodes, we will learn more about not just Mia, but Diggle’s grown son as well - including “where they’re coming from, and where they’re headed.” (Feb. 20, 2019 TVLine article, page 10 of Spoilers thread)

The Ghost Initiative
-- DR: "[T]he Ghost Initiative is, like most mechanisms of our show, serving a bigger story. This isn’t a long-reaching arc, with the Ghost Initiative. It has been 'brought back from the dead' to serve a bigger story. And that bigger story will be Diaz’s connections to a bigger bad guy, Dante. We’ll find out more about him in this episode[711], and in the coming episodes." (Jan. 28, 2019 TVLine article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Kelly Hu is not aware of any talks about a Ghost Initiative spin-off series. (Feb. 9, 2019 ComicBookCentral podcast interview with KH, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 97 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Chien Na Wei AKA China White
-- Kelly Hu: "China White is back... Well, she's not dead. I did a couple more episodes... I shot them, one is yet still to air... Well, I did two of them. The first one aired." (Feb. 9, 2019 ComicBookCentral podcast interview with KH, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 97 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Longbow Hunters
-- On Jan. 25, 2019, Miranda Edwards posted b-t-s pic of herself as the Silencer with her stunt double, with comment: "That time I met this badass chick and she said "Don't worry, I got you." Umm...she was not joking. #silencer #blackgirlmagic #stuntwomanwickedness." When asked when we will see the Longbow Hunters again, ME: "Keep yr eyes peeled. I think somethings on it's way." and "keep watching." (realmirandaedwards instagram post * comments, page 9 of Spoilers thread)

Nick Anastas (SCPD Officer)
-- On Jan. 22, 2019, Evan Roderick posted pic from Toronto, with comment: "New digs." (eroerickanderson instagram post, page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 25, 2019, Evan Roderick posted pic of himself with the cast of his new Netflix series, Spinning Out, with comment: "The gang...ready to shoot! #netflix #spinningout." (eroderickanderson instagram post, page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Rory Regan AKA Ragman
-- When asked if we're going to see Ragman back on Arrow in future seasons or in the Crisis On Infinite Earths crossover, Joe Dinicol: "You know, um, your guess is as good as mine. I will say, there's always a lot of talk of bringing me back and so it's just, um - the show has a lot of great characters, a lot of rich characters, and, um, you know, to bring me back would be to explain everything." Then the interviewer noted that the nuclear bomb had taken the power out of his Ragman suit, so JD responded: "That's right. I took the blast of a nuclear bomb. So, yeah, to bring me back would be, I think, a - would take up a bit of story real estate. And so, there's always talk about it. I know that they'd like to, but - ... Listen, if you're not dead, there's a lot of ways to go, you know. Even if you are dead, [unintelligible words]... So the short answer is, probably, maybe, I'd say, yeah." Interviewer said that a lot of fans want to see him back on Arrow. JD: "From their lips to God's ears - and by God, I mean Beth Schwartz. The showrunner. (Laughs) ... I would love it. I had a great time and I love being there and I love that - that whole crew is pretty special." (Pensacon, Feb. 23, 2109: Comic Insider video of JD interview, page 748 of Social Media thread)

Looking Beyond S7 and Ending Arrow
-- Arrow was renewed for an 8th season. (Television Critics Association (TCA) Winter Press Tour, Jan. 31, 2019: Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter articles, page 297 of Starling City Times thread)
-- With Arrow renewed for its eighth season, CW President Mark Pedowitz is aware that some of the Greg Berlanti-produced DC shows are starting to show signs of age. MP: "Things will age and we want to get the next generation of shows to keep The CW DC universe going for as long as possible." Decisions about final seasons of any of The CW's fare - including Arrow - will likely come around May's upfront presentations to ad buyers. (Television Critics Association (TCA) Winter Press Tour, Jan. 31, 2019: The Hollywood Reporter article, page 297 of Starling City Times thread and page 19 of Crisis On Infinite Earths 2019 thread in LoT forum)
-- On whether there are too many DC TV shows, CW President Mark Pedowitz: "Oh, I don’t have that number yet. We haven’t hit that saturation point in my mind. I’m looking forward to Batwoman. Hopefully, in May we’ll be able to order it to series. I’m thrilled where we are with Arrow, Flash, Legends, Black Lightning, and Supergirl. So I think we have a lot to say. I think there’s more to be said. What I’d really like to do is things will age, and we want to get the next generation of shows to keep this CW Universe going for as many years as possible." (Television Critics Association (TCA) Winter Press Tour, Jan. 31, 2019: Feb. 1, 2019 CinemaBlend article, page 297 of Starling City Times thread)
-- Per CW President Mark Pedowitz, it's highly likely that the 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' crossover will feature a character death. (Television Critics Association (TCA) Winter Press Tour, Jan. 31, 2019: The Hollywood Reporter article, page 19 of Crisis On Infinite Earths 2019 thread in LoT forum)
-- CW President Mark Pedowitz: "Crisis on Infinite Earths, one thing I can tell you early in the planning stages, we're already talking to producers, we're a year out, almost a year out. It will be the biggest, the most complicated, one that they've done, but I am proud to say that they're doing it and we are supporting it." (Television Critics Association (TCA) Winter Press Tour, Jan. 31, 2019: Feb. 1, 2019 CinemaBlend article, page 19 of Crisis On Infinite Earths 2019 thread in LoT thread)
-- CW President Mark Pedowitz: “It will be the biggest and most complicated [crossover yet]." On whether the 2019 crossover will take big swings similar to the 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' comics, MP: “That is the intent, to take some big swings... Can’t tell you if it’ll follow the comic book version, but it’ll take some big swings.” (Television Critics Association (TCA) Winter Press Tour, Jan. 31, 2019: TVLine article, page 18 of Crisis On Infinite Earths 2019 thread in LoT forum, and The Hollywood Reporter article, page 19 of Crisis On Infinite Earths 2019 thread in LoT forum)
-- CW President Mark Pedowitz: “It will be the biggest, the most complicated one that they’ve done, but I am proud to say that they are doing it and we are supporting them... I can’t tell you if it will follow the comic book version, but it will take some big swings." (Television Critics Association (TCA) Winter Press Tour, Jan. 31, 2019: Entertainment Weekly article, page 19 of Crisis On Infinite Earths 2019 thread in LoT forum)
-- On whether LoT will return to the crossover mix after sitting out 'Elseworlds,' CW President Mark Pedowitz said he didn’t know the plan yet, but “I hope so." MP: “We’re talking about a number of different ways to go... It is ‘Crisis on Infinite Earths,’ and if you know the history, things collapse.” (Television Critics Association (TCA) Winter Press Tour, Jan. 31, 2019: TVLine article, page 18 of Crisis On Infinite Earths 2019 thread in LoT forum)
-- On whether LoT will be involved in 'Crisis on Infinite Earths,' CW President Mark Pedowitz: “I hope so.” MP: "It’s going to be the biggest one we ever did... The only reason Legends wasn’t this year was the complications in production of doing these things. We don’t want to wear out everybody before the season ends. But we’re talking about a number of different ways to go. It is Crisis on Infinite Earths and if you know the history, things collapse.” (Television Critics Association (TCA) Winter Press Tour, Jan. 31, 2019: Entertainment Weekly article, page 19 of Crisis On Infinite Earths 2019 thread in LoT forum)
-- Per "a source close to We Got This Covered," both Arrow and LoT will be ending after the next season (2019-20 broadcast year). Basically, this is because the Arrowverse landscape is said to be drastically different post-Crisis On Infinite Earths. Characters from cancelled shows may move over to other series. (Feb. 22, 2019 We Got This Covered article, page 19 of Crisis On Infinite Earths 2019 thread in LoT forum)
-- Per We Got This Covered, after the next run of seasons, Arrow, LoT and Supergirl are all potentially coming to an end. The thinking’s that The Flash and Batwoman would then be joined by the next generation of series set in the Arrowverse. (Feb. 23, 2019 We Got This Covered article, page 19 of Crisis On Infinite Earths 2019 thread in LoT forum)
-- Per "sources close to We Got This Covered," the Crisis On Infinite Earths crossover will have enormous ramifications for the multiverse and will end with the varying Earths of the Arrowverse being merged into one, meaning that yes, all of the shows will take place on one single Earth. (Feb. 23, 2019 We Got This Covered article, page 19 of Crisis On Infinite Earths 2019 thread in LoT forum)

Edited March 2, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

SUMMARY OF 714 SPOILERS:

S7, Episode 14: Brothers & Sisters
-- Production code: 714. Shoot Dates: December [17-21, 2018, and January 8-9, 2019]. Director: Marcus Stokes. Writers: Rebecca Bellotto & Jeane Wong. Airdate: Mar. 4, 2019. (Feb. 15, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- 714 synopsis: "DIGGLE AND LYLA DEPLOY THE GHOST INITIATIVE — After months of covertly pursuing Dante, Diggle (David Ramsey) and Lyla (guest star Audrey Marie Anderson) finally have a solid lead on the elusive terrorist, so they deploy the ARGUS Ghost Initiative to apprehend him. Meanwhile, Oliver (Stephen Amell) tries to bond with Emiko (Sea Shimooka). Marcus Stokes directed the episode written by Rebecca Bellotto & Jeane Wong (#714). Original airdate 3/4/2019." (Feb. 15, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- 714 promo pics were posted, featuring Oliver, Emiko, Rene, Felicity, E2 Laurel, Diaz, China White, Kane Wolfman, Carrie Cutter/Cupid, Diggle and Lyla. (Feb. 15, 2019 MeredithJJacobs tweet & All About TV News article, page 10 of Spoilers thread, and Feb. 14, 2019 GreenArrowTV article, page 97 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 714 promo was posted, featuring Oliver, Felicity, Diggle, Lyla and Diaz, including a scene of Diaz apparently shooting Felicity. (714 promo video, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 94 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 714 sneak peek was posted, featuring Oliver and Emiko. (Mar. 2, 2019 TVLine tweet & article and TV Promos video of 714 sneak peek, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- 714 sneak peek #2 (CW scene), featuring Diggle, Lyla, Diaz, Kane Wolfman, China White and Cupid. (714 sneak peek scene video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 105 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)zzzzzz
-- 714 producer's preview was posted, with Oscar Balderrama doing the commentary. (Mar. 4, 2019 CW_Arrow tweet & video, page 105 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per papps, Arrow production was on holiday hiatus from filming in Vancouver from Dec. 22, 2018, through Jan. 3, 2019. (Dec. 14, 2018 WhatsFilming and yvrshoots tweets, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 70 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "But I’m in Episode 13, 14 and 15 as well, and there are multiple bombshells dropped from this point forward." (Feb. 6, 2019 TVLine article, page 92 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "Yes, I will be in the next Arrow episode. It's not till March 4th, but, yes, I will be in that episode." (Feb. 18, 2019 KM instagram live video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 97 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how much we will learn about Mia's upbringing and what her relationships with Oliver and Felicity are like, KM: "I can't say much about that, but what I can say is that the next few episodes — and I still don't know everything because we're still shooting Season 7 right now — but from what I know, the next few episodes reveal quite a bit about Mia and how she was raised and why she is the way she is and why she's so gosh darn angry all the time. A lot of that has to do with her upbringing and how she was raised, being this kid. A lot of it has to do with the relationship with her parents and that plays very heavily into who she became." (Feb. 11, 2019 TV Guide article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 95 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "Mia's really wonderful. And now we know who she is on the show. She's Olicity's daughter. And tonight we get some more answers on that bomb that's been dropped. Why she and William don't recognize each other. Who Connor Hawke is, how he fits in the story. Why Dinah and Roy clearly don't even know that Olicity had a kid." (Mar. 4, 2019 ET video interview with KM, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 105 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Kelly Hu: "China White is back... Well, she's not dead. I did a couple more episodes... I shot them, one is yet still to air... Well, I did two of them. The first one aired." (Feb. 9, 2019 ComicBookCentral podcast interview with KH, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 97 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per IMDb, actress Parmiss Sehat is guest starring in 714 as a character named "Princess Noor." (IMDb link in Jan. 14, 2019 tv echo poast, page 77 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Dec. 14, 2019, director Marcus Stokes posted: "Rockin my new Flash swag on my last day of prep for Arrow!!! #cw #arrowseason7 #director #directorlife." (themarcusstokes instagram post, page 75 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Dec. 17, 2018, CH posted pic of himself as Older Roy, with BL as Adult William, JH as Older Dinah, KM as Maya and AS as Adult Zoe." (coltonlhaynes instagram post, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 71 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Dec. 18, 2018, CH posted pic of himself as Older Roy drawing back an arrow on a bow. (coltonlhaynes instagram post, page 72 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Dec. 21, 2018, SA tweeted: "It’s weird... I was shooting Arrow in Vancouver a couple of hours ago and now I’m at Disney World." (SA tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 72 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Dec. 21, 2018, Arrow writers tweeted: "Last day of 2018! Food was eaten, laughs were exchanged, and paper plate awards were given out. We’ll see you in 2019, everyone. Thank you and happy holidays." (ARROWwriters tweet, page 743 of Social Media thread)
-- On Jan. 6, 2019, SA posted video of himself fake-training with toy bow and arrow while his daughter watched, with comment: "Back to work Tuesday... ramping up my training! Excellent ?? work by Young Maverick.." (SA instagram post, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 73 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 8, 2019, Audrey Marie Anderson tweeted: "Back on set with the Arrow team! Harbinger is on task. @CW_Arrow." (aud_anderson tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 74 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 8, 2019, KM: "You know, I just got to work with Colton Haynes for the first time, who I know is a fan favorite - and a personal favorite. He's a fantastic human being, who I'm so excited I got to spend time with." Also KM: "I haven't met everybody yet." (Jan. 8, 2019 Popcorn Talk video of "I Could Never Be Katherine McNamara" interview, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 744 of Social Media thread)
-- On Jan. 9, 2019, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted partial pic of 714 title page with title covered by yellow ink, with comment: "There is a clue in this picture of what the title is for 714...." Per 714 title page, director is Marcus Stokes and writers are Rebecca Bellotto & Jeane Wong. Also in the pic are framed wall posters and news articles for Arrow, Everwood and Jack & Bobby. (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 74 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 9, 2019, fans tweeted filtered copy of 714 title page that revealed "Brothers & Sisters" in header section. Partial cast list appears to include Audrey Marie Anderson, Kelly Hu, Amy Gumenick, Liam Hall, Sea Shimooka, Ben Lewis and Andrea Sixtos. (DCVerse1 and smoaktxch tweets, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 74 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 12, 2019, director Marcus Stokes posted b-t-s pic of himself with DR, AMA, Kelly Hu, KA, Liam Hall and Amy Gumenick, with the comment: "Such a great time working with the cast and crew of Arrow!" DR is wearing Diggle's ARGUS uniform, AMA is wearing Lyla's business suit. KH, KA, LH and AG are wearing yellow ARGUS prison uniforms. (themarcusstokes instagram post, page 77 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 17, 2019, Amy Gumenick posted pic of herself in front of her Arrow trailer labeled "Carrie Cutter," with comment: "The secret is out...and so is Miss Cutter!!! ?? #CUPID #Arrow #carriecutter #shesback #suicidesquad #comingsoon #staytunned #cupidstupid @cw_arrow @thecw." (amygumenick instagram post, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 80 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 18, 2019, Arrow writers tweeted pic of mini cheesecake and chocolate treats, with comment: "It’s from Cupid, stupid. ?? Thank you to @amygumenick for the yummy treats. We heart you! ????." (Arrowwriters tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jan. 18, 2019, Amy Gumenick posted pic of her red Cupid wig in the makeup trailer, with comment: "Reunited and it feels so good...??????? #Cupid #Arrow #carriecutter #shesback #transformation #makeuptrailer #acupuncture #redhairdontcare #flashbackfriday #fbf #bts @cw_arrow @thecw." (amygumenick instagram post, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jan. 18, 2019, Kelly Hu posted pic of herself as China White, holding a small white dog, with comment: "WHO WORE IT BETTER? Donned the white/blonde wig again to play China White for the upcoming episode of Arrow that airs Monday night on the CW at 8p. It’s hard to compete with the natural blondes like Felicia but I think I came close thanks to her daddy @pauledwardshair #ChinaWhite #Arrow #CW #WhoWoreItBetter #pomeranian." (kellyhu instagram post, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Feb. 12, 2019, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted 714 promo video, with comment: "Thanks for watching last night! See you March 4. #Arrow | Brothers & Sisters 7x14 Promo - The CW." (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 95 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 13, 2019, Arrow writer Jeane Wong tweeted: "Less than 3 weeks away are some of my favorite "brothers & sisters" moments in the next ep. Honored to be in the company of @rebeccabellotto & #marcusstokes." (jeanedevivre tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Mar. 3, 2019, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "New #Arrow tomorrow night! Do not blink." (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 104 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 3, 2019, when asked if Felicity will tell Oliver she is pregnant, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "It’s possible." (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 104 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 4, 2019, KM tweeted pic of herself as Mia with JDJ as Connor, with comment: "Partners in crime or dynamic duo? More answers about these two TONIGHT @CW_Arrow ! 🏹 @Josephdjones #ARROW #miasmoak #connorhawke." (Kat_McNamara tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 104 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 4, 2019, Arrow writer Jeane Wong tweeted: "I co-wrote another episode of Arrow. It airs tonight. It's got some epically royal action and hints at more to come this season. @rebeccabellotto #marcusstokes." (jeanedevivre tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 105 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 4, 2019, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "Every time I see a certain scene in tonight’s episode I tear up #Arrow." (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 104 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Edited March 4, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

SUMMARY OF 715 SPOILERS:

S7, Episode 15: Training Day
-- Production code: 715. Shoot Dates: January 10-21, 2019. Director: Ruba Nadda. Writers: Emilio Ortega Aldrich & Rebecca Rosenberg. Airdate: Mar. 11, 2019. (Jan. 10, 2019 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread, and Feb. 22, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- 715 synopsis: "TEAM ARROW ATTEMPTS TO WORK WITH SCPD — Team Arrow attempts to work with the Star City Police Department but much to Oliver’s (Stephen Amell) frustration, things don’t go as planned. Meanwhile, Dinah (Juliana Harkavy) gets some life-changing news. Ruba Nadda directed the episode written by Emilio Ortega Aldrich & Rebecca Rosenberg (#715). Original airdate 3/11/2019." (Feb. 22, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- 715 promo pics were posted, featuring Oliver, Diggle, Felicity and Rene wearing SCPD tee-shirts; Dinah and Sergeant Bingsley, Oliver wearing GA suit; Adult William with some guy named Felix; and Adult William and Mia. There's also a b-t-s pic with DR, RG, SA and JH. (Mar. 7, 2019 GreenArrowTV and TVLine articles, and The CW Press gallery link, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- 715 promo was posted, featuring Mayor Pollard, SCPD Sergeant Bingsley, Oliver, Dinah and Rene. (715 promo video in Mar. 4, 2019 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- 715 sneak peek #1 (The CW scene) was posted, featuring Dinah, Oliver, Diggle, Felicity, Rene and Mayor Pollard. (715 sneak peek video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 110 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 715 sneak peek #2 (EW exclusive) was posted, featuring E2 Laurel visiting Ben Turner/Bronze Tiger at Slabside Maximum Security Prison and him telling her that Diaz is dead. (Mar. 11, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 111 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 715 producer's preview was posted, with Oscar Balderrama doing the commentary, featuring Oliver, Diggle, Felicity and Rene undergoing SCPD training, E2 Laurel visiting Ben Turner/Bronze Tiger in prison, and Dinah having to decide between being police captain or being a vigilante. (715 producer's preview video, page 111 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "But I’m in Episode 13, 14 and 15 as well, and there are multiple bombshells dropped from this point forward." (Feb. 6, 2019 TVLine article, page 92 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how much we will learn about Mia's upbringing and what her relationships with Oliver and Felicity are like, KM: "I can't say much about that, but what I can say is that the next few episodes — and I still don't know everything because we're still shooting Season 7 right now — but from what I know, the next few episodes reveal quite a bit about Mia and how she was raised and why she is the way she is and why she's so gosh darn angry all the time. A lot of that has to do with her upbringing and how she was raised, being this kid. A lot of it has to do with the relationship with her parents and that plays very heavily into who she became." (Feb. 11, 2019 TV Guide article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 95 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- In Vimeo video of actor Hamish Allan-Headley auditioning for the Arrow role of "Srgt. Fred Bingsley," he read one scene that sounds like a speech to new SCPD cops. Transcription: Hamish Allan-Headley: "Becoming part of the SCPD is a great responsibility. The city will be watching you, holding you to the highest possible standard. Now that you're working with us, you should know how we do things here. We have rules, protocol. Abiding by them is critical. Use of excessive force will not be tolerated. Your objective is to defuse the situation, not escalate it. Firearms should only be used as a last resort. Do not discharge your firearm unless you're being fired upon or your life is in danger. All evidence against the suspect must be obtained within the parameters of the law. Evidence that is not obtained in this manner will be deemed inadmissible. In tactical situations, avoid suspect-based decisions. This leads to chaos and confusion. And above all, follow the orders of the commanding officer on the site. Wearing the uniform of an SCPD officer is a great honor. It isn't just a uniform. It's a symbol. Of law. Of justice. Of transparency. You're now all part of that." (Jan. 9, 2019 Vimeo video of audition by Hamish Allan-Headley, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 75 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per IMDb, 715 cast list includes actress Rose Ranger, who's playing Senior Officer. (IMDb link in Feb. 10, 2019 tv echo post, pages 93 and 102 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 9, 2019, Rose Ranger tweeted: "Found out today that I booked a role on #Arrow [bow and arrow emoji] Not a bad way to start 2019! [clapper board emoji] [heart with arrow emoji]." (roseranger tweet, page 102 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 10, 2019, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted partial pic of 715 title page, with comment: "715 starts shooting today written by @beckyysara and Emilio! This is Becky’s very first episode of television so show her some love! #TrainingDay #Arrow." Per 715 title page, episode title is "Training Day," director is Ruba Nadda, and writers are Emilio Ortega Aldrich & Rebecca Rosenberg. (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 75 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 10, 2019, director Ruba Nadda posted pic of her director's chair inside a building interior set, with comment: "Here we go! #arrow #greenarrow #arrowcw #thecwarrow." (rubatime instagram post, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jan. 10, 2019, papp tweeted: "Went by the #Arrow studio and it looks like they were hard at work. No locations for them today it seems." (canadagraphs tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jan. 11, 2019, Rose Ranger tweeted: "In my trailer at the Arrow VFS stage. ?????? #ActorLife #TheCW #Arrow." (roseranger tweet, page 102 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 11, 2019, KM: "I haven't worked with Stephen yet. But I have met him and he's been so kind and so welcoming and so wonderful. I have nothing but lovely things to say. I actually - I hope I get to work with him. At some point. We'll see. I don't even have the answer to that question." (Katherine McNamara instagram live video, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 76 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 11, 2019, Kirk Acevedo tweeted: "Love Y’all ???? @officialrickg @david_ramsey @JulianaHarkavy @JamesBamford StephenAmell @MzKatieCassidy @DNykl @aud_anderson @KellyHu @EchoK @CW_Arrow @EmilyBett @mguggenheim @MericlesHappen @SchwartzApprovd @ARROWwriters #TheDragon??." (kirkacevedo tweet, page 76 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 12, 2019, KA tweeted: "Relax everyone! The Dragon?? ain’t going anywhere! Just showing appreciation to the people I work with. Y’all can’t get rid of this  Motherfucker!! ??????????." (kirkacevedo tweet, page 77 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 15, 2019, EBR posted b-t-s pic of RG and SA sitting on a sofa on the SCPD police station set. (SA's repost of EBR instagram post, page 77 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 18, 2019, SA tweeted: "Friday nights, pouring rain, not looking back at explosions... it’s like old times out here. #Arrow." (SA tweet, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jan. 21, 2019, Ben Lewis posted pic of himself with Katherine McNamara on the Arrow set, holding old Britney Spears and Celine Dion music CDs, with comment: "Still relevant in 2040." (benlewishere instagram post, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 83 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 21, 2019, KM tweeted pic of herself, with comment: "BACK IN BLACKstar. ?? #ARROW @cw_arrow." (Kat_McNamara tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 83 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 11, 2019, KM tweeted: "Wherr there’s Smoak there’s fire... [fire emoji] Watch these sleuthing Queens tonight @CW_Arrow. [two female sleuth emojis] @benlewishere #MiaSmoak #ARROW #TrainingDay." (Kat_McNamara tweet, page 111 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Edited March 11, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

SUMMARY OF 716 SPOILERS:

S7, Episode 16: Star City 2040
-- Production code: 716. Shoot Dates: January 22-February 1, 2019. Director: James Bamford. Writers: Beth Schwartz & Oscar Balderrama. Airdate: Mar. 18, 2019. (Jan. 25, 2019 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- 716 synopsis: "FLASH FORWARD TO THE FUTURE — Mia (guest star Katherine McNamara) and William (guest star Ben Lewis) venture into the Glades on a dangerous mission. There they run into Dinah (Juliana Harkavy), Roy (Colton Haynes) and Zoe (guest star Andrea Sixtos) who deliver some devastating news. The flash forwards share highlights from Mia’s childhood with Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards). James Bamford directed the episode written by Beth Schwartz & Oscar Balderrama (#716). Original airdate 3/18/2019." (Feb. 28, 2019 AllAboutTVNews article, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- 716 promo pics were posted, featuring Mia, Adult William, Connor, Older Dinah, Older Rene, Adult Zoe, Older Roy, and people wearing dark hooded capes and masks. (Mar.. 13, 2019 GreenArrowTV article, Mar. 14, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 114 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 716 promo was posted, featuring flashforward of Oliver and Felicity giving birth. (716 promo video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 112 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 716 sneak peek #1 was posted, featuring Mia getting her black star tattoo, and Adult William seeing Mia do handstand pushups. (Mar. 18, 2019 The CW video of 716 scene, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 114 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 716 sneak peek #2 was posted, featuring Adult William and Mia climbing up a cliff to get into the Glades. (Mar. 18, 2019 E! News article & video,, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 115 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "We’re actually going to have an all-future episode, [Episode] 16, which will answer all the questions, including the backstory of Blackstar (Katherine McNamara), how she came to be in this group…. There are more surprises ahead as we fill in the blanks about what has been going on. That episode is titled 'Star City 2040.'" (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Blackstar, EP Beth Schwartz: "We're going to find out a lot more about her and how she fits into the whole group in just a few more episodes, and then in our all-flash forward episode, we're going to find out a lot. She's basically going to be featured in that episode from her point of view." (Jan. 21, 2019 Eonline article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On KM as Maya, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yeah, she's amazing. And I'm very excited to tell you and everyone that we're having an all flash-forward episode coming up. So we're going to get all the answers, all the backstory of what really has been happening these past 20 years. We go more in-depth on Blackstar, her backstory and how she got involved with everyone. And so it's a really, really fun episode." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVInsider article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "[T]hen we're going to have an all-future episode -- episode 16 -- where we're going to answer a lot of the questions that we've posed in the first half of the season." (Jan. 18, 2019 CBR article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "We are going to learn a lot about [Blackstar] in the next couple episodes. And specifically, we're doing an all flash-forward episode in Episode 16. So we will be answering a lot of the questions that we have been posing in the first half of the season. So people will get a lot more information about all of our characters, their backstory, a little more information of what really went on these past 20 years and why we found ourselves in this kind of Star City." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "The second half of the season will be all about answering the questions that we've sort of posed and set up in the first half, so we'll be paralleling a lot more of the present day story to the future storyline, as well as having an all-future episode coming up... We'll be able to open up our world that we've started and get a better sense of the characters and who they are and what sort of has really been happening, and what did we miss over the past 20 years, which is a lot." (Jan. 21, 2019 Eonline article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how Felicity's death in the future has been hanging over our heads for a while and whether we are going to learn about that puzzle and when it will start coming together, EP Beth Schwartz: "We're going to learn a lot about it in the next couple of episodes, but definitely [Episode] 16 is going to be the answer to that mystery and what's been going on in the Glades." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we should hold out any hope that Felicity's death just may be like a Roy Harper situation where everyone thinks she's dead, but she's actually alive, EP Beth Schwartz: "Well, I definitely can't say yes or no to that, but there's definitely a lot more to that mystery that will unravel in the next few episodes, especially in 16." (Jan. 18, 2019 TV Guide article, page 8 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we find out that Blackstar might be related to maybe some people already on Arrow, EP Beth Schwartz: "I don't know. [Laughs] We will definitely find out who...how she became part of this group and what her connection is. We're aslso going to find out sort of what happened to Roy (Colton Haynes), why he was banished on Lian-Yu and what his baggage is as well." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVInsider article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether we should read anything into the fact that Roy wasn’t present when we first met Maya, and whether it was because he would recognize her, EP Beth Schwartz: "Oh, no — he doesn’t know her." (Jan. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 82 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On getting all-future episode in 716, KM: "We are, indeed. I just finished shooting it like two days ago."(Feb. 6, 2019 TVLine article, page 92 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM hinted that every morsel of information that does come out over the rest of the season will be game-changing. In fact, there will be an entire episode, "Star City 2040," dedicated to the future storyline. (Feb. 8, 2019 ETonline article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 92 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether we'll see a lot of her on Arrow, KM: "We will. I'm in a lot of episodes for this season. And things are only getting more interesting. In fact, they even shot - because we're in the flashforwards, they even shot an entire episode that is just flashforward. So you get to see a lot more about Mia's childhood and her past and what made her this hardened fighter." (Mar. 4, 2019 ET video interview with KM, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 105 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how many bombshells are dropped in 716, KM: "A lot. I have three fights in that episode, but there are also a lot of bombshells dropped." When asked how many is "a lot," KM: "Oh god, just thinking back, there are too many to count. But I’m in Episode 13, 14 and 15 as well, and there are multiple bombshells dropped from this point forward. What you saw at the end of the 150th episode [with Mia and Connor Hawke locating the decrepit bunker] is just the beginning. It’s the tip of the iceberg." (Feb. 6, 2019 TVLine article, page 92 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether she will continue to maintain a perfect manicure during her fight scenes, KM: "I mean, probably. (Laughs) The nails can be a weapon, too. But I did lose a nail shooting this last episode, so there is a part where I’m missing one. But she’s such a cool character, and you’ll learn so much more about her." (Feb. 6, 2019 TVLine article, page 92 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how much we will learn about Mia's upbringing and what her relationships with Oliver and Felicity are like, KM: "I can't say much about that, but what I can say is that the next few episodes — and I still don't know everything because we're still shooting Season 7 right now — but from what I know, the next few episodes reveal quite a bit about Mia and how she was raised and why she is the way she is and why she's so gosh darn angry all the time. A lot of that has to do with her upbringing and how she was raised, being this kid. A lot of it has to do with the relationship with her parents and that plays very heavily into who she became." (Feb. 11, 2019 TV Guide article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 95 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what we can tease about 716, KM: "I just finished shooting that last week and that is really, really wonderful. I cannot wait for people to see it because that is probably the episode in which you get the most answers and you get to see quite a bit of Mia's childhood as well as some really key moments that shaped who she became and how she got to be a fighter and how she got to be this really hardened person that she is." (Feb. 11, 2019 TV Guide article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 95 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On 716, KM: "Mia doesn't know everything about her past, William obviously doesn't know everything and neither do the characters of the future, so as all of the pieces come together and as everyone combines their knowledge or at least reveals certain pieces of information -- for better or for worse things will move forward and things will progress very quickly. As you will see, time becomes of the essence and don’t forget, they did find those bomb schematics very recently, as well, so the future [could have] explosive content if you will." (Feb. 11, 2019 ETonline article, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 95 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On why Connor Hawke said that he was adopted and what happened to JJ, JDJ posted: "The arrow writers are sneaky with the misdirects but what happened to JJ's gonna be coming up in the flash forwards [finger shushing mouth emoji]." (Mar. 4, 2019 josephdjones instagram post, page 750 of Social Media thread)
-- On his fave episode of the season, JDJ posted: "Definitely 716!!! It's a Huge one and I know you guys are gonna love it." (Mar. 4, 2019 josephdjones instagram post, page 750 of Social Media thread)
-- Per IMDb, 716 cast list includes actor Raj Paul, who plays Kevin Dale. Also, Raj Paul retweeted SA's "Holy Smoak's" tweet. (IMDb link in Feb. 24, 2019 tv echo post, page 102 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per IMDb, 716 cast list also includes actress Michelle Brezinski as "Community Leader," actress Orin McRey as "Tattoo Artist" and actress Lisa Summers as "Doctor." Also, KC Talent facebook posted: "Our own Lisa Summers will be joining the cast of Arrow on an upcoming episode. Make sure to keep an eye out for her!" (IMDb link and KC Talent facebook link in Mar. 1, 2019 tv echo post, page 103 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread, and IMDb link in Mar. 18, 2019 tv echo post, page 114 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 21, 2019, CH posted pic of himself in his red Arsenal suit, with comment: "Category is: Red for Filth. #Arrow is back on tonight!" (coltonlhaynes instagram post, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 83 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 23, 2019, CH posted instagram live video from Arrow set, in which you can hear EBR singing in the background. (Máfia Olicity video, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 85 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 23, 2019, fan tweeted partial clip from CH's instagram live video in which you can hear EBR in the background, with comment: "Seems like Emily Bett is on set with the Flash Forward crew!!!! Might be wrong but that is def her laugh right?! on Colton IG and she just posted also with Colton tagged. Are we getting Old Felicity!!!! #Arrow #Olicity." (ya_boy_ben tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 23, 2019, fan tweeted full video from CH's instagram live video, with comment: "The whole clip from Colton’s IG stories. You can hear Emily and Kat singing in the background." (ElisaQueen tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 24, 2019, fan tweeted: "(SPOILER) Colton yesterday uploaded videos of the shoot of # Arrow . Flashfowards were being recorded with the cast of the future and Emily was present at the shoot. So what is believed that Felicity is not really dead in the future that show." (TodoArrow tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 24, 2019, JH tweeted: "Just made some @CW_Arrow magic with @ColtonLHaynes , @AndreaSixtos1 and @JamesBamford . So much raw heart being poured into this season. So excited for y’all to see it." (TodoArrow tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 84 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 25, 2019, SA tweeted: "Got an unexpected vacation with my family. Trying to chill. Bunch of drunk people are yelling 'Oliver Queeeeeennnn!!!' at me. Going to head over there shortly for a beer and tell them I'm only here because they killed my character." (SA tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 85 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 25, 2019, accounting firm tweeted video of fireworks at night, with comment: "#Fireworks outside our office tonight ?? @CityOfNorthVan Civic Plaza for the filming of @CW_Arrow #arrow #NorthVancouver #centrallonsdale." (Cahill_CPA tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 25, 2019, accounting firm tweeted more video of fireworks at night, with comment: "Tonight on 14th! Fireworks for another filming, this time the Arrow series ???? Lol been an exciting few days here in Central Lonsdale!" (Cahill_CPA tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 26, 2019, accounting firm tweeted b-t-s pics from Arrow set, with comment: "or all the #arrow fans commenting, here’s a few more pics from the filming @CW_Arrow We got to see a lot of action yesterday, and the crew was so accommodating & let our son check out stunt practice! @CityOfNorthVan What a cool city we live in!" One pic shows CH talking to director James Bamford, with KM looking on, and another pic shows JH's back. On the same day, papp posted short video clip of CH and KM. (Cahill_CPA tweet and Celebrity Scoop video, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 26, 2019, when asked if EBR was on set, accounting firm tweeted: "Didn’t specifically see her in the earlier scene rehearsals... but they filmed late into the night, and there wasn’t much access to the public at that time." (Cahill_CPA tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 26, 2019, in response to fan comment that it looks like a carnival, accounting firm tweeted: "Maybe! There were masquerade style masks, and a cocktail/dance/party set up... ???????Amazing lighting and props, and of course the fireworks!" (Cahill_CPA tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 26, 2019, fan tweeted: "Somethings filming in North Van City library, do u know what it is? @WhatsFilming #northvan #filming." In reply, other fans tweeted: "it’s arrow :-)" and "Arrow @CW_Arrow  amazing set and effects tonight! Been cool to watch [thumbs up emoji]." (mikejoverogwapo, calumsourpatch and Cahill_CPA tweets, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jan. 27, 2019, SS was in Hawaii visiting relatives. (seashimooka tweet and seashimooka instagram post, page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 27, 2019, Andrea Sixtos posted pic of herself, tagged "Till next time Canada" and "Onward to SF." (dresixtos instagram post, page 86 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 28, 2019, fan tweeted pic of Beckmark Prep sign on exit signpost to a hiking trail in the woods, with comment: "Rice Lake Road in Lynn Valley, looks like Arrow will be in the [house with woods emoji] for a bit in a small remote neighbourhood." (phoenix45photo tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jan. 29, 2019, fan tweeted: "@WhatsFilming in #NorthVan at Kilmer Park?" Papp replied: "Thanks! I believe that's Arrow - they're in that area today." Fan then tweeted: "Thanks. #Arrow it is. Just confirmed." Fan also tweeted: "Filming at house on Rice Lane. Staging area in Kilmer Park parking lot." (CraigInVan and Whatsfilming tweets, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 87 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 29, 2019, KM tweeted pics of herself, BL and a cat, with comment: "Ben BenBenCatCat Kat... ?? #TonguesOutTuesday ?? @benlewishere @benbencatcat  #Setlife silliness! @CW_Arrow." (Kat_McNamara tweet, page 87 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 31, 2019, fan tweeted pic of Arrow filming sign at Molson Coors Canada Brewery, with comment: "Looks like Arrow & the gang are having a beer at Molson's today, he must be working on his 6 pack or maybe the whole keg." Papp then tweeted: "That's a regular spot to park a circus. Gravel lot east of the Burrard Bridge. Could be filming downtown or somewhere else close by. Not necessarily at Molson's, although I like the idea of Team Arrow having a beer at Molson's." (phoenix45photo and yvrshoots tweets, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Feb. 3, 2019, Joseph David-Jones posted video of himself working out at the gym. (josephdjones instagram post, page 90 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 22, 2019, SA tweeted: "Holy Smoak's. Episode 7.16 of Arrow is a triumph." (SA tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 101 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 11, 2019, SA tweeted: "Next week on Arrow we’re handing the car keys to @Kat_McNamara — I’m excited." (SA tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Mar. 13, 2019, KM tweeted: "Nothing stays hidden forever... secrets, lies, and legacies will be revealed. ? ? ? #StarCity2040 @CW_Arrow #ARROW @ARROWwriters @JamesBamford @SchwartzApprovd." (Kat_McNamara tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Mar. 18, 2019, director James Bamford tweeted: "A few surprises including an unexpected guest star or two......" (JamesBamford tweet, page 114 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Edited March 18, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

SUMMARY OF 717 SPOILERS:

S7, Episode 17: Inheritance
-- Production code: 717. Shoot Dates: February [4-13], 2019. Director: Patia Prouty. Writers: Sarah Tarkoff & Elizabeth Kim. Airdate: Mar. 25, 2019. (Feb. 1, 2019 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread, and Mar. 8, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- 717 synopsis: "LAUREL TEAMS UP WITH OLIVER — Laurel (Katie Cassidy) learns about some damaging information that affects Emiko (Sea Shimooka). Always looking to protect his sister, Oliver (Stephen Amell) invites Laurel to help investigate, which makes Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) happy as her friend is now working with the team. However, when things go awry, Felicity is forced to make a choice between the team and Laurel. Patia Prouty directed the episode written by Sarah Tarkhoff & Elizabeth Kim (#717). Original airdate 3/25/2019." (Mar. 8, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 10 of Spoilers thread, and Mar. 8, 2019 GreenArrowTV article, page 110 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 717 promo pics were posted, featuring Oliver, Felicity, Diggle, Rene, Dinah, Emiko and Alena Whitlock. (Mar. 19, 2019 GreenArrowTV article, SpoilerTV article and CW Press pic gallery, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 115 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 717 promo was posted, featuring Emiko wearing a red suit, with voiceover dialogue by Oliver, Diggle and E2 Laurel. (717 promo video, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- 717 sneak peek #1 was posted, in which Felicity offers Alena the position of CTO of her new company, Smoak Technologies. (Mar. 22, 2019 CW video of 717 scene, page 116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 717 sneak peek #2 was posted, featuring Emiko sparring with Oliver. (Mar. 25, 2019 TVLine article & video of 717 scene, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per IMDb, 717 guest cast includes actor Jayce Barreiro, who's playing a character named Gustavo Hernandez. (IMDb link in Mar. 11, 2019 tv echo post, page 111 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Jan. 29, 2019, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "Although I work in TV I officially accept the #4PercentChallenge to announce a project with a female director in the next 18 months. We have a female director, Patia Prouty in prep right now on #Arrow @inclusionists @times up now #TIMESUPX2 Who's with me?" (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Feb. 1, 2019, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted partial image of 717 title page. (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 89 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 4, 2019, Sea Shimooka tweeted pic of herself at Vancouver Film Studios, with comment: "back to work and rockin’ new lil hair wisps." (seashimooka tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread and page 91 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 7, 2019, Ben Lewis brought cupcakes to the Arrow writers room, with comment: "I know @Kat_McNamara baked you guys cookies, so I had to bake you these, um... Magnolia cupcakes. Please enjoy. [folded praying hands emoji]." Arrow writers then tweeted: "Yummmmm! It’s always so good to see @benlewishere. This is not at all influenced by the fact that he brings us treats. Nope. Not at all." (benlewishere and Arrowwriters tweets, page 747 of Social Media thread)
-- On Feb. 7, 2019, papp tweeted: "Signs for Arrow spotted at Pitt Meadows Airport today." (WhatsFilming tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Feb. 8, 2019, fan tweeted: "Arrow filming signs off Harris road in Pitt Meadows !" (RaeWray96 tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Feb. 8, 2019, SA tweeted set pic of himself (wearing his GA suit) and DR, each holding up 8 fingers, with comment: "Tradition." You can also see RG's chair next to them. (SA tweet, page 92 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 9, 2019, SA tweeted: "Tonight was one of the coldest nights we’ve ever had on set. Seeing this in my mentions was like a warm blanket." (SA tweet, page 9 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Feb. 11, 2019, CH tweeted pic of himself with KM, JDJ and BL, with comment: "How y’all liking tonight’s ep of #Arrow so far? Live tweeting with my babes @Kat_McNamara @benlewishere @josephdjones." (ColtonLHaynes tweet, page 747 of Social Media thread)
-- On Feb. 11, 2019, JDJ live-posted video of himself, KM, BL and CH, during airing of 713. (josephdjones instagram post, page 747 of Social Media thread)
-- On Feb. 11, 2019, JDJ posted b-t-s pic of himself with CH, KM, BL, JH and AS. (josephdjones instagram post, page 747 of Social Media thread)
-- On Feb. 11, 2019, JDJ posted b-t-s pic of himself with SS, AS and CH. (josephdjones instagram post, page 747 of Social Media thread)
-- On Feb. 13, 2019, JDJ posted video of himself working out, with comment: "#workoutwednesday warming up with some sinawali drills in the hotel room ???? The training never stops #arrow #cw #noexcuses." (josephdjones instagram post, page 747 of Social Media thread)
-- On Feb. 13, 2019, fan tweeted pics of blurry pages from JDJ's Arrow script, with comment: "Oops! Someone accidentally insta storied his Arrow script." Other fans deciphered the following as appearing in this script: Mia, William, Felicity, Rene, Connor;  Rene mentions something about Emiko;  Mia asks, "Are we supposed to blend in?"  The end of the last line looks like "a new kind of suit up." (dmichellewrites tweet, page 96 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 13, 2019, JH tweeted: "Yesterday @StephenAmell sneezed at 5,000 decibels mid scene and sent me into an early menopause." (JulianaHarkavy tweet, page 96 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 20, 2019 Kacey Rohl tweeted 717 promo pic of herself as Alena with EBR as Felicity, with comment: "Being back with @EmilyBett made my heart do back flips & front flips & even side flips...? Anyway, she’s the best. [red heart emoji]." (KaceyKadoodles tweet, page 115 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 23, 2019, Adrian Paul posted pic of himself as Dante with Sea Shimooka as Emiko (wearing red suit), with comment: "#arrow #seashimooka #picoftheday are we evil? Is she evil? Or are we just misunderstood?😈find out on this week’s new Arrow episode." (adrianpaulofficial instagram post, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 24, 2019, KM tweeted: "... Mia's not in this upcoming episode [717], but tune in next week for more sass and kickass-ery. ..." (Kat_McNamara tweet, page 116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 25, 2019, JDJ posted: "Sadly no flash forwards in tonight’s #arrow...." (josephdjones instagram post, page 752 of Social Media thread)

Edited March 25, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

SUMMARY OF 718 SPOILERS:

S7, Episode 18: Lost Canary
-- Production code: 718. Shoot Dates: February [13]-25, 2019. Director: Kristen Windell. Writers: Jill Blankenship & Elisa Delson. Airdate: Apr. 15, 2019. (Feb. 19, 2019 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread, and Mar. 28, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- 718 synopsis: "BIRDS OF PREY; CAITY LOTZ GUEST STARS — After being accused of murder and having her criminal past exposed, Laurel (Katie Cassidy) goes full Black Siren and teams up with an old criminal acquaintance, Shadow Thief (guest star Carmel Amit), to go on a crime spree around Star City. While Dinah (Juliana Harkavy) aims to bring Laurel in, Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) refuses to give up on her friend and tries everything to get through to her, even summoning Sara Lance (guest star Caity Lotz) for help. However, Laurel rebuffs all her efforts, forcing the former friends to face off against each other. Kristin Windell directed the episode written by Jill Blankenship & Elisa Delson (#718). Original airdate 4/15/2019." (Mar. 28, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- 718 promo pics were posted, featuring Older Felicity, Mia, Older Dinah, Adult Zoe, E2 Laurel/Black Siren, Sara, Felicity, Dinah and Shadow Thief. (Apr. 8, 2019 GreenArrowTV and Apr. 9, 2019 SpoilerTV articles, TVLine gallery page and CWTV PR page, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- 718 promo was posted, featuring Black Siren, Felicity, Oliver, Diggle, Rene and Dinah. (718 promo video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 117 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 718 sneak peek #1 (CW scene) was posted, featuring Sara doing the salmon ladder and Felicity. (Apr. 14, 2019 The CW video of 718 sneak peek scene, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 127 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 718 sneak peek #2 (EW scene) was posted, featuring Dinah and Felicity arguing over E2 Laurel. (718 sneak peek video in Apr. 15, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 128 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- TVLine confirmed that Caity Lotz will return for 718, which is titled “Lost Canary." EP Beth Schwartz: “We are doing a Birds of Prey-inspired episode, that Laurel (played by Katie Cassidy Rodgers) will be involved with.” (Feb. 21, 2019 TVLine article, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz tweeted pic of part of 718 title page, with three different Black Canary toy figures sitting atop the sheet. (Feb. 19, 2019 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: “I know we did a Canary-esque episode in a previous season... but we have been talking about a Birds of Prey-inspired episode for years, and have it really focused on the women... I was very determined to make that happen this season. ... I think that my favorite part is just having all the women in the forefront, and they sort of have each other’s backs.  Instead of having them be against each other, they work together to try to help each other. You don’t get to see that very often, and that’s a very important message that I just really wanted to have.” (Apr. 8, 2019 TVLine article, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, her “favorite part” of 718 is “having all the women in the forefront, and they sort of have each other’s backs. Instead of having them be against each other, they work together to try to help each other. You don’t get to see that very often, and that’s a very important message that I really wanted to have.” (Apr. 14, 2019 TVLine article, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "It was so fun getting Caity back... I told her I could not imagine this episode without her... She and Katie Cassidy are so good together... Because Laurel looks just like her sister and she carries that name, there are definitely some nice emotional moments between them. There’s also Laurel’s love for Lance. Even though he wasn’t her father, she had that great bond with him at the end of Season 6.” (Apr. 14, 2019 TVLine article, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, Felicity will remain “pretty strong in her conviction of trying to redeem her. As much as Laurel has been there for her, she’s trying to be there for Laurel.” (Apr. 14, 2019 TVLine article, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On 718, KC: “It’s a big episode, I think that you will find out a lot about Black Siren and her backstory, but they also leave it open to potentially exploring more of that, potentially in season eight, but it’s a huge episode. It’s fun." (Middle East Film & Comic Con, Apr. 13, 2019: Apr. 14, 2019 Gulf News article, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 127 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per JH, with respect to E2 Laurel and Dinah, “frenemy perfectly describes their relationship... Laurel has come a long way, but there’s always that little question between them, and that history.” In 718, when E2 Laurel launches a crime spree with onetime cohort Shadow Thief, JH: “Dinah, more than anybody, is not surprised to hear it... Because as much faith as she has put in Laurel changing, and as much as she tries to forgive her, there’s just nobody else she would expect this [reversal] to come from more.” Per JH, Felicity "might get one or two 'told you so's' from Dinah." (Apr. 14, 2019 TVLine article, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how Canaries present and past got along, JH: “The dynamic on set — and how it reads on film — was very strong and very fun... There was no sense of competition, it was all just a team. And I think we all work really well as a team. Our characters all have our individual strengths, and that was really highlighted.” (Apr. 14, 2019 TVLine article, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the female cast being heavily featured, JH: "We were excited before we started filming, but once we started going, every day we were like, ‘Why isn’t this the show?' ... I mean, I love the boys but it was so nice just being with the girls for a while. ... It does change the energy on set on a really cool way which you don’t get to do experience much... It was a different dynamic, all-women. It was really awesome.” (Apr. 14, 2019 TVLine article, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On why Sara is returning for 718, JH: “We’re dealing with a big problem on our earth, and we sort of recruit her to come and help us... It’s something that only she can help us with.” (Apr. 15, 2019 The Mary Sue article, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 128 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Dinah learning to be a hero without her cry and how she'll make progress on that in 718, JH: “I think that in this episode, I would say, it’s where Dinah really starts to believe [in herself without her powers]... In the past, when she wanted to quit and the team kept her going … I think she listened to them, but I don’t think she really believed them until this episode.” (Apr. 15, 2019 The Mary Sue article, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 128 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how the flashforwards in 718 might reveal more about the latest Canary, Zoe Ramirez, and what it means to carry the Canary title, JH: “The cool thing, especially as we go into the future, is that Dinah sort of takes that title and turns it into something that anyone can be.” Per JH, a Canary can be any woman “who is in need of something, who is searching for something, who fights and works for it.” Dinah “becomes an advocate for women, in a sense, through the Canaries.”  (Apr. 15, 2019 The Mary Sue article, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 128 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- In 718, we’ll also learn more about how Dinah’s life changed between now and 2040. JH: “We really get to see what happened, a sort of a chain of events that happened so that she flips back the complete opposite way that she is now... The city changes, and I think that her morals and beliefs change, and all of this sort of self-discovery she’s doing right now that’s she’s lost her cry.” (Apr. 15, 2019 The Mary Sue article, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 128 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- JH: “In the Birds of Prey episode, the women in Dinah’s life really continue to help her find herself and help her understand her own strength... I’d say that’s definitely a general theme for the episode — women coming together and learning to overcome differences and work together. I won’t say that Laurel necessarily lands on the other side of the fence with us, but we all learn something from each other in this episode.” (Apr. 15, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 128 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- JH: “Laurel definitely toys with the dark side. It’s hard for Dinah because she’s given her a lot of faith and a lot of chances, and I think Laurel has really done a good job of getting better and redeeming that side of her... It’s a bit tumultuous between them, and for Dinah emotionally, it’s tough.”   (Apr. 15, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 128 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- JH: “We couldn’t do a Birds of Prey episode without Sara Lance, without Caity Lotz. I’m so glad that she was able to be part of it because it felt really complete. The group that we had was just perfectly rounded. Everybody fit into the group. Our characters had their own strengths and their own thing that they bring to the table." (Apr. 15, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 128 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Dinah being initially a bit wary of the White Canary, JH: “I think Dinah is a little skeptical at first just because there’s still an anti-vigilante law in place and certain vigilantes are deputized but not all. I think she’s a little nervous, but also I think she’s excited because she is part of her team, but just [someone] she doesn’t get to work with often. She’s fighting a little bit with herself over that as well, but ultimately Dinah’s a fan of Sara." (Apr. 15, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 128 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- After 716 aired, when asked her favorite line from Arrow, KM: "It's coming in an episode next week or the week after. I can't remember when it comes in." (Mar. 18, 2019 Katherine McNamara instagram video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 752 of Social Media thread)
-- KM: "One of my favorite scenes is coming up in - I'm trying to remember which episode it's in. There's a really good scene in episode - oh, there's a fun scene at the end of episode 18. Omigosh, you guys are gonna lose it. That's amazing. Oh my God, I just remembered. That's gonna be awesome." (Dutch Comic Con, Mar. 24, 2019: jesmacallans tweet & video clip of KM panel, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Fan report on what KM said: "her favorite mia scene(s) was the cage fight, an emotional scene in 7x16 and another one that we haven't seen but it's at the end of 7x18." (Dutch Comic Con, Mar. 24, 2019: jesmacallans tweet, page 116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 13, 2019, Hartley Sawyer, Danielle Nicolet and Jesse L. Martin from The Flash were in the Arrow studios. (way2interested post, page 96 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 13, 2019, Hartley Sawyer posted pic of himself with Jesse L. Martin standing in front of a door labeled "B1" and "ARROW CAST & CREW ONLY," with comment: "Detectives at work. #theflash ??: daninicolet." (hartleysawyer instagram post, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 98 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 13, 2019, Arrowverse_DC tweeted partially covered pic of sleeping baby doll in round cooking pot, with comment: "This is a... oh... this on set is a... ooooohhhh...." and, when asked if it was the Olicity baby, Arrowverse_DC tweeted: "Do not know. But it's for episode 718." Arrowverse_DC also tweeted: "This doll is equal to what they did to be the baby girl Jenna West in the flash.?? It may just be a baby in a scene... but it's in the studio." (arrowverse_DC tweets, page 96 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 14, 2019, Arrowverse_DC tweeted clear pic of sleeping baby doll in round cooking pot, with comment: "In the studio last night. #Doll [green arrow emoji] [bow and arrow emoji]." (arrowverse_DC tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 98 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 15, 2019, KM tweeted pic of herself with snow flurries falling on her, with comment: "Snow business like show business... ???? #setlife #nightshoots #ARROW @CW_arrow." (Kat_McNamara tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Feb. 15, 2019, Arrowverse_DC tweeted: "#Arrow shooting in Burnaby, BC  Katherine (Mia Queen) is filming." (arrowverse_DC tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 98 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 15, 2019, Arrowverse_DC tweeted: "Yesterday had information that many old shows were filming in studio. #Arrow, #supergirl and #theflash was snowy on external footage yesterday." (arrowverse_DC tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 98 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 18, 2019, KM did an instagram live q&a chat with fans while she was on the Arrow set. (Feb. 18, 2019 KM instagram live video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 97 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 20, 2019, fan posted: "It looks like CL was filming yesterday according to her insta stories. 4 canaries in 1 episode lol, i am not sure if they making a joke of the episode or not." (Velocity23 post, page 100 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 21, 2019, JH posted pic of herself as Older Dinah with KM as Mia and AS as Adult Zoe. (julianaharkavy instagram post, page 100 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 21, 2019, when asked if CL will be back for 718, papp tweeted: "She's been back filming all last week." (pursuit23 tweet, page 100 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 21, 2019, KC posted pic of herself wearing her Black Siren suit with JH wearing her Black Canary mask and CL wearing her White Canary suit, with comment: "Girls rule! #round2 @julianaharkavy @caitylotz." (katiecassidy instagram post, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 100 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 21, 2019, papp tweeted: "#Arrow filming a big episode tonight in east Vancouver. Clark & Francis." Then fan posted: "JH just posted an IG video where you can see this scaffolding and she’s talking to EBR off camera." (yvrshoots tweet, page 10 of Spoielrs thread, and lemotomato tweet, page 101 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 22, 2019, JH posted b-t-s pics of KC dressed as Black Siren, with comment: "Love watching this boss babe in action... @katiecassidy," and of herself as Older Dinah with AS as Adult Zoe. (julianaharkavy instagram posts, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Feb. 22, 2019, JH tweeted: "The #Arrowverse women are absolutely incredible. I am having the best time ever shooting this episode. You guys are gonna love it. [smiley face with three hearts emoji]." (JH tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Feb. 22, 2019, JH posted pic of herself as Older Dinah with bruised-looking KM as Mia and AS as Adult Zoe. EBR responded to this post with a "LIT" comment, and KM responded to EBR's response with a lipsticked mouth emoji. (julianaharkavy instagram post, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 748 of Social Media thread)
-- On Feb. 25, 2019, JH posted video of getting old age makeup put on and then taken off for Older Dinah. (JH instagram post, page 748 of Social Media thread)
-- On Feb. 25, 2019, director Kristin Windell posted a pic of her Arrow director's chair, with comment: "That’s a wrap on my S7 episode of #ARROW. This cast and crew are so wonderful. I’m filled with gratitude for all we accomplished. I can’t wait for y’all to see it. ?????? Now off to my next DC adventure." (directorkristin instagram post, page 102 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 24, 2019, KM tweeted: "... Mia's not in this upcoming episode [717], but tune in next week for more sass and kickass-ery. ..." (Kat_McNamara tweet, page 116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 30, 2019, KM tweeted: "Hang in there! ?? Miss Mia is back on @CW_Arrow this Monday... trust me, it’s worth the wait. One of my favorite episodes to date!" (Kat_McNamara tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Mar. 30, 2019, when asked for one word to describe Mia's next episode, KM tweeted: "Rogue." (Kat_McNamara tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Mar. 31, 2019, KM tweeted: "Feel like Mia is MIA? #StarCity2040 is back with #LostCanary on Apr. 15th @cw_arrow! #miasmoak #ARROW [bow & arrow and green heart emojis]." (Kat_McNamara tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Apr. 9, 2019, director Kristin Windell posted pic of herself with CL as White Canary, EBR as Felicity, KC as Black Siren and JH as Black Canary, with comment: "Here is a peek at the bad-assery to come next Monday on my all new #Arrow. Can’t wait! ????????." (directorkristin instagram post, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 127 of Spoiler Disussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 10, 2019, director Kristin Windell posted 718 promo video, with comment: "I had a blast directing this episode. Written by Jill Blankenship & Elisa Delson. With an all female director team. Staring these beautiful, gorgeous, strong warrior women! #Repost @cw_arrow ・・・Laurel Lance: Wanted for murder. #Arrow returns on its new time, Monday at 9/8c! Catch up first: Link in bio." (directorkristin instagram post, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Apr. 10, 2019, Caity Lotz tweeted b-t-s pic of herself as White Canary with EBR as Felicity, KC as Black Siren and JH as Black Canary, with comment: "Wear white they said, you'll fit right in they said. #arrow #birdsofprey @EmilyBett @MzKatieCassidy @JulianaHarkavy." (caitylotz tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Apr. 14, 2019, director Kristin Windell posted b-t-s pic of CL, JH and EBR posing together, with comment: "More #bts fun of tomorrow night’s episode. All new #ARROW on #CW. Love these ladies so much! And excellent photo bomb by CamOp Extraordinaire, JD🙋🏼‍♂️🎥." (directorkristin instagram post, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 128 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 14, 2019, AS posted b-t-s pic of herself as Zoe with a bloodied cut on her face, with comment: "Episode 718 finally airs tomorrow! W/ a NEW TIME SLOT ~ 9/8c @cw_arrow #LostCanary #ZoeRamirez #Arrow 💚." (dresixtos instagram post, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 128 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 15, 2019, Carmel Amit posted pic of herself as Shadow Thief, with comment: "Meet this #badass #bitch On tonight’s episode of Arrow Lost Canary airs Monday the 15th 9/8 Central on the @thecw 💣 I had so much fun with this one. @katiecassidy is the loveliest 🌺 Enjoy the episode 💥 . Incredible fits like a glove suit by @oceandriveleather 😍. ... #arrow #shadowthief #villian #supervillian #supersuit #costume #badass #acting #actorslife #behindthescenes #shadow #boom #catsuit #ootd." (carmel.amit instagram post, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 128 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Edited April 15, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

SUMMARY OF 719 SPOILERS:

S7, Episode 19: Spartan
-- Production code: 719. Shoot Dates: February 26-March 8, 2019. Director: Avi Youabian. Writers: Benjamin Raab & Deric A. Hughes. Airdate: Apr. 22, 2019. (Feb. 27, 2019 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread, and Apr. 5, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- 719 synopsis: "ERNIE HUDSON (“GHOSTBUSTERS”) GUEST STARS — After the Ninth Circle delivers a major setback for Team Arrow, Diggle (David Ramsey) reluctantly reaches out to a Four-Star General of the Defense Intelligence Agency (guest star Ernie Hudson) for help, despite unresolved tension from their past. Meanwhile, Oliver (Stephen Amell) discovers a piece of information that he believes will turn Emiko (Sea Shimooka) against the Ninth Circle. Alena (guest star Kacey Rohl) returns with an interesting proposal for Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards). Avi Youabian directed the episode written by Benjamin Raab & Deric A. Hughes (#719). Original airdate 4/22/2019." (Apr. 5, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- 719 promo pics were posted, featuring General Stewart, Diggle, Oliver, Felicity, Alena, Rene, Dinah, Mia, Connor and Older Felicity. (Apr. 17, 2019 SpoilerTV and TVLine articles and CWTV PR pic gallery link, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- 719 promo was posted, featuring Diggle, Oliver and Felicity. (719 promo video, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 128 of Spoiler Discusssion Sequel thread)
-- 719 sneak peek #1 (The CW scene) was posted, featuring Oliver, Diggle and General Stewart. (Apr. 22, 2019 The CW video of 719 scene, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 129 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 719 sneak peek #2 (ET scene) was posted, featuring Oliver, Diggle, Felicity, Dinah and Rene. (Apr. 22, 2019 ETonline article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 129 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per 719 casting breakdown for the role of General Stewart: "[GENERAL STEWART] Male, 60s-70s, African-American. A decorated American general who crosses Team Arrow's path on a dangerous mission. Stewart's brilliant military mind afforded him great success in a decades long career in the Army, but his greatest regret is his broken relationship with his mentee from the military, John Diggle... POSSIBLE RECURRING GUEST STAR." This casting breakdown also lists 719's shoot dates as February 26-March 8, 2019. (Feb. 14, 2019 casting page in reddit user n80r's post, page 103 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per TVLine, we can expect to meet this spring the decorated Army general who served as Diggle's mentor back in the day. Though the two are now estranged, they meet up again under unexpected circumstances. (Feb. 20, 2019 TVLine article, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- TVLine's Matt Mitovich tweeted: "Ernie Hudson is SO good this Monday [thumbs up emoji]." (Apr. 21, 2019 MattMitovich tweet, page 129 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per Deadline, Ernie Hudson will appear in 719, portraying a Four Star General of the DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) that Diggle is forced to reconnect with for a Team Arrow mission despite unresolved tension from their past. (Mar. 6, 2019 Deadline article, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 106 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Ernie Hudson: "Worked on Arrow, um, and played a really fun character there. I'll probably go back next year." (Midwest Gaming Classic, Apr. 13, 2019: Apr. 14, 2019 Ghostbusters Medi-Corps video of EH panel, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 128 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On 719, GATV tweeted: "Tonight's #Arrow is great on many levels. Ernie Hudson's guest role is one of my favorites this season, and @david_ramsey as Diggle gets a really good spotlight story to play with. Nice developments for other characters too. 9PM on The CW." (Apr. 22, 2019 GreenArrowTV tweet, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 129 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: “In addition to having JJ, [Diggle and Lyla] adopted Connor, and we’re going to see that unfold more in [Episode] 19 (airing April 22), in terms of that relationship.” Per Beth, John Jr. also exists in the future, and “we’ll explain where he is” in an upcoming episode, noting that the brothers share “an interesting dynamic.” (Writers Guild Foundation Festival, Mar. 31, 2019: Apr. 4, 2019: TVLine article, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per IMDb, Ernie Hudson and Adrian Paul are included in the 719 guest cast credits. (IMDb page link in Apr. 17, 2019 tv echo post, page 128 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 719 spoilers by reddit user: "John Stewart is Diggle’s stepdad. Emiko kills Dante and is the big bad." (Apr. 22, 2019 Vacanus reddit post, page 129 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 27, 2019, regarding 719, Benjamin Raab tweeted: "Currently in production, complete with surprise mystery guest star. Stay tuned... #ArrowSeason7 @dblackanese." (Wondermasons tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 103 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Feb. 27, 2019, JH posted an instagram story from the Arrow Bunker set with RG, EBR and Ernie Hudson. (insomniadreams88 and way2interested posts, page 103 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 2, 2019, fan tweeted pic of Arrow Filming Notification Letter, which was taped on the glass door to what appears to be an apartment building (hallway with doors, wall of mailboxes or small lockers). This notice was "about our truck movement in the... gravel lot on the south side of the Burrard Street Bridge from Monday, March 4th to Tuesday, March 5th, 2019." It stated: "Monday, March 4th 8:00 pm - 11:00 am - Work Trucks will move in to the lot under the Burrard Street Bridge. ... Tuesday, March 5th 6:00 am - 8 am - Crew personal vehicles will move in to the lot ... 7:00 am - 11:00 pm - Shuttle vans will drive back and forth between our filming location and the gravel lot ... 9:30 pm - 11:00 pm - Trucks and crew personal vehicles will leave the lot." (tasyasgirl tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 104 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 4, 2019, KC posted pic of brown hair strands that had been cut off and were now lying on the floor. (katiecassidy instagram story post, page 106 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 5, 2019, papp tweeted: "#Arrow is filming an interior only shoot a few blocks from where the lot for the trailers is. no access to the set." When asked if SA's trailer was there, papp tweeted: "His trailer was at set. The rest were at the circus." Papp also tweeted: "Got #autographs today from #Arrow stars Stephen Amell and Sea Shimooka." (canadagraphs tweets, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Mar. 5, 2019, Sea Shimooka posted an instagram story video of Adrian Paul on the Arrow set, doing a taste test of hot sauces. (dmichellewrites tweet & video, page 106 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 5, 2019, Adrian Paul posted b-t-s pic of himself with Sea Shimooka and her stunt double having lunch on the Arrow set, with comment: "#arrow lunchtime glamor. #arrowverse #seashimooka #sunnyday #lunchbox." (adrianpaulofficial instagram post, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 106 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 6, 2019, Arrow writer Benjamin Raab tweeted: "Super secret guest star surprise revealed! So excited for this! #ArrowSeason7 #WhoYaGonnaCall #Spartan" and "It was a legitimate pleasure for @dblackanese and I to write for the legendary @Ernie_Hudson. Can't wait for you guys to see him in this game-changing role!" (Wondermasons tweets, page 106 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 6, 2019, JDJ posted a video of him and his stunt double working out with twin batons, both wearing the same clothes and mask. In the background, you can see some cops, as well as two people (a gal and a guy) both wearing similar-looking dark capes in the background. (josephdjones instagram post, page 109 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 6, 2019, KC posted pic of herself with shorter hair, with comment: "'A woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life' - Coco Chanel." (katecassidy instagram post, page 108 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 22, 2019, director Avi Youabian posted a video clip of his March 6, 2019 clapboard for 718, with comment: "Looking forward to sharing this one. An ambitious episode, kind and hard working cast & crew, and the best damn on-set sushi I’ve ever had. Thank you team #Arrow!!!" (ayouabian instagram post, page 116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 1, 2019, director Avi Youabian tweeted: "So get this, someone actually paid ME to hang out with Ernie Hudson...." (Digitalcutter tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Apr. 20, 2019, JDJ tweeted pic of himself getting a mullet, with comment: "#Arrow monday night is about to get real interesting 🤘🏾😎#mulletmonday #mood." (josephdjones tweet, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 129 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 20, 2019, director Avi Youabian posted b-t-s pics of himself with JH and EBR, with comment: "In TWO days we get to share something special with ya’ll. #arrow." (ayouabian instagram post, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 129 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 21, 2019, Adrian Paul tweeted: "Back on Arrow this week. Catch it tomorrow night." (adrianpaul1 tweet, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 129 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 22, 2019, DR tweeted: "Who’s ready for tonight? [thinking face emoji] #Arrow #Spartan" and "And also... Thursday [speaking head in silhouette emoji]." (DR tweets, page 129 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 22, 2019, CW PR's Suzanne Gomez tweeted: "Starting #Arrow Monday off with @david_ramsey spilling secrets. Stay tuned..." (Chico6 tweet, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 129 of Spoilers thread)

Edited April 22, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

SUMMARY OF 720 SPOILERS:

S7, Episode 20: Confessions
-- Production code: 720. Shoot Dates: March [11-20], 2019. Director: Tara Miele. Writers: Onalee Hunter Hughes & Emilio Ortega Aldrich. Airdate: Apr. 29, 2019. (Mar. 14, 2019 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread, and Apr. 12, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- 720 synopsis: "ARSENAL RETURNS TO HELP THE TEAM — When they learn of an upcoming attack on the city, Team Arrow calls Roy Harper (Colton Haynes) to help them stop the Ninth Circle. However, things go awry and there is massive collateral damage. As Captain of the SCPD, Dinah (Juliana Harkavy) investigates what happened in an episode that takes on a true crime narrative and tone. Tara Miele directed the episode written by Onalee Hunter Hughes & Emilio Ortega Aldrich (#720). Original airdate 4/29/2019." (Apr. 12, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- 720 promo pics were posted, featuring Roy, Oliver, Diggle, Sgt. Bingsley, Dinah, Rene, Emiko, Virgil, and Jason Toth. (Apr. 23, 2019 GreenArrowTV, SpoilerTV and TVLine articles and CWTV PR gallery link, page 12 of Spoilers thread)
-- 720 promo was posted, featuring Dinah, Oliver, Felicity and Emiko. (720 promo video, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 129 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 720 sneak peek was posted, featuring Oliver being interrogated by Dinah and Sgt. Bingsley. (Apr. 29, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article & video of 720 sneak peek, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 131 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "Tonight’s episode is one like we’ve never done before. Extremely proud of the cast, crew @ARROWwriters and the extremely talented director @TaraMiele #DoNotMiss #Arrow." (Apr. 29, 2019 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 12 of Spoilers thread)
-- In response to fan asking why Roy, Thea and Nyssa didn't destroy all of the Lazarus Pits (after discussion that Nyssa didn't age in the Mia training scenes because she used a Lazarus Pit), Katrina Law: "No, I think they found three more of them. And that's sort of when me, Thea and Roy went off, and then Roy came back. I guess Roy didn't remember that there was a Lazarus Pit." (ClexaCon, Apr. 13, 2019: Video of Nyssara panel, page 755 of Social Media thread)
-- Per IMDb, 720 guest cast includes actor Christopher Logan, who's playing a character named Jason Toth. (IMDb link in Mar. 18, 2019 tv echo post, page 114 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 12, 2019, Sea Shimooka tweeted: "wow we just did a cool stunt shot for #Arrow ep 20. hope y’all make it a gif bc I still don’t understand how to." (seashimooka tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 113 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 14, 2019, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted pic of 720 title page, partially covered by round wall clock that's set at 8 o'clock. (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 114 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 14, 2019, fan tweeted pic of street with orange cones and trucks, with comment: "The show 'Arrow' filming at Broadway today." Same fan also tweeted pic of front of building with "STAR CITY METRO" sign, police car and CSU van, with comment: "More #Arrow filming ?@broadwaychurch? pics!  Fascinating to watch all of the work that goes into these shows." (darinlatham tweets, page 10 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Mar. 15, 2019, papp tweeted b-t-s pic of SA in GA suit and EBR on set, with comment: "NEW BLOG #Arrow shoots scenes for episode 720 with several cast, and a notable spoiler. ... #Olicity #BlackCanary #Arsenal #Spartan #GreenArrow #WildDog." In linked article, pics include shots of Colton Haynes wearing red Arsenal suit, the Star City Metro, the KTR1 8 news truck, DR, EBR, and SA wearing GA suit. From this papp's blog article: "THIS BLOG POST IS FOR 'ARROW' SEASON 7 EPISODE 20 titled 'Confessions'. ...  There was not a lot going on in the scenes I saw. The first scene MIGHT have included cast, but if they were there, they were so deeply tucked in to the area the camera was aiming that you could not see them. It mostly seemed to consist of Star City Emergency personnel handling some type of situation at the Star City Metro (after the 100s of times our skytrain has gone by in the background of their scenes, they finally acknowledge they have their own service) as onlookers and media waited to see what happened. ... A bit later, they did a scene where The Vigilante Task Force, also known as Team Arrow shows up and goes inside the Metro building. Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen/Green Arrow, David Ramsey as John Diggle/ Spartan, Juliana Harkavy as Dinah Drake/ Black Canary and Rick Gonzalez as Rene Ramirez/ Wild Dog were all there in their full costumes. As well Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smoak was along with the gang on this adventure. ... But at you surely noticed in the intro photo above, there was ONE MORE costumed hero.... Colton Haynes, as Roy Harper/ Arsenal was with the team. Everyone has been waiting for his return to the present day scenes, and now we have confirmation he will  be back eventually in present day. The question now is..... where is Thea? ... Also, snagged a couple quick pics for the Olicity fans out there of Stephen and Emily talking between scenes." (canadagraphs tweet & article, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 114 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 15, 2019, Adrian Paul posted pic of himself at at the airport, with comment: "Ran into #janeseymour on the plane back from Vancouver. Lovely lady. Chatted about #our mutual friend #williamschockley class #vancouver #picoftheday #airport." (adrianpauloficial instagram post, page 114 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 15, 2019, DR posted b-t-s pic of himself with SA as GA, EBR, Colton Haynes as Arsenal, RG as Wild Dog and JH as BC, with comment: "These folds... #arrowseason7." (davidpaulramsey instagram post, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 114 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 16, 2019, James Bamford posted pic of himself on the Arrow Bunker set, with comment: "Bunker Fraterdays on #Arrow.....season 7!" (james2bambamford instagram post, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 114 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 19, 2019, Adrian Paul posted pic inside Vancouver Starbucks store, with comment: "#coffee #vancouver #morningwakeup #travel #wakeup coming back through Vancouver looks like a lot of people need their morning coffee." (adrianpaulofficial instagram post, page 115 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 18, 2019, when asked which was her favorite Arrow character, KM: "I miss Sin. I actually met Bex the other day and she's killer. I love her, but, um, yeah, I miss Sin." (Katherine McNamara instagram video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 752 of Social Media thread)
-- On Mar. 18, 2019, when asked what happened to Oliver in the future, KM: "I don't actually even know the answer to that yet, so there you go." Also KM: "I don't know at this point... I have not been given that information directly, so we'll find out together." (Katherine McNamara instagram video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 752 of Social Media thread)
-- On Apr. 8, 2019, papp tweeted: "#Arrow shooting a scene for episode 720 with most of the cast. (Spoiler) returns to current day, and maybe (Spoilers) last scene I will witness on the show. ..." From papp blog: "The cast & crew of Arrow was shooting scenes for episode 720 last month in East Vancouver at a church. As most of you already know from the photo set I posted back when it was shot HERE there was several cast there, including a returning cast member that we had only seen this year so far in flash forward scenes. ... Of course, all the current day heroes were on set. Stephen Amell as Green Arrow, David Ramsey as Spartan, Rick Gonzalez as Wild Dog, and Juliana Harkavy as Black Canary were on set. Joining them was Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smoak..... but ALSO with the team was Colton Haynes as Arsenal. ... This is 1 quick clip of the gang going into the 'Star City Metro subway system' and them coming back out.  First time this season (assuming he doesn't show up prior) that we will see Roy Harper in modern day scenes, let alone dressed up as Arsenal." (canadagraphs tweet & blog, page 11 of Spoilers thread)

Edited April 29, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

SUMMARY OF 721 SPOILERS:

S7, Episode 21: Living Proof
-- Production code: 721. Shoot Dates: March [20-30], 2019. Director: Gordon Verheul. Writers: Oscar Baldarrama & Sarah Tarkoff. Airdate: May 6, 2019. (Mar. 22, 2019 ARROWwriters tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread, and Apr. 19, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- 721 synopsis: "OLIVER IS PUT TO THE TEST — Oliver (Stephen Amell) finds himself in a precarious position. SCPD shows up with a warrant for Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards). Gordon Verheul directed the episode written by Oscar Balderrama & Sarah Tarkoff (#721). Original airdate 5/6/2019." (Apr. 19, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- 721 promo pics were posted, featuring Felicity, Alena, Sgt. Bingsley, Oliver, Diggle, Roy, Dinah and Rene. (Apr. 30, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 12 of Spoilers thread)
-- Two additional 721 promo pics were posted, featuring Tommy Merlyn with Oliver. (May 2, 2019 Starling City Journal tweet, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 132 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 721 promo was posted, featuring Oliver, Felicity, Dinah, Rene, Roy and Emiko. (721 promo video, page 12 of Spoilers thread)
-- 721 sneak peek #1 (TVInsider scene) was posted, featuring trapped Oliver and hallucination Tommy. (May 6, 2019 TVInsider article & video, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 132 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 721 sneak peek #2 (The CW scene) was posted, featuring Older Felicity, Mia, Adult William, Older Dinah and Older Roy. (May 6, 2019 The CW video of 721 sneak peek scene, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 132 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- When asked if they were continuing the tradition of Arrow's 22nd episode being a Billy Joel song or album title, MG tweeted: "Two corrections: It's always the penultimate episode and it's always a @springsteen song. But the tradition will continue in Season 7." (Apr. 5, 2019 mguggenheim tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 124 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Arrow writers tweeted video clip of 721 title page, with title covered by a black pen and Bruce Springsteen song, Living Proof, playing in the background, with comment: "#Arrow Episode 721. Sound on. [speaker emoji]." (Mar. 22, 2019 ARROWwriters tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Oscar Baldarrama tweeted part of lyrics to Bruce Springsteen's song, Living Proof: "It's been along long drought baby, tonight the rain's pourin' down on our roof #arrow." (Mar. 22, 2019 ojbalderrama tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Complete lyrics to Bruce Springsteen's song, Living Proof, were posted. (Goggle link in Mar. 23, 2019 tv echo post, page 116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- ComicBook: "For the seventh year in a row, Arrow's penultimate episode of the season will be named after a Bruce Springsteen song -- and this time, fans will likely be very curious to know exactly how the song parallels the contents of the episode. Season seven, episode 21 of Arrow will be titled 'Living Proof,' named after a song on Springsteen's 'Lucky Town' album, one of two 'twin' albums released together in March 1992. 'Living Proof' is a dense song that covers a lot of territory, but given that Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) is pregnant in the show, fans will likely zero in on the song's first verse. ... It goes, 'Well now, on a summer night, oh in a dusky room/Come a little piece of the Lord's undying light/Crying like he swallowed the fiery moon/In his mother's arms it was all the beauty I could take/Like the missing words to some prayer that I could never make/Oh, in a world so hard and dirty, so fouled and confused/Searching for a little bit of God's mercy/I found living proof.' That verse is pretty unambiguously about the joy that the narrator (possibly Springsteen himself, given what was going on in his life at the time) felt about the birth of his child. ... Since 'Living Proof' will be the penultimate episode of Arrow season seven, which began with Oliver in prison, there is also this nugget of lyrics from later in the song to consider: 'You shot through my anger and rage/To show me my prison was just an open cage/There were no keys, no guards/Oh, just one frightened man and some old shadows for bars.' While it would likely be a mistake to take that part too literally -- after all, the prison arc has been over for some time now -- the 'prison' in the song was never literal, either, and certainly Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) is a character who allows himself to be caged by his own passion, anger, and myopia -- something he has been trying to work on this season. ... The use of 'Living Proof' might suggest that the episode will center on Mia (Katherine McNamara), the child of Oliver and Felicity who has taken center stage in the flash-foward storyline. Some Olicity fans might hope for a time jump that would allow the Olicity baby to be born before or during the finale which will follow 'Living Proof,' although that feels unlikely given that we already saw a version of the baby's birth in a previous episode this season." (Apr. 11, 2019 ComicBook article, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 127 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- TVLine: "PRE-FINALE: Viewers can count on the larger reason for the flash-forwards to crystalize, and in turn make the world they propose seem less bleak. 'A lot of times when I hear snippets about that and other concerns, I want to be like, "Keep watching the show,"' showrunner Beth Schwartz told TVLine at WGFestival 2019. 'Everything that we’ve constructed is for a reason, and that will become clear the more you watch and as this season comes to an end…. There’s a lot more to see.'” (Apr. 22, 2019 TVLine article, page 12 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Mar. 18, 2019, when asked what happened to Oliver in the future, KM: "I don't actually even know the answer to that yet, so there you go." Also KM: "I don't know at this point... I have not been given that information directly, so we'll find out together." (Katherine McNamara instagram video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 752 of Social Media thread)
-- On Mar. 22, 2019, CH tweeted: "Sitting in the makeup trailer at work on #Arrow right now & caught this beautiful masterpiece #ShinySolrock . I yelled so loud & scared everyone haha." (ColtonLHaynes tweet, page 116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 22, 2019, JH cancelled her scheduled appearance at Planet Comicon on March 29-31, 2019, due to "a conflict arising from shooting schedules that have changed." (PlanetComicon tweet, page 752 of Social Media thread)
-- On Mar. 22, 2019, JH tweeted: "To those attending @PlanetComicon, our schedule for #Arrow ep. 721 just came out & unfortunately I’ll be working late into Friday evening & unable to attend.?? I apologize, I was so looking forward to meeting you all & hope to see you another time in the near future. Love u guys!" (JH tweet, page 116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 22 or 23, 2019, James Bamford posted pic of himself with Caity Lotz inside the Vancouver Public Library, with comment: "There’s books back there! Yes......in the library! Books!!!" (james2bambamford instagram post, page 116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 24, 2019, SA posted a pic of himself with Colin Donnell in Vancouver. Colin Donnell had cancelled his Mar. 24, 2019 (Sunday) appearance at Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2). On Mar. 19, 2019, C2E2 had tweeted: "We’re sad to announce that due to a production conflict, @colindonnell will be canceling his Sunday appearance. He will still be attending C2E2 on Saturday...." (SA instagram post, page 116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread, and c2e2 tweet, page 117 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 24, 2019, when asked about Olicity parenting, KM: "So I haven't necessarily seen what his parenting, at least for Mia, is. I don't know if I can say which one's the better parent, because they're both flawed inherently. And particularly, as the season develops, you see how flawed they both are. But they have the best of intentions. I think they work best together as a team. I think, you know, Olicity is strong for a reason, and they make a good team in their marriage, they make a good team in fighting together, and they make a good team parenting." (Dutch Comic Con, Mar. 24, 2019: jesmacallans tweet & video clip of KM panel, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 24, 2019, fan report on what KM said: "kat got asked who's the better parent (felicity or oliver) and she said they work better as a team and also that she hasn't played with stephen yet." (Dutch Comic Con, Mar. 24, 2019: jesmacallans tweet, page 116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 25, 2019, SA appeared with a bloodied, bruised face in an instagram story video. (AmellDaily tweet & video, page 116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 25, 2019, fan reported that Willa Holland was in Vancouver. (Chaser post, page 116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 27, 2019, SA posted pic of himself with EBR, DR, CH, RG and JH, all wearing their superhero suits/character outfits, and a young fan in a wheelchair, in the Arrow Bunker, with comment: "What a special day. Our friend Cassie finally came to set." (SA instagram post, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 117 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 27, 2019, James Bamford posted pic of red-haired Caity Lotz, with comment: "Having a guest in my office while prepping the season 7 finale episode of #Arrow is always fun...... having a boss like @caitylotz is a plus." (james2bambamford instagram post, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 117 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 28, 2019, Colin Donnell posted pic of himself with a beard, with comment: "Don’t know that I’ve ever gotten so many comments about a sweatshirt I’ve worn. It’s because it’s a message many of us need to hear. I’m so glad I ran across @HopeForTheDay and can help spread their message. #itsoknottobeok #mentalhealth #EndTheStigma." (colindonnell instagram post, page 117 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 31, 2019, James Bamford posted pic of desktop with flat books, lamp and The Starling City STAR newspaper with headline "Severe weather warning issued for Starling City." (james2bambamford instagram post, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 121 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On May 2, 2019, Colin Donnell tweeted: "Guess the Merlyn is out of the bag! See you Monday #Arrow." and "I always love coming back to #Arrow and that is majorly owed to getting to be on set opposite @StephenAmell. We had an incredible couple of long days this time around, he was absolutely brilliant and I think you all are really going to enjoy it. Thank you my friend." (colindonnell tweets, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 132 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Edited May 6, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This summary includes all topical spoilers from February 25-May 10, 2019. This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

ADDENDUM #8 TO SUMMARY OF S7 SPOILERS BY TOPIC

S7 Showrunner and Writers
-- EP Beth Schwartz has signed an exclusive multi-year overall deal with Warner Bros. TV. Under the deal, Schwartz will create and develop new projects for Warner Bros., where she has been based throughout her career. (Mar. 15, 2019 The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline articles, page 301 of Starling City Times thread)

S7 Trailers 
-- On Mar. 5, 2019, The CW posted a promo video titled "Arrow | The Team Arrow Way Trailer." (CW Arrow promo video, page 106 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

S7 Flashforwards
-- On whether the 716 flashfrowards episode was envisioned as a backdoor pilot for a possible spinoff, EP Beth Schwartz: "It was definitely meant to grow the world that we had already built and to see the next generation of what Oliver and Felicity and our present-day team have worked so hard for, and sort of see what happens in the future... We love those characters and would love to see them go on in some capacity after the show’s over, [possibly via crossovers with the remaining Arrowverse shows]... We were so happy, internally, about how it came out... We kinda love our future story.” (Apr. 5, 2019 TVLine article, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 124 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per JH, with five episodes left in S7, "There are definitely some big things coming up,” including a couple of bombshell reveals and “some idea” of whether Future Dinah ever got her sonic scream back. (Apr. 14, 2019 TVLine article, page 11 of Spoilers thread)

Original Team Arrow ("OTA")
-- On losing one of the sides of the triangle of OTA, DR: "Yeah, we're losing the T from our OTA. Obviously, we all feel how we feel about it... Emily Bett's been fantastic. I remember making a comment years ago, of me and Stephen [Amell, Oliver] brooding in the foundry until Felicity showed up and that's just part of what Emily brings. But again, what I point to is being able to tell these big, big stories without being limited to anything that we had previously, that includes OTA. As wonderful as that is, you can have 10 episodes here where you can say and do whatever you want...canon and not canon. So I think as sad as we are, and she will be missed, I think it also gives us an opportunity to go some place we've never gone before." (Apr. 22, 2019 TV Insider article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 129 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Oliver and Felicity ("Olicity")
-- On Mar. 24, 2019, when asked about Olicity parenting, KM: "So I haven't necessarily seen what his parenting, at least for Mia, is. I don't know if I can say which one's the better parent, because they're both flawed inherently. And particularly, as the season develops, you see how flawed they both are. But they have the best of intentions. I think they work best together as a team. I think, you know, Olicity is strong for a reason, and they make a good team in their marriage, they make a good team in fighting together, and they make a good team parenting." (Dutch Comic Con, Mar. 24, 2019: jesmacallans tweet & video clip of KM panel, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Oliver Queen AKA Green Arrow
-- ScreenRant: "Where Angels Fear To Tread was a storyline that ran from Green Arrow #96 through Green Arrow #101. The plot saw Oliver Queen (who by this point had been exposed to the world at large as Green Arrow) recruited by the NSA to infiltrate the eco-terrorist Eden Corps. Oliver uncovered proof that Eden Corps was planning to attack the city of Metropolis with a biological weapon, but he found himself on the plane containing the bomb before he could report the plot to his handlers. Left bleeding out from multiple bullet wounds while clutching a dead man's switch that would either release the bacterial agent or trigger an explosive self-destruct sequence - and with Superman unable to think of a way to stop the bomb that wouldn't kill Oliver in the process - Green Arrow chose to blow up the plane, sacrificing himself to save millions." (Mar. 20, 2019 ScreenRant article, page 115 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 4, 2019, when asked if Diggle is dead like Oliver in 2040, JDJ tweeted: "[smirking face emoji] How do you know Oliver's Dead...?" and "[man shrugging emoji] All I’m saying is he was Dead in the future on Legends of Tomorrow too... Till he wasn’t [smirking face emoji]." (josephdjones tweets, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 105 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 18, 2019, when asked what happened to Oliver in the future, KM: "I don't actually even know the answer to that yet, so there you go." Also KM: "I don't know at this point... I have not been given that information directly, so we'll find out together." (Katherine McNamara instagram video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 752 of Social Media thread)
-- On Mar. 18, 2019, KM: "Yes, I want Oliver and Mia to reunite. I would love nothing more. But we got to figure out what's going on with Oliver in the future." (Katherine McNamara instagram video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 752 of Social Media thread)

Felicity Smoak AKA Overwatch
-- EBR will not be returning for Arrow's 8th and final season. Joint statement from EPs Greg Berlanti and Beth Schwartz: “We’ve had the pleasure of working with Emily since season one and in those past seven years she has brought one of TV’s most beloved characters to life. And although we’re heartbroken to see both Emily and Felicity leave the show, we’re completely supportive of Emily and her future endeavors. She will always have a family at Arrow.” (Mar. 30, 2019 TVLine article, page 118 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread and page 303 of Starling City Times thread, ETonline article, page 119 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread, and Entertainment Weekly article, page 120 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, EBR's and Felicity’s exit “is addressed at the end of this season” versus, say, in the final season premiere, saying that “we kinda knew” going into the finale where EBR's head was at with regards to her future on Arrow. (Writers Guild Foundation Festival, Mar. 31, 2019: TVLine article, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 121 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- When asked if the closing part of GB/BS's joint statement about EBR's departure ("She will always have a family at Arrow.”) means that EBR will likely return for at least the sure-to-be-grand series finale, EP Beth Schwartz: "I cannot comment on that." (Writers Guild Foundation Festival, Mar. 31, 2019: TVLine article, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 121 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On EBR possibly returning as Felicity in S8, EP Beth Schwartz: "She is always welcome to come back, so I would be obviously more than happy to have her back next season." (May 10, 2019 TV Guide article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 133 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 30, 2019, EBR posted: "The time has come to talk of many memes. Of bows and arrows and superheroes and Olicity and Queens ... And why TGA is so damn hot And yes, canaries need more scenes... But wait just one minute before we go and do all that For this makes me out of breath To have this not small chat Felicity and I are a very tight two But after one through seven we will be saying goodbye to you ... I thank you all for the time we’ve shared The elevators we have climbed The monsters we have faced and scared  And The burgers we have dined I will keep her in my heart for always And I hope that you can too Because she would not be alive if it weren’t for all of you [double hearts emoji] Love, Felicity and Me." (emilybett instagram post, page 117 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread and page 752 of Social Media thread)

John Diggle AKA Spartan 
-- Regarding future Diggle’s fate, EP Beth Schwartz: “It will be explained eventually.” (DR had previously said that Diggle is “alive and well 20 years into the future… he’s quite well, in fact,” hinting at a huge reveal for family patriarch.) (Writers Guild Foundation Festival, Mar. 31, 2019: Apr. 4, 2019 TVLine article, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we will meet Diggle’s mom before the show ends, DR: "You guys found out when I found out that he had a mother. Yes, without a doubt. I think we’ll come to some conclusion as to what the first steps of this relationship between him and his stepfather mean to John Diggle." (Apr. 22, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 130 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- DR: "I think that’s the great thing about John Diggle... The writers and I have always talked about this, that the characters on Arrow are so rich and they really have been from the beginning. You can tell the story you want, but if you want to tell a story about any of those characters, you’re not hurting for story. You can do a six- or seven-episode arc on any one of these characters and get great storytelling out of it. You haven’t seen a lot of his backstory...and I think people are curious about it — particularly when you find out that his father’s name is Stewart, for God’s sakes, and he has a mother who’s alive and well, that he doesn’t call. These types of things make the character rich. I think that’s the type of stuff that makes a seventh or eighth season interesting — that there is more interesting story to tell. 'Is he Green Lantern? Is he not? What’s going on with his family?' You’re asking these questions at the end of the seventh season of a show. That’s a testament to the storytelling of the show, but I think John Diggle is a really rich character, and I think we’re still scratching the surface to all of his story, both backstory and future. I mean, he adopted a son at some point [in the flash forwards], and there’s conflict between his biological son and his adopted son. How did he play into that? Just tons of story left to tell." (Apr. 22, 2019 ComicBook article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 130 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On the buzz about Diggle becoming John Stewart AKA Green Lantern after 719 (Spartan), DR: "Yeah, yeah. Well, we knew that buzz was coming. I mean, that was obviously one of the ideas of making him General Stewart and it's fun. I mean, there's some major Easter eggs dropping. Obviously, last season with our crossover and '90s Flash made that big comment of 'Where's your ring?' to John. And now we have John's stepfather being named Stewart. We'll see what happens with all that, but for now it's a lot of fun." (Apr. 22, 2019 TV Insider article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 129 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- DR: "And so, we'll see what develops with Diggle in this continuing saga of his stepfather as General Stewart." (Apr. 22, 2019 TV Insider article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 129 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Fan report on what DR said: "I haven’t shared this publicly until now, because I didn’t want to deal with unnecessary drama and speculation before official announcements were made, but at HVFF SJ in December I had asked David about his status for season 8 and what he knew about SA and EBR. He told me that he had already signed on for season 8. And as far as he knew, SA and EBR were still negotiating. So make of that what you will." (Mar. 31, 2019 lemotomato post, page 121 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 4, 2019, when asked where is Diggle, JDJ: " Spoilers.. but some cool stuff is coming up with my Pops that I know y’all are gonna love." (josephdjones instagram post & comments, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 106 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Emiko Adachi
-- On Mar. 4, 2019, Sea Shimooka posted DC comics panel showing Emiko Queen as Red Arrow and Oliver Queen as Green Arrow. (seashimooka instagram post, page 106 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Curtis Holt AKA Mr. Terrific
-- On Mar. 26, 2019, when asked if his run on Arrow over, EK tweeted: "No way. [winking face emoji]" (EchoK tweet, page 121 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Rene Ramirez AKA Wild Dog
-- On Apr. 8, 2019, fan posted: "Rumor on Twitter is that RG is done with Arrow.  Crew members giving him gifts and saying 'nice working with you.'" (Morrigan2575 post, page 125 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 8, 2019, RG posted pics of himself with SA, EBR, Adrian Holmes, Michael Jai White, KM and Brendan Fletcher at Arrow wrap party, with comment: "One more #Arrow #WrapParty to go. ?? #GoodTimes." (rickgonzalez instagram post, page 126 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Dinah Drake AKA Black Canary
-- Per JH, healing from trauma has become Dinah’s new goal this season: “In the past she was dealing with the loss of someone else, and now it’s dealing with a partial loss of herself. It’s also given Dinah some softness and some vulnerability, which is nice when a character is kind of hardened like she is … It’s been good as an actor; it’s been really juicy to work with that.” Also, another empowering aspect for JH has been simply seeing a woman, and a hero, on television with a prominent scar. JH: “We kind of feature it... We’ll still put her in a low-cut shirt, and she’ll be looking great and she’ll have this scar out, and I was hoping it would help people who do have scars.” (Apr. 15, 2019 The Mary Sue article, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 128 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Earth-2 Laurel Lance AKA Black Siren AKA Earth-2 Black Canary 😶
-- On E2 Laurel deciding to return to Earth-2 in 718, EP Beth Schwartz: “Katie does not leave the show; she comes back this season... It appears like [she leaves], but it’s not true. She’s still [part of the show].” (Apr. 15, 2019 TVLine article, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 128 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per We Got This Covered's "source", KC is looking to leave the Arrowverse for good this year: "It’s believed that the star feels she’s been with the DC world long enough and wishes to move on to new challenges." It’s unclear at this stage, however, if KC plans to leave at the end of S7 or will stick around for the extra 10 episodes that’ll make up final S8. Either way, we shouldn’t expect to see E2 Laurel migrating over to Central City or the Waverider once the series is wrapped up. (Mar. 7, 2019 We Got This Covered tweet & article, page 109 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KC: “We’re doing our [eighth and] final season of ‘Arrow’, which will take us to November. I can’t say more yet, until I get the showrunners’ thumbs up, but there’s some pretty exciting things coming up for me.” (Middle East Film & Comic Con, Apr. 13, 2019: Apr. 14, 2019 Gulf News article, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 127 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Fan report on what KC said: "Nothing about season 8 she was quite clear that she can’t say any spoilers. I had a question about how she would like Laurel’s arc to ideally end but they didn’t pick me for a question" and "Nope she didn’t hint anything. Actually no one even asked her about season 8! Weird!" (Middle East Film & Comic Con, Apr. 13, 2019: NadsReviews tweets, page 127 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

William "Will" Clayton
-- On Mar. 7, 2019, Ben Lewis tweeted: "Proud to be a small, late-breaking part of the @CW_Arrow legacy. Thank you to @SchwartzApprovd, @RapaportCasting, @GBerlanti, the entire cast, crew & fans (!) for welcoming me so open-heartedly. LOTS to come in seasons 7 & 8! [green heart emoji]." In response, on Mar. 8, 2019, casting director David Rapaport tweeted: "Thanks Ben.  We are so grateful for you and proud of your work.  Excited for the rest of this season and season 8!!. xo." (benlewishere and RapaportCasting tweets, page 111 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Mia Smoak AKA Blackstar 
-- We Got This Covered: "You see, a source close to We Got This Covered is telling us that, yes, The CW are considering developing a spinoff for Blackstar. At this point, not much is known other than Katherine McNamara is expected to reprise her role as the Emerald Archer’s daughter and that the potential series will take place in a future Star City." (Mar. 13, 2019 We Got This Covered tweet & article, page 113 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how old is Mia, KM: "Mia, I think, is about between 20 and 21, if my math is correct, and understanding." (Mar. 18, 2019 Katherine McNamara instagram video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 752 of Social Media thread)
-- KM: "Cut to, I'm now on Arrow where I'm playing Stephen Amell's daughter, where they're going, 'Hey, so we want you to have all the intellect of Felicity but the physical brutality and strength of Oliver. Okay. No pressure. So I went, 'So when do I have to do the salmon ladder, 'cause I need a heads up before I have to do that.' (Interviewer: "Can you do that")  No! Not yet. But I'm getting there. Thank goodness, they haven't asked me to do that yet. But it's been a lot of fun to continue my training and keep, you know, building my skill set in that way." (Dutch Comic Con, Mar. 23, 2019: Entertainmenthoek video of KM interview, page 752 of Social Media thread)
-- KM: "Where Clary is positive, hopeful, compassionate, and a spark of light in darkness, Mia has grown up in a very messed-up situation and has been hardened by a dark world." (Mar. 25, 2019 Zimbio article, page 117 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "Clary and Mia share in common many things, but I think - entirely what they share, for the most part, is the fact that they are both fierce fighters, but from a place of what they love and what they believe in and what they want to protect. And that shines through and, I think, ultimately that's what makes both of them heroes." (Mar. 18, 2019 Katherine McNamara instagram video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 752 of Social Media thread)
-- On whether she would be interested in having her own Mia Smoak spin-off, KM: "I would be a 100% interested... but I really know nothing at this point about what could happen. If given the opportunity, I would jump at the chance. You know, I’ve had nothing but a wonderful time working in this universe and with all of these incredible people who created my character. It would be an honor to carry it forward." (Mar. 25, 2019 Zimbio article, page 117 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On a report that "they’re very impressed with you and looking to do a Black Star series with you at the centre," KM: "I would absolutely love that. No one has spoken to me about it as of yet, but I love the idea of that and I would absolutely be open to it, I love this character and the other folks I’ve been working with on this show have been just lovely, and it’s really amazing to be in this kind of generation of kick ass woman in film and television, you know, growing up as a kid Mulan and Pocahontas where my favourite Disney princesses simply because they where the ones that fought their own battles and fought back for themselves and didn’t wait for the prince to rescue them, and being able to play a character like that and to have it become something that people really respond to is wonderful, I had that with Shadowhunters as well and to be able to continue that now with Arrow it’s great." (Mar. 27, 2019 The Fan Carpet article, page 117 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether she's returning next season, KM: "I don't know about next season. I am in most of the rest of this season. Um, and it's really neat. You get to see a lot more of her back story. You saw it in episode 16 when we had the full flashforward, but you get to see, now that she's re-established with her family or is getting more so, you see the facade crack a little bit and you see a bit of her softer side. You see bits of - of who she actually is and her vulnerabilities coming through, which is a really nice facet to a character that's been so hard-ass for the first bit." (Dutch Comic Con, Mar. 23, 2019: Entertainmenthoek video of KM interview, page 11 of Spoilers thread, page 117 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread, and page 752 of Social Media thread)
-- KM: "Yes, I want Oliver and Mia to reunite. I would love nothing more. But we got to figure out what's going on with Oliver in the future." (Mar. 18, 2019 Katherine McNamara instagram video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 752 of Social Media thread)
-- On whether we'll see more Smoak and Hawke, KM: "Yes." (Mar. 18, 2019 Katherine McNamara instagram video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 752 of Social Media thread)
-- Fan report on what KM said: "she doesn't know a lot about mia's love life yet." (Dutch Comic Con, Mar. 24, 2019: jesmacallans tweet, page 116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Fan report on what KM said: "'Something about Arrow?' Kat: 'Hmmm ... There's more to Mia than meets the eye. Smoak (pun as Smoke, smoke) and mirrors ... '" (Apr. 21, 2019 PortalKatBrasil tweet of KM instagram live video, page 756 of Social Media thread)

Connor Hawke
-- On why they changed Connor Hawke from Diggle Jr. to Ben Turner's son, EP Beth Schwartz: "We thought it was really interesting to introduce something new that was unexpected... Instead of taking everyone we knew from the present and seeing what happens in the future, we thought it’d be really cool to introduce a new kind of character.” (Writers Guild Foundation Festival, Mar. 31, 2019: Apr. 4, 2019 TVLine article, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: “In addition to having JJ, [Diggle and Lyla] adopted Connor, and we’re going to see that unfold more in [Episode] 19 (airing April 22), in terms of that relationship.” Per Beth, John Jr. also exists in the future, and “we’ll explain where he is” in an upcoming episode, noting that the brothers share “an interesting dynamic.” (Writers Guild Foundation Festival, Mar. 31, 2019: Apr. 4, 2019 TVLine article, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On why Connor Hawke said that he was adopted and what happened to JJ, JDJ posted: "Now that the Timelines have changed so has my Origin, lol but honestly I think it's cuz way [dark emoji face] darker than My parents on the show and the writers wanted to create something that made since for that [3 closed fist emojis]" and "The arrow writers are sneaky with the misdirects but what happened to JJ's gonna be coming up in the flash forwards [finger shushing mouth emoji]" and "He was a girl... then he was JJ... Then he wasn't [straight-line mouthed emoji] Barry keep playing with the Timeline [lightning, running man and cloud emojis] so who knows next season I could be the White, Black and Asian son of Oliver Queen or something." (Mar. 4, 2019 josephdjones instagram posts, page 750 of Social Media thread)
-- On whether we'll see more Smoak and Hawke, KM: "Yes." (Mar. 18, 2019 Katherine McNamara instagram video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 752 of Social Media thread)

John ("JJ") Diggle, Jr.
-- TVLine: "Per multiple sources, we will catch an actual glimpse of grown-up John Jr…. but not until next season, when Diggle and Lyla’s son circa 2040 becomes a major recurring character on the show." (Apr. 26, 2019 TVLine article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 131 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: “In addition to having JJ, [Diggle and Lyla] adopted Connor, and we’re going to see that unfold more in [Episode] 19 (airing April 22), in terms of that relationship.” Per Beth, John Jr. also exists in the future, and “we’ll explain where he is” in an upcoming episode, noting that the brothers share “an interesting dynamic.” (Writers Guild Foundation Festival, Mar. 31, 2019: Apr. 4, 2019 TVLine article, page 11 of Spoilers thread)

Nyssa al Ghul
-- Fan report on what KL and KM said: "Katrina is very open & willing to come back for the final season. Kat want's Mia to have her teacher around." (FanFest-Chicago, Apr. 21, 2019: Chris_Ford tweet, page 756 of Social Media thread)

Cindy ("Sin") Simone
-- On her favorite Arrow character, KM: "I miss Sin. I actually met Bex the other day and she's killer. I love her, but, um, yeah, I miss Sin." (Mar. 18, 2019 Katherine McNamara instagram video, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 752 of Social Media thread)

Dante
-- When asked if he was allowed to say how many episodes he's been contracted for, Adrian Paul tweeted: "Nope." (Mar. 7, 2019 adrianpaul1 tweet, page 111 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- When asked if he was the Big Bad this season, Adrian Paul tweeted: "There are surprises eveywhere." (Mar. 5, 2019 adrianpaul1 tweet, page 111 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- In response to fan comment about Highlander's dark quickening story being one of his all time fave tv stories, Adrian Paul tweeted: "I get to replay it now on Arrow..." (Mar. 7, 2019 adrianpaul1 tweet, page 111 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 5, 2019, in response to fan who said that he made "one hell of an awesome bad guy," Adrian Paul tweeted: "Ain’t seen nothing yet." (adrianpaul tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 106 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Mar. 28, 2019, when asked if he will be at SDCC 2019, Adrian Paul tweeted: "Nope." (adrianpaul1 tweet, page 752 of Social Media thread)
-- On May 3, 2019, when asked if he is now done with Arrow, Adrian Paul tweeted: "Yep." Then, when asked about the probability of Dante returning even though he died, AP tweeted: "With Arrow anything is possible...." (adrianpaul1 tweets, page 12 of Spoilers thread)

General Stewart
-- Ernie Hudson: "Worked on Arrow, um, and played a really fun character there. I'll probably go back next year." (Midwest Gaming Classic, Apr. 13, 2019: Apr. 14, 2019 Ghostbusters Medi-Corps video of EH panel, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 128 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Malcolm Merlyn
-- When asked if anyone has been "hitting up his phone" for the last season of Arrow, JB: "Nope. Start hitting up your keyboards... If they asked me to go back, of course I'd love to go back. Yeah. I would definitely love to go back. But who knows where that story's going to go and that journey's going to go. So we just have to wait and see. Yeah. Would you like to see Malcolm back? (Fan: "Of course.") ... He's in an alternate reality - that's what I like to think - and he's trying to get out. And he's going to kill someboy to get out, and then he's going to be like, 'I am here to f**k it all up... You're welcome." (Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, Mar. 23, 2019: SyFy Wire video of JB panel, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 752 of Social Media thread)

Looking Beyond S7 and Ending Arrow
-- CW President Mark Pedowitz, "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." ((Television Critics Association (TCA) Winter Press Tour, Jan. 31, 2019: Feb. 27, 2019 TV Guide tweet & article, page 749 of Social Media thread)
-- Arrow will end with Season 8. The final season will consist of a reduced order of 10 episodes. Joint statement by Arrow EPs GB, MG and Beth Schwartz: "This was a difficult decision to come to, but like every hard decision we’ve made for the past seven years, it was with the best interests of Arrow in mind... We’re heartened by the fact that Arrow has birthed an entire universe of shows that will continue on for many years to come. We’re excited about crafting a conclusion that honors the show, its characters and its legacy and are grateful to all the writers, producers, actors, and - more importantly - the incredible crew that has sustained us and the show for over seven years." (Mar. 6, 2019 Deadline article, page 300 of Starling City Times thread, and Mar. 7, 2019 The Hollywood Reporter article, page 107 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- MG: "I've said it before and I'll say it again: Without an audience, there is no show. Thanks to the millions who provided years of employment to hundreds. We aim to craft a finale season that will do you proud." (Mar. 6, 2019 MG tweet, page 750 of Social Media thread)
-- When asked if she was going to Flash next season, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "Nope. Staying at Arrow [grinning face emoji]." (Mar. 9, 2019, SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 111 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- SA: "Playing Oliver Queen has been the greatest professional experience of my life... but you can’t be a vigilante forever. Arrow will return for a final run of 10 episodes this Fall. There’s so much to say... for now I just want to say thank you." (Mar. 6, 2019 SA tweet, page 106 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread, page 750 of Social Media thread and page 300 of Starling City Times thread)
-- SA: "It’s been one hell of a run. I promise we’ll finish the way we started." (Mar. 6, 2019 SA instagram post, page 750 of Social Media thread)
-- SA (tearfully): "It's been nearly seven years since we shot the pilot of Arrow and, um, just a few minutes ago, on the - well, just outside the stage where we actually shot most of the pilot where I came - my very first time coming to the production office - and, um - my God, where I met most of the crew, a lot of which were here today, on our camera test day, which is sort of our first day of school before we begin production. I just want to let everyone know that, after a 10-episode run - after a 10-episode run in Season 8, Arrow will be concluding. Um, I - I wanted to speak to the crew first because they're the most important part of the show without a doubt and they deserved to know the news. Um, but there are bunch of people for me to thank and just -just a few things for me to say. I just wanted everyone to know the story and wanted for it to come from me and wanted it to be in a non-parsed, uh, presentation, so to speak. Towards the end of Season 6, I approached Greg Berlanti, who I will be thanking in a second, and I said that I thought, both personally and professionally, that at the end of my commitment this season, it would be the best for me to move on. Um, I've always been a - I've always been a fan of television shows that not only don't overstay their welcome, but ended in a manner that really packs a punch. And so it has always been my hope that we would know when we were going to finish this journey and not limp to the finish line, so to speak. After a lot of discussion, Greg and I decided that the best way to do this would be to have me come back for a limited run in Season 8, which is what we're going to do, and, uh, from there, I had always hoped that beyond the 17 different shows that Arrow has spawned - I'm kidding, it's only like 16 - that there was a possibility that the show might live on beyond me, because the entity of Oliver Queen and the character and the mythos and the iconography of Green Arrow has always been something that's bigger than me or any other actor that's playing him or voicing him. There's always been something more to it. I spoke to Beth Schwartz and Marc Guggenheim this past Friday and Greg Berlanti this past Friday night. And it was the decision of The WB and CW and Beth and Greg and Marc in a very mutual way, um, based off of what they thought was best for the show creatively, and being very honorable and respectful as well as pertains to my wishes, that we were going to end after a 10-episode run next year. (Sighs) Even though I've known this was coming, it's still a very emotional time because I have been on the show in what can only be described as a fundamentally transformational, nearly decade-long run in my life. To start it as an actor who doesn't have a lot of experience, who is, you know, sort of dating someone, to now a large part of this decision being because I'm now a father and a husband, and a lot of my life and interests now don't really reside in Vancouver any more, and thinking that that's the best thing for me personally and professionally. To say it has been a real sea change over the past seven years would be a vast understatement. So I'd like to begin by thanking Greg Berlanti and all of the executives that have been involved in Arrow, beginning with Marc and Andrew, and extending it to Wendy and now with Beth, who has, uh, given this show a vibrancy and a life that I think is just so uncommon for something that's in its seventh season and drifting upwards of 160 episodes at this point. I can't thank all those partners enough. To all of our directors, principally along the way, David Nutter and Glen Winter and Wendy Mericle and James Bamford, who came on in Season 5 as a producing director and has been a steadying hand and has really given us just a lot of things that I think we never knew were missing until they were there. I'm not going to be able to thank everybody by name, but - and I'm going to forget people, so I'd like to apologize. At WB, Peter Roth has just shown such an amazing amount of - of faith in the show and that's been so - just so wonderful. At The CW, uh, Mark Pedowitz and Susan Gomez - Suzanne Gomez, who is not watching this because she is out of the office at the moment - she knows what I'm talking about - and Paul Hewitt. We had a dinner this past fall with - with Mark and Paul up in Vancouver because Mark Pedowitz makes a trip every year just to see how we're doing. And he had some of the most kind, lovely, thoughtful words to say, so I'm glad that I've been an ambassador for both WB and especially for the CW because, when we came aboard was when he came aboard. And to see the changes that the network has gone through has been really special. I'd like to thank Diane Nelson and Geoff Johns at DC for having the faith that we could be a good ambassador for one of their characters and then for having the faith that this show could help spawn much bigger characters, which was always such a joy for me that they had that sort of faith in us. I've already spoken about the crew and just - there's just too many people to name along the way. But for some of the people who were here during the pilot, you know who you are. And the first thing I said was, I wanted to finish this run with as many people who began it as possible, and I really do hope that that comes to pass. And then the cast - um, whether you came here at the beginning or you came here in Season 5 or 6 and fit in seamlessly, I've had the pleasure of working with so many wonderful actors, and so many actors that just surprised and delighted me by coming on the show and telling me that they were fans of what we did as a collective. I would like to thank my family, specifically my wife Cassandra and my daughter Maverick, for putting up with really stupid hours. And this feels strange because it is certainly not the end, but it is certainly the beginning of the end. And this show has given me a platform that extends so far beyond my ability to just appear on your television 23 times a year. It has given me a voice for philanthropic endeavors, for social issues that I'm interested in. I got to take batting practice with my favorite childhood sports team. (Laughs) Um, I've had cinematic opportunities that are a direct result of the work that I've been doing  here. And, um - and I know when this is all said and done, after I drop off the face of the earth for approximately two months, probably like on a safari or something, I know that the next chapter for me both personally and professionally is going to be really exciting. Last but not least, to the people that are watching this right now, to the people that have populated my social media channels over the past seven plus years, I have made countless friends. I have been able to tell so many stories. I have been able to facilitate great moments for people because they're a fan of the Green Arrow. And I'll miss that a great deal. But something tells me, even when I'm done, I won't be gone. If you've watched the Arrowverse, you should understand that. Thank you very much, guys. There'll be more from me. I'm sure I'll get the chance to talk more about it, but I wanted you to hear about this from me. I think, um, I think it's been a good run. It's no Supernatural, but it's been a good run. Alright. (Blows hand kiss) Thank you. I love you all." (Mar. 6, 2019 SA facebook video post, page 107 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread and page 750 of Social Media thread)
-- EBR: "The incredible mind of my friend @schwartzapproved will be taking Arrow into its 8th & final season sending it off with pride, power and love." (Mar. 8, 2019 EBR instagram post, page 750 of Social Media thread)
-- On the final season of Arrow, EBR: "T’m excited to see what is in store for the story we have been telling. I’m excited and nervous." (Mar. 8, 2019 EBR instagram post, page 750 of Social Media thread)
-- DR: "What an awesome ride!  @arrow fans have been the best any actor could've asked for! Thank you for helping me bring John Diggle/Spartan to life!!! Love all of you! Can't wait for you to see what we have in stock for you. Let's end on a high, shall we? #ARROW." (Mar. 6, 2019 DR tweet, page 750 of Social Media thread)
-- KM: "It’s been an honor bringing #MiaSmoak to life & joining the #Arrowverse. Congrats @StephenAmell & the @CW_Arrow family on an incredible accomplishment & the opportunity to finish the journey the way it deserves. So keep watching-we are going to kick ass ‘til the bitter end [green heart, bow and arrow, and black heart tweets]." (Mar. 6, 2019 Kat_McNamara tweet, page 750 of Social Media thread)

Edited May 10, 2019 by tv echo

[tv echo]

This thread is for archived spoilers only - new spoilers should go in the Spoilers thread and spoiler commentary should go in the Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread...

SUMMARY OF 722 SPOILERS:

S7, Episode 22: You Have Saved This City
-- Production code: 722. Shoot Dates:. April 1-11, 2019. Director: James Bamford. Writers: Beth Schwartz & Rebecca Bellotto. Airdate: May 13, 2019.  (Apr. 4, 2019 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread, and Apr. 29, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 12 of Spoilers thread)
-- 722 synopsis: "FAMILY TIES — The battle between Oliver (Stephen Amell) and Emiko (Sea Shimooka) comes to a boiling point which brings back some familiar faces and leaves others in dire jeopardy. James Bamford directed the episode written by Beth Schwartz & Rebecca Bellotto (#722). Original airdate 5/13/2019." (Apr. 29, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 12 of Spoilers thread, and Apr. 29, 2019 GreenArrowTV article, page 131 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 722 promo pics were posted, featuring Oliver, Felicity, Curtis, Diggle, Rene, Dinah, Roy, E2 Laurel, Emiko, and Ben Turner/Bronze Tiger. (May 7, 2019 GreenArrowTV tweet, May 8, 2019 SpoilerTV article, TVLine gallery link and CWTV PR gallery link, page 12 of Spoilers thread and pages 132-133 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 722 promo was posted, featuring Emiko, Oliver, Diggle, Dinah and E2 Laurel. (The CW video of 722 promo, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 132 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- 722 extended promo was posted, featuring Oliver, Diggle, Felicity, Dinah, Rene, Roy, E2 Laurel, Ben Turner, Emiko, and Star City citizens. (May 13,2019 The CW video of 822 extended promo, page 12 of Spoilers thread)
-- 722 sneak peek was posted, featuring Felicity, Oliver, Diggle, Roy, Dinah, Rene, Curtis and E2 Laurel. (May 7, 2019 TVLine article, page 12 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per papp, 722 title is "You Have Saved This City." (Apr. 10, 2019 canadagraphs tweet & Apr. 9, 2019 canadagraphs blog, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 126 of Spoilers thread)
-- Papp posted pic of paper with "ARROW ... EP 22 ... YOU HAVE SAVED THIS CITY" written on it. (Apr. 9, 2019 canadagraphs blog, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per SpoilerTV, S7 production will end on April 11, 2019. (Jan. 8, 2019 SpoilerTV article, page 8 of Spoilers thread and page 73 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread, and Jun. 16, 2018 SpoilerTV article, page 539 of Mind Your Surroundings thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, their last day of production on S7 is April 12th. (Apr. 9, 2019 Writer Experience Podcast interview with Beth Schwartz, page 754 of Social Media thread)
-- Per TVLine, Arrow's S7 finale will air on Monday, May 13, 2019, at 9pm. (Mar. 7, 2019 TVLine article, page 75 of Ratings & Scheduling thread)

Generally
-- TVLine: "SEASON FINALE (May 13): Cast member Juliana Harkavy told TVLine that the series’ penultimate closer — aka Emily Bett Rickards’ final episode — is 'very exciting, and really emotional,' while [EP Beth] Schwartz said, 'Almost everyone who read it was in tears.' The EP also described the finale as 'insane' and 'huge' 'in terms of action, in terms of characters that might be coming back, and in terms of the ending.' In fact, it is two finales-in-one. The flash-forward characters 'have their own finale, which will be pretty large,' all adding up to an episode that is 'extremely unique. It definitely propels you into Season 8.'” (Apr. 22, 2019 TVLine article, page 12 of Spoilers thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "Already writing the #Arrow season 7 finale... can't believe the season is almost over.  It's been such a crazy and rewarding ride!" (Mar. 19, 2019 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 115 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz tweeted pic of 722 title page with title hidden and overlaid with shadow of an arrow, with comment: "#Arrow Season 7 finale [exploding head emoji]." (Apr. 4, 2019 SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 123 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "All I have to say is the finale script, almost everyone who read it was in tears... I’m very happy with it, and I think the audience is going to really like it.” (Apr. 5, 2019 TVLine article, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 124 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how much of 722 felt like a real ending, EP Beth Schwartz: "We actually did approach it that way in terms of, 'This might be the last time we see this,' ... So we definitely had that in mind when we were breaking the episode, because Emily's leaving and, yeah, next season is a little different, so we definitely did approach it in that way." (May 13, 2019 ComicBook article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: “I think it’s a very different ending for Oliver versus a big bad than we’ve seen before." (May 13, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how S7's finale compares to past seasons' finales, EP Beth Schwartz: "It’s pretty humongous, because not only are we telling our finale story in the present day, but we’re also having a huge finale in our future storyline. So, it’s kind of a double finale in one." (May 13, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- EP Beth Schwartz: "In the finale, especially at the end of the episode, we’re gonna going to connect the present-day story and the future story. So, it’ll become clear." (May 13, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what the S7 finale says about the theme of redemption, EP Beth Schwartz: "It will definitely be prevalent in the finale in terms of Emiko and Oliver holding out thinking that she still is redeemable, and that will obviously be a struggle because she does a lot of bad stuff." (May 13, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Black Siren and Bronze Tiger appearing in 722, EP Beth Schwartz: "That also tied with our redemption arc, in terms of those were two characters who, at the beginning, were villains. By the finale, because of Oliver and the team, they’re now fighting alongside the heroes, so we really loved that idea." (May 13, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- SA tweeted part of his arm with goosebumps, with comment: "Just read the season finale." (Mar. 25, 2019 SA tweet, page 116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- SA tweeted: "Our Season Finale is slowly sucking the life out of me. (In the best possible way.)" (Apr. 2, 2019 SA tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per DR, 722's triiple whammy of family-focused material gives the finale a unique “emotional resonance.” DR: “There are emotional family dynamics that we haven’t really dealt with before... This finale is all about family, right? What happens with Felicity, family. What happens with Emiko, family. And I think that hits in a way that the other finale didn’t hit. So yes, you still have the explosions, you still have a lot of big action scenes, that’s part of Arrow. But emotionally, there are things happening in this finale that you haven’t seen before.” (May 13, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per JH, she didn't see S7's end coming: “I was very surprised. We knew that a lot of changes were happening, but we didn’t know all of them at the beginning of the season. So, there were things in there we could never have imagined were going to happen... Ultimately, I’m really happy with how it ended. I think it’s beautiful. It’s starting to paint a picture of how the whole series will wrap next year, because we only have 10 episodes to tell the rest of the story.” (May 13, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- JH tweeted "WHOA" wide-eyed bird gif, with comment: "Just finished reading 7x22. Oh. My. God, y’all. #Arrow #SeasonFinale." (Mar. 23, 2019, JulianaHarkavy tweet, page 10 of Spoilers thread and page 116 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- JH: “We were crying the entire shoot. Not just because it’s sad, but because we know that the end is coming up and this is our last full-season finale…. It was just kind of surreal. It’s a really incredible script — everybody really put their all into it — and there is so much action. It’s very exciting, and really emotional.” (Apr. 15, 2019 TVLine article, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 128 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- JH: "It's a really big, emotional, exciting end of the season. Not everything gets wrapped up, but a lot of things are and a lot of questions are answered. And everybody's performance has just been really spectacular to watch. I think the added emotion of everything—the fact that we are coming to an end soon and that some of our characters are not gonna be back—just made it a really powerful finale." (Apr. 15, 2019 TV Insider article, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per IMDb, 722 guest cast includes actor James Ralph playing the role of Lieutenant Robert Lockhart. (IMDb page link in May 10, 2019 tv echo post, page 133 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Flashforwards
-- EW: "One of the interesting things about this season has been the tension between the present-day and future storylines. In 2019, Oliver and Felicity are endeavouring to create a safe world for their children, but the flash-forwards reveal that they failed. Can we expect some kind of resolution to that tension?" EP Beth Schwartz: "Not this season, no." (May 13, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether 722 is the end of the flashforwards, EP Beth Schwartz: "No." (May 13, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how the future will impact the present-day characters, EP Beth Scwhartz: "The finale is going to feel like a double finale. We are wrapping up what’s happening in our present storyline, but also our future storyline. There will definitely be a connection between the two stories." (May 13, 2019 SyFy article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Oliver
-- On the significance of the 722 title “You Have Saved This City," EP Beth Schwartz: "It sort of talks about [Oliver's] entire journey of the series. He basically starts season 1 trying to save the city, and this will bookend it in a nice way." (May 13, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether the S7 finale sets up Oliver’s arc for S8, or whether it will be a bit more closed off, EP Beth Schwartz: "It definitely sets up next season. I can’t talk too much about season 8 yet, but it’ll definitely launch you into season 8." (May 13, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, the S7 finale will finally reveal where Oliver is in the flash-forwards - or, more accurately, why he doesn't seem to be around: "The majority of questions will be answered, but there will be just a couple hanging over that we'll get to in Season 8." (May 10, 2019 TV Guide article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 133 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On the 722 showdown between Oliver and his half-sister, Emiko, EP Beth Schwartz: "It’s definitely going to be emotional for Oliver going against his sister. It will be a different kind of fight than we’ve seen in the past." (May 13, 2019 SyFy article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what kind of toll the showdown with Emiko will take on Oliver, who's always been all about family, EP Beth Schwartz: 'What we crafted this season is this cycle that was brought to him by his father. By meeting Emiko, he sees he wasn’t the only one affected. In his mind, the two of them are the only people who can break this cycle of violence for their future generations." (May 13, 2019 SyFy article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Felicity, Olicity and The Monitor
-- TV Guide: "Arrow SEASON FINAL 9/8c, The CW... Get your tissues ready: Tonight is Emily Bett Rickards's last episode as a series regular, and whatever splits up our beloved supercouple Olicity is not going to be easy." (Arrow blurb from May 13-26, 2019 TV Guide in May 7, 2019 sparkkle5 tweet, page 133 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per EP Beth Schwartz, EBR's and Felicity’s exit “is addressed at the end of this season” versus, say, in the final (8th) season premiere, saying that “we kinda knew” going into the finale where EBR's head was at with regards to her future on Arrow. (Writers Guild Foundation Festival, Mar. 31, 2019: TVLine article, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 121 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Felicity's role in S7 finale, EP Beth Schwartz: "I can't give away too much, but every time I watch the last 10 minutes of the finale, I cry every single time... I just wanted to honor [Felicity]. She's been a really important character to the show - besides just having a huge fan base - to me personally. She's been one of my favorite characters, and I've been with her from the beginning. I wanted to make sure that we honored her both in her relationship with Oliver as well as her goals personally and the origin of Smoak Tech - her wanting to do something in addition to being on Team Arrow. That was her own, so that was really important to me."  (May 10, 2019 TV Guide article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 133 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what was her goal when she set off to create this last hour of season seven, EP Beth Schwartz: "Well, definitely it was to honor the whole season and make sure that we end the redemption story that we began with, as well as giving Felicity a major sendoff, which was really important to me." (May 13, 2019 ETonline article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how 722 will honor this character of Felicity Smoak that fans know and love, EP Beth Schwartz: "I think this whole season, in a sense, honored her character. She was so prevalent in our future storyline and [through] her relationship with Mia, you got to see what she went through in the future and also some of her successes as well. And then in the present day, we get to see the origins of Smoak Tech and that that was super important to her besides just being part of Team Arrow. And then with her relationship with Oliver, [we saw her] getting pregnant and then sort of trying to figure out how to be parents when you’re superheroes and danger has always been around the corner." (May 13, 2019 ETonline article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what we can expect from Felicity and Oliver’s last scene together, EP Beth Schwartz: "I feel like we honor the relationship from where they started to what they've gone through over the entire series, not just this season where they started separate when Oliver was in prison and Felicity being able to take care of herself. I think the fans will be very satisfied with the ending. That’s all I can say." (May 13, 2019 ETonline article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On the chances that we’ll get the see Oliver and Felicity share a scene together in the future storyline, EP Beth Schwartz: "Oh, in the finale? Low." (May 13, 2019 ETonline article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether EBR had any last wishes or Easter eggs that she wanted to make sure were included in her final episode, EP Beth Schwartz: "I don't think so. I think that we were on the same page as for her exit from the show. I know that Stephen had some. It was really important to him, and we had a lot of conversations about her ending as well. So between the three of us, I think we were all very happy with the outcome." (May 13, 2019 ETonline article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how she would describe Felicity and Mia’s interactions in 722, EP Beth Schwartz: "You see in [episode] 16 where they had such a great relationship, but then Mia felt betrayed. They’ve had a little bit of a bumpy ride, but by the end, that will all have been resolved." (May 13, 2019 ETonline article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On her last message to the Arrow fans before they embark on this final episode for Felicity Smoak, EP Beth Schwartz: "It’s definitely an emotional ending and it is a lot to process. I just think they’ve been such a great and passionate fandom, and I just hope it will honor this character that everyone loves that everyone has been watching for the past seven years." (May 13, 2019 ETonline article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what was the most important thing she wanted to hit in the S7 finale in sending Felicity off, EP Beth Schwartz: "A bunch of things. She’s obviously a crucial part of the show, and we’re all super sad to see both Emily and Felicity go, so we just wanted to make sure that we honor her character in terms of her relationship with Oliver, in terms of her being a hero in her own right, as well as her relationship with Mia [Katherine McNamara] in the future. We have a lot to tie up." (May 13, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On how drastically EBR's departure affected how she ended the season, EP Beth Schwartz: "It definitely affected a lot because ending such an important character on a show is such a big responsibility, and so we wanted to give her the send-off she deserves. We spend a lot of time with her." (May 13, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On whether we can expect Arrow to include a tease for the next crossover, "Crisis on Infinite Earths," like The Flash did, EP Beth Schwartz: "It’s definitely possible." (May 13, 2019 Entertainment Weekly article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On what kind of send-off did she want to give Felicity Smoak, EP Beth Schwartz: "It was very sad, I’m still sad about it, but I wanted to honor Felicity both in the present day and in the future stories we’ve told all year. All I can say is that the last 10 minutes, I’m in tears every time I watch it." (May 13, 2019 SyFy article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On the next big crossover, COIE, EP Beth Schwartz: "It’s going to affect our next season greatly. That’s all I can say. It’s going to be insane." (May 13, 2019 SyFy article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- KM: "Hmm. I really loved the scene with Emily at the end of episode 16, um, where we actually had our heart-to-heart for the first time. There's some really beautiful scenes in the finale coming up next week that I'm very excited for you guys to see, um, [some unintelligible words] so stay tuned for that, for sure." (May 7, 2019 Katherine McNamara instagram video, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 133 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- Per papp, LaMonica Garrett, dressed as the Monitor, was filming with SA and EBR in the cabin in the woods for the S7 finale episode. (Apr. 10, 2019 canadagraphs tweet and Apr. 9, 2019 canadagraphs blog, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 126 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Apr. 1, 2019, SA posted b-t-s pic of himself with EBR, with comment: "For me... August 3rd, 2012 is the most important day in the history of our show. It was the first day I worked with Emily. Her energy and the vibrancy she gave to Felicity Smoak is only surpassed by what she personally gave to me. She was a co-worker that became a best friend. So on the first day of our last episode together, I’d like everyone to know how deeply I appreciate the past seven years. EmBett... We wouldn’t be here without you. I love you. And I cannot wait to see what you do next." (SA instagram post, page 753 of Social Media thread)
-- On Apr. 5, 2019, fan tweeted pic of Arrow filming notice, with comment: "Looks like #Arrow will be filming at Rice Lake Road, Lynn Valley next week." From filming notice: "The film crew will be at 4390 Rice Lake Road on Tuesday, April 9. We will begin our filming day exterior in the Lane at the front of the house. We will be filming interior and exterior in the backyard as well. ... Tuesday, April 9 ... 7:30am-8:00am - Main Unit Crew arrives to begin filming day. 9:00pm to 10:00pm - filming ends, trucks are loaded and depart the neighborhood." (phoenix45 photo tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Apr. 5, 2019, fan tweeted pic of same Arrow filming notice, with comment: "looks like they're going to shoot extra footage at the olicity cabin." (olicitymafia tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- Apr. 9, 2019 was EBR's last day filming on the Arrow set. EBR posted pics from that day. (EBR instagram story posts, page 754 of Social Media thread)
-- On Apr. 9, 2019, fan posted pic from EBR's instagram story in which EBR is sitting in makeup and her hair is loose and longish. (FYeahEBRupdates tweet, page 126 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- From Apr. 9, 2019 fan report of being on Arrow set during 722 filming: "As many of you know, I was at the Arrow 7x22 filming that took place in North Vancouver on Tuesday, April 9 at the 'Olicity cabin.' ... So we were hanging out with a great view of the Olicity cabin and the fence around the property. We could see into the property too, and there we saw an archery target set up in the cabin’s backyard. (That might be a spoiler, but Canadagraphs or whatever that site is already leaked photos of it  so whatever). ... The actors were brought onto set in tinted-window SUVs that would drive up, turn around in the narrow street, and back up onto the property to let them out. I didn’t realize that actors were being dropped off the first 2 times it happened, so I missed the first two actors that got dropped off. I am pretty sure one of them was Stephen, because I never saw him arrive. I did see Emily arrive! ... AND - this has been leaked by that paparazzi dude, too, so I might as well share - I saw LaMonica Garrett arrive. Discord friends can attest that I freaked the fuck out. Because FUCK. The second I saw him walk out of his SUV, I was just like ?????? ... During the “morning” (until I walked up to get lunch around 3:30), 4 or 5 - I think 5 - scenes were shot. I’m pretty sure they were all indoor. I was able to hear details about who were in the scenes and where they were for some of the scenes, but I wasn’t able to watch because everything was inside or behind the fence. Around 1 PM we heard them say that David was due on set, but hadn’t arrived yet. At that point, I started getting concerned about exactly who he was and wasn’t going to film with and what it would all mean. ... Throughout the day, Stephen and Emily (and LaMonica in the whole Monitor get-up!) would occasionally walk out. It was very cool, and also bittersweet, because it was Emily’s last day filming. .. Around 3 or 3:30, everyone (cast and crew and guests) gathered around in the cabin’s backyard (behind a fence, alas) and I could tell that Emily was speaking, but I couldn’t hear what she said. Probably other people spoke too. There were intermittent rounds of applause. ... After that, a lot of the crew seemed to take a break, and it was clear they were preparing to shoot outside the house (they took down a lot of the equipment that was attached to the house for the indoor shoot). We took the opportunity to walk up the hill to this cool little “general store”/cafe, where we got lunch. ... By then it was maybe 4:00 or so and we kinda thought that Stephen was done filming for the day, but a crewmember had confirmed that Emily would still be shooting for the rest of the day, so we went back down to the set to see what we could see. I can’t remember if David had shown up at that point, but we knew he was still going to be filming, and I was crossing my fingers like crazy that he was going to film with both Emily and Stephen, but I was worried it might only be Emily .... When we got back to “our” spot outside the set, they had removed all the cables and equipment that previously had bordered the property. A second later, we found out why when a crewmember walked over - they were going to be filming outside, including the area where we had been standing all day. ... And then they invited us to come on set. ... SO WE WENT ON SET. ... -  we were there for a total of one hour ... - we also got introduced to actors, including: ... - David Ramsey!!!!! who talked to us and shook our hands ... - Caity Lotz! (Whose presence I wouldn’t have spoiled except that Carina already spoiled it on her instagram account, so I might as well share it now). She also shook our hands and talked to us. ... - since we were right in the middle of the action for an hour, we saw a bunch of people coming and going, and standing around right next to us, including all the actors mentioned above, and Stephen, and his family (wife and daughter who, along with Caity, were seated right next to us for awhile - you can actually see on Carina’s instagram video the exact spot where we were standing - right by the metal leg of the pop-up canopy), and Emily! (more on that below) ... - the crewmember who had adopted us asked us if we had tried craft service, and when we said “no,” she basically insisted (lol) that we go to the craft service table and partake. (Seriously, they were so nice!). AND GUESS WHAT?? (Aside from watching the filming this is the other thing I will NEVER BE OVER). EMILY’S GOODBYE CAKE WAS THERE and they told us to have some!!! (The cake had a piece of chocolate on it with writing on it that said “Thanks for 7 Smoakin years” ????????) SO. YOU GUYS. I CUT A PIECE OF CAKE FOR MYSELF FROM EMILY’S CAKE. I TOOK A SLICE OF EMILY’S GOODBYE CAKE. I STILL CANNOT BELIEVE IT.) ... - at one point after we had our cake, Emily walked by and looked at us and I kinda smiled at her and she said, “I heard it’s good!” (So, while I never did get to talk to her or get a photo, she did talk to me lol) ... That’s basically it. We stayed another hour or so after that, and we watched another scene be filmed from afar, but after that they needed us to go up the hill to get out of the shot, and we couldn’t see anything anymore. By then it had been a very, very long day and we had already had an amazing experience, so we decided to leave without trying to wait for Emily. We figured she was having an emotionally exhausting day, not to mention a busy day, with a full day of filming plus friends and family on set, so we decided the odds of us actually getting to see her were probably small anyway. So, with only that one regret, we left." (Apr. 10, 2019 alliemarie_xf tumblr post, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 127 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 9, 2019, SA tweeted: "There are days when actors shed a noble tear in a scene and there are days when they ugly cry to the point of fogging up their scene partners glasses. Today was the latter." (SA tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 126 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 9, 2019, SA tweeted video clip with comment: "Our kiddo wanted to sing @emilybett a song on her last day." In this video clip, they're at the cabin in the woods set, you can see SA, EBR, DR, James Bamford and SA's daughter, and EBR/Felicity has loose, longish hair. (SA tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread, page 126 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread and page 754 of Social Media thread)
-- On Apr. 9, 2019, RG posted video clip of himself with EBR, with comment: "It’s @EmilyBett’s last day. [tired emoji, loudly crying emoji, crying emoji] What a ride! #Arrow #BlondieAndRene." In this video, EBR tearfully says, "It has been a ride... We're old and tired," and RG says something like, "Don't you dare do it," several times. RG is wearing a suit and EBR is style as Older Felicity in this video clip. (RG tweet, page 754 of Social Media thread)
-- On Apr. 9, 2019, KC tweeted: "GIRL, @EmilyBett You are an amazing woman! Thank You for sharing your love & light with ALL OF US over the years! #Arrow You are a TRUE inspiration; as an artist, as an individual, and as a dear friend. Now, go move mountains girl! I ?? U." (KC tweet, page 754 of Social Media thread)
-- On Apr. 9, 2019, director James Bamford tweeted: "That’s a show wrap on the incredible talent of @EmilyBett Thank you for 7 years of friendship, and professionalism beyond the far reaches of the galaxy. You are one of the great ones. [crying face emoji, broken heart emoji]." (JamesBamford tweet, page 754 of Social Media thread)
-- On Apr. 9, 2019, papp tweeted: "Farewell Felicity.  Emily Bett Rickards spent her last day on #Arrow at the house in the woods where Felicity & Oliver welcomed baby Mia into the world. #Olicity … @EmilyBett."  Papp report: "Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards) is on set. Her husband Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) is on set. Diggle (David Ramsey) is on set. Stephen Amell’s daughter Mavi sang a song for Emily Bett Rickards." (yvrshoots tweet & HollywoodNorth.buzz article, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 126 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 10, 2019, papp tweeted b-t-s pics of EBR and SA wearing casual clothes and LaMonica Garrett as the Monitor, all at the cabin in the woods set, with comment: "NEW BLOG #Arrow shoots scenes for the season 7 finale with Stephen Amell, Emily Bett Rickards, and (spoiler), oh, also, EPISODE TITLE (spoiler)." From Apr. 9, 2019 papp blog: "THIS BLOG POST IS FOR 'ARROW' SEASON 7 EPISODE 22 titled 'You Have Saved This City'... While I was there, there was no filming that was visible to the public. It was all either in the house, or contained in the back part of the houses yard. I DO know though that Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen, Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smaok, and LaMonica Garrett as The Monitor were on set, and PROBABLY (speculation only, I dont know it to be a fact) all filmed together based on how long they all were in there for. ... Shortly before I left, they were setting up things in the back yard, including a target practice board. I added a couple photos of that as well. Also added 1 photo with no zoom on so you could get an idea of what exactly I had to shoot through for any of you whining about the quality. My camera LOVES focusing on pointless tree branches. ... Why The Monitor was at the couples hideaway? Let the speculation begin. Oh also.... what about that episode title?" (Apr. 10, 2019 canadagraphs tweet & Apr. 9, 2019 canadagraphs blog, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 126 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Apr. 12, 2019, fan tweeted pic of crew member holding baby doll, with comment: "they had a baby on set for emily’s last day HELLOOOOOOO LIL MIA." (smokinqtech tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 127 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 17, 2019, when asked who she would still like to work with, KM:  "Stephen. I still haven't worked with Stephen. I really, really would like to work with Oliver Queen one of these days." (Netflix's Someone Great premiere, Apr. 17, 2019: Apr. 29, 2019 Shine On Media video of red carpet interview with KM, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 131 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On May 12, 2019, director James Bamford posted pic of EBR, with comment: "I’d show you the full size version of this photo right now only it’s FULL of SPOILERS for tomorrow night’s season 7 finale of #Arrow......so I’ll just leave you with my lovely friend @emilybett and her spoiler free face. Shhhhhhhhhh!." (james2bambamford instagram post, page 133 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Team Arrow
-- On how she would describe the state of Team Arrow by the end of the S7 finale, EP Beth Schwartz: "They end in a good place." (May 13, 2019 SyFy article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Original Team Arrow ("OTA")
-- On whether we will get a special OTA moment in 722, EP Beth Schwartz: "Yeah we definitely honor the OTA in the finale. There’s a lot of really nice homages to where the series started between the three of them and as well as between Oliver and [Felicity]." (May 13, 2019 ETonline article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Roy 
-- On how Roy will come back from murdering two innocent police officers in a blood rage, EP Beth Schwartz: "We will answer that a little bit in the finale. But we will get into it more next season. Roy has been through a lot on our series. We wanted to reveal what he’s been struggling with, and what his own adventure has been with Thea and Nyssa and going after the Lazarus Pits." (May 13, 2019 SyFy article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

E2 Laurel
-- On how E2 Laurel has changed since she’s been away from the team, EP Beth Schwartz: "After Episode 18, when Laurel had all the support of her fellow women on the show, she took that to heart. She will come back on the right side of things and on the side of the heroes." (May 13, 2019 SyFy article, page 12 of Spoilers thread and page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Caity Lotz On Set
-- On Mar. 27, 2019, James Bamford posted pic of red-haired Caity Lotz, with comment: "Having a guest in my office while prepping the season 7 finale episode of #Arrow is always fun...... having a boss like @caitylotz is a plus." (james2bambamford instagram post, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 117 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- From Apr. 10, 2019 fan report of being on Arrow set during 722 filming: "Caity Lotz! (Whose presence I wouldn’t have spoiled except that Carina already spoiled it on her instagram account, so I might as well share it now). She also shook our hands and talked to us." (Apr. 10, 2019 alliemarie_xf tumblr post, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 127 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 12, 2019, JDJ tweeted pic of himself with CL: "Absolutely loved bumping into @caitylotz this week... She was the very first person I met in the arrowverse and has continued to be an amazing source of inspiration and guidance ever since! Love you Caity?????  #arrow #legendsoftomorrow." (Josephdjones tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 127 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 12, 2019, fans posted: "She's been following Bamford around for the last 2 weeks, maybe she's learning how to be a director like DR did for awhile before they gave him an episode" and "Someone on twitter said Carina said Caity was shadowing Bamford, so Morrigan2575 is right." (Morrigan2575 and JJ928 posts, page 127 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 26, 2019, CL posted pic of herself with EBR, with comment: "I don’t know what this face is, or if I’d recommend it, but we definitely nailed it. ?? ??strawberry gingers. (caitylotz instagram post, page 131 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Other Filming 
-- On Apr. 1, 2019, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "The #ArrowSeason7 finale started shooting today. How did this year go by so fast???" (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Apr. 2, 2019, KM tweeted b-t-s pic of herself with CH as Older Roy and BL as Adult William, with comment: "You age like a fine wine, Colton... ????? while @benlewishere and I cheese it up in the background. ??? #regram @ColtonLHaynes #wineandcheese #canttakeusanywhere." (Kat_McNamara tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 123 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 2, 2019, BL responded to KM's tweet by tweeting: "Unkie Roy driving Lil’ Mia to karate before dropping Yung Will at model UN. [family emoji]." (benlewishere tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 123 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 2, 2019, CH posted b-t-s pic of himself in red Arsenal suit clasping hands with EBR, who's laying on the table in the Arrow Bunker, with comment: "I have the best job in the world ?? #Arrow." (coltonlhaynes instagram post, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 122 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 2, 2019, RG posted pic of himself in Wild Dog suit with CH in red Arsenal suit (and bloodied face), with comment: "@coltonlhaynes and I give our blood, sweat and tears to this team. #Arrow #WildDog #Arsenal." (rickgonzalez instagram post, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Apr. 2, 2019, SA tweeted pic of bath counter products, including Altoids and bottle labeled "Herpes Blood," with comment: "Really upping the ante for our finale this year." (SA tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 122 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 2, 2019, SA tweeted pic of his daughter Mavi at Felicity's computer console in the Arrow Bunker, with comment: "Starting em young." (SA tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Apr. 3, 2019, SA tweeted b-t-s pic of himself with EBR as Older Felicity, BL as Adult William and KM as Mia, with comment: "Meet the [queen emoji]'s —." (SA tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 123 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 3, 2019, KM tweeted b-t-s pic of herself as Mia with SA as Older? Oliver, EBR as Older Felicity and BL as Adult William, with comment: "The Queens - We Will Rock You [queen, bow & arrow and green heart emojis] @StephenAmell @EmilyBett @benlewishere @CW_Arrow #selfieQueens." (KM tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 123 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 4, 2019, fan tweeted b-t-s video clip of Ben Lewis, with comment: "Last night...[thinking face emoji] Ben....Stephen.... 7x22 #Arrow." Reportedly, SA and SS were also on set. (arrowverse_DC tweet, page 123 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 4, 2019, JDJ tweeted pic of himself with DR and Michael Jai White, with comment: "Legacy. #arrow [fire emoji, raised fist emoji, crown emoji]." (Josephdjones tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 123 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 4, 2019, James Bamford tweeted: "Well......we can add that to the long list of shots in this episode that have made me openly cry on set." (JamesBamford tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 123 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 5, 2019, SA tweeted: "For everyone telling me I need rest: We are filming the season finale. I napped today from 12:30 pm - 5:45 pm. I will be tweeting at 6:00 am tomorrow. Leave me and my finale emotions alone." (SA tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Apr. 5, 2019, papp tweeted: "#Arrow filming at Richmond City Hall tonight. On bottom of atrium & possible exterior."and "#arrow setting up outside Richmond City Hall for night shoot. #Arrowseason7."  (yvrshoots tweets, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Apr. 5, 2019, fan tweeted pic of plaza in front of building with "PALMER TECHNOLOGIES" sign, with comment: "also a picture i just took palmer tech setup." (ameliagiecek tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Apr. 5, 2019, fan tweeted b-t-s filming pics of Richmond City Hall building exterior at night, with comment: "They’re filming @GreenArrowTV at City Hall in #RichmondBC now. @StephenAmell." (MartinvandenH tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Apr. 6, 2019, fan tweeted pics of herself with DR, SA, RG and CH on the Arrow set, with comment: "Holy great night on the #Arrow set tonight. Lots to see and lots of cast that were super happy to chat for a quick second.Thanks so much to all of them, @StephenAmell, @david_ramsey, @officialrickg, @ColtonLHaynes. So wicked to see they appreciate their fans. :)thx." Same fan also tweeted: "... I’ll usually happily share but the show is trying really hard to keep secrets for their finale. I will tell you we certainly didn’t see anything earth shattering..." (jholden23 tweets, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 124 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 6, 2019, fan tweeted b-t-s filming pics of SA, CH and KC, with comment: "the only real photos i was able to take last night... at one point stephen, colton, and katie as their characters were standing up on the steps. all i could hear stephen say was 'overwatch, do you have eyes on'." In these pics, KC appears to be wearing E1 Laurel's Black Canary suit. Same fan also tweeted: "the next scene i could hear was of david, juliana and rick in their full costumes. they came in and david said ill handle/secure the weapon, just get everybody out of here” rick as wild dog then proceeded to push all of the bystanders out of the way very aggressively, saying move." (ameliagiecek tweets, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 124 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 6, 2019, when asked if KC filmed "yesterday/last night," papp tweeted: "yes." (pursuit23 tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 125 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

Wrap Party
-- On Apr. 6, 2019, SA tweeted: "Wrapped at 6 am. Watching #Code8 in 7 hours. Celebrating a friend a few hours later. Wrap party after that. I feel great." (SA tweet, page 754 of Social Media thread)
-- On Apr. 6, 2019, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "Sad to be missing the #Arrow wrap party tonight. But I have strict orders for my peeps to send me minute by minute updates!" (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 754 of Social Media thread)
-- On Apr. 6, 2019, fan tweeted video clip of pre-wrap party dinner, which showed Arrow writer Maya Houston, AS, SS, KM, JDJ and LaMonica Garrett. (smoakinqtech tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 125 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 6 and 7, 2019, fan posted video clips from Arrow wrap party, showing SA, EBR and JH. (AmellDaily tweets, page 754 of Social Media thread)
-- On Apr. 7, 2019, Adrian Holmes posted pic of himself with SA and LaMonica Garrett at the Arrow wrap party, with comment: "Huge congrats to the cast of @cw_arrow on the wrap of their 7th season... 10 eps to go! What a ride! So nice to catch up with everyone after all this time. Happy to have been a part of the Arrowverse and share in their successful journey... Blessings!" (adrianholmes instagram post, page 754 of Social Media thread)
-- On Apr. 7, 2019, David Nykl posted pic of himself with SA at the Arrow wrap party, with comment: "Sometimes, when you're lucky, you get to work with the good people. Thanks for the support @stephenamell. It's been a great ride! #arrow @cw_arrow." (dav.nyk instagram post, page 754 of Social Media thread)
-- On Apr. 7, 2019, KM tweeted pic of herself with EBR and SA at Arrow wrap party, with comment: "These two... ??????. @stephenamell @emilybett @cw_arrow wrap party #ARROW #Olicity #MiaSmoak." (Kat_McNamara tweet, page 754 of Social Media thread)
-- On Apr. 8, 2019, RG posted pics of himself with SA, EBR, Adrian Holmes, Michael Jai White, KM and Brendan Fletcher at Arrow wrap party, with comment: "One more #Arrow #WrapParty to go. ?? #GoodTimes." (rickgonzalez instagram post, page 126 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

More Filming
-- On Apr. 9, 2019, AS posted pic of herself as Adult Zoe with CH as Older Roy, JH as Older Dinah and RG as Older Rene, with comment: "Yesterday was these 3 beautiful humans last day filming ArrowS7 and I just wanna take a minute to share how much of an impact they’ve made on my experience being on this show. Walking onto a set that had been through 6 seasons was intimidating and scary but they welcomed me into the family right away and eased my nerves. They are all so genuine and so frickin talented. It’s been such a blessing to watch them work, they’re such inspiring true artists and I’ve learned so much from them. So thank you @julianaharkavy @coltonlhaynes and @rickgonzalez for the good times and for being so real. I appreciate you so much and congrats on another amazing season ???????? #RealLifeSuperheroes #ArrowS7 #ThankYou #IBowToYourGreatness #KindAndTrue #TalentForDays." (dresixtos instagram post, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 127 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 9, 2019, SS tweeted: "@Josephdjones is trying to annoy me today [clown face emoji]." (seashimooka tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 126 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 10, 2019, SS tweeted: "last day of filming #arrow [loudly crying face emoji]." (seashimooka tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Apr. 11, 2019, SS posted pic of herself with director James Bamford, with comment: "Last night I wrapped ArrowS7 and I just wanted to thank these guys who made the season extra special. Bam — you’ve been there since day 1, advising (forcing) me to get 'Ronda Rousey' arms so I could be a formidable force against Team Arrow. Feeling strong encouraged me to do many of my own stunts/fight sequences (but the best were done by my incredible double — @ninjaorf ). He directed me for the first time last night on the finale and it’s hard to imagine another director being as good as him at what he does. Stephen — you’ve been the best scene partner and friend. It’s hard to be the rookie and have all your scenes with the lead of a show but I reaped the benefits. You always took the time to share tips you’ve learned along the way and I can’t tell you how much appreciate it. You know how to lead a show and be a leader. And Patricia — you taught me how to bring the badass archery skills of my comic character to life. From countless training sessions at your studio to being my on set coach, you gave me the confidence to be the archer I portray.  To the rest of the cast, crew, writers and production — thank you for an incredible season! Can’t wait for what’s to come! ?? #arrow #thecw #cwarrow #emikoqueen #oliverqueen." (seashimooka instagram post, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Apr. 11, 2019, SA tweeted: "That’s a wrap. 7 down. 1 to go. #Arrow." (SA tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Apr. 12, 2019, KM tweeted pic of herself as Mia, with comment: "Last man standing.(sitting in this case).Just wrapped @cw_arrow S7 tonight. Thank you to everyone who  made me feel so welcome. Trust me,I wouldn’t knock it,you should quiver in anticipation of what we have in store. [green heart emoji, bow & arrow emoji] #ARROW #MiaSmoak #StarCity2040 #BLACKSTAR [camera emoji]: @JamesBamford." (Kat_McNamara tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 127 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 12, 2019, EP Beth Schwartz tweeted: "Last day of #Arrow season 7! What an incredible year. Couldn’t be more grateful for the best cast and crew and the @ARROWwriters who had to put up with me every day [grinning face emoji]." (SchwartzApprovd tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 127 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 13, 2019, JDJ tweeted pic of himself with director James Bamford, BL, AS and KM, with comment: "#Arrow Season 7 is Officially Wrapped and I cannot stress enough how amazing it has been working with a cast and crew as immensely talented as this one! I love each and every one of you guys and thank you so much for an Amazing Season! [green heart, fire and bow & arrow emojis]" (Josephdjones tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread and page 127 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On Apr. 18, 2019, KC tweeted pic of herself with JH, both wearing black masks, with comment: "So fresh & so clean #TBT @julianaharkavy @freshbeauty #BlackCanary #Arrow...." (KC tweet, page 11 of Spoilers thread)
-- On May 12, 2019, director James Bamford posted pic of himself with BL, JDJ, AS and KM, with comment: Nobody is as excited for tomorrow’s season 7 finale of #Arrow as this crew of @benlewishere @josephdjones @dresixtos and @kat.mcnamara Nobody, that is.....except for ME!! We are very proud of it, and hope you love what you see. Bring 100000000 boxes of tissues! That’s MANDATORY! 😢♥️." (james2bambamford instagram post, page 133 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On May 12, 2019, KM tweeted pic of herself with EBR, BL, JDJ, AS, JH, RG and CH, with comment: "Team’s all here! 💚 Join us for the #ARROW season 7 finale tomorrow! @cw_arrow #YouHaveSavedThisCity." (Kat_McNamara tweet, page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)
-- On May 12, 2019, JDJ tweeted pic of himself with KM, BL, AS and CH, with comment: "Can’t believe it’s already here.. join us tomorrow night for the Season Finale of Arrow 🔥🏹😢 What did you think of this season? Have y’all been liking the Flash Forwards??" (Josephdjones tweet, page 134 of Spoiler Discussion Sequel thread)

END OF SEASON 7

Edited May 13, 2019 by tv echo