Arrow Season 7 Episode 22 Review: You Have Saved This City

at .  Updated at .

It's the end of an era ladies and gentleman, an era that has divided the Arrowverse for years and caused insane, historical Twitter spats.

The Olicity Era came to an end on Arrow Season 7 Episode 22, and it couldn't have been wrapped up any better. 

Arrow Season 7 has been filled with highs and lows. It started off amazing with the Slabside Redemption Arc being groundbreaking storytelling for the show, but as the season progressed and stories shifted, Arrow entered a downward spiral. 

Bye, Bye Felicity (Tall) - Arrow Season 7 Episode 22

To put it bluntly, the Emiko story arc turned into chaotic trash. It started with a ton of potential, but all of its twists and turns became this tangled, messy web that no one cared about. 

It seems as though Arrow knew it messed up what could've been a great storyline because they wrapped it up rather quickly on "You Have Saved This City."

Boiling Point  - Arrow Season 7 Episode 22

Instead of focusing so much time and attention on a character that very few of us cared about, they focused on the characters we care deeply about for years. 

Related: Arrow Season 7 Episode 21 Review: Living Proof 

Fortunately, that made this season finale much more enjoyable than the few episodes before it. In all fairness, I may have dumped on Emiko a lot this season, but she managed to come out a winner, even if it was in death. 

I...I...I wanted to be a Queen.

Emiko

Before this moment, Emiko's motives were very lackluster. Her revenge plot had a lot of plot holes, and her allegiance to the Ninth Circle made little sense.

It took a while, but she finally realized that her and the Ninth Circle weren't a good fit, but before she could join Team Arrow, she was killed by what seemed like the real leader of the Ninth Circle. 

Turner  - Arrow Season 7 Episode 22

That could change within the first few episodes of Arrow Season 8, but I'm intrigued by this new leader of the Ninth Circle. If continuing this arc with this organization is the route the show decides to take, I wouldn't be upset if she was the lead villain for this final season. 

She seemed cold, calculating and manipulative. Everything Emiko tried to be but wasn't. It makes sense that she was the one to kill Emiko then as it gives Oliver a motive to stop her. 

Related: Arrow Season 7 Episode 20 Review: Confessions 

The dude needs to save the day one last time before his death, which is coming way too soon! Even though we're still getting one final season, many parts of "You Have Saved the City" felt very definitive, not just for Felicity but for many members of the team. 

Two Canaries  - Arrow Season 7 Episode 22

Laurel's embraced her inner hero, Dinah's managed to bring the SCPD and Team Arrow together again, and Diggle and Turner formed a new friendship that will lead to Diggle eventually adopting Connor.

While this could've easily been a series finale, I'm happy it isn't mainly because there are still so many unanswered questions that should get addressed in the final season. 

Diggle: You know the spirit of this place will live long after we're gone. You've inspired so many people Oliver. They will carry on your legacy.
Oliver: Sounds like a cycle for good.
Diggle: Far better than that. A cycle of heroes who will fight to defend this city with every fiber of their being.
Felicity: Anyone ever told you, you always know exactly what to say?
Diggle: I have been told.

The most obvious question was pointed out by Roy and William in the future, but we still didn't get any answers.

Why was Roy on that island? Besides Oliver's, Roy's will be the most interesting journey to track on Arrow Season 8. There needs to be an explanation, even if it ends up being ridiculous! 

Hungry For Blood  - Arrow Season 7 Episode 22

While many of our favorite heroes got to bask in the spotlight, it was Felicity who stole our hearts and crushed it into a million pieces mainly due to Emily Bett-Rickards beautiful performance.

Related: Arrow Season 7 Episode 19: Spartan 

There are plenty of incredible Olicity moments in the archives, but they outdid themselves here. 

Felicity: Wherever you go, whatever happens to you, you'll never leave me. On our wedding day, you told me I was the best part of you, but the truth is we are the best parts of each other and that is so much bigger than the friggen universe.
Oliver: When I came back to Star City to start my mission, I didn't think that I was capable or deserving of love. But you opened up my heart in ways I never thought was possible. My only regret is not telling you I loved you sooner.

Love them or hate them, you can't deny the love between them.

I truly felt the pain Felicity was feeling having to say goodbye to the man she loved.

One Last Stand  - Arrow Season 7 Episode 22

However, there was also acceptance in her eyes, knowing that the love of her life was a hero, and while she didn't want him to leave, she was damn proud of him for what he was doing. 

I'm a tad in denial about it being the last time Oliver and Felicity will be on-screen together (I pray to the Arrowverse Felicity makes an appearance in the final season), but if it was their final moment, it couldn't have been any better. 

While I applaud both Emily and Stephen Amell for their performance, I worry about including The Monitor too soon.

We all knew that Oliver was going to die on "Crisis on Infinite Earths," but there are still several episodes before that major climax. 

Olicity  - Arrow Season 7 Episode 22

The Monitor's appearance made the anticipation for the final crossover so big that any other story Arrow tries to tell on Season 8 may seem insignificant in comparison.

Perhaps I'm just expressing my feelings, but I know that at this moment all I want to see is that crossover, and Arrow's going to have to come up with one hell of a final story to keep me distracted long enough to wait for the big event. 

Oliver's future may be set in stone (we literally saw his gravestone), but at least we know it wasn't the end for him and Felicity. I've been wondering how they were going to write off Felicity in the future timeline. Would they have the Galaxy One people kill her? 

It would've been a bit of a letdown seeing Felicity be taken out by a super underdeveloped organization.

The Return Of Curtis  - Arrow Season 7 Episode 22

Luckily, Oliver's badass offspring managed to save the day and Felicity was left without a scratch on her head. Technically she did perish from the universe, just not in the way most anticipated. 

The Monitor: Where I am taking you, there is no return.
Felicity: I have waited a very long time to see him. I'm ready.

The unexpected way of writing off Felicity in the future timeline was beautiful.

Knowing that she and Oliver reunited in the multiverse is exactly the kind of Disney happy ending I live for. Soulmates always find each other, and Olicity are soulmates through and through. 

A-Team  - Arrow Season 7 Episode 22

Besides the highly anticipated crossover, much of what we will see on the final season of Arrow remains a mystery. My one wish is that we continue to see more side-by-side action sequences featuring Stephen Amell and Katherine McNamara. 

Related: Get All Access via Prime Video Channels for Hit Shows, Exclusive Originals & Live TV! 

Arrow has such gifted physical actors and sequences like that one give me life! I wouldn't be angry if a majority of Arrow Season 8 consisted of the back and forth sequence.

A Boiling Point - Arrow

It's hard to believe that our time with Team Arrow is almost up, but fortunately it's not over for everyone not named Felicity.

Let's hope Arrow Season 8 learns from its mistakes and manages to deliver one fantastic final season for Oliver & Co. 

What did you think of " You Have Saved This City?" 

Were you satisfied with Felicity's ending? 

Are you glad Emiko's gone and the show can move on with a new villain on Season 8? 

What answers do you hope to get on the show's final season? 

How hyped are you for the Arrowverse's last huge crossover? 

Let us know in the comments below, and make sure to watch Arrow online right here on TV Fanatic

You Have Saved This City Review

Editor Rating: 4.3 / 5.0
  • 4.3 / 5.0
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
User Rating:

Rating: 3.4 / 5.0 (65 Votes)

Brandon Viera was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. He retired in May 2019..

Show Comments
Tags: ,

Arrow Season 7 Episode 22 Quotes

Diggle: You know the spirit of this place will live long after we're gone. You've inspired so many people Oliver. They will carry on your legacy.
Oliver: Sounds like a cycle for good.
Diggle: Far better than that. A cycle of heroes who will fight to defend this city with every fiber of their being.
Felicity: Anyone ever told you, you always know exactly what to say?
Diggle: I have been told.

I...I...I wanted to be a Queen.

Emiko