What does Arrow’s latest reveal mean for Laurel Lance’s future?
Last week was a big episode for Laurel Lance on Arrow. So what does the big reveal at the end of the episode mean for her future on the show?
Caution: There are spoilers from the most recent episodes of Arrow.
Arrow did a Birds of Prey (or should I say, Birds of Justice) inspired episode last week. But while it was an ensemble episode, it was really centered around Laurel Lance. The former bad girl fell back into her old ways and it was up to the ladies of Team Arrow to help bring her back to the light.
When Laurel went on a crime spree after being accused of murder, Dinah, Felicity, and Sara tried to talk her down. Despite Laurel’s attempts to push them away, they didn’t give up on her. In the end, their support allowed Laurel to become the hero she was always meant to be.
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In one of the most emotional scenes on Arrow, Felicity gave the officially reformed Laurel the Black Canary costume of her Earth-1 counterpart. Black Canary’s legacy has been a big theme on the show so it was nice to see it back in the hands of Dinah Laurel Lance, and Katie Cassidy, where it belongs.
However, with the Black Canary costume came the revelation that Laurel wanted to return to Earth-2 to face her past sins. So what does that mean for her future? Have we lost Katie Cassidy a second time?
Showrunner Beth Schwartz had this to say to TVLine:
"“Katie does not leave the show; she comes back this season,” showrunner Beth Schwartz assured TVLine earlier this month at the Writers Guild Foundation’s WGFestival 2019. “It appears like [she leaves], but it’s not true. She’s still [part of the show].”"
That’s a relief to hear since it was hard enough to lose Katie Cassidy the first time around. And with the announcement of Emily Bett Rickards leaving at the end of this season, Arrow can’t afford to lose its other leading lady.
But where does that leave Laurel then? She seemingly left for Earth-2, but at the end of the episode just as Mia Smoak is about to be attacked she is saved by a canary cry. A cry which came from none other than the future Dinah Laurel Lance wearing the Black Canary costume!
This tells us a few things. It means Laurel has officially accepted the Black Canary mantle. She is now part of the canary network and has clearly at some point returned to Earth-1. She also introduces herself to Mia as a friend of her parents, indicating that she had never met Mia before.
Given Beth’s statement, it’s safe to assume that Laurel will return by the season finale and hopefully for Season 8. So the question is, will we see Laurel in the present again? Or will we only see her in the future timeline?
https://twitter.com/JulianaHarkavy/status/1117904138887503872
Personally, I would love to see some of her time on Earth-2 atoning for her sins, because that journey is what makes heroes so compelling to watch. It would also be great to know what eventually makes her return to Earth-1 to join the canary network.
Perhaps a popular fan theory that the upcoming crossover, “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” would merge all the various Earths isn’t so far off after all. Could it be possible that Laurel never actually returns to Earth-1, but rather the Earths all become merged? Time will tell.
I am glad that Laurel was shown in the flash-forwards. It’s nice to see her in the Black Canary costume and see that she’s still alive and well in the future. However, it would be great if the show finally took advantage of Laurel being the Black Canary and also had her fighting alongside Team Arrow in the present. It seems a waste if she’s not allowed to interact with the full team in the present, considering how fractured everything is in the future.
It’s one of the things we missed out on most with the original Laurel. She wasn’t allowed nearly enough time to flourish into the Black Canary and be on the field with the team. The show now has an opportunity to showcase The Green Arrow and Black Canary dynamic in the field and I hope they take it.
Either way, the writers clearly realize that they can’t afford to lose Laurel a second time after the backlash that followed her death in Season 4. So how and when we’ll see her again is a mystery, but we will be seeing Laurel Lance before the season is over.
Also, I just have to throw it out there that a Black Canary or Birds of Prey spinoff is definitely something the CW should be considering after Arrow comes to an end next year. Just look how much fun they have together!
What did you think of Laurel’s redemption from Black Siren to Black Canary? Where do you hope to see her in future episodes? Let us know!
Arrow airs Mondays at 9pm EST on the CW.