Warning: This story contains major spoilers from Wednesdays episode ofArrow.
Read at your own risk!
TeamArrowsaid goodbye to one of their own on Wednesday.
Credit: JSquared Photography/The CW
And therein lies which character is in the grave.
(Read our postmortem with Cassidyhere.)
But seriously, why Laurel?
ObviouslyArrowis always a show thats evolving, Guggenheim says.
Its always a show where every character, arguably except for the Arrow, is fair game.
Was she killed because some of the fanbase doesnt like Laurel?
How divisive Laurel is as a character on Twitter is not a factor.
Truth be told, Twitter is a very specific sub-segment.
Are you ready for the Internet backlash after killing Laurel?
We knew that it would enrage a lot of people, Guggenheim says.
Weve never made decisions on the show creatively because of the Internet.
But shouldnt Oliver and Laurel be endgame?
Truth be told, we told the Laurel-Oliver romance story in season 1.
We told that story.
We never really thought about going back to it.
The shipping thing was not an element, it was not a factor to us.
We recognize that that upsets a lot of fans, particularly the comic book fans.
Oliver and Laurel end up together in the comics!
I totally respect that.
So could Laurel come back to life?
In fact,you will see her on an episode ofFlashplaying the Earth-2 version of Laurel Lance.
Katie is reprising her role as Laurel of Earth-1 to be inVixenseason 2.
But by bringing her back on other shows, doesnt that cheapen Laurels death?
Im not going to put a qualitative judgment on whether its more or less impactful.
For better or for worse, death is part of the show.
Theres a world where we do an episode where Oliver Queen meets the Laurel Lance of Earth-2.
Thats now on the table.
Time travel is now on the table.
As the show has evolved, so has death.
Shes definitely dead though, right?
Because Laurel makes Oliver promise her something and then she suddenly codes.
Its funny, thats the joke Ive been making quite frankly: Oliver Queen killed her, Guggenheim says.
Okay, so he didnt help Laurel fake her own death?
No, Guggenheim says.
Weve done a fake death before.
Thats the thing, were always trying to figure out, Whats a way to do this?
[Its a] creative challenge, the deeper you get into your story.
Its the nature of having a long-running show that deals as a major component of it with death.
Then what did Laurel tell Oliver?
Youll know in season 5, Mericle chimes in.
How will Team Arrow deal with Laurels death?
Its going to be huge and significant, Mericle says.
Theres no question that it is going to be shocking.
It was a shocking thing for us to process and to write the aftermath.
The episodes that weve written in the aftermath are devastating and theyre meant to be.
Thats what we wanted.
Will Laurels death bring Felicity back to the team?
It will definitely have a huge impact on her character, Mericle says.
Youll find out in [episode] 19.
Is Laurels death, as they say on TV, a game-changer?
Death is a reality.
Theyre out on the street, theyre doing really dangerous things.
What this does is it really brings that reality back in a very rude and brutal way.
Its good for the audience to be reminded of that and for our characters as well.
Does the team feel guilty about Laurels death?
Its still Oliver, theres an element of that.
Diggle especially, like he says in that hospital, hell never forgive himself.
The biggest consequences emotionally are felt by Thea and by Diggle.
How will Lance handle losing yet another one of his daughters?!
With that, hes got the Arrow family.
Thatll be where hell have to find his anchor now from here on in without his beautiful daughter.
Its an amazing turn to throw at the audience.
People arent expecting it and its fantastic.
Will Sara Lance find out that Laurel is dead?
Sara will find out inLegends[of Tomorrow] about what happened with Laurel, Guggenheim says.
We give it its due.
I feel like we give it its due.
Paul was very gracious to lend his time toLegendsto really allow us to explore that.
Is anyone in denial over Laurels death?
Oh, episode 19, Guggenheim says.
I dont know that I would say up for grabs, Guggenheim says.
I think its a mantle that multiple people have had.
Well play with that notion in episode 19.
Weve seen onLegendsthat someone picks up Oliver Queens mantle, for example.
Were in that world, but we lean into it pretty strongly in 19.
That doesnt always mean that the person is a hero.
[Episode] 19 is the answer to that question.
Arrowairs Wednesdays at 8 p.m.
ET on The CW.
Read our postmortem with Cassidyhere.
