Arrow’s Olicity gets a pitch-perfect sendoff at C2E2

It’s been a month since Arrow officially ended, giving #Olicity a near-perfect ending. At C2E2 this year, they got the perfect offscreen sendoff.

It’s hard to describe what being in the same room as Emily Bett Rickards and Stephen Amell is like. The easiest way to explain it is, you’re third-wheeling a best friend date that also happens to be a romantic relationship, but for once it’s not awkward.

In reality, it’s kind of magical. And it’s exactly what fans were treated to at C2E2 this past weekend. With Arrow’s series finale airing exactly one month prior — plus a day, because #LeapYearProbs — Chicago’s Comic and Entertainment Expo marked the one of the first public appearances of Rickards and Amell together since the show ended.

Reunited on stage, the fan-favorite duo got to thank fans for eight years of support and make a final farewell as Olicity. It wasn’t a sad occasion. In fact, the panel itself can be summed up in two words: pure fun.

Rickards and Amell have a chemistry that’s undeniable. According to the duo, that chemistry was clear early on. Rickards described Amell as “the man of my dreams,” recounting how they tried to start a book swap during season one. (It didn’t last long.)

It’s that chemistry that becomes apparent during moments of them taking a stage together. From there, it was an hour of ribbing, laughing, and loving on each other. For fans with eagle eyes, the number of times Rickards grabbed Amell’s hand couldn’t be missed.

Naturally, it had to be one of the first things asked: How was life on set for an entire season without Rickards? She made her exit at the end of season seven, appearing in season eight primarily just by name. Put simply, “It sucked!” Amell said. And fans would agree.

But fans would also agree that getting so much Dad Oliver in season eight was pretty phenomenal. And part of that comes down, once again, to chemistry. Amell himself made a point to stop the conversation to praise Katherine McNamara, who played the grown version of Olicity’s daughter, Mia. Leaning over to Rickards, he fondly noted, “She reminds me of you.”

On that, Rickards agreed, joking that of course McNamara reminded him of her, it was  “Great casting…great KAT-ing.”

Seriously guys, the Olicity banter onscreen isn’t acting — it’s just how they talk to each other.

Fortunately, Felicity did wind up returning once in season eight. In the series finale, it’s revealed that 2040 Felicity is escorted to (what we’re pretty sure is) the afterlife, which is Moira Queen’s office, as it looked in season one, where Oliver first saw Felicity.

Naturally, Oliver is waiting for her, and the episode fades to black with fans safe in the knowledge that Olicity has eternity together, being happy. It was blissful, it was beautiful. Really, the only problem fans had was that Oliver had to die for it to happen.

Still, there’s not much that people would change about it — including Rickards herself. When one fan posed the question of how Amell and Rickards would’ve wanted their story to end, had the Crisis never struck, Rickards answered honestly, “I don’t know if I would change it.”

That said, it wasn’t always the plan to have her come back for the finale.

Back in May of last year, CW president Mark Pedowitz told TVLine, “If [Showrunner] Beth [Schwartz] can find a way to bring her back that makes sense, and Emily is available, we’d love to have her. Otherwise, I’m pleased by how they said goodbye to the character.”

On that, Schwartz delivered, and for Rickards, “As soon as I got to set, it was pretty much like a high school reunion.” (As an aside, if Amell and Rickards were to dole out high school superlatives, both agreed that Juliana Harkavy is the Best Hugger).

While the stars may not want to change anything about how their story ended, there is one thing they both agreed would’ve been a fun stop on the journey: an affair with Supergirl.

“I wanted Oliver to have an affair with Supergirl,” Amell noted, to which Rickards agreed. “I also wanted Felicity to have an affair with Supergirl,” Amell added, to which Rickards also agreed. The idea got uproarious laughter, but Amell did note that he was serious.

At the end of the day, the hour was exactly what fans needed. It felt just like a set of proud parents, happily sending their baby off into the world. After eight years, they know they did their best, and that Arrow will leave a lasting legacy for fans.

When asked if they took anything for themselves, Rickards noted that there was a cookie jar she wanted, but didn’t get. Amell reminded fans that he still has the bow from season one, as well as a suit. But his most important souvenir? A poster from season eight, signed by everyone who worked on the show.

“Frankly, that is all that I needed,” Amell stated fondly.

But, because they’re Emily Bett Rickards and Stephen Amell, the panel wasn’t left on an emotional note, but on a silly one: Rickards letting a certain F-word slip through.

“The CW is going to be so mad at us…oh wait, WE’RE DONE!” Amell exclaimed.

Were you happy with Olicity’s ending in Arrow? Tell us why or why not in the comments!