Open letter to ARROW fans… yes, I also am upset about Laurel’s death…BUT…
I am giving the producers time to explain why Laurel Lance had to die… an explanation to be revealed within the storyline, not on social media or in the press. But I know what she means to many of us.
Lest anyone think that I am not a huge Black Canary fan, you are wrong. She is my second-favorite DC character (after Catwoman). I have “Green Arrow” comics galore, and too many Black Canary action figures for someone over twelve-years-old. (I call them “maquettes” now that I am an adult.)
I was thrilled to work on the animated JUSTICE LEAGUE because I love Black Canary, and I even screamed out loud (much to the chagrin of my husband) when Katie Cassidy first donned the black jacket on ARROW.
Yes, I do plan on a good cry tonight at Laurel’s funeral. Black Canary showed a lot of young girls that you can be sexy, smart and sassy without shame, and that no man is better than you, simply based on gender.
And I will not bash the producers and writers for making a decision that forced them to kill off a beloved character. They had to know that there would be a major backlash, and I am sure the threats to them, personally and professionally, have been no picnic.
Most television viewers have no idea what a massive undertaking it is to create, develop, sell and run a TV series. I doubt if anyone wants to add to their 20-hour workday having to justify storylines to the fans by “making nice” with the media.
Before we skewer the producers and writers, and even The CW, over this traumatic loss of a fictional character, I, personally, am going to give the storyline a chance. There have to be reasons (both real-life and character-driven) for them to have made this painful choice. Why would anyone want their nights and weekends filled up with Internet chaos unless there were extenuating circumstances.
One of the complaints that I have seen repeatedly on various YouTube rants is that since Oliver has teamed up with Felicity, “Oliver has become soft,” and that “a common street thug can beat Green Arrow, now.” Some even liken the show to a soap opera, claiming that Ollie has lost his edge.
If that is true and GA can be smacked around by a local purse-snatcher, how is he supposed to destroy someone like Damien Dahrk? To me, the answer seems to be for him to revert to the killing machine who returned home from Lian Yu.
You want to harden someone’s heart? Mess with the people that they love. Personally, shooting Felicity should have been enough to “Dahrk-en” him, as should Dahrk’s kidnapping William.
But, Oliver Queen may have become too moralistic for his own good, and maybe he should hang out with Batman a bit more. Sometimes, lines must be crossed for the “greater good.” Perhaps killing off Dahrk and Ruvé should be considered more of a community service than a moral dilemma.
Yes, I will be tuning into ARROW tonight, and I probably will cry all the way through the episode aptly titled, “Canary Cry.” I may even bring my action figures into the living room to watch with me so they can see their inspiration has passed on for the greater good.
I will watch Cassidy as Earth-2’s Black Siren on THE FLASH, listen for her voiceover on VIXEN, and watch her tonight at what leaked photos suggest is a flashback to Tommy’s funeral. Through it all, I will mourn the passing of one version of my childhood role models.
Maybe the rumors will come true, and SUPERNATURAL’s Alona Tal will play BC in the JUSTICE LEAGUE feature film with possible springboards into BIRDS OF PREY and/or solo BLACK CANARY movie(s).
Like Black Canary, I will never give up hope. Perhaps, in the future, someone will take up the Canary mantle. While I wait, I will console myself with my new DC Comics Black Canary (Vol. 4) #11, published and released today.
I imagine that it took a lot of effort and convincing for the writers and producers helped produce “geek chic” when they brought the Arrow-verse to television. I suspect that they love Black Canary as much as I do. I am certain that they have satisfactory end for fans in the future.
ARROW stars Stephen Amell, Katie Cassidy, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Emily Bett Rickards, Paul Blackthorne and John Barrowman. Guest starring in “Canary Cry,” are Neal McDonough, Katrina Law, Eugene Byrd and Alex Kingston.
“Canary Cry” was written by Executive Producer Wendy Mericle and Co-Producer Beth Schwartz and directed by Laura Belsey.
ARROW airs tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on The CW in the U.S. and on CTV in Canada.
