Diyah Pera/The CWPrepare for "the craziest episode of all time."
Gird your loins, Arrow fans, because that's what you can expect from tonight' season finale of the CW's breakout hit, at least according to star Willa Holland. "It's insane," she previews. "There's just so much going on!"
But does that include a major death? We chatted with Holland and executive producer Marc Guggenheim about "Sacrifice," including Tommy's (Colin Donnell) possible dark turn, Oliver's (Stephen Amell) and Thea's (Holland) superhero moment...
Is Tommy going to join forces with his father Macolm (John Barrowman) aka the Dark Archer after he learns the truth? And will he face off against best friend Oliver?
Guggenheim teases that Laurel (Katie Cassidy) and Oliver's hookup in the last episode, which Tommy witnessed, will have "big ramifications with Tommy's relationship with his dad. Tommy and his dad won't have any secrets left by the time 23 is all done. Tommy will be brought into his father's confidence and learn all of the things his dad is planning on doing and...the reasons why he's doing them. It's a pretty huge series of bombs to drop."
And while the episode's title "Sacrifice" suggests that there may be a death, Guggenheim remains tight-lipped. "I don't think there will be any doubt in anybody's mind as to why it's called 'Sacrifice,'" he says. "If anything we hit it very hard on the head."
Guggenheim adds that fans will get a sense of closure by the end of the finale, but reveals there will be some cliffhangers for them to stew over during the summer.
"The goal was to feel like you've came to the end of a chapter in Oliver's saga. That it had a definitive ending to it, but at the same time had enough sort of loose ends or cliffhangers to make you want to come back for season two," he explains. "That's the delicate balance you have to strike with any good finale, but I feel like we definitely did that. We certainly did what we set out to do and what we have planned to do. Each of the characters ends up in a place where you're wondering what's going to happen to them next. And I think those are the best kind of finales, rather than the shmuck finale of Oliver hanging off the ledge of a building with Malcolm standing over him playing three little piggies."
As for what fans' immediate reaction will be when the episode fades to black, Holland predicts, "They are going to literally sit there with their jaws dropped for about five minutes, just not saying a word, not even moving. Maybe a blink or two in those five minutes; just jaw-dropped, just trying to gather what just happened and what they just saw!"
Of course, as soon as Colton Haynes was cast as Roy Harper the countdown for his eventual transition into Oliver's sidekick Speedy from the original Green Arrow comics began, but don't expect to see him don a hood of his own anytime soon."I think Roy's trajectory has been pretty clear and he'll have one, if not two, big hero moments in the finale, so you certainly see the direction we are heading with Roy," Guggenheim teases.
But Holland is hoping Thea, whose nickname is "Speedy" on the show, gets in on the superhero action, too, saying "I have definitely been talking to the writers and trying to get them to throw in a bow and arrow for me. I'm sitting here, willing and ready to go!" And though Holland seconds Guggenheim's belief that the characters "need reasons to become vigilantes" so it probably won't be any time soon, she reveals that there is a fun Thea tease in tonight's finale: "It doesn't involve a bow and arrow, but there's definitely some fun little tidbit [about Speedy]. At least I like to think so!"
And as for Roy and Thea's fast-moving love story, Holland says, "It was almost love at first stolen purse, but I think that she has this major connection with him. She's sees so much potential inside of him and he doesn't have the greatest influences and opportunity around him and she is throwing away all of her potential yet she has everything in the world around her...it's kind of kindred spirits. She just feels adamant to follow him along because she's starstruck with him and in love and doe-eyed. How can you say no to Colton's face, really? He's just too adorable!"
Arrow's finale airs tonight at 8 p.m. on the CW. Check back with us after the east coast airing with an exclusive interview with one of the cast members!