'Arrow": Emily Bett Rickards on Why She Doesn't Want an Olicity Baby in Season 7

With Felicity and Oliver finally getting married in Arrow's sixth season, fans of the pairing have been clamoring for them to start a family next. But pregnancy isn't something that series star Emily Bett Rickards wants to see for Felicity in Season 7.

In an interview with Daily Hive, Rickards was asked about previous statements that she doesn't want to see Felicity get pregnant next season on Arrow and she confirmed that was still the case -- and revealed some of the backlash she got about it.

"I did say that, and I regretted saying that right afterwards because I got some hate," Rickards said. "I said that just because I didn't want her to revolve around just being in this relationship. That's why."

Last month, Rickards told TV Guide something similar, though at that time she framed it as wanting to see Felicity deal with villains and other challenges more than pregnancy.

"I don't know if I would be interested in exploring that storyline right now with Felicity," Rickards said at the time. "I feel like she deserves a little something more than that, and I don't want that to be taken the wrong way. I'd just be interested in seeing her, I don't know, like, deal with a villain face-to-face for a consistent number of episodes."

Unfortunately, as Rickards said she did end up getting some hate it seems that people did take her statement the wrong way. It also sounds like there are some other directions people have gone with elements of her character online that are just a bit too far for Rickards comfort. She revealed that some fans have gone so far as to create edits of her as a pregnant Felicity, something that her is a hard line.

"Social media is super super weird, because, I mean like I'm so grateful for the fandom and usually everyone is very, very nice and I'm not afraid of opinions -- have your own opinion about TV, movies, art in anyway, whatever you want, but seeing pictures of my body edited to pregnant, that's where the line is drawn for me," Rickards said. "I can't do that anymore ... so I don't scroll too deep."

Fan reactions to both the prospect of Felicity being pregnant in Season 7 and Rickards' reason why she would prefer it not happen aside, there are some significant and valid reasons why timing may not be quite right for Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) and Felicity to have a baby. Season 6 ended with Oliver going to prison for his actions as Green Arrow leaving those he is close to largely unprotected. Considering that Ricardo Diaz (Kirk Acevedo) was still at large as the season closed, it will be a challenge to keep Felicity safe -- not a good situation for a pregnant woman to be in.

"We've seen how strong and intelligent and ferocious [Diaz] can be; I don't think he stops," Rickards told Entertainment Weekly last month. "In terms of [Felicity] safe, we can do our best, but I don't' think that she's going to have much luck."

Arrow will return on Mondays at 8/7c on The CW this fall.