'Arrow': Stephen Amell Breaks Silence on Emily Bett Rickards' Departure

As Arrow prepares to enter its eighth and final season, the endgame of certain characters and series stars is beginning to fall into place. As fans learned this past weekend, Emily Bett Rickards will be leaving the show at the end of Season 7 -- and her co-star is already sharing a pretty sweet tribute.

Stephen Amell, who stars in the series as Oliver Queen, recently took to Instagram to respond to Rickards leaving her role as Felicity Smoak before the final season. In the post, which you can check out below, Amell praises Rickards for being a "co-worker that became a best friend", and reveals that Monday is the first day of filming their last episode together.

View this post on Instagram

For me... August 3rd, 2012 is the most important day in the history of our show. It was the first day I worked with Emily. Her energy and the vibrancy she gave to Felicity Smoak is only surpassed by what she personally gave to me. She was a co-worker that became a best friend. So on the first day of our last episode together, I’d like everyone to know how deeply I appreciate the past seven years. We wouldn’t be here without you. I love you. And I cannot wait to see what you do next.

A post shared by Stephen Amell (@stephenamell) on Apr 1, 2019 at 11:49am PDT

Granted, Amell shared a screenshot of Felicity's first scene when Rickards made the announcement over the weekend, but this marks the most he has publicly said about his co-star stepping down. The notion that they've begun filming their last episode together is also interesting, when coupled with the recent confirmation that her departure will factor into the Season 7 finale.

"[It] is addressed at the end of this season," showrunner Beth Schwartz recently revealed.

At the moment, it's unknown if Felicity will make any sort of appearance in Arrow's ten-episode final season, which is expected to factor into next season's "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover.

"I've been trying to find the worlds to simply say what the last seven years have meant to me, and I believe this photo sums it up! Without this show I would have not met the inspiring people pictured here nor those I have gotten to work with and get to work with every day," Rickards wrote on social media after the final season was announced. "People who have become my family. I'm excited to see what is in store for the story we have been telling."

Arrow airs Mondays at 9/8c on The CW. New episodes will return on April 15th.