‘Arrow’ Actor Says They Should Have Had Him Kill Felicity

Former Arrow star Kirk Acevedo argues his crime lord Ricardo Diaz, a.k.a. Dragon, should have killed Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) instead of allowing the star to just "walk away."

"What should have happened? They should have had me kill her," Acevedo said at Fan Fest Chicago Sunday. "Because it would've been better for the storyline, right, having me kill her. Better for the show — you can't just have her walk away! They should have had me kill her!"

Rickards announced her exit earlier this month, to come before Arrow's eighth and final season. As Felicity Smoak, Rickards was half of the "Olicity" coupling with Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), Dragon's chief foe.

Arrow showrunner Beth Schwartz previously told TV Line Rickards' exit is "addressed at the end of this season," the ongoing Season 7, adding the Arrow team "kinda knew" going into the finale the star was eyeing an early exit.

Will Rickards return for the series finale? "I cannot comment on that," Schwartz said.

In a joint statement released after Rickards' departure became public, Schwartz and executive producer Greg Berlanti said, "Although we're heartbroken to see both Emily and Felicity leave the show, we're completely supportive of Emily and her future endeavors. She will always have a family at Arrow."

"Living Proof," the penultimate episode of Season 7, finds the archer "in a precarious position," while the Star City Police Department shows up with a warrant for Felicity. The episode is directed by Gordon Verheul and penned by Oscar Balderrama & Sarah Tarkoff.

Arrow premieres new episodes Mondays at 9 pm on The CW.

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