Does 'Arrow' Ending Mean That Oliver Dies in "Crisis on Infinite Earths"?

The CW officially announced that Arrow will be ending with an upcoming eighth season -- and that revelation may have fueled some fan theories in the process.

On Wednesday afternoon, series star Stephen Amell revealed that Arrow will be airing a ten-episode final season this fall. This was later supported by a statement from the show's producers, who hinted that they're working on "crafting a conclusion" fitting for the veteran The CW show.

The end of a ten-episode fall run would theoretically line up with The CW's next crossover event, which is poised to be "Crisis on Infinite Earths". So for those who have been speculating that Amell's Oliver Queen might end up dying in the event, this news of the final season certainly adds fuel to the fire.

Speculation about Oliver dying began around last December's "Elseworlds" crossover, which included a pretty pivotal moment between Oliver and The Monitor (LaMonica Garrett). After learning that Barry Allen/The Flash (Grant Gustin) and Kara Danvers/Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) were doomed to die while fighting Doctor Destiny (Jeremy Davies), Oliver struck a deal with the Monitor, the specifics of which weren't shown onscreen. Barry and Kara ultimately survived the resulting battle, but it was clear that The Monitor wanted something from Oliver in return.

That, combined with comments from The CW president Marc Pedowitz that a character is "highly likely" to die in "Crisis", have made some wonder if Oliver ultimately chose to sacrifice himself in exchange for Barry and Kara's lives. Arrow's seventh season has arguably further supported this possibility, with Oliver being absent from the show's bleak flash-forward sequences. Mia Smoak (Katherine McNamara), the future daughter of Oliver and Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards), has seemed to hint that she barely knew her father, something that would make sense since Felicity is currently pregnant in the present day.

While fans will ultimately have to wait and see what Oliver's fate is once Arrow nears its end, it can be argued that him dying in "Crisis" would fulfill the final storyline that Amell has envisioned for the character.

"The only thing that is left for him to do - and he doesn't need to die to do this - is he needs to leave a legacy." Amell said in an interview last year. "Because we have all these other shows that exist. So whether Arrow continued on in the absence of Oliver Queen, or someone else took up the mantle of the Green Arrow... I think leaving a legacy is the last box left to tick for the character."

What do you think of Arrow officially nearing its end? Do you think Oliver is going to die in "Crisis"? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Arrow airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.