PaleyFest 2015: ‘Arrow’ Hints at Major Change in the Characterization of Oliver Queen, "The Show Will Never Be the Same Again," Says Producer

At Saturday's PaleyFest 2015 panel discussion, held 4:15 pm in Los Angeles, with the cast and producers of Arrow, and with Aisha Tyler hosting and moderating, fans asked what's in store for the forthcoming episodes of the show, considering that Oliver was last seen being told by Ra's al Ghul that he wants him to take his place. Replying, Stephen Amell who plays the title role said: "It's going to get worse before it gets better. If you know Ra's and his tactics... you realize that it's an 'offer' in name only. It's a demand. And if Oliver says no, there will be incredibly dire consequences." That dilemma, he said, marks "the big thrust of the last third of the season" resulting in a "more defeated" Oliver.

Emily Bett Rickards who plays Felicity Smoakes on the question of how her character will respond to Oliver's change, said: "Hell no, I'm not going to deal with somebody who only gives half of their emotions. She needs the time to go and explore her options. She needs that nourishment and support of love. If there's... a moment where Oliver finally decides to 'let go' and get into the land of the living, the object of his affection would most likely be Felicity - but she's spoken for." Rickards also revealed that her character will "go computer-to-computer" and have "a have a 'tech-off.'" with her own character's arch-nemesis Brie Larvan aka the Bug-Eyed Bandit (played by Emily Kinney) in the coming episodes.

As for Thea, Willa Holland who plays the character told the audience: "I don't see her coming back from that lightly. I don't see it going well. Every time he [Malcolm Merlyn] comes into the room, I just might kill him! I don't think she ever fathomed the idea of killing someone, [so] this [Sara's death] is a huge weight on her shoulders."

And as for Malcolm himself, producer Marg Guggenheim joked that he just may have a chance at a love life with Felicity's cocktail waitress mother, Donna, to which Jon Barrowman remarked, "That would be so awesome!" But Paul Blackthorne who plays the forlorn father of Sara and Laurel wouldn't have it. He said, "Excuse me, Lance hasn't been laid in seven years!" In any event, producer Andrew Kreisberg ended the session with an ominous promise that "the show will never be the same again."

Arrow Season 3's 17th episode entitled "The Offer" will be airing Wednesday, March 18, at its appointed 8:00-9:00 pm time slot. Directed by Dermott Downs from a script written by Beth Schwartz and Brian Ford Sullivan, the network's official synopsis says that Oliver still weighed down by his last meeting with Ra's al Ghul, returns home to find that a new villain and his crew have started terrorizing Starling City - Michael Amar AKA Murmur (guest star Adrian Glynn McMorran), a man whose mouth has been sewn shut. Also in next week's episode, Laurel and Nyssa will be seen bonding over their common issues with their fathers, and Nyssa will make Laurel an offer. Thea on the other hand will be forced to come to terms with her father after Oliver brings Malcom to the loft to recover. And poor Lance, he shuts out both Laurel and the Arrow.