Arrow Character Tribute: William Clayton-Queen

Season Eight: 2019

I mean, these kids have seriously been through so much in the last few hours that it's probably best that the Smoak-Queens decide to head back to Olicity's old apartment for a good night's rest (though, I don't think any of them will be sleeping "well"). Oliver's hopeful expression as he asks his two children what the future is like is so sad knowing the context of what it's actually like which is why I completely understand the kids deciding not to tell current Team Arrow what it's really like.

Oliver first turns to talk to Mia and ask if she's okay, but she mostly just brushes her dad off quietly and heads to the guest bedroom.

This is when we get one of my all-time favorite scenes in the entire show where William comes out about his sexuality to Oliver. Ben Lewis really is able to bring his character's nervousness and insecurity to the forefront in this scene. He doesn't know how his father will react, but he didn't get to tell him the first time around and it always felt like a piece of himself was missing because of it, so it's one of those moments where you just have to take a leap of faith.

And what does Oliver do? He smiles happily at his son, admitting to William that he and Felicity always knew, they just wanted to give him the chance to come out to them on his own and that he's sorry that he never got the chance to do so. Tears of joy are now flowing from both their eyes as they look across the couch at one another, the invisible door of pain suddenly burst open.

Honestly, knowing this scene wasn't in the script until Ben Lewis suggested it and that Stephen Amell's performance was mostly improvised makes this part one-hundred times better!

I mean, this scene is so genuinely emotional that I think you'd be hard-pressed not to find yourself in happy tears when it's over.

We soon learn that the Deathstroke gang is attacking current time Star City, only it isn't JJ who's running it. It's Slade Wilson's second son, Grant, who inspires JJ in the future to join the Deathstroke cult.

The kids decide that it would be best if they deal with the problem on their own (ugh...) because it's their problem, not their parents. Of course, their plan goes awfully, making Oliver and the others swoop in and save them.

Don't get me wrong, I love the whole dynamic William, Mia, and Conner share as a team, but are they ever going to realize that making brash decisions have consequences, especially after what happened to Zoe?

After hearing Conner shout JJ during the fight (before knowing the true identity of the masked villain), John demands that the kids come clean to them. They all mostly stand frozen, unsure of what to say until William (through wet eyes) finally admits what the future really holds. How the Glades overran the entire city, with the help of Rene and Zoe's death by JJ's hand (I cringed at those last words just as much as the characters did). I did appreciate hearing William tell them the truth because it once again proves the fact that he's the most honest of the Future Arrow team.

Everyone's mostly up in arms in various levels of pain (most especially, John and Conner), but Oliver reasons that they still have to complete the mission.

Right before they go into the field, Oliver comes into the lab where William's working to check on how he's doing on scanning for Grant's bomb's location (but I think we all know why he actually went to talk to his son). William replies that he's almost done before offering Oliver some advice on Mia after his father apologizes again for not being there for him, "it's okay, dad. I'm glad that you were in my life, then and now, and Mia will be too (cue another wave of awws!).

Oliver just smiles back at his son, hope restoring within him for his and his daughter's relationship.

By the end of the episode, the team stops the Deathstroke Gang of this time and the Diggles make up. Just as a clarification, John and Conner have a great storyline in this episode, but it's not really necessary to William's character so, unfortunately I could not include it in this particular tribute. But if you would like, I'm more than willing to consider making other tributes to this one for other Arrow characters! Just please request in the comment section below!