The CW has confirmed that the Arrow series will officially be ending with Season 8, which will only consist of 10 episodes. The final season of Arrow is slated to air during the 2019-2020 broadcast calendar, which means it will be debuting later this year.

Arrow made TV history in 2012, the beginning of what would eventually turn out to be called the Arrowverse, just like how Iron Man sparked the Marvel Cinematic Universe back in 2008. In a joint statement (via THR), Arrow showrunner Beth Schwartz and executive producers Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim said:

“This was a difficult decision to come to, but like every hard decision we’ve made for the past seven years, it was with the best interests of ‘Arrow’ in mind. We’re heartened by the fact that ‘Arrow’ has birthed an entire universe of shows that will continue on for many years to come.

We’re excited about crafting a conclusion that honors the show, its characters, and its legacy and is grateful to all the writers, producers, actors, and — more importantly — the incredible crew that has sustained us and the show for over seven years.”

Arrow lead star Stephen Amell, who portrays the titular protagonist hero Oliver Queen or Green Arrow, posted a touching message on social media in response to the breaking news:

Playing Oliver Queen has been the greatest professional experience of my life… but you can’t be a vigilante forever.

Arrow will return for a final run of 10 episodes this Fall.

There’s so much to say… for now I just want to say thank you.

— Stephen Amell (@StephenAmell) March 6, 2019

While this may mean the end for the show that started it all, its legacy will remain for years to come, as other Arrowverse shows like The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Supergirl will continue on with new seasons.

The next Arrowverse crossover event is set to be Crisis On Infinite Earths, which is speculated to bring many lasting changes to the shared universe. It looks like Arrow will be the first casualty of the new era that will begin in the aftermath of that crossover.

Fans might find this revelation heartbreaking, but they can take solace in the fact that the Arrowverse will live with other shows, as well as new ones like the upcoming Batwoman series and perhaps others in the near future.