Working on multiple shows, without having finalized his contract, was stressful. "The very first time I did it was going and doing the pilot of The Flash. It was one scene. It doesn't matter if you're getting one scene—you're getting one scene of an established character that I am used to getting X number of dollars to portray in an episode of television. So, there was a little bit of animosity," he admitted. "But when it actually came for a proper renegotiation, I decided that I thought it would be advantageous for me to take a slightly lower amount on crossovers, because ultimately, my financial incentive on the show revolves around my episodic fee." Now that crossovers are bigger events, it's become "very hard" for Amell, as he has to read four scripts, work with four directors and tell one cohesive story. He explained, "I always take some time with the directors to just go, 'OK: Where are we? Uh huh? Which show? Mmhm. That's going to be hour three? Yup. OK, what just happened? Just make sure that I know where I am.'"

By nature, Amell isn't a complainer. "I love going to other sets," he said. However, he would change the call sheet order to match the context of the episode. "If have the most to do in the crossover—and I did this year—treat me like No. 1. As in, prioritize my time and get me out of there so that I can either go to another production or be rested for the following day," he said. "Each show prioritizes their own actors—and that's fine. I get it. I just would do it differently."

New episodes of Arrow will begin airing Monday, Oct. 15, at 8 p.m. After that, the series' future is uncertain. "My contract is up after 7. I think there's going to be some clarity on my future in the show soon," the actor teased. "It was a very interesting feeling once we were picked up for Season 7, because all of a sudden, I saw the finish line. Even if it's many, many years from now, that will be up to me and not up to the studio, who has had me under contract—willingly. I signed it. I have no regrets that I signed it. But every year it's like, 'We're going to pick up another season. You have to come back.' Season 8 would not be that. We're talking about it."

That doesn't necessarily mean he is looking to leave the show. "The passion is still there, 100 percent. And we have a lot of new blood on the show, which I think is important. This is what I've been thinking about: What else does my character have to do?" he said. It's possible the showrunners could kill off his character—"he doesn't have superpowers"—but Amell finds it "incredibly hard to believe that would ever happen." Furthermore, he argued, "I don't know that anyone would allow themselves to be cornered by killing the title character of the show."

"The only thing that is left for him to do, and he doesn't have to die to do this, is he needs to leave a legacy. Because we have all these other shows that exist. So, whether Arrow continues 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 one box that is left to tick for the character," Amell said. Although he's loved working on the series, he admitted, "I wouldn't take Arrow right now, because my life has changed. I'm in L.A. My life is different. I understand why I'm still doing it, but if it ended and somebody came to me and said, 'Alright, we have a lead role for you on a television show,' I would go, 'Before you tell me anything, where does it shoot?' If they said Vancouver, I'd go, 'OK, but when and how many episodes?' And if the number was north of 10, I would say, 'No.'"

Arrow put Amell on the map, but working year-round has also been limiting. "I don't really have the ability right now to be aspirational elsewhere, because of how many episodes it is. And so, I worry sometimes about being the guy that people will think has only ever done Arrow. I worry that if I stay on the show through 10 seasons—and I respect people who do that. I have great admiration for Tom staying for 10 years, for [Jenson Ackles] and Jared going into year 14 or 15 or whatever it is. I also have respect for you going, 'You know what? I did seven. I'm good and it's time to move on,'" he told Rosenbaum. "I worry that if I stick around until I'm 40, is there a chance I've sacrificed the next 25 years of my career because I maybe stayed a little too long?"

At the same time, Amell took a moment to recognize the "extraordinary" fans who have watched his show in their homes every week for season years. "People are so kind and so thoughtful, and I'm just so lucky to be involved in something that has been so captivating for so many people. The stuff that they've shared with me—it's life-changing, man," he said. It's also why he is "eternally grateful" the opportunity. "I could go on to do things that people think are way more significant or bigger profile, or the movies, or whatever the case may be. Arrow will always be the most important thing that's ever happened to me professionally," he said. "Ever."