After a long and exciting seven year run on the CW, it looks like Arrow is set to hang up its cowl and quiver. The show, which spanned an entire DC-Universe on the network called the Arrowverse, is set to end after season eight later this year. The show introduced a darker, more action-packed version of the typically campy hero. With so many heroes, villains, and storylines introduced into the greater Arrowverse from the show, the CW is sure to feel its loss. With only ten episodes left in the series, there are still a few things that need to be resolved in order to satisfy fans of the show. Here are 10 things that need to happen before Arrow ends.
Formation Of A Justice League
This is so close to becoming a reality it’s painful to think it might not happen. The show has helped launch DC’s biggest heroes onto their own shows. From The Flash to having major DC heroes on Legends of Tomorrow, we already have a decent cadre of DC heavy hitters. Seeing the major DC heroes in live action fighting as the Justice League would be a fitting way to cap off the show that started DC’s television reign.
Count Vertigo As A Major Villain
In the comics, one of Green Arrow’s main opponents is the villainous Count Vertigo. Imbued with a device that can disorient his opponents, the Count is a formidable opponent when faced against the Emerald Archer. We’ve seen two iterations of Count Vertigo in Arrow, both of them as drug dealers who deal in a narcotic called “vertigo”.
Neither of these versions have had major impacts on the show, despite the Count being a main villain of Green Arrow. Last we saw him, he was attempting to take over the criminal underworld before being sent off. It would be great if the last season saw him return as a true threat to Team Arrow.
Thea And Roy Back Together
Since the early days of the show, the relationship between Thea Queen and Roy Harper (aka Speedy and Arsenal) has been on-again-off-again. The two clearly deeply love one another and would do anything for the other, but circumstances outside of their control have often separated the young couple. One of the last times the two saw each other, Roy told Thea that he still loved her before running off into danger. The last season might show the two lovebirds finally getting together and making a real go at it.
Green Lantern Partnership
In classic comic book history, both Green Lantern and Green Arrow have a good working relationship and solid friendship. The two become linked via their popular Green Lantern/Green Arrow comic series, tackling hard societal issues. While we’ve seen one of the most popular stories in the show already (Speedy aka Thea’s drug addiction in season one), it would be great if the show introduced Green Lantern in time for the two to work together. While Green Lantern has a troubled live action past, if anything were to give him a profile boost, it would be Arrow.
The Flash Forwards Need To Be Resolved
A huge aspect of the show for the first few seasons was the flashbacks showcasing how Oliver became the Green Arrow. Starting in season seven, we began to see flash forwards instead, showing a Star City in 20 years that had apparently been devastated by Vigilantes like Black Canary.
Oliver and Felicity’s son William has apparently taken on the Green Arrow mantle, but very little is known about Oliver’s fate and how Felicity (who had apparently been murdered relatively recently) died. With only a season left, there is very little time to tie everything together in the present and future timelines. Hopefully, the show manages to hit the bullseye and pull off telling a difficult story.
Return Of Speedy
One of the more interesting twists on Arrow was to make his classic sidekick Speedy his younger sister Thea Queen. Thea has been working as Speedy since season four, having been trained by Oliver and others. Due to a variety of circumstances (including her death/resurrection at the Lazarus Pits and her brother’s mayoral campaign and subsequent imprisonment), she has been off the grid for a while. We last saw her attempting to destroy all the Lazarus Pits in the world alongside Nyssa al Ghul in season six (and briefly in the 150th episode in season seven). It would be great to have the remnants of the Queen family together for the final season.
Return Of Malcolm Merlyn
One of Green Arrows’ greatest villains is that of Merlyn, aka the Dark Archer. An archer assassin who oftentimes rivals Green Arrow himself, his role in the show has been brilliantly been played by John Barrowman ever since season one. He has been one of the most consistent and difficult opponents the team has fought, and he has helped elevate the stakes constantly.
In season five, he appeared to have died off-screen saving Thea from a landmine explosion. For someone who controls the League of Assassins (and thus knows the location of numerous Lazarus Pits), this seems like a minor inconvenience. Having a final showdown between Green Arrow and Merlyn would bring the show back full circle to season one.
Tricked Out Quiver Arsenal
Over the years, Oliver has become fairly inventive with some of his arrows. From zip tie arrows to hacking arrows, he’s pulled the right arrow from his quiver when it counts. However, most of these arrows have been single use, and have become fairly repetitive. It would be great to see Green Arrow take on a huge, super-powered baddie with an equally powerful arsenal of trick arrows. Lightning arrows, fire arrows, liquid nitrogen arrows, and poison gas arrows all in a single fight would be one of Oliver’s most versatile yet. Plus, an official use of the boxing glove arrow as a permanent Arrow staple would be a great way to send off the character.
Dinah Drake’s Powers
After the death of Laurel Lance (aka Black Canary) in season four, the mantle of Black Canary laid vacant for some time. Eventually, it was picked up by metahuman Dinah Drake, a detective in the Star City Police Department. Given the natural ability to produce sonic screams, she fit perfectly into the role of Black Canary. However, her throat ends up slashed by the serial killer Chimera in season seven. While she ends up surviving the encounter and regaining her voice, it seems as though she may have lost the use of her powers. In every version of her that we’ve seen in a flash forward, she seems to specifically avoid using her powers. It’s possible that the incident may have robbed her of her Canary Cry; we will have to see what has happened in the final season.
Deathstroke Returns
Possibly the greatest of the Arrow villains is Manu Bennett’s role as Slade Wilson, aka Deathstroke. He waged a one-man war against the Green Arrow and his allies, killing Oliver’s mother and nearly killing Oliver as well. Deathstroke had been locked up on Lian Yu for most of the show’s run, but had recently been shown to have recovered from the effects of the drug and even aided Oliver. While it was good to see Manu Bennett return to the show, it wasn’t the same as having him return as the unstoppable force known as Deathstroke. Bringing him back as a villain would be a return to what many view as the best of Arrow’s seven seasons so far.
