Arrow turned out to be one of the pleasant surprises of the television season last year, with a surprisingly harsh pilot giving way to an often funny and well-written action series. Season two gets started tomorrow, and we’ve got an overview of what to expect.
Villains, Villains, And More Villains
The show was not shy about going deep into DC’s backbench for bad guys last season; we saw, among others, somewhat obscure Batman villains like Firefly and even characters from the Blackhawks getting some screen time. And according to the writing staff, that trend is going to continue. Considering how some lame backbenchers got a good reinvigoration, we can’t wait.
Heroes, Heroes, And More Heroes
So far, we know Black Canary and The Flash will be showing up, the latter as a backdoor pilot to his own series. And we doubt they’ll be the only ones showing up; rumors abound that Nightwing will be making an appearance and that Ollie will be making a lot of trips to Bludhaven.
Ollie Back On The Island
Hey, remember the miserable hellhole that Ollie spent five years struggling to survive on? Apparently the premiere opens with him going back. And Felicity and Diggle decide to pay him a visit. Guess how that turns out!
It’s hard to blame him; after all, his mother was integral to the plot to essentially blow up half the city and kill millions, so the Queen family is not exactly respected in Starling City when the second season opens. Even an island hellhole is probably preferable to that.
More Diggle And Felicity
Diggle is now part of the DCU, and there’s a reason: David Ramsey’s portrayal of the character is enormously popular. So expect to see a lot more DBA: Diggle Beating Ass.
Similarly, Emily Bett Rickards was such a breakout on the show that she was promoted to regular cast member for the second season. So expect more adorable dorkiness and general snark in Oliver’s direction.
Corporate Intrigue, And Summer Glau
Summer Glau will be playing Isabel Rochev, who apparently will be one of the season-long antagonists as she tries to snatch Queen Industries from the admittedly far from qualified hands of Ollie. Of course, as DC fans know, she’s also a villain in the comics who has a thing for Robert Queen and a severe distaste for Ollie, something we’re assuming will come into play.
Lots of Guilt Trips
Really, would we know Arrow any other way? Count how many times somebody yells at Ollie in this preview:
Ollie, dude, I know your best bro died for your love, but Felicity is both a lot more compatible and has a personality. We’re just saying.