Everything We Know About Season Three Of ‘Arrow’

It’s almost time for one of the best cult shows on TV to be back in the game. Yes, Arrow arrives October 8th, and we’re excited. Especially because season three looks to be particularly a hoot. Here’s everything we know.

The Plot In A Nutshell

Ollie Queen spends five years on an island and when he returns, he becomes a vigilante righting the wrongs committed by a vast conspiracy. As to which one, really, pick one, so far he’s had two to deal with. Along with walking badass Diggle and the adorable Felicity, plus some underwear model in a hoodie, he fights crime, assassins, supervillains, mobsters… really pretty much anything he can put an arrow into.

At the end of last season, he defeated Deathstroke and the cancellation curse that haunts Summer Glau, finally let Felicity put the moves on him, and revealed that he actually didn’t spend five years on that island. However, his mother’s dead, his company is in shambles, and his sister Thea ran off to live with her real dad, a vicious assassin who plans to train her to murder people. Which, actually, is a great improvement for her character.

Hey, Nobody Died!

I have to admit, I seriously thought this show was going to kill at least one major character last season, because it was jammed full of characters. But everybody, even Quentin with his case of Sudden Dramatic Blood-From-The-Mouth Syndrome, is featured in the trailers and made it out alive. And, in fact, everybody’s back, too, from fan favorite Black Canary to running joke Laurel Lance.

That said, it’s pretty clear not everybody is in a great place when the series starts. And there are lots of new characters in the mix.

Good Guys And Bad Guys

Taking a cue from The Flash, Arrow is jam-packed with new characters this season. True, the show wasn’t shy about pulling scrubs from the archives and retooling them into something actually interesting, but this season is packed.

First, and most relevantly, there’s Brandon Routh as Ray Palmer, the new owner of Queen Consolidated and somebody who will vie with Ollie for Felicity’s affections. Let’s see, a handsome rich guy who can keep up with her intellect versus a dude who lies to her constantly and turns her down for dumb reasons. Oh, and he can shrink, since he’s also the superhero The Atom, to get at those hard-to-reach places. Sorry, Ollie, you’re screwed.

The main bad guy will be Ra’s Al Ghul, who you might remember as a Batman villain, and who’ll be portrayed by a rugby player. Considering Ra’s has a group called the League of Assassins at his beck and call, and his daughter pines for Black Canary, this will probably not end well for Starling City.

Meanwhile, on Flashback Island, there is no more Flashback Island! Instead we’re going to Hong Kong, for the flashbacks, and running into notable DC hero Katana and her husband. Of note: Katana becomes a superhero after her husband gets bumped off, so don’t get too attached. We’ll also likely learn more about amoral government organization ARGUS, who Ollie has ties to as they’re the ones who got him off that rock in the first place.

Should I Watch?

That’s an unreserved yes. Arrow is what you look for in a cult show; a little comedy, a little action, some great cast members like Emily Bett Rickards and David Ramsey, and a plot that’s just elaborate enough to be fun without being dumb. Also hopefully they find a use for Laurel this season. Hey, it could happen!

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