What Secret Is Diggle Hiding On 'Arrow'?

Over the course of five seasons, the various members of Team Arrow have all had their own secrets, but by the premiere of Season Six they've grown to trust each other.

Except for John Diggle (David Ramsey), codenamed Spartan, who seems to be harboring something from his allies in Arrow's Season Premiere episode "Fallout."

In the episode, the team comes into conflict with Black Siren and her goon squad. During a shootout, Spartan is unable to fire his gun at one of said goons, who then shoots Wild Dog and forces Green Arrow to save his life.

But what caused Diggle to freeze at that moment?

"The explosion [in the Season Five finale] affects all of us," said Ramsey at San Diego Comic-Con. "It specially affects Diggle emotionally and physically. There's a long-lasting effect of what happened on the island for him that affects him and the whole team."

In the premiere we see Diggle get caught in the blast, though the show has yet to deal with that fallout directly.

Dinah Drake catches up to him in the present day and asks if he has a problem, but he blows her off.

"We're going to see Diggle, for the first time, feeling some things that he can't handle," Ramsey said. "[Things that will affect him] even greater than the death of his brother and the death of Canary, both of which he blamed himself for. Diggle's been a little bit of a superman emotionally and even physically. I think we have to see a broken Diggle and we will."

It sounds like the explosion has affected him more than he's letting on to his team, though Dinah seems to know something is wrong with her teammate.

"You will absolutely see a little bit of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. He will definitely be experiencing that without a doubt," Ramsey said. "This will affect the team and him on a personal level. You'll see some role reversals in terms of him having secrets as opposed to Oliver having secrets and Oliver having to help him. Now that relationship shifts a bit because now it's Diggle that needs to be mentored in a sort of way."

Oliver will definitely need the support of his friend and partner as he deals with the fallout of the premiere's cliffhanger, in which he was outed as the Green Arrow, as well as raising his newly orphaned son. 

But will Diggle be able to step up when needed?

The second episode of Arrow Season Six, called "Tribute," airs Thursday on The CW.