It seems Oliver’s life on Arrow is always destined to have a Black Canary in it. That doesn’t mean he’s destined to be in a relationship with one, however, something that might come as a surprise to comic book fans.
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Oliver Queen actor Stephen Amell recently spoke to Entertainment Weekly (via CBR) about the idea that Oliver will always end up romantically linked to a Black Canary. “The idea that Oliver would end up with the Black Canary being Katie Cassidy or any new iteration thereof? To me, it could happen, it could not, but it’s certainly not destined to happen or pre-designed to happen,” Amell explained.
Amell knows there are two sides to the “authentic to the comics” argument, and Amell hopes that the team has managed to find a balance between the two.
“There have been feuding factions in the fan base — people that call upon the comics and people that have lived in the universe of the show,” he continued. “I would say that we try to find a happy medium for both, try to live in the universe that the show has created where characters that weren’t a part of the Green Arrow mythos have become completely indispensable.”
Walking that line has allowed numerous characters from the comics to be introduced while also paving the way for completely original characters like John Diggle. “There are elements that you find in a TV show that make the show what they are, and that became Oliver’s relationship between Felicity and Diggle — one character that’s completely original in terms of John Diggle, an ode to Andy Diggle, who wrote ‘Year One,’ and Felicity Smoak, who was plucked from the far reaches of the DC universe. Thea Queen also does not exist in the comics and I think that’s all stuff that’s important to remember,” he added.
“If you want to talk about ‘Game of Thrones’ now existing beyond the realm of the books, that was one of my favorite seasons of television ever,” he concluded. “I think that it would be a pretty two-dimensional world if you simply followed with what the comic said.”
The Berlanti-verse takes liberties when it can, and it’s lead to a world that DC fans can recognize but still be surprised by.
Next up for Arrow, which holds an 83.84 score on ComicBook.com’s composite ranking, is “Fighting Fire with Fire”, and you can find the official synopsis below.
Oliver (Stephen Amell) faces his biggest challenge yet as mayor. Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) continues down her dark path with Helix.
After Vigilante attacks Oliver while he’s acting as the mayor, Diggle (David Ramsey) leads the team in a mission to stop Vigilante once and for all.
Michael Schultz directed the episode written by Speed Weed & Ben Sokolowski.
Based on the characters from DC, ARROW is from Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television, with executive producers Greg Berlanti (The Flash, Supergirl), Marc Guggenheim (Eli Stone, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters), Andrew Kreisberg (The Flash, Supergirl), Wendy Mericle (Desperate Housewives, Eli Stone) and Sarah Schechter (Supergirl, Blindspot).
“Fighting Fire with Fire” episode of Arrow will air Wednesday, March 1 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
MORE ARROW: Producer Teases Return To Island / Helix Makes Their Move In “Checkmate” Synopsis / David Cassidy Admits He Has No Contact With Arrow Star Daughter / Ranking The Black Canary Costumes
