'Arrow': "Thanksgiving" Ends With a Massive Status Quo Change

There were a lot of changes in tonight's episode of Arrow, one of them so big it may have long-reaching effect on Team Arrow and the Arrowverse at large.

Spoilers for tonight's episode of Arrow, "Thanksgiving," below.

Earlier this season, Oliver (Stephen Amell) turned over the mantle of Green Arrow to John Diggle (David Ramsey) in part because of the FBI investigation as to whether he is the vigilante. However, even Diggle's Green Arrow didn't resolve the problem. Diggle withheld his injury and nerve damage from Oliver when accepting the mantle which led to its own set of problems, while Agent Watson wasn't deterred from her investigation of Oliver. It all came to a head in tonight's episode when, while in pursuit of Laurel/Black Siren (Katie Cassidy,) Diggle is unable to fight. It turns out he's experiencing withdrawal from the drugs he was on that allowed him to keep his injury at bay. Oliver having been arrested in front of the press on charges of being the Green Arrow didn't help the situation, either.

With Cayden James threatening Star City -- specifically the attendees at a Billy Joel concert -- with a massive bomb, Diggle not able to function in the field, and the possibility that the criminals in Star City might decide now is a good time for a free for all, Oliver suited up as Green Arrow again. It also briefly looked like Oliver's relationship with Diggle itself might be over, as Oliver confronted him about the injury, the drugs, and how he compromised the team. But they made up and Diggle revealed that when the Dominators had messed with their minds, his perfect life was being the Green Arrow, something not possible now.

However, at the end of the episode something changed. Oliver told Diggle that he would put the hood back on as Green Arrow on one condition: that it was temporary. Oliver revealed to Diggle that he would just be subbing in for the "real" Green Arrow. Once Diggle is healed up and good to be back in the field, the hood goes right back to Diggle.

This reveal explains why we see Oliver as Green Arrow in the upcoming crossover event, but the idea of Diggle as Green Arrow permanently is one that could have long-reaching impact for Star City. Diggle as Green Arrow might play into a story that leads to the world audiences got a glimpse of in the first season of Legends of Tomorrow, "Star City 2046," where things are decidedly not good. But even if things don't end up going down that road. Oliver is going to have to temporarily lie to his son about being the Arrow again, and that could have problems all its own.

Arrow airs Thursdays at 9/8c on The CW.