With the Marvel Cinematic Universe in full swing in the early 2010s, DC needed an answer. Unfortunately, the movie division was failing to make anything stick, forcing the powers that be to turn their attention to the small screen. Their first move was to build a show around a darker version of Green Arrow. Operating more like Batman than Robin Hood, Oliver Queen took the streets of Starling City to bring down corruption by any means necessary. Arrow quickly became a smash hit on The CW, helping build the Arrowverse into one of the most successful TV franchises of all time.
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Despite a dip in quality during Season 3, Arrow remains one of the most consistent shows of the larger “Arrowverse.” There are so many great episodes, in fact, that the list of the 10 best according to IMDb leaves off a few heavy hitters. However, the entries it does include are deserving of the honor.
10) “Streets of Fire” (Season 2, Episode 22)
In the penultimate episode of Season 2, Slade Wilson’s soldiers take over the streets of Starling City and make life difficult for Team Arrow. S.T.A.R. Labs is able to whip up a cure for the Mirakuru running through the bad guys’ veins, but there’s no easy way to distribute it. Fortunately, backup arrives in the form of Sara Lance, aka the Canary, who helps turn the tide ahead of the finale.
9.1/10 score with 5.8k ratings
9) “Deathstroke” (Season 2, Episode 18)
Presumed dead for years, Slade arrives in Starling City in Season 2 and begins to plot against Oliver Queen. “Deathstroke” really kicks the villain’s plan into gear, with his associate, Isabel Rochev, gaining control of Queen Consolidated after Oliver focuses on retrieving Thea after Slade kidnaps her. With all his cards on the table, Slade drops one last bombshell by telling Laurel Lance that Oliver is the Arrow.
9.1/10 score with 6k ratings
8) “The Slabside Redemption” (Season 7, Episode 7)
Oliver’s vigilante activities land him in prison in Arrow Season 7. He still has enemies on the outside, though, and in “The Slabside Redemption,” Ricardo Diaz looks to end the Green Arrow for good by taking the fight to the hero. Oliver has to launch a prison escape for the ages and gets help from a former adversary, Bronze Tiger.
9.2/10 score with 3.8k ratings
7) “Fadeout” (Season 8, Episode 10)
The final episode of Arrow takes place after the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover, meaning Oliver is already dead. The most important people in his life all gather to remember him, while flashbacks show the Arrow in his early days, taking out a group of bad guys. “Fadeout” is a heart-wrenching episode that honors a fallen hero and sets up the Arrowverse’s future.
9.2/10 score with 3.8k ratings
6) “Three Ghosts” (Season 2, Episode 9)
For most of the episode, “Three Ghosts” doesn’t seem like anything special. Oliver gets drugged and comes face-to-face with people from his past. However, Barry Allen plays a major part in the episode by helping Oliver recover before heading back to Central City. “Three Ghosts” concludes with Barry at his lab when lightning strikes, giving him the powers he uses to save his city in The Flash.
9.2/10 score with 6.6k ratings
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5) “Seeing Red” (Season 2, Episode 20)
Roy is dealing with the ramifications of having Mirakuru in his body in “Seeing Red,” and Oliver and Co. must find a way to stop him. Despite Sara wanting to kill the young man, Oliver injects him with viper venom, knocking him on his butt and getting him back to normal. However, the good times don’t last for long because Slade kidnaps Oliver’s mother and sister and forces him to choose which one dies.
9.2/10 score with 7k ratings
4) “Unthinkable” (Season 2, Episode 23)
The final episode of Arrow Season 2 shows Oliver fighting Slade in both the past and present. As past Oliver stabs Slade in the eye, Deathstroke is still wreaking havoc in the modern day, forcing the hero to make a bold play by sending Felicity Smoak right into his clutches. She plays her part perfectly, though, allowing Oliver to get the upper hand and save his city once again.
9.4/10 score with 8.1 ratings
3) “Sacrifice” (Season 1, Episode 23)
Arrow‘s first finale doesn’t pull any punches, pitting Oliver against Malcolm Merlyn, aka the Dark Archer, who wants to level a portion of Starling City. Sadly, while Oliver is able to defeat his opponent, Malcolm’s son, Tommy Merlyn, loses his life while trying to save Laurel. Oliver says goodbye to his best friend but feels uneasy about continuing his current path.
9.4/10 score with 8.6 ratings
2) “The Climb” (Season 3, Episode 9)
Oliver fights plenty of villains in Arrow‘s first two seasons, but he meets his match in Season 3. Ra’s al Ghul is looking to bring Sara Lance’s killer to justice, and when it comes out that Thea is behind the attack, Oliver spares her life by fighting The Demon’s Head himself. The two meet on a mountain top and have a battle for the ages.
9.5/10 score with 13k ratings
1) “Lian Yu” (Season 5, Episode 23)
Prometheus is arguably Arrow‘s best villain, so it’s no surprise that his final episode lands the top spot. Oliver must recruit a team of former enemies, including Malcolm and Slade, in order to save his friends, who are being held captive by Prometheus on Lian Yu. The Green Arrow returns to where it all started, and while he succeeds in some ways, the episode’s cliffhanger reveals he isn’t walking away unscathed.
9.6/10 score with 8.5k ratings
Arrow is streaming now on Netflix.
Do you agree with IMDb’s list of the best Arrow episodes? Are there any entries you feel like got snubbed? Let us know in the comments below!
