7 Great DC Characters That Have Only Appeared in the Arrowverse

These characters have the Arrowverse to thank for their popularity.

June 12, 2025, 2:00pm

Kid Flash and The Flash from the Arrowverse.

Love it or hate it, the Arrowverse was DC’s longest-running live-action franchise, airing episodes from 2012 to 2023. The CW’s shows introduced countless DC characters, including some of the major players, Batman, Superman, Supergirl, Green Arrow, and the Flash. DC’s movie department didn’t always get along with the Arrowverse, though, forcing the franchise to kill off characters like Deadshot when they started getting momentum on the big screen. The powers that be at The CW were forced to think on their feet, finding little-known characters that had little chance of making it big elsewhere and giving them major roles on TV after their live-action debuts.

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Despite having its hands tied behind its back for the majority of its run, the Arrowverse did pretty well for itself, even outliving the DC Extended Universe. It has plenty of characters to thank for that, but there are a few that stand out among the crowd.

1) Wild Dog

After losing Black Canary in Arrow Season 4, Oliver Queen and Co. are in need of recruits in Season 5. One of their first visits is to Rene Ramirez, aka Wild Dog, who wears a mask and a hockey jersey to fight crime in his neighborhood. The Arrowverse puts its own spin on Wild Dog, and despite being nothing like his comic book counterpart, he flourishes in his role as protector of Star City, even helping take down the Anti-Monitor during “Crisis on Infinite Earths.”

2) Wally West

It’s hard to believe that Wally West’s only live-action appearance is in the Arrowverse. After all, he operates as the main Flash in the comics from time to time. Regardless, he’s one of the more interesting characters the Arrowverse has to offer, gaining speed in the third season of The Flash and never looking back. He doesn’t do it like his mentor, Barry Allen, though, finding spiritual enlightenment that helps him be a different kind of speedster.

3) Citizen Steel

Citizen Steel is far from a household name because he never really found his footing in DC Comics. On The CW, however, Nate Heywood is a standout character, being a historian who joins the Legends of Tomorrow in Season 2 and gains the ability to turn his body into metal. He goes on an emotional journey while living on the Waverider, losing allies and loved ones. Still, he keeps his positive attitude throughout and helps save the day on numerous occasions.

4) Vixen

Vixen begins her Arrowverse journey on a web series before making the jump to live-action in Arrow. Unfortunately, that version of the character doesn’t stick around for long, as her grandmother takes her place and joins the Legends on the Waverider. Her unique abilities, which allow her to gain the strength of various animals, prove useful during the Legends’ battle with Reverse-Flash and the rest of the Legion of Doom.

5) Hunter Zolomon

Hunter Zolomon initially claims to be another DC speedster, Jay Garrick. However, he eventually reveals his true identity and his plan to steal the Flash’s speed. Zolomon, now going by the name Zoom, torments Barry Allen for a full season, even going as far as to kill the Flash’s dad, Henry Allen. And even death isn’t enough to keep Zolomon down, as he returns as the Black Flash at a later point.

6) The Monitor

“Crisis on Infinity Earths” is all about the battle between Mar Novu and his evil counterpart, the Anti-Monitor. Monitor recruits the best the Arrowverse has to offer, including Green Arrow, the Flash, and Supergirl, to help him. What Monitor has over his comic book counterparts is that he has a lot more personality, giving Oliver the business when the hero dares to question his methods.

7) Reign

Supergirl meets her match in Season 3 of her solo series when she runs into Reign, another Kryptonian sent to Earth to wreak havoc. Kara Danvers can’t get the best of the villain until the end of Season 3 when she brings new allies into the fold. While Reign’s time in the Arrowverse doesn’t last long, she leaves a lasting impact on Supergirl and the rest of her friends.

The Arrowverse shows are streaming on Netflix.

Which of these Arrowverse characters did you enjoy watching the most? Are you surprised their only live-action appearances are on The CW? Let us know in the comments below!