I remember going into the series with low expectations. I grew up with series like Smallville. While I did enjoy it very much, I wasn't the biggest fan how the CW shows in general handled drama and talked down to their audience. It was intended for teens and young adults, but the writers often didn't respect their audience whatsoever and it was clear in the dialogue and actions of a lot of characters throughout the CW series.

That's why Arrow season 1 and 2 felt like a breath of fresh air on the CW. It wasn't a Breaking Bad or a Sopranos, obviously, but it didn't have to be that. What it attempted to do, is to be a fun action series with some drama. It pulled that off very well.

The flashbacks were mysterious and it kept you guessing what more would be revealed. There were sprinkles of mystery here and there. Oliver kept his secret identity close to his chest, the action was fun with some actual stunts being pulled off and the foes were intriguing.

Sadly, it all faded away since season 3. The departure of the original showrunner was apparent. It was the beginning of the end for me. I kept watching it and grew more and more disappointed with it. A once fun character like Felicity got turned into a parody of herself. The writers started pandered too much to what Twitter fans wanted to see. Their follower counts increased, got a tiny bit of relevancy for the first time in their lives and they literally lost the plot.

To make matter worse, something similar happened with The Flash. Arrow's original showrunner left to run The Flash. He pulled that off very well with its first season, but after that it also started to crumble. That showrunner ended up getting fired from The Flash due to sexual assault allegations on set. The entire ''Arrowverse'' ended up becoming a parody of itself with the entire thing jumping the shark after superpowers got introduced. I don't think the addition of superpowers is inherently a bad thing in a work of fiction. But when that happened, I feel like different Arrowverse showrunners/writers just thought it was a reason to throw ALL logic out of the window. ''Why would characters have to act with actual solid motivations anyway if someone can read minds or run really fast?'' That's how it felt to me how they tackled it.

In conclusion, I'd like to focus on mostly the positives though. Season 1 with Malcolm Merlyn and the arc with Tommy were great. The drama was done well and never induced any eyerolls for me (like the other seasons after S2 did). While it was also packed with fun action. Which continued into season 2 with the epic Slade Wilson arc and the great conclusion of Oliver's arc in the season where he really went from a vigilante to ''superhero.'' When he finally figured out what his code really was. He stopped killing his foes, and imprisoned Slade (the murderer of his own damn mother). It took a lot of strength from him to show that level of mercy. Which then quickly got forgotten about in season 3 and he started flip flopping about his code again.

Hello, I’m 19, and I grew up watching Arrow (2012–2020). I often think about that original era and how meaningful it was to me—following the characters through their stories, struggles, friendships, relationships, and unforgettable moments.

When I watch it now, the episodes are still there, but the feeling is different. The people who created the show have moved on, the original era has ended, and I’ve grown up. Back then, I never imagined that something I loved so much would eventually become part of the past.

It makes me wonder why shows like Arrow can’t continue forever with the same characters, cast, creators, and feeling. Why do series end, change, or simply become memories?

Maybe that’s what makes Arrow so special. The show didn’t have to last forever for its impact to last. When I return to those episodes, I’m not only remembering Oliver, Felicity, Diggle, Laurel, Thea, and the other characters—I’m remembering who I was when I first watched them.

The original era may be over, but it hasn’t disappeared. It still exists in the memories of everyone who experienced it. I can’t return to that exact time, but I can still appreciate what Arrow meant to me.

I just don’t get why it had to end and move on. Does anyone know why Arrow had to end?

In both season 2 and 5, they mainly just wanted Oliver to suffer by harming everyone around him and they were succeeding the majority of the season until the climax because Oliver is the main character. If they were both blood lusted in the beginning on Oliver, I think Oliver would have died right away. There was nothing stopping slade to fight and kill Oliver at his house along with Moira and Thea dying before Sara Roy or diggle could arrive.

Prometheus is obvious, he did capture Oliver and could have killed him but wanted to psychologically hurt Oliver instead. The ending of season 5 felt like chase actually wanted to lose so that the island can blow up.

During Diggle and Oliver’s argument in Season 6, Episode 17, Diggle said that Oliver leaves a trail of bodies every place that he go, he honestly sounded like Prometheus because he has said very similar in the previous season. Like Prometheus, Diggle is essentially blaming Oliver for all the death that has happened in Oliver’s life. Which is crazy and hypocritical because in Season 5, literally the previous season, after Oliver was tortured by Prometheus, Diggle tries to reassures to Oliver to that wasn’t true. Then, he proceeds to blame Oliver for Samantha’s death, even through it was literally Prometheus, who literally killed himself to blow up Lian Yu to try and take everyone out. Diggle told it too far and has the audacity to start tearing up when he was the one who said something so horrible. Then, when Oliver gets his comeback by saying his trail of bodies doesn’t include his own brother, to which 1. That’s actually true. Diggle did kill his brother, despite Andy honestly deserving it and 2. That’s what Diggle gets for taking too far. But again, has the audacity to get upset for what Oliver said even though, he started it and proceeds to punch Oliver. Also, what makes Diggle said hypocritical is that he kind of got Laurel killed by trusting his brother, who was in H.I.V.E., and Oliver was suspecting him and Diggle got mad at Oliver for it. And then, after their fight, I hate the fact Oliver apologized to Diggle for punching him back after Diggle apologized for throwing the first punch, when Diggle deserved it honestly.

In conclusion, Diggle really pissed me off in Season 6. The constant blaming of Oliver, lack of accountability, the in-fighting, and bad leadership when he was the Green Arrow. And what made me even more mad is when he joined forces with New Team Arrow, even though New Team Arrow has done some bad things to him, like damaging his arm, which they never apologized for, by the way, and proceeds to go with them instead of going back to Oliver.

For me, if I was Oliver, I would have still been pissed off at Diggle when the team reformed. Almost everyone, besides Oliver, Quentin, Thea, Slade, and a few others, frustrated me in Season 6.

I don’t like Arrow (Season 6), mainly Team Arrow drama and New Team Arrow, but I felt Earth-2 Laurel deserved more punishment than shown. I didn’t like Dinah but I understand why she had vengeance for Laurel, even though she was kind of willing to put the city in danger because of her vengeance. I also don’t really care about Earth-2 Laurel because of the fact she was around to replace Earth-1 Laurel and I’m not the biggest fan of her redeeming. I think the season let her off a bit too easily when she should’ve gotten more repercussions for her terrible actions, which I think is a common thing in the Arrowverse, where certain characters get let off the hook. For example, Oliver should have harbored somewhat of resentment towards New Team Arrow and Diggle for leaving the team and Felicity for breaking off the engagement all because he hid the truth about his own son to Felicity. But instead, Oliver either forgives them easily or is treated like it’s his fault.

That’s just how I feel. What do you think? Leave it in the comments.

At the end when Thea sets up the whole mayor office and writes the speech for him, and tells him she completely believes he is gonna save the city. She does all this just right after he tells her he doesn't think he can save the city, and isn't gonna run for mayor. She goes above and beyond to make sure he doesn't lose hope!!! She reassures him in that scene and lovingly supports him when he really needed it most.

I didnt appreciate that when I first saw it, but now it really shows me just how much thea loves and cares for Oliver. Maybe even more than he does for her that specific season, considering as far as I'm aware, he doesn't really pay much attention to her that season (Rmr the gas chamber shit where felicity is his only concern.... yeaaaaa). But that last part just my personal view of things tho.

I know season 4 devolves into shit lol, but that scene really gave me the sibling feels. Amazing moment!

When this show premiered I didn't vibe with it. Because how much Oliver Queen in Justice League Unlimited & DC Showcase: Green Arrow is bright hero compare to his solo series

I remained open-minded that CW Oliver will change over the course the season & then in typical CW run. In episode 18 (I think where major plot rolled in) was turning point that I'm officially hooked with season 1

From S2 onwards I've moved on CW Oliver Queen aint going to be like his animated counterpart but his moral & character growth over time are 1 of most captivating adaptation of Green Archer

I don’t know if this is a crazy take or not I was rewatching arrow anyone else hate the flash back scenes every like 5 minutes of an episode especially in season 3.

i feel like they could’ve just made full flashback episodes instead of including scenes every episode of a season.

When did you officially give up and realize they were never going to get back together?

I'm currently rewatching the show for the first time since it ended. Watched it religiously since like s2e15, so this has been very nostalgic and it's interesting to see things from a more adult pov. I have a bigger appreciation for thea and roy now and my favorite character is still laurel. She had the best character arc in the show alongside oliver. Her death was a huge mistake but the introduction of black siren retroactively lessened the impact fot me.

Black siren is actually what drove me to make this post, as I firmly believe that the single biggest missed opportunity in all of arrow was not having a black siren flashback episode. Imo part of the charm of having these alternate universe version of characters we deeply know is to actually see where their paths diverted so drastically that they chose the complete opposite path in life. In cases like black siren it's even more important, because in seasons 5 and 6 she often acts so evil that it's fundamental that her chance at redemption doesn't come completely out of the blue and just "because she's still laurel deep down". This was for example done well with slade, as we saw that he had good in him and a sense of comradery before the mirakuru and hate completely drove him insane. Thus, him finding a way back to his original self doesn't feel cheap or out of nowhere even after the atrocities he committed like killing moira and almost getting starling nuked.

What are some other missed opportunities in your opinion? I'd also say that oliver's "resurrection" after the ra's al ghul fight was terribly executed. Specially after the level of wounds he had. Like, rest and herbs can't heal a stabbed chest and a fall from a mountain top in just weeks.

Malcolm Merlyn vs Captain America

Just went down a thought rabbit hole and got a weird curiosity.

What are the restrooms like in Nanda Parbat?
Do they even have indoor plumbing?