Pilot (Arrow)


 * For other episodes of the same name, see Pilot.

"The name of the island they found me on is Lian Yu. It's mandarin for 'purgatory'. I've been stranded here for 5 years. I've dreamt of my rescue every cold black night since then. For 5 years, I have had only one thought, one goal...survive. Survive and one day return home. The island held many dangers. To live, I had to make myself more than what I was, to forge myself into a weapon. I am returning not the boy who was shipwrecked but the man who will bring justice to those who have poisoned my city. My name is Oliver Queen."

- Oliver Queen

Synopsis
After a violent shipwreck, billionaire playboy Oliver Queen was missing and presumed dead for 5 years before being discovered alive on a remote island in the Pacific. Back in Starling City, Oliver slowly reconnects with those closest to him, his devoted mother Moira, his beloved sister Thea, and his best friend Tommy Merlyn, but struggles with his ex-girlfriend Dinah Laurel Lance, who blames him for her sister's death. Oliver has brought back many new skills from his time on the island and despite the watchful eye of his new bodyguard John Diggle, Oliver manages to secretly create the persona of an unknown vigilante archer nicknamed the Hood by the police trying to catch him. Using the Hood, Oliver tries to right the wrongs of his family and fight the ills of society. As the Hood, Oliver will atone for the past sins of his family while he searches for the personal redemption he needs.

Plot
After a shipwreck that claims the life of his father, billionaire playboy Oliver Queen is missing and presumed dead for 5 years before being discovered alive on a remote island in the Pacific. When he returns home to Starling City, his mother, Moira, his younger sister, Thea, and his best friend, Tommy, welcome him home, but sense that Oliver has been changed by his ordeal on the island. While Oliver hides the truth about the man he has become, he tries to reconcile with his ex-girlfriend, Laurel, for cheating on her with her sister, who also died in the shipwreck. As Oliver reconnects with those closest to him, he secretly masquerades as a green-hooded vigilante archer known as the Hood by night, attempting to right the wrongs of his family, fight the ills of society, and restore Starling City to its former glory as his late father had entrusted him to do before his death. Oliver's first personal task is to take down corrupt millionaire Adam Hunt, who has scammed millions from various people in Starling City. Laurel's father, police Sergeant Quentin Lance, is determined to arrest the Hood. Meanwhile, Oliver's mother is revealed to have an agenda against her son, having orchestrated the kidnapping to determine what his father told him after the shipwreck.

Trivia

 * The person playing the gunman who got his neck snapped by Oliver was James Bamford.
 * Tommy mentions that Oliver hasn’t had sex in 1,839 days (by his rough estimate). 1,839 days is equal to 5 years, 1 week, and 6 days. Since most Arrow episodes take place in real time, we can assume this episodes takes place on October 10, 2012 (the day it aired) meaning the Gambit probably sank on or around September 27, 2007.
 * Katie Cassidy and Ben Cotton previously appeared on Supernatural.
 * This is the only episode to feature Jacqueline MacInnes Wood in the role of Sara Lance before she was replaced by Caity Lotz.
 * James Bamford, Roger Cross, Brian Markinson and Ben Cotton previously worked on the Stargate franchise.
 * Annie Ilonzeh and Kathleen Gati both appeared on General Hospital.

Behind the scenes

 * The episode was viewed by 4.14 million.
 * The episode received a 1.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic.

Production

 * Many scenes were filmed at BB Studios in Burnaby, British Columbia in Canada. Also filmed there was Smallville, a former DC superhero show shown on The CW, based on Superman comics.
 * Jacqueline MacInnes Wood makes her only appearance as Sara Lance in this episode, being replaced by Caity Lotz in Season 2.
 * Hatley Castle was used to shoot as the Queen Mansion. This again shares with Smallville, being filmed as Luthor Mansion.
 * David Nutter previously directed Smallville's pilot.
 * Scenes were filmed in Gastown, Vancouver.
 * Filming came to an end on April 3, 2012.
 * The opening scene of the episode would later be used as the final flashback of the series on the finale of Season 5.
 * Arrow fight choreographer/director/co-producer James Bamford has a cameo appearance as a gunman who gets his neck snapped by Oliver.
 * Katie Cassidy, Brian Markinson and Ben Cotton previously appeared on Supernatural.