Pilot (Arrow)


 * For the The Flash episode of the same name, see Pilot (The Flash).

"Pilot" is the first episode of the first season of Arrow and its pilot episode. It aired on October 10, 2012.

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.

Five Years Ago, Lian Yu
Oliver Queen was cheating on his then-girlfriend Laurel Lance with her sister, Sara and took her on his father's boat called the Queen's Gambit, but a storm picked up and the boat was wrecked, causing Sara's death. Oliver and his father were left stranded on a life-raft, where Robert eventually shot himself because he needed Oliver to stay alive and also there wasn't enough food supply for both of them. They landed on an island called Lian Yu but Oliver was too distraught by witnessing his father's suicide.

Present Day, Starling City
Five years later, Oliver Queen is rescued from the remote island. When he returns home to Starling City, the doctor mentions Oliver's physical condition. His mother Moira, his younger sister Thea, and his best friend Tommy Merlyn welcome him home but sense 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 Lance, for cheating on her with her sister. Oliver and Tommy run into a group of masked men who kidnap them and force Oliver to talk about what information his father gave him before he passed away. Oliver refused to answer and broke free, attacking his kidnappers and during this time, Tommy was knocked out. Oliver gave the police and Laurel's father, Quentin a description of a "man in a green hood".

After the incident, Moira hires a security guard for Oliver, but he constantly runs away from John Diggle and he uses his father's abandoned warehouse as a secret hideout. He then begins training and secretly masquerade as a 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. Quentin, becomes 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.

Quotes

 * Oliver: "What's Twilight?". Tommy: "You're so better off not knowing".

Trivia

 * Apart from the main characters this episode marks the first appearances of Walter Steele, Sara Lance and Robert Queen, although the latter two are only through flashbacks.
 * The mask with an arrow through the one open eye-hole during the opening scene on the island belongs to Slade Wilson not Billy Wintergreen despite both of whom wore identical balaclavas.  Slade had a arrow shoved into his left eye and the mask on the island is slightly burnt which fits with the Amazo being blown apart.
 * The episode was viewed by 4.14 million.
 * The episode received a 1.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic.
 * Oliver and Robert got shipwrecked in 2007, Oliver spent 5 years away as part of his time was in Hong Kong working for A.R.G.U.S. before eventually being returned to the island and returned to Starling City during 2012.

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.
 * Hatley Castle was used to shoot as the Queen Mansion. This again shares with Smallville, being filmed as Luthor Mansion.
 * Scenes were filmed in Gastown, Vancouver.
 * Filming came to an end on April 3, 2012.