Rene Ramirez

"Sorry, hoss. But if the bad guys got guns, then I'm strapping up, too."

- Rene Ramirez

Rene Ramirez, nicknamed Wild Dog by Curtis Holt, is a vigilante operating in Star City and an alumni of Star City High School. He was eventually recruited into the ranks of Team Arrow by Oliver Queen.

After discovering that Oliver, John Diggle and Felicity Smoak respectively had violated his privacy, as well as unfairly being kicked off the team by the former for his insubordination, Rene along with Dinah Drake and Curtis Holt decided to form their own team known as New Team Arrow, until he apologized to Oliver for testify against him and rejoined Team Arrow to help Oliver battle Diaz.

Early life
Rene Ramirez was born in Starling City and raised in the dangerous district known as The Glades. He implies that his father was abusive to him. As a kid, Rene was caught tagging a building by an at the time beat cop, Quentin Lance. Instead of arresting him, Quentin got on one knee and told Rene that he could be more than a regular thug, which set the latter on a much better path for life. Rene graduated from Star City High School, where he once pulled the fire alarm, most likely as a prank.

Prior to becoming a vigilante, Rene served with the United States Navy, later becoming a Navy SEAL. At one point, he was part of a team transporting a prisoner with valuable information. When intelligence couldn't get anything out of him, Rene took matters into his own hands and tried to beat the information out of the prisoner, leading to him being dishonorably discharged.

Rene fell in love with and married a woman named Laura and they had a daughter, Zoe. In March 2016, Rene began to suspect his wife had relapsed and was using drugs again, which was proven correct when he found drugs in their bedroom. He and Laura had an argument about this, with Rene threatening to kick her out of the house if she didn't become clean. That night, Rene took Zoe out to a hockey game. When they returned to the house, it was ransacked, and Rene immediately sent Zoe to her room. He then found Laura being held at gunpoint by her dealer, who demanded the $500 that Laura owed him for her last drug supply. Rene claimed that the money was in the safe (where he actually kept his gun), and began to reach for it. However, Zoe appeared and unknowingly spooked the drug dealer, causing him to throw Laura on the ground and start shooting at Rene, which left a bullet hole in his hockey jersey. Rene eventually grabbed his gun and killed the dealer, but not before the latter shot a stray bullet that killed Laura.

Guilt-ridden over his wife's death, Rene became depressed and an alcoholic. One night, he passed out drunk while reheating soup for Zoe. Zoe then tried to take the soup off the stove, leading to her severely burning her hand. Rene was woken up from his stupor by her crying and immediately attended to his daughter.

Afterwards, Zoe was removed from Rene's custody and placed in a foster family. Rene was still allowed visitation rights, but only under a court-appointed guardian.

Becoming Wild Dog
On the night that Damien Darhk was killed, Rene called child services and asked to see his daughter, only to be rejected multiple times, rudely. After seeing Darhk's death at the hands of the Green Arrow on TV, he was inspired to take justice into his own hands. Rene began acting as a vigilante. However, his antics were disapproved by Green Arrow who warned him to stay off the streets, though he didn't listen.

In late 2016, the anarchist Lonnie Machin attempted to blow up a significant portion of the city using multiple bombs. Ramirez somehow found out about this and attempted to stop the bombs from blowing up. However he arrived after Green Arrow and he pushed him away, putting an arrow through his leg.

Joining Team Arrow
One night while chasing down a thug, Wild Dog tried to jump from one rooftop to another and hit his foot causing him to fall off the roof. Before he hit the ground Green Arrow shot a grapple arrow at his foot saving him. Oliver gave him the address of a building to meet him at the next day. Rene showed up and began training for the new team. The next day Oliver sent Rene, Curtis, and Evelyn to an AmerTek event disguised as volunteers to serve as security looking out for, at the time unidentified, the "Ragman". When Ragman broke in, Wild Dog disobeyed Oliver's instructions and attacked Ragman, ripping a piece of his rag suit off. After a scolding by Oliver, Rene and the other recruits quit their training, not wanting to work with Green Arrow due to his aggressive personality. However, Rene and the others later rejoined the team after Oliver revealed his identity to them all. He asked Oliver if he could rethink his code name, but Oliver amusingly replied "no chance".

When Oliver was looking for details about the new drug Stardust he found out that it was being sold by Derek Sampson. After he returned to the base Oliver gave instructions not to go looking for any more intel. Rene, knowing where the warehouse that the Stardust drug was being made, ignored Oliver and went to the location, bringing along Evelyn Sharp. He claimed that he was there strictly for intel, but once he knew for sure the drugs were there he jumped down and started attacking the men working for Sampson. After shooting many thugs, Wild Dog fought Sampson one on one. Sampson had the upper hand on Wild Dog and brutally punched him numerous times nearly knocking him out until Evelyn shot Sampson in the shoulder. This distracted him and Wild Dog threw him into a vat of stardust and presumably killed him. The next day Oliver was furious at Rene for not listening to him and killing Sampson, as Adrian Chase, the district attorney, was close to taking down Sampson and all of his men. Oliver later forgave Rene and apologized for never trusting him and giving him a chance in the field. Later once Team Arrow found out Sampson was still alive and couldn't feel pain, they figured out his plan which was to create an army of men like himself. Oliver decided to bring the new team to stop Sampson in which they succeeded. This was the first time Oliver trusted Rene.

When Oliver left Star City for a couple of days to break Diggle out of prison, the rest of Team Arrow went after Tobias Church. Wild Dog and Church ended up fighting with Church dominating. Church then captured Rene and tortured him at an undisclosed location. While tortured by Church, Rene told him that Oliver Queen was the Green Arrow although he doesn't remember telling Church. He was brought to the woods by Church and his men to dig his own grave, and while there Church told him his plan and why he came to Star City. Church told him his plan because he planned to kill Rene once he finished digging. Oliver showed up moments after killing Church's men and saving Rene, but Church got away. The next day Rene met with Diggle to try and remember anything from his time being tortured, to see if he heard anything about Church's plan. Rene and Diggle bonded due to there similarities and Diggle served as somewhat of a mentor to Rene. He remembered Church's plan and told the rest of the team. This ultimately led to Church being arrested and then murdered by Prometheus for trying to kill the Green Arrow.

Facing new enemies
When serial murders start happening, Rene and the team set out to stop panic at a shopping area of the city. Rene and the other recruits aren't exactly happy with Oliver, Diggle and Felicity keeping information about Prometheus from them, feeling that they are the lesser members of the team. He is shocked to further learn that Oliver used to kill people as the Hood. After Prometheus goes off grid he forgives Oliver for keeping the truth and goes to a concert with the team showing interest in Thea Queen but is shot down.

While searching for Prometheus, Rene and the team run into conflict with Vigilante who is trying to kill Eric Dunn and his crew. In an attempt to lure him out, Rene dresses up as a bank robber pretending to be a target but Vigilante sees through and orders him call out Green Arrow.

Dominators
During an alien invasion, Rene felt a distrust of Barry Allen, the Flash, as well as Kara Danvers, Supergirl, which showcased a part of his hypocrisy as he believed that the Flash and Supergirl should not deserve to be trusted, even though they have already proven themselves to be trustworthy and he had multiple times already proven it could be hard to trust him as he had once almost caused the city to be destroyed by Derek, whom he indirectly created. He was mad at them, feeling that those with superpowers were corrupted and could never do their part as heroes. It is unknown as to why he felt that way, but it was possibly because the Dominators were attacking Earth. However, after being saved by the Flash and Supergirl, his thoughts change, withdrawing his grudge against all super-powered beings, acknowledging his hypocritsy.

Crisis on Earth X
After Nazis invaded the wedding of Barry Allen and Iris West, Rene, along with Dinah Drake and Curtis Holt, were called in to battle Dark Arrow. They were ultimately defeated, and were thrown into cells alongside Cisco Ramon, Caitlin Snow, and Harry Wells. They remained there until they were freed by Nate Heywood. Rene later fought alongside the other heroes in the final battle against the Nazis.

Establishing a new team
After Oliver and Quentin suspected one of the recruits were testifying against Oliver, Rene revealed it to be him. Oliver then lost his trust for Rene, but Thea convinced him to give Rene a second chance. Rene then disobeyed an order from Oliver in an effort to save Quentin, which led to Oliver kicking him off the team. Curtis and Dinah had also decided to leave the team, and that led to the three of them forming New Team Arrow. During a fight against Oliver and Diggle, Rene sustained serious injuries, which led to him being hospitalized.

Fight against Ricardo Diaz and reconciliation with Oliver
Upon returning from his time in the hospital, Rene found himself afraid of death, and what his death would do to Zoe. Rene was then called in to testify at Oliver Queen's trial. Feeling that he was responsible for Oliver's situation, Rene prepared to lie in court. But, when Ricardo Diaz walked into the courtroom with Zoe, Rene was forced to admit that Oliver Queen was Green Arrow. Rene then tried to make up for his actions by helping Diggle and Christopher Chance frame Tommy Merlyn as Green Arrow. After the trial, Oliver went to Rene's apartment, where they made amends. Sometime after the trial, Rene and Zoe were attacked by Diaz's thugs in his apartment. Rene then worked with Team Arrow to find the list of names Diaz had on his payroll. Later, in an effort to find Diaz, Rene and Samandra Watson led a team of FBI Agents into a warehouse, but it was revealed to be a trap. Assuming he would die, Rene made an emotional call to Zoe, telling her how proud of her he was. Rene risked his life to make sure everyone escaped, but he survived. Oliver later admitted he had misjudged Rene over the years, and how Rene had become a good man.

Oliver's identity is revealed
After the death of Quentin Lance, Rene is heartbroken to have lost this father-figure in his life. After Oliver reveals his identity to the world, Rene takes to heart Oliver telling his team to keep fighting.

Rewritten reality
In an alternate reality created by the Legion of Doom using the Spear of Destiny, Wild Dog was killed by Damien Darhk, along with Green Arrow, Spartan, Black Canary, The Flash, Ragman, Vigilante and later Felicity. All of their masks were kept as trophies in Darhk's office.

Personality
In his former life as a family man, Rene was vehemently against his wife Laura continuing her drug habit long after getting out of the Glades and being in a more stable financial situation. He was blunt, fierce, and dealt in absolutes, threatening to kick Laura out over continuing her addiction. Rene was also a caring and affectionate father to Zoe, and began to lose himself after she had been taken out of his custody following Laura's death. He considers himself unworthy to be Zoe's father as he couldn't protect his family from a drug dealer.
 * -|As a civilian=

Rene and Oliver often butt heads having different ideas of justice. Rene is also a lot more inexperienced than Oliver Queen, causing him to make more mistakes. He also doesn't like to take orders from anyone, resulting in him often ignoring Oliver's commands. Rene doesn't like to fight battles without trusting the leader and without the leader trusting him, saying this to Oliver once he revealed himself as Green Arrow. In his work as a vigilante, Rene prefers to hunt and kill anyone who he thinks is bad instead of leaving them to be arrested by police. He does this as he believes that the world would be better without people like them, although his headstrong and impulsive traits cause him to kill and attack criminals without strategy or precision as Oliver does.
 * -|As Wild Dog=

This was shown he arranged for a "recon mission" to spy on Derek Sampson's operation with Evelyn Sharp so he would be able to attack them with backup. Not only did he instigate a fight, but he also put himself in a position where he would be able to kill Derek himself and justify it as self-defense, while he would not admit to it. His lack of seeing a big picture when it comes to fighting crime surgically led him to kill Sampson without knowing that the police wanted to build a case against Sampson to get him to reveal other dealers, only seeing it a victory in there being one less dealer on the streets. Felicity Smoak even called Rene out on his stubbornness, thinking he was worse than Oliver in that regard. Rene also initially had a strong hatred for meta-humans and any super-powered individuals. He believed that although they were trying to help the world, they were only making it worse, and he didn't want anything to do with them. However, once the Flash saved his life, he realized that are some meta-humans and aliens that are actually good and he now respects Barry and Supergirl for what they're doing to protect the world.

Rene had long since resigned himself from continuing to try to get Zoe back in his custody after being placed in the foster care system. This was until Curtis dug into his past and got in touch with a lawyer, who had enough evidence regarding Rene's competency as a father to start a case to get Zoe back into his life. This showed a marked improvement between Curtis and Rene's friendship.

Rene has a habit of calling Quentin and sometimes Curtis, "Hoss". Despite the fact that his wife was killed by a criminal who was using a gun, Rene does not have a dislike for guns, as he still firmly believes that the latter does more good than bad, and can save innocent lives.

Rene loves his daughter, Zoe Ramirez, very much and would do almost anything for her, such as when he was blackmailed by Samandra Watson (after she had somehow obtained evidence that he was Wild Dog) to testify against Oliver in revealing his identity as Green Arrow with the threat of him never seeing his daughter again - which he reluctantly agreed to, but he still felt extremely guilty and remorseful for betraying Oliver.

Rene has a sense of justice, honor and good morals; this is evidenced by the fact that he did not let Dinah Drake take the blame - regarding Oliver's identity as Green Arrow (even though could have evaded blame, and kept his status as the actual witness a secret until Oliver's court date) he refrained from, despite this, he still became completely enraged and disgusted that Oliver, Felicity and John Diggle violated his privacy, as even though they were correct in believing a teammate did betray them, he still felt it is a line that he would never cross.

Rene also got tired of John and Felicity in their self-righteous attitudes towards him, acting as though his testimony against Oliver was out of a whim, when they knew full well he did this for his daughter and nothing else. Later, when Oliver finally apologizes for his unfair/unjust treatment towards him, along with Dinah and Curtis Holt, and despite the sincerity of his apology, Rene could not return to the team, having lost complete trust and respect for the original members of Team Arrow - firstly for the violation of his privacy and trust, but foremost because they never trusted him in the first place and did not treat him as an equal (even prior to his role as a witness in Oliver's trial) as he felt strongly that he could not be part of a team where there was no trust.

Rene does not know the difference between bravery or foolishness; for example, during a violent-brutal confrontation between Team Arrow and the Outsiders (regarding the former protecting Laurel Lance from Dinah Drake) Rene went up against Oliver all by himself, the latter asked him one last time to stand down (after he had repeatedly bested him; it was obvious that he was no match for for his former mentor) out of stubbornness, he refused, which resulted in Oliver in Rene being critical injured by Oliver in the process; despite this, he does not hold any ill will against Oliver putting him in critical condition in the first place, as he realizes that he brought it on himself, if Rene surrendered like Oliver asked to do, there would be no need for them to go to the hospital.

Abilities

 * Peak of human physical condition: Having been a former Navy SEAL, Rene is trained to superb physical form. He is able to deflect an arrow shot at him.
 * Expert combatant/Martial Artist: Rene is highly skilled in unarmed combat, being able to fight Derek Sampson for a while before he ended up on the losing end. Oliver complimented him on his form as he was training on the bag. After being personally trained by Oliver, his skills in combat and martial arts have gradually improved being able to go toe-to-toe with Tobias Church, holding him off long enough for his teammates to escape, to which Church complimented Rene for the effective blows he landed. During the Earth-X invasion, Rene along with Dinah and Curtis were able to hold their own against Dark Arrow but were easily beaten. During the confrontation between Team Arrow and the Outsiders (regarding them protecting Laurel Lance from Dinah Drake) after being separated from Curtis, Rene was still able to fight against Oliver for a short time, however, Rene was clearly the inferior combatant as he was easily defeated; that resulted in Oliver put him in critical condition.
 * Expert knife wielder: Rene is display to be skilled with throwing knives as he perfectly threw one across a certain area to trigger a fire alarm
 * Expert marksman: Rene is able to wield his handguns with great skill. Being able to take out numerous criminals in a firefight. He is skilled enough to avoid kill shots and merely wound criminals if needed. He is also able to shoot while moving and avoid being a stationary target.
 * Skilled stick fighter: Due to training with John Diggle, Rene has become a skilled stick fighter, able to keep up with John in a sparring session.
 * Indomitable will/High tolerance for pain: When captured and tortured by Tobias Church, Rene was able to endure it for a week.

Equipment

 * Wild Dog suit: Rene wears a protective suit when he goes out fighting as Wild Dog. It's a largely black tactical suit, with a red chest plate and flares of yellow around it, with a metallic hockey mask.
 * Dual handguns: Rene uses two pistols as weapons to fight criminals on the streets. He is shown as a skilled gunman, shooting two pistols with ease.
 * Sniper rifle: Rene used a suppressed bolt-action sniper rifle when providing cover for Artemis on a mission to stop a thief who stole from Kord Industries.
 * Shotgun: Rene used a shotgun when trying to stop a ballistic missile from hitting the city.

Arrow
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Season 6
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Trivia

 * In an alternate reality, Rene was killed by Damien Darhk or one of his two hitmen. His mask was on display in a trophy case, along with the masks of several other vigilantes.
 * Rene is a fan of Billy Joel.
 * His favorite cake flavor is red velvet.
 * Rene has a crush on Thea Queen.

Behind the scenes

 * In DC comics, Wild Dog is a Quad Cities vigilante named Jack Wheeler who targets domestic terrorism. While the costume and the nickname used in the show suggest that Rene Ramirez is an adaptation of the comic character, his name and ethnicity were changed. The Jack Wheeler version first appeared in a 'whodunnit' four-part mini-series, designed to highlight a non-powered, more realistic vigilante, one limited by human needs, and motivated by frequently out-of-control drives.
 * Rene acting as an advisor to Oliver Queen during his tenure as mayor of Star City makes him similar to DC Comics character Frederick Tuckman.