Arrow


 * For the former vigilante archer known as The Arrow, see Oliver Queen. For the comic book series, see Arrow (comic book series).

Arrow is a television series, and a modern retelling of the DC Comics series Green Arrow. The series premiered on October 10, 2012. Stephen Amell portrays the eponymous, lead character, Oliver Queen, who fights crime as a vigilante. On February 13, 2014, The CW renewed Arrow for a third season, which premiered on October 8, 2014 and concluded on May 13, 2015. Arrow was renewed for a fourth season on January 11, 2015.

Cast

 * Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen/The Hood/The Arrow/Al Sah-him (season 1–present)
 * Emily Bett Rickards  as  Felicity Smoak  (guest season 1;season 2-present)
 * Katie Cassidy as Laurel Lance/Black Canary (season 1–present)
 * Colin Donnell as Tommy Merlyn (season 1; guest seasons 2–present)
 * David Ramsey as John Diggle (season 1–present)
 * Willa Holland as Thea Queen/Speedy (season 1–present)
 * Paul Blackthorne as Quentin Lance (season 1–present)
 * Susanna Thompson as Moira Queen (seasons 1-2)
 * Colton Haynes as Roy Harper/Arsenal (guest season 1;seasons 2–3)
 * Manu Bennett as Slade Wilson/Deathstroke (season 2; guest seasons 1 and 3)
 * John Barrowman as Malcolm Merlyn/Dark Archer/Ra's al Ghul (guest seasons 1-2;season 3-present)
 * Neal McDonough as Damien Darhk (season 4)

Premise
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 North China Sea. When he returns home to Starling City, his devoted mother Moira, much-beloved sister Thea, and best friend Tommy welcome him home, but they sense Oliver has been changed by his ordeal on the island. While Oliver hides the truth about the man he has become, he desperately wants to make amends for the actions he took as the boy he was. Most particularly, he seeks reconciliation with his ex-girlfriend, Laurel Lance.

As Oliver reconnects with those closest to him, he secretly creates the persona of Arrow, a vigilante archer, to right the wrongs of his family, fight the ills of society and restore Starling City to its former glory. By day, Oliver plays the role of a wealthy, carefree, and careless philanderer he used to be flanked by his devoted chauffeur and bodyguard, John Diggle, while carefully concealing the secret identity he turns to under the cover of darkness. However, Laurel's father, Detective Quentin Lance, is determined to arrest Arrow for operating in his city. Meanwhile, Oliver's own mother, Moira, knows much more about the deadly shipwreck than she has let on and is more ruthless than he could ever imagine.

Introduction
At the beginning of most episodes, a voiceover of Oliver Queen describes briefly the hardships that Oliver faced during his five years away from home. He states that as he has returned, he has decided to help out the people of his city, honoring both his father and his friend, respectively. However, beginning in the third season's, the monologue changed mid-season, briefly describing his crusade, but going on to mention his necessary ascension as the heir to the demon, Ra's al Ghul.

Season 1

 * "My name is Oliver Queen. For five years I was stranded on an island with only one goal: survive. Now I will fulfill my father's dying wish. To use the list of names he left me and bring down those who are poisoning my city. To do this, I must become someone else. I must become.. something else."

Season 2

 * "My name is Oliver Queen. After five years on a hellish island, I have come home with only one goal: to save my city. But to do so, I can't be the killer I once was. To honor my friend's memory, I must be someone else. I must be... something else."

Season 3

 * "My name is Oliver Queen. After five years in hell, I have come home with only one goal: to save my city. Now others have joined my crusade. To them I'm Oliver Queen. To the rest of Starling City, I am someone else. I am... something else."

and

 * "My name was Oliver Queen. For three years I worked to save my city, but to save my sister I had to become someone else. I had to become... something else."

variant
Being a season finale, the episode didn't use an opening monologue. However, near the end of the episode, after Oliver decided to move on from vigilantism, another monologue was heard in voiceover:
 * "My name is Oliver Queen. After five years in hell, I returned home with only one goal: to save my city. And I did, I became a hero who helped people. But now it's time for me to be someone else. It's time for me to be something else."