Arrowverse Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Arrowverse Wiki
For other uses of Green Arrow, see Green Arrow (disambiguation).
For the eponymous character, see Oliver Queen.
"Six months ago, the Arrow died, but what he stood for didn't. It lived on in the heroes that took up his mantle: people who believe that this city should never descend in to hopelessness, who believe although life is full of darkness, that darkness can be defeated by light, and tonight I am declaring my intention to stand with them, to fight for this city, to be the symbol of hope that the Arrow never was. I am... the Green Arrow."
Oliver Queen broadcasts his return to vigilantism.

"Green Arrow" is the first episode of the fourth season of Arrow, and the seventieth episode overall. It aired on October 7, 2015.

Synopsis[]

Plot[]

In Star City (renamed in honor of Ray Palmer), Speedy and Black Canary pursue gunmen who are hijacking a Kord Industries truck. Thea tells the team she wants to be called Red Arrow, not Speedy. Thea behaves somewhat recklessly as she pursues the hijackers. John arrives in his new helmet. Team Arrow is unable to stop the bad guys’ backup, a getaway van with a machine gun. The Ghosts, as Team Arrow refers to them, are escalating their attacks which leads to Black Canary suggesting that they ask Oliver for help. Diggle rejects the suggestion, confident that they can handle it without him.

Damien Darhk interrupts

Damien interrupts the meeting.

A committee of high ranking city officials, including Captain Lance are discussing the current situation of Star City. They have been unable to convince someone to run for mayor, since the last several mayors died. The committee also pressures Captain Lance to catch the Ghosts, and he explains that the Ghosts use cyanide capsules to kill themselves to avoid capture. It is also revealed that the city is in a severe downward spiral, with many people leaving. The committee hopes the new high speed rail line from Central City will provide much needed tourism.

An intruder demands the floor to speak. He claims to be the leader of the Ghosts, and also represents an organization that wants the city to die so that something new can emerge.

Black Canary arrives in time

Black Canary arrives in time.

The DA is poisoned, and we see the rest of leadership under imminent attack. Team Arrow scrambles to save them, but only Black Canary arrives in time, helping her dad fight Ghosts at the police station. Quentin takes a bullet to the shoulder and is the only committee member to survive.

Meanwhile, Oliver and Felicity are living relatively normal lives In the Ivy Town suburbs. Felicity is the CEO of Palmer Technologies, but works mostly via conference call. Oliver has developed a skill for cooking (which Felicity notably lacks), and they have a friendly lunch with some of their neighbors. Oliver shows them the engagement ring he intends to give Felicity over dinner that night. He cooks Felicity a fancy meal, and hides the ring in dessert. Before he gets the chance to propose, Laurel and Thea arrive. They explain the situation at home and ask Oliver to help. Oliver is hesitant to return, and Thea suggests he return just long enough to stop the Ghosts. Oliver turns to Felicity, pointing out she is strangely quiet. She tells him if their friends need help, they should already be in the car, and they go. As they arrive in Star City Oliver sees how much of the city has fallen into disrepair and wonders what they really accomplished.

Damien Darhk is revealed to be the leader of the Ghosts. He decides to make an example of one of the Ghosts -he drains the life out of the man with a touch. Appalled, Team Arrow drops into action (Oliver is in street clothes wearing a ski mask, since the Arrow is believed to be dead), defeating some of the Ghosts while Damien escapes. Oliver gets one of the Ghosts to reveal their plan, which is to use the bombs to blow up the train station.

Damien Darhk blood ritual

Damien performs a blood ritual.

Team Arrow and the police work to evacuate the station, but cannot find the bombs. They realize that the bombs have not been planted at the station- they are on the train inbound from Central City. Diggle drives close enough to the train for Arrow to hop on. Arrow and Damien begin to fight, Damien easily gets the upper hand. Damien is about to kill Arrow, but Arrow is saved by Diggle. Arrow then blows up the train.

Oliver and Felicity decide to stay in Star City. Oliver broadcasts all over the city his new identity as the Green Arrow, and promises to bring hope that the Arrow could not.

Later, Damien performs a blood ritual. Captain Lance seems to be working with Damien and his men, but only because he's been left no choice. Oliver and Felicity move into Thea's loft, since Thea has been living with Laurel for a while.

Oliver shedding tears over a grave

Oliver shedding tears as he plans his revenge.

Time skips forward six months into the future. Oliver is seen standing by a tombstone. Barry Allen apologizes for missing the funeral, saying he was dealing with Zoom. Oliver says he now understands that the darkness is his responsibility and vows that, "I’m going to kill him". He tells Barry he wants to be left alone and Barry speeds away. Oliver kneels at the gravestone and begins to cry.

Cast[]

Main cast[]

Special appearance by[]

Special guest star[]

Guest starring[]

Co-starring[]

Uncredited[]

Production[]

Preparation ran from July 1 until July 10, 2015. Shooting ran from July 13 until July 23, 2015.[1]

Gallery[]

Promos[]

Trivia[]

  • Ghosts attempt to hijack a Kord Industries truck. This is another reference to Ted Kord, the second alter ego of the Blue Beetle.
  • Starling City has been renamed "Star City" in honor of Ray Palmer. This is its proper name in the comics.
  • Quentin mentions that Star City should have a "Flash Day" just like Central City in an effort to draw more tourism, a direct reference to "The Man Who Saved Central City", which premiered a day earlier and once more aligning the two show's timelines.
  • A parody of the Green Lantern Corps oath can be seen on a billboard advertising Coast City as a vacation spot.
  • During the flashback of Oliver and Amanda Waller at the bar in Coast City, a close-up of a man wearing a bomber jacket with the name tag "Jordan" can be seen. This is an overt reference to Hal Jordan, better known as the superhero Green Lantern.
  • In the flashback scene in the bar, Waller says, "The world is too small for someone like Oliver Queen to disappear." This is a nod to Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins when Ra's al Ghul says to Bruce Wayne, "The world is too small for someone like Bruce Wayne to disappear."
  • Oliver finally takes up the name "Green Arrow", his traditional comic moniker.
  • The flashforward scene where Oliver and Barry are shown visiting a grave at the cemetery would be reused in "Blood Debts" and "Canary Cry".

Goofs[]

  • When Oliver is forced to do a HALO jump by A.R.G.U.S. in order to infiltrate Lian Yu, he has no oxygen. HALO jumps are made from altitudes of 25,000 feet or higher and military personnel always use oxygen bottles when doing them. In reality, Oliver would have lost consciousness shortly after exiting the plane.
  • Oliver is seen grabbing the Ghost's vest with his bare hand when asking what they were going to do with the bombs. This would potentially threaten his secret identity, as the police could find evidence linking him to his vigilantism.

References[]

Advertisement