- "Recidivism is the likelihood that a violent criminal offender will commit another violent crime when set free. That is what I'm trying to prevent, but I believe everyone here has a chance at redemption. Even people like you."
- —Jarrett Parker to Oliver Queen[src]
Dr. Jarrett Parker (died November 2018), was the corrupt chief psychiatrist of Slabside Maximum Security Prison. He was eventually killed by Talia al Ghul.
Biography[]
2015[]
In 2015, one of his patients was Robert Goodman after he was referred to Parker after experiencing several violent outbursts. Parker promised his parents that he could make Robert docile. Robert then started to suffer from spontaneous bouts of amnesia, and as the amnesia became more frequent, he eventually lost all sense of identity and was essentially erased. According to Laurel Lance, there are about eight more cases with patients exactly like Robert.[1]
2018[]
Parker first appeared, when he came to Oliver's cell after he was sent to Level 2 for his therapy. But because Oliver was unwilling to answer his questions, he commanded the guards to inject him with truth serum to make him answers his questions without resisting. After several sessions, he tried to ask him his reason to become Green Arrow. Oliver told him that he and his father along with a man named David Hackett were deserted at the ocean in a life raft. His father killed Hackett and himself to ensure his survival and made a promise with his father to stay alive and right his wrongs. Then Jarrett tried convincing Oliver that his father was a murderer like any other murderer and his promise to his father, burdening him with his father's sins that he doesn't have to carry, and his vigilantism would become a bad influence for his son, William. After he refused to let go of his past, Jarrett puts him in a machine that directly interacts with parts of his brain containing memories and then manipulates and stimulates them as a mental simulation. When Oliver is put on the same situation as he was in the past with him being his father and William being his younger self in a simulation, he did exactly the same thing as his father did and by showing this, he told him to end the cycle his father started for his own son.[2]
When Oliver and Talia al Ghul fought each other they were brought to him, and he tried to use a new method on Oliver, only for him to break free and start a break out with Talia in order for her to escape to give Felicity valuable intel in order to get Oliver released.[1]
Death[]
After Parker's crime was exposed to the public, he was fired from Slabside. After he left, Parker was attacked by Talia al Ghul, who proceeded to take her revenge and killed him.[1]
Personality[]
As a psychiatrist, Parker was a calm individual who would never let his emotions get the best of him except for when Oliver called him a monster he almost lost his temper but regained himself quickly. He would always try to use a peaceful approach when handling a patient. But, he would resort to forceful and violent approach if the patient is not willing to cooperate.
When handling Oliver, Parker seemed to be very cunning and manipulative, always striking individuals' vulnerable sides. He was heavily against vigilantism, as he was thoroughly determined to make Oliver give up his Green Arrow identity, making many attempts, often utilizing unethical methods.[1]
Parker seems to dehumanize the inmates by calling them by their inmate numbers as opposed to their real names and wouldn't let Oliver out of his deeper confinement until he admitted that "Inmate 4587" was his "real" name.
Appearances[]
Arrow[]
Season 7[]
Season 8[]
- "Leap of Faith" (mentioned)
Behind the scenes[]
- In the DC comics, Dr. Jarrett Parker is a therapist who crossed paths with the Flash when they were stuck in another dimension. His first appearance in the comics was The Flash #10 (March 1988).
- Compared to the Arrowverse's version of the character, he is not a truly villainous character in the comics.
- Also, in the Arrowverse, he is portrayed by an African-American actor as opposed to the DC comics, where he is Caucasian.
- In the comics, he was Chester Runk's psychiatrist, but in the Arrowverse, Chester was introduced after Jarrett's death.