- For other uses, see Red Death (disambiguation).
- "The KGB call this the Red Death. It's an interrogation drug. Meant to break men by inducing psychological anguish."
- —Konstantin Kovar to Oliver Queen[src]
The Red Death is a KGB interrogation drug. The Red Death induces psychological anguish when taken, eventually driving its targets to suicide if they're given a sufficiently high dose.
History[]
- "When we're done, the only person you'd want to kill is yourself."
- —Konstantin Kovar to Oliver Queen[src]
Konstantin Kovar injected Oliver Queen with Red Death, intending to torture him. Kovar made him relive his pain and suffering, until he gave him a pistol to put himself out of his misery. After some hallucinations, Oliver escaped his prison cell by shooting its lock.[1]
Functions[]
- "That was my epiphany. For true retribution, I couldn't merely cause you pain. I had to wake you up, open your eyes, make you see the pain you suffer is still with you. This drug will help set it free. Every cut, every bullet, every wound like you're feeling it all for the first time."
- —Konstantin Kovar to Oliver Queen[src]
The Red Death is an interrogation drug meant to break individuals by causing pain and inducing and psychological anguish. According to Konstantin Kovar, the subject will want to commit suicide after injection; he witnessed a strong man resist the drug's effects for 12 minutes before killing himself. Oliver Queen relived his injuries when Kovar touched his scars and wounds, as if suffering from them for the first time.
The drug showed Oliver everything: his sins, failures, guilt, bloodlust, and inhumanity. He hallucinated Yao Fei, who reminded him of all the people he failed and lost, and that those around him would continue to suffer if he lived. However, he also hallucinated Laurel, who convinced him to keep fighting and return home.
Appearances[]
Arrow[]
Season 5[]
- "Missing" (flashbacks)