'Arrow' Season 4: What We Know So Far

Arrow has a lot of ground to cover this season. After last spring’s finale gave us a happy ending, we’ll be seeing an entirely new side of all the characters — even Starling City’s getting a makeover. Plus, the show will lay much of the groundwork for the spinoff series, Legends of Tomorrow, introducing characters and using its crossovers with The Flash to build out their universe.

“The theme of Season 4 is family,” says executive producer Wendy Mericle. “What it means to be part of a family, what defines family.” That starts with Oliver, “specifically, how Oliver balances his two families [Team Arrow and his personal relationships with Thea and Felicity].” But Diggle’s investigation into the murder of his brother will be a hugely important arc as well, and fan favorite Donna Smoak will be back to remind us that Felicity has blood relations of her own.

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Where We Left Off

Oliver and Felicity have left to begin a blissful, crime fighting-free existence. Diggle, Thea, and Laurel are left to fill the hole the Arrow has left in Starling City. Malcolm Merlyn has become the new Ra’s al Ghul, and Ray Palmer’s lab exploded with him in it.

New Names

Once the Hood, then the Arrow, then Al-Sahim, Oliver Queen is now known by his alter ego from the comics, Green Arrow. It’s a lighter version of the character than we’ve seen in the first three seasons, but, says Mericle, it’s not quite the book version. “Oliver’s journey toward becoming the Green Arrow is definitely still evolving, and though he’s closer, I’d say we still have a ways to go.“

He’s not the only one sporting a new moniker: Starling City — in honor of the “dead” Ray Palmer — is now Star City, again reflecting its comic origins.

New Outfits

Oliver’s new outfit is less jungle hunter and more urban warrior.

While Diggle’s just happy to have some protection finally.

While Speedy’s taken the old Arsenal costume and made it more her own.

Even the Arrowcave has a new look, redubbed the Arrow Bunker.

New Faces…

Damien Darhk (Neal McDonough)

One of the great things about all of Arrow’s previous big bads is that, despite their evil deeds, they all had a soft spot we could sometimes root for. They all thought they were doing the right thing. That won’t be the case for Damien Darhk, former friend and rival of the late Ra’s al Ghul. “Damien is a full-blown megalomaniac,” says Mericle, “someone who is willing to go to any lengths to gain and maintain power.

Curtis Holt aka Mr. Terrific (Echo Kellum)

What’s Arrow without a brilliant, hilarious, and deeply nerdy scientist for Felicity to pal around with? Now that Ray is “gone,” enter Curtis Holt. The comic book version is a self-made millionaire with 14 PhD’s and an arsenal of nanotechnology, so he should fit in nicely. “Echo is great,” says David Ramsey, who out of the main cast has spent the most time with him. “He’s the person I’ve had the most fun with so far [this season].”

Hawkman (Falk Hentschel) / Vandal Savage (Casper Crump)

Two important pieces of the Legends of Tomorrow puzzle will appear first on Arrow. While not part of the Legends cast himself, Hawkman will be an important bridge to the character of Hawkgirl, played by Ciara Renée (who had a cameo staring up at the singularity in last season’s The Flash finale).

Vandal Savage is an immortal who has caused untold brutality throughout the millennia — an evil so great it’ll take a team of time-traveling heroes to stop him. Heroes, it should be said, who don’t already have their own show on The CW.

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Baron Reiter (Jimmy Akingbola)

Baron Reiter is Baron Blitzkrieg in the comics, and he’s also the head of Shadowspire, a criminal organization that Deathstroke is involved with. Despite those connections, however, the TV Baron Reiter is not the same guy, because Baron Blitzkrieg is a Nazi and actor Jimmy Akingbola is black. And while Arrow would have you believe that a man can shoot lasers out of his eyes and magic hot tubs can bring people back to life, it draws the line at African-American Nazis.

Liz Warner (Rutina Wesley)

The ’70s was a strange decade. It was a time when you could have a comic book called Lady Cop where her powers were that she was both a lady and a cop. Odds are very good that the TV version — who is a member of an antivigilante task force — won’t be going by that name on a regular basis.

Jessica Danforth (Jeri Ryan)

A friend of Oliver and Thea’s parents, Jessica is a non-comic character created for the show. She will find herself in danger as she runs for mayor. What else would you expect when you mix “friend of Moira” and “politics”?

Alex Davis (Parker Young)

A non-comic character, Alex will be a possible love interest for Thea now that Roy Harper’s gone.

Anarky (Alexander Calvert)

Created by Alan Grant in the late ’80s, Anarky has gone from a sort of radical libertarian to agitating hippie and back during his existence. The Arrow version will be far less political, acting simply as an elite criminal-for-hire.

…and Old Faces

John Constantine (Matt Ryan)

Season 4 will feature a lot of magic, so it makes perfect sense that Ryan would reprise his role from the sadly defunct NBC series Constantine. Like Arrow, the show managed a delicate balance of darkness and levity, so he’ll fit right in. In fact, it turns out he’ll be instrumental in the return of…

Sara Lance (Caity Lotz)

Another piece of the Legends of Tomorrow puzzle, White Canary will be back from the dead yet again. While she’ll surely take advantage of the chance to spend time with loved ones, there’s also the little matter of exacting revenge on the person who killed her. (That would be Thea or Malcolm, depending on how literal you want to be.)

Donna Smoak (Charlotte Ross)

The brain trust behind the Flarrowverse rarely makes missteps, but not bringing Felicity’s mother in to lead the team in Legends of Tomorrow will surely rank among the biggest. If not that, then maybe she could hook up with Captain Lance and give those Smoaking Lance shippers something to talk about?

The Season 4 premiere of Arrow airs Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. on The CW.