How to Fix Arrow (SPOILERS)

How to Fix Arrow (SPOILERS)

Arrow is a solid CW television show that has successfully spun off two other comic book based TV shows on the same network. However the show isn't perfect it has six glaring problems that need to be addressed.These problems prevent all fans of the show from fully enjoying it.

Editorial Opinion
By CA3000 - Jan 27, 2016 02:01 PM EST
Filed Under: Green Lantern

THE 6 PROBLEMS THAT PREVENT ARROW FROM BEING A GREAT SHOW
 

I want to make something clear before you begin reading this article. I actually like Arrow and think it is a solid show. The action scenes are great, the costumes are good (Well except for Diggle. ) and the cast has great chemistry.  They work together extremely well. My concearns are mainly with the show's plot. Listed below are 6 main grievances I have while I'm watching. 
 

Green Arrow is NOT Batman

Image result for green arrow and batman

When Green Arrow first appeared in the title "More Fun Comics" in 1941 he was orignally supposed to be a Batman ripoff. They're both billionare playboys, They both employ minors as sidekicks, and are superheroes that lack powers. But since then the character has evolved into his own. Green Arrow isn't a brooding dark character. He's usually cracking jokes and there is a hint of arogance in his persona that Batman doesn't possess. The first season of Arrow was guilty of giving Oliver Batman's characteristics and you can tell based on how similar it is to the film Batman Begins 2005.  

Ras al Ghul, Cyrus Gold, Deadshot, Firefly, Dollmaker, and a whole bunch more. They're all Batman villains, every now and again it's okay to borrow villains. It hints to a shared universe between the heroes. Which is cool, but when it feels like most of your villains come from Batman's rogues gallery it gets annoying.  Especially when Green Arrow's villains aren't awful they just aren't nearly as popular.  A medium like television would be the perfect way to make the lesser-knowns house hold names.



Let's leave the Island for GOOD!

Image result for lian yu

The Island(Lian Yu) is so boring, whenever the episode switches over to the island scenes I'm on my phone barely paying attention. The main reason Lian Yu has become a dull enviornment is beacuse it feels like the audience has already explored it in Season 1&2. It has reached the point where I'm not really surprised anymore when they reveal something "new "or "mysterious" about the island to try to make it interesting. The flashback stories on Lian Yu rarely relate to what's happening in the more interesting present storyline. We get it already, Oliver is a badass who survived hell on the island. That information was previously established, we don't need a reminder every episode. 

 


No More Malcom Merlyn 

Image result for malcolm merlyn comics

I don't care if he's supposed to be good now or whatever. Malcom is an over used character. He was a stellar villain in the first season and challenged Oliver in many ways. Now whenever I see him I just roll my eyes. On a slightly unrelated note, why is he the new Ras Al Ghul?  I always thought that was random and they added it to the Season 3 Finale because they didn't know what to do with the character. There are fresher villains or characters to use or visit again like: 

Lady Shiva
The most skilled hand-to-hand cobatant in the DC universe she works as a high profile assassin.

Image result for lady shiva dc comics
Midnighter
Is able to see all possible outcomes of any situation before it takes place. Making him a master strategist. Enhanced strength, speed, healing, and senses (Yeah I know it seems like a lot for Oliver to take on. But he did manage to beat the Mirakuru soldiers.)

 
Or they could bring back some older characters to focus on and give them new storylines (not just one-and-done-episodes like they have done in the past.)                            
Chien Na Wei 
Leader of the Chinese Triad and skilled fighter
 
Image result for chien na wei

Royal Flush Gang
 
 Their comic book equivalents differ from the depiction in the TV show. In the show they're more realistically depicted. They are a group of card themed bank robbers. Hopefully they can incorporate some of their comic book abilities  (Though the powers they have are a little fantastical) The members are Ace a robot with super strength,  King who has mind controlling abilities, Queen can make realistic illusions and shoot spades, Jack could shoot lasers out of his eye (singular) and carries an energy sword, Ten uses explosive playing cards and can unleash energy blasts.
Image result for royal flush gang arrow
Image result for royal flush gang

Clock King
 Strategic genius, the timing of his plans (bank robberies, escapes, etc.) are so meticulous that every second has been accounted for and his plans rarely go awry. Former Encryption Engineer at Kord Inustries
Image result for clock king


Count Vertigo
Former drug dealer, he now uses a powerful hallucinogenic drug to disorient foes and sometimes even hypnotize them. The drug alters the users perception and can make him appear more meancing than he truly is. Good hand-to-hand combatant

Image result for werner zytle arrow

 Kill Thea Queen/Merlyn

Image result for thea queen

I might be the only one who thinks this, but Thea comes off as a spoiled brat alot of the time. It feels like she's always whining when something doesn't go her way.  Oliver protects her from something or someone (since he's the oldest and their parents are deceased he looks after her) and she goes off about how he should mind his own bussiness or something. This is really annoying to watch them over and over again. She doesn't add anything to the overall story and her death could lead to Oliver's character progression. Maybe he'll realize life is too short to be the brooding stick in the mud that he tends to be.

 Crossover Events

I love the crossover events. They tend to be some of the best episodes of the season. Flash and Green Arrow working together to defeat a common foe. It really does look like the comic pages came to life. However the most recent crossover (Season 2 Episode 8 of The Flash and Season 4 Episode 8 of Arrow) wasn't nearly as good compared to the first one.  Green Arrow was under utilized. When Vandal Savage interupts their little shindig he shoots insignificant regular arrows at an adversary he knows is extremely powerful. Despite having explosive arrows, electric arrows,  tranquillizer arrows, flashbang arrows, smoke bomb arrows, tear gas arrows, syringe arrows (which could've carried a poison) and many more at his disposal. Even the ensnarement arrow which basically fires a net would've been more effective. This also occured in the fight with Hawkman, Green Arrow should've ended that fight faster and without an assist from The Flash.  All I'm really trying to say is that a crossover should show why a non-powered hero like Green Arrow deserves to be at the same level as The Flash, Atom, Firestorm, etc.
 
Finally, did the writers forget about Green Arr
ow's son? That's a pretty big sub plot that I felt was unaddressed. No one even talks about it in later episodes. I was even more displeased when I found out his son isn't even Conor Hawke.  

 


Back to Basics

Image result for green arrow

When Oliver intially started his crusade it was a solo endeavor. He never thought "Team Arrow" would ever be larger than himself. Watching him fight a room full of thugs was awesome. The odds were against him and yet he prevailed.  Now in more recent seasons 3&4 I'm sort of confused as to why it takes Oliver, Diggle, Thea, Laurel, and sometimes Captain Lance to take on these same threats on every mission. Sure it is probably more effective but it makes Green Arrow look like less of a hero if it takes up to 4 other people to back him up. Star City is a big city and probably has multiple crimes going on in different areas. Divide-and-Conquer seems more effective than putting everyone on the same case. I like some of the sidekicks, Roy and Diggle are cool and Laurel is growing on me but they should only team up if the situation calls for it. Other than that Arrow should be by himself most of the time.

While on the subject of Back to Basics, the show is called Arrow not Atom. Why replace Queen Consolidated with Palmer Technologies? Thus leaving Oliver with no money which is a big plot hole. I just want it reverted back, that is probably my biggest gripe with the show.



 


 

Sources: www.comicvine.com and arrow.wikia.com/wiki/Arrowverse_Wiki

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tb86
tb86 - 1/28/2016, 2:12 AM
The 3rd season aside Arrow is still a great show. Is it perfect? Maybe not. But I still would rather watch it than some shows that are considered perfect because either I don't like them or I'm not really interested in seeing them.
CA3000
CA3000 - 1/28/2016, 10:08 AM
@tb86 - The first two seasons were good and a few episodes of Season 3 were good. When I wrote this I was mainly thinking about Seasons 3&4 and how they could've been better(Even though Season 4 hasn't ended yet)
SimplyAz
SimplyAz - 1/28/2016, 3:07 AM
I like the idea of Lady Shiva, as she will hopefully kick his ass.
Get rid of THea, but keep Felicity.
2013venjix
2013venjix - 3/3/2016, 4:17 AM
@SimplyAz - for me, Keep Thea. Get rid of Felicity.
DerekLake
DerekLake - 1/28/2016, 8:55 AM
I think the Season 3 season finale was the perfect opportunity to right a lot of the wrongs of Arrow, but instead of doing that, they doubled down on the same old "destroy the city" arc. Sadly, I think they've missed their window for any meaningful change.
TheRockmore
TheRockmore - 1/28/2016, 10:39 AM
"Ras al Ghul, Cyrus Gold, Deadshot, Firefly, Dollmaker, and a whole bunch more. They're all Batman villains, every now and again it's okay to borrow villains. It hints to a shared universe between the heroes. Which is cool, but when it feels like most of your villains come from Batman's rogues gallery it gets annoying. Especially when Green Arrow's villains aren't awful they just aren't nearly as popular. A medium like television would be the perfect way to make the lesser-knowns house hold names."

Proving this editorial is a joke before it even begins, do a tiny bit of research beforehand please?

Ah the age-old (since 2012 when Arrow premiered) claim that “Arrow uses ‘Batman villains'” … but is it true? Absolutely not…. A “Batman villain” or a “_____ villain” (hero specific villain) is a villain who draws that hero to them in nearly every appearance. For example, whenever Joker faces lets say Superman, Batman ALWAYS appears in the storyline…because Joker is a Batman villain, when you have one…you have the other. REAL Batman villains include the greats…ala Joker, Bane, Scarecrow, Penguin, Riddler, Mr. Freeze, etc. Second rate villains such as Dollmaker and Firefly have faced off against other heroes time and time again without Batman’s intervention.

As for Green Arrow’s rogues’ gallery from the comics…well its relatively nonexistent excluding: Merlyn, Brick, Shado, Edward Fyers, Chine White, Onomatopoeia, Constantine Drakon, Count Vertigo, Komodo and Deathstroke, who…SURPRISE! Have all appeared on the show (minus Onomatopoeia). A rogue’s gallery consisting of about 10 villains, and then a whole bunch of aimless and lame other archers who are villains as well: Ape Archer, Rainbow Archer, the Archer From Mars, Archie the Archer, Beau Brummel the list of lame archer villains goes on. In that case…what do you do if you want a show that you want to last for about 5+ seasons and there is a vast universe that has villains floating around here and there and everywhere!?!… You borrow … just like almost every other long running comic tv show has … unless you would prefer they went the Smallville route … and just made up arbitrary one off villains. Regardless of how it is viewed…most fans just read the name of the villain … and since he is borrowed… they get mad even if that anger is unwarranted.

Here are some of the “Batman villains” fans claim Arrow uses:

Ra’s Al Ghul and the League – Anything with Ra’s Al Ghul and the League in my own opinion is grey area simply due to the fact that this is the one comic character the comics don’t tackle correctly. In the comics it is indeed Ra’s Al Ghul who trains Green Arrows main adversary, Merlyn the Archer, and it (may be) the League of Assassins who trained the New 52 version of Merlyn the Archer as well. On top of this, Ra’s runs a worldwide organization of assassins, the fact that he has yet to come into contact with other heroes baffles me. They have come into contact once (Ra’s and Oliver) to my knowledge but for some strange reason, have yet to cross paths again.

Deathstroke – Generally a Teen Titans foe, Deathstroke fought Arrow during the events of Identity Crisis where the hero stabbed him in the eye with an arrow. Since then, Deathstroke has targeted the Emerald Archer. However, Deathstroke also serves another purpose, in order to fulfill to goals, create a trainer (turned friend) for Oliver, and a villain for Season 2, the writers seem to have combined the logic that Oliver trained with Natas, Deathstrokes trainer, in the comics, and simply made Deathstroke train Oliver – negating the need for an unnecessary third part.
Also…during Identity Crisis, Oliver did “re”stab out Slade Wilson eye, something he swore vengeance on Oliver for doing…

Deadshot – Deadshot discovers he has a daughter, Zoe, who is being raised in a crime-filled area of Star City. Lawton decides to do right by this daughter, and embarks on a lethal war on the local gangs that plague the area. The series ends with Deadshot faking his death, having realized a normal life isn’t for him, but also having mostly cleared up the area and convincing Green Arrow to patrol it more regularly.

Harley Quinn – First of all, she didn’t even show up (technically), but if she did, so be it! Harley is a member of the Suicide Squad in the New 52, the Suicide Squad that goes off on missions all the time that don’t involve Batman at all…successfully making her, not a Batman villain. Also, it isn’t as if she hasn’t come into contact with Oliver either, a relationship the Injustice comics really played up.

Firefly – Throughout the course of his comic run he has faced heroes who are most certainly not Batman. Despite facing Batman more than other heroes, it isn’t like Arrow made him a colossal villain by any means, he was a one episode wonder, he was there and then he was gone.

Clock King – William Tockman committed crimes with clocks as a theme under the guise of the Clock King becoming one of Arrow’s frequent sparring partners until he began to tangle with the Dark Knight….yup…he was a Green Arrow villain first before Batman TAS “stole him”…

Dollmaker – The name as a whole isn’t a “Batman villain” Dollmaker has faced off against heroes such as Supergirl, etc. without Batman (By this I mean yes the version of Dollmaker they used has faced MOSTLY Batman … but other versions have faced other heroes alone.


Huntress – The Huntress is an anti-hero in her own right, often striking out on her own, in no way does this make her a Batman villain/associate; yes they are friends, but only in the New 52, and storylines where Helena Bertinelli is actually Helena Wayne are Batman and Huntress closely tied.

Anarchy – With the announcement and casting of DC Comic’s villain Anarky for Arrow‘s forth season, I see bandwagons climbing out of the woodwork yet again to make comments such as “Batman again” or things of that nature. I would like to begin by noting that if Anarky was to be tied to one hero, that would be Robin not Batman, Anarky has been featured in Robin-based stories far more than Batman based stories. BUT, he isn’t simply tied to Robin, what many fans don’t realize is that Anarky disappeared from DC comics for a number of years after a failed outing, writers didn’t want to use the character for fear it would ruin their books but Anarky did return… How did he return you ask? In 2005, James Peaty succeeded in temporarily returning Anarky to publication, writing Green Arrow No.51, Anarky in the USA. Although the character failed to make more outings, the storyline is amongst the most popular as it argued a true real world issue, and it reinvented the cult following of the character.

CA3000
CA3000 - 1/28/2016, 11:01 AM
@TheArrowverse - I see your point with the whole what qualifies as a "Batman villain" thing and how some are grey areas. I think that was probably the weakest point in my argument. I feel like Ras al Ghul wasn't protrayed well considering how big of a character he is
Utopian8418
Utopian8418 - 1/28/2016, 6:49 PM
Couldnt agree more. You summarized all the reasons why i dont watch the show. Man, just imagine how cool it would be if he worked solo and cracked jokes and stuff
Ghostpointzero
Ghostpointzero - 1/29/2016, 11:44 AM
No keep Midnighter away from the CW. They've already [frick]ed up enough characters.
newmutantsRETURNS
newmutantsRETURNS - 1/30/2016, 9:41 AM
Great article......even though you left out the big elephant in the room that causes ALOT of people from returning to viewing the show like myself...Felicity....
TucksFrom2015
TucksFrom2015 - 1/30/2016, 12:48 PM
I have a feeling that you're not who you say you are, "Anonymous3000"

You're Pasto.
CA3000
CA3000 - 1/30/2016, 6:18 PM
@WeddingTux - What's a "Pasto"
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