When Arrow returns for season 6 the show will look much different. Not just from the cast perspective but the dynamic of the show will have shifted. In the first 5 seasons, we saw flashbacks of Oliver Queen before he became the Green Arrow, living out much of his days on Lian Yu. Fast forward to the end of season 5 when the island blew up, it left very little chance that we’d revisit that time in Oliver’s life.
From season 1 until now, flashbacks have always extended the story. Going back and revisiting old memories helped show the challenges of being both the Green Arrow and Oliver Queen. When season 5 wrapped up, we’re 100% caught up and the story has come full circle. So where do the writers go from here? Can the show exist with not only a major part of their story telling now gone? Will we be stuck with a continuous story set in the current time? Will they find other ways to go back to an earlier part of Oliver’s life?
But the biggest question is, who survived?
When the credits rolled on season 5, the only people we knew were alive were Oliver and his son. Who survived the island? Will they really kill off fan favorites like Diggle? Does the show really anger the shippers who want Oliver and Felicity to still happen? Who will be the villain of season 6, didn’t they just kill off some of their strongest characters like Deathstroke, Captain Boomerang, and Malcolm Merlin? Those were some of their strongest characters, they couldn’t have possibly killed them all, right? Just what is Oliver returning back to? How much of his life is left? And did they really spend all of season 5 creating a team just to kill all those characters off in the end?
Will this be enough to make Oliver walk away in the end?
The best part about the season finale is it gives new life to the show. Not only did they wipe the slate clean in terms of who their main cast of characters will be but they can now go in a variety of different directions. So many questions were left unanswered that it throws excitement into high gear for the next season. Even if you were turned off by how season 5 ended, you almost have to return to see just where they intend to go in season 6. Did they just take the biggest gamble of the shows run, or will it bring the show to places unimaginable? Arrow has come full circle with Oliver starting over in a life he will have to adjust himself to the change around him. Will he become a better hero, or will it take him to a dark place we’ve never seen before? Season 6 airs October 12th, tune in then to find out.