11 Years Ago Today, One of the Arrowverse’s Best Ever Fight Scenes Had a Twist That Changed Everything

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Conflict is central to the shows within the Arrowverse. While The Flash, Barry Allen, usually handles the toughest challenges in Central City, his foes occasionally manage to level the playing field. When that happens, hand-to-hand combat becomes essential, which is why The Flash regularly trains with Oliver Queen – widely considered the best fighter in the Arrowverse. Before becoming the hero known as the Arrow, Oliver spent five years stranded on a remote island, honing his skills and gathering resources. But his fight against crime isn’t without sacrifice.

I’ve watched Oliver Queen go through so much in the early seasons of Arrow. He gets beaten down constantly, but he always finds a way to get back on his feet, even when his former friend Slade Wilson returns to Starling City with that Mirakuru serum. But it wasn’t until Season 3 that he truly faced death. And when he did, it felt like the show itself changed direction, and things started getting really wild and unbelievable.

The Arrow Meets His Match in “The Climb”

With Slade imprisoned on Lian Yu, things in Starling City are relatively calm – though it’s still a city known for its criminal element. Oliver is back to fighting crime, now joined by his former partner, Sara Lance. However, the peace is shattered when Sara is unexpectedly attacked with arrows, leaving Team Arrow reeling. As they investigate, they find themselves confronted by the League of Assassins, who are also demanding answers. This is complicated by Sara’s past relationship with Nyssa al Ghul, as the League doesn’t react well to someone they care about being harmed.

Ra’s al Ghul, head of the League of Assassins, demands Team Arrow turn over Sara’s killer, or face the consequences. Seeing no other way, Oliver decides to confront Ra’s alone, hoping to resolve the conflict. Their showdown takes place on a mountaintop in an episode called “The Climb,” and though Oliver fights bravely, he’s eventually overpowered and stabbed. Ra’s then throws him off a cliff, seemingly to his death. However, as the show is titled Arrow, Oliver survives, and this event dramatically shifts the story.

Arrow Is Never the Same After Oliver’s Fight With Ra’s al Ghul

After a show tries to mislead viewers with a fake-out involving its main character, it often fully commits to its more fantastical elements. In the case of Arrow, this meant embracing the supernatural side of its comic book origins by introducing things like the Lazarus Pit – a magical water that can revive the dead – and exploring the world of the League of Assassins. Season 4 really leans into this, introducing the villain Damien Darhk, who possesses genuine magical abilities, and teaming up the hero with other characters like Vixen and Constantine. While Season 4 isn’t a standout season, it lays the groundwork for some incredible storylines, ultimately leading to a truly memorable finale.

The rivalry between Oliver and Ra’s al Ghul gave the Arrowverse the opportunity to explore big storylines. This eventually led to Season 8, where Oliver travels across different universes on a mission for the Monitor. This journey then sparked the “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” where the powerful Anti-Monitor threatened everything. Rather than being defeated, Oliver stepped up as the Spectre, helped defeat the Anti-Monitor, and ultimately created a new multiverse for his friends to safeguard. Surprisingly, Ra’s al Ghul played a key role in helping the Arrowverse truly find its footing, despite only appearing for one season.

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2025-12-10 20:44