9 Years Ago Today, the Arrowverse Pulled Off Its Greatest Fake-Out By Introducing an OP DC Character

by

TV shows often enjoy misleading viewers with cliffhangers. In the past, shows would intentionally leave a character’s fate uncertain for several episodes to build suspense. A famous example is from Season 6 of The Walking Dead, where it appeared that the popular character Glenn Rhee had been killed by zombies after being abandoned by a fellow traveler. It took four episodes for the show to reveal Glenn had actually survived, using the other man as protection.

While The Walking Dead was known for its shocking moments, it wasn’t the only show that loved to surprise its audience. The Arrowverse, another series based on comics, also frequently delivered unexpected twists. For example, in Season 3 of The Flash, H.R. Wells bravely took Iris West’s place to protect her from a deadly attack. But this was arguably surpassed by a similar moment in the original Arrow series, where a powerful DC character was used to deceive fans back in November 2016.

Oliver Queen Nearly Meets His End in Arrow Season 5

Oliver Queen’s life takes a dramatic turn when he embarks on a sailing trip with his father. He’s stranded on the island of Lian Yu and forced to fight for survival, and that’s just the beginning of his challenges. Upon returning to Star City, Oliver finds himself facing enemies at every turn. While many can’t withstand the skills of the Arrow, a few prove to be truly formidable opponents. In Season 3, Episode 9, R’as al Ghul even leaves Oliver for dead, seemingly killing him on a snowy mountain. However, later episodes show that Oliver recovers and continues his mission.

In Season 4, Oliver takes on a new role as the mayor of Star City, instantly making him a target for more enemies. Season 5 introduces Tobias Church, a ruthless gangster who challenges Oliver’s authority and isn’t afraid to break the rules. Church even attempts to assassinate Oliver in Episode 5, and it initially appears successful when Oliver is found gravely wounded. However, Oliver, as the Green Arrow, is always several moves ahead, leaving his opponents unaware of the larger game he’s playing.

An Old Friend Lends a Hand to Complete One of the Arrowverse’s Most Shocking Twists

The show Arrow consistently delivers for its viewers. In Season 5, Episode 5, a surprising twist occurs: Oliver unexpectedly appears in the Arrow Cave, only to be followed by another Oliver, revealing a clever deception. Knowing that Church was targeting Oliver, Team Arrow enlisted the help of Christopher Chance, also known as Human Target, a disguise expert. Human Target took the fall for an attack, allowing Oliver and his team to prepare a counter-attack Church never anticipated. The plan succeeds flawlessly, and Church is apprehended by the authorities before the episode ends.

Chance, also known as the Human Target, isn’t just a one-time helper. In Season 6, when Oliver Queen is on trial for the Green Arrow’s actions, Chance returns to Star City and cleverly disguises himself as Tommy Merlyn – Oliver’s deceased best friend – to make it appear as though Tommy is the Green Arrow. However, that wasn’t enough to save Oliver. Chance had to go to extreme lengths, breaking numerous laws by impersonating the judge and overturning the jury’s decision, ultimately securing Oliver’s freedom. While Oliver gains allies like The Flash and Supergirl, no one proves as reliable in a crisis as the Human Target.

The Arrowverse shows are streaming on Netflix.

As a big fan of Arrow, I’m really curious to hear what everyone thought about the storyline where Human Target stepped in for Oliver during Season 5. It was a pretty bold move! I’d love to chat about it – head over to the ComicBook Forum and let’s discuss!

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/7-dc-heroes-you-forgot-were-part-of-the-arrowverse/embed/#

Read More

2025-11-04 20:41