Arrow
“San Diego Comic Con, you have NOT failed this city!” shouted Stephen Amell, as he pointed into the crowd. Decked out in a new Arrow suit (see below for an image), Amell hyped the crowd up before the panel started. About the new suit, Executive Producer Greg Berlanti said, “We’ve always said that the progression for Oliver is very much from the Arrow to Green Arrow and this is the first real step in that direction”. While Oliver Queen’s comic counterpart is normally more lighthearted and a bit of a joker, Andrew Kreisberg, another Executive Producer chimed in, “The show isn’t suddenly going to become a comedy”. However, it seems that we will see Oliver slowly transition from dark and angsty as “Oliver’s in a much better place, he’s happy, and he’s in love”. Kreisberg promised a bit more fun and humor in the upcoming season, but promised fans that we’ll still be getting the same quality of excitement.
After the defeat of Ra’s al Ghul, the new big bad stepping up to the plate is Damien Darhk (played by Neal McDonough), a former friend of Ra’s and current leader of H.I.V.E, who played a part in the assassination of Andy Diggle, brother of Team Arrow member, John Diggle (David Ramsey). Writer and Chief Creative Officer of DC Comics, Geoff Johns promised many more characters from the DC Universe, some of whom may be completely unexpected. Among them will be Anarky (a villain often associated with Batman), who will be joining forced with Damien Darkh.
Mister Terrific will also make an appearance on Arrow who will become good friends with Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards). This take on the character has also been confirmed to be a homosexual man, as the crowd cheered in approval.
After the departure of actor Colton Haynes (Roy Harper/Arsenal) as a regular, Willa Holland’s Thea Queen will be stepping in as Arrow’s sidekick, Speedy. Holland also confirmed that she’ll be in red leather, strongly suggesting that she’ll be continue wearing Arsenal’s old suit instead of getting a new one.
John Barrowman, who plays Malcolm Merlyn showed up to the panel wearing the Ra’s al Ghul ring, as he took the title after helping the Arrow dethrone the previous one. He expressed his continued excitement of being on the show and explained that he likes to be surprised and wasn’t too sure what his character would be up to in the upcoming season.
John Diggle (Ramsey) was also confirmed to be finally getting a suit much to the crowd’s excitement. “He’s called Black Driver”, quipped Ramsey referencing an old joke from season 2 (“Well it could be worse, my secret identity is his black driver”). The character getting a suit after 3 seasons in mainly civilian clothes was prompted by the fact that running around with his identity exposed poses a bigger risk as Diggle is now married and has a child.
Feeling left out, Paul Blackthorne mentions his character (Captain Lance)’s apparel, “It’s a grey suit, and I’ve got a white shirt, and a stripey tie. Super hero stuff”. He also goes on to say that he’s not sure if his character ever felt like he was truly part of Team Arrow, and now he has to deal with a sulky Diggle leading the charge (as Oliver Queen gave up the Arrow mantle at the end of season 4) before Barrowman jokingly jumped in and offered Ramsey a position in the League of Assassins.
The Flash
The Flash panel jumped right to the point, with Zoom revealed as season 2’s big bad and the confirmation of Jay Garrick (who comic readers know as the first Flash, whereas Barry Allen is his successor). Garrick’s helmet was a not so subtle easter egg that popped up near the end of The Flash‘s season 1 finale. Jay Garrick will be played by Teddy Sears, most recently seen on Showtime’s Masters of Sex.
Fun Fact: Jay Garrick’s helmet appeared in episode 23 of season 1. In television, a multi season show will often refer to episodes by season number followed by episode number, so Garrick’s helmet appeared in “123”, which is the issue in which Jay and Barry meet in the Flash comics.
Patty Spivor, another important character to Barry Allen’s mythology has also been confirmed and will be played by Shantel VanSanten (The Messengers).
As an even bigger bonus, Wally West (the 3rd Flash) will also be added into the show. This announcement probably drew the most cheers from the crowd.
Greg Berlanti explains, “As we used the particle accelerator and the explosion last year to introduce meta humans to the DC Universe on television, this year we’ll be introducing characters from Earth-Two”, where characters like Jay Garrick will be originating from in this version of the DC Universe.
Grant Gustin, who of course plays Barry Allen/The Flash gave us some insight on his character for the upcoming season, stating that he will have some trouble accepting his role as the now out in the open hero for Central City, and that the death of Eddie Thawne (Rick Cosnett) will be haunting him, stating that ultimately, Eddie was the hero. Unlike his fellow hero, the Arrow, the Flash is much more alone when it comes to the field. Cisco (Carlos Valdes) and Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) provide support but it still falls to him to get the job done, whereas Oliver has Diggle, Black Canary (Katie Cassidy), and now Speedy alongside him.
Valdes goes on to explain that Cisco will have to deal with the ramifications of potentially being a meta human, as Eobard Thawne/Reverse Flash (Tom Cavanagh) revealed to him. “Change is in his body” concludes Valdes. This most likely points toward Cisco eventually becoming Vibe.
After Iris (Candice Patton) learns the identity of the Flash, her involvement with S.T.A.R Labs and Team Flash will also be increased. Patton also suggests that while Cisco and Caitlin are very book smart, that her character is a bit more street smart and can help in areas that the two science geeks can’t.
John Wesley Shipp, who plays Barry’s father, Henry (but played Barry in the original Flash TV Series) reveals that Henry will eventually get out of prison for the false conviction of murdering his wife, but we’ll have to stay tuned to see how.
Tom Cavanagh spent most of the first season playing Harrison Wells, who was revealed to be really be the sppedster, Eobard Thawne wearing his face (after killing Wells). While Eobard may be erased from time, Cavanagh will be returning to the show as Harrison Wells (are you confused yet?), though he wouldn’t reveal too much about the character and whether or not he’ll be in a wheelchair.
As The Flash ran through time in the season finale, he saw a future in which Caitlin became the villainous Killer Frost. Her actress, Danielle Banabaker expressed her excitement and hope of becoming that variation of her character.
See the Flash Highlight Reel below which concludes with a Jay Garrick voiceover and the Zoom announcement.
Legends of Tomorrow
After the cast and team of Legends of Tomorrow found their seats, Executive Producer Marc Guggenheim assured fans that Legends of Tomorrow won’t suddenly just spring into action, explaining that the first few episodes of Arrow and The Flash will set up the teaming up of the Legends team, which comprises of both heroes and villains (and one ex-assassin who’s supposed to be dead).
While Hawkgirl (Ciara Renne) has been confirmed and even showed up briefly for the end of The Flash‘s season 1, Hawkman was also announced during the panel to be appearing in the show.
Ray Palmer/The Atom (Brandon Routh) who was caught in an explosion and presumed dead at the end of Arrow‘s most recent season was revealed to have shrunken to ensure his safety. Routh also explained that Palmer, being a multi-billionaire and having worked with the Arrow will be very enthusiastic about trying to lead the team.
Caity Lotz, who plays Sara Lance/Black Canary was killed off in the very first episode of Arrow‘s opening episode of season 3. Lotz confirms that Sara will go through the Lazarus Pit, much like Thea did, and that like we’ve seen in the younger Queen sibling, the pit makes some changes in the core of the people it revives, “but she already pretty crazy” laughs Lotz. Lotz will be taking on a new name: the White Canary.
Leonard Snart/Captain Cold (Wentworth Miller) and Mick Rory/Dominic Purcell (Heat Wave) are the two villains that will be joining the Legends team. Purcell stated that Heat Wave won’t be too happy about being on the team, but he’ll have to listen to Cold, because of “the dynamic between Wentworth and myself”, alluding to their 4 season co-starring on Prison Break. Miller mentioned that Captain Cold is very much used to being in charge and not exactly a team player, but this is what will make the show very fun to watch.
The main baddie for the team will be Vandal Savage, an immortal time traveler. As the team meets him in various points in time, the show will also deal with how time gets affected when you go back in time and altering timelines. “We keep talking about how on Arrow and Flash we’ll come up with and idea and we’ll say, ‘Oh that’s too crazy’. Legends of Tomorrow, all it is is the crazy ideas” said EP Andrew Kreisberg.
Victor Garber who plays Dr. Martin Stein/One half of Firestorm says that his character is arrogant enough to think he can join on and mediate such a dysfunctional team. No word has been said on Robbie Amell (real life cousin of Arrow star Stephen Amell) who plays Ronnie Raymond a.k.a another half of the Firestorm character.
Newcomer Ciara Renee expressed her excitement in playing Hawgirl and shares that she has read a lot of comics and caught up on both Arrow and The Flash to prepare for her part. Boxing and Martial Arts also plays a part in her preparation.
