Arrow recently wrapped its stellar second season over on the CW and is now gearing up production for a third. Many of the season’s plot threads were tied up nicely, leaving the show with a bit of a blank slate for the year to come. Fans have been anxiously awaiting any details on what may be in store for us when Oliver and company return in the fall, and thanks to TV Line we may now have our first clues regarding some new additions to the cast.
We already know that John Barrowman recently signed on to appear as a series regular, meaning we’ll be seeing plenty more of Oliver’s nemesis Malcom Merlyn in season three. However, he won’t be the only one giving the Green Arrow trouble, if these four new character additions are any indication. According to TV Line, the new additions will be:
‘DANIEL’ | Though Daniel could be a fake name to throw off spoilerholics, this 20-something gent — a major recurring character for Season 3 — is a handsome, enigmatic and highly intelligent entrepreneur developing groundbreaking technology. (Picture a business magnate in Ryan Gosling’s body.) Though exuding charm and confidence in public, he privately harbors a tragic past that will drive him to become a tech-powered superhero. Watch for this formidable fella to be a love interest for Felicity and a rival of Oliver’s – both personally and professionally.
‘SETH’ | A well-educated criminal with grand ambitions and a knack for chemistry, this potentially recurring character gains power over his enemies by exposing them to a drug that drains their willpower. Oh, and he is very much a physical match for The Arrow.
TOSHI | Majorly recurring in (at least) the Hong Kong flashbacks, Toshi will serve as Oliver’s teacher and handler, and eventually become a friend. A well-trained operative, skilled in weaponry, combat and intelligence gathering, he is also a devoted father and husband.
AKIKO | Toshi’s wife is another of Oliver’s Hong Kong caretakers, and is herself highly skilled in martial arts.
Now, this unfortunately isn’t much to go on, but upon closer examination there are a few clues in the description of “Daniel” that are worth talking about. His name could obviously have been changed in order to keep his true identity a secret, and given the fact that we’ve already seen several references and Easter eggs referencing Ted Kord, my guess is that “Daniel” is none other than Blue Beetle.
For those unfamiliar with the character, Blue Beetle is a superhero who appears in DC comics and relies on his genius intellect and advanced technology to fight crime. In the comics, Kord has a relationship with Barbara Gordon, the former Batgirl who eventually takes on the role of Oracle when she’s paralyzed by the Joker. As Oracle, Barbara helps Batman from behind computer screens, providing him with tactical assistance and utilizing her skills as a hacker. Felicity is often compared to Oracle, and is kind of Arrow’s version of the character. Since it’s a long shot that we ever see Barbara Gordon make a trip to Starling City, Felicity could act as a stand-in and strike up a similar relationship with Kord.
Then, of course, there’s the name Daniel itself, which could very well be a nod to the first Blue Beetle, Dan Gerret. In the comics, Gerrett is a mentor of Kord’s, who dies and passes on the responsibility of the Beetle mantle to his protege.
Or course, “Daniel” could always be someone else, like the heavily rumored Nightwing, but I would seriously doubt it. The biggest name that pops up after reading his description is Batman, but considering Gotham is airing over at Fox, there’s very little chance we’ll see the Dark Knight find his way to the CW. As for the other names on this new list, they are a bit harder to pin down, and could very well be original characters. We’ve heard rumblings of Lady Shiva appearing on the show, so maybe she’s “Akiko’s” true identity.
Tell us, what do you think of these new Arrow character descriptions? Do you think Daniel could actually be Blue Beetle, or am I off base with my suspicions? Sound off in the comments below!