Stephen Amell Wants Original Comic Book Green Arrow in Season 6

“Arrow” is ready to continue the story of Star City street fighter Green Arrow. In its latest season, Season 5, “Arrow” finished with a blast—annihilating most of Green Arrow’s allies, including Felicity. This comes as a huge surprise for viewers who did not see this coming, in other words, everyone. While most expect Oliver Queen to turn even darker, actor Stephen Amell has other suggestions.

Manu Bennett, Nick E. Tarabay, and Stephen Amell in Arrow (2012). Photo by The CW Network, LLC.

Stephen Amell on Green Arrow: Bring Back ‘Humor’ And The ‘Socially Conscious’ Hero

The story of “Arrow’s” superhero started off with a totally egotistical, uncaring and self-serving Oliver Queen. After a fortunate shipwreck, he is left on an island where he rewires his perception and becomes a hero of justice through his mastery in Archery. In CW’s adaptation, they liken him to Christopher Nolan’s “Batman.”

Because of this, it gives him an ominous air and a rougher edge. Turns out, this was the Producers’ way of fitting the characters into who they envisioned. Apparently, this Oliver focuses too much on the struggle against his inner demons, than fighting crime that were physically happening.

David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Stephen Amell, Echo Kellum, and Emily Bett Rickards in Arrow (2012). Photo by The CW Network, LLC.

After five seasons of a dark Green Arrow, the actor behind Oliver Queen himself has something to say about this. In a report by CinemaBlend, Stephen Amell has mentioned that if Oliver doesn’t “take away lessons from Season 5… the character stops being interesting” to him.

In the catastrophe that was the finale of the last season, Green Arrow faced a lose-lose situation. He was forced to choose to save his son, William at the expense of the lives gone in the bomb-infested island. Somehow, what Stephen wants to happen is a ‘rebirth’ of some sort from this experience, that will ultimately transform Green Arrow into the character originally portrayed in the comic book series.

David Ramsey and Stephen Amell in Arrow (2012). Photo by Jack Rowand/The CW Network, LLC.

“I hope that part of that, in Season 6 and if we have seasons beyond that, I hope that part of that is we get back to a lot of the tenets that people recognize from the comics. And that of course is humor and a socially conscious, slightly liberal superhero,” Amell says.

Green Arrow in the Comics

In the 1970s “Green Arrow” comic issue, Oliver Queen encounters something that will influence his perception as an advocate of justice. Because of forged documents brought forth by corruption, he loses much of his fortune. Growing bitter of the graft that he has experienced, he turns into an advocate and a voice for the underprivileged and actually sided with the political left wing. He was what was called a “social crusader.”

Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen/The Green Arrow. Photo by Robert Falconer/The CW Network, LLC.

This is what Stephen Amell means when he says ‘socially conscious’ and ‘liberal’ characteristics. He believes that these values that Green Arrow embodies are characteristics that make him ‘unique.’ And he wants more of that in the upcoming “Arrow” Season 6.