Arrow: Why We’re Excited for Katie Cassidy’s Return
We’re a week away from the Season 5 finale of Arrow, but it’s the penultimate episode that’s getting all the buzz thanks to the triumphant return of Katie Cassidy. While the Laurel Lance we knew and loved may still be gone, the Earth 2 iteration, known as Black Siren, is taking up permanent residence in Star City.
It was back in March that executive producer Marc Guggenheim announced her return, explaining that Black Siren’s story wasn’t finished. Following her guest appearance in the final two episodes of Season 5, Cassidy will be back as a regular cast member in Season 6–and we couldn’t be more thrilled.
While details on what the nature of Black Siren’s story will be have been scarce, we think Cassidy’s return is a welcome change for the show. To celebrate her return on Wednesday night’s episode, we’re breaking down a few reasons why her addition could be a good thing for the series.
A fresh start for Laurel
At this point we have little idea what returning as a regular cast member means for Earth 2’s Laurel Lance. Is she rejoining Team Arrow and becoming a good guy? Is she looking to become Season 6’s main villain? Or will her story become something else entirely? It’s too soon to tell.
However, regardless of what the narrative will be, this is the chance for the character of Laurel to get a much-needed reboot. There’s no question that the original Laurel Lance will always be an important part of the show’s history, but this resurrection is an opportunity to start over and show us a new side of Laurel without all the emotional baggage from the last few seasons.
Changing the dynamic for Oliver
Season 5 has been a massive change for Team Arrow, with Oliver (Stephen Amell) evolving from a team leader to a mentor for some of the new additions–with mixed results. Permanently adding Black Siren to the mix is the perfect way to shake up Oliver’s life, regardless of what side of the good vs. evil coin she falls. Rehabilitating a supervillain could be just what Oliver needs to conquer the darkness in his own past, and, alternatively, fighting against someone with the face of the woman he spent five years trying to get back to is kind of a perfect full-circle moment, in the cruelest way, especially with the island flashbacks seemingly wrapping up.
Closure for Quentin
At least we hope that this will happen for poor former Detective Lance (Paul Blackthorne). Quentin has been through the ringer on Arrow, losing both his daughters on multiple occasions only to have them come back in one form or another. While he’ll never get back his own Laurel, there’s always the possibility that meeting the Black Siren could help Quentin heal and move forward with his life. Fingers crossed he doesn’t fall into another downward spiral instead.
A potential new storyline for Thea
Thea (Willa Holland) remains one of the best characters on Arrow, but her storyline has been woefully limited this season as she distanced herself from the team to find a new purpose in life outside of fighting crime. After losing herself in the cutthroat world of politics, Thea is definitely at a crossroads. What better way to bring her back into the fold by helping her develop a relationship with Earth 2’s Laurel Lance?
Not only that, this could also be a huge opportunity to reignite the terrific female friendships we’ve been missing on Arrow since Laurel’s death. With Thea and Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) going in different directions, and the new teammates never quite finding that chemistry with either one of them, the dynamics have not nearly been the same. How great would it be to see Thea help Black Siren through murder-happy rehab? Or Felicity try to find common ground with a completely new Laurel? The possibilities are endlessly exciting.
All the feels
Let’s face it, the best part of having Cassidy come back to Arrow full-time is the absolute roller coaster ride of emotions we’ll be dealing with week to week. Whether Black Siren decides to switch sides for good and become the true Black Canary or she’s the Season 6 “big bad”, we’re guaranteed to be hit with feelings of nostalgia, heartbreak and hope on the regular. Whatever the future may hold for this version of Laurel Lance, if the Arrow writers take their time and give it the careful consideration that her character deserves, we’re in for a hell of a Season 6.
What are your expectations for the return of the Black Siren? Sound off in the comments below.
Arrow airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on The CW and CTV.
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About The Author
Kelly Townsend
Associate Editor Kelly Townsend always had strong opinions on TV growing up, so it was only natural to evolve from couch musings to online journalism. She can't ever choose a favorite series, so please don't ask. Her writing has also appeared on IndieWire and Tribute.ca. You can find her on Twitter at @kellybtownsend.
“Is she rejoining Team Arrow and becoming a good guy?” – I really hope not because to me it would feel like trying to have Laurel back without admitting killing her off was a mistake. I personally don’t think I’ll ever be over that as 1) it was handled poorly (she didn’t even attempt to do the Cry to slow down Darhk she just let herself be killed) and 2) she could have walked away and been the example that retirement is possible for the group – she didn’t have to be the one in the grave just to leave the show. Also the team is full of good guys so wouldn’t be more interesting to see a bad guy working with them and what kind of conflicts that would create with characters and for their image if Black Siren decides not to help someone mid mission?
“Rehabilitating a supervillain could be just what Oliver needs to conquer the darkness in his own past, and, alternatively, fighting against someone with the face of the woman he spent five years trying to get back to is kind of a perfect full-circle moment, in the cruelest way, especially with the island flashbacks seemingly wrapping up.” – if his actions to this point and things he’s learned this season haven’t rehabed Oliver I can’t see how helping Black Siren would…also I’m not sure I want Black Siren redeemed as again I think she’d be more interesting as a strictly bad guy than a redeemed good guy; again maybe it’s too soon from Laurel dying but I just don’t want to see a reboot in this instance when they could have done the original better as it were. Arguably Dinah Drake is already a rebooted version of Canary so it’s almost like writing out Laurel all together.
That’s going to be a huge thing for me personally – I want Black Siren to feel different from Laurel (especially as they’re played by the same actress) and Dinah because if she doesn’t her plot runs the risk of feeling pointless and that’s not good. She might make for fun moments but if she’s a copy of others that care needed to immerse in the stories won’t be there.
“there’s always the possibility that meeting the Black Siren could help Quentin heal and move forward with his life.” – I don’t know about this one as just because she looks like Laurel and is named Laurel doesn’t make her his Laurel so I’m not sure how Black Siren could help Quentin anymore than Dinah has; granted they could do the emotional “What would you say to her if she was here?” moment with BS and Quentin but beyond that I’m not sure what she can’t really do for him and that’s providing he even talks to her because again she’s not is Laurel. It would be interesting if Quentin went the other way with her and hated her for tainting Laurel’s image with her bad guy actions because I highly doubt she’s going to stay in the cave 24/7 so someone is going to spot her and confuse her with original Laurel – which could out the team identities if they’re around her in public…that would be an interesting plot to explore.
“How great would it be to see Thea help Black Siren through murder-happy rehab? Or Felicity try to find common ground with a completely new Laurel?” – or Black Siren tempting Thea into thinking her darkness isn’t always a bad thing. I’m totally with you on the Felicity part though and would extend it to say how would that make Felicity feel – she and original Laurel had issues but BS and her might be quick friends and is that the same as being friends with someone except they look exactly like someone you’re not friends with or would it give Felicity conflicted feelings about how she and Laurel could have been better friends if they took some of the approaches she might with BS?
“What are your expectations for the return of the Black Siren?” – my biggest concern would be she would take away Dinah Drake who’s been to me the best Canary on the series so far but thankfully she’s in for the season as well!
Again my biggest thing is I want to see this Laurel be her own character – don’t try to give her plots you would have original Laurel or make her like original Laurel because again that’s not go over well with those who feel original Laurel never should have died in the first place…this is a different person so let her be different.
Balance her interactions, this goes for every character really, don’t just stick her mainly with original team Arrow because of their history with original Laurel have her interact with the newbies as well!
Don’t forget about Dinah having a real cry as well; just because they have the same power doesn’t mean one should do it more than the other – try to balance the power showcase from both.
Embrace things such as how do you explain her in the city that knows Laurel Lance died, especially since they outted her at the statue ceremony, and was the Black Canary and again what issues does that create for the characters? Again I doubt this Laurel will hang out at the cave all day so embrace the organic plots that could create instead of handwaving the fact she looks exactly like previous Laurel away.
Don’t be afraid of her darkness; this out of all the superhero shows is known for embracing the dark so don’t think redemption is the only way she has to go to be on the team. There are characters called anti-heroes (they’re heroic compared to villains but they don’t achieve things in the most careful way like a Superman would try for)…it could be argued this version of Arrow is one so why can’t Black Siren be as well? It would help add depth to the crew. Or she could embrace her bad and again how does that affect things (think of her like Catwoman who has helped Batman in the past but also enjoys stealing so they’re not exactly team mates but they can make a good team when the need arrises)?
I’m excited to see Katie Cassidy back but I do have reservations about Black Siren; she was fun for that one episode messing with the team but how is she going to fit for an entire season?
“alternatively, fighting against someone with the face of the woman he spent five years trying to get back to” – except he really didn’t work that hard on getting back to her; he was sleeping with her sister on the boat and then he detoured through Russia, stopped at home and went back to the island so I have an issue saying he was really trying to get back to Laurel…he was going back yes but not really for her.
I see this as the CW’s attempt to embrace DC Rebirth. The comics are a telling a really good overall story regarding the universe getting back what the New 52 timeline took from it. Based on the other shows, we’ve seen Barry Allen take responsibility regarding Flashpoint and the Legends stuck in an alternate timeline as a result of their actions. With so many alternate timelines happening so often and so close to each other, not to mention Reverse Flash’s whole deal of basically creating the New 52/CW timeline when he killed Nora Allen, its reasonable to assume that CW may finally be ready to give us the DC Universe we want… including Dinah Laurel Lance done right.
This whole storyline of the Death of Laurel Lance, Black Siren, and probably Black Siren’s redemption sounds a lot like Superman’s Rebirth story where the New 52 Superman (one heavily complained about and hated by fans for being too different) was killed off and the Rebirth Superman (post-Flashpoint Superman surviving from coming out of the multiverse) being discovered and questioned by the Justice League for not being the Superman they knew. Arrow’s basically doing the same thing with Laurel but adding the villain’s redemption aspect.
Dinah Laurel Lance Black Canary is in fact my favorite female character in the DC Universe and it sucks what happened to the Earth 1 version because I did in fact like her despite her flaws; however, if this is the route they’re going and they actually bring in Dinah Laurel Lance Black Canary in full glory (metahuman canary cry, superior fight skills, sassy/confident/flirty attitude, Oliver Queen’s best friend/great love) with a very interesting storyline involving redemption and character growth… than I’m all in. I might actually watch Arrow again because right now Flash is the only CW show I’m watching. Supergirl and Legends is boring to me and Arrow pisses me off, but if Arrow does this… I’m back Jack.