10 DC Villains Who Should Appear On "Arrow" Next Season

Arrow has seemingly pulled off the impossible during its two-season run. Not only is the show’s storyline unpredictable, emotional, and action-packed, but it also manages to incorporate many elements from the DC comics without making them feel forced. The series has intertwined comic classics like the League of Assassins and Deathstroke with more obscure characters like the Bronze Tiger and Clock King for a world that both pays tributes to the books, while also forging its own trail.

Tonight marks the epic second season finale for Arrow, pitting Ollie and his crew against Deathstroke’s army. Deathstroke has been a key villain over the last two years, but you have to assume this will be the climax of their conflict, leaving plenty of room for more villains next season. And with so many crooks, terrorists, assassins, and mad scientists to choose from, we’re taking a look at 10 DC villains who should appear on Arrow next season.

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First appearance: Justice League of America #5 (June 1961)

His backstory: Doctor Destiny is a man who created many failed death traps for the Justice League over the years, but his most dangerous invention is the Materioptikon. This device allows him to manipulate his own dreams and turn them into reality. More dangerously, though, the device also allows him to infiltrate another person’s dreams and affect both their subconscious and physical reality simultaneously. His rule over the world of the dreaming makes him a potential dictator in the real world, and he has clashed with both the League and Neil Gaiman's Morpheus over the years.

How he would fit on Arrow: With STAR Labs already introduced, Doctor Destiny could be shown as a lowly genius with a serious mad-on for society. The Materioptikon might seem a little far-fetched for the world of Arrow, but fantasy aspects have already been introduced into the series without too much of a problem. Having someone inflict pain upon Ollie from his own tortured dreams seems like a perfect fit for the show’s tone.

First appearance: Atom #1 (1962)

His backstory: There have been countless versions of Jason Woodrue over the years, but the most memorable appeared during Alan Moore’s run on Swamp Thing. During this time, Woodrue was portrayed as a crazed botanist/plant hybrid known as the Floronic Man. He has the ability to control all plant life on Earth, and he uses those abilities to try and eliminate all animal life on the planet in order to create a floral utopia.

How he would fit on Arrow: There are ways to introduce Woodrue into the show without his abilities being too out of place. He could be portrayed as an eco-terrorist who has experimented on himself to become a plant/human hybrid, giving him his trademark bark exo-skeleton and limited mental control over the green. It would be a bit out there for the show, but then again, so is Mirakuru.

First appearance: Superman: The Animated Series, Episode: "Livewire" (September 1997)

Her backstory: Leslie Willis, a.k.a Livewire, was created as a new villain on Superman: The Animated Series, but she proved to be so popular that she eventually made her way into the DC comic books. In both, Livewire is a former shock jock who is given power over electricity after being struck by lightning at a rock concert. She’s powerful enough to go toe-to-toe against Superman, but, more importantly than that, her punk rock personality is so fresh that it might have you rethinking whose side you’re on.

How she would fit on Arrow: In Superman: The Animated Series, Leslie Willis rose to fame as a radio personality because of her verbal crusade against the Man of Steel. This could easily be adapted for the show as a hatred for Arrow, or for Oliver Queen’s obnoxious celebrity persona. Super powers aren’t the norm on the show, but Livewire’s abilities are pretty tame by villain standards. Plus, it would be a crime against the comic gods if a character as perfect for the show as Willis was kept off for the sake of realism.

First appearance: Green Arrow/Black Canary #15 (2009)

Her backstory: Cupid is a female killer with an unhealthy obsession with the Green Arrow. In her earlier days, she was a special-ops soldier who was trained to kill with brutal efficiency. But after an experiment left her emotionally unstable and physically enhanced, she became psychotic. To get the Green Arrow’s attention, she decided to start killing off his rogues gallery as a gesture of love, until she was eventually captured and put into a mental asylum.

How she would fit on Arrow: Cupid is one of Green Arrow’s most obvious villains to bring to the small screen. It’s easy to imagine her as a renegade agent of A.R.G.U.S. (she was a member of COBALT in the comics) who undergoes the same shady experiments, leading to her obsession with the Arrow. This could also lead to a violent conflict with enemies from his past, as well as the Black Canary, who Cupid would only see as a roadblock between her and Arrow. Plus, the character was created by Andrew Kreisberg, who helped develop Arrow for The CW, so there is no one more suited to watch over her transition to live-action.

First appearance: Flash #117 (December 1960)

His backstory: Like his name suggests, Captain Boomerang is a notorious criminal from the DC Universe that uses boomerangs to commit crimes and generally cause mayhem for both the Flash and the Justice League. During his 50+ year existence, Captain Boomerang has worked as a solo rogue and as a member of Amanda Waller’s Suicide Squad. In addition to classic boomerangs, his arsenal also includes bladed, explosive, and electrified boomerangs.

How he would fit on Arrow: In many ways, Captain Boomerang is the perfect villain to appear on Arrow. Not only would he tie nicely into the ongoing Suicide Squad plot, but because Boomerang is mainly known as a Flash villain in the comics, this can also be the perfect way to have a seamless crossover between Arrow and The CW’s new Flash series.

First appearance: New Teen Titans Annual #2 (1983)

Her backstory: In the DC comics, Cheshire is a Chinese freedom fighter who is an expert in martial arts and countless techniques for poisoning her enemies. Later in life, Roy Harper, the Green Arrow’s sidekick, gets enlisted by the government to infiltrate her ranks and gain her trust. The two instead fell in love, resulting in Cheshire giving birth to a daughter named Lian. Since then, Cheshire has worked for a number of high-profile DC villains, including Deathstroke and Vandal Savage.

How she would fit on Arrow: Cheshire’s story could easily be worked into Arrow, with Roy attempting to spy on her, only to wind up falling in love with her and fathering her child (fanboy advice: leave out the bizarre sub-plot from the comics about Roy being impotent). Not only would this relationship lead to imminent danger for Ollie and Starling City, it would also create a messy conflict with Thea.

First appearance: Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter #5 (December 1975)

Her backstory: There have been numerous backstories used for Lady Shiva over the years, but she is almost always portrayed as a martial-arts prodigy who is driven by the murder of her sister. She uses her gifts of combat and stealth to become a master assassin, and a perennial villain for characters like Batman, The Question, and the Black Canary.

How she would fit on Arrow: Shiva’s connection to Black Canary and Sin in the comics makes her inclusion on the show a no-brainer. In one storyline, Shiva and Black Canary switch lives, leaving Shiva as a member of the Birds of Prey and Canary as a student in the village where Shiva trained. Once there, Canary meets Sin, who is being groomed as Shiva’s replacement. While this backstory won’t work within the show’s continuity, there has to be something the writers can do to add a personal conflict for these three. Plus, Shiva’s connections to the League of Assassin’s can be further intertwined into Arrow’s mythology.

First appearance: Green Arrow #17 (2013)

His backstory: Komodo hasn’t been around long, but he’s made just as big of an impact as anyone on this list. During writer Jeff Lemire’s recent Green Arrow run, Komodo was introduced as a mysterious dark archer with skills even more enhanced than Ollie’s. He made his presence known immediately by killing the new CEO of Queen Industries and destroying the Green Arrow’s technology hub, framing Ollie for the crimes. As Ollie dug deeper into Komodo’s past, he realizes that he was the man responsible for the death of Robert Queen, Ollie’s father.

How he would fit on Arrow: Komodo can easily be brought in as yet another ghost from Ollie’s past on the island. He would already know that Ollie is the Arrow, and he could use that to frame him for murder like his comic book counterpart. The most memorable villains on Arrow have always had a personal connection to the Queen family, and Komodo can be that dark reflection of Ollie that brings nothing but misery to Starling City.

First appearance: Batman: The Animated Series, Episode: "Joker's Favor" (1992)

Her backstory: Dr. Harleen Quinzel was a well-respected psychiatrist, until the Joker got to her. Once he polluted her life, Quinzel shed her physician’s coat for a red and black unitard, becoming Harley Quinn, the Joker’s main squeeze. Quinn was originally just conceived as a one-off character on Batman: The Animated Series, but she proved so popular that not only was she soon a regular on the show, but she was also integrated into the DC comics. She’s now an icon for the company, the star of her own comic book series, and the only homicidal maniac you don’t mind cheering for.

How she would fit on Arrow: Well technically Harley Quinn already appeared on Arrow in a brief cameo during the “Suicide Squad” episode, where she was voiced by Tara Strong. But, we’re greedy and we want more. Quinn is one of the most popular characters in comics, and there is no reason why she can’t be a force on Arrow, even if just for an episode. Even without the Joker’s involvement, the Arrow going up against Harley Quinn would be a must-see.

First appearance: Batman #232 (June 1971)

His backstory: Though he is mainly seen as a member of Batman’s rogues gallery, in recent years Ra’s al Ghul has cemented himself as a threat to the entire DC Universe. He’s both the leader of the League of Assassins and an eco-terrorist who wants to remold the world in his vision, by any means necessary. His reign of terror reaches back centuries with the help of the mysterious Lazarus Pit, which has the ability to heal wounds, revive the dead, and keep Ra’s immortal.

How he would fit on Arrow: Both the League of Assassins and Ra’s’ unseen influence have played a huge role during the past two seasons of Arrow, and it’s finally time to bring the man himself to Starling City. The writers of the show have done a great job of slowly letting Ra’s’ presence creep into Arrow’s world without actually showing him, but you can only do that for so long. We’re already dreaming about a third season showdown between Ollie and the man who has been manipulating pretty much everything in his life since his return to the city. Ra’s and Batman didn’t have the duel they deserved in Batman Begins, so hopefully the character can be done justice here.