Hello, good readers; it’s been quite a while since I’ve done something on Green Arrow for you to all in enjoy. In part, I blame that on DC for changing the series from a bi-monthly release to once a month. Believe you me, I very annoyed about this, because now I have to wait twice as long for the next exciting issue and I am quite impatient. Yet, we can find solace in the fact even if we have to wait an extra two weeks for the next chapter in our favorite story, we know that the quality will not falter. Thirty nine issues in and Green Arrow is still one of the best titles DC has to offer. Not only is the story still as engaging as ever, but Juan Ferreyra has been featured as the artist so much recently that he’s crossing the line from occasional artist to permanent. I really hope that happens because he is one of the best, if not the best that DC has to offer right now, kudos to his talent.
As the new year comes along we are finally getting the end to the arc started last year, The Trial of Two Cities, as well as the sub-arc within the last two issues called The Fall of the Red Arrow. Not only was this part of the series over a year in the making, but it has marked a serious change in tone for the series. Not to say the series itself is depressing in retrospect, but for a while now Oliver has not known more than some major defeats at the hands of the Ninth Circle. Just to list a few things that have befallen Oliver Queen: publicly disgraced and framed for the murder of a secretary (a major plot point for this arc but we’ll get to that later), lost control of Queen Industries to a patsy of the Ninth Circle, failed to save Seattle from becoming Star City, lost friends both literally and figuratively, and strained his relationship with Dinah.
All in all it’s been a great year for us as readers, but definitely not for his character. That’s one of the reasons why the ending issue for this arc was so important. As the old adage goes, Oliver Queen has no where to go but up at this point. That’s not to say he’s seen not seen some victory here and there. The last arc so brilliantly showed that he we ready to join a higher tier of superheroes to the point where even the Justice League added their voices to his cause in a finale so moving, I couldn’t help but be proud for being a part of it for this long. The series needed this win; for once we see Oliver reach the masses with the truth and the strength to overcome his personal demons and discover who his true family is, the ones who will stick with him and us through all the good times and the bad. Now lets look at all the factors leading this to be one of the best arcs in the series and how they changed the future of Green Arrow to something that fans will surely clamor over no matter how long the wait between issues.
The Return of Moira Queen and The Fall of the Red Arrow
This one hit like a ton of bricks but also felt kind of shallow at first glance. Dysfunctional family has always been a major part of Oliver Queen’s life whether it was his actual family or his super hero one. In the previous arc to the Hard Traveling Hero, before Seattle succumbs to the influence of Cyrus Broderick and Mayor Domini we discover that Oliver’s father was a member of the Ninth Circle, be it for whatever moral reason he sold his soul to the devil. It’s only natural that Oliver would revert back to an almost child like sense of hope at the return of his mother. Call it being not the most emotionally healthy reaction on his end, but after all he’s been through with the revelations of his father, it’s hard not to understand how he feels, even if it is misplaced and we know it.
It’s let on pretty early that Moira is trying to get back into the Ninth Circles good side after a massive failure on her end with some destroyed satellites thanks to Ollie and Hal Jordan. In response, Dante (the de facto leader of the Ninth Circles) employs Shado to kill her while Moira brings Cyrus back from the brink after his fiery aftermath with Ollie. Eventually, she convinces Oliver to help recover a lost fortune that went down with the Ninth Circle ship/fortress, the inferno. Typically she betrays and leaves him for dead, yet another betrayal on his list. But at least it leads to Dinah saving him and to one of the best fights in the series so far.
With Cyrus falling victim to Shado her list of allies grows thin, yet almost in the nick of time, her former lover and assassin, Malcolm Merlyn, escapes Diggles’s custody and runs to join her side. In a three-way fight, Malcolm and Moira take on Oliver, Dinah, and Emi, while Shado tries to get a Moira no matter who is in her way. It’s exciting, full of intense action and heart break.
The tides turn when Emi selflessly takes an arrow to the chest that was meant for Oliver as a gift from his dear mother. Shado may not have been the best mother, but seeing the probable death of her only daughter sends her into a rage so fierce that both her and Moira plummet into the unknown, but not before Shado can brand her forehead with an arrow. Granted Emi does survive, but that selfless act on her end broke our hearts and filled our eyes with so many tears. It’s not known whether the two or one of them survived the ordeal but for once we saw Shado give her rage into something pure and I have a much greater respect for the character, whether she lives or dies. I definitely can’t say the same for Moira. Diggle also returns to the fold and saves Dinah from Merlyn, and comes back to team arrow for good.
The Trial of Oliver Queen
The other plot in the center stage for this arc was the trial of Oliver Queen. As stated, and of course known if you read this comic, Oliver Queen was disgraced early on in the series when he was drugged by Shado. She had put him on a boat with one of his secretaries named Wendy Poole. What followed was a smear campaign that left him look like a murderer and a drunk, up until now he thought it best to stay dead to serve Seattle as a full time Green Arrow. Though once he realized what Seattle was to become, he came back to the open as Oliver Queen leading to his arrest for the murder of Wendy Poole. Of course, he did not make things better for himself when he left Seattle again just days before his trial to the dismay of his lawyer. Of course things happened between and during the case that would lead to one of the best wins to date for Oliver.
While he was away earning the respect of the Justice League, Dinah was on the hunt for the section of the Ninth Circle that was still kidnapping the homeless and underprivileged of Seattle. The actual discovery she would make was far more important than she would imagine, Wendy Poole, the supposed dead secretary was still alive though very traumatized and damaged. It was not clear if she would speak to the court on Ollie’s behalf or she could even speak at all. Meanwhile the Ninth Circle did it’s best to try and destroy an sort of defense Oliver had. This is where making friends comes in handy as every single attempt is stunted gloriously by various members of the Justice League.
Now this is exactly moment where everything changes, and I swear I nearly through my comic with tears of victory and glory. Oliver, finally on the stand, almost ends up condemning himself in order to expose the Ninth Circle. He gives his lawyer a gold bar worth enough money to quiet all her troubles she’s had to deal with while defending Oliver. With the world watching, including the Justice League, Ollie finally exposes the enemy eluding him for so long and brings them into the light. With perfect timing, Wendy works up the courage to make herself known.
Between this and Hal Jordan’s digital proof, Oliver is finally free of his bonds and what an amazing victory this was. The arc ends with Oliver finally using his money for great things: a grant for the Seattle PD in the name of Chief Westburg to show the victorious dead will always be remembered, the repair of the intercontinental train to restore unity to the world, new renewable energy projects to save the planet and the natives who were harmed by the pipeline, and finally a new home for the forgotten and unwanted populace of Seattle.
Everything that made Green Arrow and Oliver Queen so special came into clear focus with this wonderful end to an amazing arc. I can’t wait for what is next for all those who enjoy this series. I truly hope that the readers, like Ollie, take a long deep breath to remember all he’s been through and what makes us love him and his family so much, because we all know the next conflict is just around the corner. This time Oliver and we will be ready for it.
