After successfully facing Ra’s al Ghul last season and leaving his suit Arrow suit behind to live his love with Felicity, Oliver Queen and his gang return on our screens tonight, as he embraces the character’s comic book roots and becomes the “Green Arrow”.

Oliver is seen running, but he’s just jogging this time, going home to Felicity, where they’ve settled for a normal life. The Black Canary, Diggle and Speedy are after some criminals called ghosts and they’re so badass in action, but their bad guys eventually get away. It turns out they’ve stolen cargo and weapons, so the ladies believe Oliver’s help is needed. Lance talks with the D.A., the city controller and the head of emergency services about the ghosts, when Damien Darhk interrupts as their leader and suggests they need to let the city die for it to be reborn, leaving the room with a threat. 

Oliver and Felicity are seen having brunch with a fellow couple and the former plans to propose and even has a ring. A flashback finds Oliver chasing a criminal in Coast City 5 years ago, but eventually getting thrown from a rooftop, for Amanda Waller to walk in and take him out of that place. Susan the D.A. chats with Laurel when she passes out after drinking a posioned cup of coffee. The ghosts take over the police station with guns pointing at Lance, while others kill both the city controller and head of emergency services as well. Laurel goes in to save her father and keeps him alive, even though he’s shot. Meanwhile, Oliver hides the ring for Felicity in the dessert, but they’re interrupted before he has time to propose.

Laurel and Thea pay Oliver and Felicity a visit in order to get the former back on duty and Felicity is all in for it. Another flashback finds Waller talking to Oliver in a bar about embracing his darkness, before he’s drugged and taken away. Oliver and Felicity are back in Star City and things are awkward with Diggle, who thinks his help is not needed, but he settles when he hears the ghosts turn out to have some experimental bombs. Oliver starts the planning and they agree to inform Lance first, but Diggle is quick to get out. It feels like Felicity never stopped working with the gang and Oliver says he knows she’s been helping them. Laurel informs her dad about the cluster bomb and he wants her to stay out of it, but will have to get their help. Diggle talks about Oliver with Lyla and she’s already over it, as it was war and things had to be done.

Over at the lair, Oliver and Felicity get a signal on their bad guys and gather the rest to go after them – first mention of the Cisco-crafted Green Arrow suit. Damien Darhk is seen talking to his ghosts at a warehouse and our team’s watching. He refers to stealing the cluster bomb and doesn’t like that they didn’t kill the ones that gave them trouble, so he kills one of the ghosts by simply touching him! The gang goes in and Thea goes wild on a guy, with Oliver having to stop her so that she doesn’t violently kill him, before the police come in. Back at the lair, they realise they’ll be using the explosives at the new train station and Oliver says he knows things about Darhk’s mystical actions. He then talks with Thea who claims to be fine, and Diggle doesn’t comfort him either. Lance is just the cherry on top, as he blames him for everything that has happened in the city.

One more flashback finds Oliver ready to be thrown from a plane, with pretty much no choice. It turns out they’re sending him back to Lian Yu! Back to the present, Oliver tells Felicity how it went with Thea, John and Lance, feeling his darkness is needed in such cases. She thinks otherwise and as the others can’t find any bombs at the train station, she’s inspired by his words, realising the train will be carrying the bombs. Before he goes, he tries on the brand-new, shiny and badass Green Arrow suit for the first time. He and Diggle go after the train, as Laurel, Thea and Lance get people to leave the station. Oliver quickly gets on the train and faces Damien Darhk.

The Green Arrow starts sending arrows towards his place but the man manages to stop them with simple movement. Having taken off the breaks of the train full of bombs, he prepares to kill Oliver but thankfully Diggle shoots him with tranquilizer, causing him to escape. The two leave the train and blow it up before it makes it to Star. Back at the lair, Thea asks for Oliver’s new code name and even though Diggle says he won’t need one since he’s leaving, Felicity and Ollie know they’re staying to face Darhk and his Hive – Diggle remembers Deadshot told him about them but doesn’t say so. Right after, Oliver takes over all televisions in town to declare he’ll be fighting crime for them in light, unlike the Arrow.

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The last flashback for now finds Oliver landing on the infamous hellish island, with a guy pointing a gun at him and asking to know who he is. Damien Darhk is seen cutting his hand with symbols appearing as he leaves some blood in a statue, probably to get power. He’s interrupted though, as Detective Lance (!) is collaborating with him and is told to find everything on the Green Arrow. Oliver and Felicity are moving back to Star City and he’s seen hiding the engagement ring. Before it’s all over we’re taken six months forward, where Oliver is at a graveyard and Barry arrives, saying he’s sorry for missing the funeral – he had to face Zoom. Oliver claims he doesn’t blame himself, but is responsible to kill the one who did this, rejecting Barry’s offer to help. 

WHO DIES THIS TIME?! 

Okay, Arrow is back for good and “Green Arrow” was one hell of a season premiere. Make sure you don’t miss next week’s episode for even more action!