Apparently, Diggle’s time as the Green Arrow won’t last very long. The CW’s Arrow pulled out a huge twist during last week’s episode ‘Tribute’, as Oliver dropped his title as Star City’s number one crime-fighting vigilante and passed the mantle to Diggle. Despite being hampered by his physical defect, an impassioned speech from Oliver - concerning why he needs to put his dangerous days behind him - followed by a pep talk, eventually convinced the former military man to step up to the plate.
However, it looks like Diggle’s time serving as the leader for Team Arrow in season 6 will be limited. David Ramsey himself has indicated that he won’t have worn his emerald superhero costume for all that long, before something happens that prompts him to also give up the Green Arrow title.
Speaking with EW in light of this week’s episode, ‘Next of Kin’, Ramsey was adamant that Diggle’s stint as the Green Arrow is not destined to last, hinting that Oliver will eventually reclaim his place as the show’s titular character:
In the meantime, Diggle appears to be transitioning smoothly into his new role as the leader of Star City’s prime vigilante team. Judging by the trailer for ‘Next of Kin’, while everybody else is still coping with the sudden dynamic shift, Diggle appears to be calm, collected, and confident. However, considering Ramsay’s comments, there are a slew of possible scenarios that could ultimately end his gig as the Emerald Archer; including his nagging injury, as well as his fragile relationship with Lyla. Likewise, Ramsay has already confirmed that his character will be challenged both physically and mentally this season.
“No. No, it’s Green Arrow. Stephen Amell is Green Arrow. It’s not going to last. Of course not, but I think it’s very interesting and it’s an interesting twist on how it fits into the ultimate theme of the season, I think it’s very clever. I think it’s an interesting detour. It also gives us some time with Oliver. I think it’s great, and he has some great writing. Stuff is happening between him and Deathstroke, and he and his son and he and Felicity. It’s awesome. I think holding it for the few episodes I have the mantle, that’s the appropriate amount of time.”
How Arrow plans to revert Green Arrow duties from Diggle back to Oliver remains to be seen. Oliver appears to be determined to lead a different life now as a father to William, who was a big factor in why he stepped away from being a vigilante in the first place. While many fans may feel that his return as the Emerald Archer undermines this “big twist”, the plot point nonetheless opens up a lot of narrative opportunities for the show to tackle moving forward - instead of just dealing with the usual villain of the week theme.
MORE: What Comes Next After Arrow’s ‘Tribute’ Twist?
Arrow continues with “Next of Kin” tonight @8pm on The CW.
Source: EW
