Season 3 of The CW’s Arrow, the story of DC Comics’ Emerald Archer Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), was not the strongest year for the series, but it still had a number of solid elements that fans did enjoy. Despite Oliver being the main character of the show, his story was not the most interesting one to follow by the time this season of Arrow was over. Instead, the third season’s true MVP was Dinah Laurel Lance (Katie Cassidy), who evolved and finally embraced her comic book destiny by becoming the Black Canary with the death of her sister, Sara Lance (Caity Lotz), who will be returning to the DC/CW world as White Canary on DC’s Legends of Tomorrow in 2016). Here is why Cassidy’s character was one of the very best parts of Arrow Season 3. Be aware that this article will contain spoilers for the entirety of Arrow‘s third season.
Best Evolution and Most Compelling Storyline
Season 2 wasn’t an easy year for this character as Laurel spiraled into a serious drug and alcohol addiction while having to deal with her sister coming back from the dead after over five years of grieving and pain. With Sara’s actual death in the opening of Season 3, it was the final step for Laurel to begin her journey to become not the Canary, but the Black Canary. While it’s a debate that is going on today with comic book films and shows, a superhero’s origin story is and will always be an important piece in the character’s overall story. Whether it’s told in flashbacks or in the present day, it needs to be there and always will because there needs to be a bigger essential reason as to why these heroes suit up in the first place, aside from just wanting to save the world. Characters like Oliver, Deathstroke, Arsenal, and Speedy have each had their own unique origins told in order to get to where they are today, but the writers gave Laurel something different. Instead of giving her the background of going through training and trials before hitting the field, it was reverse.
In the early episodes of Arrow Season 3, Laurel begins the physical part of her training with the introduction of boxing trainer Ted Grant/former vigilante Wildcat (J.R. Ramirez) before she finally suits up when Starling City loses its hero midway through the third season. But a couple of boxing lessons and an awesome costume isn’t enough for you to be fully ready to take down bad guys. That’s where Laurel’s story becomes unique. We witnessed her falls, but also something she would learn from each of those defeats before getting up. Realistically, we couldn’t spend five seasons just watching Laurel train before finally suiting up as Black Canary, because in the world of television, some things do have to move faster. It was actually more compelling to see Laurel go out in the field while still being a rookie. While there is only so many times that you can take seeing your hero get shot, punched, or kicked, if the character learns from it and gets better from those blows, then you have a perfect storyline, which is exactly what Laurel got.
Best Character to Succeed the Theme of “Identity”
Arrow Season 3 was all about “identity” with questions such as “Who am I?”, “What is my true purpose on this team?”, “How do I live these two lives?”, and more. Oliver and Laurel had similar themes to their identity journeys as the the two of them were searching for ways to be both Oliver Queen and Laurel Lance while also being the Arrow and Black Canary, respectively. However, Oliver was the one character to not only fail this quest, but also the whole aspect of “identity” because the point of his journey was to find a way where he could balance being both. The main problem with his identity search was that both the season premiere and finale showed him giving up one part of his life so he could live the other, thus, not fulfilling the main point of his journey at all.
While this is probably what Season 4 is going to be about for him, it was quite disappointing to see the lead character of a show not being able to accomplish one of the most essential themes that a show or a movie can explore. Laurel, on the other hand, did succeed with it, and yes, the chances of her dealing with that same struggle in future seasons do certainly exist. However, it was empowering to see this woman, who has gone through so much pain, not only follow her little sister’s footsteps with grace towards the end of the season, but also stay true to who she was before putting on that mask.
Episode 13 “Canaries” had Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards) present a definition about Laurel that speaks so well to who Laurel is and why she differs from Sara when Laurel was dealing with a difficult defeat from Werner Zytle (Peter Stormare). “I think Sara wore her mask just as much to hide her demons as she did to help people,” Felicity says. “I don’t see that with you. You have a light inside of you that Sara never had so maybe you should stop trying to be Sara and just be yourself.” Laurel may not have been a member of the League of Assassins (although she did form a friendship with Katrina Law’s character, Nyssa al Ghul, who eventually became her new trainer) like her sister, but the thing that will always be loved about Black Canary (in any interpretation) is her heart in the choices she makes as a hero. By the end of this season, we saw Laurel having that balance, and that came from true character development that was phenomenal to follow.
Best Upgrade
There are a lot of elements of Arrow that are impressive, such as how the series brings these iconic costumes to life from the pages of the comic books. While Sara’s Canary costume in the second season was a solid adaptation from the comics (minus the fishnets), it was important that Laurel needed to find her own style, not just when it came to fighting, but also for her uniform. However, her gear got even more impressive when she was visited by The Flash’s Cisco Ramon (Carlos Valdes). Here we saw the Canary Cry finally come to life, maybe not in the form of superpowers, but instead as an impressive mechanical presentation. These three elements that we have talked about have made Laurel’s journey one of the most enjoyable stories in a bumpy year for Arrow. When the show was first announced, I was not only excited to see the birth of Black Canary, but also seeing someone as talented and empowering as Katie Cassidy portraying a strong iconic woman on screen. The end of this season made the three-year wait absolutely worth it, and it’s only going to get better and more compelling when Arrow‘s fourth season premieres in October.
Arrow Season 4 will premiere sometime in October in its regular timeslot on Wednesday nights, 8/7c, on The CW.
[Photos via The CW]
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I beg to disagree. I think everything you laid out is what the writers intended, but I don’t think they accomplished it. I never really believed that Laurel was a hero, let alone a super one… She tried and she trained but I never believed she was the canary. Not like Sarah, who was incredible. Not sure if it was the actor or the writing but it just never worked. However, for me the MVP of season 3 was Thea. She went from annoying kid sister to amazing fighter. Sure her training over the summer with Malcolm was a bit rushed but when she swung a sword or threw a punch I could see the intent and power behind it. Better stunt double?
I never found Sara as a credible hero, she is far too flawed of a character for me. She works better as a villain, and definitely should stay dead and buried. How many times can the writers kill off and then resurrect this character. One too many times for my liking. Plus let’s not forget what damage it will do to the Arrow storyline.
Wow OMG… I have some serious trouble with people saying that thea’s fight sequences looks more natural or better… Every time I saw her fighting it looks unrealistically slow and choreographed… I cringed every time she fought… I swear people may be watching a different show sometimes… I love thea but I’m serious about her fight scenes… Laurel’s fight scenes also looked awkward at first but they started to look more authentic after her training… Especially after her training with nissa… Seriously doode are we watching the same damn show?…
I agree completely. Laurel was the one thing that kept me tuning in this season when everything else made me want to change the channel. Lets hope they can keep her upward momentum in season 4.
I also agree! Laurel’s Black Canary arc was the highlight of a lackluster season, and Katie did a really good job as usual. I just wish that her screen time wasn’t so limited in the latter part of the season, and that she wasn’t constantly left out of important Team Arrow action/scenes. But I guess the writers had to devote time to prop *cough* a certain fan favourite *cough* and her love affairs…
Laurel is the only reason I was able to make it thru the rest of the disaster that was Arrow Season 3.
Olicity was the worst thing about S3. Marc G and his writers had better fix the Olicity mess in S4 by either getting rid of Felicity altogether or putting her back as a small supporting character who is not a romantic interest for Oliver anymore, or else they will lose many fans in S4.
Agreed. How this tiny vocal minority of fans who insist the show should be “The Olicity Diaries” are getting what they want and by far the majority of viewers- and yes, they are the majority on everywhere but Tumblr- has complained about how forced and damaging the relationship is are being screwed over is saddening. Arrow is a favourite show, I’ll always watch it, yes, but that “ship” is a poison.
I think the writers were able to make people hate her less this year (second half only), but now my feelings about her are just meh. Her scenes still don’t make me excited (I forget about them) and I just don’t see her purpose to the main plot (other than Sara dying, which was just stupid). If Laurel was my friend, I’d tell her she needs a fresh start somewhere else. I want to love her character though and maybe in future seasons.
I agree. Laurel went from being a terrible character to being a tolerable one, but I think Thea’s transformation was more believable and effective. Even in the last few episodes of the season, Laurel’s fighting abilities were completely inconsistent (she needed Nyssa to save her from a street thug in one scene, and in another she’s taking on multiple League members by herself). I do agree that she was great with Cisco in the Flash crossover, though. Maybe Laurel (like Oliver and Felicity) just needs to smile more next season.
Personally for me she still is intolerable, but I will admit they made her less so this season, and I would credit that to less screen-time, not her becoming the Black Canary, which is still so unrealistic for me. Something just doesn’t fit..I’m open to her growing on me in S4, but at this point I wish she was on another show, she feels out of place. Sara should be back on Arrow and Laurel should go to Legends and have a fresh start.
ROLF
Laurel Lance aka Black Canary has never been one of my favorite characters, but in season 3 her Canary arc almost ruined the show for me. Her evolution into the second Black Canary had many holes that I couldn’t get past. First she wanted to get revenge on the person who killed Sara as a motivation to become a hero, not a very good reason to become one. Then her training as the BC only took a couple of boxing lessons, and a week and half of training with Nyssa for her to be able to beat multiply league of assassins in one go. And then during the Black Canary arc Felicity was her instant best friend, even though they had barely spoken to each other in the last 2 seasons. Also in that arc they took a lot of Diggle’s screen time and gave it to her, which I thought was unfair because we have plenty of women on the show, but only one black person. The hate you seem to have for Felicity make no sense, because the writers wrote her like a background character in season 3 to give more story line room for Laurel. And finally if you want a lot more of Laurel(the second best Black Canary), give her a spinoff of her own called Birds of Prey, sense you seem to be her biggest fans.
I agree, the journey of Laurel was the one with the best development. And I was eagerly waiting for Katie become Black Canary, I am very satisfied.
Laurel is literally the ONLY thing keeping me from quitting Arrow. Aside from her storyline, this season was atrocious, so many characters were butchered, sidelined, acting was terrible, it became a poor man’s Batman, iconic villains reduced to fan girls- it was ridiculous. I truly hope the writers stop retconning her fighting abilities when it suits them & let her be the badass we know she is. Laurel is treated like the unwanted step daughter by the writers so I know we’ll never get the real Canary Cry but I hope it’s tweaked & we see its full power. I want her costume to evolve too, starting by losing the black lipstick & getting a messier & darker blonde wig
“The real mvp of this season was laurel.” Lol no it wasn’t!
I felt that Laurel and the actress who played her was the worst one of the series. My wife and I comment on it almost every episode.
Me and my younger brother and 10 year old nephew comment in every episode
maybe you and your wife ought to comment less and pay more attention to what you’re watching. Then, you might have something more educated to say.
Yeesh can’t even state an opinion anymore without someone jumping on you to tell you that you need to be more educated. What a world….smh
Laurel’s arc was the standout highlight for me in Season 3, as well as Thea’s. I liked Ray’s but his was spoiled by Olicity, which spoiled so much of the season. It was great to see Laurel becoming who she is supposed to be, a hero with a lot of heart. The transformation from season 2 is amazing, both in terms of inner strength but also physicality. She is going to be a great partner for Oliver’s Green Arrow as the Black Canary, I just hope the Arrow writers do that part of the journey justice too.
For me Laurel Lance and the Black Canary is the only thing keeping me watching, as I lost a lot of interest for the rest during the season. However, maybe even a badass Black Canary maybe not enough to sustain me if the show continues the direction it started in Season 3 into Season 4 and beyond. Seriously they need to start showing more of Green Arrow characters, dump Olicity, and keep Felicity what she does well, which is a great support for the super heroes. Plus make villains real villains, and not support mechanisms to ridiculous plots that Ra’s al Ghul was in this season. I know I’m not the only one who thought the writing of season 3 was a shocker.
She was tolerable but Thea’s transformation was much better imho. The season as a whole was very bumpy. Hope they fix it in time for next season!!!
Could not disagree more, I gave Laurel 2 seasons to grow on me, but this season her ‘rise’ to the Black Canary (which I believe she was terribly cast for) was so unrealistic and forced. I just think they cast and wrote this character wrong from the start, and the only reason people are tolerating her this season is because her screentime was drastically reduced and her better half, Sara, is gone. I’m just not sure there is anything that can be done to revamp this character, and if the show ever gets to being more about her, I’ll probably stop watching, and I love Arrow with all my heart, but too much of her takes me out of the show.
Thea was my Season 3 MVP, she KILLED it, and I had trouble liking her too in S1, but she has just really developed beautifully into Speedy, I want more of her in S4!
If there’s one character out of Thea, Laurel and Quentin I say went from being so so to awesome it’s Thea. I was really impressed with her character growth and I loved how her getting a costume and the official name Speedy wasn’t rushed, it took us a full year to get her to this point and I am also looking forward to her story in season four along with my man Digg, Felicity and Oliver’s stories. I just hope we get more TheaDiggle partnership because I enjoyed their dynamic so much in the last few episodes.
Yes, I love Laurel and I love Katie Cassidy
I totally agree! Katie is amazing, and Laurel Lance is now my only reason to keep watching this show.
A lot of times during this season I went “What is Laurel doing, I wanna see that” Because even if I agree that the writers did a good job of hitting the landmarks, they so often sidelined Laurel when we could have used some more building up.
We actually never got to see Laurel and Nyssa training, never really got to see Laurel’s fighting progression all that much at all. And it felt truncated, and that is true of most of the season, with story-lines feeling jagged and glossed over, jumping all over the place instead of bringing them all together to the finish line.
Laurel’s story was just one of these badly service stories, but the rest of her material was well done, so at least we did get to see a progression, even when her storyline didn’t actually have a resolution in the finale -oh god, that finale-
It’s like Arrow is still struggling with its ensemble nature despise having a lead. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a great example of a show with a lead character that manages tho pay due respect to its supporting cast.
Arrow keeps struggling to not make everything about Oliver; the show has a rich cast, and at this point, we would actually get more development from him by making him just bounce of the rest of the cast.
Even worse, Arrow struggles not to make everything about Felicity.
Although I see where you are coming from, I don’t necessarily agree. You see, most of Felicity’s actions, reactions, motivation and even her own arcs, are created in service of her function as Oliver’s love interest. Everything she does, comes back to Oliver.
So yeah, she gets more screentime, and more importance to the plot; but only due to her importance to Oliver’s own arc and motivation. It’s not like the show even tries to develop Felicity as a character anymore unless -and not even so- it can somehow make it about Oliver.
I think that’s the reason why a lot of the viewers are disliking her now, she stopped being a character and became a cog on the Olicity drama machine.
You’re right, probably the right way to go is Arrow struggles not to make everything about Olicity and that’s for real, sadly Felicity was really really downplayed even if she had the most screaming time ever, Ra’s and Tatsu words…damn I still hate on those.
I have no idea how many people agree with me, but I know many will. Laurel and Roy, John and Felicity, both as two teams related to the same goals were such an incredible factor for the season. I really loved Felicity regaining her uniqueness and John becoming more of friend than just a guy with a gun. Laurel learned from the streets and her evolvement was DAMN interesting. Roy became so much more important also. BUT when Oliver came back to Starling, everything was just so messed up. Everything had to be about him and Olicity so John, Roy and Laurel got even more messed. Roy dying, not-dying, going away? For what? John becoming a super stupid muscle head guy with practically no skills against a street fighter but putting down several Assassins in seconds? Laurel putting down 2 members of the League on her own after 3 weeks of advanced training? Just NAH.
The minute Sarah died in 3×01 I knew the season would suck. Laurel Centric episodes were the hardest to watch, her arc was rushed. The actress was signed on to be BC but they wrote her so bad that they delayed her arc. S2 came and the audience automatically resonated with Sara as the canary that by the time she died we all felt a piece of the show died as well. Then we were forced to sit and watch a barely capable DA by day was now a hero by night. Arrow failed in making me want to care about Laurel Lance and her heroic journey when she appeared in the pilot and basically told Oliver that he was garbage and could never be a hero. She then went on to blame him for her sisters death and then blamed her sister for her miserable life I.e Oliver not choosing her. Sorry but Laurel Lance was never a hero in my book and will never be.
Thank you for this article! I (obviously) agree, one hundred percent :)
Laurel wasn’t one of the worst characters this season, although that’s not saying much, but she stole her sister’s identity to manipulate her sick father. It was disgusting. You point out that line of Felicity’s about Laurel’s light and ignore the fact that what was said about Sara using the mask to hide her demons was absolutely NOT TRUE and anyone who watched Sara’s arc knows this.
Wow, let me guess, you are a hardcore Sara stan from tumblr. That’s the type of person that would spew that drivel verbatim.
– “stole her sister’s identity” Alright, now we know your level of bias. We all can agree that what Laurel did was not good, you see, good character’s have flaws. Laurel’s is lying in the attempt to protect. “manipulate her sick father” as if lying to Quentin wasn’t destroying her. But seriously, you can say what she did was wrong, but using all this biased, loaded language? Yeah, you are not interested in anyone else’s opinion.
-While I agree that the dialogue itself was wonky, Felicity was right. Sara NEVER saw herself as a hero. Anyone that watched her arc WOULD have know that. Sara’s darkness always threatened to creep in -when she wanted to kill Roy, when she wanted to kill Helena- That was Sara’s burden, being haunted by the bad things she had done in order to survive, and not thinking herself able to move past that. “I am not a hero, I am the farthest thing from it” she literally replies to Laurel in 2×22. That doesn’t mean she didn’t try to do good, and that’s what made her awesome; Sara wanted to help even if she didn’t believe she could be more than assassin. It was her sister Laurel who believed in her. Sara was, IS, an awesome character because of these complexities, and I greatly dislike the “Saint Sara” reading. That’s not Sara, Sara was so much better and more than that.
-How the everlasting heavens is Laurel and Nyssa’s friendship biphobic? Dear Lord, step away from tumblr before you start talking so much nonsense, please.
This is such an uneducated comment that I won’t even bother to defend against it. I think MeatyStakes said more than enough to shut you up anyway. You might want to watch the season again and pay attention this time before opening your stupid mouth thanks ^^
I loved her story this season Also She WILL BE THE ONLY REASON I WILL BE WATCHING ARROW in season 4
And the crazy olicity fans come raging in lol
Laurel and Katie killed it this season. Every episode I tuned in for her and her alone as the episodes became more focused on the horrendous olicity ship.
Why laurel beat Thea is because we saw her fall, we saw her grow, and we saw her come out on top. Thea and her training was all in 1 episode flashback.
I look forward to laurels growth next season. The only reason I will be tunning in.
Your entitled to your opinion but I think that the majority of fans, critics and even the show’s own cast and crew would disagree. I don’t hate LL and certainly don’t hate KC I don’t even know her but I think Laurel has outlived her usefulness and it showed big time when she can be absent for a whole episode and not even being missed or noticed. If anybody would be tied up for MVP of the season it’s Felicity or Thea. But especially Felicity, I challenge you to find one critic or anyone who praised KC during that very poorly done Black Canary arc. Just one. Honestly them reviving Sara is pretty evident that LL as BC just didn’t work.
Actually if you actually read reviews and recent comments a lot have people have grown to like laurel this season.
Sara was revived and brought onto a new show. Separate from arrow. And she is not going to be the BC.
Felicity……hahahaha you mean the person people are calling the reason the finale and season sucked! Many hated the felicity and oliver aspect and is why the finale is being so bashe .
Well, again I would like to see proof. Because I’ve actually looked at all the reviews before I made that comment and I’ve only seen two TWO positive mentions of Laurel and it was more like back handed compliments than actual praise. She has her fans but let’s not pretend like you all are the majority when there’s no evidence to back that up.
Felicity? For real? Yeah, I challenge you to look into places other than Tumblr and Twitter where she’s not hated for being a Mary Sue, Thea and Laurel with a little of Roy were the MVPs, with Deadshot -being in one episode- being a more interesting character than her highness Mary Sue of all technology.
Keep on living in your delusional world hater. And btw if it was just twitter and tumblr how come Emily came home with all the awards, critics praised her and every actor who worked on the show even Summer Glau who hardly even had any real scenes with her talk about her like she’s the sun, moon and the holy ghost? I didn’t hear any of that for KC. What? I can’t here you over your bullshit.
lol angry much? why so defensive? You almost took that comment personally lmao
ohh now i know why you are angry with this article. you are a olicity fan or felicty fan. fan girls are obsessed about felicty is kind of understandable.. but a boy obsessed with her ?? hmm something wrong …. time to come out of closet ..
what award has she won Kendal ?? come on .. oscar, golden globe ? can you please tell me .. i might be out of touch from the news world. if a reporter asked summer glau , how is emily , what do you thinks she would say ? emily is bad ? its common an actor praise another actor when asked by a reporter in the public media .. its common sense. i know its mostly fan girls and some boys like you who love magazines like womensday . so most of the people who read those magazines and go to website such as E ONLINE are female fangirls and some boys like you .. and these magazine gives what you ppl wanna hear for the purposes selling more copies.. thats all in it
I said she was nominated for a lot of them. I didn’t say she won any.
Felicity? Wow…it’s usually the silly females with their Olicity crap. Felicity’s character in Season 3 was horrible. As a matter of fact, all felicity’s character did during the entire 3 season was weaken Arrow. Some would say she humanized him, but that’s just dumb. We’re here for Arrow not Oliver Queen. This is a superhero show not Dr. Phil or Oprah…
Roy and Thea were the MVP’s of the season. They were compelling and even heartbreaking at times .
Laurel was a mess fighting to “single white female” Sara instead of a call to revenge Sara’s death or a noble Save the city. Laurel’s drive to become the Black Canary seemed almost like she was stealing everything that was Sara’s. If we didn’t see Sara fall from Laurel’s vantage point, Laurel would have been a believable suspect in Sara’s death.
The Olicity/Raylicity relationships/Triangle did often paint the 3 characters on the wrong foot.
And Ra’s was horribly cast causing everybody connected to him to not have a belivable motive to fear nor support for the man. And that was a massive failure of the season. We needed an actor who could play both menacing and peace giver effortlessly.
Roy had no storyline or screentime until his finale episode so what are you talking about.
Secondly. Laurels story started off as her avenging sara but then grew to be a bit her being her own character! That’s what the canaries episode is about.
You are going by your own fanficiton not what actually occurred in the serie .
Roy had a story. He felt guilt and tried to make amends.
Laurel’s story didn’t start off by avenging Sara. It Started off by Laurel being Jealous of Sara season 2 and Sara giving her the Jacket. Laurel was an emotional mess early s3 but she did nothing that signaled she was being a hero for Sara. She was angry and frustrated. She look to training for the same reason she took to the bottle&pills. And then instead of finding her own journey and identity she took Sara’s. And Felicity’s light speach aside Canaries did nothing to dispel that. And her BC was a hit or miss as a fighter on the street depending on Thug or Assassin.
Then to top it off Larual did very little after that episode. Fight with her dad, be cute with Cisco and be with Nyssa. The Nyssa stuff was to show training and bonding over Sara but it was just more SWFing of Sara.
Once again are you going by your fan fiction or what actually occurred in the show.
In the show. Roy had 0 screentime or story. Him have 2 second scenes of talking about the dead cop does not equal story. He did nothing but flip until his final scene.
Now what are you talking about with Laurel?
Laurel witnessed the murder of Sara. She saw her baby sister fall to her death. She wanted to hit something, she wanted someone to pay. She trained to get reveange for Sara.
BUT along the way she realized she was doing this for more than Sara. She was doing this because its something she always wanted to do. To protect people. From her talk with her dad at the gravesite to her talk with Felicity. Sara fought because she had to. She wasn’t happy doing what she was doing. Laurel is. She went from wanting to avenge Sara, to trying to become Sara, to becoming her own person. Her own version of the canary aka black canary while also honoring her sister.
Like she told vertigo in canaries she’s done trying to be Sara. Aka her own canary cry gadget, and her own weapon.
Laurel isn’t a strong fighter yet because she is slowly growing to become a better fighter. That’s why her story beats Thea.
No I actually watched the show. Roy impacted all the characters and his actions left Oliver a free man . Laurel’s actions impacted Quinton (but it was lies about Sara) and Nyssa but really it was Nyssa’s story more so than Laurel’s. And just because Laurel said she stopped being Sara doesn’t make it true. Her getting her own Canary device? Lol that was Cisco and just a hand free version Of Sara’s. And it had very little impact on the season. Just set up for the future like most of her arc this season.
I can write a huge reply about Why Thea was the season’s mvp but I can tell that you’re only here for Laural. Which is fine but it filters your perspective. Than again I found Laurel much more a hero in Season 1 than her as the BC this season. This season was all about the future potential of the character.
I agree with b. You’re just justifying what you saw to match with what you want to believe. There was more airtime given to black canary’s development than ATOM’s development. Ray was just a part of that whole messy bullshit called Olicity/Raylicity. He’s not even a main character in the series. He just came in this season to try to make the Olicity mess more poignant (an epic FAIL). Thea’s development into Speedy was even more Truncated. Sure I love Thea in the show but it was basically one minute she’s Oliver’s sister and then she goes away with Merlyn and becomes Speedy. Laurel’s black canary was better developed this season.
Ray was about creating a character for a spin off. They used Felicity to prop up both Laurel and Ray. But that’s beside the point. I was talking about Roy.
Laurel has had great character development this season. As others have stated, some of us having been waiting for her to take up the mantle of Black Canary since episode 1. We have waited and we have witnessed vile internet hatred toward the character from young fan girls. I am pleased to report that my favorite part of this season was Black Canary. Laurel has been a fighter and a hero since early season 1. People tend to forget that she was working with the Arrow early in season one. Laurel had a rough patch in a few episodes of season two but otherwise has been shown to be a strong character who cares about her city and her family. She has a hero’s journey and it is so frustrating when some fans (haters) try to attack the legitimacy of her story. Fans of the comics (yes here it comes olicity fan girls) knew that Dinah Laurel Lance is a legacy character and that she adopts the mantle from her mother (in this version her sister) so it is so frustrating when the fan girls attack Laurel by saying she took everything that was Sara’s. Yes it is problematic that Sara was creating just for Laurel’s journey, but honestly we all knew that all along.
I hope we see Green Arrow and Black Canary become crime fighting partners in season 4. I don’t know where they will go love story wise, but as long as they keep a strong partnership/friendship with them then it is all good. I also can’t wait to see Thea and Laurel fight together.
Very nice article. I’ve always love Laurel and she was my favorite thing about this season.
Never will I like her. She’s too selfish. Taking everything her sister had. The fact they are bringing back Sara just shows how ridiculous Laurel’s whole arc is.
Also the people who brought Olicity fans coming in here you obviously can’t read. People don’t like Laurel because of her constant SWF of her sister. People are bringing up Sara in regards to Laurel stealing everything. It wasn’t until a lover of Laurel brought up Felicity. You people are so threatened. Oh and the finale isn’t being hated on because of Olicity. The finale is being hated on because the whole Rams storyline made no sense and it didn’t tie up anything.
lol at one article praising Laurel. Other than that there hasn’t been articles raining down for her. She’s not on the end of the season lists as being great, she’s not voted by fans at all for anything.
Laurel stole everything from her sister because the writers used her sister like that firsthand, Laurel was always supposed to be Black Canary, the writers wanted to have the legacy stuff going and they used it, Sarah wasn’t killed for Laurel though, that was a side effect they used to prop the comic book part of the fandom in a barely executed way, Sarah died for an overly complicated and senseless League plot to happen.
The people hated on the finale, both because of the lame Ra’s resolution and fight, and because of Olicity, sometimes the same thing.
She didn’t take anything from Sara, I’ve never heard such a ridiculous argument. Sara has been one who has shown selfish traits from the beginning. Liar, cheater, thief, murderer, assassin… need I go on. Sara has always been selfish, it was only when she was around her sister that she started to show the softer side to herself. Since when do guest star characters ever own anything, answer equals never. Especially when she was introduced it was explained she was telling the beginning of the Black Canary storyline, and a means to get from A to B, it seems that some fans are little ignorant to understand this.
No reason to say people are being ignorant because they disagree with you. I get that you aren’t a fan of Sara but some people are and they have that right. Some people only watch the show and not read the comics . Tv and comics don’t necessarily have the same audience. The show should be self contained.
Sara Lance of the show Arrow was given a huge chuck of what Dinah Laurel Lance had in the comics. Oliver called Thea Speedy from the get go. If Thea Dearden (Queen) can be Speedy instead of Mia Dearden, Sara Lance can become the Black Canary esque character of Arrow. A Rose by any other name smells as sweet. And Dinah Laurel Lance of the comics isn’t perfect either. She’s spoilered and a bit selfish. In fact Sara is pretty spot on characterization of the young Dinah. Lance. Especially when you take in account how much Oliver is changed from the comics.
And plenty of Characters brought in later become major characters. Sara had everthing Comic BC first on the show. Even her crush on Oliver predated Laurel’s dating of Oliver. Both Lance sisters have been shown to be selfish when it comes to Oliver and lying to their family.
It’s ignorant when the Black Canary has been teased since the pilot episode of this show, they were always going there and provided so many hints along the way. To say a lead actresses character stole something from a guest star character is simple ignorant and immature. Sure they can like Sara, but to make ridiculous claims like they did is what is the issue.
Sorry but Sara Lance is not spot on of the young Dinah, Laurel is. Why? Because Dinah was always idealistic and believed in justice, and she rebelled against her parents. That’s why we see her with bad boys like Oliver and Tommy, but even Dinah was able to see the good in people – just like Laurel. I’m afraid you want to see the personality similarities of Black Canary in Sara, and I’m afraid they just aren’t there.
Don’t bring up that stupid line Sara gave in season 2, this was in the same scene where she steals away the radio to contact Ivo. Sara couldn’t be really trusted then. Actually if you back to to season 1, Oliver talks about having Laurel in his room for a party in 2005 and the Gambit went down in 2007. Also Oliver said he loved Laurel for half of his life at age 28, so it means that he loved her since the age of 14 (8th Grade). It seems to me that Oliver and Laurel were best of friends who feel in love with one another, but took a long time to take that first step towards a romantic relationship.
Sara is just the little annoying sister who had a crush on her big sister’s boyfriend and did everything she could to take him away from her. Pre-island Sara lies, cheats and steals to get what she wanted (even during the island period too), she showed no respect to anyone – especially Quentin & Laurel. So no, Sara’s crush didn’t predate Laurel’s feelings for Oliver they were always there.
The comic DLL and Sara similarities are in flashing lights while you have to dig for the Laurel ones. The same with The show’s Oliver and Sara. Maybe you don’t want to see them because you are pro Laurel?
And things that are mentioned on the show can’t be talked about but comic destiny can? No it doesn’t work that way. You can choose to believe Sara’s lying but I can believe Sara. The show wanted to give insight into Sara’s mind on why she would choose to sleep with her sister’s boyfriend. They were adding context.
And How was Laurel heading toward the BC since season 1? I mean If you aren’t a comic reader? Other than name nothing was leaning her to the Black Canary. She’s years and years behind Oliver in training. Sure there was CNRI but the actual Canary was always connected to Sara. The bird was Sara’s. To me Laurel was more like Kate Spencer’s Manhunter. When Sara was bought back as Canary and Laurel put Kate in her place I could see how the show could go in that direction.
You have to make them up for Sara, while Laurel has been written in from the beginning. Maybe you just like Sara so much you are blinded. Explain why they would make Sara a character who won’t be around for very long stronger in Black Canary than the one who is the Black Canary. As I said Dinah Laurel Lance is the modern day Black Canary and she has all the characteristics of counterpart, and will continue to grow.
There was her name, her fight skills, the Black Canary photo and all the other artwork in her home, of course her name, saying Dinah Laurel Lance always trying to save the world, the fishnet stocking reference, her fight for justice taking on the bad guys, her love connection to Oliver Queen, her friendship with Thea Dearden Queen, her ability to forgive, her love of her father, conflict with her mother, her connection to Kate Spencer, need I go and on.
Again, you simple fail to understand both Laurel and her comic book counterpart, and the Black Canary.
I don’t fail to understand either DLL. Of course our Laural was in place to be BC. Though most of those things you mentioned were just winks at her Comic character. And the picture established the Canary belonging to Sara.
The show has already given big Dinah/BC notes to Sara. No one has to make up anything when it comes to Sara. And Even with the white added to her name even more BC moments are headed her way.
Clearly Laurel was set up to be Arrow’s version of BC. My point was that when Sara was resurected and revealed to be the Canary, the show could have been changing directions since Sara wouldn’t have been the first character with an altered name. She was more than a guest star. Her character had real interaction and character moments with the whole cast.
And imo Laurel would have been helped out without the comparison to Sara. Though I know you don’t feel that way. So this is going to keep going in circles.
And as I said earlier I hope Laurel gets her women power club-her bird’s of a prey. She needs to have something major from the comics beside name. And it will be interesting seeing the women of Arrow work together and kick some butt helping the helpless and save the city.
You just proved to me you know nothing about Black Canary or White Canary. I think you are going to be sadly disappointed when LoT returns, as Sara Lance won’t be like the one you know, and certainly nothing like the Black Canary. IMO also nothing like the White Canary either.
A guest star can have interactions with the cast, they nearly often used to start a story arc and drive plot – it doesn’t mean they are more than a guest star, as that would imply regular cast member, which she was not.
Sara was a recurring character not just a guest star. Labeling her as a guest seems just a passive aggressive way to limit her importance.
And I know the White Canary was a Vilian. So was The Flash’s Caitlin. So.? They change the characters up a bit. They Are still given Sara the Lazarus Pit and who knows what more.
The White Canary was a limited run Vilian. And so much is still unknown about her. And She was also a one Shot DC Ame-Comi Girls superheroine. She’s pretty much a different setting version of the Black Canary in that Alternate series. Both of those character’s are Asian and the show will be careful making sure that it’s known that this new White Canary is not infringing on those characters per say. She’s going to be Sara Lance-not some mysterious girl of Asian Descent.
Sara isn’t a vilian. She’s the female lead of LOT as AK called her . She is getting the White attached to her name so that she can still be Canary and not worry about people calling her Black Canary and marginalizing Laurel. Since they went a head with Laurel as Black Canary. The Black Canary is too important as a comic entity they have to be careful about that.
Amazing Article. Thank you so much. I totally agree with you. Laurel Lance is the only reason why I’m still watching Arrow after Olicity crap ruined season 3. Laurel’s arc was the best thing about season 3. We’ve witnessed the whole Black Canary evolution and it was really awesome.
Laurel arc was one of the good things of the season there’s no doubt of that, Roy with whatever little time he had was enjoyable as well, sometimes alongside Laurel and Thea had an interesting journey, Ray was a fun adition but he was used with Felicity a little too much.
That said Laurel’s arc wasn’t perfect, if she was not downplayed, extreme attention was put to her mistakes, because apparently the fandom couldn’t buy she was a good fighter, which she was, she was just not Assassin level, all it took was clumsy coreography to prove she hits but is not elegant about it, instead of she failing until 3×17. This is all the more ironic now that the Mary Sue could pilot a damn suit without the escalation the fandom demanded for Laurel to fight, even if a) she was a competent fighter -not vigilante- in previous seasons and b) she was trained by a guy who had first hand vigilante experience which should make her almost as good as Roy.
In the end Laurel is a good fighter now and if I go back to Arrow it will be because of her, Thea, Roy if he comes back from time to time and Diggle if he’s allowed to be more than the captain of the Sue ship.
Laurel still is a terrible character. Only reason I like her is because of her back story from the comics. Only good thing is that she is not aired so much making her more bearable, Her arc was god awful and only Nyssa made it her moments worthy.
The fact she made it so far was a joke and she is no hero just a pretender.
If this article would just say that Laurel was a more tolerable character I would agree. As MVP now that was a joke. Right?
Midnight City was one of the best eps of the season imo. Laurel and Roy work really well together, I love seeing Katie and Colton together.
Thea was the MVP this season. Laurel arc felt rushed and I feel like it fell short. Thea really grew from the end if season two though season three withs such little screen time they did a lot with the character.
wow how could you say Laurel’s development was rushed while Thea’s was well done? That is just totally backward. Thea practically went from Oliver’s sister to Speedy in one episode. Laurel was in development over 3 seasons while Thea was just a side note to Oliver’s dramas. Then, all of a sudden, she runs off with Merlyn and comes back and becomes Speedy? And you say Laurel’s development is rushed? Come on people…let’s make some sense please.
Thea’s Speedy has been coming since they showed her having Archery thophies in the pilot , her Dearden middle name and Oliver’s Nick name for her. Thea has trained with league trained Malcom for a year and Oliver for a little as well. And a bit with Roy last season.
In the Past year of the show’s time Thea had to deal with her Mom’s death, deal with Malcom as her father, discovering Oliver’s Arrow identity, being drugged to kill Sara For Malcom, Dealing With the Ups and downs of On&off BF Roy and having her Lover DJ Chase be League and try to kill her and then have Malcolm shoot him the Chase Kill himself. And giving her all defensively when Ra’s attacked her. And of course dying and coming back via the Lazarus Pit.
Thea had to deal with the emotions of Oliver deals with Malcom, Coming Face To Face With Her Mom’s killer, Ray being Arrested and “dying” as Arrow and the finding out Roy was alive. And of course Oliver taking to the league to save her.
Thea’s story affected every other character except for Raylicity. And WH handled the ups and downs really well.
Yes Thea had a great arc too, and she had a lot more connection in this season, but that was all primarily related to Oliver. While Laurel’s arc was her own and not related to Oliver, it was her own journey, just like Oliver’s. If there is one character’s hero arc that almost parallel’s or comes close to Oliver’s, it is Laurel’s.
So let’s see what has happened to Laurel:
– Laurel lost her sister Sara on the QG
– Laurel lost her boyfriend Oliver on the QC (discovering both cheated on her)
– Laurel lost her father to drink, not once but twice (let’s not forget him offering her a drink)
– Laurel put herself through Law, with no help from anyone.
– Laurel was abandoned by her mother Dinah
– Laurel’s dead boyfriend returns to Starling City – still no sister.
– Laurel lost the business she helped establish – CNRI
– Laurel lost her boyfriend Tommy, a man she loved (felt guilty for this death)
– Laurel nearly lost her father several times in season 2. In fact, watched him while he was ICU for an extended period.
– Laurel lost her Dad’s cop partner (friend of the family, as well as her friend Joanna’s brother)
– Laurel has been nearly tortured to death by the Dollmaker in front of her father
– Laurel was poisoned by the LoA and nearly died
– Laurel lost her law career
– Laurel lost her friends and her professional credibility was taken away from her when she was arrested
– Laurel lost the trust of Oliver
– Laurel was forced to prosecute her friend’s mother, and someone she cared for – Moira
– Laurel had a person she considered a friend plot to destroy her (Sebastian)
– Laurel’s stance on Justice has seen her targeted by several people, including Mr Blank
– Laurel has been kidnapped countless times (inc. Deathstroke, Brother Blood, Huntress, and several others in S1.)
– When things became too much, Laurel became an alcoholic and drug addict and had to face these problems head on.
– Laurel’s sister turns up alive, but her return was kept from her.
– Laurel lost Moira, someone she had grown close to when she was growing up
– Laurel’s was traumatised too much that she gave up her love for Oliver. (she’s also had witnessed him with many other women).
– Laurel witnessed the horrific death of her sister Sara, and had to bury her in a old grave
– Laurel found out through someone else about Oliver’s secret identity, she had to deal with it on her own as well as her sister’s secret identity.
– Laurel faced Oliver that she knew his identity, she stopped him from killing himself and she went to save him
– Laurel had to face everyone telling she wasn’t a hero, especially Oliver (unlike Thea who totally got a free pass on that one).
– Laurel lost her friend Oliver again (when he fell off a mountain)
– Laurel had her friend Oliver turn against her, and assumed tried to kill her (poison)
– Laurel has to had to face the person who she blames for the death of her former lover and sister – Malcolm Merlyn and forgive the girl she loves like a sister.
– Laurel lost her rock, which is her father (still unresolved)
– Laurel helped bring Team Arrow back together.
– Laurel went up against villains like Brick and the League of Assassins several times during this season. She sought out justice.
– Laurel has made important connections with the Flash team.
– Laurel has trained with Wildcat and Nyssa al Ghul.
So for me while a lot of similar stuff has happened to Thea, there hasn’t been the same emotional intensity that Laurel has to go through. Both women are made of an inner strength that is stronger than steel. Laurel and Thea are by far by favourite characters (Oliver has lost some of his shine).
I hope we get to see some great Laurel and Thea scenes in the future, as these girls are like sisters and they will rock it.
Laurel barely made any impact on the orher characters season 3. Thea’s arc impacted everyone. Laurel has been on her own journey. It’s just that this season was pretty much a set up for future development.
Laurel does have to forge her own journey if she wants to be her comic name sake. But at the same time Oliver is Arrow’s central character. And Laurel’s almost on her own small tangent show. Which also limits her connection to the other characters. They have a few highlights like her fighting with Roy in the little BC arc and her and Diggle small thug take down, her lawyery scenes with Ray&orhers, some nice Nyssa scenes and of course a few with Quinton and the light scene with Felicity. (The Cisco scene was adorable but Laurel was far happier there than normal and it was on The Flash). Those scenes didn’t really impact the season nor the other chacters (other than Quinton). Most valuable player has to gave impact. Which disqualifies Season 3 Laurel imo.
Do you think it’s belivable for team Arrow to morn Laurel like they did Sara? Sara made huge impact in a shirt time because she’s that kind of personality. Laurel is much more reserved and disconnected emotionally from other people. Not that I blame her since her family fell apart after Sara disappeared with the Gambit. Then she went to Law school and patented her dad. She deserves to be a bit self motivated emotional. But that helps with her journey being a tangent one.
And though being the Black Canary belongs to her comic namesake, when the show brought in Sara it left a bad taste concerning how Laurel would become what Sara basically already achieved. Why do that to Laurel and to Sara? Dinah was a hereditary character but she was taking her alive mother’s legacy. The show keeps giving our Laurel unpleasant ssiturations to overcome to form attachments to her Arriw’s
Personally, I didn’t like Sara at all until she connected with Laurel, as she came across who was extremely selfish even though she tried to protect her family. For me Sara never really owned up to her family for her past mistakes, even though you disappeared for 6 years you are still accountable for the impact you had on others lives.
Sara hadn’t achieved Black Canary status, she was a villain and still a villain. So wearing a costume doesn’t also make you Black Canary either, as there is so much more to Black Canary than Sara could ever be.
I don’t know about Diggle or Felicity, however I feel Laurel has been there for them than Sara ever was, so yeah I would think so. Also Laurel connected better with Roy. And both Oliver and Thea would be devastated if anything happened to Laurel, which we know it won’t.
If you compare Oliver and Laurel’s journey they are pretty similar, so I would expect a lot more hazardous situations ahead for the Black Canary.
What really irks me the most is that season 4 has already been setup to be about Sara yet again because of LoT and frankly 3 seasons is enough about her and impacting Laurel’s story arc, it’s time for things to happen. Otherwise it’s just gets boring and repetitious – seriously how many times can one character be killed off and brought back, for me once too many.
To be most improved character is no requirement to have an impact on others, it’s about personal growth. And for me Laurel is it!
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I couldn’t agree with you more! Laurel and Thea were definitely the only reason I was able to continue watching season 3, even through that whole Olicity mess. I just can’t understand all these haters who talk about how Laurel SWFed Sara’s Canary. It’s so stupid that I won’t even comment on it anymore. Maybe these people should watch it again and pay attention this time ( instead of being mesmerized by that Olicity drivel). I’m glad the writers finally did some justice to Laurel’s character after almost destroying it in season 2. I’m looking forward to the developments of Black Canary’s and Speedy’s characters in season 4. However, even with those 2 girls’ characters in play, I might have trouble tuning in if they continue the Olicity mess….
hahaha yes the laurel lance becomes black canary arc was the standout of season 3. so much so that she was featured HEAVILY in the season finale episode’s recap of the entire season. oh wait….
Cause they sadly focused on the bull crap that was Olicity.
Her story was still the best
Black Canary and Arsenal- Roy and Laurel- were my two favourite parts of Season 3 by a long shot. Thea became great and Malcolm was a thrill to watch- Matt Nable played Ra’s very well but his plots and threat just weren’t written well enough in my opinion. Ray was also great but spoiled by “Olicity,” as a lot of things were- above all Felicity’s character, who went from favourite to far worse than Laurel’s ever been in the space of a season.
Great article!
I would have said that either Roy Harper or John Diggle were the MVPs of the season. Diggle was always there for Oliver, balancing personal and vigilante life, and Roy had the best character growth of anyone not named Oliver over the past 2 seasons.
Laurel’s arc, along with Ray’s, were one of the two things that were so wrong with the season. Laurel went from 0 to 200 in a matter of a few months, presumably because her fans were impatient to see her get to her comic destiny. She never got the character development Thea or even Roy did. She works at CNRI, she works at the DA’s office prosecuting the people she used to help at CNRI, she’s barely working as a lawyer because she wants to fight. There’s no clear development to the character, no line connecting all the things she supposedly is.
They also failed at writing her as a character. One minute she’s fighting because it’s the only thing that quells the fire in her (true addict behavior as even Oliver points out); the next she’s a hero saving the city. She takes a few months of boxing lessons, quits (Ted Grant said she hadn’t been around for a long time) and a few episodes later she’s jumping out of buildings to catch a rope dangled from a helicopter.
The fingerless gloves, Katie Cassidy’s decision to Laurel’s nail polish can match her lipstick, will never not be ridiculous. The ADA is leaving her fingerprints all around town. And how long does it take for her to get into costume with all those buckles?
I wasn’t going to mention the Canaries “light” speech but you did. Social media blew up angrily at that because 1. Sara, who fought “so that women never have to suffer at the hands of men” very much had a light and 2. Felicity, who was Sara’s real friend, would never have said that if the show didn’t feel the need to have her prop Laurel the way she was propping Ray this season. Laurel has a darkness in her, she even said so in the Birds of Prey episode, and as a character she would been much more complex and developed if the show had gone with that instead of trying to whitewash her this season to make her into the Black Canary.
Laurel is one of the most selfish people on the show. Whereas Oliver,
Diggle, Roy, Sara and Ray fought to save other people from harm, Laurel fought or her own purposes. She lied to her father about Sara not to protect him but because she couldn’t “take losing another person from [her] life”.
Team Arrow has enough muscle — Oliver, Diggle, Roy and even Thea are all better fighters than Laurel is. Where she shined, and where she is most needed, is as a lawyer. That’s a role no one else on the show can do, and something the team needs badly. It’s too bad the canon of Dinah Laurel Lance is preventing the character from being who she would be best as.
Great article. I have been waiting for Laurels transformation into Black Canary for what feels like forever. While I did like Sara I am tired of hearing people say that Laurel sucks and they should only have Sara as Canary. Laurel is the Black Canary!