Arrow Every Time Oliver Queen Almost Died

Arrow: Every Time Oliver Queen Almost Died

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Across eight seasons, Arrow sees Oliver Queen often put his life on the line to save his city (or universe) — here’s a breakdown of his closest calls.

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Arrow Every Time Oliver Queen Almost Died

Oliver Queen had quite the journey across eight seasons of Arrow — here’s every time the mission to save his city was almost cut short prematurely. Created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, the character first debuted in 1941’s More Fun Comics #73. Inspired equally by Robin Hood and Edgar Wallace’s novel, The Green Archer, the character has endured over time and has been adapted several times for live-action and animation. Played by Stephen Amell, Oliver Queen achieved renewed prominence when Arrow premiered back in 2012.

Arrow would go on to spawn several spinoffs that collectively became known as the Arrowverse. The various heroes of The CW’s shared universe frequently united for crossover events. The culmination of those was an adaptation of Marv Wolfman’s seminal Crisis on Infinite Earths storyline. Such shows as Lucifer and even the DCEU itself were folded into the expanded continuity during the ambitious five-part event. Overall, the Arrowverse shared universe is an unprecedented success, bringing to fruition what countless others have failed to accomplish.

The fact that it all began with one character makes the Arrowverse all the more impressive. After years spent in a proverbial hell, Oliver Queen returned home with the goal of saving his city. Adopting a vigilante persona, Oliver’s quest began by killing off names on a list left to him by his father. As his persona evolved, so did the threats he had to face. Arrow’s vast array of villains ranged from street-level thugs and white-collar criminals to metahumans and the heads of ancient cults. Equally, his missions extended from getting dangerous drugs off the street to halting a global nuclear holocaust. Whatever the situation, however, Oliver repeatedly proved himself willing to put himself in harm’s way for the sake of others. Here are all the times he came notably close to losing his life in the process.

When The Queen’s Gambit Sank

Arrow Every Time Oliver Queen Almost Died

Though Arrow season 1, episode 1, “Pilot” picked up with him returning to then Starling City, Oliver Queen’s journey began five years earlier. Joining his father on a trip to China, Oliver was aboard the Queen’s Gambit when it sank as a result of sabotage. He ultimately survived the shipwreck — first making it to a liferaft and then Lian Yu because of Robert Queen’s sacrifice. However, it was a very close call on several fronts. It would mark Oliver’s eventual eight-season run of veering dangerously close to a premature end.

Hit With A Poisoned Bullet By Deadshot

Arrow Every Time Oliver Queen Almost Died

Arrow season 1, episode 3, “Lone Gunman” saw Oliver target James Holder, another name from his father’s list. Before he can act, however, Holder is shot with a sniper rifle by Deadshot. Though Oliver wasn’t the target, he was caught in the crossfire. He managed to stitch himself up but soon realized that the bullet had been laced with a rare poison. As the effects started to take hold, Oliver rushed to consume some antidotal herbs he had learned of and brought back from Lian Yu.

Almost Executed By Edward Fyers… Twice.

Arrow Every Time Oliver Queen Almost Died

After arriving on Lian Yu, Oliver quickly learned that the island wasn’t quite as deserted as it first seemed. Before long, he also became embroiled in the machinations of Edward Fyers. On two separate occasions, Oliver would be caught by Fyers’ personal army. Both times saw Oliver questioned or outright tortured for information. Afterward, Fyer’s commanded Oliver’s execution. Oliver’s story in the present-day meant that viewers had no reason to worry about his fate. However, these events were notably prior to Oliver receiving any kind of combat training. As such, his life was entirely out of his hands and he was only spared by fortuitous interventions. In Arrow season 1, episode 5, Damaged” he was saved by Yao Fei. Meanwhile, in Arrow season 1, episode 14, “The Odyssey” he was rescued by Slade Wilson.

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His First Battle With Malcolm Merlyn (The Dark Archer)

Arrow Every Time Oliver Queen Almost Died

Oliver’s journey as a vigilante in the present-day featured a similar trial by fire. Targetting white-collar criminals from a list his father left, Oliver anticipated crossing swords (well, arrows) with armed security and street-level thugs. However, a far more dangerous threat emerged in the form of Malcolm Merlyn. Trained by the League of Assassins, Merlyn’s Dark Archer persona caught Oliver by surprise in Arrow season 1, episode 9, “Year’s End” and completely overpowered him. As well as beating him savagely, Merlyn was able to shoot Oliver with multiple arrows. This was long before Oliver had the back-up of Team Arrow. As a result, Oliver only escaped by the proverbial skin of his teeth — and with several serious injuries that took him temporarily out of commission.

Almost Overdosed On Vertigo

Arrow Every Time Oliver Queen Almost Died

Arrow season 1, episode 12, “Vertigo” saw Oliver try to get a dangerous new drug off the streets. Part of that endeavor saw him forgo the hood and meet with its creator, Count Vertigo, as Oliver Queen. Unfortunately, his plans were derailed by the intervention of Quentin Lance and the SCPD. The Count quickly made his escape, injecting Oliver with a lethal dose of Vertigo as he did so. With the drug infamous for causing eventual heart failure, John Diggle rushed him back to the bunker. There, Diggle was able to save him with the same mixture of herbs that Oliver used to counteract Deadshot’s poisoned bullet earlier in the season.

Shot By His Mother

Arrow Every Time Oliver Queen Almost Died

By Arrow season 1, episode 14, “The Odyssey,” Oliver had come to learn of his mother’s connection to the threat plaguing the city. In his attempt to get some answers, Oliver confronted her as The Hood. Unfortunately, Moira used her motherhood and a picture of Oliver and Thea to manipulate him. Dropping his guard, Moira promptly shot him with a gun from a nearby safe. In critical condition, Oliver was forced to turn to Felicity Smoak. Revealing his identity, he had her take him to John Diggle at their base of operations. Together, Felicity and Diggle successfully performed surgery to remove the bullet and stop the bleeding. Though his heart momentarily stopped, the duo was able to stabilize him.

Poisoned By Cyrus Gold With Sebastian Blood’s Serum

Arrow Every Time Oliver Queen Almost Died

The next very close call to Oliver Queen’s life wouldn’t come until Arrow season 2, episode 9, “Three Ghosts.” The previous episode saw Oliver attacked by Cyrus Gold and injected with Sebastian Blood’s mysterious, often-fatal serum. With it already having killed countless people, Oliver succumbed further to its effects between episodes. As a result, Felicity tasked Barry Allen with finding a solution. Determining that Oliver’s blood is coagulating as a dangerously rapid rate, Barry formulated a makeshift blood thinner using rat poison. Oliver would go on to hallucinate the three titular ghosts as part of the serum’s side effects. Fortunately, he bounced back from the more potentially lethal ones.

When The Amazo Was Destroyed

Arrow Every Time Oliver Queen Almost Died

Arrow season 2, episode 23, “Unthinkable” saw Oliver battle Slade Wilson (a.k.a. Deathstroke) both in present-day and in flashbacks. In the latter, the pair clashed aboard Anthony Ivo’s ship, the Amazo, which had been damaged by a submarine torpedo. After Slade was pinned down, Oliver opted to try and kill him with an arrow to the eye. Straight after, Oliver was caught in a secondary explosion. Sinking beneath the water, he seemed to accept his fate of going down with the ship. He would ultimately wake up in Hong Kong, having been miraculously saved by Amanda Waller and her forces at A.R.G.U.S.

Defeated In A Duel By Ra’s Al Ghul

Arrow Every Time Oliver Queen Almost Died

Arrow season 3, episode 9, “The Climb” included one of Oliver Queen’s most memorable near-death experiences. Manipulated by Malcolm Merlyn, Oliver is forced to challenge Ra’s al Ghul to a duel in order to protect Thea. Meeting at the top of a mountain, Oliver is soundly defeated in the ensuing swordfight. After reciting a prayer, the League of Assassins’ leader stabbed Oliver brutally through the chest and kicked him over the edge. It would be over a month before fans learned what happened next — with Oliver’s body rescued by Maseo and nursed back to health by Tatsu Yamashiro (a.k.a. Katana).

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Stung By Brie Larvan’s Self-Replicating Robot Bees

Arrow Every Time Oliver Queen Almost Died

Typically a villain on The Flash, Brie Larvan swapped cities for Arrow season 4, episode 19, “Beacon of Hope.” Diagnosed with cancer and facing a future paralyzed from the waist down, Larvan aggressively sought the chip that enabled Felicity Smoak to walk. Fighting to protect her, Oliver was stung by one of her robotic bees. Curtis Holt soon discovered, however, that the sting had actually implanted a bee inside his body. Furthermore, that bee was rapidly self-replicating and would soon kill him from within. Team Arrow ultimately used Laurel Lance’s canary cry device to destroy them.

Trapped Underground By Adrian Chase (a.k.a. Prometheus)

Arrow Every Time Oliver Queen Almost Died

In Arrow season 5, episode 20, “Underneath,” Adrian Chase, the villain Prometheus, set off an EMP device and trapped Oliver and Felicity inside Team Arrow’s underground headquarters. With all the equipment shutdown, oxygen was limited. Further compounding the situation was the fact that methane gas was being leaked into the facility. Though a back-up generator was on a timer to activate, it was primed to ignite the gas and cause a catastrophic explosion. After he is injured trying to form an escape route, Oliver hovered dangerously between life and death as time and oxygen continued to run out. In the end, both are successfully lifted to safety via an access shaft opened by Diggle.

During A Battle With Ricardo Diaz

Arrow Every Time Oliver Queen Almost Died

Ricardo Diaz had an extended run on the show, antagonizing Oliver Queen across two seasons. Along the way, the pair had their fair share of fights. In Arrow season 6, episode 22, “The Ties That Bind,” Diaz came dangerously close to finishing off Oliver for good. Having attacked their new bunker, Diaz ambushed Oliver and Felicity away from the rest of the team. Besting Oliver in combat, Diaz was finally ready to kill Oliver. Mere moments away from doing just that, Oliver only escaped by triggering an explosion around them. The risky decision only added to Oliver’s latest near-death experience, with he and Felicity only managing to escape the building with seconds to spare.

Trapped In A Collapsing Building By Emiko Adachi

Arrow Every Time Oliver Queen Almost Died

Confronting his half-sister, Emiko, in the previous episode, Oliver learned some startling truths. Before he could stop her, however, she trigged an explosion that brought down a building on Team Arrow. Though they each manage to get free, Oliver remained trapped beneath the rubble one floor down during Arrow season 7, episode 21, “Living Proof.” Over the course of the episode, Oliver started to succumb to his injuries and his weakened mental state. As a result, he started hallucinating such people as the once deceased Tommy Merlyn. After Roy Harper made an almost sacrificial move of his own, Oliver was ultimately saved by his allies.

Almost Caught In An Anti-Matter Wave On Earth-2

In Arrow season 8, episode 1, “Starling City,” The Monitor sent Oliver to Earth-2 in order to acquire some Dwarf Star particles ahead of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Though he was commanded not to interfere, Oliver stepped in to stop Tommy Merlyn’s doppelgänger from leveling parts of the city. In the process, he once again teamed up with John Diggle and Earth-2’s Laurel Lance. After successfully accomplishing both goals, Earth-2 was hit by an anti-matter wave. As well as wiping out the world, Oliver had to watch as alternate versions of his loved ones were wiped from existence. Opening a portal back to Earth-1, Oliver made it through just in time and narrowly avoided being erased himself.

As fans will know, after all the near-misses, Oliver officially sacrificed himself multiple times during Crisis on Infinite Earths. He first gave his life battling the Anti-Monitor’s shadow demons, so that the residents of Earth-38 could escape to Earth-1. After being resurrected via a Lazarus Pit, his soul chose to not return to his body. His body was subsequently erased from existence alongside the rest of the multiverse. Meanwhile, Oliver took his mantra about “becoming something else” to a new level and became The Spectre. It was in this form that Oliver sacrificed himself a final time to defeat the Anti-Monitor and give life to Earth-Prime. It could therefore be argued that each of Oliver’s near-death experiences on Arrow was preparation for his eventual destiny.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/arrow-oliver-queen-almost-died-times/

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