[SPOILERS for Arrow season three ahead.]

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With San Diego Comic-Con 2015 well underway (at the time of writing this), there's going to be a huge wave of exciting TV, movie, video game, and comic book news. DC appears to be really going all-out this year, teasing a huge event for its upcoming movies and also giving fans more information about its numerous shows.  The cast and minds behind the CW's Arrow are of course at the crowded event and they have a lot to discuss as the shows fourth season approaches.

Arrow season three was full of darkness and tragedy, but the series managed to end on a surprisingly optimistic note. With the bad guy, Ra's al Ghul, presumably dead and Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoake finally together, the future has never looked brighter for these characters. However, all good things must come to an end and Season 4's villain - a man who is sure to give the heroes plenty of trouble - has now been cast.

According to TVLine, actor Neal McDonough (JustifiedSuits) has landed the role of Damien Darhk, the leader of the villainous organization H.I.V.E. Damien was once a member of the League of Assassins and then became Ra's al Ghul's enemy. The character was discussed in Arrow season three but was never seen by viewers, managing to elude his enemies before they could find him. Arrow's producers say Damien's a clever foe and he will be one of the biggest threats yet:

“A mysterious and sophisticated villain, and an adversary of the late Ra’s Al Ghul. Now the leader of his own clandestine group, this cunning foe will prove to be one of the Arrow’s greatest challenges.”

Damien Darhk Arrow

Arrow's executive producer, Marc Guggenheim, has said the upcoming season of Arrow will have a lighter tone, but with the leader of H.I.V.E. stepping into the spotlight and Malcolm Merlyn taking over the League of Assassins, it's just a matter of time before things once again get dangerous for Team Arrow. With Ra's al Ghul now out of the picture, it makes us wonder what the dynamic between Darhk and Merlyn will be like. Will they form an alliance and give team Arrow even more trouble, or will they continue the conflict between the League of Assassins and H.I.V.E., and Team Arrow will be stuck in the middle?

Fun fact: this isn't McDonough's first time being a part of the DC universe. He played Green Arrow in the excellent animated short DC Showcase: Green Arrow, was the voice of Floyd Lawton, a.k.a. Deadshot, in the fun animated movie Batman: Assault on Arkham, and he provided a few voices for the fighting video game Injustice: Gods Among Us. Of course, on the Marvel side, he's known for playing Dum Dum Dugan (most recently, on the small screen with Agent Carter season one).

Arrow will return to The CW on Wednesday, October 7th, 2015 at 8/7c.

Source: The CW