The Arrowverse doesn't always get the respect it deserves but there's hardly a better example of quantity and consistency in the live-action superhero world.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the top dog in the genre. However, when it comes to introducing a variety of compelling, diverse and interesting characters (that are both heroes and civilians) the Arrowverse has the MCU beat.
Television, particularly good TV, is built around solid characters and that’s something the Arrowverse has done extraordinarily well ... for the most part.
As many success stories there have been in the Arrowverse, when it comes to creating new character or adapting existing ones, there are few exceptions.
Sometimes a character has so much potential and interest in the Arrowverse but the show, for one reason or another, has dropped them. Without warning, important characters have been completely abandoned in the Arrowverse and there’s not a bit of closure to their stories.
The exact opposite has also been, sadly, true where characters have gone far past the natural end to their story. Not every character, even if their actor is a series regular needs to keep returning each and every episode or season.
Whether they never worked or just stopped working, they’re a few Arrowverse characters who would be best off being abandoned, like some of their much more successful brethren.
So here are the 10 Abandoned Arrowverse Characters Who Could Return (And 8 Who Need to Go).
Abandoned: Cat Grant
In a lot of ways Supergirl’s hands are tied when it comes to Cat Grant. Kara Danvers’ first real mentor is not only the President’s press secretary, actress Calista Flockhart didn’t want to be on the show anymore.
Flockhart was interested in being a series regular on Supergirl, during season 1, when the show as on CBS and filmed in LA. Yet Flockhart didn’t want to relocate to Vancouver for season 2 and she can't be held at fault for that.
Still, Supergirl has lost a little something without Cat Grant.
The scenes at CatCo have become less and less frequent and that’s really because acerbic, charismatic Cat isn’t there to ground them.
It’s even more disappointing that Cat’s last appearance, at the end of season 2, didn’t feel like a goodbye to her character. It was just a fun guest spot that has no sense of a continuation incoming.
Need to Go: Ray Palmer
The crew on Legends of Tomorrow is a constantly evolving thing, with faces being added and removed rather freely. Currently only three of the original cast are still on the ship. Yet one of that trio should be removed, Ray Palmer.
The Arrowverse has never known what to do with Ray’s character or Brandon Routh’s performance. Ray’s likable enough and Routh can show off some comedic chops.
The character, however, is completely useless. On Legends of Tomorrow especially, Ray causes more problems than he fixes and he acts virtually identical to the much more useful Nate Heywood.
Ray might be Legends’ resident science geek. However, with super advanced AI Gideon on board, whose able to anything, even that skill is rather redundant.
Abandoned: Huntress
Arrow’s iteration of the famous heroine, or anti-heroine, Huntress wasn’t the best or most faithful version. This Helena Bertinelli seemed more deranged than driven by revenge.
However, the character was still rather important and dropped unceremoniously in season 2.
After the episode “Birds of Prey” Huntress was imprisoned and never to be heard from again. (She did pop up in Arrow season 2.5’s comics but has been abandoned on the show.)
Given how much Arrow deals with redemption and evolution, Huntress would be the perfect character to return at some point. Helena could be another example of someone who turned their life around (or didn’t) depending on which avenue Arrow wants to take.
The point is that a weeping, lost Helena from behind bars shouldn’t be the last shot of the character on Arrow.
Abandoned: Sin
The reason for Sin disappearing from Arrow after season 3 has a lot to do with the actress getting several new jobs.
Bex Taylor-Klaus moved from the background on Arrow to the lead of Scream and the chances for the show to use her evaporated. However, Taylor-Klaus’ stint on Scream is now over and the Arrowverse could still use Sin, especially on Legends of Tomorrow.
Sin was introduced as Sara’s adoptive little sister. It’s because of Sin that Quentin Lance found out his youngest daughter was dead (again) and Sin mourned privately. Yet despite Sara’s resurrection, there’s been no hint of a reunion between Sin and herself.
This isn’t even to mention that Sin was close friend of both Roy and Thea, yet Arrow’s been equally quiet about what Sin knows of both.
Hopefully someone dropped Sin a line but fans will never know unless she reappears.
Need to Go: Mon-El
There’s few characters in Supergirl, and the Arrowverse at large, that are more publicly hated than Mon-El.
A large section of the fandom hasn’t fallen in love with Kara’s first on-screen love despite the show’s best attempts to make it work.
While some of the hate for Mon-El was (and continues to be) overblown, there’s sense denying the character serves very little purpose.
Any romantic heat that existed between Mon-El and Kara has fizzled to non-existence in season 3.
Mon-El is a completely different person after returning from the future and he has a loving wife to boot. The story of Mon-El ended in season 2 but it’s been given a weird and unnecessary epilogue.
The cast of Supergirl is huge and the series is already trying to serve way too many masters. The last thing that’s needed is to continue with a dead-end character.
Abandoned: Linda Park
For comic fans it was weird enough when The Flash introduced Wally West’s future wife, Linda Park, and had her date Barry Allen. Yet things got even stranger when the show introduced Wally and subsequently abandoned Linda altogether.
The last that Linda was seen was during The Flash season 2 when actress Malese Jow pulled double duty as Linda and her Earth-2 counterpart, Doctor Light.
Even though it was a huge episode for Linda and she found out Barry was The Flash, the character has disappeared since that point. So has her place of employment, which she shared with Iris, Central City Picture News.
With Wally having recently broke up with Jesse Quick, it would be the perfect time for him to meet Linda and start a new romance. Even if Wally is now a member of the Legends of Tomorrow, there’s worse things than a time-traveling love story.
Need to Go: Mr. Terrific
None of Arrow’s "recruits" have gone over well with most fans. The Arrow audience isn’t wild about Dinah Drake and Rene Martinez, especially since they’ve splintered off from the main squad in season 6.
However, at least Dinah and Rene have some unique personality and purpose.
Dinah is one of the better of Arrow’s many interpretations of Black Canary. Little excuse can be made for New Team Arrow’s “leader,” Curtis Holt AKA Mr. Terrific.
Curtis has been with Arrow since season 4 but he’s yet to receive a personality that’s not just male Felicity Smoak. Curtis bumbles over his words, spouts off nerdy references and is overall just a social weirdo until the plot demands he does something like a super genius.
Actor Echo Kellum is trying his best but there’s no character to really work with and Arrow would be best quietly retiring their Mr. T.
Abandoned: Katana
It’s no secret that after season 2 Arrow struggled with their flashback device. However, the one thing that made season 3’s flashbacks slightly compelling was the introduction of Rila Fukushima as Tatsu Yamashiro, otherwise known as Katana.
Throughout Arrow season 4, the show put Tatsu through the ringer having him lose all her family, including her young son. The result was a rather interesting and compelling character that wasn’t quite like the Katana from the comics. She still was, however, engaging.
Yet after season 3 Katana was pretty much dumped. She appeared once in season 4 has the guardian of the Lotus (a magical MacGuffin that healed Thea Queen).
Since that moment though, she’s disappeared. There’s no good reason for it either. Whether it’s on Arrow or not, someone, somewhere could use Katana’s help and presence.
Need to Go: Damien Darhk
Neal McDonough’s performance as Damien Darhk is the definition of camp. McDonough is having the time of his life playing the dastardly Damien. The truth is that there can be too much of a good (or in this case bad) thing.
For the past three seasons, Darhk has been the main villain on three Arrowverse shows. He started with Arrow season 4 and has since moved on to Legends of Tomorrow.
It’s a classic case of “How can I miss you, if you won’t go away?”
As fun as McDonough is as Darhk it’s simply been too much, the character’s been overloaded and burned out.
It doesn’t help that there’s been very little development for Darhk, outside Arrow season 4. He's show no growth or even much dept.
Darhk should’ve returned after being killed off in Arrow season 4 but it should’ve been paced out not dumped altogether.
Abandoned: Harley Quinn
It’s true that Harley Quinn was never named on Arrow. Harley’s role on Arrow consisted of hearing her highly familiar voice and seeing her from the back. (Although in a deleted scene she did flirt with Diggle from behind bars and called him, “Chocolate Puddin’.”)
Harley wasn’t just meant to be a fun cameo, though. Arrow had plans to introduce her as a fully-fledged character.
Yet, with the DCEU’s plans to have their own Harley and Suicide Squad, Arrow had to drop both. Harley was abandoned inside her cell and a knock-off character, Cupid, was introduced instead.
It’s a mystery if Arrow would’ve been able to pull Harley off successfully. The show should still get the chance. If there can be two Flashes, played by Grant Gustin and Ezra Miller. There can be two Harley Quinn’s played by Margot Robbie and whoever The CW casts.
Need to Go: James Olsen
Supergirl made a lot of changes to Superman’s best friend, Jimmy Olsen. None of them were inherently bad. In fact, it’s a very interesting idea to make Jimmy a person of color, especially since Superman’s world tends to be so very white.
Outside of the creativity of taking Jimmy from a redhead to an African-American and changing his name from Jimmy to James, Supergirl has done nothing else with the character.
Since Supergirl season 1, James has been a useless but hunky appendage. He’s been thrown into romances, made into his own hero and even been inexplicably promoted to Cat Grant’s job. None of it has worked.
James isn’t unlikable so much as he’s very, very boring.
Any time spent on James, which isn’t a lot, feels like time wasted that could be spent on more dynamic characters.
Abandoned: Golden Glider
The Snart Family started off strong on The Flash but eventually both Lisa and Leonard faded from view. Yet while Captain Cold disappeared to join Legends of Tomorrow, Lisa was pretty much abandoned.
Lisa’s last appearance was in The Flash episode, “Family of Rogues” where the team helped her face her abusive father, Lewis. While Lisa’s life was saved, she’s never been seen again. Despite the fact, it was made clear that Lisa had feelings for Cisco.
The reason for Lisa’s disappearance is rather simple. Actress Peyton List is a very busy woman. She is, in fact, currently playing another DC baddie, Poison Ivy on Gotham.
Throughout her handful of appearances though, Lisa was just as much a hammy delight as her brother. The Flash should find a way to bring her back, even if it’s for a proper goodbye episode.
Need to Go: Harry Wells
Tom Cavanagh has played many different versions of Harrison Wells on The Flash, thanks to the show embracing the multiverse. Harry, the Earth-2 version, is one of the best.
At the very least he’s a lot better than his temporary replacement, H.R. Wells, in season 3. However, the longer Harry has been on The Flash the less he’s seemed necessary.
Harry played a huge role in helping Team Flash transition after they discovered the betrayal of the first Harrison Wells (who was really Eobard Thawne). Harry’s prickly demeanor hiding a heart of gold was the perfect way to help the team, especially Cisco, mature.
Now that Team Flash is much more of a functioning unit, Harry is tertiary.
There’s nothing that Harry can do that Cisco, Barry and Caitlin can’t manage. Harry’s still likable but he’s a waste of Tom Cavanagh’s many talents.
Abandoned: Captain Cold
It might seem strange to call Cold abandoned. Since his introduction in The Flash season 1, Wentworth Miller has appeared multiple times in every season of the Arrowverse.
However, scant few of those appearances have been as the real Captain Cold.
Since his heroic death at the end of Legends of Tomorrow season 1, Cold has shown up as alternate versions of himself, holograms, hallucinations and very different versions from the past. None of them have been the real Cold.
While it’s nice that the Arrowverse has shown restraint and allowed Cold’s heroic death to have meaning, it’s also been disappointing. None of the characters that Miller have played since Legends of Tomorrow season 1 have been as interesting and fun to watch as the first Captain Cold.
Wentworth Miller has announced he’s done with the Arrowverse but it’d be a welcome return for him to come back as the original Captain Cold, with all his experiences and memories.
Need to Go: Rip Hunter
The trajectory of Rip Hunter in the Arrowverse has been rather fascinating. Rip was the de facto main character in Legends of Tomorrow season 1, being the face of his series like Oliver Queen, Barry Allen and Kara Danvers.
Yet from season 2 onwards, Rip has diminished more and more in his appearances.
A lot of that has to do with actor Arthur Darvill having a thriving career on television in the UK. The result though is that Rip has been made unnecessary. Since season 2, Rip’s character has been defined by the uselessness but Legends of Tomorrow keeps stringing him along.
The show really should cut ties and move along. Instead Rip is just being strung along and turned him into a sad parody of himself.
Abandoned: Connor Hawke
Against all odds, Arrow has taken an Easter Egg in season 2 and turned into a compelling story by having Oliver father a secret son and be forced to raise him. Yet, unlike the comics, that son is not Connor Hawke.
Interestingly, the Arrrowverse still found a way to introduce Connor Hawke, in Legends of Tomorrow, as the son of John Diggle. While convoluted and weird, this version of Connor was fantastic … and completely ignored after his first and only episode.
The Arrowverse would have to bend over backwards to bring Connor back . He did come from an alternate future that may or may not come to exist.
Connor’s still a character begging to come back in some form. It would even be worth settling on Arrow spending time on him as child, John Diggle Jr., because that show rarely even remembers that Dig is a father.
Need to Go: Reverse Flash
The Reverse Flash is without a doubt one of the Arrowverse’s best villains. The Flash’s debut season was fantastic for many reasons but a lot of them do revolve around Eobard Thawne beingthe main villain.
Like fellow member of the Legion of Doom Damien Darjk, Reverse Flash has been used a little too much.
None of his Eobard Thawne’s appearances after The Flash season 1 have sullied that arc but they have muddied the waters.
The fact is that Eobard should be erased from the timeline following the sacrifice of Eddie Thawne. Yet through incomprehensible science-fiction reason, Reverse Flash now exists outside of time … maybe.Every appearance by Reverse Flash is another reminder that the lore behind him makes absolutely no sense.
The Arrowverse would just be better off finding a new archenemy for Barry Allen, one without so much baggage.
Abandoned: Deathstroke
After a years long absence, Slade Wilson returned to the Arrowverse in Arrow season 6. The two-part Deathstroke story at the beginning of Arrow season 6 seemed to launch a brand-new story for the character.
Evidently though it’ll be one without an ending. Arrow’s co-showrunner Marc Guggenheim has stated publicly that Deathstroke is “off-limits” for Arrow due to the character’s involvement in the DCEU.
This is both ridiculous and disappointing. There would be no real confusion in there being two different versions of Deathstroke and Arrow deserves a chance to further explore one of its best character. Slade Wilson has had an amazing arc, second only to Oliver himself.
It’s frustrating that fans only seem to be getting Slade's story in starts and stops when DC allows Deathstroke to appear. There’s so much more to tell with Deathstroke.
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So which abandoned Arrowverse characters do you want to see return? Which would you rather never see again? Sound off in the comments!