The Arrowverse has been a massive hit for the CW. Who would have thought that when “Gossip Girl with bows and arrows” began airing in 2012, it would expand into an empire? In addition to the OG, Arrow, the massive multi-verse of shows has grown to include the likes of Flash, Supergirl, and Legends of Tomorrow.
As of this writing, between the four main shows, 309 total episodes within the Arrowverse have aired on TV. That’s not even including the web series Vixen and Freedom Fighters, the upcoming digital show, Constantine, as well as Black Lightning, which also airs on CW but has yet to establish a connection.
Since episodes have to be 43 minutes long, it’s no surprise that scenes are left on the cutting room floor. Most of these are taken out because they simply don’t do anything to advance the story or enhance character development. At the end of the day, they are just a waste of time.
Others have left us scratching our heads wondering why on Earth-2 did they remove these gems. Some of these enrich plot points while others give cathartic endings to plots that abruptly ended.
The bulk of these can be found as DVD extras. Thankfully, since not many folks are buying physical media, they have made their way onto the internet. That’s exactly where we tracked them down.
With that said, here are the 15 Arrowverse Deleted Scenes That Should Never Have Been Cut.
Harley Wants To Play (Arrow)
When word got out that the Suicide Squad was going to appear on Arrow, fans rejoiced. What they got was a much more truncated version. Instead of being comprised of stalwart members like Captain Boomerang, Rick Flag, Plastique, and of course, Harley Quinn, the writers stuck to characters that the show had already used.
This incarnation was led by Amanda Waller and featured John Diggle and Lyla Michaels. They were joined by locked-up baddies Deadshot, Bronze Tiger, and Shrapnel. The episode does feature an extremely brief Harley Quinn cameo, where she offers Diggle and Michaels her therapeutic expertise.
A deleted scene from a few episodes later goes one step further. When Diggle is breaking his former teammates out of jail, he approaches a familiar prisoner who just wants to play. Diggle, or “Chocolate Puddin’,” as he’s called, smartly keeps the Joker’s main squeeze locked up.
HR Gives Wally A Pep Talk (Flash)
One of the most underrated duos in all of the Arrowverse is HR and Wally West. Both men are not only new additions but lack the genius level intellect that most of Team Flash shares. This often leaves the two on the outs when it comes to the meta-busting business. Luckily, they have each other.
As this deleted scene from the season 3 musical episode, “Duet” shows, HR is always there to give young Wally a pep talk. The usually goofy HR puts humor to the side to pick up Wally, who is blaming himself for Barry getting “whammied.”
HR tells Wally to face his fear one on one and run headfirst towards it. Although we, unfortunately, don’t get this heart to heart to heart via song, it’s still a great little scene.
Jax And Stargirl Say Goodbye (Legends Of Tomorrow)
During a successful team-up between the Legends of Tomorrow and the Justice Society of America, that involved some All-American Nazi-bashing, we get some interactions between the youngsters of both teams, Jefferson Jackson and Courtney. Apparently, this was supposed to turn into something more between one-half of Firestorm and Stargirl.
In a deleted scene from the episode “The Justice Society of America”, we see a touching goodbye between the two. Courtney tracks down Jax, who is bad at goodbyes and bids him “auf wiedersehen,” with a kiss on the cheek.
Sadly, since the death of his older, wiser half, Martin Stein, at the hands of Earth-X Nazis, Jax is currently unable to transform into Firestorm. This has led to him also leaving the Legends. That being said since Legends of Tomorrow is a show about time travel, a reunion with Stargirl is not out of the realm of possibility.
Laurel Doesn’t Handle Paternity Suits (Arrow)
This deleted scene, from season one's episode three of Arrow is particularly interesting. First of all, it helps establish just how badly Oliver wants to reconnect with Laurel early on and how she has always been somebody he trusted.
Also, had this scene stayed in the episode, it would have foreshadowed something that wasn’t mentioned until midway through season two. In a throwaway line at the top of the scene, Laurel says to Oliver, “I’m sorry. I don’t handle paternity suits.”
The line is seen in an entirely new light when it is revealed that Oliver does indeed have a son. After a season two flashback showed that Oliver got a woman pregnant, the child would have a prominent role in seasons four, five, and six.
This could be taken as a subtle jab at Oli for his promiscuous ways, as there is no way Laurel knew anything about William.
Kara and Alex Flashback (Supergirl)
Supergirl’s resident sisters, Kara and Alex's relationship was quite a troubled one, especially during their youth. Alex, a brilliant mind in her own right, was always jealous that she didn't possess her adopted sister's amazing powers.
She would also come to blame Kara for the apparent death of their father who seeming died while protecting a Martian.
The scene we have here was left on the cutting room floor when the season one episode “Manhunter” was finished. In a great example of their early dynamics, we watch a flashback unfold from back in Alex’s time in college.
Despite excelling in school and getting a plethora of degrees, Alex’s inferiority complex is in full effect. She also laments that she is tired of having to take care of a sister who can lift a car over her head and see through walls.
Diggle’s Absence Explained (Arrow)
One of the biggest questions stemming from Arrow episode, “Suicide Squad” is: did Oliver know Diggle was off playing hero without him? Even more so, did he know that his bodyguard was teaming up with villains that the two of them helped imprison? It’s a pretty big omission, especially considering how open the duo tends to be with each other.
That’s where the wonderful world of deleted scenes come in. Right after Amanda Waller proposes Diggle with the mission, he immediately tells Oliver what is going on.
Diggle even explains that he is being provided with a team. Both his and Oliver’s line delivery shows that they are both aware of what kind of villainous assistance he’ll be receiving, with Oli giving his blessing.
Barry Blames Himself (Flash)
All of the shows within the Arrowverse rely on the ensemble cast in order to strengthen their main hero. Flash is no different. That’s why this season two deleted scene is able to be so impactful.
The scene paints an interesting picture. With the super-powered Barry having incredible abilities, he is now the one looking out for Joe, the man that took him in when his father was imprisoned.
Also, in a “with great power, comes great responsibility” moment, Barry admits that he believes that he is the reason for the hardships of everyone near to him. He blames himself for the deaths of Ronnie Raymond and Eddie Thawne and posits that he is better off on his own.
Prometheus’ True Self (Arrow)
Prometheus was a great addition to the fifth season of Arrow. District attorney Adrian Chase’s villainous persona was the perfect dark analog to Mayor Oliver Queen’s vigilante.
Much like Queen, Chase’s main goal in life was to avenge the death of his father. What ties it all together is the fact that Chase’s father, Justin Claybourne was killed by none other than Oliver.
In this deleted scene, Prometheus describes his journey to a captive Susan Williams. He tells Williams that Prometheus is now, “his true self, his best self.” Where Oliver has had to force himself to rein in his murderous tendencies, Chase has grown to embrace his. It’s a haunting scene that adds depth to the season’s big bad.
Killer Frost Tries To Recruit Cisco (Flash)
Caitlin Snow and Cisco Ramon have been through a lot together during Flash’s run (pun intended). The two were a part of S.T.A.R. Labs way before the explosion that not only granted Barry Allen his powers but also created the meta menace that has been ravaging Central City ever since.
Cisco was also there for Caitlin both times the love of her life, Ronnie Raymond, has been pronounced dead.
It would make sense that when Snow embraced her Killer Frost alter ego, she would want Cisco by her side. This was prevalent in a deleted scene from the season three finale.
In it, Frost tells Cisco that if he joins the dark side, he can become a god and that it’s, “so much more fun to be bad.” Cisco counteroffers that he can fix her and bring her back to normal. This is a proposition that she rebuffs.
Quentin And Dinah End On A Happier Note (Arrow)
After the apparent death of their daughter, Sara, Quentin and Dinah Lance went through a tumultuous breakout. Quentin’s alcoholism drove Dinah to leave her husband.
When word got out that Sara had returned to Starling City, Dinah did as well. Aside from your run-of-the-mill kidnapping by assassins, the family seemed as good as new.
Things take a rocky turn when it is revealed that Dinah is currently in a relationship with a man in Central City. This leaves Quentin, who thought he had a chance of getting his family back together, heartbroken.
That’s pretty much where the episode leaves it. Luckily, there’s a deleted scene or those of you who don’t enjoy the dour way things were left. In this version, we get to see Dinah tell her ex that she is leaving but will always be there for him and their children.
Caitlin And Jay’s “Date” (Flash)
Had this scene aired within the episode that it was meant to, it would have been a cute back and forth. It begins with Caitlin Snow and Jay Garrick awkwardly meeting over coffee. When Jay throws out the word “date” which takes Caitlin by surprise. She then goes on to tell him that she needs his help with the Earth-2 Harrison Wells who just arrived on their planet. The couple would eventually go on to become romantically linked. That is until Jay was revealed to be the evil Hunter Zolomon, The Black Flash.
Knowing what we know now, this scene plays a lot scarier than it would have. It shows Jay trying to gain the trust of those near and dear to the Flash, so he can destroy them from the inside.
Silver Banshee And Livewire Hatch Their Scheme (Supergirl)
Sometimes, it’s just fun to watch some good old-fashioned villains be bad. That’s exactly what we would have gotten in this brief unearthed exchange between Silver Banshee and Livewire.
The deleted scene gives us the moment where Silver Banshee abandons her plans to remove her curse. Realizing that her powers make her feel good, she embraces her wicked ways-- much to Livewire's joy.
We also get to see the villainous vixens (not to be confused with the Arrowverse’s heroic Vixen) begin to concoct their plan to destroy Supergirl. Opting to lure her out not with a “lost kitten up a tree,” but with a cat-- a Cat Grant.
In a universe that mostly gives us the perspective of the heroes, it would have been interesting to see the other side of the coin.
The Legends Get Medieval (Legends Of Tomorrow)
We say this with love but, Ray Palmer is a dork. He is a dork for science and, apparently, a dork for Arthurian legends. We learn this via the season two episode “Camelot 3000” and even more so from its deleted scene.
So much is said in the 90-second exchange between Palmer and Nate Heywood. We would have learned that, despite it being the team’s goal, Atom isn’t all that interested in returning the timeline to normal.
This is because, through the Legend’s help, Palmer is viewed as a hero in this time, who not only gets knighted but is also immortalized in a book.
The fun interaction gets to the core of the importance being acknowledged or the importance of the mission.
Barry & Iris’ Interrupted Honeymoon (Flash)
In what is without a doubt the lightest deleted scene on this list, we have a clip from a very recent episode of Flash. While Iris and Barry are trying to enjoy a much-needed reprieve from Nazi Doppëlgangers on their honeymoon, Elongated Man throws a bit of a wrench on their plans.
While trying to enjoy some R & R of his own, the newest member of Team Flash accidentally sets off a Level 11 alarm. This causes Iris and Barry, who are very much enjoying the Hawaiian lifestyle, to literally run back to S.T.A.R. Labs.
An obviously perturbed Iris gives Ralph Dibny an earful for the mishap. Poor Ralph, all he wanted to do was binge the latest season of Stranger Things.
Oliver “Saves” His Mother (Arrow)
Here, we have a real heartbreaker. Moira Queen's death at the hands of Slade Wilson in season two played up one of Arrow's central themes: family. It also allowed his mother, who was revealed to have played a part in the Undertaking to die a hero and sacrifice herself so that Thea could live.
A deleted scene from the season two finale replays what had actually happened right up to Moira’s stabbing. This time, Oliver was able to free himself and shoots Wilson with his own gun, ending his reign of terror.
Of course, this was all in Oliver’s head, showing just how guilt-ridden he is about his mother’s death and that he is hell-bent on revenge.
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Can you think of any other Arrowverse deleted scenes that should have been kept? Sound off in the comments!