This week, Arrow wasn't really about the big bad, but about the big change that has happened within the team: Diggle (David Ramsey) taking over as the new Green Arrow. Oliver's (Stephen Amell) right-hand-man took up the mantle of the Star City vigilante last week in 'Tribute', when Oliver decided that he couldn't balance being a father and being a superhero (and being the Mayor). It's a massive shake-up for the team, so this week's episode explored how the other team members are dealing with the change, and how Diggle struggles (at first) to live up to Oliver's legacy (and skills with a bow).Spending a full episode dealing with Diggle's new position in the team suggests that this version of Team Arrow is going to be sticking around for a little while, at least. However, Ramsey has confirmed that the change isn't going to be permanent, and that Oliver will return as the hooded vigilante. He describes his tenure as Green Arrow as lasting only "a few episodes" and "the appropriate amount of time", but how long will that be, and what will bring Oliver back to the team?
Related: Ramsey Confirms Diggle's Time As Arrow Won't Last
Oliver's Plans
'Next of Kin' put plenty of emphasis on Oliver's determination to stay away from Team Arrow and vigilante work, and he's even making big plans that rely on him not returning to the superhero life. The biggest reason that he's quit, of course, is his son William (Jack Moore). He knows that he can't keep his son safe if he is always fighting criminals, and 'Next of Kin' sees William asking if this new thing is 'for real'. Oliver, of course, assures him that it is. He takes his son to watch the local team, he gets Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) involved as a math tutor, he makes breakfast... in short, he is aiming for a father-of-the-year award, and it's difficult to imagine what will happen to change this new attitude.
Oliver's role as a father isn't the only thing that he is able to give more attention to as an average citizen. He's spending more time at the Mayor's office, and working on improving the situation with the Star City police department. He also had a scene with Felicity that thrilled Olicity fans, as 'Next of Kin' finally reunited these two fully. At the end of the episode, Oliver arrives at Felicity's door with a giftwrapped box, that holds a key to his apartment. He tells her that although they thought it would be best to keep some distance while William gets used to his new situation, he has changed his mind, and that both he and William will be better off with her in their lives. It's an incredibly sweet moment, and one that puts the past behind them.
The Star City Investigation
Oliver's relationship with Felicity could potentially survive a return to his vigilante lifestyle, although it's doubtful that his son would be ok with that, but there's one more reason that Oliver can't become the Green Arrow once more: Agent Watson (Sydelle Noel). This FBI agent turned up when a photo of Oliver as the Green Arrow was released, and she has made it clear that she does not believe Oliver's claims that he is just a regular old Mayor. She's suspicious and very sharp, and noticed immediately that Diggle/Arrow wasn't using actual arrows, leading her to suspect that it's a new man under the hood.
Team Arrow has dealt with that particular issue, as Felicity and Curtis (Echo Kellum) have created a modified crossbow that shoots arrows, not crossbow bolts, so that Diggle can use it. Despite this, Agent Watson is still going to be suspicious, and she is keeping a very close eye on Oliver Queen. As long as she is around, he won't be returning as the Green Arrow.
Accepting Diggle As Arrow
Of course, this isn't the first time that Diggle has worn the Green Arrow costume in order to take the heat off Oliver, but in the past, everyone was aware that it was a temporary situation. This week, however, the team was struggling with the idea that Diggle will be the Green Arrow permanently. Although Black Canary (Juliana Harkavy) is on board and willing to back him up, Wild Dog (Rick Gonzalez) is having a tougher time with it when Diggle messes up their first mission as the new team. Rene even goes back to Oliver to ask him to return, but Oliver chooses to come give Diggle a pep talk instead. It works, too! By the end of 'Next of Kin', Diggle has found his feet as the Green Arrow, and Rene has come on board with his new team leader.
All of this (Oliver's plans, a new bow, an FBI investigation, the team's acceptance) suggests that Diggle is going to be wearing the hood for the long term. Agent Watson is certainly not likely to back off any time soon, and Oliver has made a promise to William. So why, with all that in place, why is Diggle's term as the Green Arrow going to be short?
The Problem With Diggle
Diggle may have convinced everyone that he is a solid choice as team leader, but we know differently, and he's got an injury that is definitely going to prevent him wearing the hood for the long haul. Last week, Black Canary learned that Diggle is dealing with some nerve damage after what happened on Lian Yu. The damage to his right arm gives him terrible tremors, preventing him from being able to properly aim a weapon. Diggle had intended to tell Oliver about the problem, but when Oliver asked him to take up the Green Arrow mantle, he decided not to. This week, it seemed as though the problem was dealt with, anyway. To Black Canary's surprise, Diggle's aim was back, and the tremors were completely gone. When she asked him about it, he simply said that he had taken care of it, and there was no longer a problem.
One of the final scenes in 'Next of Kin' proved that Diggle absolutely still has a problem. He is seen going into a back alley to purchase some suspicious looking injectable drugs that stop his hand from shaking. Not only does this mean that his nerve damage is not fixed, and he's probably going to become reliant on an illegal drug, but it means that he is lying to his team. When this comes out, it's sure to be the thing (or one of the things) that brings Oliver back.
Reversal And Future Episode Hints
Oliver might also be drawn back in to his vigilante work thanks to an old foe returning to Star City, when Black Siren (Katie Cassidy) reappears in next week's 'Reversal'. At first, Oliver is sure to be happy to leave things to Diggle, but it's going to be difficult for him. After all, this isn't a rogue black ops team, but a villain who has already tangled with Team Arrow. In addition, Black Siren already knows Oliver's 'secret' identity, which is going to remind him that it's not going to be so easy to step away from dangerous people from his vigilante life. It's doubtful that Diggle is going to be ousted right away, of course, but 'Reversal' is likely to start poking holes in Oliver's no-more-green-arrow plans.
Looking ahead to future episode titles and promo for the eventual four-part crossover, we're guessing that Diggle is going to remain in charge until episode 6 ('Promises Kept') or 7 ('Thanksgiving'). The title of 'Promises Kept' definitely hints at Oliver breaking his promise to William, and the poster for 'Crisis on Earth X' shows a Green Arrow that looks like Oliver Queen, not John Diggle. So while Diggle is definitely going to end up passing the hood back to Oliver, Diggle fans can enjoy a few more episodes with him leading Team Arrow before everything goes wrong.
Arrow continues with œReversal Nov 2nd @8pm on The CW.