For the Arrow fans, the news of Arrow ending after the eighth season was a shocking turn of events. Oliver Queen will no longer be a part of the Arrowverse. The Quill and the Bow are leaving the Superhero TV universe of The CW Network for good. But do not for a second fill that his legacy goes in vain. What Oliver Queen has left behind is something far too profound to be forgotten. But there has to be a heir to the throne. A King cannot rule forever. With Arrow stepping down, these heroes could step into his shoes and do what they do best – Protect (and entertain) everyone. Presenting – 10 DC Comics Superheroes that can replace Arrow in the Arrowverse!!
1. Black Lightning
Black Lightning already exists in The CW network. The show may not be doing as good but the dude is a kickass superhero. Black Lightning represents a section of the superhero community that has been getting a lot of attention and traction this time of the year. Black Lightning is from the African American Community. With racial tensions sky-high all over the US and the rest of the world, the world needs a special kind of superhero to help the world learn that colour does not define a bad guy or a good guy. Black Lightning could be the missing link that helps Arrowverse become a more complete version of it-self. In addition to that, Black Lightning’s super-powers are also a sight to behold.
2. Booster Gold
A time travelling jokester from the future who just wanted to make a name for him-self, Booster Gold started out as a superhero just so he could become famous, something he could not do in his own time. Booster Gold is a pompous brat who remains full of himself most of the time, until one day he is humbled down by a freak encounter with a real super-villain and he tarts taking matters more seriously. Booster Gold is pretty much like Oliver Queen. Both started out as ignorant and arrogant idiots who cared about no one but themselves. Then they slowly transitioned into a man that everybody respected and revered.
3. Blue Beetle
Ted Kord aka Blue Beetle is an industrialist who also happens to use the technological marvels his company creates to masquerade as a vigilante superhero called Blue Beetle. His company, Kord Industries, exists in the Arrowverse as well as Earth-038, the home reality of Super Girl. It is his company that keeps the Kryptonite in check in Earth-038, and is responsible for safekeeping it from falling into the wrong hands who could use it to kill Super Girl. There are other individuals more suited for the role of Blue Beetle but we chose Ted Kord because he could be the father figure t a more famous version of the Blue Beetle – Jamie Reyes. The show could show how Jamie takes up the mantle after Kord steps down.
4. Animal Man
Animal Man used to be a joke not a long time ago. That all changed when the New 52 universe reinvented his character with added vigour and glamour. Under the watchful guidance of writer Jeff Lemire and artists Travel Foreman, Animal Man was reintroduced into the DC Comic Book Universe as a doting father, a family man with a loving wife and two daughters and a grounded superhero. Things took a turn for the worse in the same issue after Animal Man learns that his own daughter has similar superpowers and an evil supernatural entity that is the enemy of the Green and the Red (the force that gives him his powers), called the Rot is out to get her. The Animal Man issues scream a live action adaptation.
5. Swamp Thing
The Swamp Thing TV Show already exists. It has been rated as one of the most popular shows under the DC Universe banner. Swamp Thing achieved all that in just one season. Attaching horror and superhero fiction made sense with Swamp Thing, but the idea was scorned at when the creators first pitched it to the studio. With Arrow generally being a darker show than the rest, Swamp Thing could become the supernatural protector of the Arrowverse and take up the role left behind by Oliver Queen. With Swamp Thing showing all signs of being discontinued and be abandoned forever, CW could swoop in and save the show just like it did for Super Girl.
6. Constantine
He is already there in Legends of Tomorrow. But once upon a time, Constantine also had his solo show. We still do not know how the network could be so dumb as to cancel one of the best TV shows out there. John Constantine is a hit even when he guest stars in other shows. The actor, Matt Ryan, who plays Constantine in the CW is brilliant. The guy deserves a come-back and the CW can be his ticket back to the big leagues. With Constantine being bisexual being open news, the road is wide open for the CW to hit all the new age social parameters that every TV show needs to hit to be watchable enough. Using him as a side-piece in Legends of Tomorrow is just a waste of talent in our opinion.
7. Wonder Girl
No we are not talking about Donna Troy. The one we would like to be the Wonder Girl of the CW network is Cassandra Sandsmark. The Titans show has their own Wonder Woman and with that show hitting all kinds of highs, we do not want the CW and the DC Universe to get into any form of showdown with one character being shared by two different studios. So to make things simpler, we will consider Cassie Sandsmark, the second woman to be called Wonder Girl, for the role. One of the most underrated superheroes to ever join teen Titans Cassie Sandsmark has since made quite a name for her-self. Her history with Wonder Woman will come in handy since Wonder Woman is one of the most valuable assets that DC owns right now. The MCU can have Captain Marvel. The CW network can have Cassie Sandsmark aka Wonder Girl leading the Arrowverse battlefront, to take things up a notch.
8. Blue Devil
Blue Devil is a relatively unknown character but trust us when we say this, this blue skinned dude is one heck of a character to be left unutilised. The DC streaming service will probably never use him in any of their productions, so CW can do this guy a favour. Blue Devil used to be a stunt man who was magically combined to a special suit he wore for one of his performances. He then lost his powers but did a deal with the devil to gain supernatural abilities to literally become the Blue Devil. The guy is fun, has a dark history and is a treat to see in battle.
9. Zatanna
Magic and Sorcery exists in a massive scale in the CW’s Arrowverse. Zatanna is one of the major players in that discipline. Born to one of the greatest magicians the world has ever seen, Zatanna was naturally imbued with a lot of power. She could mould magic the way she wants to, using it to do practically anything imaginable. Zatanna is also a major character in the DC Comic Book Universe, with her being associated with superheroes like Batman and Wonder Woman. She is also a former love interest of John Constantine so this could also be a chance for the CW to exploit the complicated relationship between the two.
10. Red Hood
The one true choice for the successor to the Green Arrow must be someone who is also as human as him. Red Hood is the only entry on this list who is just a guy with a crazy set of skills and inhuman determination to win against all odds, just like Green Arrow does. We know that Gotham exists in the Arrowverse and Batwoman was also part of last season’s Arrowverse crossover. Jason Todd is a violent vigilante who also happens to be a one man army. He uses deadly force against all criminals and is not above using torture and underhanded tactics to get the job done. Reminds us of Oliver Queen during his early days as the Hood!
