Ever since Arrow debuted on the CW, fans have been fascinated by the rich mythology of the Arrowverse. However, the behind-the-scenes tidbits can be as fascinating as the show itself. Let’s take a look at 15 facts that you can pull from your quiver to impress your friends!
1. Stephen Amell made his character Oliver Queen develop a “tick” where he clenches his fists in uncomfortable situations and is not holding a bow.
2. Amell’s cousin Robbie Amell auditioned for Arrow but didn’t get a part.
Luckily, Robbie Amell would join the Arrowverse as Ronnie Raymond/Firestorm in several episodes of The Flash. The Amell cousins even teamed up in one episode. Looks like there is no rivalry in this family!
3. The Arrow writers created the character John Diggle (David Ramsey) specifically for this show. His character proved to be so popular, DC introduced him into the New 52 continuity.
Diggle made his first appearance in Green Arrow (Volume 5) #24.
4. Alternatively, Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards) had a completely different characterization when DC introduced her in the 1980s.
DC ended up introducing her into the New 52 continuity with an almost identical personality to her TV counterpart.
5. Harley Quinn makes two appearances — the first time being in season 2, episode 16 Suicide Squad episode and the second time in a deleted scene.
We never see her face or hear her name mentioned but diehard DC fans will recognize this iconic character anywhere!
6. Speaking of the New 52, the number 52 appears several times throughout the series.
The news station the characters frequently watch is on channel 52 and Detective Lance has called the police with the number “Delta-Charlie 52” (aka DC52). This is clearly a reference to the DC comics that rebooted all of the classic characters’ stories.
7. Amell opened a winery called Nocking Point not long after starring on Arrow.
The term “nocking” refers to fitting an arrow in a bow string.
8. Oliver’s salmon ladder workout was actually an exercise Amell did regularly.
The show’s crew was so fascinated by his effortless abilities, they decided to write it into the show.
9. There’s a reason why characters pronounce Ra’a Al Ghul’s name differently — “Raysh” and “Rawz.”
Arrow executive producer Andrew Kreisberg answered this question at a WonderCon panel: “This is actually something that came up a lot when we were making the show. Before [Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy], a lot of comic book fans pronounced it ‘Raysh,’ but once Nolan started to pronounce it ‘Rawz’ – it changed everything. We wanted to please both the people who were fans of the comics and fans of just the films/shows. So we decided that members of the league would pronounce it ‘Raysh’ on the show, and non members would pronounce it ‘Rawz.'”
10. Deadshot’s victims whose names he tattoos on his chest are actually named after several Arrow crew members.
These include production manager and producer Todd Pittson, first assistant director Ken Shane, photography director Gordon Vermeil and director Glen Winter.
11. If you’re a fan of other superhero franchises, there’s a chance you have seen the Queen Mansion before.
In addition to Arrow, the Hatley Castle in Colwood, British Columbia has been featured as the Luthor mansion on Smallville and as Professor Xavier’s mansion in the X-Men film series.
12. Katie Cassidy has 12 years of training as a gymnast under her belt.
That must come in handy when you’re the Black Canary!
13. Verdant, the name of Oliver’s club, means “a bright green color.”
Some even argue the “V” in the “Verdant” logo looks like an arrowhead.
14. The Starling/Star City skyline is a composite of several major cities rather than a shot of one city.
The cities include Frankford, Germany, Center City, Philadelphia, Downtown Baltimore, Back Bay, Boston and Tokyo, Japan.
15. Felicity Smoak was only supposed to appear in one episode.
Emily Bett Rickards’s chemistry with Amell inspired the writers to give her a bigger role. Could you imagine a show without Olicity?
