Although not a full-blown reboot, Season 6 of Arrow will fundamentally change Oliver Queen's world in some fairly substantial ways. With the series set to move into brand new territory when it premieres this fall, there are a lot of new post-explosion story elements that should get fans very excited. In fact, Stephen Amell sat down with CinemaBlend and other outlets at San Diego Comic-Con and admitted that his favorite thing about Season 6 so far is portraying the relationship between Oliver and his son William, a storyline he's loved diving into. In his words:
I mean, Oliver being a dad is my favorite part of Season 6 thus far, and it's certainly what I've had to play the most. My first day back on Season 6 was four scenes with Jack [Moore], who plays William, and I was fucking nervous. I didn't know. I had never done a scene with this kid, you know what I mean? A kid. He's a young man. We had done one scene where I'm holding him close, and we had done one scene where he's playing with action figures. We had four scenes. I was like... I didn't know how it was gonna go! You know? And he was not only equal to the task, but excelled. I left that day feeling so bullish about Season 6 and everything that we have coming up.
It pays to work with professionals, doesn't it? As Stephen Amell pointed out during that recent roundtable discussion, Oliver and William have only shared a few scenes together since William made his first appearance on the series, outside of Oliver's knowledge. Despite his nervousness about diving into this plot thread, Amell seems to have enjoyed the process and the way in which it has allowed new life to be breathed into the show. William's very existence has always felt like a narrative gamble for Arrow, but it's starting to really pay off in some meaningful ways. After all, how can Oliver be a good team leader if he can't be a good father?
Although the Oliver/William dynamic seems to be Stephen Amell's favorite part of Season 6 so far, that doesn't mean that it will be easy for Oliver and others. When asked how Oliver and Felicity's relationship would be affected by William, the actor explained that, assuming she makes it off of the island, the pair's kinship would become further complicated by William's presence. Though perhaps it won't be all bad.
Assuming that she lived, they're in a great spot. But William is a thing, not in a bad way. But if they're going to be in a relationship, he's not a baby. He's in, like, sixth grade.
Balancing romance and a double life as a superhero is challenging enough. Now imagine throwing a pubescent kid into the mix where none existed before. If Felicity makes it back from Lian Yu, things between her and Oliver are only going to get more complex and complicated. At least they ended Season 5 on good terms, and if William isn't too much of a handful, Olicity could again reign strong in the future.
What makes all of this work is the fact that Arrow has taken its time to plant the seeds for William's eventual arrival in Oliver's life, as well as the possibility that Felicity could have a significant role in that dynamic. William was teased as early as Season 2 when the show revealed that the late Moira Queen paid off William's pregnant mother to leave Oliver, and every subsequent season has gradually added to that storyline in some way or another. With William now fully-immersed in Oliver's world (and not exactly loving who his dad is), Stephen Amell has the chance to go from acting like a son or a big brother to acting like a real father figure. Not bad for a show that's hitting its sixth season.
Arrow will return to The CW this fall -- along with all of the rest of your favorite Arrow-verse shows -- on Thursday, October 12 at 9 p.m. EST. Summer is not over yet, though, so after you check out what David Ramsey told us about Diggle's fate, make sure to check out our summer TV premiere guide for more information on the rest of this season's major premieres.
