Arrow is set to enter a brand new era in Season 6 now that the five years of flashback narrative have come to an end. Team Arrow is undoubtedly going to go through some changes in the aftermath of the explosive Season 5 finale cliffhanger. We've known for a while that Dinah Drake did not perish on Lian Yu in the finale, as she appeared as Black Canary in the very first trailer for Season 6 with a spiffy new vigilante outfit. Now, executive producer Wendy Mericle has revealed that Dinah is going to make things complicated once more for Team Arrow in Season 6, saying this:
One of the things that Juliana [Harkavy] has been bringing this season is [confidence]. She's no longer the newbie on the team, she has a definite point of view -- and I can tell you that that point of view and her new swagger is going to have some real consequences for the team down the road. Look out for that in the middle of the season.
Juliana Harkavy made her debut as the newest incarnation of Black Canary in the middle of Season 5, and she didn't have the easiest time fitting into the established dynamic of Team Arrow. Although she certainly had the fighting and even metahuman skills to hold her own with the good guys of Star City, she didn't have pre-existing personal relationships to help her fit in. Dinah wasn't even sure she wanted to seize the Black Canary title for herself. She simply lacked confidence in her place on the team and in Star City for most of her time in Season 5. Judging by Wendy Mericle's comments to TVLine, that won't be the case in Season 6, and it's going to ruffle some feathers.
All things considered, Dinah's confidence boost for Season 6 isn't all that surprising. She was finally convinced at the end of Season 5 that she was the rightful Black Canary, and her abilities as a physical fighter and a metahuman make her a valuable asset to Oliver. Unlike Central City, Star City is not crawling with metas, and she'll have an advantage over many of the bad guys that could reasonably result in Dinah getting a little cocky. That said, considering what may have happened to Diggle in the aftermath of the Season 5 finale cliffhanger, Oliver may need her to pull double duty without any arrogance to start the season.
Apparently Dinah's swagger will come to a head about halfway through the season, so we have plenty of time to wait. The first half of the season seems like it will put Oliver's relationship with William and the story of Deathstroke in the spotlight. Only time will tell. Arrow returns to The CW for Season 6 on Thursday, October 12 at 9 p.m. ET. Check out our fall TV premiere guide for your other viewing options.
