Arrow Season 5: Rick Gonzalez Joins As Vigilante Wild Dog

DC's Punisher is coming to Star City.

Green Arrow Season 5 Wild Dog Oliver
DC Comics/The CW

Coming off the back of learning just who the villain for Arrow Season 5 will be, we now know that he's going to have a new face trying to stop him.

EW are reporting that Rick Gonzalez (whose credits include Mr Robot and Reaper) will be taking on the role of vigilante Wild Dog, a character taken from the comics (as opposed to the 'new creation' for the Season 5 Big Bad).

Wild Dog is a vigilante who first appeared in the 80s, and looks a bit like Jason Voorhees, only with a submachine gun, electrified shock gloves, and a football jersey (ok, so it's really only the mask they have in common). Maybe it's better to say he's like DC's version of The Punisher, and if Gonzalez can bring even some of what Bernthal brought to that character in Season 2 of Daredevil, he'll be a great addition.

Advertisement

According to the report, on the show he will be a "reckless and cocksure" vigilante whose behaviour prompts Oliver Queen to take him under his wing as a protege of sorts. This fits with reports from last week of an ex-marine-turned-vigilante joining the show.

It's not the first time that the Green Arrow has taken on someone in that role, having previously trained Roy Harper to be Arsenal, and after Season 4 there are some spots currently available on Team Arrow, though things might get a little crowded once everyone comes back, especially with Harper himself returning for a few episodes.

Advertisement

Hopefully the presence of another vigilante, however, can help the show get back to its roots, after stuttering for the past couple of seasons.

Contributor
Contributor

NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.