10 Best Action Set Pieces In The Arrowverse
6. The Hood Meets His Match - Arrow Season 1, Episode 22
Throughout Arrow’s premiere season, Oliver had several encounters with various opponents, but none were as skilled and lethal as Malcolm Merlyn/the Dark Archer himself. The antagonistic bowman dealt Oliver his most unambiguous defeat early on in the latter’s career, and this was best seen in the first season’s penultimate episode.
After Oliver resolves to kill Merlyn, he confronts the latter in his office where he shoots an arrow at Malcolm after the elder archer opted to carry on with his plans to destroy Star City despite Oliver's warnings.
To Oliver's surprise, Malcolm catches the arrow and the ensuing fight between the two is vicious, with neither side holding back due to the high stakes involved.
Unfortunately, Merlyn’s own impressive skill and greater resolve give him the upper hand in the fight and once again humbled the younger archer in devastating fashion. This solidified him as one of Oliver's most dangerous combatants before his unfortunate Flanderization in the series' middle seasons