6 Ups & 3 Downs From The Arrowverse In 2018 (So Far)
2. Compelling Redemption Arcs
If there is one thing that the Arrowverse does well, it's a good old redemption arc. Whether it's from a once-villainous doppelganger or a former slave-owner, we can't help but watch to see if these leopards really do change their spots. And thankfully, this season was full of redemption.
Recycling Damien Darhk wasn't Legends of Tomorrow's most original idea, but it allowed us to see a vastly different side to him. He may have been helping Mallus, but the former Arrow Big Bad found himself questioning everything when his daughter's life was at risk. In doing so, he tried to atone for all of his evil actions and eventually sacrificed himself to save her. It was a maturely-written dramatic arc for a character that sometimes verges on corny.
But the most important redemption arc this season took place over on Arrow with Black Siren. Initially aiding crime lords, Laurel Lance's Earth-2 doppelganger ended up getting attached to Quentin Lance (the father of Earth-1's Laurel). Their unusual father/daughter bond made Siren question everything she once believed in. And although she struggled with her loyalties, Quentin's love for her eventually helped her see the light. Both Katie Cassidy and Paul Blackthorne delivered some of their finest work in what was undoubtedly the show's most compelling storyline this season.
One of the main reasons why the redemption arcs were a standout aspect this year is down to the fact that they weren't just about the villains changing their ways, they were also the writers' attempts to redeem themselves for previous mistakes that their respective shows had made. Just as Black Siren's redemption was Arrow's atonement for unjustifiably killing off the original Laurel, Mon-El's character development highlighted just how much the writers of Supergirl had learned from some of their mistakes in Season 2. And as part of the process is all about learning what went right and what went wrong, this redemption from the writers suggests a promising future for the Arrowverse.