Season 3 seems determined to stay the course on turning Laurel Lance, Esq. into Black Canary 2.0. Tackling the transformation invites comparisons to her predecessors on the Starling vigilante scene that do her no favors. Prior to the series premiere, Oliver and Sara were forced to forge themselves into weapons in order to survive the brutal and unforgiving environments of their crucibles that would last for half of a decade; Laurel had a background in self-defense. Oliver and Sara were suited for vigilantism due to the distinctly nontraditional ways in which they learned to fight for their lives; Laurel is studying boxing with a tolerant coach in a gym. Oliver's arms bulge out of any shirt that dares try to contain him while Sara stood so solidly that she could intimidate despite her size; Laurel is all angles and anger. Oliver and Sara spent the majority of their time on screen either working out or fighting crime; Laurel has a day job. Stephen Amell and Caity Lotz displayed their exceptional athleticism from the start; Katie Cassidy has been tucked into heels and dresses and pantsuits. Enjoying a comic book show demands a certain suspension of disbelief, but to see Laurel race through the steps to practical vigilantism that took so much from Oliver and Sara would suspend any sense of legitimacy to her place in Starling's expanding gallery of heroes. If Laurel Lance is truly going to become Black Canary, we need to see her earn and embrace the role as more than an outlet for vengeance.
Fiction buff and writer. If it's on Netflix, it's probably in my queue. I've bought DVDs for the special features and usually claim that the book is better than the movie or show (and can provide examples). I've never met a TV show that I won't marathon. Follow on Twitter @lah9891 .
