6. Oliver Vs. Slade
Arrow has crafted some great villains over the years, but the most effective at raising the stakes of the story have been the ones with personal connections to Oliver, and Slade Wilson set the standard in Season 2. As Olivers former friend and brother-in-arms, he was a terrifying presence in the flashbacks as well as the present. Throw in Manu Bennett managing some serious menace, and the Slade vs. Oliver conflict in Starling toward the end of Season 2 was fantastic. It didnt hurt that Slade Wilson remains by far the most physically imposing of Olivers big bads over the years. Thanks to Slade's skill, size, and sneer, Olivers desperation in all of their fight scenes felt incredibly real. The Mirakuru strengthening Slade meant that Stephen Amell could go all out in the stunts without compromising Olivers no-killing vow. The action just hasnt been the same since Slade Wilson was defeated, and the flashbacks havent had the same spark. Oliver vs. Slade was awesome.
Laura Hurley
Contributor
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 .
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Laura