Arrow: 6 Ups And 5 Downs From The Season 4 Premiere 'Green Arrow'

A hero is only as good as its villain, and that's proved to be the case so far with Arrow. Malcolm Merlyn was the perfect foil for the debut season, while Slade Wilson ramped up the stakes in season 2. Ra's al Ghul had a tough task to follow, and didn't quite manage it, with season 3 ultimately a little underwhelming compared to the previous one. 

Now, it's time for a new villain. He doesn't waste much time in announcing himself, as he breezes in to the meeting between Detective Lance and a few of Star City's highest ranking officials, announcing just what his plans are for the City. 

Merlyn wanted to destroy the city, but did so from the shadows. With Slade and Ra's, it was more personal towards Oliver. Darhk is up front about it, immediately laying down the challenge to try and stop him, and setting himself apart as a different kind of villain. Neal McDonough nails the menace of the character, and straightaway you know that Darhk is not a threat to be taken lightly. 

That's confirmed with his second on-screen appearance, commanding his troops. One of them has slipped up, and he punishes him by killing him with just a touch. Right from the off, he's established himself as a dangerous and bold villain, yet one who's also very charismatic (if somewhat insane as well).