Arrow: Ranking Every Character From Worst To Best

Deathstroke's arrival in Arrow's second season had been foreshadowed right from the very start and, at the time, not all of us were aware of it. But even his excellently-telegraphed debut couldn't have prepared us for the unforgettable impact that the deadly Slade Wilson would make on the show.

Tied to Oliver's time on Lian Yu, the thing that made Slade such a strong character was the fact that his reign of terror all stemmed from a personal hatred that he had for his former friend. He wasn't just any old villain looking to take over the city, he was a scorned man driven mad by a drug that allowed him to cheat death and ultimately resulted in him becoming a twisted reflection of the person that he once was.

Manu Bennett was a so convincing as Oliver's best Lian Yu buddy in the first season that it was impossible to believe he could ever turn into such a murderous monster - but that's exactly what Slade did and, as a result, he became the best villain that Arrow had ever seen.

It's always a pleasure when the character pops up and, though he's rarely on-screen these days, his redemption arc is every bit as compelling as his initial villainous run - and that is a testament to just how strong a character he truly is.