Arrow Season 7: 5 Ups & 3 Downs From 'Star City Slayer'

4. Tying Up Loose Ends

Though it wasn't all perfect, the Star City Slayer arc was handled rather effectively. The villain's arrival was foreshadowed very well through a series of red-herrings as the writers initially made us think that Laurel's stalker was responsible for the threatening notes before teasing us with the possibility that it was actually the vigilante-hunting Chimera, who dominated the 150th episode.

In reality, the murderous criminal was actually Stanley - Oliver's former buddy from Slabside who was a big fan of the Green Arrow and was a lot more manipulative than he let on. Making his first unmasked appearance in the episode, he gave Dinah Drake a life-changing injury before venturing off to Oliver's home - where he showed up unannounced.

Although his actual attack would be short-lived (thanks to some great team work by Oliver, Felicity and William), Stanley's involvement added an extra layer of weight that the Star City Slayer storyline simply wouldn't have carried without him. Furthermore, not only did it serve as a suitable conclusion to his character arc, it has brought us one step closer to the dark Star City we see in 2040.

As a result, this middling story has ultimately bridged the gap between where the show was at the beginning of the season and where it currently is in its flash-forwards.