Photos emerged from the set of DC's The Flash Season 9 which highlights the return of Stephen Amell's Green Arrow, along with several other Arrowverse icons.
The Flash Season 9 is preparing to bring the long-running CW series to an end, but with that, the Arrowverse as a whole seems to be winding down. Nonetheless, DC appears determined to send off its decade-long superhero universe with a bang, bringing back many fan favorites, including the one who started it all.
After kickstarting the Arrowverse in 2012, Stephen Amell's Green Arrow made the ultimate sacrifice to save the Multiverse in the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event three years ago. But now, the DC icon is coming back for the Arrowverse victory lap, joining many other returning heroes and villains for one last hurrah.
Up until now, fans have been running wild with theories as to how the deceased hero will re-enter this picture. Although that continues to be up in the air, new set photos have offered the first look at his return while also shutting down one popular theory as to how Amell's Green Arrow will come back.
Stephen Amell's Green Arrow Return in The Flash Season 9 Revealed
Candagraphs posted new set photos from The Flash Season 9 that feature Stephen Amell suited up and back in action as Green Arrow. Amell is joined in the images by his Arrow co-star David Ramsey, suited up in John Diggle's own vigilante attire as Spartan.
The Green Arrow also appears to be getting involved in a speedster team-up for his Season 9 return, as he stands alongside Grant Gustin's Flash and Keiynan Lonsdale's Wally West, aka Kid Flash.
Further set photos offer a deeper look at the superhero face-off taking place in front of an old building.
While sharing the photos on their Patreon page, Candagraphs noted the presence of Sendhil Ramamurthy's Ramsey Rosso, aka Bloodwork. They added that Amell was even heard exclaiming his famous “You Have Failed This City” line toward the Bloodwork villain:
"'The Flash' episode 9x09 filming tonight had a plethora of returning characters on set.
Grant Gustin was there as The Flash. He was joined by Stephen Amell as the Green Arrow, Keiynan Lonsdale as Kid Flash, David Ramsey as Spartan, and Sendhil Ramamurthy as Ramsey Rosso.
Danielle Panabaker is directing, but I didnt get anything great of her, so theres none in this set.
Got to hear Stephen say something we havent heard in a long time. 'You Have Failed This City,' as he bellowed it out at Ramsey Rosso."
As Amell is shown in his Green Arrow costume, this seems to shut down speculation he will be returning as the Spectre - a supernatural mantle he when he last appeared after his death in the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event.
These photos come from Season 9 Episode 9, which will be directed by Flash star Danielle Panabaker - best known for playing Caitlin Snow, aka Killer Frost.
How Will Green Arrow Return From Death in The Flash
After the Anti-Monitor ravaged the Multiverse in Crisis on Infinite Earths, Stephen Amell's Oliver Queen took on the role of the Spectre to help the seven Paragons to reboot the universe from scratch. This ended up creating a fresh start that placed most of the Arrowverse's heroes onto the same new Earth-Prime, as opposed to being scattered around the Multiverse as they were before.
But what's curious about that new world is there was no sign of an Oliver Queen or Green Arrow in the present day, as he had not made space for himself in this universe that he had helped to birth. So, that leaves a tough question of how exactly Amell's hero is now back for The Flash Season 9's big crossover.
Based on how he last appeared, many speculated that to be as the Spectre, but clearly, Amell is suited up as the Green Arrow in these shots, and he's even joined by his old best friend John Diggle - fresh off rejecting a Green Lantern ring.
Following the events of last summer's Arrowverse-set Earth Prime comic series, Bloodwork is currently in the wind and free from his ARGUS cell. That would seem the imply that the face-off with him will take place in the present day, potentially ruling out time travel as a means for Green Arrow's return.
Arrow Season 8 already confirmed that Oliver Queen did, at one point, exist on the new Earth Prime, and yet there was never any sign of a corpse. Oliver's friends and family held a funeral, and there was a gravestone with a mound of dirt to signify a coffin had been buried, but whether that was empty or full is unknown.
Perhaps they may have buried an empty coffin to signify his post-Crisis absence, but actually have no idea of what happened to him. The answers to those questions could finally be given in The Flash Season 9, perhaps with him being pulled from the past into present-day to assist Team Flash in some way.
Although there does appear to be some Multiversal chaos going on involving the heroes in Season 9, with Javicia Leslie's Batwoman now becoming the speedster villain Red Death. Perhaps, if she does indeed come from another universe, this Oliver Queen may also be coming from another world, maybe even hers.
The Flash Season 9 will premiere on The CW on February 8. But with Stephen Amell's return being saved for Episode 9, fans will be waiting until at least April 5, before factoring in any mid-season breaks, to catch his Green Arrow comeback.
