Arrow Season 3: Best Episode, Worst Plot Device and More!
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6. Character That's Gotta Go: Malcolm Merlyn
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From the moment Malcolm used Thea to kill Sara, he became irredeemable. He was delusional in all aspects of planning the murder and no amount of atonement can make up for it. Even an incredibly cunning plan putting Malcolm at the front of the League of Assassins is a stupid plan, for the man is a murderer many times over. The best thing that can happen is that he's killed out of the gate in Season 4.
7. Missed Opportunity: Allowing Oliver Queen to "Die"
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If Arrow wanted to portray what Team Arrow was feeling, then they should have had enough faith in the audience to allow us to envision a show without Oliver, as well. They did not. Unfortunately, there is only one shot at pulling a move like that, because all others will pale in comparison. We'll always know they won't have the balls to do it again. You can only trick us once, and they didn't even do that.
8. Best New Character: Ray Palmer
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He's a lot like the characters on The Flash in his nerdish tendencies and brilliance. He doesn't fit the traditional hero mold, even when he's willing to put his life on the line to save Starling City with his ATOM exo-suit. He loves openly and cares deeply, which is a refreshing change from Oliver Queen, even if he doesn't get the girl in the end.
His presence is short lived, however, as he'll be taking his suit and joining DC's Legends of Tomorrow with a reborn White Canary (Sara Lance) and multiple characters from The Flash.
9. Character We'll Miss the Most: Arrow Cave (Lair)
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Oh, come on! Most of Arrow Seasons 1 and 2 were spent in that lair and moving elsewhere will reshape the entire feel for what's to come. The tone is set by their surroundings as much as the action, so I'm going to miss the old place! They could go back, for sure, but as long as Captain Lance is out for blood, they wouldn't dare.
10. Most Shocking Death: Sara Lance
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Some of the sting has been removed knowing she's returning with DC's Legends of Tomorrow, but it's hard to imagine how she'll be incorporated into any future crossovers with Arrow, if at all. When you think of why she died, and how, it makes it all worse. We never saw it coming, and it's still hard to swallow.