Arrow Executive Producer Talks Season 3 Villain And Flash Crossover

If you’re having a hard time handling the anticipation for Arrow‘s upcoming third season, you may want to turn back now, because executive producer Andrew Kreisberg (who’s also lending a helping hand with the show’s Flash spin-off) has revealed a few exciting tidbits in a new interview.

Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Kreisberg talked about the “Big Bad” for season 3, as well as a big Arrow/Flash crossover that will be happening a bit sooner than we might have expected.

Season three will pick up about six or seven months after the events of Slade’s attack on Starling City, and judging by a recent synopsis for the premiere, the city’s view of Oliver Queen’s alter-ego may have dramatically changed. Crime is down and the cops are no longer hunting “Arrow,” but as we know, peace never lasts long. The writers will definitely have to up the ante this year to compete with how great Deathstroke was last season, and introducing a new, formidable threat is the best way to do that. Kreisberg seems very aware of that, and said the following:

“Slade had a very specific agenda – he was out for revenge and had set up this elaborate five-year plot. What’s interesting about the villain in season three is that he doesn’t necessarily disagree with [Oliver]. He doesn’t have any personal animus towards the Arrow, and he actually in some ways has a very similar worldview. [But] the Arrow is thinking too small.

In some ways, as Oliver is struggling with whether or not he can be the Arrow and Oliver at the same time, the villain of season 3 is saying, ‘Being Oliver Queen is what’s holding you back from fulfilling your true destiny.’ So it’s a very interesting dynamic, but it is tied in the same way that Oliver last year was wrestling with, ‘Am I a hero or a killer?’ The theme of identity is tied up very much in how the villain is presented to Oliver.”

So… who could the villain be? Many fans are guessing Ra’s al Ghul, who got several name drops last season. Both the League of Assassins and Ra’s daughter, Nyssa, appeared on the show, so we know Ra’s is out there somewhere. He would definitely be someone with larger-scale plans and a destiny-driven agenda. Hopefully we won’t have to wait long to find out who the baddie is, as Kreisberg says the casting will be announced “soon.”