Stephen Amell appeared in-costume and in-character at SDCC this summer and made two announcements that indicated that the hit show ‘Arrow’ was moving closer to its comic book source material. First, after being known as ‘The Vigilante’, ‘The Hood’ and ‘The Arrow’, his character Oliver Queen would officially be taking on the identity he is best known as, Green Arrow. The second is that his embattled city was going to evolve from Starling City to Star City.
Executive producer Marc Guggenheim had previously explained that the show’s setting was dubbed Starling City as a nod to the comics, but that Star City sounded “a little science fiction-y” for the grounded, gritty show. But since then, ‘Arrow’ has served as the launching point to a new DC television universe with actual super powers.
And Starling City has really been put through the wringer over the past few seasons, with parts of it being basically destroyed by its villainous elements. Perhaps Star City is an attempt to give it a new, more optimistic image. This was teased last season, when Ray Palmer/The ATOM (Brandon Routh) suggested the city rename itself and offered to help make that happen. Though Palmer was seemingly killed in the season finale– which we all know isn’t the truth– it seems his dream for a new, shinier Star City has come true.
Paul Blackthorn, a.k.a. Detective Quentin Lance, posted a photo on Instagram showing off his new badge which clearly reads: Star City.
Will the dark city get a bit brighter? Can it shake off the destruction in its past and head in a new direction?
What do you think of Star City falling better in line with the comics? Will a new name make a difference?
