We’ve seen a lot on ‘Arrow’ since the series made its debut back in 2012, from Lazarus Pits to superhero team ups. But even as the show prepares for its seventh season, there’s one thing that fans are still waiting to see. I’m speaking of course, of Green Arrow’s iconic goatee. Though the beard has long been a staple of the character’s comic book design, the television incarnation has thus far shied away from the goatee, in what is arguably the show’s biggest departure from the comic’s aesthetic. But that may finally be changing next season.
As detailed by ComicBook.com, star Stephen Amell has confirmed that the Battling Bowman’s famous facial hair will be coming to ‘Arrow’ at some point during the show’s next season, which begins this fall. Speaking at Motor City Comic Con, Amell told the audience:
“Just because you’ve been polite, and just because everyone has been so nice to me today, I can break some news for you and let you know that in season seven I am going to debut the goatee.”
The goatee has previously only been glimpsed in an alternate future seen on ‘Legends of Tomorrow’, and despite the occasional tease, the seventh season will mark its first appearance on ‘Arrow’. So why bring it into the show after all this time? The decision was apparently motivated by the status quo shakeups that came at the end of the latest season. As Amell explains:
“We’ve actually been thinking a lot, assuming that Ollie gets out of prison if he suits back up as the Green Arrow, what does that costume look like? Because there’s no more secret identity. That cat is out of the bag. Not that it was ever that secret before, but we will see.”
On the subject of wardrobe changes, Amell also alluded to another of Green Arrow’s classic design elements, though in a manner less encouraging to fans hoping to see a truly comic-accurate version of the character come to the screen. In this case, it’s Ollie’s Robin Hood-style hat.
“I can’t promise that I’m going to keep [the goatee] forever. I can definitely promise that I’m not going to wear the stupid hat.”
Well, as the song says, you can’t always get what you want. But while Ollie’s goatee may not be long for this world, at least it will finally make its long-awaited debut.
Be sure to check back with ScienceFiction.com for more on the upcoming seasons of ‘Arrow’ and the other CW superhero shows as it becomes available.
