One of DC’s Greatest Villains Was Perfected on This Binge-Worthy 8-Part TV Series

Arrow and, in turn, the “Arrowverse,” have no shortage of supervillains living within them. The number of evildoers living in The CW’s take on DC Comics is more than double that of its many heroes, like Green Arrow (Stephen Amell) and The Flash (Grant Gustin). Some of them are recognizable foes from DC’s rogues gallery, such as the master manipulator Reverse-Flash (Tom Cavanagh) and the ape conqueror Gorilla Grodd (David Sobolov), while others are more obscure B- and C-listers, like the maniacal Murmur (Adrian Glynn McMorran) and the diabolical Damien Darhk (Neal McDonough).

All worthy foes, but there is only one villain worthy of the title of Oliver Queen’s arch-nemesis. A ruthless killer who has cemented himself as one of the DC Universe’s most dangerous villains, he is capable of going toe-to-toe with nearly any hero in the Justice League and beyond. While this character hasn’t had his time to shine in live-action feature films outside of Joe Manganiello’s all-too-brief appearance in the Snyderverse, this deadly assassin made an unforgettable impression on television. This elusive figure is none other than Deathstroke the Terminator (Manu Bennett), whose brutal and deeply personal rivalry with Oliver remains one of the strongest villain arcs DC television has ever produced.

Who Is Deathstroke in DC Comics?

Before becoming the DC Universe’s most infamous assassin, Deathstroke was known as Slade Wilson. Slade was a military veteran who served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. It was during that time that he met Captain Adeline Kane, who became Slade’s military mentor and eventual romantic partner. Slade’s impeccable training and remarkable service record eventually caught the attention of a covert experimental program designed to create super soldiers for the government. The procedure granted Wilson superhuman strength and an advanced healing factor, effectively making Slade Wilson the DC equivalent to Marvel’s Captain America. However, what Wilson lacks from Captain America is a sense of patriotic duty, as he left the military behind to pursue a career as the killer-for-hire, Deathstroke.

Slade’s assassin career is something he kept a secret from his now-wife Adeline, as well as their young son Joseph. That changes when a rival mercenary abducts Joseph, and while Slade can rescue him, Joseph permanently loses his voice when his throat is injured. Enraged by her husband’s secrets, Adeline shoots Slade in the head, leading the mercenary to lose an eye. Now ostracized from his family, Slade has no other attachments to prevent him from becoming a cold and heartless DC villain.

Unlike most villains in the world of DC, such as Joker and Lex Luthor, Deathstroke doesn’t really have an arch-nemesis in the comics. Granted, he is best known for facing the Teen Titans, and the young team of heroes does consistently manage to surprise a seasoned veteran fighter like Deathstroke, they are still a bit below Slade’s pay grade. Since his debut in 1980, Deathstroke has gone up against some of DC’s most recognizable icons, even holding his own against the technological wit of Batman and even the unmatched strength of Superman.

Slade Wilson and Oliver Queen Started as Friends in ‘Arrow’

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As fans of Arrow know, the story of Oliver Queen begins when the once-spoiled rich kid becomes marooned on a deserted island. At least, he thinks it’s deserted as he soon meets an exiled Chinese general named Yao Fei Gulong (Byron Mann), as well as his daughter Shado (Celina Jade). They quickly become mentors to Oliver as he begins his journey to becoming a master archer, but not before Oliver encounters a group of mercenaries also stationed on the island. Oliver is captured by these mercs and is tortured by an individual with Deathstroke’s signature black and orange mask. However, this individual is not Slade Wilson, but is Wilson’s former partner, Billy Wintergreen (Jeffrey Robinson), who is typically an ally of Wilson in the comics.

After escaping the mercs, Oliver has a run-in with Slade Wilson. While it takes some time for them to trust each other, Slade eventually reveals that he and Billy were Australian Special Forces sent to the island to find Yao Fei. They were intercepted by the mercenaries, and Billy betrayed his long-time partner to join the thugs. With the help of Slade, Yao Fei, and Shado, they’re able to put these would-be assassins down for good, even though Yao Fei perishes in the conflict.

After defeating the mercs, Oliver and Slade become much more than fellow survivors. They become legitimate close friends as they try to find a way off of this desolate island. However, the seeds of dissent are sown quickly, as a love triangle grows between Oliver and Slade over Shado. When the trio of companions encounters a new threat in the form of mad scientist Anthony Ivo (Dylan Neal), Oliver is forced to choose between Shado and his recently rediscovered friend Sara Lance (Caity Lotz) when Ivo holds them at gunpoint. Oliver chooses Sara, and Shado is killed as a result.

Slade succeeds in getting revenge on Ivo for killing his beloved Shado, but not before learning Oliver chose to let her die. Blinded by rage and anger, Slade and Oliver engage in a bloody conflict, ending with Oliver plunging an arrow in Slade’s eye. Leaving him for dead, Oliver eventually escapes the island, not realizing he probably should have finished the job. That’s because this more personally driven Slade survived this encounter and begins plotting his revenge.

Why Slade Wilson Is the Best Villain in ‘Arrow’

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Years after their fateful battle, Slade has been training and preparing for the day he can face Oliver again. Though this interpretation of Deathstroke is more sympathetic than many of his other adaptations, Arrow‘s version of him perfectly combines Slade Wilson’s unmatched physical prowess and genius-level criminal intellect. Since facing Oliver on the island, Slade has amassed a vast network of spies and operatives, essentially raising an entire private army to hunt down the Green Arrow.

Armed with state-of-the-art weapons and a durable suit of armor, Deathstroke defeats Green Arrow in several of their physical encounters. Before Oliver can even figure out how to defeat his fallen comrade, Slade deals a critical blow when he abducts Oliver, his sister Thea (Willa Holland), and his mother Moira (Susanna Thompson). Just like Oliver had to choose between Sara and Shado on the island, he now must choose between his mother and sister. The shocking twist results in Moira dying at Slade’s hands, leaving a permanent mark on the already damaged Oliver.

What makes this Deathstroke, so great is how he feels true to the character while also feeling like a unique interpretation. He has the iconic design, the unmatched fighting skills, and the devious intellect, but he also has a surprising backstory and an engaging personality. At times, the most tragic part of Deathstroke’s tale isn’t that he is an assassin who kills without remorse; it’s how he was a once-noble soldier who fell to the dark side.