In the aftermath of the Undertaking, Oliver finds his heart isn't in to being the Vigilante anymore, but is coerced to return to Starling City and face off against new enemies that have emerged from the shadows. He desires to take more care in his approach to being a vigilante and renames himself "The Arrow". In flashbacks to the island, Oliver has to confront Dr. Ivo and rescue his prisoners aboard the ship Amazo.
Tropes from Arrow Season Two:
- Back from the Dead: Multiple times. Sara was presumed killed in the sinking of the Queen's Gambit, Oliver knew Sara survived the shipwreck but believed she was killed on the island in the confrontation with Slade, so didn't correct anyone with a more complicated truth. Then she shows up in Starling City as a member of the League of Assassins.
- Batman Grabs a Gun: Oliver made the choice to no longer kill people, but when Felicity is threatened by The Count he makes a swift kill shot when he had the chance. Felicity is distraught that he broke his oath in order to protect her, but he says it there is no second guessing his decision when it comes to her. He also literally grabs a gun after Deathstroke shows up and reveals himself to Oliver.
- Bloodier and Gorier: While Arrow never shied away from blood and violence, Season 2's wounds are displayed more graphically. Examples include Slade visibly slicing off Ivo's hand, and staring at the camera with his empty eye socket in plain view.
- Guys Smash, Girls Shoot: Canary begins the inversion, as Oliver (though competent with melee weapons) prefers the bow and the various women who show up will all prefer melee.
- Made Out to Be a Jerkass: Hendrick was in his belief that while Sara may have been a prisoner give the fact that she aided in his torture means she wasn’t a prisoner like him.
- The narrative tried make him come across as unreasonable for being angry over the fact that everyone was completely willing to sacrifice him for Oliver one of them even flat out called him a coward.
- In universe as well as they were quickly called out about this.
- It’s actually telling that the only one who didn’t instantly forgive Sara for her torturing them was the only one who needed to be sacrificed.
- Poorly Disguised Pilot: Barry Allen appeared in the ninth and tenth episodes to set up a planned Flash TV series. He was set to appear in three episodes, but fan response was so great after the first two that the producers got the go-ahead for an actual pilot, which turned into a green light for the show itself. So Allen was replaced by some members of S.T.A.R. Labs to play the role he would have played (making that episode itself fall into this category - when The Flash begins, we'll come to know those two S.T.A.R. Labs scientists as Cisco and Caitlin).
- 10-Minute Retirement: Oliver returns to the island to get away from the pain of the Undertaking, but comes back when Felicity and Diggle ask him to.
- The Lopsided Arm of the Law: Starling City PD puts a lot of energy into capturing the Hood, but by now it's clear that it's because many of them are crooked and he's hurting the bottom line of their many side ventures.
