John Thomas Diggle, also known by his
code name
A code name, codename, call sign, or cryptonym is a code word or name used, sometimes clandestinely, to refer to another name, word, project, or person. Code names are often used for military purposes, or in espionage. They may also be used in ...
s Freelancer (with the
Suicide Squad
The Suicide Squad is an antihero/supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version of the Suicide Squad debuted in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #25 (September 1959) and the second and modern version, cre ...
) and Spartan (with
Team Arrow), is a
fiction
Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying character (arts), individuals, events, or setting (narrative), places that are imagination, imaginary or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent ...
al
character in
The CW
The CW Network, LLC (commonly referred to as The CW or simply CW) is an American commercial broadcast television network which is controlled by Nexstar Media Group through a 75% ownership interest. The network's name is derived from the firs ...
's
Arrowverse
The Arrowverse is an American Superhero fiction, superhero media franchise and shared universe that is centered on various interconnected television series based on DC Comics superhero characters, primarily airing on The CW as well as web series ...
franchise and ''
Superman & Lois
''Superman & Lois'' is an American superhero drama television series developed for The CW by Todd Helbing and Greg Berlanti, based on the DC Comics characters Superman and Lois Lane, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Tyler Hoechlin and ...
'', first introduced in the 2012
pilot episode
A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie) in United Kingdom and United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television netwo ...
of the television series ''
Arrow
An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers c ...
''. The character was created for the series by
Greg Berlanti
Gregory Berlanti (born May 24, 1972) is an American screenwriter, producer and director. He is known for his work on the television series ''Dawson's Creek'', ''Brothers & Sisters (2006 TV series), Brothers & Sisters'', ''Everwood'', ''Political ...
,
Marc Guggenheim
Marc Guggenheim (born September 24, 1970) is an American screenwriter, television producer, comic book writer, and novelist. He is best known as the creator of the television series ''Eli Stone'' (2008–2009), ''Arrow'' (2012–2020), and ''Lege ...
, and
Andrew Kreisberg. Diggle is portrayed by
David Ramsey.
Diggle is introduced as a military veteran and
Oliver Queen
Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' No. 73 on September 19, 1941 (cover dated November 1941), th ...
's new bodyguard. Over time, his relationship with Oliver evolves and he becomes his best friend and confidante in his crusade as the
Green Arrow
Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' No. 73 on September 19, 1941 (cover dated November 1941), th ...
, joining him as Spartan and for a while succeeds him as the Green Arrow. After Oliver returns as the Green Arrow, he leaves the team and joins
A.R.G.U.S. In ''
Superman & Lois
''Superman & Lois'' is an American superhero drama television series developed for The CW by Todd Helbing and Greg Berlanti, based on the DC Comics characters Superman and Lois Lane, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Tyler Hoechlin and ...
'', an alternate Diggle is depicted as an affiliate of
Clark Kent
Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...
and
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1 (June 1938). Lois is an award-winning ...
, and an ally of
John Henry Irons.
Ramsey has reprised his role in the subsequent Arrowverse series ''
The Flash
The Flash is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover date, cover-dated Jan ...
'', ''
Legends of Tomorrow
''DC's Legends of Tomorrow'', or simply ''Legends of Tomorrow'', is an American Time travel in fiction, time travel superhero fiction, superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg, and Phil Klemmer, ...
'', ''
Supergirl
Supergirl is the name of several fictional superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original, current, and most well known Supergirl is Supergirl (Kara Zor-El), Kara Zor-El, the cousin of superhero Superman. Th ...
'' and ''
Batwoman
Batwoman is a name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, depicted as female counterparts and allies of Batman similarly to Batgirl. The original version of the character, Kathy Kane (eventually given t ...
'', as well as the non-Arrowverse series ''Superman & Lois''. The character also appears in ''Arrow''s tie-in novels and digital comics, as well as the ''
Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham'' video game. While Diggle was originally created for the television series, since 2013, a character of the same name has appeared in the ''Green Arrow'' series published by
DC Comics
DC Comics (originally DC Comics, Inc., and also known simply as DC) is an American comic book publisher owned by DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC is an initialism for "Detective Comics", an American comic book seri ...
.
Creation and casting
In February 2012,
David Ramsey was cast in the
pilot episode
A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie) in United Kingdom and United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television netwo ...
of ''
Arrow
An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers c ...
'' as John Diggle, a "former military man now working as a bodyguard for hire who soon finds he is trapped in a battle of wits, loyalty and trust". The character was created by ''Arrow'' creators
Greg Berlanti
Gregory Berlanti (born May 24, 1972) is an American screenwriter, producer and director. He is known for his work on the television series ''Dawson's Creek'', ''Brothers & Sisters (2006 TV series), Brothers & Sisters'', ''Everwood'', ''Political ...
,
Marc Guggenheim
Marc Guggenheim (born September 24, 1970) is an American screenwriter, television producer, comic book writer, and novelist. He is best known as the creator of the television series ''Eli Stone'' (2008–2009), ''Arrow'' (2012–2020), and ''Lege ...
and
Andrew Kreisberg. Named after comic book writer
Andy Diggle
Andrew Diggle is a People of the United Kingdom, British comic book writer and former editor of the weekly anthology series ''2000 AD (comics), 2000 AD''. He is best known for his work on ''Adam Strange'' and ''Green Arrow: Year One, Green Arr ...
, and created specifically for the series, Guggenheim said Diggle was designed to be
Oliver Queen
Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' No. 73 on September 19, 1941 (cover dated November 1941), th ...
's (
Stephen Amell) equal in "many respects" such as their abilities and intelligence. He further explained that Diggle's mutual abilities were a means of setting him up early in the series as a confidant for Oliver's vigilante persona. Ramsey enjoyed the fact that he did not have to worry about matching the comic books, saying, it allowed him to "just kind of take
is characterand run with it".
Development
Characterization
David Ramsey has compared Diggle to
Alfred Pennyworth
Alfred Thaddeus Crane Pennyworth, originally Alfred Beagle and commonly known simply as Alfred, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, most commonly in association with the superhero Batman.
Alfred is ...
from the
Batman
Batman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on M ...
comics, describing the character as Oliver's "moral voice". Ramsey, who has trained in various martial arts such as
Wing Chun
Wing Chun (Cantonese) or Yong Chun (Mandarin Chinese, Mandarin) (, lit. "singing spring") is a concept-based martial art, a form of Nanquan (martial art), Southern Chinese kung fu, and a close-quarters system of self-defense. It is a martial ...
,
Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do (/ˌdʒiːt kuːn ˈdoʊ/; zh, c=截拳道, l=stop fist way' or 'way of the intercepting fist, j=zit6 kyun4 dou6; abbreviated JKD) is a hybrid martial art conceived and practiced by martial artist Bruce Lee. It was formed from ...
, and
kickboxing
Kickboxing ( ) is a full-contact hybrid Martial arts, martial art and Boxing (disambiguation), boxing type based on punch (combat), punching and kicking. Kickboxing originated in the 1950s to 1970s. The fight takes place in a boxing ring, norma ...
, used his martial arts expertise to make Diggle believable, saying, "I think, honestly, it has to do with...having Diggle able to not just handle himself on screen but be able to really proficiently use the (martial) arts — and look like he is a trained soldier. You don't see the stunt guy. You actually see David Ramsey doing it."
He has stated that since Diggle is older than most of Team Arrow and, to an extent, more experienced on the field and reconnaissance fighting, the other members "look to him for some leadership". While describing the other ''Arrow'' characters, particularly Team Arrow members like
Felicity Smoak (
Emily Bett Rickards) as "extraordinary", Ramsey said people would be able to identify with Diggle because "he's just a guy who decided to better himself." He also said Diggle is not "a goody-two-shoes, but he'll stand up in your face and tell you the right way to get something done." Ramsey also compared Diggle to
Little John
Little John is a companion of Robin Hood who serves as his chief lieutenant and second-in-command of the Merry Men. He is one of only a handful of consistently named characters who relate to Robin Hood and one of the two oldest Merry Men, alo ...
, a character in various
Robin Hood
Robin Hood is a legendary noble outlaw, heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature, theatre, and cinema. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions o ...
stories. A
running gag
A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling. Though they are similar, catchphrases are no ...
is that Diggle, whenever taken suddenly to places by
Barry Allen / Flash at super-speed, vomits as a result of
motion sickness
Motion sickness occurs due to a difference between actual and expected motion. Symptoms commonly include nausea, vomiting, cold sweat, headache, dizziness, tiredness, loss of appetite, and increased salivation. Complications may rarely include ...
,
an exception being in the ''Arrow'' season 6 episode "
The Devil's Greatest Trick". Diggle's military career and heroism led some fans to draw comparisons between him and
Green Lantern
Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness, ...
John Stewart. In 2015, Ramsey confirmed there had been talks of turning Diggle into "John Diggle Stewart". This was referenced in the 2018 "
Elseworlds
Elseworlds is the publication imprint (trade name), imprint for American comic books produced by DC Comics for stories that take place outside the DC Universe Canon (fictional), canon. Elseworlds publications are set in alternate realities that ...
" crossover event, where Barry Allen of
Earth-90 indicates that on his Earth, Diggle is the Green Lantern. A 2019 episode of ''Arrow'' reveals that Diggle has an estranged stepfather whose surname is Stewart. The series finale of ''Arrow'' features a scene where Diggle witnesses a meteor crash, and finds a box emitting a green light, which Ramsey said was a reference to fan theories that Diggle would become the series' version of Green Lantern.
Relationships
Regarding Diggle's relationship with Oliver in season 1 after realizing he is a vigilante, Ramsey said that "the biggest change is that they start working together", adding that, "He
igglemakes it clear to Oliver that this isn't about me being a yes man. This is about me understanding what you do and what it does to you as a person. What it does to your humanity." After Diggle leaves Team Arrow and joins
A.R.G.U.S. in season 6 due to his differences with Oliver, Ramsey said, "he obviously loves Oliver, but he sees that there's more than one way to save the city. He's still committed to Oliver, to a certain degree, but even more so than Oliver, to the people of the city."
Diggle, alongside Felicity, is shown to play an important role in the transitioning of Oliver from a 'lone-wolf' to part of a vigilante team. This working relationship between these three characters has been described both in the media and the show as 'Original Team Arrow', and has received particular praise from critics. Commenting on this "symbiotic relationship", terming it "Arrow's most important", Carrie Raisler of
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was created in ...
stated "Amell, Ramsey, and Rickards have the kind of lightning-in-a-bottle chemistry that makes all their scenes together hum", in her review of the first half of season 2. Similarly, Jesse Schedeen of
IGN
''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...
, reviewing the season three premiere, described the three as the "core trio" of the show
and Jenny Rafferty of
''Vulture'', writing about season four, described the relationship between the three as "the heartbeat of the show". Looking back at the series during her review of the season seven finale, Della Harrington of ''
Den of Geek
''Den of Geek'' is a UK and US-based website covering entertainment with a focus on pop culture. The website also issues a biannual magazine.
History
''Den of Geek'' was founded in 2007 by Simon Brew in London. In 2012, DoG Tech LLC licensed ' ...
'' commented that "The magic of the show and the magic of his
liver'steam within the show alchemised when John Diggle and Felicity Smoak signed on."
Juliana Harkavy
Juliana Jay Harkavy (born January 1, 1985) is an American actress. She is known for portraying Rebecca in '' Dolphin Tale'', Jessie in '' To Write Love on Her Arms'', and Alisha in the television series '' The Walking Dead''. Her roles includ ...
, who plays
Dinah Drake, described Diggle as Drake's "best friend" and "her family".
Combat skills
Having served in the military, Diggle is well-versed in live combat,
and his primary skill is
marksman
A marksman is a person who is skilled in precision shooting. In modern military usage this typically refers to the use of projectile weapons such as an accurized telescopic sight, scoped long gun such as designated marksman rifle (or a sniper ri ...
ship. He is also proficient in
stick-fighting
Stick-fighting, stickfighting, or stick fighting, is a variety of martial arts which use blunt, hand-held "sticks" for fighting, most typically a simple, non-lethal, wooden staff or baton. Schools of stick-fighting exist for a variety of weapon ...
and knives. While his primary
weapon of choice is a firearm, he is shown to be able to knock out people simply by striking them with his arms.
He has also been shown to be on par with Oliver in fighting skills.
Early in season 6, when Diggle takes up the Green Arrow mantle at Oliver's request, he wields a crossbow named "Green Monster" that was created by Felicity and Curtis and fires arrows.
Costume
For the first three seasons of ''Arrow'', Diggle does not have a vigilante costume.
By the time season 4 begins, he has gained one, which consists of a helmet and black gear. Via social media, the helmet was criticized by fans for its resemblance to that worn by the
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...
character
Magneto
A magneto is an electrical generator that uses permanent magnets to produce periodic pulses of alternating current. Unlike a dynamo, a magneto does not contain a commutator to produce direct current. It is categorized as a form of alternator, ...
. In response to the criticism, Ramsey said, "I know there's a lot of criticism that it looks like the Magneto helmet. But by the time you see Diggle in action – we also get into what the helmet can do – you won't be thinking of the
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 (September 1963). Although initial ...
at all." In season 5, Diggle replaces his helmet with a new one, which Ramsey said can do "extraordinary things", apart from being just about concealment. Concept artist Andy Poon said the new helmet offers Diggle "full protection". He added that, since Diggle's codename is Spartan, he decided to make the helmet resemble "an actual
spartan
Sparta was a prominent city-state in Laconia in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (), while the name Sparta referred to its main settlement in the valley of Evrotas river in Laconia, in southeastern Pe ...
helmet design". Poon, a comic book fan himself, thought the new helmet would fix "the issues regarding some of the fan feedback about
he older helmet
He or HE may refer to:
Language
* He (letter), the fifth letter of the Semitic abjads
* He (pronoun), a pronoun in Modern English
* He (kana), one of the Japanese kana (へ in hiragana and ヘ in katakana)
* Ge (Cyrillic), a Cyrillic letter call ...
looking similar to other comic book characters". Later in season 6, Diggle gains both a new Spartan costume and helmet, which eschew the gray overtones of previous Spartan costumes, and instead have a black and red scheme.
In season 8, Diggle receives another suit, this time with a black and green color scheme as well as a green light emanating from his helmet as a nod to Green Lantern.
Fictional character biography
Earth-Prime
Early life
John Thomas Diggle was born in 1977 in
Starling City
This page lists the locations in the DC Universe, the shared universe setting of DC Comics.
Sites
Arrowcave
The Arrowcave is the former base of operations of the Green Arrow and Speedy.
Avernus Cemetery
Avernus Cemetery is a hidden burial grou ...
. He had a younger brother,
Andy Diggle
Andrew Diggle is a People of the United Kingdom, British comic book writer and former editor of the weekly anthology series ''2000 AD (comics), 2000 AD''. He is best known for his work on ''Adam Strange'' and ''Green Arrow: Year One, Green Arr ...
, but their relationship was always very tense. During his childhood, his father died on a military mission in
Vlatava. He blamed his father's death on his step-father, who was in charge of the mission,
Roy Stewart
Roy Stewart (15 May 1925 – 27 October 2008) was a Jamaican-born British actor. He began his career as a stuntman and went on to work in film and television.
In 1954 he founded Roy Stewart's Gym in Powis Square, North Kensington, and ran th ...
. Roy would train intensively both John and Andy on military combat. In 2003, he joined the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
, and was sent in
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
, two years later becoming a
Sergeant
Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...
. When he discovered that Andy was a drug dealer, he beat him up, and convinced him to join the army. With both serving in
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
, at some point
Lt. Joyner offered them a deal to confiscate some of the opium they recovered and sell it off, a deal John refused, but not Andy. At some point, he met with
Lyla Michaels in Afghanistan, and got married. At the end of his second tour, they divorced. John went back to Afghanistan for a third tour, while Lyla joined
A.R.G.U.S. In 2008, he retired from the Army, and in 2010 he started working as a security guard, with his first job being protecting
Tommy Merlyn. Sometime later, his brother was killed by
Deadshot
Deadshot is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer David Vern Reed and artist Lew Sayre Schwartz based on a concept from Bob Kane, the character first appeared in ''Batman (comic book), Batman ...
, and as a result he grew closer to his brother's widow,
Carly Diggle.
Working with the Hood
In
season 1 Season One may refer to:
Albums
* ''Season One'' (Suburban Legends album), 2004
* ''Season One'' (All Sons & Daughters album), 2012
* ''Season One'' (Saukrates album), 2012
See also
*
*
* Season 2 (disambiguation) Season 2 may refer to:
...
, John Diggle was introduced as a former
United States Army Ranger and
United States Army Special Forces
The United States Army Special Forces (SF), colloquially known as the "Green Berets" due to their distinctive service Berets of the United States Army, headgear, is a branch of the United States Army United States Army Special Operations Comm ...
soldier,
honorably discharged
A military discharge is given when a member of the armed forces is released from their obligation to serve. Each country's military has different types of discharge. They are generally based on whether the persons completed their training and the ...
at the rank of
Master Sergeant
A master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries.
Israel Defense Forces
The (abbreviated "", master sergeant) is a non-commissioned officer () rank in the Israel Defense Force ...
in the
pilot
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...
episode. He is hired as the bodyguard of billionaire
Oliver Queen
Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' No. 73 on September 19, 1941 (cover dated November 1941), th ...
by his mother,
Moira and later becomes his confidant in his mission to save
Starling City
This page lists the locations in the DC Universe, the shared universe setting of DC Comics.
Sites
Arrowcave
The Arrowcave is the former base of operations of the Green Arrow and Speedy.
Avernus Cemetery
Avernus Cemetery is a hidden burial grou ...
.
Diggle tries to help Oliver balance his normal life and vigilante life, and occasionally helps him in the field. Diggle provides Oliver with medical assistance, limiting his need for hospital treatment. Already a skilled fighter, Diggle receives additional training from Oliver. Diggle has a grudge against
Floyd Lawton / Deadshot who allegedly killed his brother,
Andy.
Diggle dates his brother's widow,
Carly
Carly is a given name, a feminine form of Carl. Hanks; Hardcastle; Hodges (2006) p. 47. It is also a pet form of given names such as Carla and Caroline. Variant different spellings include Carley, Carlie, Carlee, Carleigh and Carli, as well as ...
, and is a father figure to her son, Andrew "A.J.", during this season.
Joining the Suicide Squad
In
season two Diggle and
Felicity Smoak continue to help Oliver with his crusade and Diggle continues to be Oliver's adviser and field partner, along with
Sara Lance
Sara Lance, also known by her alter-ego White Canary, is a fictional character in The CW's Arrowverse franchise, first introduced in the 2012 pilot episode of the television series ''Arrow'', and later starring in '' Legends of Tomorrow''. The ...
and
Roy Harper. Diggle has a relationship with his ex-wife
Lyla Michaels,
is an unofficial member of
A.R.G.U.S.
A.R.G.U.S. (Advanced Research Group Uniting Super-Humans) is a fictional government organization appearing in DC Comics. A.R.G.U.S. first appeared in ''Justice League'' vol. 2 #7 and was created by Geoff Johns and Gene Ha.
Headed by Amanda Walle ...
, and a member of the
Suicide Squad
The Suicide Squad is an antihero/supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version of the Suicide Squad debuted in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #25 (September 1959) and the second and modern version, cre ...
under the codename "Freelancer".
He also develops an uneasy alliance with
Amanda Waller
Amanda Belle Waller (née Blake), also known as "the Wall", is a fictional character featured in some American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in '' Legends'' #1 in 1986 and was created by John Ostrander, Len We ...
who occasionally asks him for field assistance with A.R.G.U.S. missions. In the season finale, it is revealed that Lyla is pregnant with Diggle's child.
Fighting the League of Assassins
Diggle continues to help Oliver and his team during
season three
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and polar ...
, but has to devote more of his time to his new baby with Lyla, whom he names Sara after Sara Lance is killed. After Lyla is seriously injured in an attack, they decide to remarry. When Oliver is presumed dead at
Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman. Created by editor Julius Schwartz, writer Dennis O'Neil, and artist Neal Adams, the character first appeared ...
's hands, Diggle leads Felicity, Roy, and
Laurel Lance
Black Canary is the name of two superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. As one of the earliest female superheroes in the DC Comics universe, the character has made numerous appearances in prominent team-up titles, ...
until his friend's return. After Oliver's return, Diggle accompanies him to
Nanda Parbat
Nanda Parbat () is a fictional city in the DC Comics universe. It first appeared in '' Strange Adventures'' #216 (February 1969), created by Neal Adams. It is named after the Himalayan peak Nanga Parbat, with the first name mixed with another H ...
to help him free
Malcolm Merlyn
Merlyn (Arthur King) is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He is a deadly bow-wielding assassin and contract killer and the archnemesis of Green Arrow, though writers have developed him over the years as an adversary ...
, but the two are captured. Diggle and Lyla marry after a near-death experience with the Suicide Squad, when Lawton sacrifices himself for them.
Diggle and Lyla decide to quit Team Arrow and A.R.G.U.S. for their daughter's sake. After Oliver leaves the team to join the League of Assassins as part of a deal to revive a near-deceased
Thea Queen
Thea Dearden Queen, also known as Speedy, is a fictional character portrayed by Willa Holland on The CW television series ''Arrow'', created by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg. She is the maternal half-sister of series prot ...
, Diggle becomes the team leader, though he is not yet ready to forgive Oliver for kidnapping Lyla as part of a deception to gain acceptance by the League.
In
season one of The Flash, Diggle arrives at Central City with Oliver and Felicity to locate a criminal who uses lethal boomerangs (
Digger Harkness
Captain Boomerang is the name of two supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, who respectively serve as enemies to both the Barry Allen and Wally West versions of the Flash. Created by writer John Broome and artist ...
), but ends up assisting Team Flash (Barry's team) in defeating
Roy Bivolo.
Fighting Damien Darhk and Vandal Savage
Season four sees Diggle continuing to protect Starling City, now renamed Star City, with Laurel and Thea.
Now going by the codename "Spartan", he discovers that the organization that targets the newly named Star City is
H.I.V.E.
The Hierarchy of International Vengeance and Extermination (H.I.V.E.) is a fictional terrorist organization appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.
The H.I.V.E. organization has appeared in ''Teen Titans (TV series), Teen Titan ...
, who had hired Lawton to murder Andy. Diggle eventually forgives Oliver after their fight with a H.I.V.E.
metahuman
In the DC Universe, a metahuman is a human with superpowers. The term is roughly synonymous with the terms '' mutant'', '' inhuman'' and '' mutate'' in the Marvel Universe and '' posthuman'' in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. In ...
operative named
Jeremy Tell.
With
Quentin Lance
''Arrow'' is an American superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, a costumed crime-fighter created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, and is ...
's help, Diggle learns that
Damien Darhk had Andy murdered, and that he was a drug cartel leader and Darhk's territorial rival prior to his death.
However, Diggle discovers that Darhk actually faked Andy's death and recruited him as a H.I.V.E. soldier, leading Diggle and his brother to become enemies. Guilt-ridden over his brother's role in causing Laurel's death, Diggle seeks revenge against Andy and Darhk. Diggle
kills Andy after the latter threatens to harm Lyla and Sara. He initially lies to Lyla that he killed Andy in self-defense, but Oliver encourages Diggle to admit the truth to his wife.
Diggle rejoins the army after confiding to his wife and Darhk's defeat.
In
season two of The Flash, Diggle and the rest of Team Arrow aid Team Flash during their fight with
Vandal Savage
Vandal Savage (Vandar Adg) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is said to be a Cro-Magnon warrior who gained immortality and advanced healing abilities after encountering a strange meteorite during prehis ...
.
Later in the season, when the metahuman
King Shark
King Shark is a supervillain and later antihero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The character, also known as Nanaue, was created by writer Karl Kesel and artist Tom Grummett. King Shark's first key appearance was in ''Superboy (c ...
escapes from his A.R.G.U.S. prison and arrives at Central City to kill Barry, Diggle and Lyla arrive to warn the latter. After King Shark is defeated by the combined efforts of Team Flash, Diggle and Lyla, he is taken back to A.R.G.U.S.
Stopping Adrian Chase and alien invasion
In the second episode of
season five
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and polar ...
Diggle is betrayed by his commanding officer,
J.G. Walker, following a failed attempt to sell nuclear weapons.
Framed for Walker's crimes, Diggle is arrested.
Oliver and Lyla break him out of state prison, and Diggle stays at H.I.V.E.'s former base until his innocence can be proven.
Diggle remains guilty about killing Andy and continues to serve as Spartan to redeem himself. Due to the events of ''The Flash'' episode "
Flashpoint", Diggle's family history is altered: his daughter Sara has been erased from existence and replaced by
John "J.J." Diggle, Jr., as a result of a timeline change caused by
Eobard Thawne
Eobard Thawne, also known as the Reverse-Flash and Professor Zoom, is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by John Broome (writer), John Broome and Carmine Infantino, the character first appeared in ''T ...
, correcting the Flashpoint reality created by
Barry Allen
Bartholomew Henry "Barry" Allen is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the second character known as the Flash, following Flash (Jay Garrick), Jay Garrick. The character first appeared in ''Showcase (comic ...
. Felicity is later able to prove Diggle's innocence by restoring the digital files that Walker had destroyed. However, Andy's betrayal and death at Diggle's hands has taken a toll on him; he struggles to control his rage and occasionally pulverizes criminals to vent it, fueling Oliver's concern over his erratic behavior. Diggle later befriends Oliver's chosen successor to Laurel's mantle,
Dinah Drake, a Central City detective, and encourages her to set down roots in Star City. Diggle, along with the rest of Team Arrow, is later captured by
Adrian Chase
Adrian Chase is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the second DC character to bear the name Vigilante.
The character made his live-action debut in the Arrowverse series ''Arrow'', portrayed by Josh Segarr ...
and taken to the island
Lian Yu
Lian Yu (; 1886 - 13 August 1972), art name Liqing ().was a diplomat, politician, judicial officer and lawyer in the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China. He was an important politician during the Reformed Government of the Republi ...
.
Chase later detonates the explosive-rigged Lian Yu
by shooting himself dead, with Diggle still on the island.
In
season three of The Flash, Diggle joins forces with other superheroes to stop an alien invasion, while he learns of the alteration of his life with Lyla, his daughter's erasure and his son's status as a time aberration, and despite the hurt caused by these circumstances, he chooses to forgive Barry.
Working with A.R.G.U.S.
The
season six premiere reveals that Diggle survived the explosion by taking shelter in a plane like the others.
However, he was wounded by bomb shrapnel and suffers a
degenerative nerve injury that affects his
motor control
Motor control is the regulation of movements in organisms that possess a nervous system. Motor control includes conscious voluntary movements, subconscious muscle memory and involuntary reflexes, as well as instinctual taxes.
To control ...
that requires taking daily medications, resulting him to develop a drug dependency. When Oliver decides to retire from being the Green Arrow, he appoints Diggle as his successor, oblivious to the fact that Diggle is not in condition to remain in action. Oliver returns to vigilantism until Diggle is fully recovered from his injury.
Curtis Holt develops an implant for Diggle to help him control his tremors as he progressively recovers. After Oliver decides to remain being the Green Arrow, Diggle accepts the job offer from Lyla as one of the commanding officers in A.R.G.U.S., using his new position to lead his subordinates to maintain order in the city's police's place due to them having been compromised by crime lord
Ricardo Diaz. Near the end of the season, Diggle is fully healed and no longer needing Holt's implant. His A.R.G.U.S. team later joins forces with
FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
agent
Samanda Watson
''Arrow'' is an American superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, a costumed crime-fighter created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, and is set in ...
's subordinates, and working with Team Arrow, they ultimately take back the city from Diaz, who goes into hiding. After the Earth-X invasion he marries Oliver and Felicity, and Barry and Iris.
In
season four of The Flash,
Clifford DeVoe infiltrates the A.R.G.U.S. facility holding the metahuman
Neil Borman by impersonating Diggle and kills most of the security; overcharging and killing Borman to be a nuclear battery for his satellites. Afterwards, Barry brings the real Diggle to S.T.A.R. Labs to reveal the location of the facility.
In
season seven, Diggle remains working at A.R.G.U.S., and continues leading his manhunt against Diaz.
The combined efforts of Diggle, A.R.G.U.S. and the other members of Team Arrow (except Oliver, who is in prison) result in the successful capture of Diaz.
After Oliver is released from
Slabside Maximum Security Prison in exchange for Diaz, Diggle and Felicity are the first to receive him.
Later, Diaz is recruited by Diggle as a member of the "Ghost Initiative", his own version of the Suicide Squad. Diggle plans to use Diaz to locate
Dante
Dante Alighieri (; most likely baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri; – September 14, 1321), widely known mononymously as Dante, was an Italian Italian poetry, poet, writer, and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called ...
, the financier behind the legendary
Longbow Hunters
The Longbow Hunters is the name of a supervillain group appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They are depicted as enemies of Green Arrow. The Longbow Hunters first appeared in ''Green Arrow'' Vol. 5 #31 and were created by Je ...
.
Diggle returns to vigilantism along with Curtis and
Rene Ramirez
''Arrow'' is an American superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, a costumed crime-fighter created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, and is ...
to capture the criminal Chimera. Despite succeeding, the trio are arrested for violating the city's anti-vigilante law, but mayor
Emily Pollard ultimately offers to drop the charges against them, provided they agree to be deputized and work for the police, as Oliver has.
The Ghost Initiative is successful in locating Dante, but when Diaz betrays the team and helps Dante escape, Diggle hands in his resignation to A.R.G.U.S. to save his wife's job, while sending Diaz back to Slabside. Diggle later meets his late father's commanding officer
Roy Stewart
Roy Stewart (15 May 1925 – 27 October 2008) was a Jamaican-born British actor. He began his career as a stuntman and went on to work in film and television.
In 1954 he founded Roy Stewart's Gym in Powis Square, North Kensington, and ran th ...
; Diggle's father died during an operation abroad and he blames Stewart for leaving his father behind. Stewart went on to become Diggle's stepfather and put both Diggle and Andy through rigorous training to turn them into real soldiers, resulting in a strained relationship between Diggle and Stewart. The two make amends when Diggle learns that his father died because of his own negligence and Stewart is the reason anyone survived the operation. After Team Arrow thwarts the
Ninth Circle
The following is a list of fictional criminal and terrorist organizations that have been published by DC Comics and their imprints.
0-9 100
Originally based in Metropolis, the 100 kept a firm grip on the city's criminal underworld for years, i ...
's plan to destroy Star City, Diggle takes Oliver and a pregnant Felicity to an A.R.G.U.S. safe house in the woods where the two can raise their child safe from the Circle.
The season also features flashforwards that take place in 2040. These feature Diggle's adoptive son
Connor Hawke
Connor Hawke is a fictional DC Comics superhero who operated as the second Green Arrow, created by Kelley Puckett and Jim Aparo. In the post-''Zero Hour: Crisis in Time!, Zero Hour'' continuity, Connor is the eldest son of Oliver Queen, the orig ...
and reveal that J.J. is the leader of the Deathstroke gang. Connor states that J.J. grew up hating their parents and the expectations they put on them and considers the gang his way to rebel.
Stopping the Crisis
In
season eight, Diggle meets six-year-old Connor for the first time, but does not yet adopt him. After the adult Connor is accidentally teleported from 2040 to 2019 with Oliver's children, Diggle is shocked and devastated to learn that J.J. is psychopathic and becomes
Grant Wilson
Grant Steven Wilson (born July 3, 1974) is an art director and developer for Rather Dashing Games (now a division of Kalmbach Publishing), a game company he founded with Michael Richie, and is the co-founder of The Atlantic Paranormal Society ( ...
's protégé and successor as Deathstroke and kills Rene's daughter
Zoe in the future. Though these revelations strain their friendship, Diggle and Rene are determined to change their respective children's fates. Despite Diggle learning that his future bond with his adoptive son is what possibly would cause J.J. to take the path of evil, Diggle chooses to accept his destiny to Connor while trying to save J.J. After the events of the
Crisis
A crisis (: crises; : critical) is any event or period that will lead to an unstable and dangerous situation affecting an individual, group, or all of society. Crises are negative changes in the human or environmental affairs, especially when ...
, during which Oliver perished, Diggle's daughter Sara is restored to existence, and he and Lyla are happy of having two children. While moving to
Metropolis
A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural area for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications.
A big city b ...
, Diggle is intrigued by a crashed spaceship and discovers a mysterious box that glows green. In season six of ''The Flash'', Diggle arrives in Central City to give Barry the mask he gave Oliver the first time they met. Diggle also helps him come to terms with Oliver's death.
Helping other heroes
After almost a year, Diggle arrives in Central City to help Barry trap a
Godspeed
Godspeed is a parting statement, wishing someone a prosperous journey or success.
Godspeed may also refer to:
Literature
* ''Godspeed'' (Sheffield novel), a 1993 science fiction novel by Charles Sheffield
* ''Godspeed'', an unpublished novel ...
drone with an Entropy Trap. Diggle convinces Barry to go to 2049 to check on his daughter
Nora
Nora, NORA, or Norah may refer to:
* Nora (name), a feminine given name
People with the surname
* Arlind Nora (born 1980), Albanian footballer
* Pierre Nora (1931–2025), French historian
* Simon Nora (1921–2006), French politician
Place ...
, but he is knocked out of the
Speed Force
A speedster is a character, primarily in superhero comics, whose powers primarily relate to superhuman speed (also known as superspeed). Primary abilities shared by all speedsters include running at speeds far in excess of human capability (to var ...
by Godspeed drones. Diggle,
Cecile Horton, and
Frost
Frost is a thin layer of ice on a solid surface, which forms from water vapor that deposits onto a freezing surface. Frost forms when the air contains more water vapor than it can normally hold at a specific temperature. The process is simila ...
find an amnesiac
August Heart, but soon make him remember his identity. Following this, Diggle vows to resolve something he has "been putting off": figuring out how to open the box.
Sometime later,
James Olsen contacts Diggle to help his sister,
Kelly Olsen, after
Nyxlygsptlnz imploded the Ormfell Building, causing those caught in the implosion to be exposed to 5th Dimensional energies. When it is discovered that Councilwoman Jean Rankin took an experimental medicine that enabled her to use those energies at the cost of draining the victims of their energy, Diggle gives Kelly some inspirational advice when operating as the new
Guardian
Guardian usually refers to:
* Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another
* ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper
(The) Guardian(s) may also refer to:
Places
* Guardian, West Virginia, Unit ...
and even mentions some wise words that he learned from
Jefferson Pierce.
When on an A.R.G.U.S. assignment in Gotham City, Diggle encounters
Luke Fox in a bar where he got involved in a poker game with
Russell Tavaroff. When Tavaroff attacks Luke outside the bar, Diggle stops him. While comparing to how they both lost their fathers, Diggle advises Luke to take the right path as they notice the Bat-Signal giving off a
Morse code
Morse code is a telecommunications method which Character encoding, encodes Written language, text characters as standardized sequences of two different signal durations, called ''dots'' and ''dashes'', or ''dits'' and ''dahs''. Morse code i ...
. This conversation inspires Luke to become
Batwing.
After a while, Diggle assists his old friend
Jada Jet into finding
Joker's joy buzzer that would be used to help treat Marquis. They find it in
Renee Montoya
Renee Maria Montoya is a character appearing in media of DC Comics. The character was created by Bruce Timm, Paul Dini and Mitch Brian for '' Batman: The Animated Series'' and was preemptively introduced into mainstream comics before the airin ...
's office. Diggle later finds Luke at the grave of
Lucius Fox
Lucius Fox is a character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Bruce Wayne / Batman. He is Wayne's business manager at Wayne Enterprises who runs the business interests that supply ...
where he asks him to help open a box in his possession.
Declining the Box
After some time, Diggle visits
Eobard Thawne
Eobard Thawne, also known as the Reverse-Flash and Professor Zoom, is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by John Broome (writer), John Broome and Carmine Infantino, the character first appeared in ''T ...
, who is imprisoned in an A.R.G.U.S.
supermax prison
A super-maximum security (supermax) or administrative maximum (ADX) prison is a "control-unit" prison, or a unit within prisons, which represents the most secure level of custody in the prison systems of certain countries.
The objective is to ...
on Lian Yu. After Barry departed after asking Thawne about a Fast Track Labs worker claiming to be Eobard Thawne, Diggle appears to ask for his help on unlocking the mystery box he had found. Thawne helps him to reopen it, but Diggle declines its powers since he prefers to be with his family.
Assisting in fighting Bloodwork
While attending Barry Allen's birthday party, John Diggle is among those who got taken over by Bloodwork's blood samples. Khione later used her powers to free Diggle so that he can help Flash and a temporarily resurrected Green Arrow. As Spartan, he helps Green Arrow, Flash, and Kid Flash in defeating Bloodwork before he can infect the Multiverse with his blood.
''Superman & Lois'' version
A variant of John Diggle appears on the Earth that ''Superman & Lois'' takes place on:
Delivering A.R.G.U.S. equipment
When called for help by General
Sam Lane, John Diggle arrives in Smallville with some A.R.G.U.S. equipment. After a talk with
Lois
Lois is a common English name from the New Testament. Paul the Apostle mentions Lois, the pious grandmother of Saint Timothy in the Second Epistle to Timothy (commending her for her faith in 2 Timothy 1:5). The name was first used by English C ...
, Diggle scolds Sam for plotting to use the A.R.G.U.S. technology to take out Superman due to
Tal-Rho
''Superman & Lois'' is an American television series developed by Todd Helbing and Greg Berlanti, based on the DC Comics characters Superman and Lois Lane, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The series stars Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tul ...
planning to subject him to the
Eradicator. When he finds out that
John Henry Irons is from another Earth, Diggle states to Sam that they will have a talk about this later. Later on, Diggle mentions to Sam that he left the life of dealing with the deaths of people he knew and encountering people from other Earths, and implores him to try and stop Superman without killing him, reasoning that their Earth's version of Oliver Queen would have done the same.
Working with John Henry Irons
A few months later, Diggle visits John Henry Irons at a diner after the defeat of
Ally Allston, wanting to know why
Bruno Mannheim
Bruno "Ugly" Mannheim is a supervillain appearing American comic books published by DC Comics. He is an Intergang crime boss who is the son of Moxie Mannheim and one of Superman's List of Superman enemies, enemies.
Chad L. Coleman portrayed Mannhe ...
killed this Earth's Irons.
In other media
Print media
The character appeared in ''Arrow 2.5'', a bi-weekly digital comic series that bridged the gap between the end of season two and the start of season three.
He also features in the tie-in novels published for the series, ''Arrow: Vengeance'', written by
Oscar Balderrama and Lauren Certo, ''The Flash: The Haunting of Barry Allen'' written by Susan and Clay Griffith, and its sequel ''Arrow: A Generation of Vipers'' from the same authors, as well as ''Arrow Fatal Legacies'', co-authored by Marc Guggenheim and James R. Tuck, published in January 2018. This novel bridged the gap between the season five finale and the season six premiere of ''Arrow''.
While Diggle was originally created for ''Arrow'', a character of the same name was introduced into the Green Arrow comics during ''
The New 52
The New 52 was the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire Line (comics), line of ongoing monthly superhero American comic books, comic books. Following the conclusion of the "Flashpoint (comics), Flashpoint" Fictional crossover, cros ...
'' run, in 2013,
but having little resemblance to Ramsey's likeness. Looking at any elements of the show which would transfer to the comic-run, writer
Jeff Lemire
Jeff Lemire (; born March 21, 1976) is a Canadian comic book writer, artist, and television producer. He is the author of critically acclaimed titles including the '' Essex County Trilogy'', '' Sweet Tooth'', and '' The Nobody''. His written work ...
described the character of Diggle as "the
breakout of that show", and wanted to incorporate elements of that into his story. When DC rebooted its continuity with ''
DC Rebirth
DC Rebirth is a 2016 relaunch by the American comic book publisher DC Comics of its entire Line (comics), line of ongoing monthly superhero comic book titles. Using the end of The New 52 (2011–2016) initiative in May 2016 as its launching point ...
'' in 2016, Diggle continued to feature in the Green Arrow comics with more or less the same backstory as the show with minor alterations such as him being from
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...
.
Video games
The character appears in the ''
Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham'' video game as part of the ''Arrow'' DLC pack. As well as featuring in the add-on pack's level, Diggle can also be used in any other level as a freeplay character.
Reception
Writing for the
DC Comics
DC Comics (originally DC Comics, Inc., and also known simply as DC) is an American comic book publisher owned by DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC is an initialism for "Detective Comics", an American comic book seri ...
website, Ashley V. Robinson named Diggle as one of her "all-time favorite characters".
Jesse Schedeen of
IGN
''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...
praised Ramsey's performance in the episode "Brothers in Arms", calling it "easily Ramsey's strongest episode in a long time".
References
Further reading
{{DEFAULTSORT:Diggle, John
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