Laurel Lance (Arrowverse)
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Dinah Laurel Lance is a
fictional character In fiction, a character is a person or being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, in which case the distinction o ...
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 based on 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 ...
character of the
same name ''Same Name'' is an American reality television series in which an average person swaps lives with a celebrity of the same first and last name. It premiered on July 24, 2011 on CBS. The series received low ratings, and CBS pulled it after four-ep ...
, created by writer-artist team of
Robert Kanigher Robert Kanigher (; June 18, 1915 – May 7, 2002)Social Security Death Index, social security #116-07-5117. was an American comic book writer and editor whose career spanned five decades. He was involved with the Wonder Woman franchise for over ...
and
Carmine Infantino Carmine Infantino (; May 24, 1925 – April 4, 2013) was an American comics artist and editing, editor, primarily for DC Comics, during the late 1950s and early 1960s period known as the Silver Age of Comic Books. Among his character creations are ...
, and adapted 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 Andrew Kreisberg (born April 23, 1971) is an American former television writer, producer and comic book writer. He is best known as the co-creator of the television series ''The Flash'', ''Arrow'', ''Supergirl'' and ''Legends of Tomorrow''. Pers ...
for ''
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 ...
'' in 2012.
Katie Cassidy Katie Cassidy (born November 25, 1986) is an American actress. Following several minor television roles, she came to attention as a scream queen after starring in the horror films ''When a Stranger Calls (2006 film), When a Stranger Calls'' (2006 ...
portrays the several
multiverse The multiverse is the hypothetical set of all universes. Together, these universes are presumed to comprise everything that exists: the entirety of space, time, matter, energy, information, and the physical laws and constants that describ ...
versions of the character within the ''Arrowverse'', all of whom are mostly referred to by their middle name, "Laurel", unlike the comics. The first version of Laurel is introduced in the pilot episode of ''Arrow'' as a legal aid attorney 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 ex-girlfriend, who later becomes a vigilante and takes up the mantle of Black Canary in subsequent seasons of ''Arrow'' until her death in season four. The character also appears in spin-off shows ''
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 ...
'' and ''
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, ...
'' as well web series ''
Vixen Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush"). Twelve species ...
'', which are all set in the same shared fictional universe. In 2016, the penultimate episode of ''The Flash'' season two introduces an antagonist doppelgänger of Laurel Lance from the parallel universe Earth-2, who is known as Black Siren. The character subsequently recurs in ''Arrow''
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 ...
and becomes one of the main characters from season six onward. This version of Laurel is gradually redeemed in the following seasons of ''Arrow'' and eventually assumes the heroic 'Black Canary' moniker, like her late Earth-1 counterpart. Following the events of the sixth annual Arrowverse
crossover Crossover may refer to: Entertainment Music Albums * ''Cross Over'' (album), a 1987 album by Dan Peek, or the title song * ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987 * ''Crossover'', an album by Intrigue * ''Crossover'', an album by ...
"
Crisis on Infinite Earths ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' is a 1985 to 1986 American comic book fictional crossover, crossover series published by DC Comics. Written by Marv Wolfman and penciller, pencilled by George Pérez, it was first released as a 12-issue limited ser ...
", Earth-2 Laurel is revived in the rebooted universe called
Earth-Prime Earth Prime (or Earth-Prime) is a term sometimes used in works of speculative fiction, most notably in DC Comics, involving parallel universes or a multiverse, and refers either to the universe containing "our" Earth, or to a parallel world with ...
. The penultimate episode of ''Arrow''s final season served as a pilot for a potential spin-off series '' Green Arrow and the Canaries'' set in 2040 in the new timeline, co-starring Cassidy as the character. However, the series was not picked up.


Storylines


Laurel Lance (Earth-1)

Dinah Laurel Lance is first introduced in the pilot episode 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 a legal-aid attorney working for a legal assistance group called CNRI (City Necessary Resources Initiative) 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 ...
. Her father
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 ...
is a detective and her younger sister
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 ex-boyfriend
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 ...
are both presumed dead, while having a secret fling during the sinking of Queen's Gambit five years ago.


Season 1

Over season one's course, Laurel pursues a relationship with Tommy Merlyn, and often works with "The Hood", unaware that the vigilante is actually Oliver who has returned. Laurel initially blames Oliver for Sara's death but after her breakup with Tommy, she briefly resumes her relationship with Oliver. Tommy's death during the events of 'The Undertaking' eventually causes Oliver and Laurel to part ways.


Season 2

In season two, Laurel becomes an Assistant District Attorney, but also struggles with Tommy's death, leading her to fight her own battles with alcoholism and use of prescription drugs. She learns that her sister
Sara Sara may refer to: People * Sara (given name), a feminine given name People with the given name * Sara Aboobacker (1936–2023), Indian writer and translator * Sara Ahmed (born 1969), British-Australian writer * Sara Allgood (1880–1950), Ir ...
is alive. She also learns that Oliver is the vigilante known as "The Arrow", and her sister is also a vigilante, whom she eventually names "The Canary".


Season 3

In season three, Laurel witnesses Sara's murder and resolves to become a vigilante to find her sister's killer and to help people as Sara did. This leads her to begin combat training with
Ted Grant Edward Grant (born Isaac Blank; 9 July 1913 – 20 July 2006) was a South African Trotskyist who spent most of his adult life in Britain. He was a founding member of the group Militant tendency, Militant and later Socialist Appeal (UK, 1992), ...
, and later
Nyssa al Ghul Nyssa Raatko is a supervillain in DC Comics. Nyssa Raatko was created by Greg Rucka and Klaus Janson for the Batman series of comic books. She is an enemy of Batman, a daughter of Ra's al Ghul and the older half-sister of Talia al Ghul, Talia. Nys ...
. Initially impersonating "The Canary", Laurel eventually assumes her own mantle as the "Black Canary" and joins Oliver's crusade. As Black Canary, she uses a
side-handle baton A baton (also truncheon, nightstick, billy club, billystick, cosh, ''lathi'', or simply stick) is a roughly cylindrical club made of wood, rubber, plastic, or metal. It is carried as a compliance tool and defensive weapon by law-enforcemen ...
as her trademark weapon, and later uses an updated version of her sister's sonic "Canary Cry" device designed by Cisco Ramon.


Season 4

In season four, Laurel is shown to be still active as a vigilante in Starling City (now renamed Star City) alongside
John Diggle John William Diggle (2 March 1847 – 24 March 1920) was an English Anglican bishop. He was Archdeacon of Westmorland from 1896 to 1901, Archdeacon of Birmingham from 1903 to 1904, and Bishop of Carlisle from 1905 to his death in 1920. Early ...
and
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 ...
. She and Thea convince Oliver Queen and
Felicity Smoak Felicity Smoak is a fictional character appearing in comics published by DC Comics. Her first appearance was in ''The Fury of Firestorm'' #23 (May 1984), created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Rafael Kayanan. She was originally the manager of ...
to return to aid their mission, which leads to Oliver adopting the moniker "
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 ...
". Soon Laurel learns about the Lazarus Pit's power and attempts Sara's resurrection, which succeeds with
John Constantine John Constantine (), also known as Hellblazer, is an antihero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. He was created by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, and John Totleben, and first appeared in ''Swamp Thing'' #37 (June 1985). I ...
's help. Laurel soon convinces Sara to join
Rip Hunter Rip Hunter (Michael Jon Carter Jr.) is a time-traveling superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Jack Miller and artist Ruben Moreira, the character first appeared in ''Showcase (comics), Showcase'' #20 ...
's team later known as the
Legends A legend is a historical narrative, a symbolic representation of folk belief. Legend(s) or The Legend(s) may also refer to: Narrative * A fictitious identity used in espionage Books, comic books, and theater * ''Legend'' (Gemmell novel), a 1 ...
; Sara does so, adopting the moniker "
White Canary Drury Walker Trane Walker Amanda Waller Bill Walsh Warhawk Warhawk (Rex Stewart) is a fictional character created for the DC Animated Universe, voiced by Peter Onorati. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a ...
". Laurel is mortally wounded by
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 ...
leader
Damien Darhk Beatriz Da Costa Reep Daggle Dagon Dan the Dyna-Mite Dan the Dyna-Mite is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Danny Dunbar was the star pupil of Thomas N. Thomas, a high school chemistry and phys ...
and later dies in the hospital surrounded by the team and confessing to Oliver that she still loves him. At her funeral, Oliver reveals Black Canary's real identity to the public to stop Evelyn Sharp's impersonation from inadvertently labeling her as a criminal. Laurel's death is avenged when Oliver kills Darhk.


Later seasons

In later seasons of ''Arrow'', the Black Canary mantle is passed on to Dinah Drake, while Laurel's civilian identity is assumed by her Earth-2 doppelgänger, Black Siren. In season 6, Laurel appears in Oliver's hallucination when he is drugged with Vertigo, accusing him of her death. In season 7, archive footage of Laurel as Black Canary is seen in ''Emerald Archer'', a documentary about Oliver's vigilante activities. In season 8, Laurel appears as a speed force illusion in Arrow's episode of ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'', where she mourns Sara's death alongside Diggle. After the events of ''Crisis'', in the new Earth-Prime, Laurel is said to have married Tommy Merlyn, who survived the events of the first season in this new universe, although Laurel herself still later died.


Laurel Lance (Earth-2)

Black Siren is introduced in ''
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 ...
'' season two's twenty-second episode "
Invincible Invincible may refer to: Film and television * ''Invincible'' (2001 theatrical film), a drama by Werner Herzog about Jewish cabaret during the rise of Nazism * ''Invincible'' (2001 TV film), a fantasy/martial arts TV movie starring Billy Za ...
" as a criminal and member of
Zoom Zoom may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Film * ''Zoom'' (2006 film), starring Tim Allen * ''Zoom'' (2015 film), a Canada-Brazil film by Pedro Morelli * ''Zoom'' (2016 Kannada film), a Kannada film * ''Zoom'' (2016 Sinhala film), a Sr ...
's
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 ...
army. Her scream is a metahuman power that she uses to take down buildings on Zoom's order, but is stopped by Barry Allen / The Flash's team and imprisoned at S.T.A.R. Labs.


Season 5

Black Siren later re-appears in season five of ''Arrow''. Initially posing as Earth-1 Laurel, she is revealed to be working for
Prometheus In Greek mythology, Prometheus (; , , possibly meaning "forethought")Smith"Prometheus". is a Titans, Titan. He is best known for defying the Olympian gods by taking theft of fire, fire from them and giving it to humanity in the form of technol ...
. But her true identity is soon discovered by Felicity, and she, along with Team Arrow, imprison E2 Laurel at
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 ...
She later assists Prometheus again in kidnapping and taking the Team on
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 ...
.


Season 6

In season six, Black Siren works with criminals Cayden James and Ricardo Diaz, and becomes a recurring menace for Team Arrow. On James's order, she kills Dinah Drake's (the 3rd Black Canary's) partner and ex-lover
Vincent Sobel ''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 ...
, leaving Dinah angry and vengeful. Morally conflicted Earth-2 Laurel is persuaded and supported by her late Earth-1 counterpart's father Quentin Lance who remains optimistic about her redemption. She eventually goes public with a cover story of being abducted for "two years" making people believe that she is Earth-1 Laurel. In the season finale, Laurel is devastated when Quentin is shot and killed by Diaz while trying to save her.


Season 7

In season seven, Laurel takes on her Earth-1 counterpart's position as District Attorney and becomes an ally of Team Arrow. She gains Felicity's trust and the duo start a crusade to kill Diaz, but both eventually overcome their vengeance. Laurel later learns from Ben Turner that Diaz was murdered in prison by Oliver's half-sister
Emiko Queen Emiko Queen is a superheroine appearing in American comic books 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 Warne ...
, who tries to discredit Laurel by exposing her criminal past. She briefly relapses into her Black Siren persona but Felicity, Dinah and Sara manage to stop and convince her. Laurel then goes back to Earth-2 in pursuit of full redemption with Earth-1 Laurel's Black Canary outfit, given to her by Felicity. A flashforward set in 2040 shows Laurel working with a female vigilante group known as the Canary Network while helping a resistance movement against
Galaxy One 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 ...
. She later returns briefly to help the team battle Emiko and 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 ...
, now operating as the "Black Canary".


Season 8

In season eight, Laurel encounters Oliver on Earth-2, where she is shown to be actively working as Black Canary alongside Earth-2 Adrian Chase / The Hood. She is also reunited with
John Diggle John William Diggle (2 March 1847 – 24 March 1920) was an English Anglican bishop. He was Archdeacon of Westmorland from 1896 to 1901, Archdeacon of Birmingham from 1903 to 1904, and Bishop of Carlisle from 1905 to his death in 1920. Early ...
and the group works together to stop "The Undertaking", orchestrated by Tommy Merlyn / Dark Archer of this Earth. As Earth-2 is destroyed by antimatter, Laurel escapes with Oliver and Diggle to Earth-1 where she learns that Oliver is working for Mar Novu / The Monitor, to save the multiverse from a forthcoming crisis. Laurel assists Oliver and Team Arrow for subsequent missions, leading them to places like Hong Kong, Russia and Lian Yu and encountering several past and future enemies in often time-altering settings designed by Novu, leading to "
Crisis on Infinite Earths ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' is a 1985 to 1986 American comic book fictional crossover, crossover series published by DC Comics. Written by Marv Wolfman and penciller, pencilled by George Pérez, it was first released as a 12-issue limited ser ...
".


=Rebooted universe, future timeline

= Following the events of "Crisis on Infinite Earths", Laurel learns about Oliver's death and his role in rebooting the universe as the
Spectre Spectre, specter or the spectre may refer to: Religion and spirituality * Vision (spirituality) * Apparitional experience * Ghost Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Spectre'' (1977 film), a made-for-television film produced and writt ...
, resulting in a new universe in which several people including Quentin and Tommy, never died. She attends Oliver's funeral and learns from Tommy that her original Earth-1 counterpart had married him in this new universe but died later. At some point after the funeral, Laurel travels to the year 2040 in this new timeline to warn Oliver's daughter
Mia Queen ''Arrow (TV series), Arrow'' is an American Superhero fiction, 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 Mor ...
of an impending danger, and is reunited with Dinah Drake who is revealed to have been time-displaced since Oliver's funeral.


Other versions

* In the ''
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, ...
''
season one 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: ...
episode "
Star City 2046 The first season of the American television series ''Legends of Tomorrow'', which is based on characters from DC Comics, premiered on The CW on January 21, 2016, and ran for 16 episodes until May 19, 2016. The season follows a group of heroes an ...
", the Legends accidentally travel to Star City in a
dystopia A dystopia (lit. "bad place") is an imagined world or society in which people lead wretched, dehumanized, fearful lives. It is an imagined place (possibly state) in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmen ...
n future timeline, where Sara learns that Laurel had either abandoned Star City or died. However, this future timeline is not connected to the flash-forwards shown in ''Arrow'' season seven and eight. It is later revealed in the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover that this future was on another earth in the multiverse, designated as Earth-16. * A dream-state version of Laurel is seen in a
simulated reality A simulated reality is an approximation of reality created in a simulation, usually in a set of circumstances in which something is engineered to appear real when it is not. Most concepts invoking a simulated reality relate to some form of compu ...
created by the Dominators in " Invasion!" (the 2016 crossover and also the 100th episode of ''Arrow''). In this reality, Oliver and Laurel are engaged and the pair never became the Green Arrow or the Black Canary. Oliver and Sara bid farewell to Laurel before they escape from the reality. * In an alternate re-written reality shown in the ''Legends of Tomorrow'' episode "
Doomworld The second season of the American television series ''Legends of Tomorrow'', which is based on characters from DC Comics, premiered on The CW on October 13, 2016, and ran for 17 episodes until April 4, 2017. The season follows the Legends, a dys ...
", the Black Canary (implied to be Earth-1 Laurel) was killed by
Legion of Doom The Legion of Doom is a group of supervillains who originated in '' Challenge of the Superfriends'', an animated series from Hanna-Barbera based on DC Comics' Justice League. The Legion of Doom has since been incorporated into the main DC Univers ...
, along with many other heroes. * The
Earth-X ''Earth X'' is a 1999 comic book limited series published by American company Marvel Comics. ''Earth X'' was written by Jim Krueger with art by John Paul Leon. Based on Alex Ross' notes, the series features a dystopian version of the Marvel Un ...
doppelgänger of Laurel Lance, known as "Siren-X", appears in ''
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 ...
'' season four episode " Fury Rogue". Siren-X is a metahuman assassin with echolocation powers and an ultrasonic scream (similar to Earth-2 Laurel). She is the last surviving member of the New Reichsmen army, who were defeated and killed during the events of the "
Crisis on Earth-X "Crisis on Earth-X" is the fourth Arrowverse Crossover (fiction), crossover event, featuring episodes of ''Supergirl (TV series), Supergirl'', ''Arrow (TV series), Arrow'', ''The Flash (2014 TV series), The Flash'', and ''Legends of Tomorrow' ...
" crossover. To avenge their deaths, Siren-X attacks
Leo Snart ''Legends of Tomorrow'' is an American television series, developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Phil Klemmer, and Andrew Kreisberg, based on several characters from DC Comics. The series premiered in the United States on January 21, 2016, ...
and follows him to Earth-1 but with
Barry Barry may refer to: People and fictional characters * Barry (name), including lists of people with the given name, nickname or surname, as well as fictional characters with the given name * Dancing Barry, stage name of Barry Richards (born c. 195 ...
's help, she is defeated and taken back to Earth-X to be imprisoned. Her fate is unknown since "Crisis on Infinite Earths", where Earth-X is destroyed by the antimatter wave.


Development


Creation and casting

In January 2012, after
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 ...
ordered a
television pilot 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 ...
for a potential
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 ...
series, its executive producers
Andrew Kreisberg Andrew Kreisberg (born April 23, 1971) is an American former television writer, producer and comic book writer. He is best known as the co-creator of the television series ''The Flash'', ''Arrow'', ''Supergirl'' and ''Legends of Tomorrow''. Pers ...
,
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 ...
and
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 ...
developed the character of Dinah "Laurel" Lance, based on the
Black Canary 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, ...
from
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 ...
. The official character breakdown pitched Laurel as "a 28 years old, smart sexy, legal aid attorney determined to use her life as a one-woman war". In February 2012, Katie Cassidy was cast for the role. Regarding the differences between the characters on the show and in the comics,
Warner Bros. Television Warner Bros. Television Studios, operating under the name Warner Bros. Television (abbreviated as WBTV; formerly known as Warner Bros. Television Division), is an American television production and distribution studio and the flagship studio o ...
president Peter Roth stated in an interview with ''
TVLine ''TVLine'' is a website devoted to information, news, and spoilers of television programs. It covers various topics including the latest news on television, reviews, latest releases, and more. History In late 2010, ''Entertainment Weekly''s ...
'', "We are working very closely with DC. We are making sure that each of the original characters are honored, are respected, and any changes that we make are being made with the sanction and endorsement of DC." In an interview given in October 2012, Cassidy stated that she loved the script when she read it. She went on to say that, "It was everything that I wanted to get involved with, so I was beyond thrilled."


Characterization

In DC Comics, Dinah Laurel Lance is one version of Black Canary, a superhero in her own right, and a love interest and eventual wife of the Green Arrow. However, the series takes a different route and introduces the character as a legal attorney and childhood friend of Oliver Queen, with whom she shares a romantic past. The character is known by her middle name, Laurel. Oliver and Laurel's relationship is one of the key plots in season 1, as she initially blames him for cheating on her and causing her sister's death, but later forgives him and attempts to rekindle their relationship. Laurel's sister
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 ...
, an original character developed for the series, is introduced in season one and returns in season 2, as a female vigilante known as the 'Canary'. In an interview with ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, vi ...
'', then-executive producer Andrew Kreisberg revealed that Lotz's character was the beginning of the Black Canary's story. He further stated that, "Everyone knows that Laurel Lance is the Black Canary. But how we get from A to B is the story of our show – People will see how Caity Lotz fits into Laurel's journey along the way". Sara's story serves as a backstory for Laurel's eventual path to becoming the 'Black Canary', who is also a legacy character in the comics. Before assuming the mantle, Laurel's character goes through various personal tragedies such as losing her boyfriend Tommy, being kidnapped multiple times, dealing with her father's alcohol-addiction, and then her own addiction and finally witnessing Sara's murder in the season 3 premiere. In an interview dated January 2015, Katie Cassidy stated that, "You can't just overnight all of a sudden be a superhero. You have to go through things and hit your rock bottom and then be able to come out on top and build character and be strong."


Character death

In April 2016, during ''Arrow''s fourth season, the character was killed off in the episode "
Eleven-Fifty-Nine The fourth season of the American television series ''Arrow'' premiered on The CW on October 7, 2015, and concluded on May 25, 2016, with a total of 23 episodes. The series is based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, a costumed crime-fighte ...
". The-then showrunners and executive producers Marc Guggenheim and
Wendy Mericle Wendy Mericle is an American television writer and television producer, producer. She is known for her work on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC dramedy ''Desperate Housewives'' and The CW's Superhero (genre), superhero series ''Arrow (TV se ...
cited the decision to kill off Laurel as a "creative choice", at a press screening. They also stated that, "Death does not mean goodbye on any of these shows" hinting at a possible return for the character/actress. Cassidy mentioned in an interview that she learned about Laurel's fate only two episodes before shooting began on "Eleven-Fifty-Nine". However, she explained that, "I've had such an incredible arc, so it made sense to me, creatively, that we've told Laurel's story".


Multiverse, return to ''Arrow'' and character redemption

In May 2016, Cassidy appeared as Laurel Lance's Earth-2 doppelgänger known as Black Siren on ''
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 ...
'', which had already introduced the concept of
multiverse The multiverse is the hypothetical set of all universes. Together, these universes are presumed to comprise everything that exists: the entirety of space, time, matter, energy, information, and the physical laws and constants that describ ...
in its then-ongoing second season. The alias "Black Siren" serves as a callback to the
Justice Guild of America The Justice Guild of America is a superhero team featured in the ''Justice League'' animated series two-part episode "Legends", an homage to the Golden Age Justice Society of America, and to a degree the Silver Age Justice League of America. App ...
member from the ''
Justice League The Justice League, or Justice League of America (JLA), is a group of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). Writer Gardner Fox conceived the ...
'' animated series who herself was based on the
Golden Age The term Golden Age comes from Greek mythology, particularly the ''Works and Days'' of Hesiod, and is part of the description of temporal decline of the state of peoples through five Ages of Man, Ages, Gold being the first and the one during wh ...
Black Canary. In July 2016, Cassidy was promoted to a series regular across all Arrowverse shows, as part of a special contract that allowed actors to recur on multiple shows simultaneously, previously signed by fellow actors
Wentworth Miller Wentworth Earl Miller III (born June 2, 1972) is an American actor known for playing the role of Michael Scofield in ''Prison Break'', for which he received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama in ...
and
John Barrowman John Scot Barrowman MBE (born 11 March 1967) is a Scottish-American actor, author, presenter, singer and comic book writer. He is known for his roles as Captain Jack Harkness in ''Doctor Who'' (2005–2010; 2020–2021) and its spin-off ''Torc ...
. In March 2017, it was announced that the actress would return to ''Arrow'' full-time for its sixth season and portray the Earth-2 Laurel. Towards the end of ''Arrow'' season seven, Earth-2 Laurel eventually finds redemption and takes up the mantle of Black Canary. Regarding the character's new costume in season eight, Cassidy stated in an interview, "It really truly feels like the Black Canary. It feels like Laurel Lance. It feels almost truer to the comic book than we've seen, and I think that's really cool. I wish I had it sooner".


Spin-off

In August 2019, ''
Newsarama ''Newsarama'' is an American website that publishes news, interviews, and essays about the American comic book industry. It is owned by Future US. In June 2020, Newsarama was merged with the website ''GamesRadar+'', also owned by Future US. Hi ...
'' reported that Katie Cassidy had pitched a ''Birds of Prey'' spin-off to the network. When asked about her previous interest in the team, Cassidy said, "I've pitched it. I think they should. It's time for women". In September 2019, ''The Hollywood Reporter'' confirmed that The CW were developing a female-led spin-off series, with
Katherine McNamara Katherine Grace McNamara (born November 22, 1995) is an American actress and singer. She portrayed Clary Fray on the 2016–2019 supernatural drama series '' Shadowhunters'', receiving a Teen Choice Award and a People's Choice Award for her ...
, Cassidy and
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 ...
as the leads, reprising their roles from ''Arrow'', titled '' Green Arrow and the Canaries''. However, the series was ultimately not picked up by The CW.


Reception


Critical reception

The character received mixed response from the critics during initial seasons of ''Arrow''. David Hinckley of ''
New York Daily News The ''Daily News'' is an American newspaper based in Jersey City, New Jersey. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson in New York City as the ''Illustrated Daily News''. It was the first U.S. daily printed in Tabloid (newspaper format ...
'' wrote, "Cassidy starts off well and is likely to get better as Laurel starts to figure things out", in his review of the pilot episode. Other critics wrote Laurel as "a scrappy legal aid attorney" or "plainly a good girl". Laurel's character was often compared to
Rachel Dawes Rachel Dawes is a fictional character who first appeared in Christopher Nolan's 2005 feature film ''Batman Begins''. She was portrayed in that film by Katie Holmes, with Emma Lockhart as a younger version of the character in early scenes. Holmes a ...
from
Christopher Nolan Sir Christopher Edward Nolan (born 30 July 1970) is a British and American filmmaker. Known for his Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Blockbuster (entertainment), blockbusters with complex storytelling, he is considered a leading filmma ...
's ''
The Dark Knight Trilogy The ''Batman'' franchise, based on the fictional superhero Batman who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, has seen the release of 23 films. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, the character first starred in two serial fil ...
'', with some critics calling Laurel as ''Arrow''s version of Dawes. 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 ...
'' included the character among "hit and miss" characters in his ''Arrow'' season one review. Shunal Doke of the same website criticized Cassidy's portrayal for making the character "unlikable" but appreciated the motivations behind the character and wrote her as "eventually proving worthy of becoming a costumed heroine." The critical response towards the character improved in subsequent seasons. In ''IGN''s review of
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 ...
finale, Schedeen praised Laurel's team-up with Nyssa and wrote, "It seems Laurel has finally graduated to the big leagues, and she didn't even need to rely on her Canary Cry." Writing for ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'', Chancellor Agard observed in his review of season three, that "Laurel, who was once the show's biggest problem, came into her own this season". In his review of season four episode "Eleven-Fifty-Nine", Schedeen called Laurel's death a "huge emotional moment" and her final conversation with Oliver as Cassidy's finest moments on the series. Writing for ''
TV Overmind Zap2it was a website and digital media company that provided television program listings information for areas of the United States and Canada. Founded in 2000 by Tribune Media Services, the site has been owned by Nexstar Media Group since 2019 ...
'', Andy Behbakht criticized the decision to kill off Laurel, feeling the character was underutilized and "The Black Canary was in many ways one of ''Arrow'' big hearts and seeing the show losing that character, makes the series lose a lot of its remaining magic". Eric Francisco of ''
Inverse Inverse or invert may refer to: Science and mathematics * Inverse (logic), a type of conditional sentence which is an immediate inference made from another conditional sentence * Additive inverse, the inverse of a number that, when added to the ...
'' called the decision "a bold move that would have been a good one for the show... if it had been handled with delicate care. But ''Arrow'' is not delicate." Laurel's death also drew criticism from many fans, prompting an online backlash. The Earth-2 version of the character – Black Siren received positive reviews.
Angelica Jade Bastién Angelica Jade Bastién is an American essayist and critic. She is a staff writer for ''Vulture'', where she has reviewed film and written television recaps since 2015. Bastién also frequently discusses horror and depictions of women and madne ...
of ''Vulture'' wrote in her review that, "''The Flash'' better serves Laurel than ''Arrow'' did in several seasons – Black Siren has swagger". Schedeen also praised the character and wrote, "It was refreshing to see Cassidy cut loose and play a twisted version of her character". The ''Arrow'' season seven episode " Lost Canary" focuses primarily on Earth-2 Laurel's eventual redemption, which mainly garnered positive reviews. Scheeden wrote in his review, "We see Laurel at her best and truly embodying the redemption being Black Canary offers."
Season 8 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 ...
episode " Welcome to Hong Kong" sees Laurel deal with the fallout of her home world's destruction. In his review, Schedeen wrote, "...this version of the character has never been more sympathetic or identifiable than when confronting the death of a world where she finally found happiness. Her ultimate decision to bounce back and continue saving the living in order to honor the dead feels like the culmination of a major arc for this character." Chancellor Agard of ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' said, "Overall, I loved Laurel in this episode more than anything else. The exploration of Laurel's grief over the loss of Earth-2 is some of the best material Cassidy has ever had on the show and yields one of her best performances."


Accolades


In other media


Print media

*The Earth-1 version of the character appears in the season one digital tie-in comic 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 ...
'', and also in '' Arrow: Season 2.5,'' a bi-weekly digital comic series that bridged the gap between seasons two and three. *Both the Earth-1 and Earth-2 versions of Laurel are mentioned in the tie-in novel ''Arrow: Fatal Legacies'', co-authored by Marc Guggenheim and James R. Tuck, which bridged the gap between the seasons five and six of ''Arrow''.


Web media


''Vixen''

Cassidy provided the voice for the Earth-1 version of her character in the second season of the
CW Seed 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 first ...
Arrowverse animated web series ''
Vixen Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush"). Twelve species ...
''. In the story, Laurel (Black Canary) provides assistance to Mari McCabe (Vixen), along with Ray Palmer (Atom), in capturing Mari's sister Kuasa in Star City. They later help Mari in combating former warlord Benatu Eshu in
Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
. The Blu-ray and DVD re-release of the first two seasons was combined into a single story as ''Vixen: The Movie''. It added fifteen minutes of never-before-seen content, including a few scenes of Earth-1 Laurel that were not included in the CW Seed release. The third season of ''Legends of Tomorrow'' ultimately changes the continuity of ''Vixen'', resulting in an altered timeline where Mari McCabe now shares the 'Vixen' mantle with Kuasa. It is unclear to what capacity the events of ''Vixen'' season 2 get affected.


''The Chronicles of Cisco''

The Earth-1 version was mentioned in ''
The Chronicles of Cisco ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The' ...
'' Post 9 "Chapter Seven: Hannibal Bates", and a video footage of the Earth-2 Laurel is seen in Post 40. The Earth-X version was mentioned in Post 79 "#BestListenerEver".


See also

* Black Canary in other media * List of ''Arrow'' characters *
List of Arrowverse cast members The Arrowverse is a media franchise and shared fictional universe that is the setting of superhero television series airing on The CW, produced by DC Entertainment and based on characters that appear in DC Comics publications. The shared univers ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lance, Laurel Arrow (TV series) characters Groups of fictional characters Black Canary DC Comics female superheroes DC Comics martial artists DC Comics metahumans DC Comics television characters Female characters in television Fictional alcohol abusers Fictional American lawyers Fictional assistant district attorneys Fictional boxers Fictional characters who can manipulate sound Fictional district attorneys Fictional henchmen Fictional tonfajutsuka Fictional vigilantes The Flash (2014 TV series) characters Legends of Tomorrow characters Superhero television characters Television characters introduced in 2012