The transition has been slow turning Oliver Queen from The Hood/Arrow to Green Arrow on Arrow. He started out the series wearing his trademark green hooded costume, exchanged the eye paint for a domino mask in Season 2, and when the show returns in the fall, he’ll finally add “Green” to his superhero identity and wear a new suit out in the field. However, despite these changes for the Starling City vigilante, there’s one classic feature that the TV show’s Emerald Archer won’t share with his comic book counterpart: the goatee. And it's apparently because he doesn't exactly look heroic with one.
Having been asked the question multiple times over the last three years, series star Stephen Amell finally put the matter to rest on Twitter when questions started circulating whether he would rock the signature goatee during Arrow Season 4.
This caused an outcry from some fans, prompting Amell to say that if Arrow were to get to Season 6, he would show up to set wearing the goatee, but would immediately be forced to shave it off. He then explained why he can’t flaunt that specific type of facial hair in front of the camera.
Well, it looks like that’s the end of this particular query. If Amell grew out the goatee, Oliver Queen would look like a former/still-active criminal trying to keep a low profile, which clashes with the heroic look he’s supposed to have. Oliver has maintained facial scruff throughout the show, but the closest we’ve gotten to him with a goatee is when he was found on Lian Yu in the pilot with a long beard (hey, it’s not like he had access to a razor and shaving cream). Something tells this also means we’re unlikely to see Green Arrow’s classic Robin Hood costume worn on the small screen, so don’t expect Amell to don a feathered cap either.
In Oliver’s first season using the name Green Arrow, he’ll primarily be dealing with new main antagonist Damien Darhk and his organization H.I.V.E. Other villains he’ll be fighting include Batman adversary Anarky and the metahuman Double Down. Meanwhile, in the flashbacks, past Oliver will have to contend with Baron Reiter, a loosely adapted version of supervillain Baron Blitzkrieg. Other new characters this season include fellow superhero Mr. Terrific and friend of the Queen family Jessica Danforth, and the latest batch of adventures will also be delving into magic.
Arrow will return with new episodes and no new facial hair on Wednesday, October 7 on The CW.
