Season synopsis
Contains spoilers for this season and earlier seasons.
Sara is murdered with arrows in the opening episode, and Laurel hides her death from Quentin while beginning the hard training that will make her the Canary. Oliver also searches for Thea, who has been trained by Malcolm Merlyn, and faces Ra’s al Ghul, leader of the League of Assassins. To protect Thea after Malcolm manipulated her into killing Sara, Oliver claims responsibility and challenges Ra’s, who defeats him in a duel and sends him over a ravine, leaving his friends to believe he is dead. He has not died: Maseo rescues the gravely wounded Oliver, and Tatsu nurses him back to health without using a Lazarus Pit.
Ra’s later mortally wounds Thea, so Oliver accepts the League’s offer to become its heir in exchange for her revival. The Lazarus Pit heals Thea, initially leaving her confused. Oliver takes the name Al Sah-him and appears to turn against his friends, while secretly conspiring with Malcolm to dismantle Ra’s’ rule. The team fractures: Diggle resents Oliver’s deception, Roy is imprisoned and leaves Starling. Thea has already learned Malcolm drugged her into killing Sara and has rejected him as her father. In flashbacks, Oliver’s work with Maseo and Tatsu in Hong Kong ends in tragedy when their son Akio dies from the Omega virus.
Ra’s captures Oliver’s allies and exposes them to the virus. Malcolm has secretly inoculated them, and they escape to help Oliver stop Ra’s from releasing the pathogen in Starling. Oliver kills Ra’s in their final duel, ends the threat and gives the League’s leadership to Malcolm, while Nyssa vows revenge for Sara. Oliver then gives up the Arrow identity and leaves with Felicity, believing his friends can continue without him.