The CW’s Arrowverse is full of awesome, rich and layered superheroes. But which one of the costumed Arrowverse superheroes is the greatest?
Over the past decade, The CW’s Arrowverse has dominated superhero television, reinventing the genre for a whole new generation. It all originated with Arrow back in 2012, before the show ultimately went on to spawn multiple spin-offs including The Flash, Supergirl, DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow, Batwoman and Superman and Lois. Heck, even non-Arrowverse show Black Lightning joined in on the fun after Crisis On Infinite Earths.
Throughout the course of the Arrowverse’s reign atop superhero TV, we have been introduced to a wide selection of some of DC Comics’ most memorable superheroes. From multiple speedsters to highly trained archers (and everything in between), we have just about seen it all – and then some.
When there is such a rich range of vastly different characters across these shows, it’s only natural for us to wonder which of them is the best. Which of the countless superheroes are worthy of calling themselves the greatest? Which of them stand apart from the rest at the top of the mountain?
The end of the linear Arrowverse came with the end of The Flash, and that’s an incredibly sad moment for TV. But it means we get to celebrate everything that this amazing shared universe has accomplished.
With that in mind, prepare yourself, as we have sifted through six live-action TV shows, 40+ seasons, 700 episodes and countless characters to compile a list of the 32 best superheroes in that the Arrowverse has to offer. Let’s find out which one of them truly is the greatest.
Note: With the exception of Tyler Hoechlin’s Superman and Matt Ryan’s John Constantine, this list doesn’t contain heroes from Arrowverse-adjacent shows Superman and Lois, Constantine, Titans, Doom Patrol, or DC’s Stargirl.
32. Firestorm 2
After the untimely death of his other half, Ronnie Raymond, Professor Martin Stein’s health began to deteriorate rapidly, as the Firestorm Matrix within him was becoming unstable without another half to merge with. Eventually, Team Flash tracked down a new candidate to merge Stein with, Jefferson “Jax” Jackson. Initially reluctant to become a superhero, Jax eventually came round to the idea and the pair fused together, before embarking on a somewhat unplanned time-traveling adventure together with the Legends.
What made this iteration of Firestorm unique was just how different both men were. While Stein undoubtedly had his differences with Ronnie, he had little to nothing in common with the brash, outgoing and incredibly young Jax. As a result, both men really had to work hard to make their partnership a success, and that is what ultimately made this bond so memorable.
They may have been cut from two completely different cloths, but they found common ground in their loved ones. Both of them had people at home waiting for them to return from their trip through history and this was one of the many things that brought them together. The relationship between the pair quickly became one of the Arrowverse’s most endearing as Stein became like a surrogate father who, very much, saw Jax like a son. And this was never more evident than during Stein’s heartbreaking death scene, in which the professor severed the pair’s Firestorm bond, allowing Jax to live a fulfilled and happy life. If only they got longer to make an even greater impact…
31. Rip Hunter
The original captain of the Waverider may just be one of the Arrowverse’s most revolutionary characters because, without Rip Hunter, there would be no outcasts and misfits to mess up the timeline and we would not have been gifted with the off-the-wall adventures that Legends of Tomorrow continues to provide us with – and that is a fact that should never be overlooked.
Originally from the year 2166, Rip was a member of the Time Masters and was forced to watch as immortal tyrant Vandal Savage waged a war the likes of which the world had never seen before, in which his wife and son were killed. When his colleagues refused to step in to correct history, he took it upon himself to do so, stealing a Waverider and assembling the most eclectic and bizarre collection of superheroes and supervillains to help him in his mission.
While he didn’t always make the right choices, and even went on an evil stint during the show’s second season, Rip was the glue that held the Legends together throughout the first season, and it’s unfortunate for him that the show progressed to a stage where he just didn’t fit in anymore. But that is the sad truth: his mission was complete following the first season while the rest of the characters were only beginning to tell their stories.
Though he did continue to make his presence felt in a recurring capacity, as the leader of the Time Bureau, his apparent death in the Season 3 finale gave the writers an opportunity to see how the show would function without him – and it functioned ridiculously well on the foundations that he built.
Rip made a major impact thanks to the creation of the Legends and, because of him, the Arrowverse was a much richer (and crazier) place. He changed the timeline, he stopped Savage and he left history with its own personal guardians. His wife and son would be very proud.
30. Captain Cold
Captain Cold may not be the first name to cross your mind when thinking about the Arrowverse’s greatest heroes, but that doesn’t mean that he hasn’t taken part in his fair share of heroics.
Career criminal Leonard Snart kick-started his Arrowverse adventures when he came into possession of a cold gun engineered by S.T.A.R. Labs’ Cisco Ramon. A sworn enemy of The Flash, things changed when he discovered the Scarlet Speedster’s true identity as he and Barry managed to come to an arrangement in which Snart could continue stealing if he did it elsewhere and nobody was harmed. Ironically, this was the start of a beautiful friendship.
From there, Snart began to better himself, becoming an unlikely ally for Barry whenever there was nobody else to help. This eventually led to him (and his always angry colleague and best friend Mick Rory/Heat Wave) being recruited by Rip Hunter to join the Legends and travel through time to stop the immortal Vandal Savage.
Initially rejecting the hero tag, Snart rather enjoyed the idea of stealing precious artifacts from iconic points in history, but when things got heated for his fellow teammates, he had no problem cooling them down. His character development was one of the finest examples from the Arrowverse, and his eventual sacrifice to protect his best friend kick-started another great development arc as Rory grew into a more heroic character and has ultimately shined in his absence.
Wentworth Miller is equally as brilliant as the Earth-X version of Snart (Citizen Cold) is equally as compelling, but we just wish we got to spend a little longer with Captain Cold, because he was one of the Arrowverse’s most alluring characters, and perhaps its biggest unsung hero.
29. Mick Rory / Heat Wave
Heat Wave? A superhero? Yeah, he doesn’t think so either.
When Mick Rory made his debut on The Flash‘s first season back in 2015, he didn’t really have much to offer. Sure, he was one of the more famous members of the Scarlet Speedster’s infamous Rogues, but other than being a great recurring menace, there wasn’t much below the surface. However, that all changed the following year.
One of the many outcasts and/or misfits recruited by time-traveler Rip Hunter, Rory became an integral part of spin-off show DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. The show didn’t just give him a starring role, it allowed the writers to really explore his relationship with criminal colleague Leonard Snart a.k.a. Captain Cold. Though things got rocky between the pair, Cold’s sacrifice ultimately made Rory see the good in being a hero and, slowly, he began to enjoy playing by the rules.
In a shocking turn of events, he has since gone on to become the funniest member of the Legends, stealing almost every single scene that he is in. With his moody attitude, dry wit and previously unknown passion for writing romance novels, Mick has become one the show’s most beloved characters – not bad for a character that most of us thought wouldn’t make it past the first season.
The writers have done a phenomenal job developing the character while Dominic Purcell has delivered every one-liner, grunt, threat or glare with perfection. An unlikely hero in every sense of the word, Mick surprised us all, evolving from heartless arsonist to the father of 48 human-alien hybrid babies. Now that‘s growth.
28. Black Canary (Dinah Drake)
When the Arrow showrunners revealed that they were introducing another Black Canary, the reception from fans was mixed – and understandably so. First of all, the show seemed to believe that the mantle was interchangeable (when it wasn’t) and had previously killed off the first Canary and the actual Black Canary, why would they get it right this time?
While the end result hasn’t justified their questionable decisions, it’s hard to deny that Dinah Drake hasn’t made an impact on the show. With her police officer roots, badass attitude and metahuman-powered Canary Cry, the show did a great job setting her apart from previous Canaries (Black Siren aside) from the get-go.
Her initial reluctance to join Oliver’s crew of crime-fighting heroes was also a nice touch, and did a great job highlighting her hardass cop persona. As an undercover officer, she had seen the worst of the worst on the streets of Central City and eventually lost the love of her life to the job, so it made sense that she didn’t want to play dress-up with costumed vigilantes.
However, when she finally joined in on the fray, she wasted absolutely no time making an impact, carrying on Laurel Lance’s legacy as the new Black Canary. And although the writers have struggled to help her stand out in a show with so much going on, Dinah continued to come into her own and make a name for herself as the new Captain of the Star City Police Department. In doing so, she carved out her own path as a hero as she slowly found her place on the show.
27. Spartan
It’s hard to imagine where both Arrow and Oliver Queen would be without John Diggle. Originally starting things off as Mr. Queen’s hired bodyguard, the former soldier was the first to uncover the truth about his new boss’ late-night activities. And, despite his initial shock, this was ultimately the beginning of a long-running partnership.
As Oliver’s right-hand man, Diggle has always had his best friend’s back throughout the course of the series. While still playing the role of his bodyguard in public, he soon began accompanying The Arrow on his missions, continuing to provide backup whenever necessary. In fact, he became so effective in the field that he was eventually given a fancy helmet and the codename “Spartan.”
Though he’ll always be Diggle to us, Spartan is a perfect nickname, to sum up just how imposing he is when fighting crime. Moreover, Oliver trusted him so much that Diggle often filled in as the Green Arrow whenever he wasn’t able to fulfill the role. And nothing says “I trust you” quite like take my place as Star City’s primary hero.
Unlike some of the other characters on this list, Diggle’s shortcomings don’t lie in the fact that we didn’t get to see enough of him, it’s that we simply saw too much of him. The character’s loyalty to Oliver and actor David Ramsey’s loyalty to Arrow meant that Diggle has stuck around far too long and, unfortunately, it has led to quite a lot of repetitive storylines for him which have only diluted his character. Though he is once again on an upwards trajectory in Season 7, we’ll always regard those first few years of Diggle’s pre-Spartan adventures as his best.
26. Frost
There was once a time when the name “Killer Frost” would have never appeared on a list of the Arrowverse’s greatest superheroes. However, much like the character in question, times have changed.
Before we begin, it should be said that Caitlin Snow is more than deserving of a place on this list on good-heartedness alone and that, if it included the non-costumed team members, she would undoubtedly be in the Top 10. However, when she finally did put on a costume, it wasn’t to help Team Flash, as her villainous icy alter-ego had taken control of her body.
Though Caitlin had previously encountered the Earth-2 Killer Frost, she herself didn’t actually possess any super-powers – or at least she didn’t, until Flashpoint. When Barry reset the timeline, Caitlin was a lot more like her evil doppelgänger as she too suddenly possessed a cold side. Killer Frost was fully awoken by Savitar, and she proceeded to wreak havoc on his behalf, tormenting her former teammates. However, when Cisco’s life was at risk, she did the right thing and saved him from the self-proclaimed “God of Speed.” Since then, she has been an anti-hero, aiding Team Flash whenever called upon and allowing Caitlin to take control the rest of the time.
She is every bit as sassy, vengeful and cold-blooded as she was when she was evil, but now she fights for the heroes and has even struck up a quirky relationship with Caitlin herself as the two leave each other post-it notes. Guess you could say that Caitlin did manage to warm this ice queen’s heart after all. And this connection to her human side makes Frost a much more efficient hero.
Frost’s death in The Flash season 8 was uncalled for and unnecessary and just one of the many examples of how the show underutilised the character.
25. Mon-El
Arriving in a pod at the conclusion of Supergirl‘s first season, Mon-El of Daxam went on to play a rather substantial role in Seasons 2 and 3.
A prince of his home planet, Mon-El was once used to being treated like royalty. However, on Earth, he came across as nothing more than a super-powered alien with a superiority complex. That is, until Kara made him see things in a different light. Perhaps for the first time in his life, Mon-El experienced real love, and it ultimately made him a much better person. Learning how to use his abilities for good, he began to behave like a hero, saving people and stopping major threats – even his own Daxamite parents.
After being sent into space, he accidentally ended up traveling through time into the future, where he became a member of the Legion of Superheroes – alongside his wife Imra and Brainiac 5. He then inadvertently returned to the present, reuniting with his old flame, Kara. Though he would question his feelings for both her and his wife during this period, it was actually during this stint on the show that the writers got to showcase his character growth as Mon-El showed Kara how much he had learned from her.
Mon-El’s journey on Supergirl is one of the best cases of character development we have seen in the Arrowverse. He went from a rich and entitled punk to a selfless, loving and inspirational hero. Through great material and a strong performance from Chris Wood, his progression felt incredibly natural and extremely well-paced.
24. Vixen
The Vixen mantle has become somewhat of a major presence within the Arrowverse, thanks to the animated series that airs on CW Seed, which eventually led to the live-action introduction of the present-day Vixen, Mari McCabe, on Arrow. However, the most beloved version of the character would actually end up being Mari’s grandmother, Amaya Jiwe – who made her debut during the second season of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.
Born in Zambesi, Amaya grew up longing for a career in law enforcement and, during World War II, was eventually recruited by the Justice Society of America. A bearer of the sacred Anansi Totem, she could channel the powers of the animal kingdom, allowing her to ultimately gain their abilities. What made it even cooler was that the totem’s power wasn’t just limited to the animals of her current time, meaning that she could channel anything from a T-Rex to an elephant.
However, when the Legion of Doom began messing with time, Amaya crossed paths with the Legends and, following the murder of her boyfriend, JSA member Rex Tyler, she joined the time-travelers to stop the threat. Over the two seasons that she was part of the show, Amaya struggled a lot with acceptance. As she eventually read about her own destiny and future, she knew that one day she would have to return to Zambesi to continue her life, so that her granddaughter Mari could become her successor as the next Vixen. However, as she had fallen in love with fellow Legend, Nate Heywood, that was easier said than done. Moreover, she also struggled with the idea of returning to a village, only to have her entire family wiped out in 1992 (a fate that the Legends helped her change).
Though actress Maisie Richardson-Sellers has returned for Legends‘ fourth season, it’s a shame that we have seemingly seen the last of Amaya as the character was easily one of the Arrowverse’s strongest. Perhaps the most moral of all the heroes on the show, she remained headstrong through even the most harrowing of times and, despite the overwhelming internal conflict she faced, she never failed to do the right thing.
23. The Atom
When Ray Palmer first made his debut on Arrow, he had a lot to prove. The first look at his iconic Atom suit didn’t go down too well with fans due to its extreme departure from its comic book appearance. However, what he may have lacked in appearance, he certainly made up for in character.
After helping Team Arrow during the show’s third season, Ray jumped ship to spin-off DC’s Legends of Tomorrow as he signed up to become a member of Rip Hunter’s time-traveling crew. This gave him much more of an opportunity to shine as he fully embraced the wacky environment and all the shenanigans that came with it, including the fact that his suit provided him with the ability to shrink himself.
What makes Ray such a strong character is his ability to see the best in people. With the biggest heart imaginable, he doesn’t care if you have a villainous father or a grim back story because he is always willing to give you a chance. Undoubtedly the moral compass of the Legends, he often guides the team on how best to approach a mission in order to achieve the least amount of bloodshed, and if anything goes wrong, he will remain heartbroken by it.
From his admirable qualities to his adorkable nerdy behavior, Ray may just be the most relatable superhero on TV, and that makes him one of the finest characters that the universe has ever produced. With the exception of one too many love stories, Ray continues to grow each season and is now one of the stalwarts of the Arrowverse. Not bad for someone that fans once labeled a cheap rip-off of Iron Man.
22. Citizen Steel
Legends of Tomorrow‘s resident historian had a lot to prove when he joined the show. With one season already under their belt, these eclectic larger-than-life personalities were finally beginning to look like a cohesive unit, so the arrival of this newcomer threatened that bizarre status quo. Thankfully, he proved himself in an incredibly short space of time and has continued to add value to the show ever since. In fact, he is one of the many reasons for the show’s dramatic improvement during its second season.
A history geek (and the grandson of the JSA’s Commander Steel), Nate Heywood managed to track down and reassemble the Legends (who were scattered throughout history), earning himself a spot on the team. But his lack of superpowers endangered his life and in order to save it, the Legends injected him a super-serum that gave him the ability to turn his entire body into steel. As a result, he soon began accompanying the team on missions in the field, and proved that “Steel” ran in the family.
With a built-in desire to do good in the world, it’s no surprise that Nate took to being a superhero incredibly well. Furthermore, his obsession with history made him the perfect teammate for the Legends, as he almost always possessed knowledge on their chosen time period and thus, was able to guide them through what they should expect.
However, there is so much more to Nate than his professions. When he’s not busy fighting time demons, he is actually one of Legends‘ most endearing characters. From his nerdy bromance with Ray Palmer to his emotional reunion with his grandfather (and let’s not forget his on-off relationship with Amaya Jiwe), it’s clear that he really cares about people and that is, without a doubt, the foundation of being a great superhero.
21. Dreamer
Nia Nal is one of the most revolutionary and inspiring characters in TV history. The first transgender superhero on TV, Dreamer was portrayed by Nicole Maines throughout Supergirl‘s final three seasons but it only took one episode for viewers to fall in love with her.
A quirky and eager-to-learn-the-ropes reporter at CatCo, Nia quickly made an impression on Kara, James Olsen, Brainiac-5 and all of Supergirl‘s viewers. But it soon became clear that there was more to her than her intrepid reporting, as the young woman struggled to stay awake a lot of the time. The reason for that? Well, it was down to the fact that she was a descendent from a family of aliens with the ability to both dream the future and harness dream energy.
Joining the Super Friends, Dreamer proved to be a formidable superhero, just as Nia proved to be an endearing part of the ever-changing CatCo environment. And that sincerity was brought to life beautifully by the brilliant Nicole Maines.
The one drawback of Dreamer’s time on the show is that it never felt like the writers were giving her the exploration she deserved, with her struggles to harness her powers often ending up forgotten about, and only truly coming to the forefront right before the show concluded. Nonetheless, Maines’ historic performance shines above all else and leaves us hoping that we’ll see the beloved character again one day.
20. Kid Flash
When Wally West first debuted on The Flash during Season 2, comic book fans rejoiced, knowing that heroic adventures awaited the long-lost member of the West family.
While Wally quickly became one of the show’s most beloved characters, things didn’t start out that way. He wasn’t happy to meet Joe and Iris and he wasn’t a major fan of Barry Allen either. Moreover, he had a strong need for speed and participated in a number of street races, which didn’t go down too well with his detective father. However, on the other side of things, he also had this strong desire to help people and even become a vigilante for a brief period. Naturally, the two things eventually aligned as Wally became a speedster, and Kid Flash was born.
It didn’t take long for Wally to adapt to the speedster lifestyle as he quickly became a pro at the superhero thing. He wasn’t just a member of the team, he was a brilliant hero in his own right. In being so, he bonded with his family to an even greater extent, in awe of the fact that Barry was actually The Flash.
Keiynan Lonsdale did a great job as the character, and it’s really unfortunate that the show couldn’t find material more worthy of him, as Wally was continually written out or sidelined. Thankfully, he did get a chance to shine when he was moved to DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, before his full-time departure from the Arrowverse.
19. Batwoman (Kate Kane)
When fans found out that Batwoman would be coming to the Arrowverse in her own series, there was a lot of intrigue. First of all, it was the first time that a show-headlining hero would join the fray in over two years, and secondly, it would be the shared universe’s first major reference to Batman and/or the characters of the Bat-Family.
That first shot of the Scarlet Knight standing atop of that building in Gotham City in the Elseworlds crossover was nothing short of jaw-dropping, and it set a high bar for the Batwoman series to follow up on. And even though the show took a little while getting off the ground, Kate Kane became an instant fan-favorite.
Stepping up to save Gotham in the wake of her cousin Bruce Wayne’s disappearance, Kate donned a modified version of the Batsuit (along with the comic book character’s signature red wig) and took the fight to threats like Hush and Magpie. Her greatest threat, though, came in the form of twin sister Beth, who had now become the villainous Alice and sought to get revenge on those who she thought had forgotten her.
That storyline enriched the badass character with plenty of heart as she battled to get her sister back and protect Gotham from her at the same time. Unfortunately, she didn’t get long enough to do that as Ruby Rose’s departure from the show after the first season brought an end to Kate’s time in the cowl.
18. Jay Garrick
Veteran speedster and comic book legend Jay Garrick first made his presence felt on the Arrowverse during The Flash‘s second season when it was revealed that he had been taken prisoner by the terrifying Zoom, and forced to wear an iron mask that inhibited his powers. But when the mask finally came off, it left all of Team Flash (and us viewers) reeling, as they discovered that Jay was the Earth-3 doppelgänger of Barry’s father, Henry Allen.
Saving the lives of Central City citizens in his dimension, he is the Earth-3 Flash. However, that hasn’t stopped him from making semi-regular appearances on the show. Being a veteran superhero, he is often on hand to guide Barry (or scold him for his mistakes), and can be called upon by Earth-1’s Team Flash whenever he is needed. He even locked himself in the Speed Force’s prison to protect Earth-1 (and Wally West) from any permanent damage.
Jay Garrick is undoubtedly an icon of DC Comics, and given John Wesley Shipp’s previous association with The Flash franchise (he played the Scarlet Speedster in the ’90s Flash TV series), it made total sense that the creative team behind the current series would entrust him with such an important role.
17. John Constantine
Foul-mouthed, trenchcoat-wearing demon hunter John Constantine was already a fan-favorite long before he joined the Arrowverse. That’s right, he appeared in his very own live-action series (appropriately titled Constantine) which pitted him against a supernatural evil dubbed “the Rising Darkness.” With his own soul damned to hell, he decided to make the most of the time he had left by trying to stomp out evil on Earth. Unfortunately, NBC canceled the series before he could.
However, over a year later, actor Matt Ryan reprised his role on Arrow as the character helped Green Arrow and Black Canary resurrect the soul of Sara Lance – an appearance that would shape both Ryan and Constantine’s future. Two years later, the warlock resurfaced in a guest appearance on Legends of Tomorrow‘s third season, reaching out to the resurrected White Canary and, when he discovered that the Legends were taking on a time demon, he offered his services to them. Ryan was a series regular from Season 4 onwards, playing Constantine for three of the show’s remaining seasons.
With his dry wit, arrogant attitude and effective approach to this whole crime-fighting thing, Constantine made a huge impression on Legends in a short amount of time. He was right at home among fellow outcasts and misfits and went from strength to strength throughout his three-and-a-half-seasons on the show, highlighting how rich of a character he is – all of which was made possible by Ryan’s superb (and comic-accurate) performance. He is, quite simply, “John Constantine, love.”
16. Zari Tomaz / Zari Tarazi
Zari Tomaz joined the Waverider in Legends of Tomorrow‘s third season in the hopes of finding a loophole in time that could bring back her beloved brother Behrad. As that didn’t happen right away, she reluctantly became a part of the Legends and wielded her powerful Air Totem to assist the team on their missions (and even repaired the Waverider along the way). What she didn’t expect was to become such good friends with them and even fall in love with one of them.
Zari was an awesome addition to the show and that made it all the more difficult to say goodbye to her when that loophole was found (and brought Behrad onto the show). However, what we got instead was a new version of the character from a new timeline. Named Zari Tarazi, this one was a social media influencer with millions of followers and an unbelievable amount of self-importance. Basically, she was nothing like Zari 1.0. And yet, we loved her.
As Zari 2.0. found her way on the Waverider, she too developed into quite the efficient superhero, as she and her brother Behrad formed one of the most heartfelt bonds on the show.
Regardless of which Zari you prefer, the character has made an unforgettable impression of Legends of Tomorrow. Tala Ashe has done a sensational job making us fall in love with both Zaris and it’s always a joy to see either one of them on Legends.
15. Brainiac-5
Oh Brainiac-5, you had us at hello.
The truth is that Jesse Rath’s portrayal of “Brainy” on Supergirl was perfect from the very first moment he appeared. Yes, he had an unusually large white wig and a pale blue skin tone that would make his green comic book counterpart look on in shock, but Rath’s intricately-acted performance brought the character to life in a heartbeat. And in the three-and-a-half seasons that followed, what he delivered as the techno-organic twelfth-level intellect was utter perfection.
The Legion’s “guy in the chair”, he was designated the same position in the DEO when he had to swap places with Winn Schott. However, as the show went on, Brainy began to spend more time in the field, wrestling bad guys (and in most cases defeating them by anticipating their moves before they even made them) and ultimately joining the Super Friends. One of the best things about his time on the show, however, was watching him form the friendships and bonds that he did with Kara, J’onn, Alex Winn and, of course, his beloved Nia.
One of the few characters that the Arrowverse got the balance right with, Brainy could slot into multiple roles whenever necessary. And even though not every storyline utilized him well (we’re looking at you Lexgate), Rath’s endearing, gentle, lovable and hilarious performance ensured that we could never stop smiling when Brainy was on-screen.
14. Speedy
In the six years that she was part of Arrow, Thea Queen transformed from Oliver Queen’s angry little sister to fully blown superhero. Her journey wasn’t a smooth one and the character often suffered from lackluster storytelling, but a strong performance from Willa Holland ensured that we remained invested in Thea’s emotional journey and her significant development.
Still broken by the death of her father, a young Thea often acted out, getting herself into trouble with the law. However, that was only the beginning for her, as her world would get turned upside down countless times throughout the next few years – and it all really started when she learned that the (presumed dead) Dark Archer himself, Malcolm Merlyn, was actually her biological father. Despite her initial concerns, she departed Starling City and embarked on a vigorous training program with him, becoming incredibly skilled in combat between Seasons 2 and 3. Upon her return to Star City, Thea soon discovered that Oliver was the Arrow and, when her boyfriend Roy, departed, she took his place as the Green Arrow’s sidekick.
However, the character was forever changed when she was killed by Ra’s Al Ghul, only to be resurrected with an unquenchable bloodlust. As a result, she began killing and maiming the criminals that she went up against and even got violent with her own teammates. Though she did eventually overcome her desire to kill, she left crime-fighting behind, choosing to help her brother in his new role as Star City Mayor instead, before her permanent departure from the show.
13. Arsenal
Roy Harper made his debut during Arrow‘s first season as an underprivileged kid from the “other side of the tracks” (which, in this show, meant that he was from The Glades). However, he refused to let his roots define him and, thus, he took it upon himself to make the city a safer place, always trying his best to do what was right, even if he didn’t always believe it. And this flawed-but-effective approach quickly caught the eye of The Arrow – who eventually took him under his wing and trained him.
Roy’s heart was always in the right place, but his allegiance with Oliver helped him work on his somewhat rough edges and, in time, he bloomed into the hero known as Arsenal.
Backing up Oliver at every turn, the red-hooded archer was on hand to help take down Deathstroke, defeat an army of Mirakuru soldiers and even slow down the Star City Police Department. His devotion to the cause (and to his mentor) was never any clearer than it was in the moment he decided to return the favor and pretended to be The Arrow to save Oliver from being arrested. This, unfortunately, led to the character’s exit from the show. However, that wasn’t the end for Roy as he has returned on multiple occasions since.
From his days under the hood to his relationship with Thea, Roy was a stalwart of the early days of Arrow and Colton Haynes’ return was just as equally enjoyable.
12. Vibe
Cisco Ramon doesn’t need gauntlets and goggles to be a superhero, but that doesn’t mean that he isn’t pretty darn effective when he puts them on.
Initially unaware that he was affected by the particle accelerator explosion, Cisco’s powers lay dormant for a long time. However, towards the end of the first season, he soon began having visions of alternate timelines and events that had yet to happen. As S.T.A.R. Labs’ resident title-giver, it didn’t take him long to name these visions “vibes”, and slowly but surely, Vibe was born.
Through the second season, he was able to expand on his abilities, opening breaches into different locations and parallel dimensions. At first, this allowed him to assist Barry and Team Flash whenever things got a little too much, but it soon led to him adopting a permanent superheroic persona.
With an incredibly comic-accurate costume, gauntlets to assist him opening breaches and goggles that both assist his vibing and conceal his identity, Vibe has become of the stalwart heroes of not just Central City, but the Arrowverse itself. And given that he spent so long treating other superheroes to awesome costume advancements and gadget upgrades, it was only fitting that he eventually got his chance to shine out in the field.
Cisco has always been an integral part of the team, assisting the Scarlet Speedster on comms throughout each of his missions. But without his abilities, the show may not have been able to explore the multiverse or time-travel to the extent that it has, ultimately making him one of the most valuable members of Team Flash and the show in general.
11. Alex Danvers / Sentinel
The Girl of Steel may be National City’s savior, but who knows where she would be if she didn’t have big sister Alex Danvers to watch her back. The truth is that Alex has had Kara’s back since the beginning of her time in the skies as Supergirl, protecting her at all costs and ensuring that she lived to fight another day on many occasions.
But nourishing one of the world’s greatest heroes didn’t prevent her from becoming one in her own right. A trusted agent of the Department of Extranormal Operations, Alex diligently fought with the agency for years, becoming its director along the way. While there, she fought crime on the streets and battled corruption from within, taking on powerful figureheads who threatened to undermine her role as a director. And when the agency literally came crashing down, she joined her sister and her super friends on the battlefield full-time, becoming the superhero known as Sentinel.
In all honesty, Alex’s time as DEO Agent and Director far outshines her time as the hood-wearing Sentinel, but the heart, passion and determination to keep everyone around her safe is far more important than whether she was wearing a costume or not, and that means that Alex was, is and always will be one of National City’s greatest heroes.
10. J’onn J’onzz
Supergirl‘s debut season did a great job of pulling the wool over our eyes when it came to D.E.O. Director Hank Henshaw. Firm and abrupt with a no-nonsense approach, Henshaw was often rather scathing and cold towards Supergirl as she attempted to follow in her cousin’s footsteps as a hero, and this made him somewhat unlikable. However, this would all turn out to be a front as he soon revealed himself to be none other than iconic DC hero J’onn J’onzz.
Not only was the CGI Martian Manhunter that stood before us incredible for television, it’s impossible to describe just how genuinely shocking that moment was. Moreover, it marked the beginning of a new era for the character as he would transform from a near-tyrannical leader (like the real Hank Henshaw) to a superhero in his own right. Following that, J’onn was able to take part in missions that he would have once watched unfold on monitors and he was every bit as effective as his Kryptonian colleague.
Bringing a character as legendary as the Martian Manhunter into Supergirl not only suggested that the show is capable of landing some of DC’s main-event characters (something that it would prove again when it finally introduced Superman), it opened the Arrowverse up to the rich history of Mars and the battles that took place between the White and Green Martians. And it also allowed us to see a worthy portrayal of this beloved, underappreciated character.
A symbol of hope that is always on-hand to provide Kara with all the advice she needs, J’onn truly strives to make the world a better place – which really says a lot, considering that it isn’t his home planet.
9. Black Canary (Earth-2 Laurel Lance)
Everybody loves a good redemption arc, and the Arrowverse’s greatest belongs to the woman formerly known as Black Siren. Originally appearing on The Flash, the Earth-2 doppelganger of Laurel Lance quickly proved herself to be a formidable foe. But it wasn’t until her full-time introduction on Arrow that she truly showed us all what she was capable of.
Originally an enemy of Team Arrow’s employed to manipulate the friends of her deceased doppelganger by Prometheus, Earth-2 Laurel constantly found herself drawn to the darkness. But through newly-formed friendships, a bond with Earth-1 Laurel’s father and the desire to be better than she was, she ultimately made the decision to leave the life of villainy behind, taking her doppelganger’s place as District Attorney of Star City before moving back to Earth-2 to become the Black Canary.
She then teamed up with former nemesis, Earth-1’s second Black Canary Dinah Drake, as the two decided to launch a new team of heroes called the Canaries. The pair then went to 2040 and aligned themselves with the Green Arrow of the Future, Mia Queen.
The last surviving resident of Earth-2, Laurel found her way to the light eventually and earned her stripes as a hero, becoming what was undoubtedly the show’s greatest adaptation of the Black Canary. The CW may have (wrongly) decided against greenlighting Green Arrow and the Canaries to series, but let’s just hope the Arrow finale wasn’t the last we have seen of this Black Canary.
8. Batwoman (Ryan Wilder)
When Ryan Wilder took over the mantle of Batwoman, she had quite the mountain to climb. Not only had Kate Kane done a fantastic job of bringing back Gotham’s Bat-shaped savior, the original Scarlet Knight was embroiled in a sisterly feud with the city’s new menace, Alice. And yet that didn’t stop Ryan from stepping up and using her newfound power as Batwoman to become a hero in her own right.
Choosing not to exact vengeance and instead use her skillset for good, Ryan introduced viewers to a new Batwoman and showed us all what powerful really looked like. And in the end, she became every bit the hero that Kate Kane was and forged a new path for both herself and the Batwoman character.
Taking over as lead of a show is not an easy job, but Javicia Leslie did it with complete ease, allowing fans to fall in love with a new protagonist that was even more engaging than her predecessor. After season 3, it’s clear that Ryan’s story is just getting started as the show finally took time to explore her character, and we can’t wait to see Leslie continue to go from strength to strength on this amazing journey.
One of the Arrowverse’s original creations, Ryan quickly found her way into all of our hearts. And, if anything, this just proved that DC Comics should find a way to bring her Batwoman to the comic books too!
7. Black Lightning
Jefferson Pierce didn’t start out as a hero in the hopes of joining the Arrowverse’s long line of costumed crime-fighters. While that’s just not his style, it’s also down to the fact that Black Lightning originally wasn’t an Arrowverse show, and has only been retroactively included in the shared universe of superheroes via Crisis On Infinite Earths.
A retired superhero who decided to put back on his suit to protect Freeland from the 100 gang, he did epic battles with archenemy Tobias Whale, fought against racism and oppression and played a major part in saving the multiverse from the Anti-Monitor’s Crisis.
There is a reverence you can’t help but feel whenever Jefferson is on-screen. That might be down to the fact that he’s a respected veteran hero, or it could be due to Cress Williams’ incredible performance. He embodies the character in a way that few others could and will, rightfully so, remain the definitive version of the beloved DC character.
Black Lightning may have concluded earlier than expected, but Jefferson has recently popped up once more on The Flash. As a part of the Arrowverse’s answer to the Justice League, let’s hope that is not the last we’ve seen of him, because The CW’s shared universe of superheroes is all the better for having Black Lightning on-screens.
6. Sara Lance
Whether you know her as Arrow‘s Canary or Legends of Tomorrow‘s White Canary, Sara Lance is undeniably one of the best that the Arrowverse has to offer. Not only is she a great hero, she’s also an incredibly deep character and a trained assassin. So, it’s easy to see why she has captured our attention with ease over these past five years.
When the Arrowverse began, she was nothing more than one of Arrow‘s many casualties, being swept away by vicious waves when the Gambit went down at sea. However, that was only the beginning of one of TV’s most enticing character arcs as, during the second season, a mysterious “Woman In Black” turned up on the streets of Starling City, effectively disposing of any crime that dared to rear its head. She was known simply as The Canary. And in one of the most genuinely shocking moments in Arrowverse history, she revealed herself to be Sara – alive and well.
We soon discovered that Sara survived the Gambit and Lian Yu, and trained with the League of Assassins, becoming this formidable vigilante in the process. She teamed up with Oliver and his team throughout the remainder of the season to take down Deathstroke, before she was killed (again!) and subsequently resurrected. Tortured by demons, Sara bid her sister and father farewell before jetting off on her craziest adventure yet, traveling through time with fellow outcasts and misfits on DC’s new spin-off show Legends Of Tomorrow.
It didn’t take long for the strong-willed fighter to make an impression on the show and, by the second season, she had become the Captain of the crew – a title she still holds to this day.
It doesn’t matter if she’s battling criminals on the streets of Star City or iconic figures from history, because Sara Lance may just be the Arrowverse’s most compelling female character, and she would have no problem standing up to anyone who got in her way.
5. Black Canary (Laurel Lance)
If we define superheroism on the strength of character, determination for justice and an all-round desire to make the world a better place, then you won’t find a greater superhero than Arrow‘s definitive Black Canary: Laurel Lance.
An aspiring lawyer, Oliver Queen’s old flame, Dinah Laurel Lance was put through absolute hell by the show’s creative team, facing the death of her sister and boyfriend (who were sleeping together), the alcoholism of her father, the return of her (now ex) boyfriend and her sister, her own alcoholism and the death of her sister (again). But, do you know what? She came out the other end and became the Black Canary.
Honoring her sister’s legacy as The Canary, Laurel took the streets as the Black Canary, learning how to fight from both WildCat and Nyssa Al Ghul. Moreover, together with Cisco Ramon, she created the Canary Cry collar – a sonic device that could mimic the effects of a super-sonic scream. And she, unlike the Arrow, became a pinnacle of hope in Star City, saving countless people during her tenure behind the mask.
Arrow‘s grounded and realistic approach to the iconic Black Canary was admirable, but it would not have been possible without the incomparable Katie Cassidy – who delivered an incredible performance and even managed to make some of the dodgiest material work.
Laurel was and always will be the heart and soul of Arrow, and the writers’ decision to kill her off in the show’s appalling fourth season will never change that. She was the first leading lady of the Arrowverse and even more importantly, the Black Canary.
4. Superman
For the longest time, Superman was off-limits to Greg Berlanti’s TV universe. However, things changed during Supergirli’s second season and, just like that, Kara Zor-El’s iconic cousin made his Arrowverse debut, appearing in the first two episodes, portrayed by Tyler Hoechlin.
We all know Superman’s story, which is great, because The CW didn’t get much time to tell it on Supergirl. However, from what we could see, this version of Clark Kent was virtually identical to the legendary comic book iteration, and this traditional approach helped differentiate him from Henry Cavill’s darker big-screen interpretation.
He didn’t really shine, though, until he was spun-off into his own series, along with co-star Elizabeth Tulloch, with Superman and Lois quickly becoming one of the greatest TV shows in its genre. With writing that served the character better than some of the later material he was given on previous crossovers, the Arrowverse’s Man of Steel finally became the larger-than-life hero his comic book counterpart is, and Hoechlin was nothing short of spectacular with the grittier material.
What sets this Superman apart from his predecessors, however, is the gentle family man he is portrayed as – not because we haven’t seen it before, but because that’s every bit as important to Superman and Lois as the heroics. And that highlights just how incredible a performer Hoechlin is, as he shifts between Kal-El and Clark Kent with ease, nailing every nuance in between.
Perhaps the greatest live-action Superman of all time, he gets better every single time he’s on-screen.
3. The Arrow/Green Arrow
This list of rich superheroes would not exist without Oliver Queen. The Emerald Archer exploded onto our screens back in 2012 with the debut of Arrow, and it’s hard to imagine what the landscape of superhero television would look like without him. But just what makes this guy so special?
After spending “five years in hell,” Oliver Queen returned to Starling City with a purpose: to purge the city of its corruption and dispose of all of those who had failed it. Motivated by his father’s death (and admission of guilt), the former playboy put on his green hood, strung up his bow and took to the streets as the vigilante known as The Arrow.
For three years, he would dish out his own violent brand of justice upon some of the evilest criminals imaginable. However, after The Arrow’s “death,” Oliver re-branded himself as the Green Arrow and took a less-violent approach, becoming the hero that his loved ones knew he could be.
Though the TV show’s grim version of the character may be a significant departure from his comic book origins, he is undoubtedly an incredibly compelling character. From his dark motivations to his own internal struggles, Arrow‘s iteration of the Green Arrow is equally as strong as his comic book counterpart, and Stephen Amell did a superb job with the character throughout all eight seasons of the show.
Without the Green Arrow, there would be no Arrowverse and that says more than any words ever could. His mission started it all, and for that, every showrunner, producer, actor and fan owes him a debt of gratitude. The Arrowverse starts and ends with the Green Arrow.
2. Supergirl
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s Kara Zor-El from Krypton, and she has come to make the world a better place, spreading hope, love and kindness to cancel out the evil that walks the earth.
There is, quite possibly, no superhero in the Arrowverse with as good intentions as Supergirl. In the three years that we have gotten to know her, she has gone from an awkwardly adorable assistant that wanted to be a rookie superhero, to the savior of National City.
After her home planet exploded, Kara’s escape pod was knocked off-course and she became trapped in the Phantom Zone, where she never aged a day. When she finally arrived on Earth, her younger cousin Kal-El had grown up to become Earth’s savior, Superman. She ended up living as normal a life as possible with the Danvers family – who took her in. However, it didn’t take long for her to discover her abilities and, after suppressing them for years, she finally took flight and became Supergirl.
Since then, she has taken on every type of evildoer imaginable, from her own Kryptonian relatives to powerful metahumans. Though she has saved countless lives with her selfless acts of bravery and kindness, her greatest attribute lies in her ability to inspire people with hope. As we have seen on many occasions throughout the show’s three seasons, there isn’t a type of evil that Kara can’t defeat with a good speech, inspiring the residents of National City to believe and to hope.
No longer in her cousin’s shadow, Supergirl is the hero that Earth-Prime needs and deserves, and she is, without a doubt, one of the most integral figures in the Arrowverse.
1. The Flash
Perhaps no character in the Arrowverse is quite as iconic as The Flash. Though a lot of that is down to the fact that he is the most famous of DC’s superheroes to headline any of The CW’s shows, it’s also because he is the perfect embodiment of everything a superhero should be.
Barry Allen was a lovable and nerdy CSI who always wanted to help people however he could, stemming from the fact that he couldn’t save his mother from the “man in the lightning.” However, when he was struck by lightning and gifted with super-speed, he finally tracked down the menace that had haunted him for a decade. Moreover, his new abilities allowed him to make that difference that he always wanted to make, and thus, he became Central City’s savior, calling himself The Flash.
Over the years he has faced countless threats, ranging from monstrous speedsters to telepathic gorillas and he has come out of every fight stronger, even more determined to overcome the odds. With his big heart, strong will and innate desire to help people, Barry Allen isn’t just a great superhero, he’s an incredibly well-developed character with a compelling backstory and real motivations – and this is all portrayed flawlessly by Grant Gustin.
Despite gaining super-powers, fighting giant sharks, breaching to alternate dimensions and traveling through time, he is still the same adorkable Barry that just wants to make the world a better place. The heroic attributes were already there, the powers just enhanced them. He’s incorruptible and, quite frankly, his mission is unstoppable. And that’s why, with or without super-speed, the Fastest Man Alive will always be the greatest superhero that the Arrowverse has to offer.