32 greatest Arrowverse superheroes, ranked
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.