There have been plenty of wonderful fighters in the Arrowverse, but which of the heroes and villains were the best warriors of them all?
Since its inception in 2012, Arrow and the many spin-offs it produced have introduced us to a large number of characters. Across the likes of Arrow, Supergirl, The Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow, heroes, villains, policemen, criminals, and even ordinary people have all featured over the years. However, if there is one thing superheroes guarantee, it’s trouble — they’ll always find themselves doing battle with a certain evil-doer. So, in light of that, let’s have a look at the 27 best fighters in the Arrowverse.
While some villains were featured only once, there were many who stuck around to battle the heroes again. Usually, the big bads of a season were some of the more ferocious and dangerous fighters. At the same time, being a great fighter doesn’t necessarily mean they’re fantastic with their fists; heroes and villains must use all of the skills at their disposal in a fight.
With all of that in mind, let’s take a look across the various Arrowverse series to identify the 27 greatest fighters to ever grace our screen,
Note: This list won’t feature characters that were on shows that were Arrowverse-adjacent for the majority of their run. Therefore, heroes and villains from Black Lightning, Superman and Lois, and DC’s Stargirl are not included.
27. Ray Palmer – The ATOM
When he was first introduced, Ray Palmer was the affable billionaire who had bought Queen Consolidated. But, there was a lot more to him than met the eye. Secretly, Ray was creating a battle suit in order to clean up the city. Using his genius, he created the ATOM suit and became one of the most powerful characters in the Arrowverse. He managed to increase his abilities further when he figured out how to change his size while wearing the suit.
He is not a natural fighter and had to learn a lot on the job, but he’s grown into the role, sometimes literally. Ray’s battle highlights involve him using the ATOM suit to grow to giant size and do battle with a giant robot.
When the Legends arrive in London in the year 2166, Vandal Savage sent the Leviathan after them. Just as all seemed lost, Ray was able to modify his suit so that he could fight the robot in hand-to-hand combat. In this one battle, he proved just how far he had come since becoming The Atom and used his fighting skills to defeat the Leviathan. While perhaps not the best fighter in the Arrowverse, Ray’s talents are not to be overlooked.
26. Helena Bertinelli – The Huntress
When Oliver Queen returned to Starling City, he did so with only one goal: to save his city. His crusade to save the city then brought him into contact with the Bertinelli family, a notorious crime family running organized crime throughout Starling City. In doing so, he crossed paths with Frank Bertinelli, the leader of the family’s daughter, Helena.
Helena discovered that her father had her fiance killed and this sent her into a rage. She set out to take down her father’s criminal empire and this brought her into contact with the fledgling Green Arrow (then going by The Hood). Oliver saw potential in Helena and decided to train her to be better and help in his crusade.
At first, the two were an effective crime-fighting team as well as lovers. But, Helena started to disagree with Oliver about his methods; he taught her that killing people wasn’t the right way to bring down her father, but she didn’t listen. Instead, Oliver had to stop her and the two fought with Helena gaining the upper hand until McKenna Hall intervened. The Huntress fled Starling City shortly after this, but she continued to act as a vigilante away from the city.
25. Mick Rory – Heatwave
Mick Rory was first introduced as the partner of Leonard Snart in The Flash. While Snart was a man who had acquired a cold gun, Rory was a man who loved fire — even going so far as burning down his house when he was a child. The two men formed an effective team that stole a lot of Central City’s valuables until the Flash intervened.
After joining the Legends of Tomorrow, Mick’s journey took a bit of a different course. Rather than continuing life as a criminal, he found a home on the Waverider and actually enjoyed acting in a more heroic manner. His old ways weren’t totally left him, but he ventured down the path to justice now.
In terms of his fighting prowess, Mick has proven to be an effective member of the Legends, using his natural brawling style alongside his flamethrower. He’s not afraid to use brute force when necessary and will often be found right in the thick of the action. Mick is a man who loves a fight and doesn’t care whether he’s battling aliens, henchmen, or superheroes, he’ll stick at it no matter what. This relentless nature makes him dangerous, but also a useful member of the team.
24. Cisco Ramon – Vibe
Cisco Ramon is the brains of STAR Labs. Alongside Caitlin Snow, he comes up with pretty much all of the gadgets Team Flash need and use to defeat the army of metahumans that terrorize Central City on a weekly basis.
At first, Cisco did not present any adverse effects of the particle accelerator explosion that gave birth to metahumans in the city, but towards the end of season one, his powers began to manifest.
He discovered that he had the ability to perceive events across space and time, which he calls “vibing” and also the ability to open breaches to other dimensions. After learning to hone these powers, Cisco became an even more valued member of the team and began to assist Barry in his crime-fighting, stepping out from behind the STAR Labs screens and joining Barry in the field.
His ability to open breaches has allowed his fighting style to become a lot more creative as he is able to assist his friends without much hand-to-hand combat. An example of this is during the 2017 Crisis on Earth-X Arrowverse crossover event when he helps Oliver Queen get up to battle his evil counterpart using a breach. Even after he gave up his metahuman abilities, Cisco proved to be a key ally in battle with skills that stacked up against the best.
23. Rene Ramirez – Wild Dog
After Oliver Queen defeated Damien Darhk, a new wave of vigilantes began operating in Star City. Rene Ramirez was the first that Oliver encountered and he quickly tried to discourage him from joining this life. However, Rene is extremely stubborn and continued to put on that hockey shirt and mask in order to fight crime in the Glades as Wild Dog.
Seeing Rene was not going to give up on his efforts, Oliver decided that he should train Rene as one of his new recruits for Team Arrow. At first, Rene was skeptical of Oliver’s methods, but he quickly came to understand what the Green Arrow was teaching him. From then on, Rene became an integral part of the team.
His upbringing in the Glades meant that Rene was used to scrapping with thugs and he used this to his advantage. After training with the Green Arrow, he became a much better fighter and honed his skills even further. Rene even set up a boxing gym for underprivileged children in the Glades after the team briefly disbanded to put his fighting knowledge to good use.
22. Manchester Black
Manchester Black was introduced in Supergirl season 4 as a man whose fiance was killed by the Children of Liberty. At first, he teamed up with J’onn J’onzz to try to put a stop to Ben Lockwood’s men, but he quickly became tired of J’onn’s approach. After his father died, J’onn had taken an oath to become a man of peace and, as a result, he wasn’t prepared to kill people anymore.
This angered Manchester and he quickly left J’onn behind in order to begin his own brand of justice. He acquired weapons and armor and began hunting down the Children of Liberty and, specifically, Ben Lockwood. Manchester was imprisoned for his attempt to kill Lockwood but was broken out of prison by his friend Hat.
From this point on, he led a group known as the Elite and quickly set off to try to protect aliens on Earth. His past as a football hooligan stood him in good stead for the brawls he would get involved in and he was even able to take out a load of prison guards during his escape. J’onn reluctantly killed Manchester, but something tells me we haven’t seen the last of him…
21. Nate Heywood – Steel
When Nate was first introduced, it was as a powerless historian who had discovered the whereabouts of the Waverider. Though he might not have had any powers, he was still crafty enough to barge his way past Oliver Queens’ mayoral security team and force his way into the office. After finding the Legends at the bottom of the sea just off the coast of New York, Nate’s historical knowledge came to good use and he joined the team.
On his first trip back in time, Nate was wounded and, because he was a hemophiliac, was at risk of bleeding out. That was until Ray Palmer’s experimental serum was used on him and blessed him with the ability to turn his skin into steel. He spent a bit of time getting used to having these powers, but soon became a valuable member of the team.
In his time with the Legends, Steel fought alternate Earth Nazis, actual Nazis, aliens, and the whole gamut of supervillain thugs. Over time, he became a much better fighter and was able to hold his own against pretty much anybody — he went a long way from the historian we initially met.
20. Leonard Snart – Captain Cold
Leonard Snart first appeared as a meticulous thief who planned his heists down to the second. No detail was too small and every eventuality was prepared for. He used his brain rather than his brawn. Even after he acquired his cold gun, Snart preferred the more measured approach than rushing in all guns blazing.
When he joined the Legends on the Waverider, he was a reluctant member of the team. He was more bothered about his next big score than saving the day. But, the Legends weren’t particularly subtle and often ended up in bar fights across time. Snart proved time and again that he was pretty handy with his fists and also able to come up with plans fairly quickly.
His planning meant that he was able to fight without expending too much energy, thus he never found himself out of breath after a fight. Often, he would allow his opponents to tire themselves out before striking the winning blow. This can be proven with his numerous battles with The Flash. Despite Snart’s lack of powers, he was often able to hold his own quite convincingly against a number of metahumans, including the Scarlet Speedster.
19. Brainiac-5
Brainiac-5, or Brainy to his friends, is a member of the Legion of Superheroes from 1,000 years in the future. He first arrived in the present time with Mon-El and Saturn Girl during Supergirl season 3 and spent most of his time acting as the Legion’s man in the chair. His intellect allowed him to plan for anything and solve complex equations in seconds, which made him an extremely useful man to have around.
Once he returned to 2018 and took the place of Winn Schott at the DEO, we began to see a lot more of Brainy. This included his remarkably unique fighting style. As he’s basically a walking supercomputer, Brainy uses deductive reasoning to predict his attacker’s movements and avoid them. This produces what appears to be a well-choreographed dance.
Brainy truly shows that brains can be as valuable in a fight as brute strength. His fighting style is something that hasn’t really been seen on television before and he certainly deserves a place on this list for the sheer imagination behind it. He’s no slouch either, particularly when you consider that he took out the Amazo android single-handedly during the Elseworlds crossover, something which took the combined might of Barry Allen’s Green Arrow, Oliver Queen’s Flash, Supergirl, and Superman.
18. Ricardo Diaz – The Dragon
Ricardo Diaz was the main antagonist in Arrow season 6 who returned to haunt Oliver Queen in season 7. At first, he seemed like the generic crime boss who wasn’t really anything outstanding, but he quickly rose to prominence. He was initially a member of Cayden James’s team of villains, but after he was revealed to be the true villain, he became a lot more interesting.
Diaz was a feared martial artist who used his fists quite sparingly. Similarly to others mentioned on this list, he used his mind first before brashly resorting to brute force. However, when he did use his fists, it was clear that Diaz was not to be trifled with. There was a lot more than met the eye with him and he often used this to his advantage. Many would underestimate him before they battled him and realize how dangerous he was after it was too late.
He proved just how dangerous he was when he almost beat Speedy to death during Team Arrow’s attempts to rescue Roy Harper. If Oliver hadn’t intervened, it’s safe to say that his sister would have been killed. He’s also one of the few people who’s been able to take on Oliver hand-to-hand, even managing to knock him back several times during their fights.
17. J’onn J’onzz – The Martian Manhunter
J’onn J’onzz is one of the most powerful characters in the Arrowverse and has been living on Earth for over 300 years. So, it’s fair to say that he has plenty of experience when it comes to fighting. Even though he kept his true heritage hidden for most of the first season of Supergirl, J’onn’s coming out allowed him to do a lot of good in the world and he became a firm companion of Kara’s.
J’onn is a survivor which can be clearly seen from his 300-plus years on Earth and the fact that he’s the last Green Martian remaining. Like most aliens on Earth, J’onn’s Martian physiology grants him superpowers while on Earth. All Martians are psychically linked, but he also has a number of other superpowers which he’s used to good effect in battle. Particularly useful is his ability to make himself intangible as this allows him to quickly evade his enemies and counterattack when they don’t expect it.
As head of the DEO, J’onn also gained a great deal of tactical knowledge. This allowed him to approach his battles with more thought and create strategies that would defeat his enemies in the most effective way possible. He’s actually a lot more powerful than the show demonstrates, but his abilities are likely toned down due to budget constraints caused by his Martian form being completely CGI.
16. John Diggle – Spartan
John Diggle has existed in the Arrowverse since the very beginning. Introduced in the Arrow pilot as Oliver Queen’s bodyguard, Diggle was in charge of keeping an eye on the recently back-from-the-dead billionaire. He quickly found that this wasn’t as simple as it seemed thanks to Oliver’s nocturnal activities. When Oliver revealed what he was getting up to during his disappearances, Diggle became his firm friend and confidante.
He joined Oliver in his crusade and began to encourage him to not kill people. Instead, Diggle is the one who turned Oliver’s crusade around and changed his outlook. He’d join Oliver on missions and do his best to save the city, but it was only in season 4 when he finally got his own superhero identity — Spartan.
As soon as we met Diggle, we’re made aware that he’s no slouch but rather that he’s a veteran of the US Army who went into private security. This army training means that he’s able to hold his own quite comfortably in the field while also giving him the tactical awareness to pick his battles appropriately. He doesn’t have any superpowers of his own, but he’s still a very capable fighter who knows how to use every tool at his disposal.
15. Adrian Chase – Prometheus
Often, a superhero will encounter a villain who is their dark mirror, someone who shows how simple it would have been for the hero to have taken a different path. Adrian Chase certainly serves this purpose for Oliver Queen. The main antagonist of Arrow season 5 is arguably the best villain the show has produced (or at the very least, in the top two).
Prometheus was a force to be reckoned with and managed to actually break Oliver’s spirits completely. The scene when he got Oliver to admit that he wanted to kill and he enjoyed it was a fantastic scene that took a lot of getting over for the hero. He showed his calculating mind but also impressed the Green Arrow with his combat skills. This was particularly evident when he performed a move that Oliver recognized straight away as one taught to him by his old teacher, Talia Al Ghul.
Because he’d learned from one of Oliver’s old teachers, he was quite evenly matched with him and, arguably, actually achieved what he set out to do: break Oliver Queen. He broke the Green Arrow completely and even seemed to have completely killed his team. Needless to say, Adrian Chase was a lot more dangerous than he first seemed when he debuted as Oliver’s trusted district attorney.
14. Roy Harper – Arsenal
Roy Harper was a petty thief from the Glades whose life turned around the day he was saved by Oliver Queen. From that moment on, he turned his life around and went from a common thief into a vigilante who was inspired by the Arrow. Eventually, he would join the Arrow in his crusade and become his apprentice.
After Oliver’s foray into mentoring with Helena Bertinelli, he tried to teach Roy in a different way. He thought back to his time on Lian Yu and how his mentors trained him and used the same methods to teach Roy. At first, the young man didn’t understand what Oliver was trying to teach him, but Roy quickly understood and learned to be an effective companion to Oliver in his crusade.
When Roy was briefly empowered by the Mirakuru serum, he had to learn to channel his newfound strength and anger into saving people instead of giving in to the rage. In season 3 of Arrow, he became the vigilante known as Arsenal. Roy’s growth was shown when Oliver was absent from Starling City; he took charge of the team and was able to effectively defeat all of the thugs that they came up against.
13. Damien Darhk
Damien Darhk is a very dangerous man, with or without his magical abilities. As a former member of the League of Assassins, he’s a trained killer and can hold his own against pretty much any foe that comes his way. Add to this the magical powers he acquires and you have a man who’s one of the most dangerous enemies that could be encountered.
He was even a former heir to the Demon, one of the next in line to become Ra’s Al-Ghul and a title given to only the most fearsome warriors in the League. As his allegiance split, he became a nemesis to the Demon’s Head and formed his own offshoot of the League of Assassins known as HIVE. The key difference was, HIVE was a lot more ruthless and would kill thousands of people to achieve their goals.
Darhk’s reach extended across time thanks to a combination of the Lazarus Pit and a time stone he’d acquired. As well as battling the Green Arrow in 2016, he had numerous encounters with the Legends of Tomorrow across time. He was a key member of the Legion of Doom and his influence created many aberrations across the timeline.
12. Ra’s al Ghul
In his time as a costumed vigilante, Oliver had come across the League of Assassins a number of times, most often with the Daughter of the Demon, Nyssa al Ghul. Finally, in Arrow season 3, Oliver gained the attention of Ra’s himself. After he’d seen Oliver Queen’s defeat of Slade Wilson, the Demon’s Head and the (seemingly) immortal leader of the League of Assassins, came to the scene as the main antagonist of Season Three.
After Sara Lance was killed, Ra’s sent the League of Assassins to Starling City to find her killer. It was here that he gained the attention of the Arrow. Oliver was challenged to a trial by combat after taking the blame for Sara’s death and met the Demon’s Head on top of a mountain. Here, the two men fought. Though Oliver initially put up a decent fight, he was quickly outmatched by the centuries-old man. This culminated in Ra’s piercing Oliver’s heart with a sword proving his years of training made him one of the Arrowverse’s greatest fighters.
After hearing that he had survived their battle, Ra’s saw potential in Oliver and wanted him to take his mantle and began a campaign to get the hero to leave Starling City. Oliver was not convinced, however, and continued his mission to save his city. Eventually, the two battled again and, despite Ra’s best efforts and skilled combat skills, Oliver came out on top.
11. Alex Danvers aka Sentinel
Alex Danvers is yet another character who falls into the category of a brilliant fighter with no superpowers. As the director of the DEO, Alex has to deal with a great number of threats from alien invaders. Because of this, she’s had extensive training that allows her to take on pretty much any opponent that comes her way. She has trained alongside the best fighters the DEO has to offer and the Martian Manhunter himself; it’s safe to say she’s had some brilliant teachers.
Over the years, she’s even showed Kara up when the two have sparred in training. Though the playing field is leveled with a Kryptonite field around the room, Alex still comfortably beats Kara in combat. Throughout all of her sister’s adventures with the DEO, Alex is a constant companion who comfortably holds her own against a great number of threats.
During the Crisis on Earth-X crossover event, Alex travels to Earth-1 with her sister and ends up doing battle with alternate-Earth nazis. Even though she has no powers of her own, she’s still an extremely dangerous fighter. She teams up particularly effectively with Sara Lance after the wedding of Barry Allen and Iris West is interrupted by the invasion of the Earth-X forces, showing she can keep up with even the most trained of fighters which is why we wish the show would have allowed her to take up the Sentinel mantra sooner!
10. Eobard Thawne – The Reverse Flash
Whether he’s in the body of Harrison Wells or wearing his own face, Eobard Thawne is one of the most dangerous villains in the Arrowverse.
His super speed makes him a match for anyone in combat and his intellect only adds to his abilities. Thawne is extremely driven to complete his goals, but he’s also extremely patient. After becoming trapped in the past (from his perspective), he waited years to build the particle accelerator that would give Barry Allen his powers and actually create the Flash.
After that, he would hone Barry’s abilities until he was fast enough to help him return to his home. All the while, he proved himself to be an extremely dangerous man. Thawne first revealed himself to Barry in the midseason finale of The Flash season 1. Here, he proved to the hero just how much stronger he was by comfortably defeating him in combat.
He later went on to terrorize the Legends in a journey across time and space to find the Spear of Destiny. He finally confronted the Legends in the trenches of World War One with an army of time replicants. The sheer volume of Reverse Flashes overwhelmed the team until Sara used the spear to change history ever so slightly.
His influence continues to this day as he is the mysterious party that Nora West-Allen is working with in the future. In other words, it seems that it’s impossible to properly defeat him.
9. Batwoman – Kate Kane
The Bat-Family was a long time coming to the Arrowverse. For years, we had hoped that the likes of Batman, Robin, or Batgirl might show up on The CW and our wish was finally granted when Batwoman was greenlit. With that, DC Comics’ modern revival of the character finally spread her wings on television, and for a moment, it was glorious.
Kate Kane is as big a badass as they come. She’s a woman of few words and a force to be reckoned with in just about all fields. That came across quite quickly when she tackled foes on the streets of Gotham City and when she was battling Shadow Demons during Crisis On Infinite Earths. Perhaps her most impressive showdown was against Alice’s men in the eighth episode in a desperate bid to stop her villainous sister. The fight choreography in that particular scene was incredible.
Batwoman is a lot like Batman in that she’s an incredibly skilled combatant and could easily take you down in a fistfight. It was exhilarating to watch her do that, and we just couldn’t get enough of that. Unfortunately, we didn’t get enough of it either, as Ruby Rose’s Kate left the show after the first season.
Nevertheless, it was an experience to see her in action.
8. Batwoman – Ryan Wilder
When Kate Kane was written out of Batwoman, Arrowverse fans wondered if anyone would be able to fill her shoes. She may have only had one season, but Kate was one of the most formidable of all heroes in the shared universe, and her hand-to-hand combat skills made her such an efficient Scarlet Knight. Thankfully, those concerns were put to rest when Ryan Wilder debuted.
Ryan donned the mask as she wanted to be a symbol of hope in a place like Gotham City. That part of the assignment she nailed right out of the gate, but she had a lot to prove to those who doubted her, and thus, she stepped up, training to become one of the best fighters the Arrowverse had ever seen,
It’s true, watching her take on foes such as Black Mask (and his henchmen), Poison Ivy, and even Killer Croc were a thrill to watch. In fact, some of the best parts of Batwoman‘s second and third seasons were the showdowns that Ryan would have with the various goons that attempted to stop her. She became a well-rounded hero who could hold her own against Gotham’s most deadly, and that character development was one of the many reasons why Batwoman deserved more seasons.
7. Barry Allen – The Flash
Barry Allen would be the first character to admit that he’s not a fighter, he’d much prefer to talk to his enemies and work out a solution than resort to punching. But, if he has to, he can be pretty handy with his fists. Much like the Reverse Flash, his super-speed gives him the edge over most combatants. His speed allows him to move faster than the eye can register and, because of this, he’s able to completely overwhelm his opponents.
Ever since he acquired his powers in the particle accelerator explosion, he has constantly tried to learn and improve his skills. There’s a lot more to his arsenal than simply being fast. The speed he generates allows him to create bolts of lightning to throw at his opponents and even phase through solid matter. Not many villains are capable of dealing with this sort of onslaught.
In truth, the only reason Barry doesn’t place much higher on this list is the fact that he’s actually pretty useless as a fighter without his powers. Take the Elseworlds crossover, for instance, which sees a powerless Barry easily defeated by Jimmy Olsen and his goons.
6. Malcolm Merlyn – The Dark Archer
Malcolm Merlyn was the father of Oliver Queen’s best friend and also, secretly, his sister’s father as well. When Oliver returned from Lian Yu and began his crusade to save the city, Malcolm was the man who stood in his way. At first, it seemed that he was simply a corrupt businessman who was out to destroy the Glades, but it quickly became apparent that there was more to him than met the eye.
Malcolm was a deadly assassin who had received training from the League of Assassins and fought among their ranks. When he revealed himself to Oliver, he proved a formidable opponent who outclassed the fledgling vigilante with ease. After Oliver defeated him, Malcolm continued to play a part in the Arrow’s life, particularly with the revelation about Thea’s parentage.
Merlyn became the new Demon’s Head after Oliver defeated Ra’s al Ghul in season 3 of Arrow, much to the chagrin of Nyssa who felt that she should have taken the title. Clearly, this title is not something that’s given lightly, so for Malcolm to be given it proves that he’s a dangerous man. He joined the Legion of Doom in pursuit of the Spear of Destiny and was a valuable member of the team, battling across time alongside Damien Darhk and Eobard Thawne.
5. Clark Kent – Superman
Clark Kent has been the hero of Earth-38 for many years and has faced a great number of foes in that time. It’s safe to say that he’s one of the most experienced superheroes in the Arrowverse. As a Kryptonian living on Earth, the sun blesses him with powers that make him practically unbeatable. He doesn’t take this lightly, however, and has spent many years training and honing his fighting skills.
He’s proved to be a tremendously useful ally to his cousin, as you might expect, and much like his cousin, he worked for the DEO for a spell and battled alien threats to the planet. This was until he discovered that they kept a supply of Kryptonite, the only substance able to kill him. Understandably, he took offense to this and left the DEO under a cloud.
You might think that he’d place higher on this list due to the fact that he’s basically invincible, and while that may be true, we struggle with giving him a higher ranking just because of the way the Superman & Lois team has been very proactive in putting distance between the Superman of their show and the Superman we got see in the Arrowverse prime.
4. Kara Danvers – Supergirl
At first, Supergirl was not the greatest fighter, but she grew into one of the best fighters in the Arrowverse. Kara Danvers kept her powers a secret for many years and allowed her cousin to be the hero the Earth needed. But when her sister was on a plane that was going to crash into National City, she sprang into action and revealed herself to the world.
From that moment on, she teamed up with the DEO to protect her city from alien life and anyone else who meant to cause it harm. One of the first things she did as part of her orientation with the DEO was a sparring match with Alex. The field was leveled somewhat with a Kryptonite infusion in the room and Alex easily came out on top. As she worked with the DEO, Kara continued to train with her sister and improve her fighting skills.
The ultimate proof that Kara had become a highly capable fighter was when she defeated her cousin in combat. Though Superman was affected by Silver Kryptonite, Kara was able to keep her calm and find a way to defeat him – a significant achievement as Superman was in no way holding back during the battle.
3. Slade Wilson – Deathstroke
When we first meet Slade Wilson, he’s stranded on Lian Yu and living in the crashed fuselage of his plane. Oliver Queen stumbles upon him and Slade doesn’t take him seriously at all. Instead, Oliver has to earn his trust and gradually, the two grow to become good friends. Slade becomes a mentor to Oliver and teaches him how to survive.
As a member of the Australian Special Forces, Slade is highly trained and extremely capable. This is particularly evident when he and Oliver defeat Fyers’ men on the island and then later when he takes control of the Amazo from Professor Ivo. However, things take a bit of a turn when Slade is almost killed and injected with the Mirakuru serum. This imbues him with super strength and healing capabilities, but this comes at a great cost.
Slade’s mind is shattered by the serum and he is haunted by the ghost of Shado. This gradually turns him against Oliver and he goes from his closest ally to his greatest nemesis. When he resurfaces in Starling City five years later, Slade proves how dangerous he truly is by taking control of the city and leading a Mirakuru-infused army. Even though Oliver manages to defeat Slade, there is no denying Slade is one of the most skilled fighters in the Arrowverse.
2. Sara Lance – White Canary
After the Queen’s Gambit went down in the South China Sea, everybody thought Sara Lance had been lost and was dead. However, much like Oliver Queen, she managed to survive and even joined him on Lian Yu for quite some time. Following the crash, Sara was trained by the League of Assassins and proved to be an incredibly dangerous killer during her time with the League.
When she returned to Starling City and revealed herself to her family, she began fighting crime as the Black Canary. Once again, her training from the League came in very handy as she was able to easily defeat any of the criminals that came her way. Often, they would underestimate her but, she was not to be deterred and used this to her advantage.
After becoming the leader of the Legends of Tomorrow, Sara’s character became more skilled. She was just as dangerous as she ever was, but also a lot wiser as well. It speaks volumes that she’s able to hold her own against a number of super-powered opponents – and even demons – despite having no powers of her own. If anything, that fact makes her worthy of one of the top places on the list. Second only to…
1. Oliver Queen – The Green Arrow
Of course, the greatest fighter had to be Oliver, didn’t it? The man who started it all, Oliver Queen is truly the best fighter in the Arrowverse. Much like Sara and many others on this list, he is a normal human at the very peak of fitness who has honed his skills to almost superhuman levels. Instead of relying on amazing speed or super strength, Oliver simply has to rely on his own nous, fighting skill and his trusty bow of course.
He’s come a long way from the spoiled billionaire who washed up on Lian Yu. The time on the island molded him into the supreme athlete he is today and allowed him to begin his crusade to save his city. It helps that in his time away from his city he had some amazing mentors as well.
Slade Wilson, Talia Al Ghul and Yao Fei all had a profound effect on the young man and taught him valuable lessons. He’s used every one of their teachings to create his own fighting style that’s allowed him to defeat any enemy that has come his way.
Whenever the Arrowverse heroes come together, Oliver is the man who unites the heroes. He’s the most experienced (aside from Superman) and is the man the others look to for counsel when they need it. Without a shadow of a doubt, Oliver Queen is the best fighter in the Arrowverse and won’t likely relinquish the title.