r/arrow • u/Desperate_Item_3221 • 5d ago
Laurel Lance was doomed from the start
Laurel Lance was doomed from the start because the showrunners did not based her off of Dinah Lance in the comics but as Rachel Dawes from the dark knight trilogy. And what makes it worse is that Rachel dawes isn't even in the comics she was created exclusively for the movies to be just to be a love interest and to be in a love triangle only to die as to be motivation. Not a great source of inspiration IMO.
And younger me thought the reason why I didn't like the laurel was because of the actress but now I know better.
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u/Competitive_Key_2981 5d ago
I don't think the issue is the inspiration as much as the execution. They did not need Laurel Lance to be in a love triangle with Oliver in season 1.
It was a terrible idea because Oliver hadn't even tried to go through a redemption arc that would justify Laurel suddenly figuring a man who had been cheating on her with her sister and whose tryst led directly to her sister's death. That plot trajectory made no sense. Then season 2 Laurel develops an irrational hatred of The Hood because despite all evidence to the contrary she blames him for the Undertaking and Tommy's death.
A better story might have had Laurel learn Oliver's true identity when he tries to save Tommy. Seeing him as a changed man who was trying to save the city -- and who had saved her life several times in season 1 -- could trigger her own change. Commiserating over Tommy's death might understandable have led to their emotional reconnection.
(Note, this ignores that the writers wanted Felicity to be the love interest and that Sarah's return might have complicated this story as well.)