Arrow: The Main Characters, Ranked By Likability

There's no denying that Oliver Queen aka Arrow has a lot of similarities with Bruce Wayne. Just like Bruce, Oliver is also a wealthy playboy who chooses to fight crime. The two have also fought against the same villains such as Deathstroke and Ra's Al Ghul. In that regard, it's surprising that the Caped Crusader never shows up in Star City during the CW series's eight seasons.

However, Oliver has done a lot to differentiate himself, thus making himself very likable and unique in the eyes of fans. But no hero is complete without sidekicks and close friends. Oliver is no different. He has interacted with plenty of people who qualify as heroes like him and those whose antagonism knows no limits.

10 Slade Wilson aka Deathstroke

The former Australian Secret Intelligence Service member and Church of Blood mastermind, has established himself as one of the best villains in the Arrowverse. He teaches Oliver all the skills he knows but his personality completely changes after he gets injected with the Mirakuru.

He dedicates his life to avenging the death of Shado and after finding out Oliver played a part in it, he becomes hellbent on destroying him. In as much as Slade is a good fighter, he is reckless and tends to act without thinking. These traits lead him to cause excessive harm to innocent people.

9 Adrian Chase aka Prometheus

There's little to adore about Star City's newest DA. He helps Oliver Queen eradicate crime but behind the scenes, he hates the man. He takes up the persona Prometheus and begins killing innocent people with shurikens and arrows.

Since he wants Oliver for himself, he takes out anyone else that is eager to go after the hero, including the crime lord Tobias Church. Adrain frames  Quentin Lance, manipulates Evelyn Sharp into turning against Oliver, and sets up Billy Malone to be accidentally murdered by Oliver.

8 Malcolm Merlyn aka Dark Archer

It's hard to be a fan-favorite character when you are part of questionable organizations such as the League of Doom. As the skilled Dark Archer, Malcolm is controlled by the thirst for vengeance. He develops a "God Complex" and believes in killing as many people as possible in order to achieve what he believes is the greater good.

Malcolm's impulsiveness has led to the loss of innocent lives on more than one occasion. It's later revealed that the man Malcolm killed to avenge the death of his wife Rebecca was not the real culprit. The guilty person was Danny Brickwell. Malcolm's reign as Ra's Al Ghul isn't an impressive one either.

7 Thea Queen aka Speedy

Thea often tries to be good but she has made plenty of questionable choices. She frames Susan Williams for plagiarism so as to ruin her job as a reporter. Thea does this because Susan is trying to expose half-brother Oliver's secret identity of Green Arrow. Her actions ruin Susan's reputation and make her lose her job.

As expected, Oliver isn't happy about her actions because he doesn't believe in doing the wrong thing for the right reason. Thea is also hypocritical. She criticizes Malcolm for putting William's life in danger yet she also threatened Nora. She also abandons Team Arrow when they need her the most.

6 Tommy Merlyn

Perhaps the major thing that paints Tommy Merlyn in a negative light among viewers is the fact that he abandons Oliver when he finds out he is the Green Arrow. He also becomes jealous after realizing that Laurel loves Oliver more than him.

Other than that, he is generally a good friend to Oliver. When Oliver is still missing, Tommy is more than willing to fly to Hong Kong to go and look for him. When Oliver returns, he cheers him up and tries to get him to make him have as much fun as possible. He later proves to be a capable boss while running Verdant. Not to forget that he keeps Oliver's vigilante identity a secret.

5 Felicity Smoak aka Overwatch

The former CEO of Palmer Technologies and the founder of Smoak Technologies is to Oliver what Lois Lane is to Clark Kent. She is very brave as she was willing to investigate Moira Queen's notebook, despite the fact that those who did so ended up dead. She is also more than willing to immerse herself in all the dangerous tasks that Oliver shoves her way.

Felicity also uses her computer skills to upgrade the Arrowcave's computer system and helps him cover his tracks. Another thing that makes Felicity admirable is her penchant for using humor even in the darkest of situations. She stands her ground too, no matter the kind of stakes that are present.

4 Quentin Lance

In the early days of the series, the Mayor and former police officer is unlikable. This is due to a number of things such as his arrogance as a police officer. He enjoys bursting into houses without warrants. He also has a deep hatred for The Hood (Oliver Queen). He eventually comes to understand that what Oliver is doing is best for the city hence he becomes his friend.

Even after getting demoted for working with the Arrow, he still continues doing so. And despite initially being difficult towards his own family and sinking into alcoholism, he dusts himself up and works on becoming a better man.

3 Black Canary

Starling City owes a lot to Laurel Lance aka Black Canary. She starts out as a hard-working lawyer who maneuvers the city's tough corridors of justice and ensures the innocent are treated fairly. She is always willing to help, such as when Oliver and Tommy are going to get assaulted at the Poison night club.

After Sara's death, she tries to get Oliver to train her as a vigilante. He refuses but she turns to Ted Grant who does as she wants. She still joins Team Arrow late on and helps stop plenty of crime.

2 John Diggle aka Spartan

Being Oliver's best friend is guaranteed to make you appealing to everyone. Diggle even has Oliver as his best man during his wedding with Lyla. But that's not the only admirable thing about him. He is wise, even more than Oliver. He often showing Oliver the right path whenever his impulsiveness is leading him astray.

Despite the fact that he tends to hold grudges against people who have wronged him, John is ever more than willing to forgive when the time is right. Just as friends do, he has clashed with Oliver a couple of times but the two always make amends.

1 Oliver Queen

Oliver is the real definition of self-improvement. Early in his life, he is a carefree playboy who is concerned about nothing else but his own hedonism. After the Lian Yu experience, he undergoes a transformation.

After 5 years, he returns to his city and decides to become a vigilante. He has never looked back since. And it's not just his city that he has saved. Oliver has teamed up with other heroes such as Supergirl, Superman, The Flash, and Black Lightning to save the world. If it wasn't for him, the Anti-M0nitor crisis wouldn't have been solved.

NEXT: Batwoman: The Main Characters, Ranked By Likability