Arrow is ready to tackle a key part of DC Comics lore.
The Lazarus Pit and other supernatural elements will be explored in Wednesdays' episode, a potentially game-changing move that executive producer Marc Guggenheim says is akin to season two's introduction of superpowers.
Wednesday's episode finds Oliver (Stephen Amell) considering Ra's Al Ghul's (Matt Nable) offer to take over The League of Assassins. As Oliver mulls the offer, viewers will learn more about some of the supernatural aspects surrounding Ra's and his headquarters in Nanda Parbat.
In the comics, Ra's rejuvenates himself via the Lazarus Pit, a pool that has restorative powers and can even bring people back from the dead. Viewers have seen glimpses of Ra's in yet-to-be named pit. Fans even speculated Oliver would be brought back from the dead using The Lazarus Pit when it appeared he'd died in the midseason finale.
"All year long we've been teasing what comic book fans know as the Lazarus Pit. We'll learn a lot more about that in 316," Guggenheim tells The Hollywood Reporter.
Though Arrow started off as a grounded in the real world, the introduction of The Flash (Grant Gustin) showed superpowers exist in this universe. Wednesday's episode opens doors in very much the same way, says Guggenheim.
See more Behind the Scenes of the CW's 'Arrow'
"The world of magic fits pretty well into the world of Arrow," said Guggenheim. "We've already seen superpowers on the show. Once you've seen super powers, the occult and magic — that actually fits better in Arrow than superpowers."
It's unclear of Ra's is truly immortal as he is in the comics, or if he is more akin to the Liam Neeson version seen in Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins, in which Ra's achieves "immortality" by passing his title from one person to the next. It could be a mix of the two, because although Guggenheim says supernatural elements will be incorporated into the show, Amell adds that the title of Ra's is passed down.
In Wednesday's hour, Ra's will make a compelling argument for why Oliver should take over the position.
Read more 'The Flash': Time Travel and Reverse-Flash to Change Everything
"The League operates the way that Ra's wants it to operate — whoever Ra's is. So if you want them to stop killing, they stop killing," Amell says. "Whether or not that's true, remains to be seen. I would say Ra's in the beginning of episode 16, makes a pretty good sales pitch."
Amell also says that in addition to the job offer, Oliver is dealing with hurt pride over losing the duel to Ra's. That could complicate negotiations.
"There is a prideful part of him that can't totally take losing," says Amell. "That's not just going to go away because he got a job offer."
Stay tuned to The Live Feed for more Arrow coverage.
Arrow airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on The CW.
/2015/TV%20Show/arrow/THR_arrow-logo-embed2x.png){kind=icon}
Email: Aaron.Couch@THR.com
Twitter: @AaronCouch
