Summary
Warning! Spoilers ahead forGreen Arrow #12!One ofGreen Arrow’sclosest Arrowverse allies has been canonized in the DC Universe. After spending months tracking down his most hated enemy, Oliver Queen is in the fight of his life against Merlyn. But the Emerald Archer encounters another surprising blast from the past that makes a certain superhero identity DC Comics canon.
InGreen Arrow #12by Joshua Williamson, Sean Izaaske, Phil Hester, and Eric Gapstur,Green Arrow is finally facing off against Merlyn. Unfortunately, Green Arrow is overwhelmed by Merlyn’s useof the Sanctuary filesto create hard-light constructs of Oliver’s friends and family.
Thankfully, Green Arrow gets the upper hand after the real Team Arrow arrives to defeat the constructs. Oliver defeats Merlyn and hands him over to Green Arrow’s old friend, John Diggle. Diggle, now clad in an armor that reads “SPTN 07-19”, wishes Oliver and his family well before taking Merlyn away to the proper authorities.
Arrowverse’s Spartan is Now DC Comics Canon
In 2012, CW’s showArrowkickstarted a brand-new television version of the DC Universe known as the Arrowverse. While the show featured a few notable characters from DC canon such as Green Arrow and Deathstroke, it was also known for its original characters. One of these characters was John Diggle, Oliver Queen’s bodyguard and confidante. An ex-military man,Diggle became a vital member of Team Arrow and assisted Green Arrow in many of his adventures. After several seasons without a codename or costume, Diggle eventually got both in season 4 with the debut of his Spartan identity.
John Diggle being a part of the DC Universe isn’t new as he’s been around since the New 52. However, he wasn’t known as Spartan, nor did he have a costume like his Arrowverse counterpart. But this rectifies that and finally canonizes his codename. Even though John isn’t addressed as Spartan, the text on his armor seems to be shorthand for the codename. The number 07-19 also seems to be a coy reference to the fourteenth episode ofArrow’sseventh season: “Spartan”. It might be subtle, butit’s finally brought a fan-favorite Arrowverse character into proper DC canon.
Spartan’s Story Can Continue in the DC Universe
Unfortunately for Arrowverse fans, the connected world has come to a close and Diggle hasn’t been seen since. While this is a different version of Spartan, fans who liked watching John’s heroic identity grow overArrow’slifespan can reset easy knowing he’s a part of the DC Universe. While it remains to be seen what the future holds for John Diggle, the currentGreen Arrowrun has given him some much-needed development by finally canonizing his Arrowverse codename.
