Billionaire playboy, Oliver Queen, has been considered dead for five years. Now, he has returned. But something, during those five years, has changed him into a mysterious green hooded archer.

Arrow moves further along his father's list while battling family issues with his mother, Moira, and especially with his sister. He also makes amends for past difficulties with Laurel.

A mysterious sniper called Deadshot is taking out bidders at an auction for an industry company. The bidders include Oliver's stepfather, Walter Steele.

Oliver Queen attempts to train Helena Bertinelli in the hopes that she will join him in his fight for justice. Meanwhile, Walter Steele delves deeper into his wife's secrets.

After a string of violent armored car robberies, Oliver suspects that Ted Gaynor of Black Hawk Security is the mastermind. His name is also on the list. It leads to a major disagreement with Digg as Gaynor was his training officer on his first tour of duty in Afghanistan. Digg learns that people change. Meanwhile, Tommy is hesitant at his father's attempt at reconciliation - and with good reason. Thea celebrates a birthday but has trouble with the police when she's arrested after a car accident for driving under the influence of a narcotic.

Quentin Lance's ongoing attempt to capture the vigilante is put to a halt when a recently released criminal kidnaps his daughter to get to Arrow. Meanwhile, John Diggle insists on spying on Moira Queen to learn her secrets.

Oliver's heavy-handed approach to getting information from his mother backfires and she manages to shoot him in the shoulder. He turns to Felicity Smoak for help getting back to his hideaway. She and Digg do their best to nurse him back to health. Flashbacks to Oliver's time on the island reveals an early attempt to escape. Oliver's loyalties however prevent him from taking advantage of the situation. The reason for Yao Fei's betrayal is revealed.

After a major fire, Oliver decides it's time to eliminate real estate developer and slumlord John Nicol, another person on his father's list. He's beaten to the punch when another vigilante, The Savior, who kidnaps Nicol and ultimately executes him - broadcasting the whole thing over the Internet. The new vigilante is identified as a man whose wife was killed in a bodega robbery in the Glades district. When he kidnaps Thea's new boyfriend, Roy Harper, Oliver decides to stop him. Meanwhile, Laurel is upset to find that her father has come around to her mother's belief that her sister may still be alive. In a flashback to his days on the island, Oliver learns why Yao Fei refused to leave.

Oliver decides that his next target is going to be someone on Digg's list: Deadshot. They set a trap for him and Digg's spy friends get involved as well. Meanwhile, Laurel's latest clients are Eric and Nancy Moore who have agreed to testify against Edward Rasmus, a financial advisor who swindled them. The night before their deposition however, they are assassinated. Laurel takes charge of their now orphaned son, Taylor, but he saw his parents killed and is now the assassins next target. Oliver steps in to stop him but in doing so fails to back up Digg and Deadshot escapes. It creates a rift and Diggs walks out. A flashback to the island show Oliver, Wilson and Shado are preparing to free Yao Fei.

The time is fast approaching for the Undertaking to occur and Malcolm Merlyn begins to tidy up the loose ends, beginning with the scientists at UNIDAC. Oliver and Digg trick Moira into telling just what the Undertaking is about. Oliver realizes that even if he manages to eliminate everyone on his father's list he has only, in his own words, eliminated the symptoms and not the disease. Felicity locates the UNIDAC device - sort of. Thea and Roy's relationship comes to head when they are unable to locate the vigilante. Walter files for divorce. Laurel and Oliver begin a new relationship. In a flashback to his time on the island, Oliver learns just what Edward Fyers' plan is.

Now that Oliver no longer has the list to work from, he's not sure what's next. Roy continues doing his own vigilantism and has to be bailed out of jail by Thea. When he mentions to Oliver that someone is hijacking medical deliveries to the Glades Memorial hospital, the Arrow knows exactly what he wants to do. His visit to the hospital doesn't go well when local politician Sebastian Blood takes him to task for what his family has done. When he tries to stop a hijacking, Arrow comes up against China White and her new partner Bronze Tiger. Thea tells Roy she's not going to wait around until he gets killed. The flashback to the island shows the aftermath of Oliver's violent attack on the unknown visitor. Shado takes him in hand.

Oliver is concerned when a mysterious illness sweeps the city, infecting hundreds of people, including Diggle. Oliver discovers Vertigo in Diggle's blood and realizes The Count has broken out of prison and is once again distributing his drug. Meanwhile, Moira goes on trial for her participation in the Undertaking. ADA Adam Donner collapses in court with Vertigo symptoms so Laurel must step in and try the case against Moira. Oliver is torn between standing by his family during the trial and catching The Count. However, things change when Felicity follows a lead and walks straight into a trap set by The Count.

Oliver must tackle a new threat to the city when bombs start to go off in Starling City. Felicity discovers the person setting them off is Mark Scheffer, a man who goes by the nickname Shrapnel. The Arrow discovers Shrapnel's next target is Sebastian Blood's "Unity Rally" and tries to talk the alderman out of hosting it, but he refuses. The Arrow sets off to stop the bombing, but Shrapnel tricks him and traps him in a bomb-laced antique store where he is unable to move without setting off the device. While Felicity helps Oliver, Diggle races to the plaza to find the bomb before it goes off. Meanwhile, Roy continues to hide his new strength from Thea but, after she witnesses his super strength in action at the rally, she demands answers. Laurel's suspicions about Sebastian grow stronger once she learns that he grew up with Cyrus Gold, the man who killed Lance's partner. After Donner refuses to help her investigate, she turns to The Arrow for help.

Laurel continues to unravel, Oliver and Lance try to convince Sara to stay in Starling City and finally reunite with Laurel and Dinah. However, Sara's fellow League of Assassins member, Nyssa, comes to bring Sara back to the fold, but when Sara refuses, Nyssa kidnaps Dinah. Realizing she's putting her family in danger by staying in town, Sara considers re-joining the league.

When Frank Bertinelli is arrested, Oliver knows it's only a matter of time before his daughter, Helena, AKA The Huntress, returns to town. To make matters worse, Laurel is picked to try Frank's case, putting her right in the path of Helena. Oliver tells Sara he will handle his ex-girlfriend, but when Helena takes hostages at the courthouse, including Laurel, the Canary will stop at nothing to save her sister. When The Huntress and Canary meet, an epic battle begins. Meanwhile, Roy realizes he needs to keep Thea safe, but doesn't like the way he is forced to go about it.

After taking a ride home from Slade, Thea becomes his prisoner. Can Oliver and his friends save her? Also, someone close to Oliver is working for Slade, since his return from the Island after Tommy's death.

Oliver moves against HIVE; Malcolm goes to see Thea, leaving her with a warning; Damien Darhk retaliates at Oliver's holiday party.

Oliver and Diggle find out Merlyn wants to break Darhk out of prison; Laurel gets a surprise offer.

Oliver teams up with a surprising force in an attempt to stop Damien Darhk and his magic once and for all.

Following a traumatic attack on City Hall, flashbacks show how Rene became Wild Dog.

When Vigilante attacks Oliver while he's acting as mayor, Diggle leads the team on a mission to stop Vigilante for good.

Oliver, Team Arrow, ARGUS and the SCPD kick off a citywide manhunt for Adrian Chase. Helix tells Felicity they have a way to find Chase but they will need something big, and illegal, from her in return.

After surrendering to the police for being the Green Arrow, Oliver tries to survive in the prison while a new unknown vigilante emerges in the Star City.