Arrow executive producer Andrew Kreisberg teases season 3 at the Television Critics Association press tour.

With Slade’s defeat at the end of season 2, the Arrow has become a hero to Starling and Oliver begins to think that maybe he can have a personal life after all. But it wouldn’t be a superhero story if such peace were to last.

What comes after victory

When season 3 begins, “It’ll be seven or eight months later. For Oliver, things are good.” Because season 2 ended with victory, much of “this season is about what happens when you win and how winning isn’t always as easy as it looks,” Kreisberg tells TV Guide.

When we return to Starling, the Arrow is no longer hunted by the authorities. “Now, he’s starting to feel like he has this under control. And then, of course, as Joss Whedon taught us all, you let your characters have a moment of happiness and then you take it all away from them.”

Oliver and Felicity

Said moment of happiness comes when Oliver finally asks Felicity on a date. But, predictably, it won’t be smooth sailing for the fan favorite pair.

“When you see the premiere and you see how things shake out, you’ll come to a very sympathetic understanding of both of their positions,” Kreisberg teases.

In the premiere, titled “The Calm,” Oliver will be struggling with the idea of having everything he wants. “That quest is going to take up his entire year, and hers,” Kreisberg previews.

Superman returns

Also complicating matters will be Brandon Routh’s Ray Palmer, who besides being the new head of Queen Consolidated, is rumored to be a love interest for Felicity.

Kreisberg calls Ray a “game-changing character.” He adds, “A lot of what’s funny about Felicity and Oliver is that he’s so straight and she’s the funny one. With Brandon, you get somebody who’s as tall, square-jawed and handsome as he is [and] he’s a really funny comedian” which leads to a “verbal repartee that we haven’t typically had on the show.”

Laurel

Sara passed on her leather jacket to her sister in the season 2 finale. However, Kreisberg reminds us that “you can’t just put on a mask and go running around. You’ll get killed. Laurel is still just an attorney. She’s an attorney with a jacket.”

So though Laurel may not be taking up the Black Canary mantle, “I think Katie Cassidy fans are going to be very, very excited about her trajectory this year,” Kreisberg teases. “Laurel is going to have a new love interest this season.”

Surprise return

Laurel’s last love interest, Tommy Merlyn, died in the season 1 finale. Another surprising tidbit Kreisberg revealed was Tommy’s return for a flashback in the second episode of the season.

“We’ll be telling the story about how Tommy and Oliver just missed each other in Hong Kong,” he says. “It’s a really amazing story and we’re so excited to have Colin Donnell back. It’s one of the advantages of the storytelling that we do that even when you die in the present day, you can still be alive in the flashbacks.”

Sara Lance

And Sara, who left with Nyssa al Ghul and the League of Assassins in the season 2 finale, will be back in season 3. It was revealed that she will appear in the season premiere and the second episode is even titled “Sara.” This episode will follow

Oliver hunting down a vicious killer and mercenary who is wanted for murder in seven countries and now is targeting victims who are associated with a specific company.

Interesting. Kreisberg adds that Sara “plays a big role in the new season. We have her booked for three episodes and hopefully for more.”

Read the full interview at TV Guide.

Arrow season 3 premieres Wednesday, October 8 at 8:00 p.m. ET on The CW.