As a fan of both versions of Laurel Lance on Arrow, primarily the Earth-1 version, it was clear on the spin-off’s pilot episode, Green Arrow and the Canaries, that there’s room to improve Earth-2 Laurel.

Earth-2 Laurel Lance has had quite a journey since being introduced on Arrow during season 5 as the villainous Black Siren, ending the series as a redeemed hero, about to embark on her own journey as one of two Black Canaries in 2040 on the Green Arrow and the Canaries spin-off.

However, after watching the backdoor pilot episode — Arrow season 8, episode 9 — it’s clear that there’s still some work to be done with Laurel to make her into the hero we all want her to be, and for her to be treated as a character with the depth that we know she has (but isn’t being written well).

Chill with the sass on ‘Green Arrow and the Canaries’

On the Green Arrow and the Canaries pilot episode, Laurel’s most used weapon was her one-liners, which honestly became a little too much throughout the episode. One-liners are great when they’re, you know, one line in a scene here or there, but it felt like there was at least one per Laurel scene, which was too much. Laurel can be the comedic relief, sure, but she also needs to be more than that.

It felt a little obnoxious to see the majority of Laurel’s lines used to make fun of someone or something, or to crack a joke. There was a little more room for that on Arrow because she wasn’t in the majority of scenes for most episodes, but as a starring character, that’s not really a role someone can inhabit and still be a character with depth and personality. There are times when more serious tones are needed, and the writers didn’t really do that with Laurel on the pilot episode. She used every opportunity to deliver a one-liner, and it was all just too much.

And speaking of Earth-2 Laurel’s personality, the Green Arrow and the Canaries writers really need to decide on one. She’s seemed to have had a few throughout her time as a regular on Arrow, but none of them really stuck because she was growing from a villain to a hero, which obviously had to change a lot inside of her.

However, even during Arrow season 8, she felt like a different person than she did on the Green Arrow and the Canaries pilot. At times she acted more deviously, like during their trip to Russia, but other times she felt more like the original Laurel Lance. (And let’s be clear, she should not be a replica of Earth-1 Laurel. She’s her own person, and should be treated as such.)

With her as a major character on this potential spin-off, of which we have not been told is moving forward or not yet, there’s time to really develop her and show us who she is after all of the growth in her life. She’s gone from villain to hero, outsider on Team Arrow to a crucial member of the group, and now she’s getting a fresh start in the future. What does that mean for her, and how will that change her?

Begin to make up for her past

As the former Black Siren, and as Laurel admitted on the Green Arrow and the Canaries pilot episode, she has done some bad things in her life, including killing “people” (as she said, though we only know for sure that she killed Dinah’s love interest, Vince, in the original multi-verse timeline).

It’s a great story to show a villain become a hero, admitting their wrongs and working to redeem themselves, but I feel like part of that is missing with Laurel’s story. Yes, she forgave herself, and those around her forgave her for the atrocities she committed as Black Siren, but that doesn’t excuse all of what she did. She was a villain, it’s part of her history, and she needs to make up for that.

Becoming the Black Canary is part of Laurel making up for that, but we didn’t get to see what she did to attempt to atone for her sins on Earth-2 for several months. She assembled a team, including a new Green Arrow, and protected Star City, but how else is she making up for this? Guilt eats away at people in very different ways, so I’d like to see how it impacts Laurel. We saw it a little on the series finale with her guilt over Earth-1 Laurel not being around “because of her,” but in what other ways does it eat away at her? Does it?

There are many ways to make up for the things you’ve done, and I’d like to see how Laurel has changed her life to do so. Or if she hasn’t yet, I’d like to see her do so. It’s great that she’s been forgiven by herself and others, but that’s not all you need to tell a redemption story.

I’m hopeful Green Arrow and the Canaries will be picked up and we’ll see much more of Laurel’s story (along with Dinah and Mia’s) in the 2020-21 TV season. Until then, stay tuned for news!