Pavol Matula (story) & DC Comics &CW (characters, past plot points)

Green Arrow: A better hero

(script/story)
Green Arrow is facing an unusual and dangerous enemy - The Dark Archer.
Who is he and what does he want?
Tommy Merlyn returns! After being dead for almost 7 years,
he comes back and triest to make his former friend Oliver a better hero.
-
Star City, night. Everyone is asleep. Almost everyone.
A man in super dark green and black version of Green Arrows costume is
standing on the roof of a hotel.
The man is the Dark Archer, Tommy Merlyn. His father Malcolm destroyed the
Glades (citys largest district) almost 7 years ago. Many people died.
Tommys best friend, Oliver, then known only as the Emerald Archer wasnt able
to stop this tragedy.
Tommy seemingly died as well. But to means unknown to him, he is back. And he
has only one goal...

Morning. Police is at a crime scene - someone was shot with black arrow.
The victim was a single mother of two kids - four year old girl Carly and one year
old boy Ben. Now, they are orphans.
Detective James Cameron is the lead investigator on this. He isnt happy with
another freak, since he is going to be transfered to Seattle. But he needs to solve
this case first.

Oliver is at his mansion. He is helping Dinah with her bags. Bags full of combat
and tactical gear.
Oliver: Say hi to Helena for me. And to Barbara.
Dinah: I will. This was a long holiday season, time to get back in action.
Oliver: Yeah, but when you get back we can continue...
Dinah says: Of course. and laughs.
When she leaves, Oliver gets back home.
He goes to check the notification alert from earlier in the morning.
Its a case file for the mysterious murder using black arrow.
Oliver to himself: They would kill me if they ever knew I hacked their servers...
And a new archer in town? Oliver doesnt seem to be surprised. It was about to
happen. are his thoughts. Nevertheless, he is going to look into it.
Pavol Matula (story) & DC Comics &CW (characters, past plot points)

And he has no idea, whats coming.

In downtown, there is a business meeting. Representatives of Kord Industries and
New Star global (former Merlyn global) are discussing a possible project - T.U.J. ,
The Unbreakable Justice, a project, that would create an armed law enforcement,
capable of destroying any metahuman or criminal who would want to hurt this
city. Or any other city.
On a building opposite to the one where the meeting is taking place, Dark archer
stands, ready to fire an explosive arrow.
He shoots the arrow into a reinforced bullet proof glass wall of the conference
room (where all the representatives are) and the glass shatters. Then he quickly
shoots two other explosive arrows into the room.
The explosion kills everyone in that room. Five other people dead.

Oliver is in Watch Tower, getting ready. This cant continue. he says to himself.
When he is suited up and equiped, he slides on a rope down and leaves the
Watch Tower.

On the roof from which Dark Archer was shooting. Detective Cameron and
a group of police officers are there.
Then GA hops in.
Cameron: I was wondering if you would show up.
GA (w/voice changer - VC): An evil archer can get my attention.
While the police officers are quiet surprised he is there, Cameron isnt at all.
They start talking about what exactly happened and if they managed to get some
evidence.
Cameron: He was good, nothing here that would point us to any direction.
GA (w/VC): We need to keep our eyes peeled then. So no one else gets hurt.

Another night. GA is running on the roofs, jumping from one to another.

Then we see why - he is chasing the Dark Archer.
It all started when GA was alerted about some mysterious fugure in the east part
of Glades.
The mysterious figure turned out to be an archer in black, so GA did everything
he could to get there ASAP.
He found him firing explosive arrows into an apartment building, destroying it
and burning it down in the process.
And people were still inside! Some tried to run, but he then shot them.
Pavol Matula (story) & DC Comics &CW (characters, past plot points)

Police was getting close, so he left. And there is where he met GA and where this
chase started.
As they are running, GA is not firing arrows, since that would be exhausting. Dark
archer, however, is dropping explosive mini-bombs on the roofs.
GA has a lot of trouble dodging either the bombs, or the explosions.
One such explosion throws him away, on the edge of the roof.
Dark archer is getting away, so GA quickfires an arrow, but he catches it.
Then Dark archer disappears.

Morning, Oliver is watching news in the WT (Watch Tower).

All the news reports talk about the Dark Archers newest attack, where he
seriously damaged and burnt an apartment building. Six people died trying to get
out of the building, one died in fire and eight others are currently in hospital.
New wave of terror they call it, while asking: Can our hero, who now has been
mostly alone in the streets for a few months, stop this menace?
Oliver grunts. They always say this Watch Tower... Am I THAT incompetent?!
WT (computer voice): No sir. Its just they are affraid. But they have hope in
you.
Oliver smirks: Thats what I needed to hear! But the truth is, he outruned me.
ME! Even Batman couldnt do that...

Glades, abandoned block. Only homeless are now here. Its like their block.
In one of the buildings, Dark archer lives as well. He has there his costume,
equipment, computer and everything he needs to survive there.
Now, he isnt the costume. We see that he has a big and ugly scar across his
face. Like if something burning cut him just a moment before. But it has been
there for years.
Now he is eating his breakfast - bread and grilled meat. Thank god I have grill in
here... he says to himself as he is enjoying this meal.

During the day, Oliver is in his office at work. He cant really pay attention to
what he is doing though.
Dark Archer is on his mind. That man, or more like monster, heavily damaged
a building, burned a lot of stuff and killed or hurt plenty of people! Just like that!
Without any particular reason.
Its like he just wants to see this city fall... says Oliver to himself.
Pavol Matula (story) & DC Comics &CW (characters, past plot points)

Later, when Oliver leaves the work, a woman is shot with arrow right in front of
him. He didnt even have the time to catch the arrow, or save the woman.
People start screaming and running, as three explosive arrows hit the ground.
One of the explosions throws Oliver away.
He gets up and looks around - people are panicking and running away.
Oliver goes to those who were hurt, to help them and to call amulance. Its bad,
five people were injured, two of them very seriously.
Oliver stays there until police and ambulance get there, helping how he can. He
himself is hurt a little, but he doesnt mind.
He tells the police that he has no idea, why would Dark archer attack here.
After everything is cleared up and he gives his statement, he leaves.

He gets to WT and suits up. He is determined to find Dark archer and end it.
GA is scouring the city. He checks the roofs from which Dark archer could have
been shooting. Nothing, no clue, trail or anything, that would help.
He spends hours just going from plae to place with no real reason. Just with naive
hope he would somehow find Dark archer.

He is then alerted by WT, that in two hours a major weapons deal is happening.
GA remembers that he found out about that few days before all of this started to
happen.
Only big thing these weeks. thats how he saw the weapons deal then.
GA then goes to the docks, where the deal is supposed to take place.

At the spot, he scours the whole area, just to be ready for anything. Then he
hides and waits for the weapons dealers.
When they arive, GA is still waiting, watching them.
Then an explosive arrow is fired near the dealers and they immidiately prepare
their weapons.
GA is shocked and mad. He starts thinking if he shouldnt go after Dark archer
instead of stopping this deal.
His thoughts are interupted with multiple gun shots. Two men found him. More or
less, they were shooting to a place near him.
GA then starts taking them out, using boxing-glove arrows as well as
paralyzing/shock ones. Sometimes he fires n explosive arrow, to confuse them.
Theres at least 25-30 thugs, gangsters or street-level criminals.
Pavol Matula (story) & DC Comics &CW (characters, past plot points)

While GA is trying to stop these men, Dark archer is getting away. But he is being
followed by arrowbike, that is controled by WT remotely.
Green arrow uses most of his arrows. He needs to spare a few for Dark archer. 10
men are still after him.
They are divided into three groups - two groups of three and one consisting of
four men.
GA starts with the larger group - he drops in between them and starts fighting
them. This, of course, alerts the others.
After taking them down - by beating them or just pressing their necks long
enough to lose
consciousness, GA disappears, so the rest wouldnt find him.
As is DA going through the docks, he sees that some of the paralyzed guys are
slowly regaining their motion abilities.
GA to WT: Im gonna destroy those weapons. No other way, the paralysis seems
to be going away for some.
WT: As you wish sir. Do you have any explosive arrows left?
GA: Two, which is enough.
Then GA fires both of them to the truck from the mayor dealer - where all the
weapons are. The truck and those weapons inside then explode.
Its a pretty big explosion, but GA was far enogh to not be affected.
Then he gets running away, while asking WT where is Dark archer.

GA gets to industrial area. Its not so far from the docks, but he is tired from the
fighting as well as walking here.
GA: Watch tower, we could really make the arrow drones work.
Then he sees the arrowbike. O.K., where is Dark archer?
WT: He is in the warehouse next to the abandoned factory.
GA: Thanks.
He prepares an arrow to shoot and goes inside.
When he gets inside, he sees nothing. And no one.
Then from a horizontal pillar Dark archer jumps roght in front of him.
He kicks GAs bow out of his hand and they start fighting.
Dark archer is good. Trained and skilled.
Plus GA is tired from previous fights, so Dark archer gets an upper hand.
It doesnt take too long for Dark archer to beat GA after that.
Pavol Matula (story) & DC Comics &CW (characters, past plot points)

Then he just leaves him lying there on the ground.

Next day, around noon.

Oliver in his GA suit wakes up on a couch in Watch tower.
He got there last night, when he pulled the remains of his strength to get himself
on the arrowbike. Then WT took it from there.
Oliver: Watch tower, what time is it?
WT: 11:21 sir.
Oliver: Crap... nevermind, are there any news?
WT: Unfortunate ones.
Oliver: What is it?
WT: Dark archer sir. It seems like he kidnapped 9 people.
Oliver: What?! When?
WT: Probably after your encounter.
Oliver: Oh god... do we know where they are?
WT: He did a broadcast, where the hostages claimed, that if you dont save
them till midnight, theyll die.
Oliver: You need to trace the broadcast.
WT: Already on it sir. But he encrypted it very well.
Oliver: Just let me know when its done.

Undisclosed location.
9 people, men, women and kids are tied up to chairs.
They are terrified. Dark archer is there with them, just standing and looking out of
the window.
He then takes his mask of. Some of the hostages are stunned by his scar.
Dark archer: Dont worry. It will end soon. Green Arrow will save you...

Later, after everybody in the city got back from his or hers lunchbreak.
WT alerts Oliver, that it found where the hostages are. Oliver then gears up and
leaves WT.
On his way there, Oliver is thinking if he's gonna beat Dark archer this time.
When he gets to the location - Dark archer's current "home" - he immidiately
prepares an explosive arrow.
Pavol Matula (story) & DC Comics &CW (characters, past plot points)

He goes through the building untill he finds the hostages. He is stunned, shocked,
saddened, defeated and mad at the same time.
The hostages are dead. All of them.
GA breaks, takes of the hood, leans on the wall and slides to the floor. He starts
crying and angrily punching the floor.
GA: "No no no no!"
He's sitting there, crying.
He doesn't understand why Dark archer killed them. Fun? To screw with him?
Why?! That's what he wants to know. Was it because he went after him
yesterday? He beat him up and run away, he shouldn't be the vengeful one!
He can't process it.
He stays there for the rest of the day, not informing the police. Just him and his
emotions and his questions.

In the evening, as the city gets to its sunset colors, Dark archer appears in that
room.
GA looks at him and gets furious. He jumps and runs to him and they start
fighting.
GA is giving everything into it, every bit of the sadness, the pain, the feeling of
defeat, anger and frustration.
Dark archer is really good and strong, able to block or dodge almost every GA's
attack.
Then GA does something shocking. He pushes Dark arcger out of the window,
making him fall a few stories on the ground.
He sees as Dark archer gets up. GA is shocked. "Impossible... " goes through his
head.
Dark archer starts leaving.
GA: "Watch tower, fire an stun bullet out of arrowbike. Aim for what's moving."
As Dark archer is walking away, arrowbike fires the bullet and hits him in the
back. Dark archer is thrown on ths ground and GA shoots a rope arrow to the
ceiling, so he can get down.
When he gets down, he goes towards Dark archer.
He is already getting up.
When GA gets near him, Dark archer takes off his hood and mask.
GA stops as he sees Tommy. He gets on his knees and tears up.
Images if their friendship go through his mind:
how they met when they were seven;
Pavol Matula (story) & DC Comics &CW (characters, past plot points)

how they played around their families houses and making a mess;
how they drove their parents crazy;
how they had crush on the same girl but let her go, to maintain their friendship;
how they started to sneak out of the house, so they can go to parties;
how they were drunk or helped each other vommit outside the clubs and bars;
how they used to go on trips, using private planes or yachts...
How they got together after Oliver returned fron the island...
How Oliver showed him that he is the Emerald Archer...
How Tommy died in Glades, just trying to help others...
His funeral...
Then GA starts crying and over the tears screaming: "No no, this isn't real! Can't
be! How? Why?
He is devastated, unable to do anything than cry and stay stunned from shock.
Tommy slowly gets to him.
Tommy: Yes, its unreal. But Im here my friend. Here to make you better.
Oliver looks at him, still in tears. What? What are you talking about? How even
are you?!
Tommy: Im your FRIEND! Thats who I am Oliver and thats who Ill always be!
Oliver: You killed them... just like that... for nothing! Youre a monster!
Tommy: Because thats who you need me to be! Dont you understand? When
you defeat me, you will be a better hero!
Oliver looks at him. Tears, sadness, confusion and feelngs of tragedy changed
into anger.
Oliver: You did all of THIS, so you can make ME a better HERO?!
Tommy: Yes and Ill succeed. After tommorow.
Oliver: What is tommorow?!
Tommy: Your final test.
Oliver gets up and faces Tommy. He is furious. He feels betrayed. He feels like he
is going to explode from everything that has just happened.
He raises his hand, as if he wanted to punch through Tommys head.
Tommy: Do it. Ive already died once.
Oliver: No... I accept you challenge. BRING. IT. ON.
Tommy smiles and says: Meet me at the roof of SCPD tommorow at 9 p.m.!
Then he leaves.
Pavol Matula (story) & DC Comics &CW (characters, past plot points)

Oliver stays standing still, wondering what is Tommy up to.

Next day, Watch tower, 8 p.m.

Oliver is gearing up.
WT: Are you sure sir?
Oliver: Its the only way, if things get complicated.
WT: I hope it works then.
SCPD buildings roof, 9 p.m.
GA drops on the roof.
Dark archer is there along with two people tied up to chairs as well as having
covered heads.
Dark archer: You always knew how to make an entrance.
GA (w/voice changer): What is this?
Dark archer: A test.
Then he prepares his bow and arrow and aims it on one of the two.
GA immidiately does the same, but aiming at Dark archer.
GA: What sick thing you made up here?
Dark archer: Choose, who dies. One of them is your FORMER partner, Arsenal, or
Red Arrow nowadays and the other one is Detective Cameron. He is leaving the
city after my case is closed.
GA: What do you want?
Dark archer: Again, to choose. You dont know who I am aiming at now, but if
you dont kill me, Ill kill them both.
GA: But one person dies anyway...
Dark archer: Clever!
GA: Its sick! You know I cant let anyone die! Including you! You were my best
friend, I wont kill you!
Dark archer: But then you fail the test... Do you want to fail? Because unless Im
stopped, Ill challenge you forever.
Silence. GA is aiming at Dark archer and he is aiming at one of the hostages.
If Oliver shoots Tommy, he will let lose the arrow, killing either Roy or detective
Cameron.
Plus, if he only wounds Tommy, he can still kill the second hostage.
But what if he killed Tommy? Two dead people anyway.
At least thats how Tommy thinks.
Pavol Matula (story) & DC Comics &CW (characters, past plot points)

A thicker and more digitalized arrow appears behind Tommy and flies into his
shoulder.
Tommy grunts and releases the arrow, but Oliver shoots it out ow the way with
his one.
The arrow in Tommys shoulder then sends an electric pulse, paralyzing Tommy
temporarily.
Tommy falls on the ground and Oliver gets to him.
GA: I guess I passed the challenge.
The ME you knew 7 years ago would have probably killed you. But
I evolved, which you can now as well because you are ALIVE again.
You didnt have to break me to make me a better hero though. You didnt
have to do all
those terrible things. You just needed to come back home and work WITH
me, not against me.
That would have inspired me, that would have made me wanna be better.
YOU, not the Dark archer. LOVE and joy, not hate and pain.
But I guess you really died back then, or you would know this...
GA then pats him on the chest (so he can see it, cause he is still paralyzed) and
then goes and releases hostages - Roy and detective Cameron. It is revealed that
Tommy was aiming at Cameron.
He wants to get Tommy into custody, but GA stops him.
Cameron: I though youre now a better hero.
GA: I am. But he can BE a better person.
Cameron: He KILLED innocent people. KIDS even!
GA: Im not talking about letting him lose. But I have plans for him.
Cameron cant handle this anymore. You know what?! Do as you please, Im out!
Of this job, of this city... Bye!

When Cameron leaves, Roy says: You finally get the arrow drone working.
Oliver: I guess when you really need something, you find a way to make it
happen.
Roy laughs. Now you sound bad! Philosophical Oliver doesnt suit you.
Oliver smiles and chuckles. Cant I have my moment? I just saved your life!
Roy: I knew you would, that doesnt count. How do you feel?
Oliver: Fine. Tommy died all those years ago. This man is someone else,
something else.
Pavol Matula (story) & DC Comics &CW (characters, past plot points)

Roy: Cmon... I can see how youre still conflicted. What will you do with him?
Oliver: Well, he used to be Tommy. Its hard for me to think straight. So Im
gonna buy me some time and put him in a place for the time being.
Roy: In a place that no one knows about?
Oliver: Yes.
Roy: How many bad guys do you have there?
Oliver: Im not sure, Ive lost Count.
The End.