Availability Bug Strikes Again: Another Arrow Character To Become Off-Limits?

After word that one popular DC villain was now off-limits to Arrow, forcing the creative team to write him out of the show, rumors that another fan-favorite character might soon become unavailable as well.

Speaking to Australian outfit TheMusic.com.au, actor Manu Bennett, the man behind the tragic portrayal of special forces soldier Slade Wilson, shared that he was unhappy with the direction that the writer’s took his character. After being cured of the Mirakuru that granted him superhuman strength, Bennett’s Wilson was defeated by Oliver Queen in the second season finale. He was subsequently locked away in a subterranean prison on the castaway island of Lian Yu.

Wilson was brought back for a single episode this season, “The Return.” He was set free by Malcolm Merlyn to terrorize siblings Oliver and Thea Queen in an effort to train them for the dangers of Ra’s al Ghul and the League of Assassins. Wilson, the exceptionally trained soldier who went on to school Oliver in methods of hand-to-hand combat, was eventually easily bested by Thea Queen, someone who had but nine months of fight training. Granted, they were an intensive nine months, but credulity is a bit stretched here. Wilson was returned to his cell, stowed away until the next time they wanted to use their cool toy.

This, of course, did not make Bennett happy.

“I think Deathstroke had a lot of possibilities with Arrow but, I think they took it in the wrong direction,” Bennett told theMusic.com.au’s Daniel Cribb a head of his appearances at Supanova.

“I think they should have honoured the Marv Wolfman character who was literally unstoppable. I read the DC comic books and thought Deathstroke was so bad arse because they make it that nobody can stop him. He’s not even super-powered, he is just a mercenary.

“It took the Justice League to defeat him; it took an army to take him on. In Arrow, it took a while for Oliver [Queen/Arrow] to prove his point, but [season three] was just a beating of Slade, adding insult to injury.”

Quite understandable and legitimate criticisms. Many outlets are reporting, though, that this treatment of the character might have convinced Bennett not to return in the role.

By all accounts, Bennett is a staunch professional with an affinity for the fandom. It seems hasty to jump to the conclusion that he wouldn’t return over issues with the direction of the character. If one thing has become clear, it’s that the showrunners seem to be open to course corrections if the feeling is characters have steered down a wrong path.

TheMusic.com.au article mentions Bennett has been cast in the new Shannara series for MTV, based on the fantasy novels from author Terry Brooks. The casting was announced a few months ago, and it would seem more than likely that his involvement with the series might hinder his availability for a return appearance as Slade Wilson any time soon.

On top of that, rumors have circulated that Deathstroke will appear as one of the villain characters in Suicide Squad, the feature film version of the popular comic book team. Joe Manganiello, the beefy actor of True Blood, How I Met Your Mother, and Sofia Vergara fame, is said to be in talks to take on the Slade Wilson role. Squad already claimed the availability of one of the key recurring characters on Arrow, Floyd Lawton, aka Deadshot. Could it be possible that Deathstroke will soon be taken off the table for the show to use, as well?

The unfortunate effect of that distinct possibility is that, much to Bennett’s dissatisfaction, fans will be left with but a whimper for Slade’s departure from the series. Here’s hoping they can convince the film division to still be able to use the character, if not as a continued threat that lives up to the potential, at least to be able to give him a proper send-off.

Meanwhile, with Viola Davis set to play the role on the big screen, we’re on Amanda Waller watch now.