SUMMARY OF 501 SPOILERS:
S5, Episode 1: Legacy
-- Production code: 501. Shoot Dates: Jul. 5-15, 2016. Director: James Bamford. Story: Greg Berlanti. Writers: Marc Guggenheim & Wendy Mericle. Airdate: Oct. 5, 2016. (MG tweet, page 39 of Spoilers thread)
-- 501 synopsis: "NEW BEGINNINGS — After Laurel’s (Katie Cassidy) death and the departures of both Diggle (David Ramsey) and Thea (Willa Holland) from Team Arrow, Oliver (Stephen Amell) takes to the streets solo to protect Star City’s citizens as the Green Arrow. With Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) guiding him from the bunker, Oliver is forced to deal with a city that has become overrun with both criminals and a slew of new (and painfully inexperienced) vigilantes. Watching Oliver try to balance his jobs as both the mayor and also the protector of Star City, Felicity suggests he form a new team, but Oliver resists. However, when a deadly new criminal, Tobias Church (guest star Chad L. Coleman), enters the picture, Oliver realizes the best thing for the city might be a new team of superheroes. Meanwhile, the flashbacks take us to Russia where Oliver faces off against the Bratva. James Bamford directed the episode with story by Greg Berlanti and teleplay by Marc Guggenheim & Wendy Mericle (#501). Original airdate 10/5/2016." (Sep. 15, 2016 SpoilerTV article, page 44 of Spoilers thread)
-- 501 promotional pics posted, featuring Oliver, Thea, Prometheus, Tobias Church (Chad Coleman), Anatoly Knyazev (David Nykl) and Viktor (Mike Dopud). ( Aug. 30, 2016 SpoilerTV article in SpoilerTV tweet and TVLine article, page 43 of Spoilers thread, and Aug. 30, 2016 CBR article linked in tv echo post, page 1128 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- 501 screencap pics posted, including pic of what looks like Anarky. (SuperHeroHype forum post, page 1153 of Spoiler Discussion thread, and allineedisoneee and Olicityibelieve tweets, page 45 of Spoilers thread)
-- 501 promo video (20-second teaser) posted, showing BC statue dedication ceremony, Tobias Church, military Diggle, Curtis attempting the salmon ladder, and Mayor Oliver Queen being kidnapped. (S5 promo trailer video and whdh.com article, page 42 of Spoilers thread)
-- 501 Philippines promo video posted. (501 Philippines (via SAT) promo video, page 45 of Spoilers thread)
-- Seat42F's 501 dialogue teases posted. (Sep. 26, 2016 Seat42F article, page 44 of Spoilers thread)
-- SpoilerTV's 501 advance preview and dialogue teases posted. (Sep. 30, 2016 SpoilerTV article, page 45 of Spoilers thread)
-- ComicBook's 501 plot teasers: (1) The state of Oliver and Felicity's relationship is stable. Their romance? That's a little more up in the air. (2) As soon as audiences hear what Laurel told Oliver, theories will start to fly about what it really means. (3) Two major characters make very poor life choices that indicate they haven't grown nearly as much as they would like to think in recent years. (4) The pacing starts out slow, then builds throughout the episode and the last 10-15 minutes don't let up. (5) Thea steals the show. Willa Holland is incredibly good here, and gets a few of the best lines in the episode. (Sep. 23, 2016 ComicBook article, page 44 of Spoilers thread)
-- ComicBook's 501 advance review posted. (Sep. 24, 2016 ComicBook article, page 44 of Spoilers thread)
-- From ComicBook's 501 advance review: "And Olicity? Well, let's just say that Diggle asks about it, and Oliver's answer is fairly telling." (Sep. 24, 2016 ComicBook article, page 44 of Spoilers thread)
-- WM: "We're doing a regular four-month time jump, or I guess it's five... We're going to pick up right there and uh, you know, four months after Damien Darhk's been killed and the city is not in a great state. Star City is getting better under - Oliver will be the Mayor. He'll still be the Mayor when we open in 501. And he'll be kinda fighting on two fronts, so he'll do kinda the criminal element in town - the mob. We haven't really explored the mafia on the show before, and we've done a little with Helena Bertinelli in season 1. They're going to be a huge element when we come into this season. And also he's going to be bringing in a lot of new vigilantes who've been inspired by the Green Arrow that have been popping up all over the city, both helping and not helping." (SDCC, Jul. 23, 2016: Seat42F video of press roundtable interview with WM, page 40 of Spoilers thread)
-- WM: "When we come back in Season 5, [Star City's] overrun with crime." Per WM, Star City is a soft target for gang activity and corruption. (Scan of Arrow page from July 19, 2016 TV Guide Comic-Con Special issue, page 40 of Spoilers thread)
-- WM: "When we come into the season at the top of 501, there'll be a new kind of element of crime in the city, which we [unintelligible words] character. There will also be a lot of, uh - we really wanted to explore the mafia and have the criminal underworld that we've hinted at various times throughout the years, but this year we really want to get into that... And that will also take us into Bratva and also tie into the flashbacks, and we'll see some more [unintelligible words]." (SDCC, Jul. 23, 2016: DC Comics News video of press roundtable interview with WM, page 41 of Spoilers thread)
-- Brian Ford Sullivan: "We'll pick up, uh, in the premiere where he's in Russia, and he's in a bad spot, and the Bratva comes to his aid and sort of starts to show him the ways of, you know, being part of a team, you know, and pledging his allegiance to the Bratva way of life, you know, and what that means in terms of him ultimately becoming the Hood and coming back to Star City." (Sep. 19, 2016 S5 "A Sneak Peek" video, page 44 of Spoilers thread)
-- On JBamford as director of first two episodes, WM: "James has been on the show from the beginning. He is absolutely committed. Loves the show, loves the characters, and I think having seen it in Season One and seeing the growth and our attempts to expand and grow and seeing what else we can do action-wise on the show, he has now arrived at a very specific vision that hearkens back to Season One but also honors where we are in terms of [the show’s] evolution. He gets it. I think it’s his passion for the show and his passion for constantly pushing the envelope that is going to make Season Five really exciting." (Aug. 12, 2016 GreenArrowTV article, page 42 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the most brutal fight scene in network TV history and it being a one-shot, WM: "I can say it looks amazing... We’re now part of this [TV] universe where you have Game of Thrones and the way that they deal with violence and how they do their fights, so it’s our attempt to do something similar. It’s bloody. You’re in it. We’re doing a lot more ‘first person’ – not necessarily point of view – action. Stephen has been a huge proponent of doing that, and it’s going to feel real and in your face.” (Aug. 12, 2016 TVLine article, apge 42 of Spoilers thread)
-- In facebook video chat, SA said that he read 501 "yesterday" and talked to James Bamford. They're doing something they've never done before, called a "cross board". He said that 501 "has the opportunity for us to quite literally have the most vicious, violent one-r shot, which is where there is no cut, in the history of network television. I insisted that it's gonna be me, no stunt double. He says, 'fine, but you got to do it shirtless'." SA said that he's been enjoying the "most extended physical break" he's had since Feb. 2012, but that one-r shot is 21 days from now. He's lost around 20 lbs. of muscle because that's not the natural state of his body. But he's got 21 days to get back in shape in order to shoot that scene. SA said that if 501's any indication, Arrow's going to be "f*cking mean" this season and "that's really exciting." (Jun. 22, 2016 SA facebook video, page 38 of Spoilers thread)
-- In facebook video chat, SA said that Oliver has a big fight scene in the first two episodes. (Jul. 6, 2016 SA facebook video, page 431 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: "And the first two episodes really do a good job of bringing us back to that [i.e., re-grounding the show and re-focusing on the battle to save Star City] and re-focusing us on what the core mission of the show should be. So that to me is very exciting. Plus... Russia." (HVFF-NY, Jul. 2, 2016: Video of SA & Cody Rhodes panel, page 39 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Bamford's stunt scene, SA: "I can't tell you anything about the stunt scene. What I can say is, I think it's incredibly important for any show at any point in time - not necessarily to reinvent itself, but reinvigorate itself. And that typically tends to be, you find someone that from a creative perspective, really breathes new life into the show. And that to me is James Bamford. He's directing our first two episodes. And to me, if this show's going to keep going past season 5 and have a - you know, have a second leg, so to speak, um, it will be large part because of him." (SDCC, Jul. 23, 2016: Seat42F video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 40 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: “Bam – we call him Bam Bam – gets it and gets the theme of the show, and it feels like it’s a street-level crime-fighting show and it’s about saving Star City and cleaning it up, um, which is what the show is ... I think the best version of the show is when we focus on that. And that feels like what we're doing this year.” (SDCC, Jul. 23, 2016: Video of Entertainment Weekly interview with Arrow cast in EW article linked in EW tweet, page 453 of Social Media thread)
-- SA: "I've talked with Greg Berlanti a lot and he said that some of his favorite shows, you know, had a - not a renaissance necessarily, but really hit their stride in season 4, season 5, season 6. And it's typically because someone has breathed new life into the show. And I really believe that that person is James Bamford. He's directing our first two episodes and he gets it. He gets the show. The action is mean. We are shooting some awesome sh*t right now - like just some real oners that have to be mean, and they are real mean, like bare knuckle action, and I think that's what we do well." (SDCC, Jul. 23, 2016: ComicsOnline video of press roundtable interviews with SA, DR and PB, page 40 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "[Oliver] says to Thea in the pilot, he has to admit that Malcolm was right, that if he's not willing to do whatever is necessary, then he shouldn't even be out there at all. And as a result, we have a shot in the pilot where I kill three people in one shot... It's like, it is what it is. 'Are you in my way? Are you threatening my life? You gots to go.' ... That's a more interesting character because there's more dynamic. There are more colors to it." (SDCC, Jul. 23, 2016: Nerdophiles video of press roundtable interview with SA, page 40 of Spoilers thread)
-- On being asked for two truths and one lie for S5, SA: "Oliver kills half a dozen people in the pilot episode of the season. Um, Oliver and F - ... dammit... Um, Flashpoint affects Diggle. And, um, Moira's alive." (Nerd HQ, Jul. 24, 2016: Video of SA's second Nerd HQ conversation, page 453 of Social Media thread)
--- SA: "When I reading, uh, Episode 501, this year, uh, Oliver shoots an arrow and it's a trick arrow and in the stage direction, it said 'The Green Arrow fires an arrow because the Green Arrow is going to [expletive] use more arrows this year.'" (Edmonton Expo, Sep. 24, 2016: Video clip of SA panel in Edmonton Expo facebook post, page 44 of Spoilers thread, and Video clip of SA panel, page 478 of Social Media thread)
-- MG: "In the first five episodes, we face head-on the decision that Felicity made [that led to the destruction of Havenrock]." (Sep. 9, 2016 Entertainment Weekly article, page 43 of Spoilers thread)
-- Chris E. Hayner tweeted: "So I dig the #Arrow premiere. Sets up a more grounded world, which I love. The push.pull between Oliver/Felicity over a new team is fun." and "Curtis and Thea may be the MVPs though, with consideration given to Lance. They're all on fire." (Sep. 23, 2016 chrishayner tweets, page 1142 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Chris E. Hayner tweeted: "No Ghostlicity OR Zomblicity in the premiere. My hopes aren't...DEAD, though. Get it?" (Sep. 26, 2016 ChrisHayner tweet, page 44 of Spoilers thread)
-- DocBrownTV (on 501): "You know how Oliver hasn’t been doing much in the way of killing over the past couple of years? Yeah, that’s over with. There’s some violence both in flashbacks and in the present-day. Not everyone is OK with this turn of events." (Oct. 2, 2016 docbrowntv article, page 45 of Spoilers thread)
-- DocBrownTV posted: "Things are impressively friendly between Oliver & Felicity - think season 1/2 friendliness with occasional reminders of the attraction between them. Interestingly, one of these two may be reading more into this attraction than the other." (Oct. 2, 2016 docbrowntv article, page 45 of Spoilers thread)
-- GATV tweeted (on how good 501 is on a scale of Organic to Season 2): "till watching but so far my answer is "Season 1". (Sep. 23, 2016 GreenArrowTV tweet, page 44 of Spoilers thread)
-- GATV tweeted: "Much stronger narrative and parallels with the flashbacks in the #Arrow premiere. I already see multiple character journeys building." and "Where Season 4 seemed to be about losing all you hold dear, Season 5, I think, might be about the journey to get everything back. #Arrow" and "Last tweet about the #Arrow premiere tonight: @JamesBamford's eye for action brought a good script to life. Curious to see what's next." (Sep. 24, 2016 GreenArrowTV tweets, page 44 of Spoilers thread)
-- GATV tweeted that Wild Dog is in this episode and that "We might get some other glimpses of some other characters too." (Sep. 23 & 24, 2016 GreenArrowTV tweets, page 44 of Spoilers thread)
-- GATV tweeted that someone calls Oliver "Mayor Handsome." (Sep. 25, 2016 GreenArrowTV tweets, page 44 of Spoilers thread)
-- jbuffyangel posted: "He [Marc Guggenheim] did warn me there will be a moment in the premiere that will be very difficult for the Olicity fandom to take. Marc specifically said he wanted me to prepare you guys. Marc reiterated he hopes people are willing to take the good with the bad with them [the writers]." (SDCC, Jul. 24, 2016: jbuffyangel recap of second conversation with MG, page 41 of Spoilers thread)
-- Kayti Burt tweeted: "#Arrow has been breaking my heart for a few seasons now, but the season five premiere gives me (cautious) hope." and "I got a chance to watch the premiere. It really feels like a return to form. :)))" and "I really liked a lot of the set-up here." and "I liked the Olicity stuff. It felt very S2-esque w/out forgetting all that has happened." And on whether not watching Flash will affect our understanding of 501, she tweeted: "Not so far. I imagine it might when we get to the crossovers, but whatever. I'm sure you'll be fine." (Oct. 1, 2016 kaytiburt tweet & replies, page 1154 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Laura Hurley tweeted: "For me, the #Arrow S5 premiere delivered on getting back to some of the show's basics. Enjoyed the flashbacks, overall focus, and A+ action." (Oct. 1, 2016 lah9891 tweet, page 1154 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Laura Hurley tweeted: "I'm more encouraged than I was, but 5x01 is mostly setup for 5x02 - 5x023. I'd wait for progress/payoff before freaking out." (Oct. 2, 2016 lah9891 tweet, page 1156 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Leanne Aguilera tweeted: "#Arrow thoughts: the stunts are insane this season! For once, I actually enjoyed the flashbacks. And the 2nd to last scene made me FURIOUS!" (Sep. 28, 2016 leanneaguilera tweet, page 1149 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Matt Mitovich tweeted: ""Mayor Handsome" LOL #ArrowS5" and "Apologies fellow commuters for letting out an audible cheer during that stunt sequence. #ArrowSeason5." (Sep. 23, 2016 MattMitovich tweets, page 44 of Spoilers thread)
-- Matt Mitovich tweeted: "Bratva >>>>> Taiana Also, I did not predict the ... reveal in the loft." (Sep. 25, 2016 MattMitovich tweet, page 44 of Spoilers thread and page 1144 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Russ Burlingame tweeted: "There's a very specific group of #Arrow fans who will be very happy with the season premiere. And a couple of things likely to be divisive." (Sep. 22, 2016 russburlingame tweet, page 44 of Spoilers thread)
-- Russ Burlingame tweeted: "I'll say this: I don't think the S5 premiere is going to change anyone's opinion on Felicity as a character." and " There's a story beat where she is EXACTLY who she was for much of the last 2 years, her fans will love and haters will hate." and "(And that beat is NOT Olicity-related.)" and "I liked what they did with her but it felt largely procedural. Getting her to a place. Wasn't the thing I enjoyed most." (Sep. 23, 2016 russburlingame tweets, page 1142 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Tiffany Vogt tweeted: "There is some cross over action among all four of the CW DC shows in the premieres, but I can't spoil it." (Sep. 26, 2016 TVWatchtower tweet, page 45 of Spoilers thread)
-- Tiffany Vogt tweeted: "Take away from #Arrow Season 5 premiere is theme: "breaking up is hard to do."(Sep. 26, 2016 TVWatchtower tweet, page 45 of Spoilers thread)
-- Tiffany Vogt tweeted (on Olicity reconciliation): "The premiere does not give any indication of that. But Oliver sure seems to want #Olicity back." (Sep. 26, 2016 TVWatchtower tweet, page 45 of Spoilers thread)
-- Vlada Gelman tweeted: "There is definitely a viciousness in the #Arrow season 5 premiere that hasn't been felt in a while. Lots of big fight sequences." (Sep.22, 2016 VladaGelman tweet, page 44 of Spoilers thread)
-- Vlada Gelman tweeted: "I thought the stuff in Star City was even meaner than the flashbacks! PS - Me neither." (Sep. 25, 2016 VladaGelman tweet, page 44 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "Um, I think that of all of the things that I remember from those first two episodes, uh, Oliver's relationship with Lance - where Lance is, in terms of the type of place and the state of mind that he's in, and their dynamic, um - it's probably the thing that I'm most looking forward to in terms of doing the scenes. And I think that, you know, obviously with the events that happened towards the end of the fourth season, there has been a sizeable shift forever in terms of the dynamic between Oliver and Quentin, and a lot of that actually came from him calling him Quentin for the first time. And that's something that we continue to explore. But Lance does not get reinstated... Sorry." (HVFF-NY, Jul. 3, 2016: Video of part 1 of SA panel, page 431 of Social Media thread)
-- When the season picks up, Diggle is operating out of Chechnya as a member of the Special Forces. MG: “He is searching for that moral compass that he lost at the end of season 4... He discovers that Chechnya is the wrong place for him to discover his moral compass. Things do not go according to plan for him, and there’s something that happens in the first three episodes that is fairly significant and it’s the circumstances that will ultimately bring him back to Star City, but he’s not going to be the same. He’s not going to be able to live his life the way he had been living it before.” Bonus: This all leads to a very Dig and Oliver-centric episode in the fourth outing. (Sep. 30, 2016 Entertainment Weekly article, page 45 of Spoilers thread)
-- About 501: While Thea may have hung up her Speedy hood at the end of S4, she is sticking close to family. She clearly has a major role in the mayoral office, often covering for her absent brother. (Oct. 2, 2016 docbrowntv article, page 45 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Curtis becoming Mr. Terrific, WM: "I can tell you it's going to be an evolution over the season. And - but you'll definitely be seeing him in action the first night, and he's gonna be... I mean, he's badass, he's awesome." (SDCC, Jul. 23, 2016: Seat42F video of press roundtable interview with WM, page 40 of Spoilers thread)
-- EK: "You’ll see Curtis’ geek side come out, but the action scenes will be more prevalent this season like 100%. Even in the first episode, you’ll see him get into way more action than he did at all last season." (Sep. 16, 2016 Women's Health article, page 44 of Spoilers thread)
-- On the status of Olicity, WM: "it’s still a partnership." Per WM, Oliver & Felicity will pick up on the same “ambiguous” note they left off on in the S4 finale. (SDCC, Jul. 23, 2016: TVLine article on Arrow panel, page 40 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "We have a scene in the first episode which I really, really enjoyed because Emily has an opinion and I have an opinion and - or, Felicity has an opinion and Oliver has an opinion - and we really go at it in terms of like disagreeing and - loved the scene. We like high-fived afterwards." EBR: "We were sorta working it - 'wow, that really turned into something completely different than what we had read." SA: "Yep. True story." (SDCC, Jul. 23, 2016: Video of IGN interview with SA, EBR and DR, page 40 of Spoilers thread and page 178 of Starling City Times thread)
-- Felicity: "You have been waiting for things to go back to the way things were. They're not." Oliver: "Felicity thinks that it's time we put together a new team." (SDCC, Jul. 23, 2016: Video of Arrow Comic-Con 2016 Highlight Reel, page 40 of Spoilers thread)
-- SA: "Felicity wants a new team and Oliver wants the old team back together... That's sort of the crux of their point/counterpoint in the early part of the year." In the short term, Felicity is definitely going to win that battle as she and Oliver are going to have a new squad to prepare for taking their vigilante justice to the streets. That doesn't mean the task will come easy, though. EBR: "The problem is new recruits need training. They are green. They are so green... It definitely complicates things, 'cause everything we had before was such a smooth-sailing machine." (Aug. 9, 2016 Zap2it article, page 42 of Spoilers thread)
-- In 501, we meet Felicity's new boyfriend. (Sep. 26, 2016 Seat42F article, page 44 of Spoilers thread)
-- On rumor that Felicity's getting a new boyfriend ths season, EBR: "It is a true rumor. She steps on him pretty hot off the bat. You'll meet him pretty quickly." On how Oliver will react, SA (joking): "I think he'll be fine. I think he'll be fine. He'll hug a pillow pretty much like I'm hugging a pillow right now, but he'll do it in private... Or the opposite of that... We meet him in episode 1, he dies in Act 4." EBR (joking): "Tragic... And Felicity cries and Oliver's there to cover the tears." SA (joking): "'I don't know what happened! He got shot with an arrow in the head? Don't look at me!'" Other cast members were laughing during this exchange. (SDCC, Jul. 23, 2016: Video of TVLine interview with Arrow cast and TVLine article, page 40 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Felicity's new boyfriend, Tiffany Vogt tweeted: " It's a surprise!" On whether Felicity's new boyfriend is a good surprise or a bad surprise for Olicity fans, Tiffany Vogt tweeted uncertain and zipped lips emojis. On whether Oliver is upset about Felicity's new boyfriend, Tiffany Vogt tweeted: "We haven't seen Oliver's reaction yet. I imagine he is feeling a little 'green' about it." (Sep. 26, 2016 TVWatchtower tweets, page 45 of Spoilers thread)
-- On blurred screenshot of Felicity from 501 giving rise to pregnancy speculation, Tiffany Vogt tweeted: "No idea what is up with the photo of Felicity. But she is sporting a new colorful, sexy wardrobe this season." and "That is just bad lighting. She doesn't look pregnant at all in the premiere." (Sep. 26, 2016 TVWatchtower tweets, page 45 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether Felicity's new boyfriend is Diggle, Tiffany Vogt tweeted: "Wow, that is absolutely not true. Diggle is a happily married man." (Sep. 26, 2016 TVWatchtower tweets, page 45 of Spoilers thread)
-- Ask Ausiello: "Question: I’m curious about the mention of a boyfriend for Arrow‘s Felicity (in TVLine’s Comic-Con video). She’s supposed to be so traumatized by Havenrock that she has pretty much shut down and is focusing on work as a vigilante, but she’s also dating? Seems odd. —Morgan" and "Ausiello: Yes, Felicity is laser-focused on keeping Team Arrow alive, in some (new) form. But as such, no one can fault her for welcoming, after a 'long day,' a shoulder massage at the loft from… well, you’ll see." (Sep. 26, 2016 TVLine article, page 44 of Spoilers thread)
-- Felicity's new boyfriend appears to be Detective Malone (Tyler Ritter): 501 screenshot shows Felicity sitting on a sofa in the loft getting a shoulder massage from someone who looks like Tyler Ritter. (501 screenshot in JeffreyLana tweet, page 45 of Spoilers thread)
-- DocBrownTV posted: "About 501: Felicity has a new man in her life. The character is more than just a pretty face and appears elsewhere in 501. Who is he and how does he figure into the new season? The episode doesn’t give a lot of answers. The character is clearly related to law enforcement." (Oct. 2, 2016 docbrowntv article, page 45 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Felicity's new boyfriend, Laura Hurley tweeted: "Well, I'm not a fan of his hair. He doesn't wear scruff nearly as well as Oliver." And on whether Olicity fans will be upset, she tweeted: "I wasn't particularly upset. I think it was a smart move of Guggenheim and Co. to spoil that a boyfriend is in the mix." Laura Hurley also tweeted: "I'll say this: teases of his relevance to 5x01 have been greatly exaggerated. Felicity's story is about Felicity, not romance." and "For ME, I would have been upset if I hadn't known she had a new BF. If you're ready/resigned, I think you should be okay." and "She didn't stay in Star City/in the team to moon over anyone, and I'd say 5x01 honors that."(Oct. 1-2, 2016 lah9891 tweets, page 1155-1156 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Rumor or fact? Some people were saying that the "Barry theories" are wrong and that Felicity's boyfriend dies by Prometheus. Apparently in the scene where we see Prometheus stabbing someone with an arrow and yelling "Green Arrow is mine," he is killing the boyfriend. (Morrigan2575 post, page 1153 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Prometheus will debut in 501. We'll be finding out more about him over the next few episodes. (Oct. 2, 2016 docbrowntv article, page 45 of Spoilers thread, and Aug. 23, 2016 IGN article, page 42 of Spoilers thread)
-- Tobias Church (Chad L. Coleman) will debut in 501. He’s all kinds of "evil-awesome." (Jun. 21, 2016 IGN article, page 38 of Spoilers thread and page 1070 of Spoiler Discussion thread, Aug. 15, 2016 Blastr article, page 42 of Spoilers thread, and Oct. 2, 2016 docbrowntv article, page 45 of Spoilers thread)
-- On which episode we'll first see him in, CLC: "Episode 1. 501 ['Legacy'] man, right off the bat. The boy is in the house. I'm telling you, I am not hyping it at all, it is fun. Everybody is hyped, they can't wait to see it. I'm talking about the crew. You know when the crew gets hyped, you got something good." (Oct. 4, 2016 BuddyTV article, page 45 of Spoilers thread)
-- In the season premiere, Tobias Church throws a wrench into everyone's plans when he kidnaps someone he should not have. (Sep. 26, 2016 Seat42F article, page 44 of Spoilers thread)
-- Wild Dog (Rick Gonzalez) will debut in 501. (Jun. 15, 2016 Entertainment Weekly article, page 38 of Spoilers thread)
-- Per IMDB, Adrian Chase (Josh Segarra) will debut in 501. (JSegarra IMDB page, page 1153 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- Lt. Conahan (Ryan S. Williams) will debut in 501. (RSW IMDB page, page 42 of Spoilers thread)
-- Officer Benton (Jay Hindle) will debut in 501. (Sunshine post, page 1153 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On whether any LoT characters appear in 501, SA: "No comment". But he did say that we get to see someone who we haven't seen in two full seasons. (Jun. 22, 2016 SA facebook video, page 38 of Spoilers thread)
-- KC will return in 501. We will find out what Laurel whispered to Oliver before she died and what Oliver promised Laurel on her deathbed. From SDCC highlight reel, Laurel: "I need you to promise me something. Your instinct has always been to go it alone. Ollie, you can't." SA: "it's something that's going to have a lasting impact not just in, uh - not just in our season premiere, but over the next couple of seasons of the show... assuming we get renewed. But it's very important, and it's going to be critical to whatever the legacy of our show is." On whether this promise was something for Oliver to do or not do, WM: “It is both actually, and you’ll find out what it was in [the Oct. 5 premiere]," adding that the reveal will “inform a lot of Season 5.” (SDCC, Jul. 23, 2016: Video of Arrow Comic-Con 2016 Highlight Reel, page 40 of Spoilers thread; Video of Arrow panel and Comicbook, Hollywood Reporter and TVLine articles, page 40 of Spoilers thread; Scan of Arrow page from July 19, 2016 TV Guide Comic-Con Special issue, page 40 of Spoilers thread; Nerd HQ, Jul. 24, 2016: Video of SA's second Nerd HQ conversation, page 453 of Social Media thread; Aug. 16, 2016 TVLine article, page 42 of Spoilers thread; and Sep. 26, 2016 Seat42F article, page 44 of Spoilers thread)
-- On how soon we'll hear Laurel's last words to Oliver, WM: "We’ll get it right away, because it’s going to inform the whole season. It’s in 501." (Oct. 3, 2016 IMDB article, page 45 of Spoilers thread)
-- On whether we'll see KC this season, WM: "Yes, we’re really excited. Nobody ever really dies on 'Arrow.' She’s going to be kind of across the shows, and we’ll see her in the premiere, and we’ll see her later in the season as well." (Oct. 3, 2016 IMDB article, page 45 of Spoilers thread)
-- In 501, we see Star City newspaper with headline: "Mayor Handsome Missed City Council Meeting." (Sep. 19, 2016 S5 "A Sneak Peek" video, page 44 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jun. 22, 2016, SA tweeted: "You have 21 days to get as ripped as you've ever been for the most vicious 'oner' in the history of network tv. No stunt double." (SA tweet, page 38 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jun. 22, 2016, SA tweeted: "Excited to debut my suddenly salt & pepper hair in the season premiere." (SA tweet, page 38 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 5, 2016, JBam posted pic of motorcycle in darkened room of Arrow Bunker. (JBam instagram pic, page 39 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 6, 2016, SA posted b-t-s pic of himself in shirtsleeves in the Arrow Bunker. (SA tweet, page 431 of Social Media thread)
-- On Jul. 6, 2016, EK posted a pic of himself with EBR and WH in the Arrow Bunker. (echokells instagram post, page 432 of Social Media thread)
-- On Jul. 6, 2016, Rick Gonzalez was in the Arrow production offices. (ArrowProdOffice tweet, page 39 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 7, 2016, JBam tweeted: "Wrapped day 2......and.....wow. These thespians are just bringing all sorts of real to the table. I'm pretty sure I shed a few tears today." (JBam tweet, page 39 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 8, 2016, Arrow was filming in studio. (WhatsFilming tweet, page 39 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 9, 2016, EK tweeted: "Yo, I had a blast working a Fraturday with @officialrickg and @MadisonMcLaugh. It's going down! #ArrowSeason5." (echok tweet, page 39 of Spoilers thrad)
-- On Jul. 11, 2016, GB tweeted: "Wondering today which of the shows will be the first to cleverly use a Pokemon Go reference in a script" SA replied: "We ad-libbed one in this morning." (SA tweet, page 39 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 11, 2016, JBam tweeted: "@coreyrobson and I have some surprises for ya'll in season 5 of #Arrow.....you're going to have to wait until October to see them though." (JBam tweet, page 39 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 11, 2016, JBam tweeted: "OMG.....tomorrow. Tomorrow is a behemoth." (JBam tweet, page 39 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 12, 2016, SA tweeted "Here's your S5 poster" and posted pic of shirtless, buff and bloody Oliver wearing a flashback wig standing in some kind of fight club setting. (SA tweet, page 39 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 12, 2016, Tyler Ritter was in the Arrow production offices. (ArrowProdOffice tweet, page 39 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 13, 2016, fan posted b-t-s pics of Oliver in casual wear, a Star City police car, and Thea wearing a casual jacket and ballcap. Fan said that only SA and WH were on set, and not EBR or DR. (IrisAlves tweets, page 39 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 13, 2016, papp tweeted: "#Arrow filming at New Westminster City Hall in #NewWest on Wednesday, July 13th. Night shoot." (YVRShoots and Canadagraphs tweets, page 39 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 13 & 14, 2016, fans posted b-t-s pic of Mayor Queen giving a speech on the city hall front steps in front of a crowd. (CanSpice tweet and otafan pic, page 39 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 14, 2016, Arrow was filming a hospital scene in Surrey. (samlimv tweet, page 39 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 14, 2016, Madison McLaughlin posted pic of herself with EK, RG and WH. (MadisonMcLaugh tweet, page 39 of Spoilers thread) (501 and 502 were shot together by JBamford, Evelyn Sharp is not supposed to return until 502.)
-- On Jul. 14, 2016, MG tweeted "On the Arrow set..." with pic of Star City Office of the Mayor plaque. (MG tweet, page 39 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 14, 2016, SA: "We are on Day 8, which typically is the last day of an episode. We are on Day 8 of 501, 502 - we cross boarded our first two episodes, which I'm actually kinda enjoying, um... but we cross boarded our first two episodes... for a variety of reasons - never done it before on the show. We flipped an episode once, but we've never done it before. And I - and I gotta say, um... it kinda feels different. It feels a lot like the pilot. I think that, uh, stylistically, thematically, um, visually, violence-y, we are getting back to some of the things that, uh, our show does really well. So from that standpoint, I'm very, very excited." (SA facebook video & transcription, page 39 of Spoilers thread and page 443 of Social Media thread)
-- On Jul. 14, 2016, SA: "501 and 502 feel good." (SA facebook video & transcription, page 39 of Spoilers thread and page 443 of Social Media thread)
-- On Jul. 15, 2016, JBam posted instagam pic of Office of the Mayor plaque hanging on the wall of the mayoral office. (JBam instagram post, page 39 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Jul. 15, 2016, SA tweeted b-t-s pic of himself laying on top of his desk in Oliver's mayoral office. (SA tweet, page 39 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 8, 2016, JBam posted instagram pic of editing room with camera monitor showing Oliver in a suit on the ground and comment: "Today's awesome view from the editing couch.......Tom hard at work, once again......this premiere is the "re-pilot". I can't wait for y'all to see it! 5.01!!! Mean.....dark.....powerful." (JBam instagram post, page 42 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 9, 2016, James Bamford posted instagram pic of editing room with camera monitor showing Oliver & Felicity talking/arguing and comment: "Today's view from Tom's editing room.....5.01 moments......#Arrow.....Season 5." (JBam instagram post, page 42 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Aug. 24, 2016, Brian Ford Sullivan tweeted: "Got to screen #Arrow 501 at lunch! @JamesBamford delivered a game changer! Can't wait for you all to see it!" (briforsul tweet, page 42 of Spoilers thread)
-- On Sep. 30, 2016, MG tweeted police sketch of guy wearing dark costume with white chevrons and face mask, with comment: "Thanks to George Pérez, who graciously provided this “police sketch” for Arrow’s 5th Season Premiere." George Pérez is the artist who acted as the original penciler for the Vigilante in 1983. (MG tweet, page 45 of Spoilers thread, and Oct. 2, 2016 ComicBook article, page 1158 of Spoiler Discussion thread)
-- On Oct. 3, 2016, MG tweeted police sketch of GA that was drawn by Neal Adams, with comment: "New Arrow costume means new police sketch. @nealadamsdotcom was kind enough to hook us up. Look for it in Arrow's 5th season premiere." (MG tweet, page 45 of Spoilers thread)
Maybe it's the Season 3 'curse'.
