A haze of smoke has replaced the mists of Lian Yu, obscuring the rubble that lies beneath. There's life under that brume and, despite an implied time jump, "Arrow" will take you to it. Oliver's island flashbacks are over, but his friends are still in play.
Stephen Amell previews 'Arrow' premiere
Following "Arrow" explosive finale, fans have waited months to learn the fates of nearly a dozen characters. That interminable death knell will fall silent when the season 6 premiere pulls back the shrouds of the fallen.
"I saw that [showrunner] Marc [Guggenheim] tweeted that the cover script for episode 401 is 'Fallout', and it's very much about what happened on the island and how it affects everyone that survives," Amell told fans at last weekend's Heroes and Villains Fan Fest in Nashville and, yes, that means a new form of flashback.
"We will have the occasional flashback, but we're not telling a linear story anymore about Oliver's time on the island," Amell explained. "There are flashbacks in the first episode that take us back to the immediate aftermath of the events in the finale, which is one of the reasons that I had to shave my beard, so I could match up with filming for 523."
It seems the facial hair, which the actor grew for the filming of "Code-8," will not morph into the archer's signature goatee. Nor will the Mayor grow a "grief beard," the typical ragged scruff favored by characters whose lives have dipped into a painful depression. Perhaps that is a good omen for the missing members of Team Arrow.
Next time on 'Arrow'
That leaves us with a few big questions: who is the new big bad (RIP Prometheus)? What criminal mastermind will dominate Star City’s illicit underworld? Is Oliver primed to become a single father?
For now, we know that Vigilante will return, Black Siren (Katie Cassidy) will take on a role befitting a series regular, William's onscreen presence will continue, and Oliver will move into an apartment.
The gimlet-eyed hero will undoubtedly have his work cut out for him as the inevitable repeal of Adrian Chase's cases puts old foes back on the streets, but he will have help from both Dinah and Rene (now series regulars). Based on behind-the-scenes photos, it appears Diggle (David Ramsey) and Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) will also return.
Find out more when "Arrow" returns to The CW on Oct. 12 at 9 p.m. ET.