He’s finally got his freedom, so what’s his mindset?
MANU BENNETT:Slade got his freedom when the Mirakuru wore off.
This is the narrative, the through line that this season will take.
Credit: Cate Cameron/The CW
It was a Shakespearian tragedy.
There’s a time when this character came into being that pre-dates him arriving in Starling City.
How do you think he’s changed in the years since we’ve seen him?
Can he now be trusted?
Of course they will.
None of those members of the Arrow team ever had an intimate or personal relationship with Slade.
There’s nobody in that camp that can judge Slade other than Oliver.
What can you tease of this big two-part Slade flashback as he’s hunting for his son?
Episode 605, “Deathstroke Returns,” it is what it says it is.
It’s not like Deathstroke returns the way the fans will expect either.
The Deathstroke that does return is a different Deathstroke.
There’s a lot of new information that’s going to come into play.
I’ve been sitting around for two years waiting to get back on the show.
I don’t even know what the hell is going on.
Now this has happened and it’s happened at the right time.
It’s come at a really good time.
We know he has a son out there.
How nervous is Slade to reunite with his son and find out how his son feels about him?
Because you’re just taking him in the present page.
Is it that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree?
Oh yeah, that’s true.
That’s where a father needs a son and a son needs a father.
The guy who’s playing my son is Liam Hall, we’ve started a working process.
It’s interesting because he and I both grew up a couple of kilometers [apart].
So we’ve already had a conversation that links us.
I like to reflect on reality when it comes down to playing this character.
You have privilege in the world and then you have the non-privileged.
I think Oliver Queen in his status represents privilege.
Slade Wilson, in his status, represents non-privilege.
I like to turn the tide when it comes to antagonist-protagonist concepts, especially in storytelling.
We have this way of categorizing and I’m glad, I’m really glad.
Do you think it’s a fine line of whether he might revert back to being a villain?
This is all new ground.
If anything, we’re going to steer forward with Deathstroke.
[Artist] Tony Daniel is creating incredible new visual dynamics for Deathstroke in the comic book word.
Deathstroke is alive again in popular culture.
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