Beware there are SPOILERS here.
Zap2it: How does Season 3 begin?
Marc Guggenheim: In many ways the season begins in a completely opposite place from where Season 2 began. In Season 2, Oliver was sort of in self-imposed exile, he was mourning the loss of Tommy, things were awkward with Laurel. He wasn’t even in Starling City. Season 2 sort of started out with a “Blah, everything sucks” note.Season 3 is the exact opposite. We come in and everything’s coming up Arrow! The team is clicking like you wouldn’t believe. Things are great. He’s got a relationship cooking with Laurel where it’s like “You catch ’em, I cook ’em.” Because she’s a DA, he’s setting them up and she’s knocking them down. It’s a great deal of fun to see them have this completely new relationship. And in the city, crime is down. The city is finally not falling apart.
Caity Lotz returns for at least three more episodes as Laurel’s sister Sara, starting with the premiere. Last seen giving Laurel her black leather jacket in the finale as a passing of the baton to the next presumed Black Canary, Kreisberg was mum about the context of her appearance: “She’s come back to Starling City with a very specific mission.” Laurel, he maintains, has a long road ahead to becoming her comic book alter ego. “She’s an attorney with a nice, sweet jacket,” Kreisberg says with a laugh. “We’re going to see Laurel take a few big steps toward her comic book self this season. Let’s just say that Katie Cassidy is pumping iron.”