Spoilers ahead for anyone who hasn't seen the Season 5 finale of Arrow. 

[Update: As we get closer to the Season 6 premiere, more and more cast members are confirming their Alive-and-Well status, including Juliana Harkavy in a recent interview with EW, where she talks about officially suiting up as Black Canary. As a reminder though, check out every major cast member's chance of survival since "Lian Yu"]

The CW's Arrow wrapped up one of its best seasons to date last night with the explosive Season 5 finale that put a lot of conflicts to rest but raised many more questions after the fact. If you need a refresher, be sure to check out Kayti Burt's recap here, but the basic thing you need to know is this: Season 5 ended with the suicide of Adrian Chase (Josh Segarra) triggering a massive explosion that destroyed the island of Lian Yu. Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) and his son were safely out to sea at the time, but just about everyone else in the Arrow cast was, presumably, trapped on the island and killed in the explosion. Whoa.

Now, because Arrow has been renewed for a 6th season and because certain cast members have legally binding contracts here in the real world, obviously the show will not completely wipe out 95% of its characters. However, even though Arrow Season 6 likely won't be a total reset, this clever bit of writing could allow the creative team to cull the herd, as it were, if they see fit to do so. Perhaps not everyone actually made it off of Lian Yu alive. Either way, there are some changes coming to Arrow in Season 6: The pater familias of the CW superhero series will be shifting to Thursday nights at 9pm for the first time ever, and there will be no more flashbacks to Oliver's time on the island.

Here's a look at the known series regulars who are contractually guaranteed to return next season, other than the usual suspects Stephen Amell, Emily Bett RickardsDavid Ramsey, Willa Holland (who infamously suffered a reduced number of episodes this season), Echo Kellum, and Paul Blackthorne, there's Katie Cassidy as Earth-2 Laurel Lance / Black Siren, Rick Gonzalez as Rene Ramirez / Wild Dog, Juliana Harkavy as Dinah Drake / Black Canary, and John Barrowman as Malcolm Merlyn on all shows across the Arrow-verse. Jack Moore as William Clayton and Audrie Marie Anderson as Lyla Michaels/Diggle should be safe as well since they were off the island.

Let's see how they all stack up.

Totally Dead

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Image via The CW

After spending some time on Team Arrow before her ultimate heel turn, Evelyn Sharp (Madison McLaughlin) doubled-down on villainous pursuits in her allegiance with Adrian Chase. This earned her a short-lived victory during the battle of Lian Yu and ultimately ended up with her locked up in a cage. Even if the rest of our heroes, or the remaining villains, made it off the island before it exploded, I doubt anyone stopped to let Evelyn out. RIP

Digger Harkness (Nick E. Tarabay), who randomly made an appearance in this finale, also soon flipped sides to ally with Chase and his ilk, only to run up against Malcolm Merlyn in the forest. And while there's no way I'm writing off Merlyn, who was standing on a soon-to-explode mine at the time (having sacrificed himself to save Thea), I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if Harkness met his match in going up against the Dark Archer. Despite his alter ego's moniker, I wouldn't expect to see him return. RIP

Also, RIP for Adrian Chase, perhaps the best villain on this show behind only Deathstroke thanks to an amazing performance by Segarra and engaging writing for his character throughout the season. And pour one out for all the faceless henchmen dispatched by Team Arrow on this round. While the stunt folks will surely be back for Season 6, the hired muscle now rest in the smoldering remains of Lian Yu.

Probably Not Dead?

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Image via The CW

Things get a little more interesting in this category, which acts as the sort of gray area in which the writers can decide to keep compelling characters or trim the fat, as it were. First up, the al Ghul sisters, Nyssa (Katrina Law) and Talia (Lexa Doig) squared off in the finale and put their daddy issues to rest with Nyssa emerging as the victor. However, Nyssa merely knocked Talia out; what became of her remains to be seen. She could have perished on Lian Yu, or she could be imprisoned somewhere else, or she might have escaped into the shadows as the League of Assassins is wont to do. As for Nyssa, I'm guessing she's just fine.

Slade Wilson / Deathstroke (Manu Bennett) is a tough call here. Still a standout character from the Arrow series overall, Wilson got a nice redemptive arc in this finale, even if he looked much less imposing when surrounded by our heroes rather than going up against him. (I do so love Deathstroke's fighting style, however, since he just goes for broke like a wrecking ball against unfortunate henchmen.) Fans would certainly love to see more of him, but I'm not sure if that's in the cards. I could see Deathstroke, who has an intimate understanding of Lian Yu, leading the team to the waiting A.R.G.U.S. plane on the other side of the island, but ultimately sacrificing himself so that the others might survive. Keep one eye out (wink) for this possible arc in the Season 6 premiere.

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Image via The CW

Another interesting character here is William's mother / Oliver's baby mama, Samantha (Anna Hopkins). Meaning no disrespect, she could be more interesting in death than she was in life on this show; her death would make William an orphan unless Oliver opted to take responsibility (for once) and actually become an active and engaged parent. Despite the fact that William has somehow aged 10 years in the last couple of seasons, he's still a kid, a kid who's survived a very traumatic event and will need some guidance. The easy way out: Allow Samantha to live and take William far, far away. The tough choice and the more interesting one is to have her die in the explosion and force Oliver to be an active parent, not just a superhero who saves his son's life when he's in danger. Could Arrow actually add that wrinkle to the show's family-focused plot? Maybe...

Speaking of family, do we think Thea (Willa Holland) makes it out this time? The show has been inventing ridiculous excuses (like weeks/months-long retreats and conferences) for Thea's absence, only to shoehorn her in at the end of the season. Has Thea's story run its course? Is this an easy out for both Thea and Holland? Time will tell!

Definitely Alive

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Image via The CW

Though the most shocking and ballsy thing that the Arrow writers could do would be to ice the entirety of the cast save for Oliver, William, and Lyla, there's zero chance of that happening. Not only would they be in hot water with the legal team, they'd face the wrath of Olicity fans; nobody wants to be in that position. So while a rebooted Season 6 focusing on Oliver raising William while moonlighting as Mayor and the Green Arrow would be very interesting, it ain't gonna happen. Expect the above-mentioned series regulars to return, even Merlyn, who likely just shadow-magic'd his way off of that mine.

However, the way in which some of them show up might be changing. Even if/when they make it off the island, they might decide that this life of crime-fighting and explosion-dodging is too much for them. But they might just show up in flash-forwards, an idea that's been toyed with by the writers and producers of the show. So maybe we'll check in with Thea and Samantha a few years down the road every once in a while for whatever reason. Or maybe some of the team members will split up and do their own thing apart from Oliver and his uncanny ability to attract madness and danger like a villainous lightning rod. I wouldn't expect to see the team back together again immediately, if only to stretch out the tension early in Season 6. Perhaps the early part of the season will be a sort of search-and-rescue arc where Oliver has to find his missing friends and family or risk losing them forever.

Whatever Team Arrow looks like in Season 6, they'll all be changed following the events of Season 5 and the epic final confrontation on Lian Yu. Will they be stronger for surviving that crucible, or will the trauma tear them apart? We'll know more when Arrow returns to the CW in October.

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Image via The CW

And for a little more confirmation on who's likely returning, here's The CW's official synopsis for Arrow Season 6:

After a violent shipwreck, billionaire playboy Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) was missing and presumed dead for five years before being discovered alive on a remote island in the North China Sea. He returned home to Star City, bent on righting the wrongs done by his family and fighting injustice. As the Green Arrow, he protects his city with the help of former soldier John Diggle (David Ramsey), computer-science expert Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards), his vigilante-trained sister Thea Queen (Willa Holland), Deputy Mayor Quentin Lance (Paul Blackthorne), brilliant inventor Curtis Holt (Echo Kellum), and his new recruits, street-savvy Rene Ramirez (Rick Gonzalez) and meta-human Dinah Drake (Juliana Harkavy).

 

Oliver has finally solidified and strengthened his crime-fighting team only to have it threatened when unexpected enemies from his past return to Star City, forcing Oliver to rethink his relationship with each member of his “family”.
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