Spartan

For the eponymous character, see John Diggle.

"Every child deserves to believe that his father is a hero. And believing it, you became one. If he could see you today, I know he would so proud of you."

"If I'm a hero, it was all because of you, sir."

—Roy Stewart and John Diggle on the truth behind John Diggle's father.

"Spartan"
Information
Season 7 » Episode 19
Episode number	157 of 170
Original airdate	April 22, 2019
Written by	Benjamin Raab Deric A. Hughes
Directed by	Avi Youabian
Chronology
Preceded by	"Lost Canary"
Followed by	"Confessions"

"Spartan" is the nineteenth episode of the seventh season of Arrow, and the one-hundred-fifty-seventh episode overall. It aired on April 22, 2019.

Synopsis

After the Ninth Circle delivers a major setback for Team Arrow, Diggle reluctantly reaches out to a Four-Star General of the Defense Intelligence Agency for help, despite unresolved tension from their past. Meanwhile, Oliver discovers a piece of information that he believes will turn Emiko against the Ninth Circle. Alena returns with an interesting proposal for Felicity.[src]

Plot

Oliver and Diggle reveal an electronic tablet utilized by the Ninth Circle. They take a stab at getting intel from ARGUS, yet General Stewart — will not give them any data. Stewart is revealed to be Diggle's stepfather.

Somewhere else, Felicity and Alena are assaulted by a cell of Ninth Circle hooligans, who wind up taking a portion of the ARCHER innovation they were taking a shot at. After the break-in, Stewart chooses to assist Team Arrow and gives them a lead. When they arrive, nonetheless, the Ninth Circle figure out how to calm Stewart and Diggle. In a little while, John and Roy can get away from their holding cell and ready Oliver and the group to their area.

After Stewart and Diggle are saved, the group reconvenes at the Arrow refuge, where Oliver acknowledges they're utilizing going to utilize ARCHER to find a biochemical weapon Stewart has been directing. Through the enchantment of PCs and hacking, Oliver can find the Ninth Circle and thus, his stepsister Emiko. There, Oliver uncovers reality to Emiko — Dante has been misleading her and he's the one to murder her mom.

Emiko's ready to escape from Oliver and later on she slaughters Dante.

Dinah and Rene show at least a bit of kindness to heart about Emiko, with the last recommending that Emiko despite everything may be acceptable.

Diggle at first tells the group he disdains Stewart not sparing Diggle's dad in a gunfight, but through the span of the scene, reality spills out and it turns out Stewart is an outstanding person.

Felicity chooses to no longer seek after the "Elder sibling" innovation and she and Alena begin conceptualizing what they can do straightaway.

In the flashforwards, Mia and Connor obtain a power module for the tech helmet from the Deathstroke gang, led by Connor's adoptive brother John Diggle, Jr., but are afterwards attacked by them. Felicity powers up the helmet and learns Galaxy One has expanded Archer.

Cast

Main cast

• Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen/Green Arrow
• David Ramsey as John Diggle/Spartan
• Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smoak/Overwatch
• Rick Gonzalez as Rene Ramirez/Wild Dog
• Juliana Harkavy as Captain Dinah Drake/Black Canary
• Colton Haynes (credit only)
• Sea Shimooka as Emiko Adachi
• Katie Cassidy Rodgers (credit only)

Guest starring

• Katherine McNamara as Mia Smoak/Blackstar
• Ernie Hudson as General Roy Stewart
• Kacey Rohl as Alena Whitlock
• Joseph David-Jones as Connor Hawke
• Adrian Paul as Dante

Co-starring

• Anthony Demare as Julian Sison
• Christopher Gerard as Virgil
• Robert Garry Haacke as Tac Team Leader
• Spencer Lang as Big Guy
• James Rees as The Man

Trivia

• It is confirmed that Emiko Adachi is the true main antagonist of Season 7.
• The name of Diggle's step-father is Roy Stewart, which is also the name of Green Lantern John Stewart's grandfather in the DC comics. Stewart's background as a Marine is also a callback to John Stewart.
  • Presumably John Diggle kept his father's surname when his mother remarried. Had he taken his step-father's name then he would be John Stewart, matching the name of Green Lantern. In "Elseworlds, Part 2", it was established that on Earth-90, John is Green Lantern. It may be that on that Earth, he did take his step-father's surname.
  • John later found a Unknown green object in 2020, which was confirmed Behind the Scenes to be a Green Lantern ring.
• Alena mentions that Will Magnus wants to buy Smoak Technologies. In the DC comics Will Magnus is the creator of the superhero team, the Metal Men.