| John Diggle | |
|---|---|
| Arrowverse andSuperman & Lois character | |
 David Ramsey as John Diggle in his Spartan suit as seen in the sixth season ofArrow | |
| First appearance |
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| Last appearance |
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| Created by | |
| Portrayed by | David Ramsey |
| In-universe information | |
| Full name | John Thomas Diggle |
| Alias |
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| Occupation |
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| Affiliation |
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| Weapon | Green Monster (crossbow) |
| Family |
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| Spouse | Lyla Michaels |
| Children |
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John Thomas Diggle, also known by hiscode namesFreelancer (with theSuicide Squad) andSpartan (withTeam Arrow), is afictionalcharacter inThe CW'sArrowverse franchise andSuperman & Lois, first introduced in the 2012pilot episode of the television seriesArrow. The character was created for the series byGreg Berlanti,Marc Guggenheim, andAndrew Kreisberg. Diggle is portrayed byDavid Ramsey.
Diggle is introduced as a military veteran andOliver Queen's new bodyguard. Over time, his relationship with Oliver evolves and he becomes his best friend and confidante in his crusade as theGreen Arrow, joining him as Spartan and for a while succeeds him as theGreen Arrow. After Oliver returns as the Green Arrow, he leaves the team and joinsA.R.G.U.S. InSuperman & Lois, an alternate Diggle is depicted as an affiliate ofClark Kent andLois Lane, and an ally ofJohn Henry Irons.
Ramsey has reprised his role in the subsequent Arrowverse seriesThe Flash,Legends of Tomorrow,Supergirl andBatwoman, as well as the non-Arrowverse seriesSuperman & Lois. The character also appears inArrow's tie-in novels and digital comics, as well as theLego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham video game. While Diggle was originally created for the television series, since 2013, a character of the same name has appeared in theGreen Arrow series published byDC Comics.
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In February 2012,David Ramsey was cast in thepilot episode ofArrow as John Diggle, a "former military man now working as a bodyguard for hire who soon finds he is trapped in a battle of wits, loyalty and trust".[1] The character was created byArrow creatorsGreg Berlanti,Marc Guggenheim andAndrew Kreisberg.[2] Named after comic book writerAndy Diggle, and created specifically for the series, Guggenheim said Diggle was designed to beOliver Queen's (Stephen Amell) equal in "many respects" such as their abilities and intelligence. He further explained that Diggle's mutual abilities were a means of setting him up early in the series as a confidant for Oliver's vigilante persona.[3] Ramsey enjoyed the fact that he did not have to worry about matching the comic books, saying, it allowed him to "just kind of take [his character] and run with it".[4]
David Ramsey has compared Diggle toAlfred Pennyworth from theBatman comics, describing the character as Oliver's "moral voice". Ramsey, who has trained in various martial arts such asWing Chun,Jeet Kune Do, andkickboxing, used his martial arts expertise to make Diggle believable, saying, "I think, honestly, it has to do with...having Diggle able to not just handle himself on screen but be able to really proficiently use the (martial) arts — and look like he is a trained soldier. You don't see the stunt guy. You actually see David Ramsey doing it."[5] He has stated that since Diggle is older than most of Team Arrow and, to an extent, more experienced on the field and reconnaissance fighting, the other members "look to him for some leadership".[6] While describing the otherArrow characters, particularly Team Arrow members likeFelicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards) as "extraordinary", Ramsey said people would be able to identify with Diggle because "he's just a guy who decided to better himself."[7] He also said Diggle is not "a goody-two-shoes, but he'll stand up in your face and tell you the right way to get something done."[8] Ramsey also compared Diggle toLittle John, a character in variousRobin Hood stories.[9] Arunning gag is that Diggle, whenever taken suddenly to places byBarry Allen / Flash at super-speed, vomits as a result ofmotion sickness,[10] an exception being in theArrow season 6 episode "The Devil's Greatest Trick".[11] Diggle's military career and heroism led some fans to draw comparisons between him andGreen LanternJohn Stewart. In 2015, Ramsey confirmed there had been talks of turning Diggle into "John Diggle Stewart". This was referenced in the 2018 "Elseworlds" crossover event, where Barry Allen ofEarth-90 indicates that on his Earth, Diggle is the Green Lantern.[12] A 2019 episode ofArrow reveals that Diggle has an estranged stepfather whose surname is Stewart.[13] The series finale ofArrow features a scene where Diggle witnesses a meteor crash, and finds a box emitting a green light, which Ramsey said was a reference to fan theories that Diggle would become the series' version of Green Lantern.[14]
Regarding Diggle's relationship with Oliver in season 1 after realizing he is a vigilante, Ramsey said that "the biggest change is that they start working together", adding that, "He [Diggle] makes it clear to Oliver that this isn't about me being a yes man. This is about me understanding what you do and what it does to you as a person. What it does to your humanity."[15] After Diggle leaves Team Arrow and joinsA.R.G.U.S. in season 6 due to his differences with Oliver, Ramsey said, "he obviously loves Oliver, but he sees that there's more than one way to save the city. He's still committed to Oliver, to a certain degree, but even more so than Oliver, to the people of the city."[16]
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Diggle, alongside Felicity, is shown to play an important role in the transitioning of Oliver from a 'lone-wolf' to part of a vigilante team. This working relationship between these three characters has been described both in the media[17] and the show[18] as 'Original Team Arrow', and has received particular praise from critics. Commenting on this "symbiotic relationship", terming it "Arrow's most important", Carrie Raisler ofThe A.V. Club stated "Amell, Ramsey, and Rickards have the kind of lightning-in-a-bottle chemistry that makes all their scenes together hum", in her review of the first half of season 2.[19] Similarly, Jesse Schedeen ofIGN, reviewing the season three premiere, described the three as the "core trio" of the show[20] and Jenny Rafferty ofVulture, writing about season four, described the relationship between the three as "the heartbeat of the show".[21] Looking back at the series during her review of the season seven finale, Della Harrington ofDen of Geek commented that "The magic of the show and the magic of his [Oliver's] team within the show alchemised when John Diggle and Felicity Smoak signed on."[22]
Juliana Harkavy, who playsDinah Drake, described Diggle as Drake's "best friend" and "her family".[23]
Having served in the military, Diggle is well-versed in live combat,[24] and his primary skill ismarksmanship.[25][26] He is also proficient instick-fighting and knives. While his primaryweapon of choice is a firearm, he is shown to be able to knock out people simply by striking them with his arms.[24] He has also been shown to be on par with Oliver in fighting skills.[24][27] Early in season 6, when Diggle takes up the Green Arrow mantle at Oliver's request, he wields a crossbow named "Green Monster" that was created by Felicity and Curtis and fires arrows.[28][29]
For the first three seasons ofArrow, Diggle does not have a vigilante costume.[30] By the time season 4 begins, he has gained one, which consists of a helmet and black gear.[31] Via social media, the helmet was criticized by fans for its resemblance to that worn by theMarvel Comics characterMagneto. In response to the criticism, Ramsey said, "I know there's a lot of criticism that it looks like the Magneto helmet. But by the time you see Diggle in action – we also get into what the helmet can do – you won't be thinking of theX-Men at all."[32] In season 5, Diggle replaces his helmet with a new one, which Ramsey said can do "extraordinary things", apart from being just about concealment.[33] Concept artist Andy Poon said the new helmet offers Diggle "full protection". He added that, since Diggle's codename is Spartan, he decided to make the helmet resemble "an actualspartan helmet design". Poon, a comic book fan himself, thought the new helmet would fix "the issues regarding some of the fan feedback about [the older helmet] looking similar to other comic book characters".[34] Later in season 6, Diggle gains both a new Spartan costume and helmet, which eschew the gray overtones of previous Spartan costumes, and instead have a black and red scheme.[30] In season 8, Diggle receives another suit, this time with a black and green color scheme as well as a green light emanating from his helmet as a nod to Green Lantern.[35]
John Thomas Diggle[36] was born in 1977 inStarling City. He had a younger brother,Andy Diggle, but their relationship was always very tense. During his childhood, his father died on a military mission inVlatava. He blamed his father's death on his step-father, who was in charge of the mission,Roy Stewart. Roy would train intensively both John and Andy on military combat. In 2003, he joined theUnited States Army, and was sent inAfghanistan, two years later becoming aSergeant. When he discovered that Andy was a drug dealer, he beat him up, and convinced him to join the army. With both serving inAfghanistan, at some pointLt. Joyner offered them a deal to confiscate some of the opium they recovered and sell it off, a deal John refused, but not Andy. At some point, he met withLyla Michaels in Afghanistan, and got married. At the end of his second tour, they divorced. John went back to Afghanistan for a third tour, while Lyla joinedA.R.G.U.S. In 2008, he retired from the Army, and in 2010 he started working as a security guard, with his first job being protectingTommy Merlyn. Sometime later, his brother was killed byDeadshot, and as a result he grew closer to his brother's widow,Carly Diggle.
Inseason 1, John Diggle was introduced as a formerUnited States Army Ranger andUnited States Army Special Forces soldier,honorably discharged at the rank ofMaster Sergeant in thepilot episode. He is hired as the bodyguard of billionaireOliver Queen by his mother,Moira[37] and later becomes his confidant in his mission to saveStarling City.[38] Diggle tries to help Oliver balance his normal life and vigilante life, and occasionally helps him in the field. Diggle provides Oliver with medical assistance, limiting his need for hospital treatment. Already a skilled fighter, Diggle receives additional training from Oliver. Diggle has a grudge againstFloyd Lawton / Deadshot who allegedly killed his brother,Andy.[39] Diggle dates his brother's widow,Carly, and is a father figure to her son, Andrew "A.J.", during this season.[40][41]
Inseason two Diggle andFelicity Smoak continue to help Oliver with his crusade and Diggle continues to be Oliver's adviser and field partner, along withSara Lance andRoy Harper. Diggle has a relationship with his ex-wifeLyla Michaels,[42] is an unofficial member ofA.R.G.U.S., and a member of theSuicide Squad under the codename "Freelancer".[43] He also develops an uneasy alliance withAmanda Waller who occasionally asks him for field assistance with A.R.G.U.S. missions. In the season finale, it is revealed that Lyla is pregnant with Diggle's child.[44]
Diggle continues to help Oliver and his team duringseason three, but has to devote more of his time to his new baby with Lyla, whom he names Sara after Sara Lance is killed. After Lyla is seriously injured in an attack, they decide to remarry. When Oliver is presumed dead atRa's al Ghul's hands, Diggle leads Felicity, Roy, andLaurel Lance until his friend's return. After Oliver's return, Diggle accompanies him toNanda Parbat to help him freeMalcolm Merlyn, but the two are captured. Diggle and Lyla marry after a near-death experience with the Suicide Squad, when Lawton sacrifices himself for them.[45] Diggle and Lyla decide to quit Team Arrow and A.R.G.U.S. for their daughter's sake. After Oliver leaves the team to join the League of Assassins as part of a deal to revive a near-deceasedThea Queen, Diggle becomes the team leader, though he is not yet ready to forgive Oliver for kidnapping Lyla as part of a deception to gain acceptance by the League.[46] Inseason one of The Flash, Diggle arrives at Central City with Oliver and Felicity to locate a criminal who uses lethal boomerangs (Digger Harkness), but ends up assisting Team Flash (Barry's team) in defeatingRoy Bivolo.[47]
Season four sees Diggle continuing to protect Starling City, now renamed Star City, with Laurel and Thea.[48] Now going by the codename "Spartan",[49] he discovers that the organization that targets the newly named Star City isH.I.V.E., who had hired Lawton to murder Andy. Diggle eventually forgives Oliver after their fight with a H.I.V.E.metahuman operative namedJeremy Tell.[50] WithQuentin Lance's help, Diggle learns thatDamien Darhk had Andy murdered, and that he was a drug cartel leader and Darhk's territorial rival prior to his death.[51] However, Diggle discovers that Darhk actually faked Andy's death and recruited him as a H.I.V.E. soldier, leading Diggle and his brother to become enemies. Guilt-ridden over his brother's role in causing Laurel's death, Diggle seeks revenge against Andy and Darhk. Digglekills Andy after the latter threatens to harm Lyla and Sara. He initially lies to Lyla that he killed Andy in self-defense, but Oliver encourages Diggle to admit the truth to his wife.[52] Diggle rejoins the army after confiding to his wife and Darhk's defeat.[53]
Inseason two of The Flash, Diggle and the rest of Team Arrow aid Team Flash during their fight withVandal Savage.[54] Later in the season, when the metahumanKing Shark escapes from his A.R.G.U.S. prison and arrives at Central City to kill Barry, Diggle and Lyla arrive to warn the latter. After King Shark is defeated by the combined efforts of Team Flash, Diggle and Lyla, he is taken back to A.R.G.U.S.[55]
In the second episode ofseason five Diggle is betrayed by his commanding officer,J.G. Walker, following a failed attempt to sell nuclear weapons.[56] Framed for Walker's crimes, Diggle is arrested.[57] Oliver and Lyla break him out of state prison, and Diggle stays at H.I.V.E.'s former base until his innocence can be proven.[58] Diggle remains guilty about killing Andy and continues to serve as Spartan to redeem himself. Due to the events ofThe Flash episode "Flashpoint", Diggle's family history is altered: his daughter Sara has been erased from existence and replaced byJohn "J.J." Diggle, Jr., as a result of a timeline change caused byEobard Thawne, correcting the Flashpoint reality created byBarry Allen. Felicity is later able to prove Diggle's innocence by restoring the digital files that Walker had destroyed. However, Andy's betrayal and death at Diggle's hands has taken a toll on him; he struggles to control his rage and occasionally pulverizes criminals to vent it, fueling Oliver's concern over his erratic behavior. Diggle later befriends Oliver's chosen successor to Laurel's mantle,Dinah Drake, a Central City detective, and encourages her to set down roots in Star City. Diggle, along with the rest of Team Arrow, is later captured byAdrian Chase and taken to the islandLian Yu.[59] Chase later detonates the explosive-rigged Lian Yuby shooting himself dead, with Diggle still on the island.[60]
Inseason three of The Flash, Diggle joins forces with other superheroes to stop an alien invasion, while he learns of the alteration of his life with Lyla, his daughter's erasure and his son's status as a time aberration, and despite the hurt caused by these circumstances, he chooses to forgive Barry.[61]
Theseason six premiere reveals that Diggle survived the explosion by taking shelter in a plane like the others.[62] However, he was wounded by bomb shrapnel and suffers adegenerative nerve injury that affects hismotor control that requires taking daily medications, resulting him to develop a drug dependency.[63] When Oliver decides to retire from being the Green Arrow, he appoints Diggle as his successor, oblivious to the fact that Diggle is not in condition to remain in action.[64] Oliver returns to vigilantism until Diggle is fully recovered from his injury.Curtis Holt develops an implant for Diggle to help him control his tremors as he progressively recovers. After Oliver decides to remain being the Green Arrow, Diggle accepts the job offer from Lyla as one of the commanding officers in A.R.G.U.S., using his new position to lead his subordinates to maintain order in the city's police's place due to them having been compromised by crime lordRicardo Diaz. Near the end of the season, Diggle is fully healed and no longer needing Holt's implant. His A.R.G.U.S. team later joins forces withFBI agentSamanda Watson's subordinates, and working with Team Arrow, they ultimately take back the city from Diaz, who goes into hiding. After the Earth-X invasion he marries Oliver and Felicity, and Barry and Iris.[65]
Inseason four of The Flash,Clifford DeVoe infiltrates the A.R.G.U.S. facility holding the metahumanNeil Borman by impersonating Diggle and kills most of the security; overcharging and killing Borman to be a nuclear battery for his satellites. Afterwards, Barry brings the real Diggle to S.T.A.R. Labs to reveal the location of the facility.[66]
Inseason seven, Diggle remains working at A.R.G.U.S., and continues leading his manhunt against Diaz.[67] The combined efforts of Diggle, A.R.G.U.S. and the other members of Team Arrow (except Oliver, who is in prison) result in the successful capture of Diaz.[68] After Oliver is released fromSlabside Maximum Security Prison in exchange for Diaz, Diggle and Felicity are the first to receive him.[69] Later, Diaz is recruited by Diggle as a member of the "Ghost Initiative", his own version of the Suicide Squad. Diggle plans to use Diaz to locateDante, the financier behind the legendaryLongbow Hunters.[70] Diggle returns to vigilantism along with Curtis andRene Ramirez to capture the criminal Chimera. Despite succeeding, the trio are arrested for violating the city's anti-vigilante law, but mayorEmily Pollard ultimately offers to drop the charges against them, provided they agree to be deputized and work for the police, as Oliver has.[71] The Ghost Initiative is successful in locating Dante, but when Diaz betrays the team and helps Dante escape, Diggle hands in his resignation to A.R.G.U.S. to save his wife's job, while sending Diaz back to Slabside.[72] Diggle later meets his late father's commanding officerRoy Stewart; Diggle's father died during an operation abroad and he blames Stewart for leaving his father behind. Stewart went on to become Diggle's stepfather and put both Diggle and Andy through rigorous training to turn them into real soldiers, resulting in a strained relationship between Diggle and Stewart. The two make amends when Diggle learns that his father died because of his own negligence and Stewart is the reason anyone survived the operation.[73] After Team Arrow thwarts theNinth Circle's plan to destroy Star City, Diggle takes Oliver and a pregnant Felicity to an A.R.G.U.S. safe house in the woods where the two can raise their child safe from the Circle.[74] The season also features flashforwards that take place in 2040. These feature Diggle's adoptive sonConnor Hawke and reveal that J.J. is the leader of the Deathstroke gang. Connor states that J.J. grew up hating their parents and the expectations they put on them and considers the gang his way to rebel.[75]
Inseason eight, Diggle meets six-year-old Connor for the first time, but does not yet adopt him.[76] After the adult Connor is accidentally teleported from 2040 to 2019 with Oliver's children, Diggle is shocked and devastated to learn that J.J. is psychopathic and becomesGrant Wilson's protégé and successor as Deathstroke and kills Rene's daughterZoe in the future. Though these revelations strain their friendship, Diggle and Rene are determined to change their respective children's fates. Despite Diggle learning that his future bond with his adoptive son is what possibly would cause J.J. to take the path of evil, Diggle chooses to accept his destiny to Connor while trying to save J.J.[77] After the events of theCrisis, during which Oliver perished, Diggle's daughter Sara is restored to existence, and he and Lyla are happy of having two children. While moving toMetropolis, Diggle is intrigued by a crashed spaceship and discovers a mysterious box that glows green.[78] In season six ofThe Flash, Diggle arrives in Central City to give Barry the mask he gave Oliver the first time they met. Diggle also helps him come to terms with Oliver's death.[79]
When on an A.R.G.U.S. assignment in Gotham City, Diggle encountersLuke Fox in a bar where he got involved in a poker game withRussell Tavaroff. When Tavaroff attacks Luke outside the bar, Diggle stops him. While comparing to how they both lost their fathers, Diggle advises Luke to take the right path as they notice the Bat-Signal giving off aMorse code. This conversation inspires Luke to becomeBatwing.[80]
After almost a year, Diggle arrives in Central City to help Barry trap aGodspeed drone with an Entropy Trap. Diggle convinces Barry to go to 2049 to check on his daughterNora, but he is knocked out of theSpeed Force by Godspeed drones. Diggle,Cecile Horton, andFrost find an amnesiacAugust Heart, but soon make him remember his identity. Following this, Diggle vows to resolve something he has "been putting off": figuring out how to open the box.[81]
Sometime later,James Olsen contacts Diggle to help his sister,Kelly Olsen, afterNyxlygsptlnz imploded the Ormfell Building, causing those caught in the implosion to be exposed to 5th Dimensional energies. When it is discovered that Councilwoman Jean Rankin took an experimental medicine that enabled her to use those energies at the cost of draining the victims of their energy, Diggle gives Kelly some inspirational advice when operating as the newGuardian and even mentions some wise words that he learned fromJefferson Pierce.[82]
After a while, Diggle assists his old friendJada Jet into findingJoker's joy buzzer that would be used to help treat Marquis. They find it inRenee Montoya's office. Diggle later finds Luke at the grave ofLucius Fox where he asks him to help open a box in his possession.[83]
After some time, Diggle visitsEobard Thawne, who is imprisoned in an A.R.G.U.S.supermax prison on Lian Yu. After Barry departed after asking Thawne about a Fast Track Labs worker claiming to be Eobard Thawne, Diggle appears to ask for his help on unlocking the mystery box he had found. Thawne helps him to reopen it, but Diggle declines its powers since he prefers to be with his family.[84]
While attending Barry Allen's birthday party, John Diggle is among those who got taken over by Bloodwork's blood samples. Khione later used her powers to free Diggle so that he can help Flash and a temporarily resurrected Green Arrow. As Spartan, he helps Green Arrow, Flash, and Kid Flash in defeating Bloodwork before he can infect the Multiverse with his blood.[85]
A variant of John Diggle appears on the Earth thatSuperman & Lois takes place on:
When called for help by GeneralSam Lane, John Diggle arrives in Smallville with some A.R.G.U.S. equipment. After a talk withLois, Diggle scolds Sam for plotting to use the A.R.G.U.S. technology to take out Superman due toTal-Rho planning to subject him to theEradicator. When he finds out thatJohn Henry Irons is from another Earth, Diggle states to Sam that they will have a talk about this later. Later on, Diggle mentions to Sam that he left the life of dealing with the deaths of people he knew and encountering people from other Earths, and implores him to try and stop Superman without killing him, reasoning that their Earth's version of Oliver Queen would have done the same.[86]
A few months later, Diggle visits John Henry Irons at a diner after the defeat ofAlly Allston, wanting to know whyBruno Mannheim killed this Earth's Irons.[87]
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The character appeared inArrow 2.5, a bi-weekly digital comic series that bridged the gap between the end of season two and the start of season three.[88] He also features in the tie-in novels published for the series,Arrow: Vengeance, written byOscar Balderrama and Lauren Certo,[89]The Flash: The Haunting of Barry Allen written by Susan and Clay Griffith,[90] and its sequelArrow: A Generation of Vipers from the same authors,[91] as well asArrow Fatal Legacies, co-authored by Marc Guggenheim and James R. Tuck, published in January 2018. This novel bridged the gap between the season five finale and the season six premiere ofArrow.[92]
While Diggle was originally created forArrow, a character of the same name was introduced into the Green Arrow comics duringThe New 52 run, in 2013,[5] but having little resemblance to Ramsey's likeness.[93] Looking at any elements of the show which would transfer to the comic-run, writerJeff Lemire described the character of Diggle as "thebreakout of that show", and wanted to incorporate elements of that into his story.[94] When DC rebooted its continuity withDC Rebirth in 2016, Diggle continued to feature in the Green Arrow comics with more or less the same backstory as the show with minor alterations such as him being fromSeattle.[95][96]
The character appears in theLego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham video game as part of theArrow DLC pack.[97] As well as featuring in the add-on pack's level, Diggle can also be used in any other level as a freeplay character.[98]
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding to it.(July 2018) |
Writing for theDC Comics website, Ashley V. Robinson named Diggle as one of her "all-time favorite characters".[10] Jesse Schedeen ofIGN praised Ramsey's performance in the episode "Brothers in Arms", calling it "easily Ramsey's strongest episode in a long time".[99]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)Behbakht, Andy (May 19, 2023)."Arrowverse's Diggle Spin-Off Officially Cancelled".ScreenRant.Archived from the original on June 30, 2023. RetrievedSeptember 16, 2023.
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