5 worst Arrowverse storylines: Oliver's baby drama to Lena-Kara fights, arcs that hurt the show

While fans enjoyed most of the storylines, couple romances and character arcs, many plot threads haven't been quite the winner
(The CW)
(The CW)

The Arrowverse has spawned a staunch fandom with its consistency, emotional depth and insistence on adhering to the comics. It has had a bevy of thrilling and intriguing plots, and for the most part, brought out the best in its heroes and villains. They've come and gone, but they left a mark and gave a definite shape to the shows. Of course, no show is perfect, and while there have been a superb amount of highs, there have been enough lows to match, as well. While fans enjoyed most of the storylines, couple romances and character arcs, many plot threads haven't been quite the winner. Characters have made bizarre decisions at crucial points and have not acted like themselves. So, let's take a look at some of worst Arrowverse storylines.

Kara and William Dey romance

(CW)

'Supergirl' managed to do quite well despite Kara Danvers (Melissa Benoist) being heartbroken over losing Mon-El (Chris Woods). For a while, it seemed as if our girl of steel didn't need anyone, though of course, supercorp fans were dying to see her with Lena Luthor (Katie McGrath). Strangely, writers decide to ham in a romance between Kara and William Dey (Staz Nair). They spent considerable amount of time trying to desperately make fans carry about William, but sadly, even getting him abducted and almost killed wasn't enough. This was perhaps one of the weirdest arcs of 'Supergirl', and it seems as if it just might continue into Season 6.

Savitar

'The Flash' (The CW)

In 'The Flash', the writers tried to recreate the same air of thrill and mystery as they had done with Reverse Flash. It had worked wonderfully the first time, and the showrunners decided to try this tactic out...twice. Once with Zoom in Season 2 and 3, and then in the 'big twist' of Season 3. Savitar was Barry Allen...somewhat himself, or rather a dark future remnant of him. The premise was exciting, but the execution was shoddy and Grant Gustin's acting capabilities could not quite save it. Savitar just came out rather lame, and we were glad when that got over.

Oliver's baby drama

'Arrow' (The CW)

A child being thrust into the storyline out of the blue to break up the lead pair is far from new. In Season 2 of 'Arrow', it was revealed that Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) had fathered a child with his old girlfriend. Nothing was expected to come of this, rather than just a nod to the comic book source material. In Season 4, Oliver meets his ex Samantha and her son...who isn't Connor Hawke like in the comics, but someone called William Clayton. Staying true to every dramatic soap, Samantha tells Oliver that he couldn't let anyone know about William's existence, and for some reason, Oliver decided to keep mum. And then, *dun dun dun*, Oliver's love Felicity Smoak (Emily Rickard) finds out and the two have a teary separation. What might work for 'Grey's Anatomy', doesn't quite work for 'Arrow' guys.

Lena Luthor giving Kara the cold shoulder 

'Supergirl' (The CW)

It's usually the rite of passage for a superhero not to let people know their secret identity. Kara kept her best friend Lena in the dark for quite a while, to protect her, supposedly. While Kara could have just told her she's 'Supergirl, Lena took a frustratingly long time to get over it in Season 5 of the show. In fact, it became one of the main story arcs, where Lena just kept gnashing her teeth at Kara, who just kept apologizing. Not just that, Lena almost left Kara to die...some way to treat your best friend who has been there for you, countless times? Nevertheless, Lena comes around by the end of Season 5, but boy, it was annoying.

James Olsen becoming Guardian

'Guardian' (The CW)

'Supergirl' made radical changes to James Olsen, who is a cheery goofball in the comics. That's fine, but then they desperately tried making him Kara's love interest. That fell flat, so they resorted to making him The Guardian. This added nothing to the storyline and just seeming like a confusing parallel tale that had no bearing on the show.

'The Flash' will return in January 2021, while 'Supergirl' returns in the middle of next year.

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Ben Whishaw‘s character Sam faces deadly ultimatums, dangerous debts, and major life decisions in the ‘Black Doves’ Season 2 finale
2026-11-06T06:49:21.000Z
David Boreanaz will play Jim Rockford, a private investigator who is now on parole after being wrongfully imprisoned
2026-11-06T05:10:15.000Z
‘Black Doves’ creator Joe Barton shares an update on potential Season 3 plans as the Netflix thriller ends Season 2 on a cliffhanger
2026-11-06T04:39:35.000Z
Chris Pratt will return in 'Savage Son,' which is Jack Carr’s third novel in the book series
2026-11-06T04:02:47.000Z
The upcoming season of 'Reacher' adapts Lee Child's 20th novel titled 'Make Me'
2026-11-06T03:30:07.000Z
Paul Bettany joins Steven Yeun in Netflix’s supernatural drama ‘Pagans’, taking on the role of a mysterious stranger in the upcoming series.
2026-11-06T03:00:03.000Z
Charlie Hunnam leads 'Criminal,' a crime series based on Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips' graphic novels. Two friends raised in crime confront trouble.
2026-11-05T18:19:29.000Z
‘Off Campus’ is heading back to Briar, with a new romance taking shape and familiar faces returning for the next chapter.
2026-11-05T17:00:04.000Z
‘Taken: Natalee Holloway’ revisits decades-long search, raising questions about Joran van der Sloot’s life.
2026-11-05T14:42:40.000Z
A dangerous former client targets top divorce attorney Allura Grant with a series of escalating attacks before holding her hostage at gunpoint
2026-11-05T08:27:49.000Z