Top 5 Arrow Season 2 Moments

Season 3 of Arrow will arrive on Oct. 8, which means Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) and his associates will be back in action to protect Starling City. But before we get to Season 3, let's take a look back at some of the best moments from Season 2.

The conflict between Oliver and Slade Wilson (Manu Bennett) is what really drove Season 2, both in the present and on the island in the flashbacks. Slade's desire for revenge tied together many of the other plots and ultimately led to a few deaths in the process. So without further ado, here are our picks for the top five moments in Season 2 of Arrow.

5) The Flash is born.

Grant Gustin arrived in early Season 2 as Barry Allen, whom comic fans immediately recognized as The Flash. But Arrow has been grounded in as much realism as possible for a superhero show, so it didn't seem likely that we'd see Barry zipping through the streets at super speed.

But then he returned to Central City and a bolt of red lightning struck him, which sent him into a coma. But anyone who has been a fan of The Flash knew this was leading to something, and now the character has his own show this fall.

4) Sara's return.

The Canary first appeared in Season 2 when she saved Roy (Colton Haynes) from a beating when he was looking for the Arrow. But the truly surprising reveal was when the Canary unmasked and fans learned that Sara (Caity Lotz), who was presumed dead after the Queen's Gambit sank, was in fact the hero in the black mask.

Sara's presence would be a major thread throughout Season 2, as she and Oliver struck up a romance again and she reunited with her family, specifically her sister Laurel (Katie Cassidy).

3) Malcolm Merlyn returns.

Most fans thought Oliver killed Malcolm (John Barrowman) aka the Dark Archer at the end of Season 1. But with Moira Queen on trial, Malcolm informed her that "there are parts of the world where death is an illusion." What made this return work so well is that we learned Malcolm trained under Ra's Al Ghul, the leader of the League of Assassins.

Barrowman is a series regular for Season 3 and Ra's is the Big Bad, so we should learn some more about the mysterious archer this season.

2) Slade's threats.

The situation between Oliver and Slade hit a turning point in "The Promise," one of the most intense episodes so far in the series. Slade learned that Oliver had a role in Shado's death and immediately threatened to burn down Ollie's entire world.

"You cannot die until you have suffered the same way that I have suffered, until you have known complete despair. And you will. I promise."

He offers a similar threat in "Three Ghosts" when he promises to drive an arrow through Oliver's eye after he systematically destroys his life.

These threats would become all too real when Slade kills Moira right in front of Oliver and Thea (Willa Holland). Moira, who had done all she could to repent for being an accomplice to mass murder, sacrificed herself to save her children, whom she always loved. Oliver drops to the ground in shock as Slade's promise comes true.

1) The finale.

Yes, the entire finale deserves recognition as a special moment. From the League of Assassins' arrival with Nyssa (Katrina Law) to Oliver and Felicity's (Emily Bett Rickards) love confession fake out to the massive full-scale battle between the Mirakuru troops and Oliver's team in the tunnel, it was all brilliantly executed.

But the true standout moment from the finale was the beautifully choreographed fight between Oliver and Slade, which seamlessly transitioned between the present day and the sinking ship in the flashbacks. Slade had always been one step ahead of Oliver throughout the season, so it was gratifying to see Deathstroke get his comeuppance.

What are your favorite moments from Season 2 of Arrow? What are you most looking forward to in Season 3? Let us know in the comments section.