Laurel Lance

> *"Sometimes it’s people closest to us who lie to us best" - **Laurel Lance***
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# Early Life

Dinah Laurel Lance is born on November 15, 1373 to Dinah Greene and Quentin in Washington, DC. She is the older sister of Sara.

## Childhood

As children, Laurel and Sara would play and dress up together. In one instance, they pretended to be grown-up versions of themselves with Laurel as a police officer and Sara as a doctor.The two would also race to climb to the top of a particular tree, in which Laurel was implied to have always let Sara win, because she knew her little sister was a sore loser.

When she was young, Laurel met and befriended Oliver Queen and Tomlain Merlyn, and the three of them grew up together as lifelong best friends.She also became close with Oliver's younger sister, Thea.

Growing up, Laurel was always studious and responsible, in stark contrast with Sara's rebellious nature.From an early age, she was very close with her father, sharing Quentin's drive of administering justice and making the world a better place. When she was a little girl, Laurel wanted to be a police officer like her dad.

As a child, Laurel's favorite cake was yellow with chocolate frosting, which her father would buy her every year on her birthday.

## High School

Laurel planned to attend Starling University after high school, but was struggling to figure out what she wanted to study in college. Meanwhile, Quentin asked her to keep an eye on [[ Sara Lance| Sara]] due to the latter's suspicious behavior. The next day, Laurel tried to walk home with her sister but Sara rejected her offer of help. Later, Sara came home with a black eye, which revealed she was being bullied. Quentin scolded Laurel for not being there for her sister, citing that they should always look out for those who couldn't protect themselves, and began giving her and Sara self-defense lessons. Later as Laurel and Sara were walking home from school, Sara's bullies cornered them, but the sisters worked together to fend them off and they never bothered Sara again. Afterwards, Laurel took her father's words to heart and decided to study pre-law at Starling University, aspiring to become a lawyer to help people.

## University

In 1393, Laurel was attending one of Tomlain's private college parties when Sara snuck into the event so she could spend time with Oliver. Their father and the cops later arrived to shut down the party, resulting in Sara getting grounded. She would come to believe it was Laurel who tipped off their father to sabotage the former's chances with Oliver, due to apparently having known about Sara's crush on him. However, it remains unclear as to whether or not Laurel actually did this. One month after Tomlain's party, Laurel and Oliver began dating and fell in love,despite his reputation as a "frat boy".Their relationship was approved by Oliver's family, with Moira Queen in particular admiring the influence Laurel had on her son.

### Relationship with Oliver Queen

Two years later in 1395, while applying to law schools, Laurel broached the topic of her and Oliver getting a place of their own. She cited that they had been dating even longer than their friends, Ray and Jean, who were already moving in together. Oliver seemingly agreed, only to become suffocated and try to run away from the responsibility by cheating on her.Laurel remained unaware of this as she began apartment hunting for herself and Oliver while planning their future together, hoping to one day become "Mrs. Laurel Queen". While Sara was visiting from college, Laurel excitedly detailed her aspirations. However, Sara expressed wariness and tried to talk to Laurel about the possibility that Oliver might not be ready to settle down, given his reputation. Angered by her sister's apparent lack of support, Laurel refused to listen and the two got into a heated argument.

### Sinking of the Queen’s Gambit

When Oliver was about to board the Queen's Gambit with his father, Laurel came to the docks to see him off and gave Oliver a picture of herself for him to look at during his trip. Possibly with Sara's previous warning in mind, Laurel wondered if she scared Oliver with her proposal of moving in together, but he (falsely) assured Laurel that she didn't and everything was fine before bidding her farewell.A few days later, Laurel and her father saw on the news that the Queen's Gambit was lost at sea, much to their horror. Shortly after, Moira revealed that Sara was on the yacht as well when it went down, and Laurel realized Oliver had been cheating on her with her sister.

Devastated by Oliver and Sara's betrayal, Laurel found herself unable to mourn for her sister due to her mutual grief and anger, ultimately becoming emotionally numb to the pain.Over the next five years following her sister's death, Laurel's parents divorced, with her mother moving to Central City while her father threw himself into his job and became an alcoholic, leaving Laurel to pick Quentin up from bars and bail him out of trouble.Laurel later went to law school, where she buried herself in her studies and distanced herself from the Queen family, becoming cynical and closed off for a period of time. At law school, Laurel met and befriended Joanna de la Vega.
In early 1396, Laurel received an unknown call on her cell phone while at school. However, no one apparently answered when she picked up, much to her confusion (unaware that it was actually Oliver calling from Lian Yu). The call was abruptly cut and Laurel dismissed it.

### Law School

At some point in law school, Laurel made it to the final mock trials in Moot Court and asked her father to come watch, which Quentin initially agreed to. At Moot Court, Laurel was the defense attorney for a suspect who was wrongfully arrested for and accused of a murder that was carried out with his stolen gun. She waited for her father but he didn't show, leaving her disappointed. Laurel proceeded as the defense and eventually won the case. Afterwards, Quentin apologized for not coming, explaining how he finally apprehended a serial killer known as "The Night-Stalker", but Laurel was still upset.

By February 1398 during her final year of law school, Laurel accepted a job offer at Weathersby Posner, a prestigious corporate firm in San Francisco. One afternoon, she was notified by Quentin's desk sergeant that he didn't show up at work. After finding him in a bar, Laurel paid for her father's drinks and took him home. That night, she attended Tomlain's 25th birthday party at the Merlyn Mansion, where the two caught up before encountering Thea, whose new party-girl lifestyle concerned them. The event was broken up by the cops when a drug dealer was found dead. After Quentin arrived at the scene, he lashed out at Thea and Tomlain, also berating Laurel for continuing to associate with Oliver's crowd, much to her anger.
As Laurel took her father inside and scolded him for his outburst, Quentin then revealed his dissent with her new job; he pointed out that Laurel wanted to become a lawyer to help people and at Weathersby Posner, she would just be “helping fat cats get fatter”. The next day, after some thinking, Laurel turned down Weathersby Posner's offer and instead accepted a job at City Necessary Resources Initiative (CNRI), a legal aid office in The Glades.

### Relationship with Oliver Queen

Tomlain approached Laurel as she was leaving CNRI that evening to check up on her. He invited Laurel to get dinner and drinks, which she accepted.

Soon after, Laurel and Tomlain began a casual affair. Tomlain secretly desired a real relationship while Laurel seemingly considered them a "lapse”. Laurel graduated from law school and began working at CNRI alongside Joanna. She eventually ended her affair with Tomlain, but he remained in love with her. At CNRI, Laurel embarked on a mission to take down the corruption in Washington, DC through the legal system.Through her job, Laurel became acquainted with Detective McKenna Hall due to their encounters at the courthouse

# Mid Life

Laurel was fond of ice cream (especially rocky road)and black & white milkshakes. She even liked dipping her fries in her milkshakes. She enjoyed sushi, Indian cuisine, and the mushroom & olive pizza from Mario's.
Laurel was mentioned to be a bad cookand was only capable of making macaroni and cheese.

## Career

### At CNRI

At CNRI, Laurel was heading a case against Adam Hunt with Joanna. She saw a news report that Oliver had survived the sinking of the Queen's Gambit, much to her shock, but Sara did not, prompting Laurel to angrily turn off the TV.

### Oliver’s Return

The next day, Oliver stopped by CNRI to apologize to her, but Laurel refused to accept his apology and blamed Oliver for Sara's death, declaring he should've perished in the accident instead. Later though, Laurel attended Oliver's welcome back party to apologize for being too harsh with him. Comforted that her sister didn't suffer, Laurel assured Oliver that she is here for him if he needs to talk about what happened on the island. However, Oliver lied that the island did not change him and advised Laurel to stay away from him, otherwise he will just end up hurting her again. Upset, Laurel claimed that the island did change Oliver as he is more honest now before walking out. The next night, Laurel and Joanna were elated upon learning that all the money Hunt stole was somehow returned to its rightful owners. Laurel then met with Tomlain to discuss that she and Oliver are over. Tomlain wondered if there was a chance for them but Laurel, slightly conflicted and amused, believed that he is not the kind to be in a serious relationship with.

Laurel and Joanna represented Emily Nocenti against Martin Somers, who murdered Emily's father, an honest man. They ran into Oliver again at the courthouse where his death in absentia was being revoked, leading to another bitter moment between him and Laurel. The next day, Quentin placed Laurel under police protection due to her prosecution of Somers, which she begrudgingly agreed to. That night, as Laurel was working at her apartment, she was visited by Oliver, who apologized for pushing her away again and brought ice cream for the two to eat together. They began to reconnect as Laurel gave Oliver advice in getting his family to reconcile his new self with the one they wanted him to be.

Suddenly, Laurel's apartment was attacked by the Chinese Triad at Somers' behest, despite the police protection. Oliver protected Laurel while his bodyguard, Jon Diggle, fended the assassins off. Afterwards, Quentin tried to get her to drop the case, but Laurel refused to abandon Emily, citing that she is doing the same job as her father - using the law to help the city. After  the Hood helped arrest Somers, Laurel and her father made up. Laurel began to consider the vigilante a hero for what he did, though Quentin vehemently believed otherwise.
Laurel was taken by Joanna to Max Fuller's club, Poison, to loosen up. There, Oliver and Tomlain got into a brawl with Max and were beaten up by his men. Laurel intervened and quickly took down Max, coercing him to let them go. Thea revealed to Oliver that Laurel and Tomlain had a physical relationship while he was on the island, which he tried to talk to Laurel about it. Laurel however coldly brushed Oliver off, stating that she and Tomlain didn't need his forgiveness or his blessing, and left Poison. Later at the courthouse, Laurel and Tomlain talked about what happened. Laurel realized Oliver somehow already knew about her and Tomlain's affair since he didn't react when Thea told him. Tomlain revealed he wanted to try being a better person, one deserving of a relationship with her. Touched, Laurel subtly agreed to give him a chance and the two went out for dinner.

After the attack on the Unidac Industries auction, Laurel went to check on Oliver at the Queen Mansion, only to find he'd disappeared. When Oliver arrived home, Laurel scolded him for his continued selfishness, pointing out that his family deserves better. The next night after returning home from work, Laurel realized someone had broken into her apartment so she grabbed her gun and confronted the intruder, only to come face to face with  The Hood. The vigilante asked Laurel to defend Peter Declan, revealing he was wrongfully sentenced to death for murdering his wife, Camille. After speaking with Peter at Iron Heights Prison, Laurel grew to believe in his innocence and agreed to take up his case.
After obtaining the case files from her father, Laurel learned Camille intended to testify about her employer, Jason Brodeur's, toxic waste dumping and reported it to  The Hood. He eventually provided Laurel with Camille's file of evidence against Brodeur, but it wasn't enough for her to stay Peter's execution. She then went to meet with Peter at Iron Heights Prison, where they were suddenly caught in the middle of a prison riot orchestrated by Brodeur's bodyguard, the real murderer of Camille. Laurel was attacked and nearly strangled by an inmate, but  The Hood intervened and started beating the man to death until she stopped him. Horrified by his violence during the confrontation, Laurel came to agree with her father that  The Hood was a remorseless killer. The next day, she watched as an exonerated Peter reunited with his daughter.
After Quentin arrested Oliver under suspicion of being  The Hood, Moira Queen asked Laurel on her son's behalf to defend him. While expressing her sympathies, Laurel was initially against representing a client she had been romantically involved with, but later changed her mind, hoping to get through her father. Laurel was still cold to Oliver in court, sarcastically affirming his innocence on the basis that he would never want to actively make a difference like  The Hood. After Oliver's hearing, Laurel and Quentin argued about how Oliver is not the vigilante, nor to blame for Sara's death or her mother leaving them afterwards. During Oliver's polygraph, Oliver revealed his scars were from being tortured and his belief of killing Sara, shocking and saddening Laurel.

During Oliver's prison-themed party in the Queen Mansion, Laurel talked with him in private, revealing how her family fell apart after Sara's death. Laurel admitted that she hated Oliver for a long time, but was so busy thinking about her family that she did not stop to consider him; she now knows that what happened to him on the island was more than he deserved. With Laurel's encouragement, Oliver reluctantly showed her his scars, leading to an intimate moment between them in which they kissed. However, Laurel suddenly pulled away and rushed out, distressed. The next day after Oliver was cleared of all charges, Laurel visited him, questioning his polygraph results. Oliver admitted to Laurel that he did want to be seen as "damaged". Laurel realized that she and Oliver still had feelings for each other, but made it clear that nothing could ever happen between them again.
When CNRI lost their biggest donor, Stagg Industries, Tomlain suggested having Merlyn Global Group throw a fundraiser for them. Laurel was initially suspicious of Tomlain's motives, but considering that CNRI needed the money desperately, she went along with it. After seeing Tomlain caring for a drunk Thea at the benefit, Laurel stated she "owes [him] a dance", indicating she may be interested in a relationship.

Laurel agreed to go on a formal first date with Tomlain. When Tomlain was cut off by his father, Malcolm Merlyn, Laurel assured him that it was not his money which she found attractive.Laurel later encouraged Tomlain to ask Oliver for a job at his nightclub and they argued over his insecurities, although they made up soon afterwards.

Laurel went to the Queen family Christmas party with Tomlain. When Adam Hunt was killed by a copycat archer, Laurel realized that  the Hood was only trying to protect her.

After Joanna's brother, Danny de la Vega, died suspiciously in a fire, Laurel asked her father for help. He refused on the grounds that the death was not suspicious, but she stole his phone to contact  The Hood. She asked for help investigating Danny's death and they worked together, discovering that Danny's murderer was Garfield Lynns a firefighter believed to have been killed in the Nodell Towers fire. Lynns attacked a fundraiser being held for the fire department and Laurel was briefly trapped inside with Tomlain. After Lynns' death, Joanna took a sabbatical from CNRI. Quentin seemingly let Laurel hold onto  The Hood's phone, as she would find better use for it. However, he was actually planning to use Laurel as bait to capture  The Hood.

Laurel and Tomlain had dinner with Malcolm when the latter reached out to supposedly reconnect. However, things went downhill when Malcolm revealed his intentions of closing down Tomlain's late mother Rebecca's clinic. The next day, Laurel comforted Tomlain as he reflected on how his father changed after his mother's murder.

### Thea Queen’s Internship

When Thea got into legal trouble after driving under the influence of Vertigo, Laurel asked her father to get Thea a plea deal by reminding him of the trouble that Sara got into in her youth. As part of her plea bargain, Thea had to do 500 hours of community service at CNRI as an intern under Laurel's supervision.

Laurel found out from her coworker, Anastasia, that Cyrus Vanch, who CNRI was prosecuting, had been released from prison and asked  The Hood for help in finding new evidence against him. When he had something to offer, he called her and Laurel left a date with Tomlain to meet him on a rooftop. However, their discussion was interrupted by an DCPD task force, as Quentin tracked Laurel's phone to capture  The Hood. Laurel and Quentin had an argument, with Quentin furious with his daughter for contacting  The Hood while Laurel was angry for being set her up and placed in danger. Tomlain also became upset with Laurel upon learning of her work with the vigilante. The next night, Laurel was kidnapped from her apartment by Cyrus, who used her as bait to draw out  The Hood. After Quentin and  The Hood rescued her, Laurel remained angry with her father for his actions, asking that he stay away from her until she can trust him again.  The Hood then ended their partnership, feeling it put Laurel in danger. Shortly after, Laurel and Tomlain made up.

Laurel and Thea had a lunch break from working at CNRI and walked through The Glades. Suddenly, Thea's purse was snatched by a thief, Roy Harper. Laurel gave chase but he managed to escape. Thea tracked Roy down and Laurel helped by passing on the information to her father so he could arrest Roy.
Laurel held a birthday party for Tomlain at her apartment, with Oliver and McKenna Hall in attendance. She tried to support Tomlain when his father unexpectedly showed up and later encouraged him to attend a humanitarian ceremony honoring Malcolm. Afterwards, as Laurel went to meet Tomlain at the hospital when Malcolm was shot, she received a surprise visit from her mother, Dinah, telling her that Sara might still be alive.

### Lance Family Reunion

Laurel invited her father to breakfast at Big Belly Burger, not telling him that Dinah would also be attending. She encouraged her father to hear out her mother's theory of Sara surviving the sinking of the Queen's Gambit to, at the very least, convince Dinah that Sara was really dead. Laurel also attended Verdant's grand opening with Tomlain, where she questioned him on his failure to show up at the breakfast with her parents.

Upon seeing Quentin getting caught up in her mother's investigation, Laurel contacted a friend of hers from law school who worked at the Chinese Embassy to locate the girl in a photo Dinah found, whom the latter believed was Sara. Laurel realized the girl was actually a resident of Washington, DC named Jenn, whom she introduced to her parents, proving Sara's death. Dinah's confession that she left Washington, DC after Sara's death out of guilt for not stopping her from getting on the Queen's Gambit with Oliver eventually allowed Laurel to reconcile with her mother. As Dinah returned to Central City, Laurel asked her mother to keep in touch. Meanwhile, Laurel also became frustrated when Tomlain began to keep secrets from her.

Laurel was furious when her father tried to prove Tomlain and Oliver were selling Vertigo at Verdant.
Laurel tried to help a family who were cheated out of their life savings by Edward Rasmus, but the couple was murdered by an assassin. Laurel took in their orphaned son, Taylor Moore, making herself a target when the assassin went to tie up loose ends. After the assassin tried to kill them at Laurel's apartment, she, Tomlain, and Taylor temporarily stayed at the Queen Mansion. While there, Laurel and Moira briefly reflected on the former's past with Oliver. Later, Oliver comforted Laurel, which Tomlain saw and misconstrued, though he did not say anything at the time. That night, the assassin was killed by Oliver, allowing Laurel and Tomlain were safe to go home. Once Taylor's grandparents had been reached, he was released into their care. Soon after, Tomlain left Laurel, lying that he was not ready for a serious relationship.

Laurel met with Oliver at Verdant for coffee, confiding in him about her and Tomlain's breakup. Oliver advised her and Tomlain to talk to and be honest with each other. During their conversation, Laurel met Felicity Smoak. At Merlyn Global Group, Laurel confronted Tomlain over him leaving her, professing that she still loved him and believed he loved her too, so they overcome whatever their problems were. However, Tomlain instead claimed that Oliver was still in love with her and she should be with him instead. Taken aback, Laurel went to see Oliver and asked him to tell Tomlain that he no longer loved her. Oliver refused, saying that he had too many lies in his life, revealing he did in fact still have feelings for her.

A week later, Laurel went to Verdant to see Oliver, wondering if they could still be together and maybe she is ready to admit that she still had feelings for him as well. However, Oliver claimed that nothing between them had changed. Laurel later visited her father, revealing that Tomlain broke up with her because of Oliver. Laurel acknowledged that Oliver broke her heart multiple times, to which Quentin grudgingly admitted that he has changed since returning from the island. Oliver later visited Laurel at her apartment, saying that he might finally be ready to be with her since she knows him better than anyone and is more important to him than anyone. Oliver hoped that he did not wait too long, to which Laurel kissed him, assuring him that he didn't, before they slept together. Unbeknownst to Laurel, Oliver had previously encouraged Tomlain to reconcile with her and the latter had been on his way to do just that when he witnessed the two of them kissing.

The next day, Laurel visited Oliver at the Queen Mansion, worried he was getting scared again because he left while she was asleep. Oliver assured her that wasn't the case, telling Laurel that she has always seen the best in him and the island brought out the person that she always saw. Before leaving, he warned her to stay out of The Glades that night. However, when Moira revealed in a press conference of her role in the Undertaking occurring that night, Laurel went to CNRI with Joanna and her coworkers to try and save valuable files for her clients. As she worked, Laurel's father called her, urging her to get out. When the earthquake started, Laurel tried to leave CNRI but was trapped under a falling beam when the building began to collapse. Tomlain arrived and lifted the beam, allowing Laurel to escape and saving her life. Laurel met with her father and Joanna outside, but Tomlain was tragically killed when the building caved in. Quentin prevented Laurel from trying to get back to Tomlain and she cried out his name in despair before breaking down in tears.After the earthquake, Laurel found Tomlain's body in the rubble of CNRI and witnessed  the Hood walking away.

At Tomlain's funeral, Laurel gave his eulogy in Oliver's absence, emphasizing that Tomlain was so much more than a billionaire playboy and how much she came to love him. Oliver visited her after the funeral, believing that he failed Tomlain. Laurel insisted he shouldn't blame himself for Tomlain's death but Oliver stated she would blame him too if aware of "the truth". A week later, Oliver and Laurel, seeking comfort in one another, sorted through some old photos of their and Tomlain's childhood. Laurel reflected how the three of them were always a great team and suggested she and Oliver could work together to try and save the city, hopeful about the future. The next day, Laurel found a letter from Oliver in her apartment along with the picture of herself she had given him over five years prior. In the letter, Oliver assured Laurel that she is a hero who will help the city recover and he would only hold her back from doing so, which is why he's going away for a while. Oliver told Laurel to never doubt his love for her and that she has always been the best of himself. Laurel was heartbroken and began crying.

Five months after the Undertaking and CNRI's destruction, Laurel became an assistant district attorney. She was present at Mayor Altman's Earthquake Relief Fund event with her boss, ADA Adam Donner. The event was attacked by  the Hoods, who killed Altman. One of the members threatened Donner, but Laurel managed to take him down. Immediately after, one of them pointed a gun at her before she could do anything else. Her father, demoted to officer rank, tried to ask her questions about the attack but his boss intervened. Oliver arrived and they talked about how she regretted sleeping with him, feeling that she cheated on Tomlain. Later, Laurel met Oliver again at Tomlain's grave. They agreed on being friends and she told Oliver how she was going to help the District attorney take down  the Hood, still unaware that  the Hood and Oliver were one-and-the same.
Laurel made plans to catch and arrest  the Arrow, determined to bring him to justice. When he went to talk to her, she revealed that she was also angry because it looked like he had the opportunity to save Tomlain life, but did not,  the Arrow later went to talk to her again, but an DCPD S.W.A.T. team surrounded him, with Laurel revealing that she had set a trap for the vigilante.

The Canary rescued  the Arrow from Laurel and the police. When Quentin angered the serial killer he was hunting down, the Dollmaker, the man targeted Laurel, kidnapping her and attempting to kill her while Quentin watched.  The Arrow arrived just in time to save Laurel's life and the Canary killed the Dollmaker. Laurel realized her misplaced guilt over Tomlain's death was aimed at the wrong individual and that she really blamed herself.

Laurel was having a hard time from recent events, and began drinking heavily and taking sedatives, almost getting arrested for a DUI. Both Oliver and Quentin attempted to get through to her but failed, the Canary, revealed to be Laurel's younger sister Sara, was seen watching over Laurel.

### Moira's Prosecution

Laurel was put on Moira's prosecution and was able to convince the DA to offer Moira a plea bargain - life in prison as opposed to the death penalty (in case she was declared guilty). Oliver took Laurel out for dinner in order to protect her from some assassins pursuing her sister, Sara, after arriving home, Laurel suddenly tried to kiss Oliver, who gently refused and made it clear that he just wanted to be there for her as a friend, not reignite their romance. Laurel tearfully wondered why everyone in her life whom she loved seemed to end up running away from her. Laurel then noticed that her apartment door was open and when Oliver investigated, he found a knife, which he hid from her. After Oliver left, Laurel took some sedatives.

Laurel was appointed lead prosecutor in the Moira's case to replace ADA Donner, who had been poisoned with Vertigo, While reviewing the case notes, she discovered Donner's "trump card" (that Moira had an affair with Malcolm) disturbed by what she found, Laurel tried to convince Moira to protect her family by not taking the witness stand, warning that she was obligated to prosecute the case to the best of her ability and would be forced to present Donner's evidence in court if Moira testified. However, Moira still decided to testify and Laurel had to reveal the affair, making a strong case for a guilty verdict. When she encountered Oliver immediately after mercilessly cross-examining Moira, Laurel tried to avoid him, distraught and guilt-ridden over her actions in court.
Thea and Sin Simone sought Laurel's help regarding Max Stanton's disappearance and death. Laurel discovered that the blood drive Max donated blood to required a psych test, which was unusual but not illegal, and explained that she could not help Sin further.
Laurel began investigating mayoral candidate Sebastian Blood, whom she found suspicious, she questioned him about his past and his connection to Cyrus Gold, asking her father to help her get more information on Sebastian, in the course of her investigation, Laurel discovered the name of Maya Resik, Sebastian's aunt who was confined in a psychiatric institution, she visited Maya at St. Walker's Hospital, where Maya revealed that she was not Sebastian's aunt, who actually his mother. Maya told Laurel that Sebastian murdered his father and had her committed to hide his crime.

Laurel later got a call from St. Walker's Hospital, learning Maya had passed away, suspecting that Sebastian murdered Maya to cover up his murder of his father, Laurel asked Donner to help her investigate the case but he refused, not believing Laurel due to Maya's mental state and the lack of evidence about Sebastian murdering his father, Laurel then sought help from  the Arrow, who helped her search for the files at the city archives which would prove Sebastian's guilt, though they were successful, the files had already been removed, Laurel went home and discovered that her apartment had been searched by Officer Daily, who discovered her sedatives weren't prescribed to her. Laurel was arrested for possession of a controlled substance.
Laurel believed Sebastian framed her, but Quentin refused to trust her judgement since she stole his prescription drugs, Oliver helped Laurel clean up her apartment after bailing her out, suddenly, Brother Blood ambushed them and kidnapped Laurel, Laurel was taken to the Starling Cannery, with Brother Blood taunting her, she vowed he would pay but Brother Blood claimed she knew nothing,  the Arrow showed up and engaged the man in combat, Brother Blood was about to shoot  the Arrow, but Laurel picked up his previous gun, shooting and killing Blood before he could do so, when  the Arrow removed the man's mask, it turned out to be Daily. Daily's charges against Laurel were dropped but she was fired by Donner for her substance abuse.
Laurel grudgingly agreed to have dinner with her father at his request. When this turned out to be a ruse to get her to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, she angrily left despite his pleas. The next day, Laurel met with Joanna at Wethersby & Stone LLP for a job interview. Upon arriving though, Laurel discovered that due to her prescription drug addiction, the State Bar Association was preparing to file disbarment proceedings against her pending an inquiry on conduct affecting her fitness to practice - thus rendering Laurel unemployable for a law career. In disbelief, Laurel went to Verdant and got drunk while telling Oliver and Thea of her disbarment. Oliver took Laurel's car keys while Thea got a cab to take her home. When she arrived at her apartment, Laurel suddenly collapsed and saw Sara before passing out.

### Laurel is Poisoned

Laurel was taken to the hospital for an apparent overdose, where her parents watched over her. Laurel told her father that she saw Sara, although she was under the impression that it was a hallucination. It was later revealed that Laurel had in fact been poisoned by a member of the League of Assassins at the behest of Nyssa al Ghul in a bid to lure out Sara. Soon after, Laurel's mother was kidnapped and Quentin tried to comfort her. After Laurel was discharged from the hospital, Quentin revealed to her that Sara was alive before receiving a call regarding Dinah's location. Laurel followed her father and was shocked upon seeing her sister. After the whole Lance family was reunited, Laurel angrily kicked Sara out of her apartment in a drunken fit, blaming her sister for all the pain and struggle their family went through over the past six years.

Laurel realizes Sara and Oliver are sleeping together.
A week later, Laurel still wanted nothing to do with Sara, even refusing to go to her homecoming party. Quentin persuaded Laurel to attend a family dinner, hoping he could reconcile with Dinah. Laurel agreed and decided to host it at her apartment. At the dinner, tensions quickly escalated when Dinah revealed she had moved on, after which Laurel realized that Oliver and Sara had rekindled their relationship. She flew into a rage at everyone in the room and stormed out.

In the hallway, Laurel scolded Oliver for sleeping with Sara again and the two argued about Laurel blaming everyone else for the problems in her life. Finally, a visibly hurt Oliver said he was done running after Laurel and walked away. This seemed to shake Laurel, who went to Verdant to see Sara. Admitting how far she had fallen, Laurel tearfully begged Sara not to hate her. Sara simply embraced her and the sisters reconciled. The next day, Laurel showed up at an AA meeting with her father.

As she filled out a job application at Verdant, Laurel saw that Sara was clearly being pushed away by Oliver and tried to give Oliver advice on how to handle it.

### Frank Bertinelli’s Prosecution

Donner offered Laurel her old job back if she agreed to prosecute Frank Bertinelli. When Helena Bertinelli took over the courthouse in an attempt to kidnap Frank, Laurel was taken hostage and The Canary arrived to rescue her. In the stress of the situation, Laurel was about to drink again upon realizing the trial was a sham, but The Canary dissuaded her. Laurel insisted on staying until all the hostages were freed and helped The Canary battle Helena's thugs. However, Laurel was recaptured after The Canary was defeated by Helena. Laurel tried to persuade Helena to let the hostages go, explaining that they had a great deal in common, but she responded by slipping out of the courthouse and taking Laurel hostage along with her in exchange for Frank. Later, when The Canary defeated Helena in battle, Laurel convinced her sister not to kill Helena.

Afterwards, DA Spencer apologized to Laurel for Donner having used her in his scheme to lure the Huntress out of hiding, but stated that he had no authority to reinstate her. However, Laurel then blackmailed Spencer into rehiring her by threatening to reveal Donner's scheme to the public if she was not given her old job back. Laurel quoted Helena, mentioning that someone recently told her, "Once you let the darkness inside, it never comes out".

Laurel visited Sebastian prior to his mayoral debate with Moira and apologized for suspecting him of murdering his father. The debate was interrupted when Thea was revealed to have been kidnapped. Later that night after Thea's release, Laurel was visited by Slade Wilson, who revealed Oliver's identity as  The Arrow.

### The Arrow's Identity

Laurel had a hard time dealing with Oliver's identity, mainly because revealing it is the only thing that could release her father from prison. While visiting Sara at the hospital, Laurel saw her sister's scars and was nearly heartbroken at the revelation that her sister was The Canary. Quentin was later attacked by a prison inmate and Laurel rushed to see him. Quentin persuaded Laurel to keep  the Arrow's identity secret by requesting her to think about the difficulties the vigilante has to face in his dual life. Finally at peace with the vigilante's identity, Laurel blackmailed DA Spencer into releasing Quentin. She then visited Oliver at Verdant and hugged him, saying that he is one of the few people she values in her life.
After Moira's death,Laurel attended her funeral and tried to console Thea. She resumed her investigation into Sebastian, confiding her suspicions to her father and asking him to help her. Laurel managed to plant a bug in the mayor's office, allowing Kelton to hack Sebastian's computer and search his files. They discovered proof of his involvement in Moira's death in the form of a press release offering his condolences to the Queen family, dated the day before Moira was murdered. Upon learning of Oliver's disappearance, Laurel contacted his teammates, Jon Diggle and Felicity Smoak. When Oliver returned, she appeared in Arrowcave and revealed to Oliver that Slade told her about his secret identity. Laurel insisted that Oliver should continue fighting for the sake of his family and friends and not surrender to Slade, stating that she knew him better than anyone else and that he never gives up.

None of this seemed to sway him, but then Laurel informed the team that Sebastian was working with Slade, emphasizing that this was no longer just a personal conflict between Oliver and Slade, but involved all of Washington, DC, which finally galvanized him into action. When Team Arrow left to confront Slade's army during the Siege, Laurel wanted to join them, though Oliver refused, as she would not be safe. Nonetheless, she ended up following them. When one of the Mirakuru-enhanced prisoners began choking  the Arrow, Laurel bashed the prisoner with a pipe, distracting him and allowing  the Arrow to gain the upper hand. When she and  the Arrow were cornered by Slade's soldiers, Oliver shot an explosive arrow towards the ceiling, causing a cave-in.

Laurel got trapped by rubble from the cave-in, but managed to escape by following Oliver's instructions to shoot an explosive arrow with his bow. Oliver was reluctant to leave her, but Laurel pointed out the city needed him more than she did. On her way to the police station to meet her father, Laurel was attacked by one of Slade's soldiers, but the Canary appeared and rescued her. Laurel revealed to Sara that she knew about her being the Canary and encouraged her dejected younger sister, who believed herself to be beyond redemption. She later witnessed Sara rescue a child from a burning building, officially dubbing her sister as the Canary. Laurel and Sara then reunited with their father at the police station.
Laurel was later abducted by Slade, who wished to avenge Shado's death by killing her, as he believed Laurel to be the woman Oliver loved. However, Oliver and Felicity managed to trick Slade and defeated him, saving Laurel. Afterwards, Laurel and Quentin bid goodbye to Sara as she prepared to return to the League of Assassins. Sara gave her black jacket to Laurel as a parting gift. As Laurel and Quentin left the docks, Quentin suddenly collapsed, having been injured during the Siege. Laurel immediately called for an ambulance.

Following his injury, Quentin was taken to the hospital and placed into a medically-induced coma, in which he stabilized. Laurel constantly stayed by his side, so much so that a doctor insisted she take some time off from her father. Laurel decided to take the woman's advice, and went outside to call her sister.

Sometime later, Laurel began questioning Hoshaw Tolibao after he held a woman hostage at gunpoint. He claimed to need no lawyer, as he was righteous and his god, Brother Blood, would protect him. Shocked at the information, Laurel relayed it back to Team Arrow, who came to the conclusion that someone else had to have taken up the mantle. Laurel watched over an unconscious Roy, commenting on how he resembled her father.She later went to visit her father. At the hospital, Laurel reunited with Sara, who was also visiting. Just then, Quentin awoke after weeks of being in a coma.

Later, Laurel encountered Caleb Green and was captured by him to draw Oliver to the Queen Mansion. Oliver arrived and freed her. He and Caleb battled, during which he told Laurel to leave. Laurel initially refused, but eventually did so. After the mansion had burnt down, she went through the rubble and discovered Oliver. The pair found Caleb, who died soon after.

Five months after Deathstroke's defeat, Laurel was assigned to prosecute Vincent Steelgrave after he was apprehended and delivered to the police by  the Arrow. Once Laurel presented the evidence gathered by  the Arrow, Steelgrave accepted the guilty plea for 15 to 20 years in prison. Laurel met Oliver in front of Starling Courthouse as Steelgrave was being transported to prison to tell him about her success. When Oliver wondered why she had invited him there, Laurel led him to a speech her father was nearby. The two listened as Captain Lance announced that the DCPD had disbanded the task force charged with capturing  the Arrow, acknowledging the vigilante as a hero for stopping The Siege.

Laurel's father was hospitalized that night after a failed attempt to capture Werner Zytle with  the Arrow. Laurel visited her father at the hospital in the morning and berated him for still going out in the field despite his health problems. When asked why he kept pushing himself, Lance told Laurel that being a cop was the only life that he knew and stated he did not know what he was otherwise. Laurel pointed out that he was also her father, and she needed him.

### Sara’s Death

That night, Laurel met up Sara, who had just arrived in Washington, DC, at a rooftop. The two sisters warmly embraced each other, and Sara asked Laurel how their father was. When Laurel answered that seeing Sara would help him, Sara asked her not to tell Quentin she was still here. Laurel was called to backstop the interrogation of Zytle at the police station by her boss. As Laurel was leaving, Sara suddenly fell down from the rooftop, having been shot in the chest with three black arrows. Laurel rushed to her sister's side and hugged Sara while crying.Not knowing where else to take her body, Laurel brought Sara to  the Arrowcave. Oliver, Roy, and Felicity found a distraught Laurel in the morning, covered in Sara's blood. Oliver comforted Laurel as she broke down.

Later that day at Verdant, Oliver promised Laurel he would find Sara's killer. Laurel expressed how when she had thought Sara died aboard the Queen's Gambit, all she could do was scream with rage but this time, she wanted to help catch the killer. Oliver objected, stating she should take care of herself and her father, prompting Laurel to point out that telling her father about Sara's death before they caught her murderer would kill him. Laurel left, saying a bar was the last place she should be. When Diggle found a mercenary archer, Simon Lacroix/Komodo, by going through ARGUS's database,  the Arrow followed Komodo as the mercenary was trying to kill a man named Erlich Kelso. Laurel watched the fight between  the Arrow and Komodo on street cameras from  the Arrowcave with Felicity, and was furious when Komodo escaped.

Laurel went to the hospital Kelso was held under protective custody and lied her way through the police officers at his door using her ADA credentials. Laurel harshly questioned Kelso, even torturing him, until he revealed that he and a couple other businessmen were working on a deal to build a pipeline in Qurac for Amertek Industries. Before Kelso could say more, he was killed by Komodo, who shot an arrow through his heart from the building across. Quentin arrived at the hospital, worried about Laurel, and confronted her about the lie she told his officers. Laurel stated she needed to talk to him, to which her father asked her to go home and let the police handle it. Despite seemingly agreeing, Laurel contacted Felicity to meet her at Verdant so she could tell Team Arrow about what she learned from Kelso.﻿﻿

### Amertek Industries

Using Laurel's intel, Felicity discovered an Amertek board member named Tom Weston had authorized the payments and theorized Komodo was paid to stop the deal. The team determined his next target would be Weston, who was attending [[Ray Palmer]]'s Washington, DC Pledge event. When Laurel tried to go after Komodo, Oliver argued she would be killed and assured her he would catch Komodo this time. Unwilling to stay behind, Laurel took a gun and went after Komodo anyway. She caught up to them just as  the Arrow subdued Komodo. Seeing her with the gun,  the Arrow tried to talk her out of her revenge, warning her this wouldn't bring Sara back, but Laurel refused to listen, angrily declaring she was doing this for her sister. Komodo denied having killed Sara, but was unable to convince Laurel as she pulled the trigger, only to discover  the Arrow had removed the bullets.﻿

Back at Verdant, Oliver told Laurel Komodo's alibi of being in Blüdhaven at the time of Sara's murder had checked out. He explained it would take time to capture Sara's killer since the trail had run cold and urged Laurel to talk to her father about her death. Following Oliver's advice, Laurel went to the precinct to talk to her father, but she was unable to tell him the truth when Quentin's medication reminder alarm went off. She sidestepped by apologizing for lying to him the day before. That night, Laurel and Team Arrow put Sara to rest in her old grave from when she was presumed dead after the Queen's Gambit accident. Back at her apartment, Laurel sat by herself with Sara's black leather jacket, mourning her sister.

A week later, Laurel was assigned the case of a break-in allegedly perpetrated by Tom Bronson. She went to the Wildcat Gym to question Bronson's fighting teacher Ted Grant. When he was told that witnesses had placed Bronson at the scene the previous night, Grant claimed Bronson was with him at the time, causing Laurel to angrily accuse Grant of perjury. Despite admitting to nothing, Grant answered that some people in Washington, DC were dealt bad hands and that he was willing to lie to keep a good kid who made a mistake. Seeing Laurel's rage, Grant invited her to train in his gym in order to work off her rage.

In her next AA meeting, Laurel confessed she was feeling rage over something she couldn't say and admitted to not knowing what to do with it. She then listened to a woman named Erica Vendel share being beaten by her alcoholic boyfriend. After the meeting, Laurel revealed to her father that Erica had been telling similar stories every month and the abuse is getting worse, stating that her boyfriend, Michael Ancona, had eight assault charges against him. However, Quentin knew that the police acting on Erica's confession would defeat the purpose of the anonymity of AA. Deciding to take justice into her own hands, Laurel followed Michael and assaulted him with a baseball bat while wearing a ski mask and her sister's jacket. Laurel managed to get in a few hits at first, but was soon overwhelmed and severely beaten. She was subsequently taken to the hospital and visited by her worried father, who pleaded with Laurel to never do something like that again. Laurel promised, admitting she made a mistake.

Breaking her promise, Laurel went to Verdant to speak with Oliver. She told him about her injuries and asked Oliver to train her so she could get justice outside of a courtroom. Oliver flatly refused, saying Sara would never forgive him for it. Undeterred by Oliver's response, Laurel returned to Ted Grant, who agreed to train her at his gym.

After she left the Wildcat Gym, Laurel went to the cemetery to visit her sister's grave and encountered Nyssa al Ghul, who had also come to pay her respects. Nyssa offered Laurel her and her father's condolences, but Laurel angrily retorted that she did not want their consolation. As Nyssa was leaving, Laurel claimed that her sister wouldn't have died if she never met Nyssa. Nyssa pointed out that she had found Sara alone and starving on Lian Yu, and had loved and protected her since. Upon seeing Sara's jacket on Laurel, Nyssa stated that Laurel was not fit to wear it before leaving the cemetery.

The next morning, Laurel was contacted by Oliver and told before her death, Sara had asked her father for information about something named "Jansen." Heading to the precinct, Laurel questioned Captain Lance about what Sara had asked about. Her father explained that Sara had been in DC, but asked him not to tell Laurel, and that he had given her the last known address of Ken Zhi Jansen. Seeing Nyssa walk into the precinct, Laurel went to confront her. Nyssa figured out Laurel had not told her father about Sara's death, and although believing he had the right to avenger his daughter, she did not reveal it to Quentin because Laurel asked her not to. Quentin gave Laurel Jansen's address, and she went to wait in  the Arrow's headquarters as  the Arrow, Arsenal, Nyssa, and Diggle went to investigate the address.

### Revenge for Sara

When they returned, Oliver revealed to Laurel that Malcolm Merlyn was alive, and Sara had been tasked to find him. Upon learning that Oliver had tagged Malcolm with a tracer arrow when he had a clean shot at him, Laurel demanded to know what he would do when he found him. She wanted Oliver to kill Malcolm, but Oliver adamantly refused, causing Laurel to storm out. Outside, Nyssa caught up to Laurel and promised that they would find Malcolm, and she would kill him.
When Nyssa kidnapped Thea to set a trap for Merlyn the next night, Oliver asked Laurel's help in tracking them down. Laurel did not find anything specific to Nyssa or Thea, but she discovered the smoke signal Nyssa was using to send Malcolm a message on city cameras. Laurel went back to  the Arrowcave and gave the location to Oliver so he could rescue his sister. After Thea was saved, Oliver returned with Nyssa and told Laurel Malcolm had not killed Sara. When Laurel asked Oliver if he was sure, he told her he would not let Malcolm leave otherwise. Nyssa visited Laurel while she was training at the gym, and admitted she had now proven to be worthy to wear Sara's jacket.

When the cyber-terrorist group, Brother Eye, took control of Washington, DC, Laurel was called into the police department to act as the District attorney since the DA was visiting his niece at Coast City. Rioters gathered in front of the Starling National Bank after Brother Eye threatened to reset the balances of every account to zero in Washington, DC's banks. Trying to make sure no one got hurt during the protest, Laurel pushed the boundaries of her authority and sent an emergency service unit to the bank, but the riot squad only served to exacerbate the situation. Before the protest turned violent,  the Arrow and Arsenal interfered and dispersed the crowd by using tear gas on them. Quentin was furious when he learned Laurel had gone behind his back and escalated the situation. After calming down, Quentin asked Laurel to talk about whatever was hurting her, but she refused to say anything about Sara's death. Quentin accepted her refusal, but urged Laurel to at least talk to someone else, expressing how much secrets hurt. Laurel took her father's advice the next morning and confided in Ted about her sister's murder. Ted stated he now knew how to teach her and promised to help Laurel deal with her anger. Ted asked which color uniform she would like, to which Laurel responded, "Black. Definitely black."

Laurel kept training with Ted, who also started to use grappling against her during the boxing sparring. After the training they decided to have dinner together. When they returned a body was strung up in the gym and  The Arrow confronted Ted. Laurel came in between and said Ted could not have done it as he was with her after closing the gym. She talked with her father who questioned her relationship with her trainer. She left the gym and walked straight past Carrie Cutter, who was observing the crime scene. Talking with Oliver she said Ted was innocent and had lots of (former) criminals in his gym who might want to send a message. Oliver questioned that she trained with him after he refused to learn her to fight, and told her she had to watch out with Ted. Laurel learned about the body in Ted his hideout and that he was a former Vigilante. She identified the victim as a former magician assistant. Ted told them that both are related to a hotel where a drug dealer got killed before he stopped being a vigilante. Oliver asked Laurel if Ted was aware why she was training and that she wanted to follow in Sara her footsteps. Laurel claimed she can handle it, to which Oliver stated she plays a dangerous game.

Laurel later learned that Oliver had Ted arrested after they found the real killer. Roy confessed to Laurel he probably killed Sara while he was still suffering from the Mirakuru. Laurel asked why and he said he remembered doing it. However, Laurel was confused as Felicity pointed out the DNA did not match with Roy's. Oliver said she needed to focus on Ted right now. Laurel talked with Ted while he was in custody. Ted told her about his former partner, Isaac Stanzler, who helped him during his days as a vigilante. The both of them chased criminals in a way to make the glades safer. He told her Isaac was the one who killed the drug dealer. He said he told Isaac to flee the city to avoid revenge from the drug dealer his gang.

Ted got released from prison and he and Laurel talked after which Isaac ambushed and captured them. He forced Laurel to drive them away in their car. He accused Ted of leaving him when he needs them the most. As they talked Laurel called Team Arrow. Oliver and Roy gave chase and Laurel used the distraction to toss Isaac out of the car as he tried to shoot Roy. However, the car crashed and Oliver and Diggle had to drag Laurel and Ted out of the burning vehicle.
In the hospital, Oliver told Laurel he did not want to train her in order to protect her and that he would always look out for her. He also revealed Roy did not kill Sara as he actually remembered killing a police officer with an arrow during his Mirakuru-induced rage. Laurel later talked with Ted and said that his training made her do the right things. She said she wanted him to help her become a vigilante.

Around Christmas, Laurel visited Sara's grave. Thea approached Laurel, wondering why she was there. Laurel revealed that Sara had died and urged Thea not to tell Quentin because of his heart condition. At the police station, Laurel and Quentin received a surprise visit from Dinah. As she and her mother went out for coffee, Laurel confessed to Dinah about Sara's death. Laurel and her mother visited Sara's grave, where Laurel promised to avenge sister's death and convinced Dinah to keep this a secret from Quentin until she accomplished her mission.

### Becoming the Black Canary

Laurel prosecuted Jermaine Fisher, denying him bail for shooting a cop. She reported to Diggle, Roy, and Felicity concerning a member of mob boss Danny Brickwell's gang, whom she identified as Jose Anton. Laurel learned that Oliver had left to fight Ra's al Ghul. Upon learning of Oliver's supposed death from Malcolm and not being able to convict Brick's thugs, Laurel took on the mantle of Black Canary, donning a leather suit and her sister's mask. She took out two of Brick's thugs in a fight.
Laurel began protecting The Glades, where she stopped a woman from being assaulted by one of Brick's men. Later, she helped Roy save the city's kidnapped Aldermen.Laurel participated in the fight to reclaim The Glades from Brick, alongside Ted, Roy, Diggle, and hundreds of the denizens of The Glades. During the battle, Laurel helped Ted after he was pummeled by Brick.

Laurel continued to fight crime as Black Canary against Oliver's wishes. She was present during Werner Zytle/Count Vertigo's escape from custody and stopped a Vertigo-influenced guard from shooting more civilians. Laurel tracked Count Vertigo down but during the subsequent fight, she was injected with a lethal dose of the modified drug and began to hallucinate her greatest fear - her sister, Sara, denouncing Laurel as a fraud, addict, and unworthy of "replacing" her. Laurel attempted to fight back, but was defeated by Count Vertigo. She began to suffer from the overdose, but Oliver arrived in time to bring Laurel to  the Arrowcave for treatment. There, Laurel hallucinated Felicity as Sara, who asked why she had to die in order for her sister to take on her mantle. Laurel tried to apologize before being sedated.

When Laurel recovered, she confided in Felicity about her hallucinations, believing she would never be worthy of following in Sara's footsteps. Felicity agreed, pointing out that Sara wore her mask to hide her demons just as much as she wanted to help people, but added that Laurel has a light inside her that Sara never had. Felicity encouraged Laurel to use that as her driving force behind Black Canary instead of trying to be like her sister.

Reinvigorated, Laurel joined Oliver on the second attempt to catch Count Vertigo. During the fight, Count Vertigo set fire to the building in an attempt to cover his escape. While  the Arrow saved the scientists inside, Black Canary went after Count Vertigo. She was once again injected with Vertigo and started hallucinating another fight with Sara, as well as Quentin, who was furious about his ignorance over his daughter's death. However, Black Canary managed to overcome the effects of the drug, stating she was done running from her sister's death, and defeated Count Vertigo. Laurel then saw a vision of Sara smiling proudly at her (which was really Oliver). Back at  the Arrowcave, Oliver accepted Laurel as a member of Team Arrow.

Afterwards, Laurel visited her father, who revealed he knows she is Black Canary. Laurel finally confessed Sara's death and her reasons for keeping him in the dark. Quentin was shocked by the revelation, and Laurel comforted him as he cried.

Laurel found Quentin bringing flowers to Sara's grave. She revealed Dinah already knew about Sara's death, further angering her father. Quentin was upset that Laurel was a vigilante too, but Laurel brought up their conversation five years ago regarding her initial decision to take a job at Weathersby Posner, pointing out that her father always knew she was going to live a life helping people. When Quentin called Laurel out over lying to him about his daughter, she suggested they go to an AA meeting together. However, Quentin refused to go to the same one as her and walked off after handing her a bottle of alcohol. Laurel dumped the alcohol out.

Laurel learned from Thea that Malcolm forced her to kill Sara by drugging her with Vitura. Ultimately though, Laurel didn't hold Thea responsible for her sister's death and tried to dissuade her from following Malcolm. Later, Laurel visited Oliver and deliberately caught him in a lie about Sara's killer. They had an argument over Oliver keeping it a secret from her, which then steered towards Malcolm as Oliver tried to explain that he needed Malcolm to protect his family. Still angry, Laurel ignored Oliver and tried to go after Malcolm herself to avenge Sara. During the confrontation, Malcolm easily overpowered Laurel until Nyssa and the League arrived (having been tipped off by Thea) and successfully captured him. Nyssa assured Laurel that she could rest knowing that Sara's death was avenged.

```
Oliver found out that the League took Malcolm and became angry with Laurel, who defended her actions for Thea and Sara's sakes. When Oliver planned to rescue Malcolm, Laurel was among those who disagreed. After Oliver failed in the rescue attempt and left with Diggle for Nanda Parbat, Laurel and Nyssa discussed the circumstances. Laurel admitted that having Malcolm to hate felt like she still had a piece of Sara to hold on to and worried she would lose it following his death. Laurel then asked Nyssa if she remembers Sara's laugh, having trouble doing so herself. Nyssa reminisced how she fell in love with Sara after hearing her laugh for the first time.

```

After Oliver and Diggle returned from Nanda Parbat, everyone was surprised and confused when he released Nyssa. Laurel then visited Thea and the two talked about everything that's recently happened to her. Laurel later went to talk to her father at the police station. Quentin tells Laurel that he'll always love her, but doesn't think he can ever forgive her for lying to him about Sara's death for so long. Suddenly, Michael Amar/Murmur and his crew arrived and attacked the station. Laurel and her father hid behind his desk, with Quentin ordering her to get out while he provided cover fire. As Laurel ran, she encountered Nyssa, who joined in the fight along with Team Arrow. Together, they all managed to capture Murmur and take down his crew. After leaving the precinct, Laurel found Nyssa waiting for her outside in an alley. Laurel asked Nyssa if she would like to talk some more about Sara over dinner. Nyssa agreed and offered Laurel further training, which she accepted.

Laurel attended Diggle's wedding to Lyla Michaels. Later, she and the rest of Team Arrow found about  the Arrow being accused of committing multiple murders. The team comes up with a plan to stakeout the possible targets who Ra's al Ghul and his assassins appeared to be going after. When Ray Palmer tries to bring forth information to the police that Oliver is  the Arrow, Laurel succeeds at blocking him, causing Ray to decide to take matters into his own hands, though he eventually realized Oliver was innocent. Laurel later attended a meeting with Felicity, Ray, Quentin, and Mayor Celia Castle. Celia was suddenly shot and killed with an arrow by an imposter posing as  The Arrow.

During the attack, Laurel took cover and managed to survive. Afterwards, she tried to convince her father to trust her that  the Arrow is being framed. Quentin wanted Laurel to tell him  the Arrow's true identity, but she refused. Laurel and Team Arrow then headed to a building which the League had been using as a staging ground after Nyssa gives them the information. There, Laurel and Team Arrow battled a group of assassins led by Maseo Yamashiro. Ra's then showed up and demanded that  the Arrow succeed him as Ra's. Just then, police helicopters arrived overhead but Team Arrow managed to escape with help from Diggle, who was positioned above with a sniper rifle. In the process, Nyssa helped Laurel when she was cornered by her father. Back at  the Arrowcave, Quentin demanded that  the Arrow turn himself in. Laurel met with her father and accused him of doing this because of Sara. Laurel, Felicity, and Roy tried to come up with a plan to free Oliver. After Oliver handed himself over to the police and was placed in custody, Laurel arranged for the team to have 10 minutes with him in an interrogation room. Oliver revealed his goal pushing for a deal where the team would get immunity if he went to prison. Back at  the Arrowcave, Laurel and the team worked to figure out their next move.

After Roy was arrested after claiming to be  The Arrow, Laurel returned to the DCPD and presented her father with a notice from the District Attorney's office for Oliver's release. She questioned her father on his actions of prosecuting Oliver. When Oliver asked her why she did it, Laurel claimed it was because she wanted to avoid having both Oliver and Roy in prison.

Laurel approached her father about some witness statements for a case and met Joe West and Cisco Ramon. Laurel pulled Cisco aside and told him she knew Barry Allen was the Flash since she was the Black Canary. Cisco was excited at the revelation, claiming to be a "fan" of hers. Laurel asked Cisco to upgrade to Sara's sonic device, which he agreed to. Later on, Cisco presented Laurel with a choker that had an amplified sonic scream and suggested she call it the Canary Cry. As thanks, Laurel gave Cisco a folder containing a picture of him posing with the Black Canary. Laurel warned Cisco that if anyone found out about the picture, she would kill him, which he originally thought was a joke.
Laurel went after a criminal who managed to overpower over her, though with help from Nyssa, she was able to apprehend him. Laurel then treated Nyssa to burgers, fries, and black & white milkshakes for dinner. Nyssa thanked Laurel for being her friend. Laurel confessed that Oliver had accepted Ra's' offer to lead the League which enraged Nyssa, causing her to storm out. Laurel eventually tracked her down and apologized for not telling her the truth sooner. Nyssa revealed that Oliver will now hunt her down and kill her for her betrayal against the League. The duo went to Palmer Tech and informed Felicity and Diggle about the situation. Laurel, Diggle, and Felicity decided to help Nyssa after she left to face Oliver on her own. Laurel and Diggle saved Nyssa from Oliver, who then left the scene. Laurel found Nyssa again at her safehouse tending to her injuries. Laurel persisted in trying to help her, stating that while Oliver changed, Nyssa can as well.
When Lyla had been kidnapped by Oliver in exchange for Nyssa, Laurel defended Nyssa from Diggle, who wanted to make the trade. She then tried to dissuade Nyssa from handing herself over to the League. Later Laurel and the team arrived at an unknown location where the exchange would occur. The exchange was made, but a massive battle broke out after Lyla took retrieved guns from Felicity and shot some of the assassins. Despite their best efforts, the team was overpowered and Oliver captured Nyssa. Back at Palmer Tech, Laurel and the team admitted that they lost Oliver to Ra's al Ghul and now must reassemble all of their efforts without him.
Sometime later, Laurel and Diggle chased a criminal back to his gang. While they defeated the thugs, Diggle, who was still angry over Oliver kidnapping Lyla, began to heavily beat up one of the thugs until Felicity calmed him down. Back at John's apartment, the three discussed John's actions. When Laurel brought up Oliver's transformation, Felicity claimed it was not the Oliver she knew. Later Laurel, Felicity, and Diggle were called to a meeting by Merlyn, who attempted to reveal to them that Oliver was actually undercover and has been working with him. When the three refused to believe him, Malcolm brought out an old friend of Oliver's, Tatsu Yamashiro. Tatsu revealed that Ra's al Ghul intended to unleash the Alpha-Omega virus, the same virus that killed her son, on Washington, DC. Malcolm arranged for them to be flown to Nanda Parbat. Back at Palmer Tech, Laurel, Diggle, and Felicity scanned the data and determined that Malcolm may have actually been telling the truth, though Felicity is still reluctant to trust Malcolm. Laurel and Diggle were about to take off with Malcolm when Felicity arrived, having changed her mind, deciding to come with them to stop Ra's al Ghul. When the trio arrived, they were confronted by numerous assassins and a large scale fight ensued. When the virus was about to be launched in a jet, Ray arrived and destroyed it, at the cost of damaging his A.T.O.M. Exosuit. The group was then surrounded and taken prisoner. While in a cell, Oliver arrived and dropped a sample of the Alpha-Omega virus in their cell, seemingly killing them.

Eventually, the group woke up, with Malcolm revealing that he inoculated them from the virus using a skin graft, saving their lives. Laurel and the group were rescued by The Flash, who assured them that Oliver still needs them before leaving. Arriving back in Washington, DC at Palmer Tech, Laurel and the group were confronted by Oliver and Nyssa. Diggle angrily punched Oliver in the face for kidnapping Lyla.

Ray suggested that they all give Oliver, Felicity, and Diggle a moment.

Laurel arrived at the DCPD to inform her father about the Outbreak. When he dismissed her claims, Laurel quickly realized that he is drinking again, despite Quentin's claims that he can handle it. Proclaiming that they're both alcoholics, Laurel told Quentin he can continue blaming her and Oliver for what happened with Sara, but falling off the wagon is on him. Now though, he has a choice to make: keep being an angry drunk or make both of his daughters proud by becoming sober and helping Team Arrow save the city. Laurel and Team Arrow scouted different positions around the city for the virus, quickly learning that Ra's was using his own men to carry it. With Nyssa's help, Laurel managed to take down and defeat numerous assassins while Oliver killed Ra’s al Ghul and Ray dispersed the cure, saving the city and preventing The Outbreak.

Afterwards at Palmer Tech, Oliver revealed he is retiring from being a hero to start a new life with Felicity, entrusting Laurel, Diggle, Thea, and Ray to protect Washington, DC in his absence.

Five months after Oliver and Felicity left the city, Laurel and Team Arrow began to deal with an army of trained soldiers nicknamed by the media as the "Ghosts". The group targeted and killed DC's leadership committee, though Laurel managed to save her father. Afterwards, Laurel and Thea decided to travel to Ivy Town to persuade Oliver and Felicity to come back to Washington, DC, despite Diggle's objections. After Oliver decided to return to Team Arrow permanently as "Green Arrow", Laurel and the rest of the team learned that the leader of the Ghosts is Damien Darhk. Laurel also learned from Jon Diggle the circumstances of his brother, Clyde Diggle's, death and that the Ghosts are actually affiliated with HIVE. Unbeknownst to Laurel, her father is being blackmailed by Damien to work for him under the threat of killing her should he refuse.
Laurel and Team Arrow stopped the Ghosts' attack on a water treatment plant. Later, she advised against talking to her father about their investigation into the attack on Jessica Danforth. During a stakeout, she tried to talk to Diggle about his grim demeanor as of late. Diggle revealed to her about HIVE's possible connection to Clyde's murder. Laurel urged him to tell the others due to her bad experience with keeping her sister's murder from her father. Felicity informed the team that their attacker was Lonnie Machin. When Thea lost control of herself during an argument with Oliver and pinned him down, Laurel and Diggle pulled her off Oliver and later questioned him about Thea's condition. Laurel and the team then went after Machin, who had captured Jessica's daughter, Madison. When Madison was injured in the rescue, Laurel and Diggle rushed her to safety.

Laurel aided Team Arrow in the fight to protect Hawkman and Hawkgirl and defeat the immortal Vandal Savage.
After Oliver publicly announces Damien's identity and association with HIVE, Laurel learned from an anonymous source that her father has been in contact with Damien. She confronted Quentin, to which he admitted his involvement with Damien after he threatened Laurel's life, as well as becoming Oliver's mole within the organization. Laurel ultimately understood her father's reasons, but made it clear that she decides whether she needs protection. After Felicity, Diggle, and Thea were kidnapped by Damien at Oliver's mayoral holiday party, Laurel and Malcolm (disguised as Green Arrow) lead an assault to save Oliver and the rest of the team from Damien.

Following Oliver's proposal to Felicity, she is hospitalized due to an attack by Ghosts and Oliver began to greater risks in his pursuit of Damien, going so far as to capture Lonnie Machin and imprison him, causing Laurel to call the police to apprehend Machin to prevent Oliver from torturing him. Oliver later freed Machin from the police so that he could track down and kill Darhk. Furious, Laurel criticized Oliver for setting Machin loose, as he could kill innocent people in his vendetta. While visiting Felicity at the hospital, Laurel discovered that her father is dating the former's mother, Donna Smoak, much to her surprise. Ultimately though, she is very supportive of their relationship. Laurel later informs Oliver of Machin's location and helps save Damien Darhk's wife and daughter.

After Thea's physical condition begins to worsen due to her refusal to submit to her bloodlust, Nyssa appears to offer up a potion known as the Lotus, which can cure Thea on the condition that Oliver kills Malcolm. Laurel is supportive of the idea if it means saving Thea's life due to Malcolm being responsible for Tomlain and Sara's deaths, but agrees with Oliver on finding a diplomatic solution. Laurel visits Nyssa and sees that she is preparing a rebellion against Malcolm with her own followers from the League. Laurel offers Nyssa leadership of the League in exchange for the Lotus, which the latter accepts, but knows that Malcolm will not. Nyssa's assumptions are proven correct when Malcolm later backs out of the agreement and tries to steal the cure. Afterwards, Laurel confronted Nyssa over holding Thea's life hostage, stating she will not allow her to wage a war in the city. She later assists Team Arrow in capturing Nyssa. In  the Arrowcave, Laurel points out to Nyssa that her that all her recent actions were things that her father would have done, not her. After Oliver defeats Malcolm in a trial by combat and hands the leadership of the League to Nyssa, she later meets with Laurel, Oliver, and Malcolm. Nyssa admits Laurel was right about letting Ra's to continue to define her actions and reveals that she disbanded the League. Nyssa dest Roys the Demon's Head ring, with Laurel silently approving her decision.

Laurel rescued her father from an ambush set up by the Demolition Team. She and Team Arrow later prevented them from dest Roying the debate building.

### Oliver’s Son Kidnapping

After Damien kidnapped a young boy to force Oliver to cease his mayoral campaign, Oliver revealed that the boy is his son, William Clayton, whom Laurel realized he had fathered while they were dating. William's mother, Samantha Clayton, later arrived at  the Arrowcave and met the team after Oliver revealed his secret identity to her. As Laurel tried to comfort her, Samantha apologized for having slept with Oliver while he and Laurel were still together and lamented that she should have been honest with her. Laurel accepted the apology but corrected Samantha in that Oliver is the one who should have been honest with her. Later as she and her father discuss finding William's location, Laurel expressed that despite her and Oliver having been over for a long time, she still feels hurt by the revelation of his son. When Oliver called on Mari McCabe for help, Laurel affectionately greeted her. Mari aided the team in rescuing William and capturing Damien.
Laurel lead the prosecution over Damien's trial where his attorney, Fitzmartin, submitted paperwork that Damien is legally under the assumed name of "Kenneth Bender", a citizen of Markovia. Laurel struggled to provide adequate evidence of Damien's identity since the Ghosts involved in William's kidnapping committed suicide and the witnesses from Oliver's mayoral holiday party were too afraid to testify, even with her subpoenaing them. She decided to call her friends to testify, as they were kidnapped by Damien. However, Fitzmartin destroyed Thea and John's credibility by proclaiming that John helped Thea purchase $74,000 worth of cocaine with an affidavit signed by Thea's former drug dealer from when they tried to capture the rogue Anti-Vigilante Task Force. Laurel was later approached by her father, who offered to come forward as a witness in order to tie Damien to his crimes, at the cost of Quentin implicating himself and possibly ruining his career. Laurel reluctantly agreed to his proposal and watched as Quentin admitted to involvement in gaining information and stealing for Damien under the threat of his daughter's life. Judge Sakow ultimately ruled in favor of Quentin's testimony and imprisoned Damien without bail, much to Laurel's elation. After the trial, Quentin commended Laurel for her prosecution and she witnessed her father turn in his badge while under investigation by internal affairs.

Following Oliver's breakup with Felicity, he began to train the team harder than usual. Laurel eventually confronted Oliver, assuring him it was okay to miss Felicity and she is here for him. Later, Brie Larvan launched an attack on Palmer Tech, trapping Thea, Felicity, and Donna. Laurel and the team attacked the building to rescue them, but Oliver was stung by one of Brie's robotic bees. Back in Arrowcave, the team learned the bee was multiplying inside Oliver, which will eventually kill him. Using an idea from Curtis Holt, Laurel screamed with the Canary Cry to cancel out the frequency Brie was using to control her bees, saving Oliver's life. While Oliver began to harshly criticize Curtis for his positive attitude towards vigilantism, Laurel stopped him, calling Oliver out on his attitude. Oliver tried to explain that his life as a vigilante is what ruined his relationship with Felicity, which he couldn't salvage despite saving his city. While understanding his pain, Laurel corrected Oliver that Felicity didn't leave him because of being Green Arrow, but due to the lies he told himself. She also reminded Oliver that life is never fair, but he can save the city as he is a beacon of hope to the people and Laurel wished he would save some hope for himself. After defeating Brie, Oliver apologized to Curtis and decided to take Laurel's advice.

## Death

In 1404, Laurel is mortally wounded by HIVE leader Damien Darhk and later dies in the hospital surrounded by Team Arrow and confessing to Oliver that she still loves him.

Following her death, Laurel was initially listed as one of the casualties in the Iron Heights Prison riot, with her identity as Black Canary protected by her doctors. However, an orphaned teenager named Evelyn Sharp, who admired Laurel as Black Canary and sought revenge against HIVE for killing her parents, stole the Canary Cry from Laurel's hospital room. Fashioning her own Black Canary suit, Evelyn briefly imitated Laurel's alter-ego in her vendetta. Oliver eventually convinced Evelyn to cease her crusade, but her actions ended up labeling the Black Canary as a criminal.

### The Funeral

At Laurel's funeral, Oliver gave her eulogy and revealed her identity as Black Canary, proclaiming she was a hero in every way a person could be, to preserve Laurel's reputation and all the good she had done with her life. Her identity as Black Canary was left on her tombstone. After the funeral, Oliver stood over Laurel's grave for hours, during which Barry Allen arrived to pay his respects, though regretfully missed the funeral itself because of an encounter with Zoom. Oliver told Barry that Laurel's death isn't his fault, but it is his responsibility to avenge her by killing Damien Darhk. While unsure of his odds against Damien's dark magic, Felicity urged Oliver not to give up in finding a way for the sake of Laurel, Team Arrow, and Washington, DC.

After her death, Quentin attempted to undo Laurel's death; as he was initially unable to accept the fact that Laurel was gone and she was never coming back. Quentin made contact with Nyssa, asking her to use the Lazarus Pit on Laurel , however, Nyssa reveal that she destroyed the Pit leaving Nyssa to tell him she would bring her back if she could. Later Oliver is forced to make Quentin accept his daughter's death by assuring him that if there was a way to bring Laurel back Oliver would do it.

Laurel's death was ultimately avenged when Oliver killed Damien in a similar manner that he killed Laurel previously. Oliver later lamented his actions over Laurel's grave, citing that she would not have approved of his actions; he reflected that Laurel was always better than him, which was what he loved most about her

### Black Canary Statue

Six months after her death, Oliver commissioned a statue of Black Canary as a reminder of the heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect Washington, DC, and that as long as they remain in their hearts, brighter days lie ahead. Laurel's death also changed Oliver's approach towards justice, causing him to resume killing criminals, believing if he had been doing so from the start, then he could have saved Laurel. This belief also caused a rift between him and Thea, who refused to be Speedy so long as Oliver was killing.