'Arrow' Season 4 flashback backlash worries producers; secret behind Bratva tattoo to be revealed

The producers are aware of the backlash from the fans because of the lacklustre flashback scenes in “Arrow” Season 4. However, the fans will have to endure the flashback scenes as they will eventually start the highly anticipated Bratva tattoo storyline.

At the Writers Guild Festival, Executive Producer Marc Guggenheim pointed out that the first three years of the TV series focused on showing the big difference between Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) of present day and Oliver from five years ago, TV Line reports. Recognising that the flashback scenes are not that appealing in the current season, the producer explained that they had already planned to tell the flashback story in five years.

The producer admitted that this year, they “struggled” with the fact that they are no longer showing how different Oliver was five years ago, which was an interesting element of the flashback scenes. Executive Producer Wendy Mericle said that they tried to ensure that the flashback scenes were “emotionally and thematically connected” to the current storyline.

The writers also “experimented with having them not speak to what’s going on currently” in “Arrow” Season 4. Fans who are hoping to see the flashback scenes go away will be disappointed to know that the producers are choosing to continue using flashbacks to tell the story.

“The way we write the story is still very much married to that backstory, and trying to change it up at this point would feel weird,” Mericle explained. However, the producers promised that the flashback scenes will be more “engrossing and focused” going forward.

“Arrow” Season 4 is inching towards the finale and the one aspect that the fans can look forward to later is the Bratva tattoo storyline. While the current season looks at Damien Darhk’s idol, the next season may reveal how Oliver got the tattoo and how he learned to speak Russian, the producers teased.