SDCC 2017: 3 burning questions we have for Arrow & more

Warner Bros. Television has revealed its SDCC schedule for this year, and it’s full of reasons to get excited. Expect lots of men (and women) in tights.

Every July, geeks descend on San Diego to get the latest scoop on their favorite shows, movies, and comics firsthand. Nearly 50 years old, SDCC remains a pop culture mecca, attracting high-profile guests and countless web pages of publicity with its panels, screenings, and presentations. As the line-up rolls out, the 2017 edition looks no different.

On Thursday, the television branch of Warner Bros. announced its schedule with a shamelessly attention-grabbing video. Because everyone knows the only thing cuter than puppies is puppies wearing outfits. (The Flash one is my personal favorite.)

Besides that, what stands out to us is all those superheroes. Seriously, 10 separate superhero-related properties will appear at SDCC this year. It makes sense, considering the event originated as an actual comic book convention. But it’s also proof that, despite occasional complaints of “superhero fatigue”, caped crusaders will continue to dominate the entertainment industry for the foreseeable future.

You can read descriptions of each event at the Comic Book Review link above. Instead of just reiterating that information, we want to try something fun. Here are three things we hope Warner Bros. Television addresses during SDCC 2017:

Arrow: Who’s on the show?

The cornerstone of DC’s CW-verse ended its fifth season on a shocking, potentially devastating note: the island of Lian Yu blew up – with every major character other than protagonist Oliver Queen on it. But we can assume Arrow won’t completely overhaul its cast for season 6. For one, actors Katie Cassidy, Juliana Harkavy, and Rick Gonzalez got promoted to series regulars. So, who survived the explosion? And how? If it were up to us, everyone would still be alive. It isn’t, though, and that would probably be terrible storytelling anyway. Suffice to say, the suspense is killing us.

Supergirl: Will Lex Luthor ever appear?

Look, I get it. Like its heroine, Supergirl has worked hard to separate itself from its more famous counterpart, Superman. At this point, though, the show has successfully established its own identity, thanks to its charismatic cast, rom-com sensibility, and emphasis on girl power; there is nothing left to prove. Why not introduce Lex Luthor or Lois Lane? Frankly, the constant nods to characters we never see verge on distracting. Lex’s absence is especially conspicuous, since he informs so much of Lena’s personality. With Lena becoming a major player in season 3, keeping Lex out of sight is only going to get more difficult.

Westworld: How will season 2 be different?

Hey, something that has nothing to do with superheroes! Westworld could have worked perfectly well as a one-and-done miniseries; it told a more or less self-contained story, showing the hosts’ journey toward consciousness. It will be interesting to see where the show goes from here. While the clinical mood and reliance on exposition made sense for season 1, we hope season 2 changes things up. Perhaps it will be more action-oriented, with the hosts now in open revolt. Perhaps it’ll expand the world (Samurai World, anyone?). No matter what, we’re sure showrunners Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy have some trick up their sleeves.

A side note: Shannon Woodward is listed as part of the Westworld SDCC panel, which seems to confirm that Elsie isn’t dead after all.

San Diego Comic-Con 2017 will last four days, starting July 20.

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