Arrow Season 3 Spoilers: Katie Cassidy, Emily Bett Rickards in Special Episodes; Black Canary Reborn Twist and Mystery Character Coming

"Arrow" Season 3, Episode 1 is hurting lead actor Stephen Amell, who plays Oliver Queen, aka The Arrow. The actor's posts on his social media pages hint at filming challenges and superb premiere episode. Meanwhile, fans will know more about the characters being by portrayed Katie Cassidy (known as the future Black Canary) and Emily Bett Rickards. And one additional character has yet to be announced.

Spoiler alert: This feature contains Arrow Season 3 spoilers and updates. Read at your own risk.

"Episode 47 of Arrow [Arrow Season 3, Episode 1] and my daughter's head cold forced me to get an IV this morning," Stephen Amell reported on Facebook, implying he is simply not allowed to get sick while filming the show's premiere episode.

"My body hurts from Episode 301. You know what helps? Drinking beer in Montana," Amell posted in a separate Facebook update. This tells fans that the Arrow Season 3 premiere special is demanding a lot from Amell. Who could be the first nemesis The Arrow has to face on the show's third year - Malcolm Merlyn (John Barrowman, new series regular)?

Oliver Queen obviously has a new sort-of official member on Team Arrow. He's got Roy Harper (Colton Haynes), Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards), and John Diggle (David Ramsey). Toward the end of Arrow Season 2, Laurel Lance (Katie Cassidy) joins him on the field, too. What's next for Laurel?

"One of the things we're most excited about is Laurel's story. Everything that we've been gearing up for, for the last 46 episodes, will come to fruition," Arrow show boss Marc Guggenheim told TVLine's Matt Webb Mitovich.

Dinah Drake and Dinah Laurel Lance both take the Black Canary alter ego at different points in the timeline of the DC Comics universe. From Arrow Season 1 premiere, however, DC fans were sure Laurel Lance eventually becomes the Canary.

Many were shocked when Caity Lotz got the Black Canary/Sara Lance role after the freshman year of the series inspired by DC Comics. However, toward the end of Arrow Season 2, Sara symbolically passes the role to her sister Laurel, thus completing the Black Canary origin story.

Fans are assuming that when Mr Guggenheim uses the phrase "everything that we've been gearing up for" in relation to Laurel Lance, then he is talking about the "rebirth" of the Black Canary. Katie Cassidy is expected to don the Black Canary costume in Arrow Season 3. Still, another twist may be coming the viewers' way.

Guggenheim dished Laurel remains an attorney in the beginning of Arrow Season 3, "and there will be some interactions with a new character that we haven't announced yet." Mystery character, no further clues. Who could he or she be?

The mystery character with Laurel connections couldn't be The Atom aka Ray Palmer, who will be portrayed by Brandon Routh. The Atom's casting has been announced. Two, Ray's romantic connection, according to reported spoilers, is with Emily Bett Rickards' Felicity Smoak.

EBR, as fans fondly call Rickards, posted this behind-the-scene photo on Instagram to tease fans of things and people to come in Arrow Season 3.

Guggenheim also told TVLine Felicity's backstory will be told in Arrow Season 3. He acknowledged it has been a long time coming, but added, "That script is getting worked on as we speak."

Arrow Season 3 premieres on The CW on Oct. 8, according to this report on hitflix.com.

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