CW's Arrow Season 3 will see the addition of Matt Ward as supervillain Komodo, who will appear in the second episode of the season. The actor participated in minor roles for films that include Tron: Legacy and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem.
According to Arrow showrunner Marc Guggenheim, Ward's character is a mercenary who goes by the name Komodo while on assignment. Unlike Slade Wilson, Komodo will only appear in one episode. Still, Guggenheim maintains that the villain will remain relevant to the series long after his departure.
"Yes, he's the villain-of-the-week for the second week of the show," Guggenheim explained on Entertainment Weekly. "But, you'll see that Team Arrow's pursuit of him is part and parcel of a season-long storyline. You're going to know what happens to Komodo at the end of the episode, but it will be a little bit tied in better with the season-long mythology than villain-of-the week episodes have done in the past."
Even so, diehard comic fans may not be appeased by Guggenheim's reassurances, as it appears CW has greatly departed from the original source material. Also, the character has been relegated to a relatively minor role in the series.
Based on the original comic books that inspired the TV show, Komodo is a ruthless businessman who actually goes by the name Simon Lacroix. Using his vast intelligence, the villain balances his time between being a corporate leader and a criminal mastermind.
Lacroix is also well-versed in the art of archery and hand-to-hand combat. Whenever Lacroix takes to the streets, he dons the mask supervillain Komodo. Much like the Dark Archer, he is one of Oliver Queen's greatest adversaries.
Matt Ward is not the only actor who was recently added to the ever-expanding Season 3 lineup. In early August, CW confirmed actor David Cubitt was joining the show as Mark Shaw. In the DC comics, Shaw also goes by the moniker Manhunter.
Arrow Season 3 is scheduled to premiere on Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 8/7c on the CW network.
