Arrow might set a new ratings record when episode 216 ("Suicide Squad") airs next Wednesday on The CW, Fool contributor Tim Beyers says in the following video.
Arrow has long since established itself as a springboard for introducing DC Comics characters. Source: Tim Beyers/The Motley Fool.
What makes this particular episode special? Not only is it the series introduction to the all-villain team known as The Suicide Squad, but if the rumors are to be believed, popular Batman adversary Harley Quinn could also make an appearance.
Speculation began shortly after this preview hit YouTube. About seven seconds in, you see a woman who, from the rear, resembles the villain originally known for falling in love (and teaming up with) The Joker. She's since come into her own, and today is the star of a top-10 selling comic book. The inaugural issue of "Harley Quinn" sold more than 90,000 copies in December, according to data compiled by The Comics Chronicles.
Actress Cassidy Alexa appears briefly in the promo for "Suicide Squad," leading to speculation that she may appear as the Batman villain Harley Quinn. Sources: ComicBook.com, YouTube.
With numbers like that, you can bet Time Warner (TWX) executives would love for her to make an appearance on Arrow. How likely is it to happen? ComicBook.com asked Arrow co-creator Marc Guggenheim. His cagey response -- "To paraphrase Aaron Sorkin: There's gonna be an episode of Arrow. I'd watch" -- seems to be a reference to the acclaimed finale of season two of The West Wing, "Two Cathedrals," which Sorkin teased using the very same phrase.
So, something big is planned. Whether it's a new character or plot twist doesn't matter. Guggenheim and Arrow co-creators Andrew Kreisberg and Greg Berlanti have delivered plenty of both throughout season two, with more coming now that the pilot for The Flash is filming in Canada. A year full of franchise-building, in other words. Neither fans nor investors can (or should) ask for more, Tim says.
