Arrow season 3 episode 12: Oliver returns to Starling City, Dark Archer origins revealed

Arrow makes its much-awaited return to Starling City in the upcoming episode of Arrow season 3 titled 'Uprising'. Fans of the popular show have been waiting for Oliver to return and be back in action, after his presumed death at the hands of Ra's al Ghul.

Arrow's timing couldn't have been any better with Malcolm Merlyn having joined Team Arrow under false pretence.

The official description for 'Uprising' reveals that Team Arrow must look for help from an unlikely source - Malcolm Merlyn. The description also reveals that Malcolm's journey toward becoming the Dark Archer will be told in flashbacks, reports Mstars.

The synopsis for Arrow season 3, episode 12 reads:

Still operating without Oliver (Stephen Amell) and desperate to stop Brick (guest star Vinnie Jones), Team Arrow is forced to consider Malcolm's (John Barrowman) offer to help shut Brick down as Malcolm has a personal score to settle with the felon. Roy (Colton Haynes) and Laurel (Katie Cassidy) point out that the team could use some help to save the innocents of The Glades, but Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) is adamantly against it. They look to Diggle to make the final decision.

Meanwhile, the flashbacks chronicle Malcolm's fall from a kind-hearted father and husband to a cold-blooded killer after the murder of his wife.

The show's lead star Stephen Amell also teased a partnership of sorts, when Arrow returns. According to Amell, Arrow may get some help from someone he would definitely not want to be working with.

Speaking with Variety, Amell stated, "I think [Arrow] comes back [to Starling City] a little more soft-spoken, a little humbled and forced to do things and work with people that he never would have considered working with before. I wouldn't go so far as to say he has to make a deal with the devil, but pretty close."

'Uprising' airs on Wednesday, 4 February at 8pm ET on The CW.

You can click here to watch the episode online on the CW official website.

Update: The CW has released the first image of Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh) in the Atom suit, which he will put on for the first time in episode 15, titled 'Nanda Parbat', which airs on 25 February. Check it out below: