In the latest episode of the CW superhero drama series Arrow, an important character just came out as gay, and gay fans are delighted.
Spoiler Alert: Now in its seventh season, the show revealed that the main character’s son, William, has an ex-boyfriend, establishing his gayness (or possible bisexuality).
Whether you’re not watching the show or not, this reveal is a little complicated. You see, a younger version of William has been on the show since 2015, but in Season 7, Arrow introduced an older version of William who exists sometime in the future.
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In the most recent episode, William tells Roy Harper (a super heroic vigilante played by gay actor Colton Haynes) that William’s father, Oliver, was largely absent during his childhood. He jokes, “And my ex-boyfriend wonders why I have commitment issues.”
Gay Twitter was delighted by the reveal:
William is queer???? FUCK YES ? #Arrow
— Jae Pamela Keshawn (@Jaemyers18) October 23, 2018
William is gay. It’s canon. LOVE IT. #Arrow pic.twitter.com/Mh5oUv7J42
— Natalie Abrams (@NatalieAbrams) October 23, 2018
Now that it’s confirmed that both William and Nora are 100% gaybies I need to see Barry and Oliver at a pride parade. Make the fan art. You won’t. #Arrow #TheFlash pic.twitter.com/m3xenffSPd
— Chrissie Pucci (@ChrissiePucci) October 23, 2018
Catching up on #Arrow. When adult William said "and my ex-boyfriend wonders why I have commitment isuues" I had to pause the episode to scream in gay for 10 seconds. Not kidding. At. All ???
— Jorah the Andal (@Jorah_Andal) October 24, 2018
“My ex boyfriend “ WILLIAM MY BABY BOY #arrow pic.twitter.com/e5eW8Rt9dE
— ? caitlin ? | 15 (@fandomlyfe) October 23, 2018
So William is going to be gay? ? I remember joking that Berlanti won't be happy until there's less than 15% heterosexuals in the arrowverse. Looks like I was more right than I knew!
Dinah speaking truth to Fake Laurel.?#Arrow
— Johnnie Torch (@johnnie_torch) October 24, 2018
William is gay. #Arrow #TheLongbowHunters pic.twitter.com/wWuKyJu1dn
— GreenFoxGoddess ? (@greenfoxgoddess) October 23, 2018
me finding out william had an ex-boyfriend #arrow pic.twitter.com/pcrQzH4FbG
— Adam ????? (@abnormallyadam) October 23, 2018
WHICH BOY BROKE WILLIAM’S HEART I JUST WANNA TALK #Arrow pic.twitter.com/ME34JN0SHd
— ????? (@samscarrington) October 23, 2018
LMAO @ all the homophobes crying because William mentioned his ex was a guy.
Grow up, it's 2018. #Arrow pic.twitter.com/1o3dA7bmlX
— Charlie Ashby (but dead) (@CMWAshby) October 23, 2018
This isn’t the first LGBTQ character to appear on Arrow. The show has also featured the married gay superhero Mr. Terrific; two bisexual characters, White Canary and Nyssa al Ghul; and, in a crossover TV event, openly gay actor Russell Tovey played a gay Nazi-fighting superhero called The Ray.
In real life, Stephen Amell, the actor who plays Arrow‘s central character, Oliver Queen (the titular Green Arrow), has shown his support of the LGBTQ community by shutting down homophobic trolls who criticized his pictures of himself at the 2017 Vancouver Pride celebration.
Via Facebook, Amell responded, “If I’m in Vancouver next year I won’t just go back, I’ll walk in the parade,” he wrote. “So for everyone in their negative pants: Go be on the wrong side of history on somebody else’s Facebook page.”
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Also the actor who plays adult William, Ben Lewis, is openly gay.