We're going to be talking about the significant conclusion of the battle between Oliver Queen and Ra's Al Ghul, here. So if you haven't seen it yet and don't want to be spoiled, you may want to head out and return when you've had the opportunity to catch up.

When Will Oliver Return?

“ I think the way in which [Oliver] is a part of [the upcoming episodes] isn't quite what people are expecting.

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The Lazarus Pit

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“ I think that character [Ra's], more than just about anyone on this show, would understand what life and death is.

Could Ra's Be a Mentor to Oliver?

A Formidable Force

“ I think there will be a gentler side shown, a mentoring side perhaps.

Still with us? Okay!Arrow left off with a big cliffhanger - almost, but not quite, a literal one. With Oliver soundly -- almost humiliatingly -- defeated by Ra's Al Ghul and chucked off a cliff like so much refuse, the question became: What's to become of The Emerald Archer?IGN had the opportunity to speak exclusively with Ra's himself, Matt Nable, at the TCA (Television Critics Association) press tour, as well as follow-up with Arrow executive producer Andrew Kreisberg with a small group of reporters about when we can expect to see Oliver again and how the relationship between Ra's and the Arrow may evolve (assuming that Oliver makes it through...which we do). Eric Goldman said in our discussion about the mid-season finale , the show is called Arrow and Stephen Amell is the star. There hasn't been a contract dispute, so it's fairly safe to assume that he'll be back."He didn't have that much time off," Kreisberg confirmed when a reporter asked how long Amell had been away from production. "That would suggest that he's not a part of these [upcoming] episodes. He is. I just think the way in which he is a part of them isn't quite what people are expecting."Nable, for his part, is headed back to set next week. "[Ra's] obviously comes back in the mid-season finale in the battle with Stephen," the actor said when we asked when we might see the villain reappear. "So he'll be coming back and interacting with Arrow pretty quickly."Now, how Oliver will return is another question all together. Amell will likely appear in flashbacks -- at the very least -- when the show returns. Many fans are speculating that the series will be utilizing the Lazarus Pit to justify Oliver's resurrection from the as-good-as-dead state we last saw him in."I think the key to Ra's's longevity will be explored," Kreisberg said when we asked if we'd be seeing the Pit. "But we want to keep surprises in store. We always say we make this show for two audiences: we make it for me and my wife. My wife doesn't know anything from anything -- as far as comic books are concerned. But it has to appeal to both audiences. We know there are going to be some comic book fans watching it, and they're going to be like, 'I know exactly where this is going.' Hopefully we flip it on its head enough to where they're challenged and there's enough mystery involved, and for the regular audiences they're just going along for the ride anyway.""He's immortal, and he's been around for such a long time," Nable reflected. "I think it's in the way he speaks, an economy of words. He's seen so much, and he doesn't get flustered. But for me as well, as opposed to some of the other interpretations, I like for him to have a physicality. If he's lived that long and he's this badass, then it's okay to be a bit scrappy around the edges. That's the way I see it. Look, I've only lived 42 years, and I'm tired. [Laughs] So if he's lived that long, I'm sure he's a bit rough around the edges at times.""I think that character, more than just about anyone on this show, would understand what life and death is," Nable continued. "He's taken thousands of lives, and he's lived past so many others, so he's got a good perspective on it. I don't think he's insane, and I don't think he's lived his life in bliss, but I think his perspective on it would be a lot clearer and measured than with other characters that he's interacting with. Living that long and knowing you're going to live forever would be a difficult thing to get your head around, but he's had thousands of years to get his head around it. So he's very comfortable with life -- with his life, in any case."Ra's is also very comfortable with death -- with being, judge, jury, and executioner."I think he's done that for so long, he'd be very uncompromising with his judgments," Nable reflected on his character's ridged ethical code. "You know it's, 'If you've done that, you're done.' It'd be very black and white for him. You know, I don't see Ra's as a bad person. I see him as he says: 'I'm replacing evil with death.' So he's a righteous man. From that point of view -- you don't have to like every character you play, but you need to understand them, and I certainly understand him."There are some who speculate that Oliver's old compatriot from Hong Kong, Maseo - now in the League of Assassins - will step in to bring the fatally wounded Oliver to the Lazarus Pit (or somewhere like it) to save his life."I don't think he'd be too happy," Nable laughed when we asked how Ra's would respond to one of his own disobeying him by rescuing Oliver. "I don't think he'd be too happy with that at all."Ra's does have a respect for Oliver, though. So it seems possible that if (and when) he does survive, that Ra's may take that as a potential opportunity to bring Queen into his fold."Yes, I think there could be," Nable told us when asked if there might be a future where Oliver and Ra's have a mentor or ally relationship. "Yes. [Laughs]...I can say no more.""I think he's going to be a formidable force, yeah," Nable said of his continued place on the series. "There's no doubt about that. I think you alluded to it before with Arrow. I think there will be a gentler side shown, a mentoring side perhaps. I'm still a little bit in the dark. So definitely formidable, but I also think nurturing."

Continue on for more on that fight scene, Nyssa, if Ra's knows Batman and more!