10. John Barrowman Is Now A Series Regular

The premiere episode of Arrow's hotly-anticipated third season is finally upon us. On Wednesday night we'll finally return to Starling City, where Oliver's quest for justice has greatly expanded. After a stellar second season, fans are hoping for big things in season three, and judging by what we know so far Arrow is not going to disappoint. From fellow costumed vigilantes and superheroes to big-name DC supervillains, Arrow is pulling out all the stops this season and setting out to prove that it's the best superhero series on television. Add the fact that it's now led to super-powered spinoff series The Flash, and the possibilities for what may come next are endless. Here are ten reasons why you should be excited about Arrow's third season. And no, Oliver's workout on the salmon ladder isn't on the list because, frankly, it's implied...Right off the bat, one of the simplest things to get excited about is the fact that John Barrowman, who plays Malcolm Merlyn, is now a series regular. He was one of the best parts of the series' first season, and was noticeably absent through most of the second. The fact that he's a series regular means that he'll be in most, if not all episodes of season three. Barrowman's scenery-chewing performance as Merlyn is not only entertaining, but it adds a whole new dynamic to the show and really brings out its comic book roots. His alter-ego, the Dark Archer, is also a great foil for Oliver's Arrow and one of Green Arrow's biggest adversaries in the comics. The two shared some pretty intense fight scenes in season one, and with the show now more polished than ever, we can expect some even better fisticuffs this time around. Plus, there's the fact that Merlyn is Thea Queen's biological father. That revelation tore the Queen family apart last season, and from the looks of it Thea will be getting some intense training from daddy dearest. Do you think she'll graduate to getting her own bow and arrow soon? God we hope so.