History
Early Career
At some point, John lost his father and his brother to cancer.[1]
Diggle was on the job protecting Moira Queen in Gotham City during the Zero Year event, during which Moira was targeted by the new criminal Killer Moth Killer Moth.[2]
About a month later, while sitting in his apartment one night, Diggle was paid a visit by the new vigilante Green Arrow, who was bleeding out and needed help. Diggle patched him up, and Oliver, believing Diggle was an honest man, asked him to join in his crusade against crime. Diggle accepted, and the two worked together for a time.[2]
After some time, Diggle would put the vigilante life behind him, having had a falling out with Oliver due John impersonating him to kill Richard Dragon's father.
Outsiders War
Years later, Diggle returned to Seattle to seek the help of crime boss William Tockman to take down Richard Dragon, who still believed that the Green Arrow had killed his father years ago. He also recruited the help of Naomi Singh and Henry Fyff. Tockman eventually turned on Diggle, stating that Dragon offered him a better deal. The villains let Fyff and Singh go, but kept Diggle as leverage against the Green Arrow.
While captured and tortured by Richard Dragon, Diggle admitted the truth that he was the one who killed Dragon's father and that his crusade against the Green Arrow was in vain.
Oliver returned to Seattle and learned of Diggle's captivity. At the last second, the Green Arrow saved Diggle from being murdered by Richard Dragon, and the two men teamed up to finally stop Dragon once and for all.
Rebirth
Later, Diggle was working as a soldier for hire when he received an anonymous message about Oliver Queen's death. After he learned that Queen was not actually dead, the two men got in a fight, with Diggle blaming Oliver for killing the woman he loved a year prior. However, this was resolved, and they joined forces yet again to take down the Ninth Circle.
During a climactic battle with the Dark Archer, as Green Arrow prepared to kill the villain, Diggle betrayed Oliver and saved Merlyn's life. Diggle claimed that Merlyn had saved his life years earlier and wanted to repay him, though Merlyn foreboded that Diggle would not be able to play both sides for very long and would eventually have to choose who he really aligned with.
Powers and Abilities
Abilities
- Boxing[2]
- Disguise[3]
- Firearms: Diggle is a highly trained marksman and possesses skill in multiple types of firearms.[3]
- Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced): As a former soldier and having previously trained with Green Arrow, Diggle is a highly skilled hand-to-hand combatant.
- Hunting[4]
- Investigation[5]
- Medicine[2]
- Military Protocol: Diggle is a highly trained Special Forces soldier. He was a Green Beret and has served two tours in Afghanistan.[2]
- Multilingualism[5]
- Stealth[2]
- Stick Fighting: Diggle is proficient in stick fighting, as he was able to briefly hold his own against Green Arrow, while wielding a baton.[6]
- Survival[4]
- Weaponry: Diggle is skilled in the use of multiple weapons including various firearms and batons. He is also presumably skilled with knives as he carries a combat knife with him.[4]
Notes
- John Diggle was created for the television series Arrow, first appearing in the pilot episode. However, in the rebooted Prime Earth continuity, his first appearance in the New 52 DC Universe was in Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino's Green Arrow (Volume 5) #24.
Recommended Reading
Related
- 40 Appearances of John Diggle (Prime Earth)
- 10 Images featuring John Diggle (Prime Earth)
- 5 Quotations by or about John Diggle (Prime Earth)
- Character Gallery: John Diggle (Prime Earth)
Footnotes
  This character is or was a member of the Green Arrow family of vigilante super-heroes, who fight crime using archery and martial arts. They are a loose connection brought together through family bonds and shared experiences. This template will categorize articles that include it into the category "Team Arrow members." |
