History
John Diggle is a former soldier of the U.S. Military and the first vigilante partner of Green Arrow. Before starting his vigilante career with Green Arrow, John was working as part of security for Queen Industries.
Early Life
At some point, John lost his father and his brother to cancer.[1]
Zero Year
During the Zero Year, Diggle was on the job in Gotham City, protecting Moira Queen, who was being targeted by Killer Moth.[2]
Helping Green Arrow
While sitting in his apartment one night, Diggle was paid a visit by the Green Arrow, who was bleeding out and needed help. Diggle patched him up, and was asked by Oliver to join him in his crusade to protect the city. Oliver trusted Diggle due to him not revealing his identity to anyone, telling anyone he was back, and the fact that Diggle was willing to protect Oliver's mother's life with his own. Diggle joined Oliver's crusade and the two operated as a team to protect the city.[2]
Outsiders War
During Jeff Lemire's run, Diggle returned to Seattle to seek the help of crime boss William Tockman to take down Ricardo Diaz, Jr., A.K.A. Richard Dragon. 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.
Broken
While captured by Richard Dragon, Diggle is beaten and learns Dragon's origin story. Diggle then tells Dragon that it wasn't Oliver as the Green Arrow that killed his father, putting him on his current path, but actually Diggle, who had taken the suit without Oliver's permission. This is revealed to be the reason Diggle left Team Arrow the first time around. When Oliver returns to Seattle, he is informed of the situation and rushes to help Diggle. Oliver arrives to find Diggle falling to his death. After saving Diggle from his fall, the pair head back to where Richard Dragon is. Neither is able to defeat him on their own, but together they put a stop to Dragon's takeover of Seattle.
Future's End
In the Futures End event, taking place in a possible future, Diggle is seen as one of the pallbearers at Oliver's funeral. When Oliver reveals he is not actually dead, Diggle is seen helping Oliver with his assault on CADMUS Island.
Kingdom
While Oliver's team heals from the attack by Richard Dragon, Diggle stays in Seattle, helping Oliver in the field and occasionally over radio communications.
Rebirth
During the events of DC Rebirth, Diggle was working as a soldier for hire. He returned to Seattle after recieving an anonymous message about Oliver Queen's death. After he learns that Queen is not dead, they exchange blows while Diggle blames Oliver for the death of the woman he loved a year prior. Ultimately, he joined forces with Oliver and the rest of Team Arrow once again to take down the Ninth Circle.
When Oliver was about to kill Malcom Merlyn, Diggle knocks him out and saves the dark archer, stating that Merlyn saved his life in the past. Later Diggle is shown tending to Merlyn's wounds. Merlyn tells Diggle that he can't play on both sides, and will have to eventually choose between himself and Oliver Queen.
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
- 37 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)
Links
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." |
