'Arrow' Season 4 Star Katrina Law On What To Expect From Nyssa's Return

With Star City in more danger than ever in Season 4 of the CW’s “Arrow,” the team will get some support from returning characters in episode 12. In addition to Roy Harper (Colton Haynes), Nyssa al Ghul (Katrina Law) will come back into the fold to exact her revenge on the League of Assassins.

For those that don’t remember, Nyssa appeared briefly in Season 4, reluctantly training alongside Malcolm Merlyn (John Barrowman). After being forced to marry Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), she watched as he took down her father, Ra’s al Ghul (Matt Nable). She was hanging out with the League, waiting for her moment to seize control of her life again, when tragedy struck. The friends of her former lover, Sara Lance (Caity Lotz), returned, hoping to dip her in the magical healing waters of the Lazarus Pit, but Nyssa had to act as the ignored voice of reason. She warned them hat the Pit carries dark consequences. When no one listened to her, she sealed it for good and was taken into custody by Merlyn where, presumably, she’s remained for all these months.

"Personally, I love it,” Law told International Business Times of her character over the phone in November. “I love watching Nyssa get put through the paces because I think, at the end of the day, how you come back from heartache and tragedies define how strong a person is. I think Nyssa is just on a rampage and is going to bounce back like none other.”

Sadly, Law wasn’t able to reveal what state the character will be in when she returns in Wednesday's episode. However, given Nyssa’s propensity for violence and the fact that she’s currently got a lot of names on her vengeance list, Law teased that some more impressive battles could be on the way. This, according to the actress, is fine for her, given that she’s trained in both martial arts and dance for nearly 20 years.

“They give Nyssa some of the more complex fights because she’s been fighting since she was 3 years old. ... Or 8 years old. However old you want to assume she was when she had her first kill. I like to say 8,” the actress joked. “For her, when she is doing battle, it’s not just for a purpose but it’s something she finds exciting and lifts her spirit in a way. She finds honor in it.”

Despite being able to lean on her own training, Law is the first to give full credit for what shows up on screen to her stunt double and the stunt coordinators on “Arrow,” who are responsible for most of the action that makes the show so popular. The 30-year-old actress got a taste of rabid fandom thanks to her role on the the TV series “Spartacus: War of the Damned.” But thanks to its ties to the DC Comic books and its often progressive casting and storylines, Law admits that joining the “Arrowverse” was something different.

“The 'Arrow' fanbase is amazing, and they’re just so pregnant with opinions that they’re online every five minutes,” she said. “I even developed a relationship with them. To hear what an influence characters have on their personal life, especially for girls who get to see strong female characters like Black Canary, Nyssa, Amanda Waller, Huntress, is just great.”

While the show has provided a place for interesting women in the superhero genre, “Arrow” has also been praised lately for its very subtle inclusion of LGBT characters, which includes Nyssa and her relationship with “Legends Of Tomorrow” star the White Canary (Lotz).

“I love that the writers made Nyssa’s sexual orientation to be a lesbian and that they didn’t give an explanation for it, they didn’t apologize for it and they didn’t even talk about it that much,” she said. “They just let her be who she is. I think the way they handle it on the show is amazing because it’s not a big deal and she just lives her life. I think that’s how LGBT characters should be portrayed in television. They’re just a normal part of society that doesn’t need to be commented on, just accepted for who or what they are. I’m proud of the writers and producers of ‘Arrow’ for that.”

Those excited for Nyssa’s grand return, and to see how she escapes Merlyn’s diabolical clutches, don’t have to wait too long as she’s been confirmed to return to the show on Wednesday, at 8 p.m. EST on the CW.