When Arrow season 6 returns, Team Arrow will be as fractured as ever, according to Echo Kellum. The series headed into the holiday break with an unfortunately all-too familiar scenario: several members of Star City’s premier vigilante troupe had called it quits. The departure occurred after the discovery of a mole in the team’s midst pushed Oliver to question the loyalty of its three newest members: Curtis Holt, Rene Ramirez, and Dinah Drake. As such, the six-member squad was back down to the original three.

The team’s fracturing is all part of villain Cayden James’ plan , who has been playing the long game with his enemies, all while the team’s leader is facing an indictment and trying to figure out a way to convince the world at large he’s not the Green Arrow. So far, things haven’t worked out too well for the team. Dinah’s discovered her formerly dead partner is Vigilante, while Rene has been given an offer her couldn’t refuse, one that led him to agree to betray his team for the sake of his daughter. The result, then, promises a rough road ahead for the heroes.

That much was confirmed when Kellum spoke with Screen Rant recently, and described the rather dismal state of Team Arrow’s union. As Kellum said, so many lines have been crossed, it will be incredibly difficult for the team to get back to where it once was.

“They’re very much still at odds in terms of their capacity to work as a cohesive unit together. A lot of lines have been crossed, and those are tough to cross back over. [Rene] selling out Oliver, that’s gonna be tough to accept Rene back into the circle. The line is still very much there and [Oliver and Rene] are definitely on different sides of it. It’s something we’re going to pick up with when we come back, and throughout the rest of the season.”
As far as Mister, Terrific’s part in the reduction of Team Arrow’s numbers, Kellum feels that Curtis’ decision to leave the group is different than Rene or Dinah’s. Whereas those two departed due to the animosity between them and Oliver, Curtis showed himself the door after being disappointed in and hurt by the team’s actions.

“In my opinion, [Curtis] is kind of like, ‘I wasn’t even doing anything!’ Dinah’s having secret meetings, Rene’s actually the mole, Curtis is over here just chillin’. He’s like ‘Hey, we have this history; I’ve known you guys longer than those two and you guys still lump me in the same box.’ To Curtis, Team Arrow definitely crossed a line. He’s not so much mad or angry at Oliver, but more hurt and disappointed. And not only at Oliver; it’s about the fact that [Diggle and Felicity] participated in it and they didn’t give Curtis the benefit of the doubt. It definitely has an effect on him and his psyche. He is a forgiving person, but they are going to have to make large strides in order to regain his trust and forgiveness.”
With any luck, forgiveness will come fast, as Team Arrow is facing an adversary unlike any they have before. The genius of Cayden James has had a devastating impact on the group so far, and if there ever was a time for the brilliance of Curtis Holt to be put to use, it’s likely now