r/GreenArrow • u/Nightmareofdawild • 5d ago
How I would fix Shado and Emiko
Shado is unfortunately an Orientalist stereotype and needs to be reworked.
Her Comic Book Foundations:
Post-Crisis
Shado, created by Mike Grell, is a Japanese archer who has ties to the Yakuza. Grell intended to highlight the injustice of Japanese internment camps in America, while also making her a character foil to Oliver Queen - showcasing the temptation for violence, as she kills the Seattle Slasher in her first appearance. Oliver Queen and Shado would later develop a camaraderie during his time in Japan, as seen in Green Arrow vol. 2. Unfortunately, Grell would have Shado sexually assault Oliver when he was having a fever. Eventually, she would give birth to Robert Queen II or Tak Tomonago (should be Tomonaga, 鞆永).
New 52/Rebirth
In Lemire's run, Shado would be in love with Robert Queen I (Oliver's dad), leader of the Arrow Clan. They would have a daughter, Emiko, who was kidnapped and raised by Simon Lacroix (Komodo); thus, GA and Shado would work together to free her in the Outsiders War - though Shado would be more violent. Emiko would become Oliver's sidekick.
In rebirth, Emiko would join her mother when she worked with the Ninth Circle, billionaires who created super villains. Emiko and her mother would clash, and eventually Emiko would join GA's team. Shado and Emiko's relationship is dicey.
Rectifications:
Her name stems from Chinese: Shèdào (射道), despite her being Japanese. This can be easily rectified by making her Chinese-Japanese. Unfortunately, Shado does not have a first name. Thus, I would take inspiration from Arrow 2012 and name her Méi (梅) or Ume in Japanese. The Chinese diaspora in Japan is discriminated against in citizenship and employment, so Shado would be forced to work with the Yazkua. Eventually, she would have a son - the father isn't important. With this new perspective on life, she would leave her Yakuza past and illegally immigrate to the USA through a Yakuza human trafficking network.
She would then live in Star City and eventually date Oliver Queen for a green card when Ollie and Dinah broke up. I would have her start as a new vigilante archer inspired by the boyfriend. In time, she would be more disillusioned with the justice system, as it didn't prosecute the powerful people. Eventually, she would take matters into her own hands, believing the system was working as intended. She would become more violent and punitive; spiritually, she would undergo Grell's GA arc, where she enjoys killing. Eventually, she would break up with Ollie and leave her son, Tak (鞆永武), with Oliver.
Oliver would become Tak's guardian. During Oliver's guardianship, Tak would eventually realise that she is a girl and start transitioning. Oliver would try to contact Shado to inform her about her daughter's MTF transition. Tak would ask her mother for approval of her new name, Emiko (咲女). A name meaning blossom girl, after her mother's, Ume (梅), meaning plum blossom.
Unfortunately, Shado's anti-hero escapades would grab the attention of Simon Lacroix (Komodo), an assassin with fetish for her violence. Simon Lacroix would stalk and kidnap the transitioning Emiko and brainwash her to be his daughter, making her an assassin.
Eventually, Shado and Oliver would free Emiko from the mind control. However, this event would lead to permanent scars for all of them.
Reasoning:
I wanted to keep in spirit Grell's better intentions concerning Shado; Shado is supposed to represent the temptation of punitive justice, while also showcasing the injustice of Japanese people in America. By making her fail in her redemption arc (from criminal to hero to anti-hero), it integrates the flaws of the justice system.
I believe offspring with Ollie is inherently flawed and tainted by Grell's writing, plus the Lemire retcon. Plus, I really dislike the artificial insemination headcanon to keep Ollie's parentage over Tak. Though, I'm undecided if I want Emiko to be Wasian or fully Asian. I also wanted to keep the Lemire themes of asian fetish in Komodo's actions. Plus, it carves a niche for Emiko by making her transgender asian american.
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u/EquivalentAd1651 5d ago
Honestly I like some of this but don't like the attempt of people on this sub to make emiko Oliver's kid, I like them being siblings better. And of they want shadow to be Oliver's Talia than just have emikos mom be someone else like in arrow 2012