'Arrow' Season 3 Cast News, Spoilers: New Characters Will Surprise Viewers

New characters are expected to surprise viewers of "Arrow" Season 3 when the show returns on the CW on Jan. 21.

One of the new characters is General Matthew Shrieve, a crime fighter, who will be played by Marc Singer. According to reports, he will be appearing on Episode 14 of Season 3. Other villains will also be returning, such as Count Vertigo and Slade Wilson.

Shrieve's bio reads: "In the DC Comics, Matthew Shrieve is the leader of a group known as the Creature Commandos. In Arrow he will play a significant role in the latter portion of the season's flashback storyline."

In the mid-season finale, the latter was considered by many viewers as the most tragic "Arrow" episode to date. It featured the fight between Ra's Al Ghul and Oliver, ending with Oliver getting stabbed right through his heart.

In his dying moment, Oliver reminded Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) of his love for her. Rickards said in an interview with TV Line that she felt "drained" during the shoot of the mid-season premiere but refused to reveal Felicity's reaction to Oliver's death.

The official synopsis of the mid-season premiere, entitled "Left Behind," reads: "THE TEAM DEALS WITH OLIVER'S DISAPPEARANCE — In the aftermath of Oliver's (Stephen Amell) fight with Ra's al Ghul (Matt Nable), Diggle (David Ramsey) and Arsenal (Colton Haynes) continue to protect the city in the Arrow's absence. However, after three days without hearing from Oliver, they begin to fear the worst may have happened to their friend.

"Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) refuses to believe that Oliver could be dead until Merlyn (John Barrowman) pays the team a surprise visit. Thea (Willa Holland) suspects there is something more behind Oliver's disappearance and asks Merlyn for a favor. Meanwhile, Ray (Brandon Routh) tests a part of his new suit and Laurel (Katie Cassidy) takes up the mantle of the Black Canary. Glen Winter directed the episode written by Marc Guggenheim and Erik Oleson."