REAL STEEL Actor Joins ARROW, Season 3 Plot Details Become Clearer

The thing about comic book shows is that even though the writers will take liberties from the source material, fans can still make educated guesses on where the story will go. This will certainly be the case for a new character in season 3 of Arrow. TV Line has reported that Karl Yune (Real Steel, Speed Racer) will play Maseo Yamashiro, Oliver’s handler in the Hong Kong flashbacks. Maseo will “evolve into a teacher and a friend who helps Oliver step ever closer to becoming the superhero he is today.” Maseo is also the husband of Tatsu Yamashiro, a.k.a. Katana, who will be played by Devon Aoki.

I’ve had my suspicions on where Arrow would take Katana’s storyline, and this casting confirms the direction the show will likely take, though not 100% guaranteed. You can read my in-depth thoughts here, but basically, I think Maseo will be biting the dust sometime before season 3. In the comic books, Katana’s husband and children were killed by Maseo’s jealous brother. However, Maseo’s spirit became trapped in Soultaker, the sword that took his life and the weapon that Katana would use in her battles against injustice.

I doubt that Arrow will introduce the mystical properties of Soultaker, but I’d bet good money that Maseo will be killed during season 3, possibly from protecting Oliver from an as-of-now unknown threat. This will also likely kick off Katana’s quest for vengeance, and if we’re lucky, we might even see her in the present day.

Then again, things might go in a completely different direction. It wouldn’t be the first time Arrow has taken liberties with its characters (cough, cough, Isabel Rochev, cough). Maybe Maseo will live and Tatsu will be killed. Maybe the couple will live happily ever after. Well, probably not that last one. In a world full of villains, assassins and ARGUS agents, happily ever after rarely works out.

SOURCE: TV Line