Ricardo Diaz (Arrowverse)/Synopsis

Ricardo Diaz, also known as the Dragon, is a major antagonist in the TV series, Arrow. He is the main antagonist of both Season 6 and Season 7.

Past
Diaz was raised in an orphanage in Starling City, where he was bullied by one of the older orphans, Jesse Frederico. Although Diaz desperately hoped that his father would return, Jesse told him that his father would never come back and gleefully burned the only photo of his father Diaz had. For years, Diaz remained under Jesse's thumb, believing himself to be worthless and forced to clean Jesse's room. To cope with the situation, Diaz called his fear of Jesse the "Dragon", imagining it as a seperate entity.

Growing up, Diaz obtained an extensive criminal record, having been a member of the street gang Scorpions. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole but his conviction was overturned due to a technicality. Diaz eventually decided that Star City would be ripe for a takeover and started a series of manipulations in order to achieve his goal. He hired an assassin to murder the son of the hacktivist Cayden James, specifically ordering the man to use a bow and arrow to do the deed. Afterwards, Diaz killed the assassin himself and digitally altered video footage of the murder to make it seem like the Green Arrow murdered James' son. He sent the footage to James who went mad in grief and decided to get vengeance on the Green Arrow. James rounded up a cabal of villains, Diaz included, and while James' plan was to destroy Star City - the city the Green Arrow loves so much - Diaz continued his manipulations, protected by the thuggish image the arrogant Cayden had of him.

Diaz used the chaos Cayden's group wrought in Star City to destabilize its government, specifically by forging another fake image and thus causing several people to believe that mayor Oliver Queen was the Green Arrow. Using the chaotic situation the city was in during James' attacks, Diaz gained control over the police captain, the district attorney, as well as several other city officials.

Stealing Components
While stopping a heist on a warehouse of Cadmus Tech, Team Arrow realizes that the team they are encountering are no simple thieves, as they killed two security guards. While they ambush the robbers, their leader tosses a smoke grenade and vanishes. Back at the Arrowcave, Felicity deduces that the thieves were after the components of a military grade 3D printer, which could be used for creating weapons, drones or chemicals. Dinah, who is late for the meeting, informs the team that this fits the modus operandi of a new crime lord in Star City, who goes under the alias "Dragon".

It is soon revealed that John Diggle, who has been suffering from nerve damage since Prometheus' attack on Lian Yu, is buying drugs to keep his hand steady from none other than the Dragon's henchmen. Eventually, one of the dealers informs Diggle that if he wants more of the drug, he must take it up with the boss. Diggle asks for the dealer to make the introductions. Suddenly, the Dragon appears in the flesh, introducing himself to Diggle as Ricardo Diaz. After a brief smalltalk, Diaz orders his dealer to hook up Diggle with the drugs he requires, seemingly having taken a liking to Diggle.

The same night, Diaz' men perform another robbery, this time at Palmer Technologies. While loading their loot into a truck, they are attacked by Team Arrow but the SUV with the loot drives off. Diggle pursues the car and is able to stop it but suddenly, another car drives up. Diaz exits and fires at Diggle, who is too shocked to act. This allows Diaz to drive off safely, and the car with the stolen goods also escapes.

Diggle uses his knowledge of Diaz' operation to lead the team to Diaz' hideout. When the team attacks the men posted outside, Diaz hears the noise and realizes that the Green Arrow has found them. He orders his men to destroy everything inside the building so that it won't get confiscated. As team Arrow storms into the room, Diaz himself knocks over a vat of a flammable liquid and ignites it, setting fire to all his drugs, including the one Diggle uses against his nerve damage. Diaz then flees from the building.

Working with Cayden James
It is eventually revealed that Diaz, along with Anatoly Knyazev, Black Siren, Vigilante and Sheck, works with the master hacker Cayden James - united in their goal to take down the Green Arrow.

Together with Diaz, and Black Siren, Cayden arrives at the office of the Jerry Bertinelli, head of the Bertinelli crime family. Bertinelli states that the three don't look good and asks how they got past his men. Black Siren states that she "blew them a kiss" and Cayden states that Jerry is the last of his kind - the rest of the Bertinelli family is either imprisoned or dead. Jerry sarcastically asks whether Cayden is writing a book and Cayden then claims that he heard that sometimes, ships are on Bertinelli's list that never arrive at the docking station. Diaz completes the sentence, claiming that other times, ships appear at the docking station that are not on Bertinelli's list. Bertinelli claims that if the price is right, they can make some sort of deal. Cayden reveals that Jerry misunderstood them - they came to buy the port. Jerry states that the port is not for sale and orders them to leave but Black Siren blasts him into the wall of his office with one of her screams. Cayden then tells Bertinelli that he has 48 hours to reconsider, else they will be back. He also reveals that he knows Bertinelli has a daughter.

Oliver later confronts Cayden at a warehouse and seemingly has the upper hand. However, suddenly Anatoly Knyazev enters the room with several armed mercenaries. Through another door, Diaz arrives with even more henchmen and cuts free Black Siren, who had previously been defeated by Oliver. Vigilante turns up as well - meaning that Oliver is severely outnumbered. Unable to fight this many enemies, Oliver flees by using a rope arrow. The mercenaries fire after him but Cayden stops them, claiming that this is not the time or place for Oliver Queen to die. After Oliver has fled, Ricardo remarks that for a smart guy, letting Oliver go was a dumb move.

After Cayden has been tricked by Team Arrow into believing that Bertinelli has called a highly effective death squad to take him down, he sends Diaz to the warehouse where the squad is supposedly located. However, once Diaz shows up there with his mercenaries, resulting in a shootout, he realizes that there is no death squad and that he and his men are fighting Bertinelli's usual henchmen. While Diaz' men fight the Bertinellis, the Green Arrow shows up as well and takes town almost all of Diaz men. However, when he moves to fight Diaz himself Black Siren shows up as well and blasts him away. To help Oliver, Felicity sends in a T-Sphere drone which electrocutes and hurls Diaz away. Although Oliver can defeat Black Siren as well, Anatoly and Vigilante show up with reinforcements and attack Oliver. Due to explosives he planted earlier, Oliver is able to escape. Diaz regains consciousness soon after and rejoins the rest of his team who have captured Bertinelli. On Cayden's orders, Diaz executes Bertinelli with a shot to the head after the latter has agreed to leave the port to Cayden.

After an attack on a safe-zone has failed, Diaz, among every other member of Cayden's organization, is called to the wake of their fallen companion Sheck. After Vigilante has been revealed as the traitor responsible for Sheck's death, Cayden orders Diaz and Anatoly to torture him for information. After realizing that Vigilante's cover is blown, Team Arrow attacks the compound. Hearing the sounds of battle, Diaz mentions to Anatoly that it seems that Oliver has finally found them. Anatoly replies that it took him longer than expected. While the team is attacking, Anatoly and Diaz are tasked with transferring Cayden's thermobaric bomb to another facility. Together with Diaz' truck, several other trucks leave the compound as well so that Oliver will not know which truck holds the actual bomb.

Threatened by Cayden James
Having decided to launch the thermobaric bomb, Cayden heads back into his new makeshift lair where he meets with Anatoly and the remaining team. He tells them that Arclight is in full procedure and that it is now time for them to end their partnership. When Anatoly asks how they will get out of the city before it is destroyed, Cayden tells them that they will be air-lifted out of Star City before it is destroyed and that respective share in the blackmail money will be wired into offshore accounts after they all have successfully escaped the city. Furthermore, Cayden thanks each of them for helping him in his project - stressing the importance Arclight means to him. As the cabal disbands, a touched Cayden once more thanks all of them in helping him getting justice for his son.

While waiting for the extraction, Diaz deals with his frustration by ramming his knife into the table. Anatoly tries to calm him, claiming that Cayden would not let his friends die, but Diaz replies that he is not waiting to find out. Claiming that the extraction Cayden promised has not shown up yet, Diaz leaves the headquarter in order to find protection for himself. On his way south, he is engaged and apprehended by Wild Dog and Mr. Terrific. Alongside Black Siren and Anatoly, he is delivered to Cayden James who has received evidence that the video showing his son's murder was fabricated.

As the last to arrive, Diaz is led into the hall by Rene and Curtis. He directly speaks to Cayden, stating that his captors told him that Cayden believes one of his former comrades killed his son. Cayden replies that he knows it and even when Anatoly is insulted that Cayden would trust people in masks over people he does business with and Diaz agrees with him, Cayden remains stubborn. He reveals that he does not trust people as much as data and he has ample evidence that one of his comrades betrayed him. He addresses all of the people in the room and slowly breaks down, claiming that none of them lost a son and knows what that is like. While he slowly dives into his pain and hate, he then manages to snap back and remind himself that he did not lost a son; his son was taken from him. Diaz interrupts him, claiming that Cayden's grief has caused him to lose his grip on reality, Cayden pulls out the detonator for the bomb and challengingly asks Diaz what if it has.

Suddenly, Black Siren realizes that her power-dampening collar is malfunctioning and uses the opportunity to unleash a sonic scream that blasts everybody off their feet. Realizing the chance the incident offers, Diaz flees from the main room and deeper into the theatre but is pursued by Diggle. Diggle manages to confront Diaz in the entrance of the theatre and after a brief struggle, manages to wrestle away Diaz' gun. However, when he gets back onto his feet he finds no sign of Diaz whatsoever - the Dragon has escaped into the city.

True Colors Revealed
Having successfully escaped, Diaz prepares to reveal his true nature to Cayden James. Using his influence over the corrupt police captain, Diaz arranges for the cameras inside the precinct to be turned off. He then enters the interrogation room where Cayden is being held, Gleefully, he sits down in the chair opposed to Cayden and tells his former comrade that while he expected this situation to play out in a lot of ways, he certainly did not expect it to go down like this.

Cayden sarcastically asks whether it would be foolish to assume that Diaz has come to rescue him and Diaz nods, mocking Cayden for always believing to be the smartest person in the room whereas it now turns out that he was not so smart after all. He then tells Cayden that he used Cayden's crusade against the Green Arrow to make moves on his own which have now resulted in Oliver Queen being under indictment, his team being fractured and the city in such a chaotic state that it is ripe for a takeover.

Diaz claims that while Cayden only wanted to destroy the city, Diaz' plan was to take it over all along. As reality sets in for Cayden, Diaz reveals that he is in charge of the police captain as well as other city officials. Diaz stands up and claims that Arclight was really helpful for him to thin the herd. He then steps behind Cayden and rams a knife into his neck. As Cayden suffocates on his own blood, Diaz admits to him that it was him who had Cayden's son killed. Despite Diaz' brazen murder of Cayden in the middle of the police precinct, the corrupt police chief informs Oliver that Cayden was killed by an inmate during his transfer to Iron Heights penitentiary. Accordingly, Team Arrow is still not aware that Diaz is the real mastermind behind the chaos in Star City.

When it is clear that the case against Oliver is about to be dropped, Diaz has Oliver's former sidekick, Roy Harper, kidnapped in order to blackmail him into testifying. After Team Arrow learns about this, they make it their primary goal to free Roy and to protect him. Although their initial attempt to free Roy is unsuccessful, the team realizes that the corrupt policemen that are torturing Roy are paid by the same company that manufactured the chemicals Diggle used to keep his hand steady - Diaz' company. From this, they deduce that Diaz is the person that has been playing them from the start. They also find out that Diaz murdered Cayden in the middle of the S.C.P.D.

Plans with Roy Harper
After killing Cayden, Diaz moves on according to his plan. Part of this is the invitation of several skilled fighters into his hideout, where he tests their strength by fighting each of them. Although Diaz is able to overpower them all, he recruits those he deems worthy into his group.

While Diaz' is honing his fighting skills in a training match against one of his recruits, a professional fighter, Anatoly - who is now working with Diaz despite knowing he killed Cayden - brings Black Siren to him. After Diaz has defeated his opponent, he acknowledges that the man is as skilled as he was advertised but informs the man that fighting for his life is different than fighting for trophies. Nonetheless, he hands the man a roll of cash and welcomes him to the team. The man, whose foot Diaz broke during the fight, stumbles away to the group of other fighters and Diaz reveals to Anatoly that he is building a kind of "family". He then speaks to the assembled men and tells them that family works together and has to trust each other. He explains that if this is the case, the family can thrive but adds that if even one member betrays the family - angrily pointing at Laurel - the family is done for. Furiously, he screams at his men to give them the room and everybody except Laurel leaves.

Angrily, he accuses Laurel of stealing all of the money Cayden extorted, even the shares of Diaz and Anatoly. Laurel answers that Diaz obviously took it all back so she cannot see the problem. She asks why Diaz wants to speak to her. Diaz replies that their business is not yet concluded and reveals to her that he is currently controlling everything just according to his plans. He states that he has working on this project for months and that Cayden - as well as Laurel - are only chess pieces for him. Laurel tells Diaz that she only wants to leave the city and wants to just live her life without having to look over her shoulder all the time. Threateningly, Diaz tells Laurel that he does not want her to worry about Dinah Drake, Oliver or any of these people and Black Siren acknowledges that she heard that Diaz had some plan to take control. Diaz is glad that Black Siren seems to be willing to work with him once more.

Soon after, Roy is delivered to Diaz personally. After removing the hood from Roy's head, Diaz acknowledges Roy's strength and sarcastically asks him if he wants to join Diaz' team. Diaz then tells Roy that his friends in the SCPD informed him that Roy is not cooperating and seemingly has no intention to testify against Oliver. After Roy tells Diaz that he must be an idiot if he thinks Roy would do that, Diaz replies that one of them is. He claims that he thinks that physical torture is not the only thing that can cause pain and mentions the fact that Thea Queen came out of retirement in her attempt to save Roy. He rhetorically wonders why Thea would do that, eventually coming to the conclusion that she and Roy must be in love. Menacingly, Diaz then asks Roy who he has to bring the pain to, him or Thea.

After leaving Diaz' hideout, Black Siren immediately informs Oliver and his team about Roy's location, seemingly unwilling to play along with Diaz. Team Arrow immediately heads to the location. Although Felicity can hack the security system, this tips off Diaz who informs his men that three vigilantes just showed up. He tells his men to move Roy to another location and to welcome their enemies accordingly.

Oliver and his team easily take down the henchmen and follow Diaz and the henchman who is carrying Roy. They confront them just as they are about to leave and aim their weapons at Diaz. Diaz states that it is always a welcome surprise when the mayor visits him but adds that is even more welcome when he leaves. When suddenly more of Diaz' henchmen show up, Diaz reminds them not to take any killshots, as he needs Oliver alive. He and the henchman slowly stroll out of the casino and to a van but after the henchman has dropped Roy into the van, Thea shows up and confronts the two. She shoots an arrow into Diaz' knee but Diaz retorts by hurling a throwing knife at her. Thea can dodge the knife and engage Diaz in hand-to-hand combat but is eventually overpowered by him. However, before Diaz can kill Thea, Oliver throws him off her. Both Thea and Oliver grab their bows and aim at Diaz but suddenly, police sirens can be heard.

While they wait for the police to arrive, Diaz mocks Oliver, claiming that while not all of the policemen are on his payroll yet, even the ones who are not will not attack him but Oliver and Thea - due to the Anti-Vigilante-Bill. Realizing the truth of Diaz' words, Oliver orders Thea to drive off in the van with Roy. He states that he has Diaz but Diaz replies that they both know that this is not true; if he stays the police will arrest him and he cannot take Diaz with him. To avoid being captured, Oliver escapes with a rope arrow and leaves Diaz behind, who calmly waits for the police to arrive - knowing that they cannot touch him. Although it seems that Laurel really betrayed him, Diaz later sends her a text message and congratulates her on her good work, implying that it was all another set-up for Oliver.

Using Vertigo
After Dinah Drake has arrested Anatoly Knyazev, the Sam Armand makes sure that he is released again. Later that day, Diaz and Anatoly confront one of the policemen who worked with Dinah and murder him in order to relay a message. Meanwhile, Team Arrow has realizes that Diaz is heavily involved in the Vertigo business inside the city and that this fact is kept quiet by Kimberly Hill. Felicity estimates that with his Vertigo deals, Diaz makes at least one million dollars per day.

Diaz later meets with Laurel at the house of Quentin Lance where she is living for now. Although Laurel fears that Diaz wants to put pressure on Lance to make her more compliant, but Diaz assures that this is not why he has come. He also comments on Laurel's attempt to impersonate Earth-1's Laurel and tells her that there is nothing wrong with her. He also comments that her attempt to make Quentin proud by trying to impersonate Laurel reminds him of his own attempts to make his own father proud before he died. Diaz states that these attempts are futile and, after handing her fast food he brought along, tells her that he likes what he sees in her.

After Armand and Hill have held a press conference claiming that by firing them, Oliver committed an impeachable offense, Diaz acknowledges that this was Laurel's plan and congratulates her for it. Laurel replies that Diaz was right - she will not change herself. Diaz, who just lost his Vertigo factory to a fire created by Oliver, then reveals to Laurel that he was managed to save one Vertigo phial and that he knows exactly how to use it. He then kisses Laurel passionately. Diaz later hands the vial to Oliver Queen's impeachment lawyer, another corrupt official, who secretly poisons Oliver with it.

As Oliver's impeachment trial gets closer, Team Arrow tries to find ways to prove that he did not fire Armand and Hill to protect himself, but that they were corrupt. However, handing in the evidence they have would basically confirm that Oliver is the Green Arrow. While Felicity searches for evidence, she finds out that the security cameras at the S.C.P.D. precinct go out every night for 45 minutes. This causes Team Arrow to believe that Diaz himself visits the precinct every night to monitor his minions.

Eventually, the Vertigo infusion causes Oliver to believe that the only way to prove himself would be to attack Diaz while he is visiting the S.C.P.D. However, the police is alerted that Oliver might attack the precinct and Diaz himself is surrounded by a dozen armed policemen at all times. Although Oliver almost walks into the trap, Felicity Smoak is able to follow him and stop him from opening the door separating him and her from Diaz and his armed force. While Felicity tries to talk to Oliver and convince him to fight the Vertigo, Diaz grows impatient since he believed that Oliver would burst into the room.

Eventually, Diaz decides to abandon the plan and order his policemen to head out and go after Oliver. However, Oliver has already left with Felicity and for once, one of Diaz' plans has not worked completely as planned. Nonetheless, Oliver is impeached from office since he had no evidence to show to the council.

While the police precinct is being cleaned up the next morning, Black Siren asks Diaz why he does not just kill Oliver. Diaz replies that Oliver is more dangerous as a martyr than as the Green Arrow. He states that Oliver's impeachment is just the latest step in his masterplan and that the next step will be spreading the word in the criminal underworld that without Oliver, Star City is open for business.

Contacting the Quadrant
Together with Black Siren, Diaz travels to Blüdhaven to meet with the criminal syndicate known as the Quadrant. Although Black Siren simply wants to break into the building, Diaz stops her and advises patience. He tells her that he waited 5 years for his plan, so they can wait a little longer. He also informs Black Siren about the Quadrant. When a car drives up and a young man, Eric Cartier, exits the car, Diaz greets the man who apologizes that his father could not make it. Cartier then leads Diaz and Siren into the building, claiming that they have a lot to discuss.

Inside, Diaz reveals to Cartier how Star City belongs completely to him and that both officials and infrastructure are under his control. He states that he will allow the Quadrant to conduct business in the city and will not even charge them for it, in exchange for a seat at the table of the Quadrant. This amuses Cartier, who claims that the Quadrant is not a small gang which always has room for people who have something to add. He claims that the Quadrant is like a family and is not welcoming to outsiders before they can know these Outsiders operate on their level. Annoyed, Diaz replies that he just offered Cartier a whole city and if he cannot see the benefits of that, Diaz might be better off speaking with his father. Cartier then makes Diaz an offer - if he can find out the location of one of their men, Bailor, who has captured by the FBI, the Covenant will agree to Diaz' terms. Although Diaz states that this will not be a problem, he then excuses himself, goes to the bathroom and smashes in a mirror out of anger and frustration.

Back in Star City, Diaz obtains the location where Bailor is held by Sam Armand. Although Laurel is not glad with how the things have turned out, claiming that Diaz acts like an obedient lapdog, she goes with it and accompanies Diaz to the address. After they have confirmed that this is the right address, Diaz draws his phone to make a picture as proof of life for the Quadrant. He then tells Laurel that when he joined up with Cayden James, he gained a city, but when he joins the Quadrant he will have an empire.

With the pictures he made, Diaz returns to the Quadrant and demands that Cartier holds up their end of the bargain. However, Cartier then states that Diaz' photos prove that Bailor is not captured but is more likely betraying the Quadrant and informing the FBI. Accordingly, Cartier demands that Diaz fetches Bailor for them - calling it a favor among future business partners. This causes Diaz to address Laurel's suspicion that the Quadrant is treating him like a lap dog, which causes Cartier to stand up, thank Diaz for his help in finding their man. Diaz claims that Cartier should have told him from the beginning and was wasting his time, something to which Diaz will not react well to. He claims that he will fetch Bailor for Cartier but afterwards, he will talk to his father.

Once more returning to Star City, Diaz and Laurel storm the safehouse where Diaz takes out all of the FBI agents inside with expert precision. After he has shot the men, he brings Bailor outside. When Bailor claims that he would never snitch on the Quadrant, Diaz replies that personally, he would not take the chance if Bailor worked for him. However, Cartier then drives up in a car and his driver fires bullets at both Bailor and Diaz. Although Diaz goes to the floor, it is revealed that he anticipated an attack like this and wore kevlar. When Diaz gets back up, Laurel returns to his side and asks what Diaz would have done if they had shot him in the head. Diaz only replies that he probably would have died.

Joining the Quadrant
After Diaz' initial plan has taken an unfortunate turn, Diaz reveals to Laurel that while this was not what he expected, he was still prepared for it. Together with Laurel, Diaz drives to the Quadrant's nightclub, the headquarter where he met with Cartier. He shoots up the place, prompting all guests to flee from the club. After only Cartier has remained, Diaz sarcastically comments that it appears that in his eagerness to shoot Bailor, Cartier forgot that Diaz was standing right next to him. Cartier claims that it was nothing personal but Laurel interrupts and states that bullets make things personal.

Diaz then asks Cartier whether he ever had to fight for a meal. After realizing that this is not the case, Diaz reveals to "Mr. Silver Spoon" that he had to fight for every meal he had as a kid and that privileged men like Cartier neither know this, not appreciate their cushioned upbringing. While Diaz talks about this, armed henchmen walk into the room. Although Cartier deems himself saved, Diaz only smiles and tells Cartier that his men need to learn to "creep a little quieter". Without turning around, Diaz correctly predicts the number and position of every henchman who just entered the room, unnerving Cartier. Cartier claims that Diaz is still outnumbered but Diaz replies that he would not say that if he knew what Laurel is capable of. Laurel then turns around and uses her sonic scream on the men behind them while Diaz swiftly shoots the two thugs standing beside him.

After only Cartier is left alive, Diaz ties him to a chair and mocks him together with Laurel, using the same phrases Cartier used on them before. Diaz then tells Cartier that he believes that his father bought Cartier the nightclub and claims that he himself never got anything from his family, since he was raised in an orphanage. Diaz then starts torturing Cartier until Cartier reveals to him that his father wanted to kill Diaz in order to take over Starling City. Diaz is outraged when he hears that the Cartiers wanted to take everything he had built but gets outright furious when Cartier reveals to him that he and his father never brought Diaz' proposal to the Quadrant in the first place. When Cartier explains himself by claiming that Diaz is a simple nobody, Diaz furiously beats him up until Cartier reveals to him where the Quadrant is meeting.

Diaz and Laurel drive to the meeting point of the Quadrant, with Cartier tied up in the trunk. While they do so, Laurel claims that they might be underestimating the enemy and that they might not be able to fight the Quadrant if it comes to it. Nonetheless, Diaz remains confident, even when Laurel claims that it seems that Diaz is so desperate to get respect from the Quadrant that he is ready to disrespect himself in order to get his. She also mentions that from Diaz' statements in the nightclub, it seems that this boy, Jesse, still haunts him. Diaz admits that he does. He tells Laurel about his past and how he imagined "The Dragon", but also tells her that he now controls the Dragon; the Dragon does not control him. Eventually, the two arrive at the Villa Centanni where the Quadrant leaders are meeting.

Diaz and Laurel then free Cartier from the trunk and Cartier immediately runs into the building into the arms of several armed men. However, since Diaz had strapped a bomb to Cartier before, the explosion kills most of the guards as well as Cartier himself. Drawing his gun, Diaz then enters the building with Laurel where more men are already taking cover behind tables. Laurel enters the room and blasts the table away with her scream and Diaz finishes off the remaining men with his gun. After the henchmen are dead, Diaz storms into the room where the Quadrant are meeting and is immediately greeted by several guns pointed at him. Unmoved by this, Diaz walks up to the table where, amongst the other leaders, Remy Cartier - Eric's father - is sitting. Cartier accuses Diaz of killing his son but Diaz only drily replies that it was the C4 that killed his son. The man threatens that he will take brutal vengeance on Diaz but this does not impress Diaz, who claims that Cartier could try this but that it would mean that the Quadrant would miss billions of income annually.

Although Cartier orders the henchmen to take Diaz away, another leader orders Diaz to explain himself, adding that he should talk like his life depended on it because it does. Diaz holsters his gun and claims that it was not supposed to be this way. He reveals that he wanted a meeting arranged with the Quadrant but that Cartier and his son betrayed him. He claims that he now has come with a business proposal and asks the leaders that they must know what is happening in Starling City. One leader replies that the city is falling into chaos but Diaz corrects her and tells her that it is controlled chaos - brought forth by none other than himself. Once more, he offers the Quadrant the city in exchange for a seat at the table. The woman replies that she does not see an empty chair just now and Cartier claims that even if there was one, he would not sit beside the man who killed his son. After Cartier pushes him further, Diaz shoots him and then sarcastically mentions that it seems that he found an empty seat. Although the woman reminds Diaz that the Quadrant is successful because their are disciplined and precise - not killing each other for scraps - the proposal intrigues them and accordingly, Diaz is allowed his seat at the Quadrant's table.

After having joined the Quadrant, Diaz tells Laurel that there is one last thing he needs to take care of. Alone, he drives up to the house of his childhood bully Jesse. He kidnaps him and brings him to a rooftop where Laurel is already waiting for them. Diaz introduces Jesse as the thing he needs to take care of and then reveals to the horrified Jesse who he is. He forces Jesse on his knees and douses him with fuel. Horrified, Laurel asks what Diaz is doing but Diaz replies that he is getting payback. He then holds the burnt picture of his father in Jesse's hand, revealing that he pulled the picture out of the fire, burning his hand horribly in the process. Diaz then draws a lighter and although Laurel tries to stop him, ignites Jesse and burns him alive. After considering a moment, Diaz also throws the photo of his father into the flames.

Fight with Oliver
When Lydia Cassamento, one of the Quadrant leaders, comes to Starling City to do business, Diaz has a hand-tailored suit made for himself. Afterwards, he meets with Laurel and tells her that he needs a meeting with Quentin Lance, the new mayor, in order to tell him how things will be going in this city in the future. Laurel offers to speak to Lance but Diaz makes it clear to her that he only wants her to organize the meeting - he himself will be the one talking to Lance.

Laurel invites Quentin for dinner and tells Diaz about it. When Diaz later enters the restaurant, all staff members leave so Laurel, Diaz and Quentin are alone. Angry, Quentin asks what Diaz wants and Diaz reveals that he needs Quentin to sign an executive order for a piece of real estate to be sold privately. Quentin refuses to sign the paper but Diaz implies that he will hurt Laurel if Quentin refuses. Together with the unhappy Laurel, Diaz leaves the restaurant in order to give Quentin some time to think about the proposal. Unbeknownst to Quentin, Diaz wants the building for a deal with his Quadrant partner Lydia Cassamento, who wants to bring a huge weapon shipment into the city. Before she can do so, Diaz leads her and an army of henchmen to his old gang, the Scorpions. Cassamento's men slaughter all the Scorpions to eliminate the competition.

After New Team Arrow has attacked one of Cassamento's weapon shipments and destroyed weapons worth 12 million dollars, Diaz is informed. Around the same time, Anatoly brings the captured Oliver into Diaz' hideout, causing Diaz to head down to where Oliver is held and beating him up for his friends' interference with his deals. Oliver is not impressed by the beating and provokes Diaz, causing him to beat him even more brutally. Eventually, Anatoly objects, claiming that fighting Oliver like this is unfair and shows weakness. In order to prove his strength, Diaz has Oliver freed from his chains and orders Oliver to fight him in a fair fight. In addition, Diaz decides that whoever loses the fight has to leave the city forever and never return. Diaz then attacks Oliver, brutally beating him up at first. However, Oliver eventually lands several strong blows as well and both men get beaten up severely.

Eventually, Oliver puts Diaz in a chokehold and threatens to break his neck if he does not yield. Diaz does not respond and instead draws a hidden knife which he rams into Oliver's leg. The pain causes Oliver to let go of Diaz, who slowly gets back up and reminds Oliver that life is not fair. Moments before Oliver faints, he tells Diaz that he failed the city. Claiming that Oliver maybe will not be that smart when he wakes up again, Diaz stumbles off to clean his wounds. However, he has not yet realized that this unfair battle completely lost him Anatoly's respect.

Back in his office, Diaz is visited by Laurel who hands him the paper signed by Quentin. When she asks why he cares about owning the building legally, Diaz replies that he does not - it was simply a test to see whether Quentin could be trusted. Suddenly, Oliver is led into Diaz office by armed henchmen. Diaz reminds him that the two had an agreement - whoever loses the battle has to leave the city - but claims that he changed his mind and allows Oliver to stay. Suddenly, policemen enter the room and Diaz reveals that he has made preparations for Oliver's trial being moved forward. Accordingly, Diaz only lets Oliver remain in Star City for him to be incarcerated for the rest of his life and the policemen arrest Oliver and drag him out of Diaz' building.

Oliver's Trial
Since Oliver's trial is led by Judge McGarvey and the state is represented by an incredibly successful lawyer, Diaz believes that Oliver will be judged guilty. While the trial is ongoing, Diaz has Laurel called to his headquarter. He reveals that he is unhappy that she did not publicly reveal Oliver Queen as the Green Arrow yet. He tells Laurel that she will be called upon as a witness against Oliver and makes it perfectly clear that he expects her to testify against Oliver. Mentioning that ever since he burned Jesse alive, Laurel has been keeping her distance, Diaz grabs her by the throat and orders her not to disappoint him. After ordering Laurel to get herself to the courthouse, Diaz lets go of her.

Soon after, Diaz heads to the courthouse as well. By bringing in Rene Ramirez' daughter while he is testifying, Diaz subtly threatens René into testifying that Oliver is Green Arrow. After Rene has given his testimony, Diaz exits the room again and joyfully nods to Rene before he leaves. In front of the courthouse, Diaz is attacked by Diggle and Dinah but they are forced to let him go when Diaz reveals that the whole police force stands ready to kill them if they do not let go of him immediately. After Diggle lets go of Diaz, one police officer asks Diaz if he wants the men to kill the two, but Diaz claims that it would look awkward if Diggle and Dinah happened to be shot immediately after their testimony. Gleefully telling Diggle to lighten up a little, Diaz then enters his car and is driven off.

To free Oliver, his team employs Christopher Chance, the Human Target, a person who can perfectly disguise himself as other humans and impersonate them, to disguise himself as Tommy Merlyn wearing Green Arrow outfit. The team plans to reveal to the court that Tommy Merlyn is actually Green Arrow, but the corrupt judge blatantly ignores Merlyn's testimony and has Chance imprisoned. However, Rene and Diggle free Chance on the way to Iron Heights.

When it is Laurel's turn to testify, Diaz watches the broadcast from his office. He is outraged when Laurel confirms that Tommy Merlyn is Green Arrow, not Oliver Queen. In addition, Chance returns - this time impersonating the judge himself - and overrules the decision of the corrupt jury that Oliver is guilty. After Oliver is released, the angry Diaz has McGarvey and Laurel brought to an abandoned building site. Although McGarvey panics and vows that it was not him who had Oliver freed, Diaz fires several bullets into the judge. Turning around, Diaz sees Laurel approaching and furiously shouts that Laurel really must be stupid to return to show her face after what she did. Laurel replies that she is smart enough to know that there is no place where Diaz cannot find her. Laurel blasts Diaz away with her sonic scream and also kills his henchmen. When she then turns to Diaz to finish him off, she is surprised to see that her scream is not working. Diaz then opens his eyes and reveals that he had a device build that is dampening Laurel's powers.

He smacks Laurel in the face and then grabs her by the throat. Angrily, he reminds her that he had a plan to out Oliver as Green Arrow and to imprison him, reminding Laurel that he worked on that plan for months. However, he reveals that he still has a Plan B - killing Oliver Queen and everyone he cares about. Claiming that this plan will now be coming into fruition, Diaz hands Laurel over to one of his henchmen to have her imprisoned.

Open War with Team Arrow
Diaz ordered to kill all of Star City's vigilantes, but his men failed. This caused a quarrel between him and Lydia Cassamento, who did not like Diaz's unplanned action. When the woman left the the Dragon's office, Anatoly suggested moving him to a safer place where it would be easier to defend. However, the vigilantes attacked his truck during the transportation and, as his men fought, Diaz tried to escape. However, he was caught up by Mr. Terrific, who as a result of the anger associated with Diaz hurting his boyfriend, began to beat him. Diaz quickly took control and stabbed him in the stomach, but, before he managed to finish him off, seeing Green Arrow approaching him, he gave up the murder, grabbed the portable disk that fell out of his hand and fled.

He later arrived at the S.C.P.D. station. There, he ordered the computer engineer to check the completeness of the data on the pen-drive, then he began to strangle Anatoly, accusing him of betrayal (even though it was correct). Knyazev, however, turned the suspicion away from him directing it to Cassamento. A moment later, Lyla Michaels, the director of A.R.G.U.S., who had actually stolen data from Diaz, came to the station and, as the crime lord realized it, he tried to kill her. The appearance of the vigilantes, however, prevented him from doing it. In retaliation to this, he murdered Cassamento and decided to attack the Outsiders' hideout.

Diaz filled the hiding place with gas and he entered the spot himself, wearing a mask, there he had the chance to kill Oliver but, before he could, he was wounded by a bomb hidden in the stairwell. Despite his wounds, Diaz managed to escape just before the entire hideout blew up. Later, he met with Cyrus Broderick and Dragos Ibanescu, killing the latter for not wanting to cooperate and intimidates the former into making him the Quadrant's overall ruling leader.

Downfall
When Oliver, along with the help of the now fully reestablished Team Arrow and the FBI took over the police, Diaz escaped, and later met with Anatoly, whom he suspected of treason. He then told him that he made some new allies, the Longbow Hunters, before him the false coordinates of an hiding place, realizing that the Russian would give the information to Oliver. Soon after, he called Mayor Lance, whom he ordered to remove the federal from Star City, threatening to murder Laurel; the man did not agree, which upset the crime lord. At the same time Team Arrow and the F.B.I. moved on Diaz's supposed new hideout only to fall right into his trap. As part of the team entered the warehouse, they found out that it had been mined. If they tried to move, they would risk a building explosion. Ricardo fired remotely, but Felicity's intervention helped the heroes avoid death. Immediately after that, Dragon again contacted the mayor, who agreed to meet him. When Quentin showed up, he revealed that the feds could target Diaz, forcing the man to take him with him to Laurel's hideout. The heroes immediately began tracking Lance's pacemaker in order to find Diaz's new headquarter.

Bringing Lance to Laurel, Diaz threatened to shoot her unless Lance ordered the F.B.I. to leave Star City, but still the man did not intend to obey him. This upset Diaz, who fired his gun at Laurel, only for Lance to take the shot in her place. Before the crime lord can give him another shot, the vigilantes burst into his hideout. Diaz escaped to the roof, where he expected transport, there. However, he was cornered by Green Arrow and the two engage in a brutal fight which Diaz, like their first fight, briefly dominated but was eventually overpowered and stabbed by Oliver. Diaz was not going down that easily, however, and defiantly tells Oliver that in order to fully stop him, he will have to kill him. Then Laurel unexpectedly appeared, who with a sonic scream threw Dragon out of the building's roof and into the water.

However, due to his physical conditioning, Diaz was able to survive and flee, unlike Quentin, who died in the hospital. But, despite this, he was still severely wounded. However, his criminal organization suffered debilitating damage and any influence he had over Star City was completely destroyed, because Team Arrow, during the fight, had taken a list of his wages, removing corrupt policemen, judges, politicians and city officials from Star City. However, Diaz's defeat also had considerable consequences on his enemies, as in addition to Quentin's death, Oliver, honoring the deal he made with the FBI, confesses publicly to being Green Arrow and was sentenced to a life in prison. Diaz, still wounded, watched furiously the whole transmission as he was already angrily plotting his revenge against Oliver for proving he is ultimately nothing more than a loser to the entire world, particularly the criminal underworld.

Return From Hiding
During the 5 months of his incarceration, Oliver suffered the same nightmare that involved Diaz pursuing Felicity and William in a forest, where the former sacrifices herself to save William. Diaz then shoots her twice and states that since Oliver took everything from him, he will enjoy doing the same to him.

After 5 months of hiding with the Longbow Hunters, Diaz hires some prison inmates to keep Oliver occupied and give him the message saying that Diaz had found Felicity and William's safe-house and is going to kill them. Diaz makes it to the safe-house, managing to bypass the door, which was fitted with an advanced security lock system and prepared to attack her while she orders William to run outside. A fight ensues between the two, and Diaz easily overpowers Felicity and prepares to kill her, but fails when A.R.G.U.S. makes it in time to save her, forcing him to flee.

Sometime after escaping A.R.G.U.S., Diaz had the Hunters break into an off-site facility of A.R.G.U.S. where they stole prototype B-24, a high densitable renewable battery able to power an entire town. Later, Diaz and two of the Longbow Hunters attempted to raid a train to steal an energy weapon that could be used combined with the B-24 to level an entire city. When chased by Diggle, Diaz attacked him with a flamethrower before getting into a fistfight with him. Although he was wounded by a knife-throw to the shoulder and Diggle had improved his skills, Diaz was able to nearly beat him but John was able to knock down Diaz long enough to retrieve the weapon and escape, leaving Diaz and the two hunters unable to do anything but watch his gateway.

Diaz and the Longbow Hunters later attempted a break in on CDC, a secure government facility to steal a bio-compound to heal Diaz's bones and enhance his strength. Being let in by his mole, Diaz started loading up the chemicals he needed. When Watson, Dinah and Rene tried to stop them, Diaz calmly ordered the two hunters that were with him to handle the three. After retrieving the chemicals he needed, Diaz shot certain chemical containers to cover their escape.

In his hideout, Diaz was mixing the chemical compounds together when the hunters that were with him reported that Honor was captured. Unfazed, Diaz finished the mixture and talked about the damage his body suffered after he hit the water and how he felt after being betrayed and loosing everything he worked for. But he remained patient. He then ejected himself and said he transformed his pain into something else. Getting up, Diaz walked over to a wall and punched it. While the wall was damaged, Diaz's fist was unharmed. He then told them that it transformed into strength.

Captured
Intending to keep his promise to Anatoly for his betrayal, Diaz made his way to Moscow in Russia. Diaz used his newfound strength to easily kill all the Bratva. After killing all of Anatoly's men on a rooftop, Diaz held him near a ledge. When the recently escaped Honor walked up and asked if he got what he wanted, Diaz happily answered her question, saying he was going to keep his promise and sarcastically asked the frightened Anatoly if he was right.

Taking Anatoly back to Star City, Diaz duck taped him to a chair and tortured him. Diaz reminded him of the last time they spoke and how Anatoly betrayed their friendship. Anatoly claimed that Diaz has no friends. Diaz decided to point out that all of his friends are gone and that he picked the loosing side. Diaz picked up a blowtorch and told Anatoly that he's going to help him destroy Oliver Queen, before burning him. Once Diaz was through torturing Anatoly, he forced him to contact an old associate of his in the KGB, Pyotr Roslov, to purchase two of a weapon called BETAB-500 so he could destroy Star City. Having gotten what he wanted from Anatoly, Diaz and the Longbow Hunters took him to a munition's plant in Orchid Bay and put him in a crate with Honor's belt, finding the tracker that Felicity and Black Siren planted in it, and a bomb to lure Team Arrow to their doom.

Diaz and the hunters took the BETAB-500s to trigger the explosion to destroy the city. After calling an extraction for them, Diaz got into a battle with Diggle. Diggle managed to disarm Diaz of his flamethrower and his remote trigger, but was soon overpowered by the crime lord. Though Felicity and Curtis were able to stop the countdown, Diaz wasn't concerned. Before he could trigger the explosives manually, the New Green Arrow showed up and shot the trigger out of his hand. Diaz was shocked, believing the vigilante was Oliver Queen, before getting into a fight with the Green Arrow. While Diaz was distracted fighting the vigilante, Diggle managed to knock him out. The Longbow Hunters then fled, and Diaz was taken into custody.

Diaz was taken to the SCPD precinct and held in the interrogation room, handcuffed to the table. Felicity walked in and Diaz smugly commented that he liked her better with her pink hair. When Felicity listed all the things Diaz did that ruined her life, Diaz simply asked her what she was going to do in retaliation. In response, Felicity pointed a gun that Anatoly gave her at Diaz. Knowing Felicity didn't have the guts to kill him, Diaz egged her on to pull the trigger. Laurel then walked in and told her not to shoot. Diaz teased Laurel by bringing up their brief romance together and watched the two ladies talk. Laurel revealed that she made a deal with the FBI that if they hand Diaz over, Oliver will be set free to help them in their case against the Dragon. Diaz, however, remained unfazed by this latest development.