“ | I grew up in a small village in Africa, a country whose named has changed a dozen times over the years. One day, bandits came to my village. They wanted water and gold and women. Once they left with them, the only thing remaining of my village was ash. My home and everyone I loved was wiped from the earth and I was helpless to stop it and I swore I would never feel helpless again. | „ |
~ Baron Reiter |
“ | The difference between insanity and belief lies all in the number of believers! | „ |
~ Baron Reiter |
“ | Oliver: Taiana, if you want it back, you're going to have to kill me, and I'm betting you won't. Baron Reiter: What about me, Mr. Queen? And after killing you... I'll kill her. |
„ |
Baron Reiter is the main antagonist of the flashback storyline in Season 4 of the TV series Arrow. He is the leader of Shadowspire who brought his organisation to Lian Yu to search for a source of power.
He was portrayed by Jimmy Akingbola.
Biography[]
Past[]
Reiter grew up in a small village in Africa. At one night, bandits came to the village, taking with them water, gold and women and burning down the village afterwards. Though Reiter survived, the event traumatized him and he decided never to feel this powerless ever again.
Contact with Oliver Queen[]
Upon his return to the island, Oliver encounters a soldier whom he kills. He opens his backpack and establishes a connection to A.R.G.U.S. who tell him that he should infiltrate the organisation by gaining their trust. When Oliver asks what he is infiltrating, he is told that he "will see". To come into contact with the group, Oliver drags the body of the killed soldier onto a landmine. When two men appear to investigate, he reveals himself to them, stating that his ship wrecked years ago.
Not knowing what to do with Oliver, they lead him to their leader Reiter who immediately recognizes the shipwrecked playboy, referring to him as a "minor celebrity on the other side of the world". He offers Oliver a seat. However, when Oliver thanks him for the rescue, Reiter replies that they are not rescuing him because once he got home he would immediately talk about what Reiter and his men are doing on the island. Despite Oliver telling him that he has no idea what they are doing, Reiter repeats that they cannot send Oliver home. But, as Reiter has no reason to kill Oliver he offers him to become one of his men because due to surviving three years of isolation he has qualities Reiter needs. Oliver accepts Reiter's offer, gaining his trust as he was ordered to by Waller.
While Reiter allows Oliver to serve in his guard, he never tells Oliver what the operation is about. While talking to Conklin, the main guard in the camp, Oliver finds out that Reiter and his men are harvesting a drug called Slam.
Later one of the guard finds put that a package of Slam is missing. Conklin executes a worker for this and plans to keep doing so but Oliver tells him that Reiter wouldn't want his work force decimated.
After having found Oliver's backpack, Conklin brings Oliver to Reiters hut. Reiter, who is beating up a prisoner, tells them that he does not approve of the disturbance when they enter. When Conklin presents him with the backpack Reiter dismisses him, believing Oliver to be innocent. He then berates Conklin for focusing on his which hunt while ignoring important security matters as the spy who lies before him. The prisoner is revealed to be John Constantine, whom Reiter believes to be spying on the camp. Reiter then shows Oliver a map Constantine had with him when he was captured and asks him if he knows the place. Oliver reveals that he does and Reiter, to Conklin's objection, orders him to go and find whatever is hidden at the marked place. However, Constantine manages to free himself, knocks out Conklin and orders him to stand down, taking Oliver as a hostage. Reiter indeed puts down his gun and Constantine leaves the camp with Oliver after shooting the tires of every car.
Punishing Conklin[]
After returning to Reiter with the orb from the location on Constantine's map, Oliver brings Reiter and Conklin back to the shrine. There, Reiter uses the orb to reveal a secret message on the walls which states that a special "gift" will be located at a cave surrounded by mountains. Oliver tells Reiter that he knows such a cave and Reiter sends him to lead an excavation. Conklin again tries to convince Reiter that Oliver is a mole but Reiter interrupts him and tells him to go with Oliver. However, while on the way to the excavation Conklin talks a worker called Vlad into attacking Oliver which forces Oliver to kill Vlad.
While bringing Oliver back to Reiter Conklin reveals that Vlad was the brother of the female worker Oliver saved. Back at the camp, Conklin and Oliver both accuse each other when they stand before Reiter. Reiter states that he has the means to find out who is guilty. He grabs a bunch of twigs, points them at Oliver's chest and asks him why he killed Vlad. Oliver tells him that Vlad attacked him. Reiter then points the twigs at Conklin and asks him if he set Vlad up to attack Oliver. Conklin denies it and the twigs rustle. Conklin is then taken by Reiter's guards and dragged outside while loudly claiming his innocence. Oliver asks Reiter what he will do to Conklin to which he replies that he will do nothing as he believes "the wronged should make things right". Reiter then leaves the tent and Oliver uses the opportunity to steal papers from Reiter's desk.
Later that day, Reiter brings Conklin before the rest of the group, calling him a man who conspired against them and killed an innocent, useful worker. He tells them that the punishment will not come from him but from the man he tried to hurt. Reiter then hands Oliver a whip. When Oliver approaches Conklin, Conklin begs him not to do that. Oliver whips him nonetheless, striking him multiple times.
Betrayed by Oliver[]
When Conklin finds the backpack with Oliver's intel and also witnesses that Talana is still alive, Conklin brings both back to the camp, planning to prove to Reiter that Oliver is the enemy. Back at camp, Conklin brings Oliver and Talana before Reiter, also showing Reiter the backpack with maps and Oliver's communication device. Convinced, Reiter gives Conklin permission to kill Oliver, taking the latter's betrayal at a personal insult, but Conklin states that he has something else in mind. As revenge for Oliver whipping him earlier, Conklin proceeds to whip Oliver.
However, while Oliver is whipped Reiter sees the tattoos on Oliver's body glowing and tells Conklin to stop. Conklin claims that Reiter told him that Oliver was his and he could do whatever he wanted with him, but Reiter says that this was before he saw the signs. Conklin states that Reiter can look at them all he wants when Oliver is dead but Reiter claims that he needs Oliver. Sensing the oppurtunity, Oliver grabs the gun from Reiter's holster, causing every guard to aim their rifles at Oliver. Conklin reminds Oliver that while he has one gun, they have five and asks Oliver where he wants to run. However, Oliver aims his gun at his own head, stating that he will be running nowhere.
Oliver then claims that he will cooperate with Reiter, as long as Reiter ensures Talana's safety. Although Conklin claims that Oliver will turn on him again, Reiter accepts the deal. Oliver hands him back the pistol and Oliver and Talana to be brought to prison. When Conklin says that Reiter will regret this, Reiter coldly reminds him that no part in Reiter's plan requires Conklin to be alive.
In prison, Oliver to Talana that it was him who killed Vlad. Furious, she states that from now on, she will not continue tending his wounds. When Oliver tells her that he has what Reiter wants, a kind of stone engraved with runes, and that they can use it against him but Talana grabs the stone from Oliver and tells the guard to call for Reiter. When Reiter arrives, Talana says that she has something he wants and will give it to him once he lets her out of her cell. However, Reiter tells her that he will get what he wants nontheless. He quickly grabs her arm, takes the stone from her and tells her that, as Oliver is very important to his plans, she will stay imprisoned as long as Oliver is injured. Telling her that she will be killed should Oliver's health get worse. He then leaves the two in their cell and leaves the prison.
Search for the divine power[]
Later, Reiter returns to tell Oliver that the stone was the last piece in the map he was searching, and that they will begin digging at daybreak. Indeed, Reiter forces the prisoners to start digging the next day. When Oliver appears, Reiter tells him that he is glad Oliver is well again, as they have much to accomplish together.
A handcuffed Oliver is brought before Reiter, who tells him that the map conceals deeper truths Reiter could not uncover until Oliver brought the survey maps to Reiter, and that he was able to decipher the encryptions on the stone which was also provided by Oliver. Reiter further claims that according to legend, in a hidden place on the island lies a device of great power. To find it, a man who has been granted passage by the gods is required and Reiter thinks that that man is Oliver. Conklin then appears in the room, claiming that Reiter is needed upstairs. Reiter tells Conklin to keep Oliver company. Oliver uses the moment to steal a letter opener from Reiter's table and break his cuffs. He then grabs a razor blade. Surprised, Conkin draws a knife, claiming that he will enjoy watching Oliver die. A violent fight then ensues which ends with Conklin's death.
Reiter has Oliver brought back into his cell, claiming that while he needs Oliver alive, there are different forms of alive. He tells Oliver to not test him again, before leaving the prison.
Finding the idol[]
After his men have almost reached the goal, Reiter frees Oliver and Talana from their cell so that they can witness his moment of triumph. However, when they breach the wall Reiter is thrown back when he is faced by a spirit being in the shape of Conklin, which claims that all of them deserve death for their sacrilege. Afraid, Reiter and the Shadowspire mercenaries flee from the room, locking up Oliver and Talana inside. However, after they are gone the guardian reveals that Oliver is worthy and dissolves, allowing Oliver to go on.
After the spirit is gone, Reiter and his men return. While entering, Reiter claims that he had all the faith that Oliver would survive. When Oliver asks whether Reiter also had this confidence about the survival of all other prisoners to which Reiter answers that Oliver is his only concern. Handing Oliver a flashlight, he says that Oliver seems to behave best when Taiana is along. He orders the soldiers to take her with them and Oliver, Reiter, Taiana and the soldiers then climb through the breach, arriving in what is revealed to be a gargantuan cave underneath Lian Yu.
Inside the cave, Reiter and his group find an idol, the same Damien Darhk would draw his powers from years later. After finding it, Reiter shoots one of the workers, telling Talana and Oliver to let him die. Once the man dies, it seems that his life force is drawn into the idol. At the same time, insignia appear on Reiter's arm. Reiter reveals that this is comes only from one life and that he has dozens of prisoners upstairs. One of Reiter's men then reveals that the prisoners have been rounded up upstairs. Reiter orders to shoot them all. To prevent this, Oliver attacks the guard and knocks out Reiter, Oliver and Talana then flee with the idol and run deep into the cave. Oliver, who also took Reiter's radio, is soon contacted by Reiter who reveals that the only way out of the cave is the way they came and that Reiter will be waiting for them at the exit with guns and men. He also sends in his men to search the caves, two of them are ambushed and defeated by Oliver.
With their newly-obtained weapons, Taiana and Oliver return to Reiter, whose only concern is the whereabouts of the idol. Talana shoots him into the chest thrice but is shocked to see that the bullets do no harm whatsoever. Reiter tells them that while the powers of his idol are wearing off, there is still enough left to make short work of the two. Reiter promises to kill the both quickly should they reveal where they hid his idol, but Oliver declines. Reiter then grabs Talana with his magical powers and hurls her through the room. Oliver then attacks Reiter but is overpowered. Reiter says that Oliver should remember that his power comes from the death of only one man and that after the death of the workers above, his powers would be god-like. He grabs Oliver by the throat and tries to use his powers but at that time, the powers he gained from the killed worker are drained. Using Reiter's confusion, Oliver knocks him out. When Oliver rushes to Talana's side, both turn to see that Reiter has gone. Realising that he will be searching for his idol, Oliver and Talana plan to free the prisoners on the surface while Reiter is occupied. Returning to the surface, Oliver and Talana shoot Reiter's men and plan to trap him in the cave by blowing up the entrance. Hearing the explosion, Reiter shoots his two remaining men, claiming that their deaths might just be sufficient to keep him alive, before he is buried alive.
He resurfaces eventually and follows Oliver and Talana to get his totem back. He catches up to them when Talana is affected by his totem, also gaining magical powers fueled by death. Reiter approaches the two and attacks Taiana to get his totem back. He fights Talana and attempts to drain her life force but due to Talana's instability, the life is instead drained from him. While Reiter is weakened, Oliver hurls a knife into Reiter's back and kills him.
Personality[]
Despite being a villain, Baron Reiter does have some noble qualities. One instance of is when he "blessed" his slaves. Another was that despite the fact that Oliver Queen showed up around the time that two of his men died, he continued to believe Oliver was innocent until Conklin provided solid proof that Oliver was a spy. In another sign that he views his men as family, he laid his gun down while John Constantine had Oliver as a hostage. The inability to stop bandits from invading and destroying his hamlet is what drives Reiter's quest for power and knowledge of the mysterious powers on Lian Yu.