‘Arrow’ Q&A: Katrina Law On The Threat To Nyssa Al Ghul

The man formerly known as Oliver Queen is coming for Nyssa al Ghul on “Arrow.”

Now that he has been renamed Al Sah-Him (also the name of Wednesday’s episode), and is the new Heir to the Demon, Ra’s al Ghul will be ordering the Arrow to take out rivals, and at the top of the list is Katrina Law’s Nyssa al Ghul.

But, when the episode begins, Nyssa is completely unaware that Oliver accepted Ra’s offer. When she learns the news — over fries with her new pal, Laurel Lance (Katie Cassidy) — things quickly get very, very serious. Katrina previewed Nyssa’s reaction to the news, and more when she spoke with Access Hollywood.

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AccessHollywood.com: Finally the Nyssa episode we have all been waiting for. But before we get into the details, where do you think Nyssa’s been since we last saw her? Obviously in some of the [publicity] photos, she’s wearing different clothes.
Katrina Law: I think she’s been on shopping sprees with Laurel. She’s been doing a lot of hang out time in Laurel’s apartment and she is probably going out and teaching Laurel how to fight in real life situations and spending a lot of time at the gym. But I think a lot of shopping sprees.

Access: (Laughs) Nice. So one of the things in the trailer was Ra’s telling Oliver that there are other contenders [to be Heir to Ra’s]. Is Nyssa the one he’s coming after?
Katrina: Yes. … In the one scene where you see me sitting with Laurel at the diner, Laurel kind of casually drops [the information] that Oliver has now accepted this role of [the next] Ra’s al Ghul and that she’s been keeping it from her and Nyssa stands up and freaks out… and Laurel doesn’t understand why. And the reason is because when you accept the role of Ra’s al Ghul, one of the things that has to happen is you need to take out all of your [potential rivals]… and Nyssa, for sure, has been a contender this entire time and so now she knows the League is after her.

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Access: I’ve wondered if maybe Ra’s carried some leftover guilt because he had to leave his original family in order to become Ra’s himself and if maybe by making Oliver his heir, if that was going to free up his daughter [to have a life]. But it sounds like that’s actually not the case at all.
Katrina: I think, in defense of my daddy, I think he is very career driven (laughs), and what is best for the career also means what is best for the family, and being how my family and his family and our career is the League of Assassins, anything that we do in our life needs to be in honor or in service of, or in protection of the League of Assassins. So essentially, when you are a League of Assassins member, your entire life has now become a dedication to the good of the community and it’s no longer freewill. So, I think one of the things that my father has accepted very much in his life is that his life is in service of the League of Assassins and everything that he does is for the better of it. … One of the things Nyssa, I think, has not quite come to terms with, especially because she did fall in love with an outsider, is that she doesn’t understand that everything has to be in service to [the League]. So she’s still kind of the rebellious teenager whereas the father is going, ‘This is the best thing for the family and you need to sacrifice. And even if that means your life, you need to sacrifice for the League of Assassins.’ … When it comes to the heart, I think my father, Ra’s al Ghul really does love Nyssa in his own way, but she will always be second to the League of Assassins.

Access: I was hoping there was a bit of heart left in him. So I have to ask, how does Nyssa see Al Sah-Him (Oliver)? Does she think he might be able to be turned back into Oliver Queen? Would that be her ultimate goal?
Katrina: No… Nyssa knows the League ways and once the League has turned you, you are turned for life and if you decide to go against the League — there is no dropping out. The only person that has ever dropped out or has been released from the League is Malcolm Merlyn and I think it will be explained, maybe not this season, maybe next season or somewhere in DC comic-land, why he was released and not killed.

Access: One of the things that’s been talked about on the show is about how old Ra’s is. Do you know how old Nyssa is? Do you have any idea how old she is?
Katrina: Well, I think they changed it a little bit, but I know in the DC Comics, Nyssa is essentially 430-some years old and I think her father is like 600-some years old. … In regards to this world, I think they’re just making Ra’s over 100 years old. So I would say Nyssa is probably… 60s? (laughs)

Access: That’s interesting. So she’s probably had a fair few brushes with death in her own life.
Katrina: Yeah. I’m just guessing. I really don’t know. I’m sure they’ll come out with an episode and find out she’s really like 5.

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Access: You got to spend a lot of time working with Katie Cassidy in this episode. How was that for you because those are [different] kinds of scenes for your character than she’s had on the show.
Katrina: In general, I love working with Katie Cassidy. That woman is so prepared and professional and just talented and when she shows up to a scene, it is a joy to work with her because she is so present. When it comes to the scene in the diner… it was so much fun because one – we get to eat French fries during a scene. It was one of the few times that Nyssa was genuinely allowed to smile and have fun and the two characters got to smile and just kind of connect and it’s always fun doing a scene with another strong female character.

“Arrow” continues Wednesday at 8/7c on The CW.

— Jolie Lash