Nowadays, comic books are adapted into movies, television series and even developed into entire universes to create an atmosphere more faithful to the comics. Between the MCU, the DCEU, the Arrowverse and FOX's X-Men universe, not to mention the stand-alone properties such as Gotham and Lucifer, comic book fans have their pick of superhero fixes. Most of these adaptations are of very high quality and surprisingly true to the source material. However, certain changes must always be made when adapting any kind of work for live-action media.

Over the years, the Arrowverse has introduced a plethora of comic book characters and for the most part, they only went through minor changes. However, there are also those whose origin stories, motivations, significance, alignment and much more were drastically altered for the purposes of the Arrowverse. Some of the changes the Arrowverse introduced didn't do the characters or the universe any favors, while other creative choices made these characters far more interesting and important. Change does not have to be a bad thing and we should try to be more open towards originality instead of sticking blindly to what came before. With that in mind, let's take a look at some of the big changes the Arrowverse made to supporting characters.

17 MON-EL GOT A NEW ORIGIN STORY

Supergirl Mon-El

Mon-El went through some re-engineering for his live-action debut on the second season of Supergirl. On the show, Mon-El is the former prince of Daxim who crash-landed on Earth and was then discovered by Supergirl.

In the comics, Mon-El’s real name is Lar Gand and he was found by Clark Kent.

The name Mon-El was made up by Clark who combined Monday -- which is the day Lar Gand landed on Earth -- and El which is, of course, Kal-El’s family name. On Supergirl, however, Mon-El is in fact the character’s real name, although he has no connection to the House of El. This is admittedly a bit confusing and less creative than Mon-El's comic book origin. Additionally, in the comics Mon-El was inspired by Superboy to become a hero, whereas the Mon-El we know from Supergirl was mostly reluctant to suit up. But that might be changing.

16 MOIRA QUEEN BECAME IMPORTANT

Arrow Moira Queen lives again

Moira Queen had quite the presence during the first two seasons of Arrow. First, she was involved with Malcolm Merlyn and the Undertaking -- an earthquake-like event that was supposed to rid Starling City of the Glades. Then, after admitting her role in the conspiracy, Moira was tried and acquitted on all counts because Merlyn made threats to the jury. And in season two, Moira ran for Mayor, but she was brutally murdered by Slade Wilson. Plus, Moira was the one who paid off Samantha to keep William away from Oliver’s life.

All of this and more would have you believe that Moira is an important player, when in fact her role in the comics is a minor one at best. Though, like many other characters, she did get an update in the New 52.

15 RONNIE RAYMOND GOT AN INTELLIGENCE BOOST

The Flash Ronnie Raymond

Ronnie Raymond’s portrayal on The Flash is a classic example of the adaptational intelligence trope, seeing as how the character gained quite a few IQ points for his live-action appearance. On the show, Ronnie is a structural engineer at S.T.A.R. Labs -- meaning, he’s very intelligent and obviously well-educated. In contrast, the comic book character doesn’t even have the drive to study for tests in high school.

Ronnie Raymond’s comic book counterpart is depicted as the typical academically challenged star athlete.

This Ronnie cares way more about sports than he does about gaining knowledge. Because of this, Ronnie often came into conflict with his professor and the other half of Firestorm, Dr. Martin Stein. In a way, Ronnie’s origin from the comics is more in line with Jefferson Jackson’s origin in the Arrowverse.

14 ROY HARPER BECAME A TROUBLED KID FROM THE GLADES

Arrow Roy Harper

Seeing Colton Haynes in these last couple of episodes of Arrow sure brought back memories -- memories of when the writers actually cared to develop a character properly. Roy Harper’s transformation from petty thief to invaluable member of Team Arrow was well written, properly paced and exquisitely acted, making the character an instant fan-favorite. However, while Arrow handled Roy Harper with care and respect to the original material, the writers did make a couple of adjustments.

Save for skipping the alter-ego Speedy and going for Arsenal right off the bat, the show also changed Roy’s origin. So, instead of being raised by a Navajo chief who thought him how to use a bow and arrow, Roy came from a low-income family from the Glades and learned archery under Oliver’s tutelage. His substance abuse issues were also written out, as well as his connection to Vandal Savage.

13 MALCOLM MERLYN TURNED INTO THE ULTIMATE EVIL MASTERMIND

Malcolm Merlyn aka the Dark Archer in Arrow

In the comics, Malcolm Merlyn, aka Arthur King, is in fact the one and true arch-nemesis of the Emerald Archer. Arrow incorporated much of Merlyn’s origin story into the show and kept going further, fleshing out the character far more than the comics ever bothered to do.

Merlyn became a much larger presence in Oliver’s life as the father of his best friend Tommy and his half-sister Thea.

The writers on Arrow gave Merlyn a lot more depth and development and basically turned him into the ultimate evil mastermind across all shows. On the other hand, the comic book version of the character was just a crazy archer with even crazier hair. Though, it’s worth noting that the new and improved Merlyn from Arrow did eventually make his way into the comics.

12 LENA LUTHOR IS KARA'S FRIEND

Supergirl Lena Luthor

Lena Luthor is one of the most perplexing characters the Arrowverse has introduced in its entire existence. Thus far, Lex’s little sister has been nothing but friendly and supporting towards both Kara and Supergirl. However, we can’t get past the fact that she is a Luthor and that in the comics she does belong to the dark side. Which begs the question, will Lena Luthor turn on her best friend and become evil?

There’s really no way to know for sure. The best any of us can do is speculate on the basis of what we’ve been shown thus far. Save for some minor lapses in judgment we’ve had no real reason to suspect Lena. In the comics, Lena sided with her adopted brother, however, for now that doesn’t seem to be the direction Supergirl is taking. And, of course, another glaring dissimilarity is that Supergirl's Lena is not paraplegic.

11 QUENTIN LANCE GOT A MUCH BIGGER ROLE

Arrow Quentin Lance

Over the course of six seasons, Laurel and Sara’s father Quentin Lance has played a pivotal role on Arrow. In season one, Officer Lance was the driving force behind the hunt for The Hood as well as a major adversary to Oliver Queen, whom he blamed for the horrible fate that has befallen his family.

During each season of Arrow, Quentin Lance has had such a prominent role, so much so that it’s hard to imagine the show without him.

Yet, his comic book counterpart is barely consequential at all. The main similarity between the two is that both Quentin Larry Lance from Arrow and Larry Lance from the comics were once officers of the law. However, Larry later became a private detective, while Quentin became the Deputy Mayor of Star City.

10 CISCO RAMON BECAME A GENIUS SCIENTIST

The Flash Cisco Ramon Vibe

Cisco Ramon is one of the most beloved characters in the Arrowverse. His witty quips, pop culture references and penchant for coming up with awesome superhero and villain names make him an immensely fun character. But that’s far from being the sum of what Cisco brings to the table. He’s also a superhero who goes by the name Vibe and he’s a genius mechanical engineer. Well, at least that’s how The Flash depicts Cisco Ramon.

The comic book version of the character differs greatly from his television counterpart. The name Cisco Ramon was coined in the New 52, while the previous Vibe went by Paco Ramone. But more importantly, the Cisco from the comics is not a genius scientist, nor does he have anything to do with the Flash. In the New 52, Cisco uses his powers to help A.R.G.U.S. catch dangerous individuals across other realities.

9 JAMES OLSEN IS A CHANGED MAN

James Olsen smiling in Supergirl

It has been argued time and again that Suerpgirl’s James Olsen is James Olsen in name only. After a cursory look, it’s pretty obvious this version of the character doesn’t share much in terms of physical appearance with his comic book counterpart. When Mehcad Brooks was announced as the new James Olsen, opinions were divided. While some commended this creative choice, others were skeptical, to put it mildly.

But Supergirl didn’t just change Jimmy’s physical appearance, it also gave him a brand new personality to go with the new look.

In contrast to the dorky, goofy, and clumsy James Olsen we’re used to seeing in comics and other media, Sueprgirl’s James Olsen is a confident and skilled businessman. While this fresh take on the character doesn’t agree with everyone, the upside is that it gives the writers an opportunity to try new things, like having James become the Guardian.

8 THE GUARDIAN GOT A NEW ORIGIN AND IDENTITY

Supergirl The Guardian

The second season of Supergirl saw the rise of a new hero in National City:  the Guardian. After attempting to stop criminals armed with alien technology, only to have his father’s camera broken in the process, James Olsen decided to become a vigilante and asked Winn to make him a suit. James donned on an all-gray bulky outfit, slapped on a shield and hit the streets of National City as the Guardian.

In the comics, James Olsen has never been the Guardian, which is one of the reasons fans didn’t like Supergirl’s take on the character. The first hero to call himself the Guardian was Jim Harper, but the name has also been associated with the Project Cadmus and James Harper’s clone, and many others. Interestingly enough, Jim Harper already made an appearance on Supergirl as an alien-hating Colonel.

7 CAITLIN SNOW DIDN'T GO FULL VILLAIN

The Flash Caitlin Snow

The heartbreaking story of Caitlin Snow’s transformation into Killer Frost still tugs at our heartstrings. But we were perhaps overly naive in our belief that the show wouldn’t dare turn the sweet Dr. Snow into her villainous comic book counterpart. In season three though, it seemed like all hope was lost and Caitlin would forever remain Killer Frost.

Much to our delight, ever the fighter, Caitlin Snow figured out a way to keep her dark half in check.

The comic book version of the character had no such luck. The Caitlin Snow from the comics is a villain through and through. She was indeed S.T.A.R. Labs’ brightest and youngest scientist and she was probably even a good person prior to becoming Killer Frost, but she remained a villain. Plus, she wasn’t Ronnie Raymond’s girlfriend, she was his nemesis -- seeking him out to gain the heat she so desperately craved.

6 JESSE QUICK’S ENTIRE HISTORY

The Flash Jesse Quick

On The Flash, Jesse Quick is the superhero name of the Earth-2 speedster and daughter of Harrison Wells, Jesse Chambers Wells. Jesse obtained superspeed after being struck by the particle accelerator explosion’s subsequent energy wave. During her time on Earth-1, Jesse developed romantic feelings for Wally West and the two dated for a while.

Jesse’s comic book history is widely different. Since, Harrison Wells is an Arrowverse exclusive, Jesse Chambers from the comics obviously could not have been his daughter. Instead, Jesse is the daughter of two heroes Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle, from whom she inherits her powers. She joined the Justice League of America and became the crime-fighting partner of Wally West, though the two were not romantically involved. In fact, Jesse married Rick Tyler, aka Hourman.

5 ALMOST EVERYTHING ABOUT LAUREL LANCE

Arrow Laurel Lance

Whichever Black Canary comic book origin you compare the show to, you will find a lot of discrepancies. Arrow's mishandled, albeit original, take on Black Canary rubbed many fans the wrong way. Instead of taking on the mantle from her mother Dinah or following in her father’s footsteps, Laurel Lance floundered to live up to her sister Sara’s legacy, while grappling with alcohol addiction and the complete lack of support from her loved ones.

Laurel wasn't the symbol of empowerment and determination she was supposed to be.

She did not choose to become Black Canary as an alternative to grief and disillusionment. Arrow's Laurel unfortunately came across as an underqualified and undervalued wannabe, using Black Canary as a means to work out her frustrations. The writers relegated Laurel to a background role, stripped her of agency and nuance, and when they couldn't fix her, they gave her the sack.

4 DAMIEN DARHK GOT MYSTICAL POWERS

Arrow Legends of Tomorrow Damien Darhk

Damien Darhk keeps on wreaking havoc on Legends of Tomorrow second season in a row. The character was introduced on Arrow, however, it was on Legends of Tomorrow where he truly became one of the most compelling Arrowverse villains. His powerful mystical abilities first came from the Kushu Idol, which enabled him to perform dark magic. However, after his resurrection, Damien was able to perform dark magic even without the idol. Simply, put he’s a force to be reckoned with.

In the comics, on the other hand, Damien Darhk, also known as Baby Face, only appeared in a handful of issues and only ever in Titans. He was the second in command of the mercenary organization known as H.I.V.E. and showed no signs of mystical abilities. The only thing these two really have in common is the name.

3 THEA QUEEN'S VERY EXISTENCE

Arrow Thea Queen

Thea Queen is one of the most drastic examples of how Arrow is different than the comics, simply because the character Thea Queen is an Arrowverse creation. That said, Thea Queen is not completely devoid of a comic book counterpart. Her alter-ego Speedy does in fact exist in DC Comics and Thea was partially based on the second Speedy, Mia Dearden.

Hence, the name Thea Dearden Queen.

Thea’s substance abuse issues from earlier seasons are a callback to the famous storyline about the first vigilante who went by the name Speedy in the comics -- Roy Harper. On top of that, she shares some similarities with Damien Wayne -- namely, her connection to Ra’s al Ghul, hot temper and excellent swordsmanship skills. An amalgamation of various DC Comics characters, Thea Queen is one of the best original creations to come out of the Arrowverse.

2 FELICITY SMOAK, BUT IN NAME ONLY

Arrow Felicity Smoak

When Arrow first introduced Felicity Smoak the intention was to have Emily Bett Rickards do a few episodes without giving the character much of a story. However, the audience took a liking to Oliver’s resident IT girl with a huge crush on her boss, and so the creators decided to give Felicity a much bigger role. Flashforward six years and Felicity Smoak is married to Oliver Queen.

What most comic book fans noticed when Felicity made her debut is that she shares her name with a different comic book character -- Ronnie Raymond’s stepmother. In the comics, Felicity Smoak was the manager of a computer software company in New York who married the father of Ronnie Raymond, known as Firestorm. The Arrowverse version of the character doesn’t have much in common with the comic book one, apart from the name and love of computers.

1 WAVERIDER BECAME A SHIP

Legends of Tomorrow Waverider

The Arrowverse is crammed with easter eggs, references, cameos and homages. Even the name of the timeship our favorite ragtag band of misfits uses has a deeper meaning and a very important connection to DC Comics. However, in the comics, Waverider is certainly no ship -- time or otherwise.

Waverider is actually the identity of two time-travelling heroes, the latter of which is Rip Hunter’s father.

The first hero to call himself Waverider was Matthew Ryder from the year 2030, who volunteered as a time travel test subject and thus was able to enter the timestream, which transformed him into a being capable of traveling freely through time. While, Michael Jon Carter, known also as Booster Gold, became the second Waverider during DC Comics' "Convergence" storyline.