"Arrow" Season 5 brings back Laurel Lance aka Black Canary for a poignant reunion with Team Arrow in Episode 8, "Invasion." Laurel is very much alive in this episode as a tribute to the character and to actress Katie Cassidy.
Executive producer Andrew Kreisberg said that "Arrow" Season 5 decided to bring back Laurel Lance because she is a founding character in the series. Black Canary was the second hero in the story aside from Oliver Queen aka the Green Arrow. This is why the writers felt that they owe it to the character to bring her back in the centennial or the 100th episode of the series.
"She is such an essential figure to the show. Even though the show has evolved, Laurel is at the heart of it," Kreisberg told Screener TV in an interview about the crossover episode of "Arrow" Season 5.
This goes without saying that even with Laurel Lance's death, her memory lives on. She remains as Sara Lance's sister, as the Black Canary and as Oliver Queen's great love. Likewise, Kreisberg said that they decided to bring Laurel back because of Katie Cassidy. She will always remain an important part of the show even without her physically in the series.
In "Arrow" Season 5, Laurel Lance is alive and engaged to marry Oliver Queen. The CW released a few promotional photos for the episode, with a couple showing Laurel in a wedding dress.
OF course, her wedding to Oliver happens in an alternate timeline in "Arrow" Season 5. Somehow, Barry Allen's Flashpoint also affected Team Arrow. It erased Diggle's daughter and brought back a few familiar faces in the past seasons.
The 100th episode in "Arrow" Season 5 brought back Oliver's parents. It also brought back Roy and Tommy. Most importantly, it brought Oliver back to his great love Laurel Lance.
