Merlyn (DC Comics)

Merlyn is a fictional supervillain who appears in comic books of the DC Comics Universe. He is the archenemy of Green Arrow, though over the years he has served as an enemy for other superheroes, such as Batman. He was created by Mike Friedrich, Neal Adams, and Dick Dillin and first appeared in Justice League of America #94 (1971). Merlyn has since appeared in various forms of DC related media, his most prominent role being in the live action TV show Arrow, portrayed by John Barrowman.

Fictional character biography

Years before Oliver Queen would become Green Arrow, he was inspired to take up archery by the amazing archer "Merlyn the Magician". Once Green Arrow began to become famous, the two met again, as Merlyn challenged the hero to a public archery contest and defeated him. With that victory under his belt, Merlyn vanished for years, only to resurface as a member of the League of Assassins. Merlyn and Green Arrow faced again as Merlyn tried to fulfill a contract to assassinate Batman. Green Arrow was able to deflect one of Merlyn's arrows with an arrow of his own, saving Batman's life. Merlyn admitted that Green Arrow had improved since their last encounter, but escaped before he could be captured. Unable to return to the League of Assassins, he became a freelance assassin.

Merlyn later appeared in Action Comics as part of the Queen Bee's unofficial "Injustice Gang" opposing the JLA.^[2]

Finding work with one of Metropolis' crime syndicates, The 100,^[3] Merlyn fought against a weakened Black Lightning, but lost the battle.^[4]

Merlyn was apparently a part of the League of Assassins when the assassin David Cain's daughter, Cassandra, was born. Merlyn would seem to have taken part in the child's highly abusive training (along with other members of the League, such as Bronze Tiger), unknowingly giving her the skills to become the future Batgirl. He then served under Tobias Whale as a member of the 100.

He was among those who sold his soul to the demonic Neron during the events of Underworld Unleashed. He then joined the Killer Elite (along with Deadshot, Bolt, Chiller, and Deadline). All tried to perform various assassinations, but were stopped by the Justice League of America. The group later encountered the Body Doubles. Merlyn and the others were soundly defeated, as the Body Doubles used gadgetry and cleavage to their advantage.^[5]

The villain next made an appearance in the pages of Young Justice as an archer working for the Zandian national Olympic team. He is the instructor to the young Zandian archer Turk (a half-wolf metahuman). Turk and Merlyn attempt to sabotage the games in their favor,^[6] but they are defeated by the Young Justice team.^[7][8]

Merlyn would next appear in the pages of Identity Crisis,^[9] and was one of the main voices for the villains during that miniseries. He recognizes the Monocle and Deadshot as his closest allies, and correctly predicts that the murder of Sue Dibny would have dire consequences in the villain community.^[10] When he is captured by the Justice League along with Deadshot and Monocle, Deadshot was able to use his ties to the Suicide Squad and Amanda Waller to secure their release (much to the frustration of the newest Manhunter).^[11]

The villainous archer reappeared with Monocle and Phobia in an attempt to kill the Shadow Thief at his trial, and in the process the villains found themselves battling Manhunter. Merlyn has since resurfaced in the pages of Green Arrow as part of a multipronged attack against Green Arrow and his family.^[12]

Afterward, he appears to be under the employ of Talia al Ghul as a tutor to her son Damian Wayne, though he would later confess that he was learning more from Damian.^[13]

He has a minor role in The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul, in which he is hired by the Sensei to take out a spring where Ra's could revitalize himself. He fulfills his tasks well, but is defeated in the final confrontation between Ra's al Ghul and Batman.^[14]

He was later seen among the new Injustice League.

He was later captured by the vigilante Cupid, who planned to kill him in front of Green Arrow, whom she was besotted with. To this end, she slashed Merlyn's throat with an arrow. Green Arrow was able to get Merlyn medical attention in time to save his life, but the villain's throat was damaged to the point where he would never be able to speak again.^[15]

The New 52

In Batman Incorporated #4 (2012), Merlyn (Arthur King) appears in the employ of Talia al Ghul, as part of the League of Assassins, and battles the members of Batman, Inc.^[16] During the Forever Evil storyline, Arthur King is among the villains recruited by the Crime Syndicate of America to join the Secret Society of Super Villains.^[17]

Tommy Merlyn appeared in The New 52 (a reboot of the DC Comics universe) in Green Arrow #0. Five years earlier, Tommy was Oliver Queen's best friend. During a hostage crisis on a Pacific Ocean oil rig with a villain named "Iron Eagle", Merlyn was caught in an explosion. Fast forward to the present day, Tommy, branded as the "Mystery Patient", awoke.^[18]

In the second part of the 2014 Green Arrow storyline '"Kingdom", Tommy Merlyn returns as a mercenary after killing some of the men trying to take Mia Dearden into protective custody in relation to a "case" involving her mother and Mr King. Green Arrow, who moved in to rescue Mia following a tip off from hacker-for-hire Felicity Smoak, looked up to see Merlyn, bow drawn and face covered in burns.^[19]

Powers and abilities

While Merlyn possesses no metahuman powers, he is at his prime in terms of human physical conditioning, possessing advanced strength and reflexes as well as having an incredibly high tolerance for pain, which make him an extremely violent and vicious opponent. His League of Assassins armor is made of Kevlar, and provides further protection when he is in the field. Having been trained by the League of Assassins, Merlyn is a master of hand-to-hand combat, martial arts and stealth. He is one of the DC Universe's best archers, whose archery skills are equivalent, if not superior, to Green Arrow, Connor Hawke, Red Arrow and the Celestial Archer. He has been known to use trick arrows to kill his enemies, including explosive arrows that detonate on impact. He has also been shown to possess a jet pack mounted in his quiver. In addition to being an archer, Merlyn is also extremely proficient with swords, throwing knives and other melee weapons.

Merlyn also possesses genius level intellect and is remarkably skilled in devising battle plans and strategies. When not being contracted to assassinate a target, Merlyn has been shown to be a very skilled and cunning tactician when scheming the downfall of his personal enemies, and always remaining calm even when things do not go according to plan or take a turn for the worse. A ruthless master of deception, Merlyn usually deceives and uses his enemies to his own personal advantage, always making sure he is at least one step ahead of his opponents. He first studies his enemies closely to discover their weak points and vulnerabilities, then strikes when they are caught off guard with brutal efficiency.

In other media

Television

Justice League Unlimited

• Merlyn appears in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Dead Reckoning". He is shown as a member of Grodd's Secret Society. In a fight for leadership of the society, Merlyn sides with Grodd in the mutiny against Lex Luthor. Merlyn is seen firing his arrows and dispatching multiple other supervillains during the fight. While other mutineers are captured and defeated, Merlyn manages to escape.

Smallville

• A character named Vordigan is loosely based on Merlyn and referred to as "The Dark Archer" in advertising,^[20] appeared in the Smallville Season Nine episode "Disciple", reappearing later in the tenth season (episode "Prophecy") to kill Green Arrow. He is portrayed in shadow by an unknown actor in "Prophecy" and by Steve Bacic in "Disciple".

Arrowverse

Malcolm Merlyn appears in The CW's Arrowverse, portrayed by John Barrowman:

John Barrowman portrays Malcolm Merlyn

Colin Donnell portrays Tommy Merlyn.

• Malcolm Merlyn (born Arthur King) appears in Arrow, where he serves as Oliver Queen's nemesis. Fueled by the murder of his wife Rebecca during a mugging in the crime-infested area of Starling City called "the Glades", Malcolm left his son, Tommy, in Starling City to train in Nanda Parbat with the League of Assassins, where he took the name "The Magician" (Arabic: الساحر Al Sa-Her). Years later, he left the organization, on the condition that he obey the League's codes. Upon returning to Starling City, Malcolm plotted to avenge his late wife by completely destroying the Glades, and even inadvertently killed his friend Robert Queen when he tried to extradite himself from the plan. This lead to Robert's son, Oliver, being shipwrecked. Five years later, Oliver returns to Starling City as the vigilante known as "The Arrow". In the season one finale, Oliver seemingly kills Malcolm, but the villain's earthquake-causing device is still activated, destroying the Glades and inadvertently killing his son Tommy. In season two, Malcolm is revealed to be alive and well aware of his parentage to Thea Queen, Oliver's younger sister, and returns to Starling to convince her to leave with him shortly after her mother's death. In season three, it is revealed that Malcolm's undertaking broke the League's code, so he forces Oliver to kill Ra's for him to rid the blood debt on his head. At the end of the season, Oliver defeats Ra's and hands leadership of the League to Malcolm, who subsequently becomes the next Ra's al Ghul. In season four, however, it is revealed that Nyssa al Ghul is leading a rebel faction of the League against Malcolm, resulting in a civil war between both parties. Oliver eventually puts an end to the battle by duelling Malcolm, severing his left hand in the process. As the new Head of the Demon, Nyssa subsequently disbands the League of Assassins. Now seeking revenge against Oliver, Malcolm forms an alliance with Damien Darhk.
  • Colin Donnell portrays Thomas "Tommy" Merlyn, Malcolm's son and the long-time best friend of Oliver Queen. Over the course of the first season Tommy is portrayed as a laid back and reckless playboy, who acts as Oliver's romantic rival for Laurel Lance. Tommy eventually discovers that Oliver is The Arrow, and begins to distance himself from his friend, later breaking up with Laurel (once he realizes that she still has strong feelings for Oliver). However, Tommy soon discovers his father's plot to destroy the Glades, and is killed saving Laurel's life from a burning building. Oliver arrives too late, but the two reconcile as Tommy dies in his arms. In season 2, Tommy's death sends Laurel into a deep depression, and is the fueling factor for Oliver to stop killing ever again.

Film

• Merlyn appears in DC Showcase: Green Arrow voiced by Malcolm McDowell. He is hired by Count Vertigo to assassinate Princess Perdita at the airport so that the count can take her place as the ruler of his country. After a long battle, Merlyn's henchman are defeated and he ends up in a duel with Green Arrow which ends with Merlyn unconscious, courtesy of the hero's knock-out gas. During the film, Merlyn stated that he had bested Green Arrow on eight occasions, a fact which the hero was not able to deny.

• Merlyn is included in the script Green Arrow: Escape from Supermax. He is one of the convicts imprisoned with Green Arrow and is the primary antagonist.

Video games

• Merlyn appears in Injustice: Gods Among Us. In Green Arrow's S.T.A.R. Labs Missions, Merlyn is posing as the hero, wearing his same costume. Green Arrow must defeat him in an archery duel.

• Malcolm Merlyn appears in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham. He is part of the "Arrow" DLC.

Toys and collectibles

• In late March 2015, DC Collectibles released an action figure of Merlyn based on his appearance in the Arrow TV series. This figure was labelled "Dark Archer", Malcolm Merlyn's villain alter-ego in the TV show.

References