Merlyn (Arthur King), otherwise known as the Dark Archer, is a

supervillain A supervillain or supercriminal is a variant of the villainous stock character that is commonly found in American comic books, usually possessing superhuman abilities. A supervillain is the antithesis of a superhero. Supervillains are oft ...

appearing in

comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...

s published by

DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...

. He is a deadly bow-wielding assassin and contract killer and the

archnemesis In literature, an archenemy (sometimes spelled as arch-enemy) is the main enemy of someone. In fiction, it is a character who is the protagonist's, commonly a hero's, most prominent and most-known enemy. Etymology The word ''archenemy'' sometim ...

Green Arrow Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His secret identity, real name is Olive ...

, though writers have developed him over the years as an adversary of other superheroes as well, such as

Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...

and

Black Canary The Black Canary is the name of two superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics: Dinah Drake and her daughter Dinah Laurel Lance. The original version was created by the writer-artist team of Robert Kanigher and ...

. In 2012, the character made his live-action debut on

The CW ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...

Arrow An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers c ...

'', portrayed by

John Barrowman John Scot Barrowman (born 11 March 1967) is a Scottish-American actor, author, presenter, singer and comic book writer. He is known for his role as Captain Jack Harkness in '' Doctor Who'' and ''Torchwood'', and as Malcolm Merlyn in the Arrow ...

under the name Malcolm Merlyn. The character also appeared on other

Arrowverse The Arrowverse is an American superhero media franchise and a shared universe that is centered on various interconnected television series based on DC Comics superhero characters, primarily airing on The CW as well as web series on CW Seed. ...

shows.

Publication history

Created by

Mike Friedrich Mike Friedrich (; born March 27, 1949) is an American comic book writer and publisher best known for his work at Marvel and DC Comics, and for publishing the anthology series '' Star*Reach'', one of the first independent comics. He is also an a ...

Neal Adams Neal Adams (June 15, 1941 – April 28, 2022) was an American comic book artist. He was the co-founder of the graphic design studio Continuity Associates, and was a creators-rights advocate who helped secure a pension and recognition for Supe ...

, and

Dick Dillin Richard Allen Dillin (December 17, 1928 – March 1, 1980)Richard Dillin
at the United States

Justice League of America The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived ...

'' #94 in November 1971. In 2012,

's live-action TV show ''

'' introduced Malcolm Merlyn as the first season's main

antagonist An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the chief foe of the protagonist. Etymology The English word antagonist comes from the Greek ἀνταγωνιστής – ''antagonistēs'', "opponent, competitor, villain, enemy, riv ...

, and his son

Tommy Merlyn Thomas Merlyn is a fictional supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics related to Green Arrow. Created by Judd Winick and Freddie E. Williams II, he is the son of Arthur King / Malcolm Merlyn / Dark Archer. Colin Donnell po ...

Oliver Queen Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His secret identity, real name is Olive ...

's best friend, a concept that would later be integrated into the comics.

, who portrays Malcolm Merlyn in the series, and with his sister

Carole Carole is a feminine given name (see Carl for more information) and occasionally a surname. Carole may refer to: Given name * Carole B. Balin (born 1964), American Reform rabbi, professor of Jewish history *Carole Bayer Sager (born 1947), Ameri ...

, has written the digital comic ''Arrow: The Dark Archer'', which is centered on the character. The present day narrative takes place between the third and fourth seasons of the show, while flashbacks detail Malcolm's past as Arthur King.

Fictional character biography

Long before becoming the vigilante Green Arrow, Oliver Queen was inspired to take up

archery Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In m ...

after hearing of the exploits of Arthur King, otherwise known as "Merlyn the Magician", a master archer with acute accuracy. Years later, Merlyn challenged the

to a public archery duel and defeated Oliver. With that victory under his belt, Merlyn vanished for years before resurfacing as a member of the

League of Assassins The League of Assassins (sometimes renamed the League of Shadows or Society of Shadows in adapted works) is a group of supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The group is depicted as a collective of assassins who ...

. During his time with the League of Assassins, Merlyn took part in the highly abusive training of David Cain's daughter

Cassandra Cain Cassandra Cain (also known as Cassandra Wayne and Cassandra Wu-San) is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Created by Kelley Puckett and Damion Scott, Cassan ...

, unknowingly being behind the girl's skills as Batgirl. He and Green Arrow faced each other again when Merlyn attempted to assassinate

; Green Arrow managed to intercept Merlyn's arrow with one 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. In ''

Action Comics ''Action Comics'' is an American comic book/Comic anthology, magazine series that introduced Superman, one of the first major superhero characters. The publisher was originally known as National Allied Publications, and later as National Comics ...

'', Merlyn, now working as a freelance assassin and contract killer who sells his skills to the highest bidder, is hired by Queen Bee (Zazzala) to join a supervillain team and take on the

Justice League The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived ...

. He then serves under

Tobias Whale Tobias Whale is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Black Lightning. Whale appears in the live-action Arrowverse series ''Black Lightning'', portrayed by Marvin "Krondon" Jones II ...

as a member of

Metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big c ...

' crime syndicate

the 100 The 100 may refer to: Arts and entertainment * 100 (DC Comics), fictional organized crime groups appearing in DC Comics * ''The 100'' (novel series), a 2013–2016 science fiction novel series written by Kass Morgan * ''The 100'' (TV series), 20 ...

. Merlyn attempts to kill

Black Lightning Black Lightning (Jefferson Pierce) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character, created by writer Tony Isabella and artist Trevor Von Eeden, first appeared in ''Black Lightning'' #1 (April 1977), during ...

when he accompanies

Joey Toledo Tally Man Teen Lantern TNT Mister Toad Mister Toad is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Mister Toad in other media Mister Toad appears in ''Beware the Batman'', voiced by Udo Kier. This versi ...

. Though the League of Assassins crash the battle when they were displeased that Merlyn left them. He is ultimately defeated by Black Lightning while Toledo was killed during the three-way battle. A man from Libya later hires Meryln to kill a Russian scientist visiting Casablanca. Although Merlyn is aided by Syonide, his assassination attempt is foiled by the

Flash Flash, flashes, or FLASH may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional aliases * Flash (DC Comics character), several DC Comics superheroes with super speed: ** Flash (Barry Allen) ** Flash (Jay Garrick) ** Wally West, the first Kid ...

and Phantom Lady. During the events of "

Underworld Unleashed ''Underworld Unleashed'' was a multi-title American comic book crossover event released by DC Comics in 1995. The main theme of ''Underworld Unleashed'' involved the new ruler of Hell, a demon-lord named Neron, offering first many of the DC U ...

," Merlyn is among the villains that sell their souls to the demon Neron in exchange for greater power. He then joins the Killer Elite (along with

Deadshot Deadshot (Floyd Lawton) is a supervillain and antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by David Vern Reed, Lew Schwartz and Bob Kane, the character made his first appearance in ''Batman'' #59 (June–July 1950). ...

Monocle A monocle is a type of corrective lens used to correct or enhance the visual perception in only one eye. It consists of a circular lens, generally with a wire ring around the circumference that can be attached to a string or wire. The other ...

, Bolt, Chiller and

Deadline Deadline(s) or The Deadline(s) may refer to: * Time limit, a narrow field of time by which an objective must be accomplished Arts, entertainment, and media Comics * Deadline (DC Comics), a fictional villain * ''Deadline'' (magazine), a British ...

) to perform various assassinations with Merlyn wanting to do his dream assassination on Batman, but the group is eventually stopped by the Justice League. The Killer Elite later encounters the

Body Doubles The Body Doubles are fictional characters, DC Comics villains created by Andy Lanning, Dan Abnett, and Jackson Guice. They first appeared in ''Resurrection Man'' #1 (March 1996) before appearing in their own eponymous Limited series (comics), mini ...

, and Merlyn and his team are defeated. In ''

Young Justice Young Justice is a fictional DC Comics superhero team consisting of teenaged heroes. The team was formed in 1998 when DC's usual teen hero group, the Teen Titans, had become adults and changed their name to the Titans. Like the original ''Teen ...

'', Merlyn is hired by the

Zandia Brother Blood is the name of two supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first iteration, Sebastian Blood VIII, is a power hungry priest and the head of the Church of Blood, as well as the eighth person in the ...

n government to mentor the young archer Turk, a half-wolf

metahuman In DC Comics' DC Universe, a metahuman is a human with superpowers. The term is roughly synonymous with both ''mutant'' and ''mutate'' in the Marvel Universe and '' posthuman'' in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. In DC Comics, the term ...

. Merlyn and Turk attempt to sabotage an archery contest in their favor, but they are stopped by the Young Justice team. Merlyn next appears as one of the primary villains in the Injustice Gang in the "

Identity Crisis In psychology, identity crisis is a stage theory of identity development where it involves resolution of a conflict over the 8 stages of the lifespan.(Schultz, 216) The term was coined by German psychologist Erik Erikson. The stage of psychosoci ...

" miniseries. He warns and correctly predicts that the death of

Sue Dibny Susan Dibny (née Dearbon) is a fictional character from DC Comics associated with the Elongated Man. Created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, the character first appeared in ''Flash'' vol. 1 #119 (March 1961). In 2004, she became a flashp ...

would have troublesome and dire consequences in the criminal underworld. Although the Justice League manages to capture Merlyn, Monacle and Deadshot, the latter is able to use connections with the

Suicide Squad The Suicide Squad is an antihero/supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version of the Suicide Squad debuted in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #25 (September 1959) and the second and modern version, cre ...

and

Amanda Waller Amanda Blake Waller (née White), also known as "the Wall", is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in ''Legends'' #1 in 1986 and was created by John Ostrander, Len Wein, and ...

to arrange for their release, much to the frustration of the newest Manhunter. Merlyn, Deadshot, Monacle and

Phobia A phobia is an anxiety disorder defined by a persistent and excessive fear of an object or situation. Phobias typically result in a rapid onset of fear and are usually present for more than six months. Those affected go to great lengths to avo ...

later attempt to kill the

Shadow Thief Shadow Thief is the name of three fictional supervillains published by DC Comics. The first is a recurring foe of Hawkman named Carl Sands. Shadow Thief appeared in the seventh season episode of the Arrowverse television series ''Arrow'', portraye ...

during his trial, but are confronted and stopped by the Manhunter. During the "

Infinite Crisis "Infinite Crisis" is a 2005–2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, a ...

" storyline, Merlyn serves as a member of

Alexander Luthor Jr. Alexander Luthor Jr. is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Publication history Created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, the character made his first appearance in ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #1 (April 198 ...

Society A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Socie ...

. Since then, he has resumed his feud with Green Arrow, launching several attacks on the hero's family. Merlyn then plays a major role in the attack on Green Arrow and

's wedding as a member of the new

Injustice League The following is a list of fictional criminal and terrorist organizations that have been published by DC Comics and their imprints. 0-9 100 Originally based in Metropolis, the 100 kept a firm grip on the city's criminal underworld for years, ind ...

. During ''Countdown'', Merlyn appears under the employ of the League of Assassins, coordinating his attacks with

Talia al Ghul Talia al Ghul ( ar, تاليا الغول; ) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Batman. The character was created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Bob Brown, and fir ...

and serving as a mentor to

Damian Wayne Damian Wayne, also known as Damian al Ghul (Arabic: دميان الغول), is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, created by Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert, commonly in association with Batman. He is the son o ...

. Merlyn has a minor role in ''

The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul "The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul" is the name of an eight issue comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics in 2007 and 2008. It involves the return of notable Batman villain Ra's al Ghul, and is his first appearance since his apparen ...

'', in which he is hired by the

Sensei Sensei, Seonsaeng, Tiên sinh or Xiansheng, corresponding to Chinese characters , is an East Asian honorific term shared in Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Chinese; it is literally translated as "person born before another" or "one who comes ...

to take out a spring where

Ra's al Ghul Ra's al Ghul, commonly pronounced correctly as ''Re'sh'', hence or ; "The Head of the Demon" or, in a rougher translation, "The Chief Demon". is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary o ...

could revitalize himself. He is defeated during the final confrontation between Ra's and Batman. Merlyn then joins the League of Assassins' elite team known as the Seven Men of Death, and is sent to

Gotham City Gotham City ( ), or simply Gotham, is a fictional city appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, best known as the home of the superhero Batman and his allies and foes. Created by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane, the cit ...

to retrieve the Suit of Sorrows from the Order of Purity. During the attack on the Order, Merlyn kills the Order's leader Leland McCauley, and injures Felicidad Gomez before being confronted by

Azrael Azrael (; , 'God has helped'; ) is the angel of death in some Abrahamic religions, namely Islam, Christian popular culture and some traditions of Judaism. He is also referenced in Sikhism. Relative to similar concepts of such beings, Azrael ...

. Merlyn and his team attempt to capture Azrael and move him to their headquarters, but Azrael uses one of Merlyn's own arrows to stab him. Merlyn is later captured by the vigilante

Cupid In classical mythology, Cupid (Latin Cupīdō , meaning "passionate desire") is the god of desire, lust, erotic love, attraction and affection. He is often portrayed as the son of the love goddess Venus (mythology), Venus and the god of war Mar ...

who plans to kill him in front of Green Arrow, with whom Cupid is besotted. To this end, she slashes Merlyn's throat with an arrow, and although Green Arrow is able to get Merlyn medical attention in time to save his life, the villain's vocal cords are severely damaged.

''The New 52''

In ''

The New 52 The New 52 is the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books. Following the conclusion of the " Flashpoint" crossover storyline, DC canceled all its existing titles and debuted 52 new serie ...

'' reboot's ''

Batman Incorporated Batman Incorporated (also known as Batman, Inc.) was an ongoing American comic book series published by DC Comics, featuring the superhero Batman. Written by Grant Morrison, the series debuted following the events of ''Batman R.I.P'', '' Final ...

'', Merlyn appears under the League of Assassins' employ and serves as a member of the Seven Men of Death who are tasked by Talia al Ghul's

Leviathan Leviathan (; he, לִוְיָתָן, ) is a sea serpent noted in theology and mythology. It is referenced in several books of the Hebrew Bible, including Psalms, the Book of Job, the Book of Isaiah, the Book of Amos, and, according to some ...

organization to destroy Batman Incorporated. Merlyn defeats members of the group with ease, until his bow is broken by a surprise shot from Damian Wayne. During the "

Forever Evil "Forever Evil" is a 2013–2014 crossover (comics), crossover comic book storyline published by DC Comics that began in September 2013 and ended in May 2014, consisting of an eponymous, central miniseries written by Geoff Johns and art by David F ...

" storyline, Merlyn is one of the numerous villains recruited by the

Crime Syndicate of America The Crime Syndicate are teams of supervillains from one of DC Comics' parallel universes where they are the evil counterparts of the Justice League. The original team was specifically known as the Crime Syndicate of America and is sometimes abbrev ...

to join the

Secret Society of Super Villains Secret Society of Super Villains (SSoSV) is a DC Comics title that debuted in May–June 1976. The series presented a group of DC's supervillains, mostly foes of the Justice League of America. The series was cancelled with issue #15 in July 1978, ...

''DC Rebirth''

In the ''

DC Rebirth DC Rebirth is a 2016 relaunch by the American comic book publisher DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic book titles. Using the end of The New 52 initiative in May 2016 as its launching point, DC Rebirth restored the D ...

'' relaunch, the ''Green Arrow'' series reveals that Arthur King changed his name to Malcolm Merlyn (a concept incorporated from the ''

'' television series). When he was around 25 years old, Malcolm joined the League of Assassins, an ancient, international order of the world's greatest killers, and was trained by their leader Ra's al Ghul himself. Malcolm's commencement ceremony into the organization involved him digging an eight-foot-long, six-foot-deep, and four-foot-wide grave, which he had to lie in to purge himself of his past life and emerge reborn. Now a deadly assassin known as the Dark Archer, Malcolm is contracted by Cyrus Broderick, a director of the

Ninth Circle The following is a list of fictional criminal and terrorist organizations that have been published by DC Comics and their imprints. 0-9 100 Originally based in Metropolis, the 100 kept a firm grip on the city's criminal underworld for years, ind ...

criminal organization, to frame the Green Arrow (Oliver Queen) for murder after he destroyed the Inferno, their base of operations that hosted their "bank" and resources. Using arrows resembling Green Arrow's for multiple high-profile killings, including the murder of famous soccer player Cy Sampson, the Dark Archer succeeds in tarnishing the hero's image and reputation. Green Arrow and the Dark Archer later engage in a fierce duel, with Oliver believing the hooded villain to be Malcolm's son,

Tommy Tommy may refer to: People * Tommy (given name) * Tommy Atkins, or just Tommy, a slang term for a common soldier in the British Army Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Tommy'' (1931 film), a Soviet drama film * ''Tommy'' (1975 fil ...

. Malcolm then reveals himself to Oliver as "the original Dark Archer", and proceeds to best his foe in combat whilst taunting him. Before Malcolm can kill Oliver, however, the intervention of Black Canary and the police forces the villain to flee. As he escapes, Merlyn fires an arrow at the police chief, whom Green Arrow narrowly manages to save at the cost of his own bow, which is shattered by Merlyn's shot. In ''

'', Merlyn was one of the assassins hired by the

Penguin Penguins (order (biology), order List of Sphenisciformes by population, Sphenisciformes , family (biology), family Spheniscidae ) are a group of Water bird, aquatic flightless birds. They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere: on ...

and the Designer to kill Batman. He was captured by the GCPD, but managed to escape. He, along with

Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county t ...

, attempted to attack

Catwoman Catwoman is a fictional character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Debuting as "the Cat" in ''Batman'' #1 (spring 1940), she ...

and

Harley Quinn Harley Quinn is a character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Quinn was created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm as a comic relief henchwoman for the supervillain Joker (character), Joker in ''Batman: The An ...

at a cemetery, but both were defeated by them.

Powers and abilities

Merlyn (Arthur King) has been established as one of the greatest and most accurate

archers Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In mo ...

in the

DC Universe The DC Universe (DCU) is the fictional shared universe where most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. Superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Lant ...

. His archery and

marksman A marksman is a person who is skilled in precision shooting using projectile weapons (in modern days most commonly an accurized scoped long gun such as designated marksman rifle or a sniper rifle) to shoot at high-value targets at longer-than-u ...

ship skills exceed those of

Emiko Queen Emiko Queen is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jeff Lemire and artist Andrea Sorrentino and debuted in ''Green Arrow'', Vol. 5 #18 (March 2013). She is the younger pater ...

, Shado, Roy Harper,

Connor Hawke Connor Hawke is a fictional DC Comics superhero who operated as the second Green Arrow, created by Kelley Puckett and Jim Aparo. In the post-''Zero Hour: Crisis in Time!, Zero Hour'' continuity, Connor is the eldest son of Oliver Queen, the ori ...

, Celestial Archer, and his own son,

. The Dark Archer has been known to use trick arrows to kill his targets, including explosive arrows that detonate upon impact. He is extremely proficient with swords, throwing knives, and various other weapons as well. Having been trained by the

, Merlyn is at the prime of human physical and mental conditioning, possessing advanced strength, agility, and reflexes. He is a master in the art of stealth and has an incredibly high tolerance for pain, and his

Kevlar Kevlar (para-aramid) is a strong, heat-resistant synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed by Stephanie Kwolek at DuPont in 1965, the high-strength material was first used commercially in the early 1970s a ...

body armor further enhances his durability. Merlyn is also a formidable expert in many forms of hand-to-hand combat and martial arts, being able to best the likes of Green Arrow with relative ease.

Other versions

''Arrow''

Malcolm Merlyn appears in ''Arrow'' tie-in comic, ''The Dark Archer''. He appears in a flashback storyline in 1985 and in a present-day storyline between third and fourth seasons.

In other media

Television

* Merlyn appears in ''

Justice League Unlimited ''Justice League Unlimited'' (''JLU'') is a 2004–2006 American superhero animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and ...

''. In the episode "Dead Reckoning", he is seen as a member of

Gorilla Grodd Gorilla Grodd is a supervillain character appearing in American comic books and other media published by DC Comics, primarily as an enemy of The Flash. The character was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, and first appeared in ''Th ...

Secret Society A secret society is a club or an organization whose activities, events, inner functioning, or membership are concealed. The society may or may not attempt to conceal its existence. The term usually excludes covert groups, such as intelligence a ...

. In the episode "Alive", Merlyn sides with Grodd during a mutiny against

Lex Luthor Alexander Joseph "Lex" Luthor () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Lex Luthor originally appeared in ''Action Comics'' #23 (cover dated: Apr ...

. His final fate is unknown as he is not seen among the mutineers that are defeated and captured. * An adaptation of the Dark Archer known as Vordigan appears in the live-action series ''

Smallville ''Smallville'' is an American superhero television series developed by writer-producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, based on the DC Comics character Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The series was produced by Millar Gough ...

'', portrayed by

Steve Bacic Steve Bacic ( ; hr, Bačić ) is a Canadian actor. He is known for playing the characters Gaheris and Telemachus Rhade on the Sci-Fi series ''Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda''. After guest starring in seasons 1-3 as both characters, he joined the c ...

. After Oliver Queen left the Brotherhood of Sion, Vordigan left to find his protege to fulfill his role as a "master archer". In the episode "Disciple", he shot

Lois Lane Lois Lane is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in ''Action Comics'' #1 (June 1938). Lois is an award-winning journalist for ...

with his arrow through the shoulder and later attacked

Chloe Sullivan Chloe Sullivan is a fictional character in the television series ''Smallville'', which is based on the Superman and Superboy comics published by DC Comics. Portrayed by series regular Allison Mack, Chloe was an original character created exclu ...

at Watchtower. The Dark Archer then sought out

Mia Dearden Mia Dearden is a DC Comics superheroine, the second character to take the mantle of Green Arrow's sidekick Speedy. Created by writer Kevin Smith and artist Phil Hester, she first appeared in ''Green Arrow'' (vol. 3) #2 (May 2001). She is one o ...

and kidnapped as he placed the girl in a Brotherhood of Sion Maze. He told Oliver that he had to fulfill his role by succeeding his master. Vordigan went after Mia after Oliver refused to kill him. After he found Mia, he shot three arrows at the girl. Oliver saw them and jumped in front of Mia. Just as the arrows got close Clark ran in front of Oliver and saved him. While Clark was in front of him, Oliver shot an arrow at Vordigan, hitting him in the same place he hit Lois. However, Oliver did not kill Vordigan, only stopped him and saved Mia. Later, talking with Mia, Oliver says that Vordigan is in prison, and he's worried about the day he'll be released, old and still eager to be killed by Oliver. In the episode "Prophecy", Vordigan is now a member of the

Toyman The Toyman is the name of three supervillains and one adolescent superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, mostly as an adversary for Superman. The most well-known incarnation of the Toyman is Winslow Percival Schott, a criminal w ...

's sinister league of villains known as the Marionette Ventures. At their meeting, each member was assigned a target from the

. Vordigan's target was none other than the

Arrowverse

portrays Malcolm Merlyn / The Dark Archer in

's live-action ''

'', where he serves as

's nemesis. The digital comic ''Arrow: The Dark Archer'' reveals that his birth name is Arthur King. * The character is introduced on ''

'' as the wealthy

CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...

of Merlyn Global Group. Fueled by his wife's murder in the Glades, the crime-infested area of

Starling City Star City is a fictional city that appears in stories published by DC Comics, best known as the traditional home of the superheroes known by, or affiliated with, the shared alias of Green Arrow. Beyond that, it is also known to other characters ...

. Malcolm left his son

, and trained with the

Nanda Parbat Nanda Parbat ( hi, नन्दा पर्बत, nandā parbat, the mountain of delight) is a fictional city in the DC Comics universe. It first appeared in ''Strange Adventures'' #216 (February 1969), created by Neal Adams. History Nanda Pa ...

, where he took the name The Magician (

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...

: الساحر ''Al Sa-Her''). After several years, Malcolm returned to Starling City to plot an "undertaking" that would destroy the Glades with an earthquake-generating device. When

Robert Queen Quakemaster Moira Queen Moira Queen is the mother of Green Arrow, Oliver Queen/the Green Arrow. She and her husband Robert were killed by lions during an African safari. Moira Queen in other media Moira Queen (Arrowverse), Moira Queen was por ...

tried to extradite himself from the plan, Malcolm arranged for the bombing of Robert's yacht, marooning Oliver on the island of

Lian Yu Lian Yu (; born 1886) was a diplomat, politician, judicial officer and lawyer in the Republic of China. He was an important politician during the Reformed Government of the Republic of China and Wang Jingwei regime (Republic of China-Nanjing). ...

. In

season one Season One may refer to: Albums * ''Season One'' (Suburban Legends album), 2004 * ''Season One'' (All Sons & Daughters album), 2012 * ''Season One'' (Saukrates album), 2012 See also * * * Season 2 (disambiguation) * Season 4 (disambiguat ...

, Oliver returns to Starling City five years later as a hooded vigilante and begins interfering with Malcolm's plans. Although Malcolm is seemingly killed by Oliver in the finale, his machine still levels the Glades and kills hundreds, including Tommy. In

season two Season 2 may refer to: * ''Season 2'' (Infinite album) * ''2econd Season ''2econd Season'' is the second and most recent album by Atlanta-based rapper Unk. Release It was released on November 4, 2008. Guest Performers The album features gu ...

, Malcolm is revealed to have faked his death and returns aware that he is father to

Thea Queen Thea Dearden Queen, also known as Speedy, is a fictional character portrayed by Willa Holland on The CW television series ''Arrow'', created by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg. She is the maternal half-sister of series protag ...

(Oliver's technical half-sister). He convinces Thea to leave with him after

Moira Queen Quakemaster Moira Queen Moira Queen is the mother of Oliver Queen/the Green Arrow. She and her husband Robert were killed by lions during an African safari. Moira Queen in other media Moira Queen was portrayed by Susanna Thompson in The CW' ...

's death at

Deathstroke Deathstroke (Slade Joseph Wilson) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, the character debuted in '' The New Teen Titans'' #2 in December 1980 as Deathstroke the ...

's hands, and offers her training to become a skilled fighter in martial arts. In

season three A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...

, the League of Assassins hunt Malcolm for breaking their code with his undertaking. He turns Thea into a target by brainwashing her with a drug that leads into her murdering

Sara Lance Sara Lance, also known by her alter-ego White Canary, is a fictional character in The CW's Arrowverse franchise, first introduced in the 2012 pilot episode of the television series ''Arrow'', and later starring in ''Legends of Tomorrow''. The c ...

, forcing Oliver to kill

to save his sister. With Malcolm's training, Oliver manages to kill Ra's and (per their deal) hands the League of Assassins' leadership to Malcolm as the next Ra's al Ghul. In season four, Merlyn resurrects Sara with the Lazarus Pit to appease Thea and Laurel Lance. Later, Nyssa al Ghul leads a rebel faction of the League of Assassins against Malcolm. Malcolm chooses to maintain power rather than hand leadership to Nyssa in exchange for a cure to save Thea's life (from deteriorating Lazarus Pit exposure and blood lust). Oliver ends the civil war by severing Malcolm's left hand (with the demon's head ring) in a duel, and Nyssa subsequently disbands the organization. Adopting a cybernetic prosthetic hand, Malcolm joins

Damien Darhk Dan the Dyna-Mite Dan Turpin Damien Darhk The enigmatic Damien Darhk is an elusive and dangerous criminal mastermind and enemy of the Teen Titans. He makes his first appearance in ''Titans'' #1 (March 1999). Claiming to be a major player in t ...

H.I.V.E. The H.I.V.E., which stands for the Hierarchy of International Vengeance and Extermination, is a fictional terrorist organization appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The H.I.V.E. organization appeared on the fourth season of ...

organization. When Lonnie Machin infiltrates H.I.V.E.'s underground facility and causes chaos, Merlyn evacuates many people, reluctantly assisting Team Arrow. When Darhk plans to destroy the world and Star City with nuclear missiles, Merlyn changes sides and assists Team Arrow. At the end of season five, Merlyn again allies with Team Arrow when

Simon Morrison Simon Morrison is a scholar and writer specializing in 20th-century music, particularly Russian, Soviet, and French music, with special interests in dance, cinema, aesthetics, and historically informed performance based on primary sources. He has ...

kidnaps Thea to force Oliver into facing him on Lian Yu. In season five's finale, Merlyn sacrifices his life for Thea, since he took Thea's place on a land mine. The mine detonates (off-screen) to kill Digger Harkness and some assassins on Lian Yu. Season six reveals that after the League of Assassins' disbandment several loyalists continue to serve Merlyn as part of his Thanatos Guild; they search for three hidden Lazarus Pits. * Malcolm Merlyn also appears on ''

The Flash The Flash (or simply Flash) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover date ...

'' and ''

Supergirl Supergirl is the name of several fictional superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original, current, and most well known Supergirl is Kara Zor-El, the cousin of superhero Superman. The character made her fir ...

''. In the two-part crossover "

Heroes Join Forces "Heroes Join Forces" is the second Arrowverse crossover event that features episodes of the television series ''The Flash'' and ''Arrow'' on The CW. The event began on December 1, 2015, with ''The Flash'' episode "Legends of Today" and concluded ...

", he offers Barry Allen and Oliver information on the immortal

Vandal Savage Vandar Adg of the Blood Tribe, more widely known as Vandal Savage, is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is said to be a Cro-Magnon warrior who gained immortality and advanced healing abilities after encount ...

. After Savage is killed, he secretly steals the immortal's ashes. In the "

Duet A duet is a musical composition for two performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a harmony, as the performers take turns performing a solo ...

" crossover, the Music Meister traps

Kara Danvers Kara Danvers, also known as Kara Zor-El on her homeworld, is a fictional character in the Arrowverse franchise, mainly the television series ''Supergirl''. Created by executive producers Greg Berlanti, Ali Adler and Andrew Kreisberg, the charac ...

and Barry in a

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

dream world where Merlyn is the gangster Cutter Moran who has a feud with Joe West's counterpart Digsy Foss. * Malcolm Merlyn is featured in

of ''

Legends of Tomorrow ''DC's Legends of Tomorrow'', or simply ''Legends of Tomorrow'', is an American Time travel in fiction, time travel superhero fiction, superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg, and Phil Klem ...

''.

Eobard Thawne Eobard Thawne, otherwise known as the Reverse-Flash and Professor Zoom, is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, and first appeared in '' The ...

recruits him into a group of supervillains (called the Legion Of Doom) alongside past versions of Damien Darhk and Leonard Snart. The group searches for the Spear of Destiny to rewrite reality and change their respective fates, only to be defeated by the Legends after the Spear of Destiny is destroyed. * Malcolm Merlyn appears in the 2018 "

Elseworlds ''Elseworlds'' was the publication imprint (trade name), imprint for American comic books produced by DC Comics for stories that took place outside the DC Universe Canon (fictional), canon. Elseworlds publications are set in alternate realitie ...

" crossover. He appears as a hallucination when Oliver and Barry are exposed to a container of Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow's fear gas during a struggle with

Nora Fries Nora Fries, also known as Mrs. Freeze, is a fictional character appearing in media published by DC Entertainment, commonly in stories featuring the superhero Batman. She is married to Batman villain Mr. Freeze, and was introduced in the DC Animate ...

. When John Deegan writes in the Book of Destiny again, Merlyn appears as a police officer for the Central City Police Department alongside Ricardo Diaz and

Kane Wolfman ''Arrow'' is an American superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, a costumed crime-fighter created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, and is set in ...

, attempting to apprehend the

Trigger Twins The Trigger Twins are the names of two sets of fictional Western themed comic book characters published by DC Comics. Fictional character biography Walter and Wayne Trigger The Trigger Twins first appear in ''All-Star Western'' #58 (May 1951), the ...

only for Oliver to fight the three "police officers" off.

Film

* Merlyn (credited as Merlyn the Magnificent) appears in '' DC Showcase: Green Arrow'', voiced by

Malcolm McDowell Malcolm McDowell (born Malcolm John Taylor; 13 June 1943) is a British actor, producer, and television presenter. He is best known for portraying Alex DeLarge in ''A Clockwork Orange.'' He was born in the Horsforth suburb of Leeds and raised in ...

. He is hired by Count Werner Vertigo to assassinate his niece Princess Perdita at an airport, only to be defeated by the

. * Merlyn is included in the script of '' Green Arrow: Escape from Super Max'' as one of the convicts who is imprisoned with the Green Arrow.

Video games

Merlyn appears in Green Arrow's

S.T.A.R. Labs Scientific and Technological Advanced Research Laboratories (S.T.A.R. Labs) is a fictional scientific research facility and organization appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. It first appeared in ''Superman'' #246 (December 1 ...

Missions in '' Injustice: Gods Among Us''.

Lego

* The ''Arrow'' TV show's Malcolm Merlyn appears in '' Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham'' as part of the "Arrow" DLC. * The ''Arrow'' TV show's Malcolm Merlyn is alluded in ''

Lego Dimensions ''Lego Dimensions'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure platform crossover video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Wii U, Xbox One and Xbox 360. It fo ...

''. Green Arrow mentions that Captain Jack Harkness of ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...

'' looks familiar (a nod to the fact that both characters are portrayed by John Barrowman). * Malcolm Merlyn appears as a main character in ''

Lego DC Super-Villains ''Lego DC Super-Villains'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure game, action-adventure Platform game, platform video game developed by Traveller's Tales. The fourth installment in the ''Lego Batman'' series of games, it is a spin-off that focuses e ...

'', with John Barrowman returning to the role.

Merchandise

* DC Collectibles has released two 6.75-inch action figures of Merlyn in their ''Arrow'' TV show line. In March 2015, a Dark Archer figure was released. A slightly remolded and repainted version of this figure with a new unmasked head sculpt, based on season three of the series, was later released in June 2016, this time labeled as "Malcolm Merlyn". *

Funko Funko Inc. is an American company that manufactures licensed and limited pop culture collectibles, best known for its licensed vinyl figurines and bobbleheads. In addition, the company produces licensed plush, action figures, apparel, accessories ...

has released a 2016 SDCC exclusive POP! vinyl figure of Malcolm Merlyn in their ''Arrow'' television series line. * A GameStop exclusive vinyl collectible of Malcolm Merlyn has been released in Dorbz's ''Arrow'' television series wave.

References

External links

* Merlyn at the DC Database * Malcolm Merlyn at the DC Database * {{Young Justice DC Comics supervillains Characters created by Dick Dillin Characters created by Mike Friedrich Characters created by Neal Adams Comics characters introduced in 1971 DC Comics martial artists DC Comics television characters Fictional archers Fictional assassins in comics Fictional business executives Fictional characters with slowed ageing Fictional mass murderers Fictional ninja Fictional serial killers Fictional swordfighters in comics Fictional torturers Suicide Squad members Supervillains with their own comic book titles