Merlyn (DC Comics)#Arrowverse

{{Infobox comics character

| character_name = Merlyn

| image = Dark Archer (Arthur King - Malcolm Merlyn).png

| caption = Textless cover of Green Arrow (vol. 6) #34 (November 2017). Art by Jamal Campbell.

| alt =

| publisher = DC Comics

| debut = Justice League of America #94 (November 1971)

| creators = Mike Friedrich
Neal Adams
Dick Dillin

| real_name = Arthur King (birth name)
Malcolm Merlyn (legal name)Green Arrow (vol. 6) #14 (March 2017)

| alliances = Anti-Justice League
Injustice League
The 100
Killer Elite
League of Assassins
Secret Society of Super Villains
Suicide Squad

| aliases = Dark ArcherGreen Arrow (vol. 6) #13 (February 2017)
The Magician

| powers =

Master archer and marksman
Skilled martial artist and hand-to-hand combatant
Utilizes various high-tech specialty arrows
Cybernetic enhancements grant superhuman durability and illusion casting

| cat = super

| subcat = DC Comics

| hero =

| villain = y

| sortkey = Merlyn

}}

Merlyn, also known as the Dark Archer, is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Mike Friedrich and artists Neal Adams and Dick Dillin, the character first appeared in Justice League of America #94 (1971). Merlyn is the alias of Arthur King, a bow-wielding assassin and contract killer who develops a rivalry with the superhero Green Arrow based on their archery skills, and has since endured as his archenemy. The character has also fought other heroes in the DC Universe, including Batman and Black Canary.

The CW television series Arrow introduced and popularized Malcolm Merlyn, portrayed by John Barrowman, and his son Tommy Merlyn, portrayed by Colin Donnell, as Oliver Queen's nemesis and best friend, respectively. This concept would later be integrated into the comics during its relaunch, as Arthur King's legal name is retroactively established to be Malcolm Merlyn, while Tommy briefly assumes the Dark Archer mantle from his father.

Publication history

Merlyn was created by writer Mike Friedrich and artists Neal Adams and Dick Dillin. He first appeared in Justice League of America #94 in November 1971.{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Korte |first3=Steve |last4=Manning |first4=Matt |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |last6=Wilson |first6=Sven |title=The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe |date=2016 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-5357-0 |page=199}}

Fictional character biography

Long before becoming the vigilante Green Arrow, Oliver Queen was inspired to take up archery 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 Green Arrow 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. During his time with the League of Assassins, Merlyn took part in the highly abusive training of David Cain's daughter Cassandra Cain, unknowingly being behind the girl's skills as Batgirl.{{cite book |last1=Greenberger |first1=Robert |title=The Essential Batman Encyclopedia |date=2008 |publisher=Del Rey |isbn=9780345501066 |pages=255–256}} He and Green Arrow faced each other again when Merlyn attempted to assassinate Batman; 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, 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.Action Comics #443 (January 1975). DC Comics. He then serves under Tobias Whale as a member of Metropolis' crime syndicate the 100.Black Lightning #2 (May 1977). DC Comics. Merlyn attempts to kill Black Lightning when he accompanies Joey Toledo. 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.Black Lightning #5 (November 1977). DC Comics. 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 and Phantom Lady.The Flash (vol. 2) #29 (August 1989). DC Comics.

During the events of "Underworld Unleashed," 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, Monocle, Bolt, Chiller and Deadline) 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, and Merlyn and his team are defeated.New Years Evil Body Doubles one-shot (February 1998). DC Comics.

In Young Justice, Merlyn mentors Turk, a wolf-like metahuman and archer. Merlyn and Turk attempt to sabotage an archery contest in their favor, but are stopped by Young Justice.Young Justice #23 (September 2000). DC Comics.Young Justice #24 (October 2000). DC Comics.Young Justice #25 (November 2000). DC Comics.

Merlyn next appears as one of the primary villains in the Injustice Gang in Identity Crisis.Identity Crisis #4 (November 2004). DC Comics. He warns and correctly predicts that the death of Sue Dibny would have troublesome and dire consequences in the criminal underworld.Identity Crisis #6 (January 2005). DC Comics. Although the Justice League manages to capture Merlyn, Monacle and Deadshot, the latter is able to use connections with the Suicide Squad and Amanda Waller to arrange for their release, much to the frustration of the newest Manhunter.Manhunter (vol. 3) #8 (May 2005) Merlyn, Deadshot, Monacle and Phobia later attempt to kill the Shadow Thief during his trial, but are confronted and stopped by the Manhunter.

During the "Infinite Crisis" storyline, Merlyn serves as a member of Alexander Luthor Jr.'s Society. Since then, he has resumed his feud with Green Arrow, launching several attacks on the hero's family.Green Arrow (vol. 3) #57 (February 2006). DC Comics.Green Arrow (vol. 3) #58 (March 2006). DC Comics.Green Arrow (vol. 3) #59 (April 2006). DC Comics. Merlyn then plays a major role in the attack on Green Arrow and Black Canary's wedding as a member of the new Injustice League.Green Arrow and Black Canary Wedding Special #1 (November 2007). DC Comics.

During Countdown, Merlyn appears under the employ of the League of Assassins, coordinating his attacks with Talia al Ghul and serving as a mentor to Damian Wayne.Batman #671 (January 2008). DC Comics. Merlyn 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 al Ghul could revitalize himself. He is defeated during the final confrontation between Ra's and Batman.Detective Comics #839 (February 2008). DC Comics. Merlyn then joins the League of Assassins' elite team known as the Seven Men of Death, and is sent to Gotham City 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: Death's Dark Knight #1 (May 2009). DC Comics. 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.Azrael: Death's Dark Knight #2 (June 2009). DC Comics.

Merlyn is later captured by the vigilante Cupid 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.Green Arrow and Black Canary #19 (June 2009). DC Comics.

=''The New 52''=

In The New 52 reboot's Batman Incorporated, 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 organization to destroy Batman Incorporated. Merlyn defeats members of the group with ease, until Damian Wayne destroys his bow.Batman Incorporated (vol. 2) #4 (December 2012). DC Comics. In Forever Evil, Merlyn is among the villains recruited by the Crime Syndicate of America to join the Secret Society of Super Villains.Forever Evil #1 (November 2013). DC Comics.

=''DC Rebirth''=

In the DC Rebirth relaunch, the Green Arrow series reveals that Merlyn was born Arthur King and legally changed his name (a concept incorporated from the Arrow 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 a grave which he laid 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, to frame Green Arrow for murder after he destroys the Inferno, their base of operations.Green Arrow (vol. 6) #12 (February 2017). DC Comics. 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.Green Arrow (vol. 5) #0 (November 2012). DC Comics.Green Arrow (vol. 5) #36 (January 2015). DC Comics. 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 Batman, Merlyn was one of the assassins hired by the Penguin and the Designer to kill Batman. He was captured by the GCPD, but managed to escape. He, along with Cheshire, attempts to attack Catwoman and Harley Quinn before they defeat him.

Powers and abilities

Merlyn (Arthur King) is among the greatest and most accurate archers in the DC Universe. His archery and marksmanship skills exceed those of Green Arrow, Emiko Queen, Shado, Roy Harper, Connor Hawke, Celestial Archer, and his own son, Tommy Merlyn. 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 League of Assassins, 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 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.

After the defeat of the Leviathan organization, large portions of Merlyn's body are replaced by advanced mechanical parts, granting him superhuman durability and illusion abilities.Green Arrow (vol. 7) #5 (October 2023)Green Arrow (vol. 7) #6 (November 2023)

In other media

=Television=

File:ArrowDarkArcher.jpg as Malcolm Merlyn]]

Merlyn makes non-speaking appearances in Justice League Unlimited as a member of Gorilla Grodd's Secret Society before being killed by Darkseid.
A character based on the Dark Archer named Vordigan appears in Smallville, portrayed by Steve Bacic. He is a member of the Brotherhood of Sion, later Toyman's Marionette Ventures, and mentor to Oliver Queen. After the latter leaves the Brotherhood, the former does the same to find Queen and help him fulfill his role as a "master archer", only to be defeated by him.
Malcolm Merlyn / Dark Archer appears in media set in the Arrowverse, portrayed by John Barrowman.{{cite web |first=Kiel |last=Phegley |url=https://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=42636 |title=Barrowman Brings Malcolm Merlyn To "Arrow" |work=Comic Book Resources |date=December 12, 2012 |access-date=April 5, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416140327/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=42636 |archive-date=April 16, 2016 |url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/01/06/arrows-john-barrowman-to-write-dark-archer-comic|title=Arrow's John Barrowman to Write Dark Archer Comic|first=Jesse|last=Schedeen|date=January 6, 2016|work=IGN}}
Introduced and primarily featured in Arrow, this version is a wealthy businessman, the CEO of Merlyn Global Group, and the father of Tommy Merlyn and, as a result of an affair, Thea Queen. After his wife is murdered by Brick in a crime-infested area of Starling City known as "the Glades", Malcolm abandons Tommy and trains with the League of Assassins, where he becomes known as "The Magician" (Arabic: الساحر Al Sa-her). Years later, Malcolm returns to Starling to plot an "Undertaking" to destroy the Glades. He sabotages his friend Robert Queen's yacht for interfering with his plans, indirectly stranding Robert's son Oliver on Lian Yu for five years. In the first season, Malcolm is defeated by Oliver, although his Undertaking succeeds with Tommy among its casualties. In the second season, Malcolm resurfaces and convinces Thea to leave Starling with him. In the third season, Malcolm evades the League of Assassins, who are hunting him for breaking their code with his Undertaking, and orchestrates the murder of Sara Lance and the defeat of the League's leader Ra's al Ghul, allowing Malcolm to take over as the new Ra's al Ghul. In the fourth season, Malcolm and Nyssa al Ghul engage in a civil war for control of the League that is ended when Oliver severs Malcolm's left hand. At the end of the fifth season, Malcolm aids Oliver after Thea is kidnapped by Prometheus, and ostensibly dies off-screen when he sacrifices himself to kill Digger Harkness with a landmine.{{cite web|last1=Burlingame|first1=Russ|title=Arrow EP Discusses the Possibility of John Barrowman's Return|url=https://comicbook.com/dc/2017/08/11/arrow-merlyn-john-barrowman-return/|website=Comicbook.com|date=5 September 2017 |access-date=18 March 2018}}
Malcolm appears in the crossovers "Heroes Join Forces" and "Elseworlds".
Malcolm appears in the second season of Legends of Tomorrow as a member of Eobard Thawne's Legion of Doom.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/legends-tomorrow-legion-doom-season-913953|title=Comic-Con: 'Legends of Tomorrow' to Tackle Legion of Doom Villain Team In Season 2|work=The Hollywood Reporter|last=Bucksbaum|first=Sydney|date=July 23, 2016}}{{cite web|last1=Schedeen|first1=Jesse|title=DC's Legends of Tomorrow: "The Legion of Doom" Review|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/02/01/dcs-legends-of-tomorrow-the-legion-of-doom-review|website=IGN.com|date=31 January 2017|access-date=18 March 2018}}{{cite web|last1=Schedeen|first1=Jesse|title=DC's Legends of Tomorrow: "Aruba" Review|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/04/05/dcs-legends-of-tomorrow-aruba-review|website=IGN.com|date=4 April 2017|access-date=18 March 2018}} The Legion seek out and use the Spear of Destiny to rewrite reality to their whims, only to be defeated by the Legends and returned to their original places in the timeline with no memory of these events.
A musical-gangster film-inspired incarnation of Malcolm named "Cutter" Moran appears in a dream world in The Flash episode "Duet".

=Film=

Merlyn appears in the unproduced Green Arrow: Escape from Super Max as an inmate of the titular prison.
Merlyn the Magnificent appears in DC Showcase: Green Arrow, voiced by Malcolm McDowell.{{Cite web|last=Harvey|first=James|url=https://www.worldsfinestonline.com/news.php/news.php?action=fullnews&id=856|title=Main Cast, Crew Details For "DC Showcase: Green Arrow" Animated Short|publisher=worldsfinestonline.com|date=September 24, 2010|access-date=March 30, 2018}}

=Video games=

Merlyn appears as a non-player character (NPC) in Injustice: Gods Among Us via Green Arrow's S.T.A.R. Labs missions.
The Arrowverse incarnation of Malcolm Merlyn appears in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham via the Arrow DLC.{{cite web|url=https://www.bleedingcool.com/2015/01/14/arrow-dlc-lego-batman-3-gets-cute-trailer-stars-stephen-amell/|title=Arrow DLC For Lego Batman 3 Gets A Cute Trailer That Stars Stephen Amell|date=14 January 2015 |access-date=30 March 2018}}{{cite tweet|number=520979338041520128|user=LEGODCGame|title=Proudly introducing the @CW_Arrow DLC pack with Stephen Amell! @amellywood #LEGOBatmanGame |accessdate=30 March 2018|date=11 October 2014}}
Malcolm Merlyn appears in Lego DC Super-Villains, voiced by John Barrowman.{{cite tweet|number=1021082042937769984|user=JoeWritesThis|title=Special thanks to the super-awesome @JohnBarrowman for providing the voice of Malcolm Merlyn in @LEGODCGame. ^_^ #LEGODCSuperVillains |date=22 July 2018}} This version is a member of the Legion of Doom.

=Miscellaneous=

The Arrowverse incarnation of Malcolm Merlyn appears in a flashback in the Arrow tie-in comic The Dark Archer, in which his birth name is revealed to be Arthur King.{{cite web|first=Jeffrey |last=Renaud |url=https://www.comicbookresources.com/article/john-carole-barrowman-target-merlyns-past-in-arrow-dark-archer-comic |title=John & Carole Barrowman Target Merlyn's Past in "Arrow: Dark Archer" and "The Magician" Comic |work=Comic Book Resources |date=January 14, 2016 |access-date=April 5, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416175512/http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/john-carole-barrowman-target-merlyns-past-in-arrow-dark-archer-comic |archive-date=April 16, 2016 |url-status=live }}
Merlyn appears in the Young Justice tie-in comic Young Justice: Targets.