Arrow The Malcolm Merlyn Thread

Discussion in 'Past DC TV Series' started by LaughingMage, Feb 3, 2013.

  1. LaughingMage Registered

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    Just saw that there isn't one yet and thought, "eh, why not."

    Watching "Trust but Verify" I got a bit of a feeling that they might set up Malcolm as a bit of an Anti-Batman. His wife seemed to have been quite philanthropic and her death kicked off Merlyn's dark side. What if things went like this:

    Merlyn's wife got killed by one of Starling City's downtrodden and this makes Malcolm so bitter, especially after his wife did so much to help the poor, that he blames them in general for her death cooking up the conspiracy to rid Starling City of the lower classes and training himself, essentially becoming a Batman type who doesn't blame criminals but poor people.
     
  2. DarKush Registered

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    That's an interesting theory and I feel it makes him more of an anti-Arrow, especially in the context of this show. For the most part Oliver has just gone after the 1%, who perhaps not coincidentally have been in his dad's book. He has been reluctant to take on 'street' crime, though he has done that more lately.

    So Malcolm taking on 'street' crime, or blaming the lower class for all of the city's ills could be a dark mirror reflection of Arrow's stance, IMO.

    It could provide more resonance for Malcolm. Because for me, I'm only into his character because I liked Barrowman as Captain Jack. His Malcolm has been a bit too Snidley Whiplash for my taste. And while I usually don't have a problem with that, I wish he had more brio like John Glover's Lionel Luthor or more of an edge like Willem Dafoe's Norman Osborn.

    Plus I wish they had done a better job establishing a relationship with him and Tommy. I just don't think they have good chemistry as actors. Perhaps if they had just told us he was Tommy's dad from jump and we saw more of their interaction I might feel better about that.

    In retrospect I don't see why they just didn't tell us who he was, have him be someone Oliver might like or maybe even trust and then drop it on us that he's involved in the conspiracy too. Keeping his identity so mysterious only really made sense if he was going to be a big DC character, which is isn't. Even though he's supposed to be the dark archer Merlyn, it's not like he's Arthur King.
     
  3. Justin Registered

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    I personally the key scene was when he sat there with his photo of himself, tommy and his wife, and he obviously genuinely cares about Tommy.

    I think Barrowman's character is two-fold. One is to be season ones Big Bad that dies in the finale. The second is to give reason for Tommy to become the Big Bad of all series.

    I just picture Tommy finding his fathers gear, realising he loved him afterall and taking up the dark archer mantle. Maybe it's a bit predictable, but I expect it to go something like this.
     
  4. herolee10 No More Miracles

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    So, am I the only one wondering as to why Malcom hasn't gone after Green Arrow again? I mean it's been awhile since Oliver resurfaced back as Arrow in the public's eyes and he has resumed his mission on going after the people who are on the list so I would have assumed that Malcom would go back to what he was doing as the Dark Archer against Oliver by now.
     
  5. The Englishman Marching On Together

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    Yes the Dark Archer needs to come back soon...
     
  6. Trimmings Registered

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    I'm sure we'll get a rematch for the finale
     
  7. vantheman77 Superman Fan 4 Life

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    I wonder if the season finale will have Malcolm Merlyn as the Dark Archer gather all of the villains we've seen this season such as China White, Deadshot, Count Vertigo, Cyrus Vanch, and the Royal Flush Gang in taking on Green Arrow before he takes him on personally.
     
  8. ericadawn16 Registered

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    Just so I get a scene with John Barrowman and Alex Kingston.
    :)
     
  9. Justin Registered

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    Realistically Dark Archer would have come back as soon as he was fit, and Arrow started up again.

    Given that it's a TV show? The whole dark archer thing was a great way to keep people interested in the mid season break and a tease for the inevitable end of season rematch. Last episodes of the season are almost certain to be about the Undertaking, Barrowman and possibly Moira.
     
  10. godisawesome Registered

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    I'm kind of hoping that they continue to show Malcolm's fighting and weapon skills being more western descended than Oliver's. We've seen Malcolm fencing as opposed to Ollie's use of Escrima, his armor has a more medieval European look than Arrow's, and even his armory features a knights suit of armor.

    It would be cool if they acknowledged that humanity has some parallel weapons development that is still unique enough that our hero and villain employ.
     
  11. godisawesome Registered

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    So, anyone kind of hoping that Malcolm Merlin is revealed to be alive and bitter in some future episode?

    I've been thinking that if that Supermax movie never gets made, it would make a great mini-arc for a season, and probably the biggest holy **** moment would be the reveal that Malcolm's inside as well.

    Smallville, the Clone Wars, Avengers and Lois and Clark all showcased the power of a returning arch nemesis, and quite frankly, he deserves it.
     
  12. DChero Out of Work Superhero

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    I think that we'll eventually see him return.

    What I really want is for him to be saved by the League of Assassins and return even better.
     
  13. DarkSovereignty Ooga Chakka

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    I can see them building up deathstroke as his big nemesis. Maybe even Vertigo, who I'd love to see return.
     
  14. DChero Out of Work Superhero

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    I'll be disappointed if Slade doesn't make the jump to Deathstroke this season. He's a surprisingly very likable character.
     
  15. Loki882 Registered

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    Well, we got a pretty big name drop in episode 3 (hint, he was in Batman recently), so the theories about Malcolm seem to be correct.
     
  16. godisawesome Registered

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    And it makes him quite possibly the most faithfully translated villain on any comic show yet. He's the rival archer who's actually a bit more dangerous than Oliver and is tied into the League of Assassins. How cool is it that he's the genuine article as far as comic villains go? He's a better translation than most Marvel-movie villains, for crying out loud!
     
  17. NosfeRomas Registered

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    He is a accurate but I still think Loki and The Joker are the most accurately portrayed villains in live action to date. Red Skull wasn't bad either.
     
  18. Loki882 Registered

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    Magneto as well. I'm still not sure that he's dead. If Deadshot could take an arrow through the eye and survive, then an arrow in the chest doesn't strike me as necessarily being fatal. Also, the messenger guy who visited Canary was wearing a very Dark Archer-like costume. Maybe that's the LOA's standard uniform in this version.
     
  19. Baramos Registered

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    Depends on if they want fantasy elements in the show, the
    Lazarus Pit[/spoiler is clearly going to be possible. But they have Black Canary using an electronic device for the sonic scream, so maybe the writers consider the
    Lazarus Pit
    as not doable...or it would have to be described in a very non-mystical way...
     
  20. DrRocket Registered

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    ^ as long as they bring back the dark archer.
     
  21. Justin Registered

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    lol. Awesome.
     
  22. Loki882 Registered

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    HE'S BACK!!!! and he's got a daughter whom you never expect to.
     
  23. herolee10 No More Miracles

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    So do you guys think that he'll show some remorse over the fact that Tommy died as a result of his "undertaking"? And if he's been alive all this time, I hope they answer as to why he never got revenge on Oliver right away. I mean he could have assassinated Oliver from a distance with a well shot arrow.
     
  24. Boy Scout Registered

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    I'm going to assume for now that he was only very recently brought back. I mean...if he's been alive all this time...why didn't he stop Oliver from stopping The Undertaking?
     
  25. regnak Registered

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    Probably not, he will blame Oliver, after all Malcolm is crazy and he has Thea now.

    As for revenge the writers need to come up with a good plan for him to explain why he doesn't just kill Oliver.
     

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