John Barrowman’s Malcolm Merlyn was Oliver Queen’s greatest enemy during the first season of “Arrow.” And while Barrowman only made a few appearances during the second season, his return to “Arrow” next fall will put Merlyn back on Oliver’s hit list.
The CW has announced that Barrowman has been promoted to a series regular for “Arrow” Season 3. In last night’s second season finale, Merlyn was last seen leaving Starling City with his daughter, Thea Queen (Willa Holland) as he took her under his wing.
Barrowman is perhaps best known among genre fans for playing Captain Jack Harkness on “Doctor Who” and “Torchwood.”
Prior to the second season, Manu Bennett was promoted to series regular on “Arrow” and he was the primary adversary for the season. Barrowman’s promotion may mean that Merlyn will once again be Oliver Queen’s primary antagonist. One thing to keep in mind is that Merlyn is one of the few villains who has actually beaten the Arrow. Merlyn’s plan to devastate Starling City’s Glades with an earthquake was successful despite Oliver’s best efforts. But that earthquake killed Merlyn’s son, Tommy.
“Arrow” will return to The CW this fall.
