Arrow Season 8: 10 characters who need to return for Arrow’s final season

Arrow — “Lian Yu” — Image AR523a_0399b.jpg — Pictured: John Barrowman as Malcolm Merlyn — Photo: Jack Rowand/The CW — © 2017 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

8. Malcolm Merlyn/Dark Archer

From a business tycoon to one of the deadliest assassins on the planet, Malcolm Merlyn went through a lot during his Arrow journey and, in doing so, he became one of the greatest villains that the Arrowverse had ever seen. Oliver Queen’s first major test as a vigilante, the Dark Archer was a starting point for The Hood in many ways as, in order to become the hero that Starling City needed him to be, he had to overcome its biggest threat.

But to only speak of Merlyn’s time under that League of Assassins armor would be a major disservice to John Barrowman, who expertly switched from charming to chilling at the drop of a hat and ultimately managed to convey how the tragedies in Malcolm’s life were what led him to this point.

Though the character would stick around far too long (four and a half seasons) and eventually see himself become a comical caricature of the intimidating threat that he once was, there is no denying the impact he made during those glorious first two seasons. His apparent death in the Season 5 finale was a fitting farewell because, when all was said and done, he achieved some kind of redemption as he sacrificed himself to save his own daughter, proving that there was at least a shred of humanity left within him.

You can’t bring Arrow to an end without looking back at how it all started, just as Oliver can’t disappear into the great Crisis beyond without coming face-to-face with his first real challenge one more time. So, of course, Merlyn should be an integral part of the final season. The only question is: Is he really dead?

Well, they don’t call him The Magician for nothing.