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Arrow - Season 4 - John Barrowman Discusses Malcolm Merlyn’s Role In Season 4

Jul 22, 2015

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Thanks to arrowshieldfan for the heads up.

Barrowman, when we interviewed him at SDCC 2015, indicated that Merlyn will probably like to keep a peaceful relationship with Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) and the archer’s allies. He’s not entirely certain why Merlyn can’t bring himself to kill the group of heroes, but he suspects it could be because they were friends of his deceased son, or maybe he even views the group as family:

“This is how it works for me. My Malcolm, I believe I have a soft spot for every one of those people on that team. And I haven’t figured out why. Maybe it’s because of Tommy knowing most of them or it’s because I look at Oliver being like a son. Or my daughter, I knew I was training her to be part of it. I will protect them. But if I have to kill someone, I will. It’s as black and white as that. But don’t mess with them. Don’t get in the way, because I will put my neck out on the line to protect them. That’s what I think. That’s what makes it work for me. If that happens, I don’t know.”

Barrowman also commented on Merlyn’s manipulative ways. The villain is regularly pulling peoples’ strings and appears to be intrepid, so, to many fans, it was surprising to see Merlyn become a total coward when he was forced to face Ra’s al Ghul. To some, it showed just how much people should fear Ra’s al Ghul. But others – including Barrowman – couldn’t tell if Merlyn was faking it in an attempt to buy himself more time. Is there more to what Merlyn is often saying? Barrowman explained he attempts to deliver lines in a way which keeps viewers – and even himself – guessing about the character’s true intentions:

“Not much scares Malcolm. Ra’s scared Malcolm when he was in front of him. But I always, again, play it like do we really believe that Malcolm is scared or is he a great manipulator? When you watch him…Which I love when I watch him myself, because I do watch myself, I love watching him going, “I don’t really know if I believe you are telling the truth.”

52 comments:

  1. Oh Barrowman, Barrowman, you saved season 3 for me...not your characters storyline mind you but your character himself.


    Now give him a damn good storyline for season 4! While you're at it give him, Felicity and Diggle purpose outside of propping other characters or fan favourite connections up.


    It's not like there's no storyline for the character to tell, in fact the roots of the Merlyn character go back to some bad feelings towards Bruce Wayne as well. Or his best buddy Deadshot, who he never got to meet on Arrow. SO.MUCH.CAN.BE.DONE!

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  2. Deceased son? Tommy was murdered. By HIM!
    Why can't his role be to die and leave the show forever?

    Well he can't kill the group of heroes because the show would end lol.

    Malcolm IS a coward. I wasn't surprised he was scared of Ra's. It was very much in character. He is so courageous when he knows he can win a fight but when he's outmatched and outnumbered his true colours appear.

    Whenever he calls Oliver a son or the group a family I feel sick. First because it insults Tommy's memory. He was abandoned his whole life and even after he was murdered his father, who killed him, still wishes he had a different son. Also I've seen how Malcolm treats his family, it's not something that makes me say awwww how sweet.

    Have I mentioned that I loathe Malcolm? I hope Sara, Thea and Nyssa kick his butt.

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  3. You do know that the actor is saying that....not the character.


    At least you're feeling what I felt all season 3 about Olicity

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  4. I was talking about JB when I said I hate when he calls Oliver a son. It really annoys me when he says that. I got so angry when he said that at Paley Fest. And when the audience booed he said "come on he's dead" or something like that. I'm sorry but that was very disrespectful to the character and his fans.

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  5. Don't take it to actor-hate now. Character-hate is fine on every account though, this not really.


    So what if he LIKES to think that Malcolm thinks like this? It's really weird to have this come out of your mouth, he's JUST an actor. Not the character that comitted all these attrocious crimes.


    But what am I talking about, we've fought months over the legitimacy of forcing a romantic plots into a storyline and now are arguing on your hate against a person saying something you didn't like? I mean..:COME ON

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  6. "Not much scares Malcolm. Ra's scared Malcolm when he was in front of him."

    Ummm, Ra's scared Malcolm, millions of miles away too! He framed Thea and Oliver as a distraction from himself, so he wouldn't "meet his fate" by Ra's hand AND he spent a lot of his time hiding from Ra's once he knew that Ra's knew that he was a live, Since season 2, mind you! And he sure as hell wasn't manipulating anybody with his tail between his legs.

    And if Malcolm has a 'soft spot" for any of the team, he sure has a lot of freaking nerve! I swear to god, i wish one of them would just Slit his THROAT!

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  7. I didn't hate on him. I have every right to not like something he said and something he clearly believes. The only paragraph that was about JB was the one about him thinking that Malcolm considers Oliver a son and the group family. He's the actor playing the role so of course what he thinks matters in his portrayal. Malcolm tried to kill Oliver in season one and sent him to his death in season 3, I don't want Malcolm to be portrayed as someone who thinks of Oliver as a son after all that! Or as a caring father to Thea! For the record I also don't like it when he's being written that way. Does that mean I'm hating on the writers?

    Who said anything about JB committing those things? What are you even talking about?! You really think I blurr the line between reality and fiction? Are you serious? You are acting like I'm attacking JB. I'm saying I don't like something he said! Is disagreeing considered hate now? Don't ever accuse me of hating on someone. Especially an actor for playing a character I don't like. Have I ever hated on KC or BR? No. And I never will. And everyone knows how much I hate Laurel and Ray. It's a disgusting and immature thing to do and I will approve of it. However I'm very much entitled to disagree with something they said and/or how they view and play the character.

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  8. Often Barrowman seems like he is playing a completely different Malcolm to that in the script. He makes up all these stories that aren't supported by the show. When Blackthorne talks about Lance's motivations and why he is performing him a certain way, it feels insightful. Barrowman feels like he is trying to entertain the audience/reader with a story only he is telling. He's trying to keep you guessing actually makes for a very muddled performance.

    Please no more ambiguous Malcolm hanging around for no good reason. Either he's a villain with a clear storyline or he needs to be done as he should have at the end of season 1.

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  9. I can see why Malcolm doesn't fully see himself to blame for Tommy's death because to Malcolm, Tommy didn't belong there in The Glades at the time because he never knew how much Tommy actually cared for Laurel, especially when the two broke up(which I believe Tommy told Malcolm about).

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  10. He's just adding his own Malcolm Merlyn fan-fic, lol. I've heard many quotes from actors who do this a lot.

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  11. I really should point out that he's nothing like comic Merlyn.

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  12. Of course Oliver should join the party. I just want those three ladies to take first swing at him.
    I like that scenario. I like very much. Just one request: could the neck snap be fatal? I'm so done with Malcolm. Almost every bad thing that has happened from the moment Robert, Oliver and Sara got on the boat could be traced back to him. And he never gets punished for what he does!

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  13. It's not just that he doesn't take full responsibility for killing Tommy, which he should because even if Tommy weren't supposed to be there doesn't make his death any less Malcolm's fault. He doesn't even feel a little bit guilty.

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  14. Yeah, Ra's wasn't much like his counterpart as well and let's not start on Felicity here. If she was totally like her comic counterpart she'd be a fulltime mom to Robbie Amell

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  15. I find his rewriting his character's story to entertain himself to be problematic.

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  16. Right. Kinda random. I wasn't trying to discuss differences (Ra's is really just less of an asshole), but really my point. My point was I don't any of that will happen.

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  17. No. Even though he deserves it. That's not justice. That's pure vengeance. Plus he might have a pit, but Oliver hates killing. And if he's gonna be lighter no more murdering.

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  18. I don't know, I find it entertaining as well because he just sounds like a fanboy too as well as being an actor on the show. And what he comes up with doesn't really undermine his character's actual story.

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  19. Malcolm Merlyn fanfic lol. Portraying the characters the way you want them to be written not how they are actually written makes that actors seem as they are not connected with the entire show not just the character. I sometimes wonder, do you even read the entire script or just your scenes?Because what you are saying does not make any sense story wise.

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  20. He's a total karma houdini though. But I believe at some point that will end. Probably because of Darhk.

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  21. Of course he should feel guilty, but I'm only playing devil's advocate(is that a good way of using the term or no? Lol) on perhaps why Malcolm doesn't have too much guilt.

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  22. Darn it. You made me feel guilty :(
    Another suggestion: he could trip and fell from the balcony?

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  23. See now that's fine. And if he happened to fall on a sword or arrow, then totally fine. But yeah if anyone of them killed him out of vengeance and premeditated it. Their character arcs would be for nothing.

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  24. I'm not sure but I think no lol. Presenting a defense for the devil should make sense by normal people standards not Malcolm Merlyn standards. Could be devil's therapist? Which he desperately needs by the way lol

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  25. He didn't necessarily say anything that contradicts the actual writing for Malcolm Merlyn though except that I don't think Merlyn really likes all of Team Arrow. He had alluded and I believe even referenced that he thinks of Ollie as his own son and the only person that really scared him was Ra's al Ghul as you could see the frightened look on his face whenever he was up close and personal with Ra's al Ghul.


    I may add in the idea that Ra's al Ghul being alive MIGHT be a part of Barrowman's fan-fic for his character, although I could see him actually still being alive as I have a theory that Ra's al Ghul made it easy for Ollie to kill him for a reason.

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  26. Well, to defend myself, there isn't a defense for wanting to kill over 500 people too just because the death of one(Malcolm's wife), so I think even with exaggerated defenses, such as how Malcolm wouldn't feel guilty over Tommy's death, it does make sense...but just a very heightened sense in the same realm where Malcolm believed killing 500 people is enough just because one woman died in the past.

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  27. I don't want them to kill of course that's why I said I wanted them to beat him up, but you presented that beautiful thought and it was too good to pass.
    We should dropping swords and arrows on the street, you never know lol

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  28. He killed way more than those 500 people. In his pursuit of "justice" he killed many people. It wasn't just about "cleaning" the glades. He dropped bodies left and right in season 1. And let's not forget Robert and all the people on the boat.
    You know what I still don't get, him wanting to kill Brick because he was the reason for every bad decision Malcolm made. Say what? It's even more stupid because he already thought he killed the right guy like 20 years ago!

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  29. Even in the most subtle of ways, we see Ra's al Ghul becoming more and more tired throughout the season since his first appearance in "The Magician", so I feel that he was too tired to be Ra's al Ghul.

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  30. He actually just seems confused by the writing. I can relate to that.

    It's very inconsistent.

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  31. I don't think it's quite enough to say close to 600 as it is just saying it was more than 500.


    Well, it just goes to Merlyn's mindset, now doesn't it? Him wanting to kill Brick thinking it would dissolve all of his past sins is up there with the way Merlyn does think.

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  32. Only person who can kill him is Nyssa. At least on purpose.

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  33. I don't think he's confused by it. Just putting a spin on Malcolm. Playing him up.

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  34. You really are one of those literal guys aren't you? = /

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  35. No. But still true.

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  36. LOL. So can I. Except he can talk to the writers, I can't.

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  37. Nooo you're a literal type of guy. And anyone that had a sniper rifle sitting on top of a rooftop could take him out. Either in the head, or between the eyes, either way would be fine by me. IDGAS who would kill him, I just want him gone. I think that was pretty obvious in my, "I wish one of them would slit his throat" comment.

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  38. Shannon don't tell me what I am. I know what I am. Well then have an Argus guy do it. Clearly. No I just thought you meant give him ice cream and candy. I'd go with a glasgow smile. That way you know he's happy with it.

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  39. Sigh. Not now Graydon.

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  40. Hey lamp shading begets lamp shading.

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  41. Nothing like that.

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  42. I don't want Oliver to kill again but I do want Malcolm dead. And I want Oliver to defeat him. Maybe break his spine or something lol

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  43. He did look oddly relieved when Oliver killed him.

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  44. I know, right? It was almost like giving a slight smile right before he said how he knew he chose well when he gave the Demon's Head ring to Ollie.

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  45. I don't mind Ollie killing. I think, or at least what I took out of his vision of Tommy, is that he's not tarnishing the name of Tommy Merlyn if killing is his very last resort, just like how he had to kill Ra's al Ghul.

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  46. That could be it, but I still have to agree that him being completely confused by it, more and more every season, is highly likely as well. I mean, seriously, if you're going to tell me that you think everything they've done with Malcolm's story made perfect sense, I'd really like you explaining it to me.

    He keeps talking about Malcolm caring about Tommy, well, we all know for a fact that Malcolm always saw him as a freaking failure and wanted to replace him with Oliver, so... Yeah, definitely not Tommy, just let that guy rest in peace, since last season they basically disrespected his entire memory, by not even having Thea come up for him when Oliver mentioned him, because no matter how you put it, Malcolm was single-handedly responsible for Tommy's death.

    Talking about being responsible for someone's death, your daughter htat you supposedly care about right Malcolm? Well, we've all seen how he's been single-handedly COMPLETELY responsible for Sara's death, and because of that eventually Thea's brutal death and whatever the resurrection is going to lead to.

    You can defend it however you want, Malcolm's character is just going from bad to worse. I totally agree that this ambiguous Malcolm is REALLY getting om my nerves, because he keeps getting more than he ever wanted and deserved, while Team Arrow only tops gets a few short months of happiness before it's all crying and distrusting each other.

    Just like how I would not, and I mean seriously NOT blame Diggle if he still doesn't trust Oliver this entire season. I wouldn't, after Oliver basically trusted Malcolm SO much over all of them so blindly. And it's really a problem for me that time and time again, this show makes Malcolm almost a way more integral part to this show, than freaking Oliver is, or his own sister, who 90% of the time only has been a set-piece to use as a victim and everything.

    So yeah, I totally agree that however awesome John Barrowman is and I get he wants to make sense of the awful writing that is about Malcolm, either finally be honest and let Malcolm be a full-on villain, or just freaking let him die already and be done with it. It still feel likes desperate attempts to mostly keep the actor in the group, at whatever illogical sacrifice they'd have to make for it.

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  47. Yeah, they've said that SO many times, about Malcolm seeing Ollie as his son blablabla, while his actual son has just dissapeared into nothingness and just a few mentions by Oliver, which got shot down last season, basically the show telling us that he doesn't matter at all anymore.


    But the thing about that is that he DOESN'T, he also doesn't care for Thea at all in a way that you should for a daughter, he's proven that SO massively. The only one he cares about, is himself, and the only part of him that thinks he cares about Oliver that way, is the selfish part of him that was always hoping that Moira would suddenly tell him that Oliver was his son.
    Honestly, I even think that when Malcolm learned that Thea was his daughter, he was massively dissapointed by that. It's not for nothing that he tried to turn her into a mini-version of him.


    I kind of think that John Barrowman is just actually trying to make sense of things, sense of desperate writing of a writing team that just wants to keep him as actor around forever, no matter how weird it is.

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  48. He still seems to understand Malcolm. And the character whatever his problems are is not more integral to the story than Oliver or Thea. And that's not gonna happen because Malcolm is grey. He's an anti-villain. The guy who does horrible things for a good purpose. Being neither all good or bad.

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  49. Well, Barrowman did say that Malcolm would kill any of them in any minute....so his actions to Thea even fits what Barrowman says of how he views Malcolm's actions.

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  50. And I get that, but I still have a problem with that. He doesn't do them for a good purpose. However he twists it, I still see no logical explanation, not really, for having Thea purposely kill Sara, who she saw as a friend, than use it as blackmail leverage, for something that was all only about him. That was seflish.


    The thing is that I can admit that I believe that Malcolm believes it's a good purpose, and twists it in his head, but when you take a good look at it, almost everything he's done, was mostly centered around him, with people he supposedly cared/cares about getting intentionally caught in the crossfire.


    I have wanted to give him multiple chances, the character, but the more he does and I think about it, and I rewatch episodes, the more it just comes of SO selfish in my opinion. So I totally get what you mean, but it just doesn't really fit at this point with him. (Now purely pretty much about Malcolm himself of course lol)

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  51. Oh he's totally selfish. But that's why I love Malcolm. He's so deluded about his own motives and actions in the series until it nearly gets Thea killed. Now he's finally realized just how awful he is.

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