In the classic comic book series, The Dark Archer is named Arthur Merlyn (a pun for King Arthur and Merlin), he was created as a dark parallel to Oliver Queen. Trained by Ra's Al Ghul, leader of the League of Assassins, he is matched with The Green Arrow both physically and intellectually, but while The Arrow stands for justice, the Archer stands for power by any means necessary. Their conflicting ideologies keep them permanently at odds.In the CW series Arrow , The Dark Archer is given a deeper, more nuanced backstory. This time he is a worldly business tycoon named Malcolm Merlyn (played by John Barrowman), who begins his journey toward becoming The Dark Archer once his wife is killed. Merlyn's wife was attempting to use her fortune and position in high society to help the less fortunate by reforming the slums of Starling City, known as The Glades. The grief beset by her death drove Malcolm to Nanda Parbat, where he learned the skills necessary to fight evil from Ra's Al Ghul and the League of Assassins (as true to his comic book origin). He abandons his son Tommy during the period, which would drive a wedge between the two from then on.Upon his return to Starling City, Malcolm set forth a plan to rid the city of it's cancerous slums by detonating a nuclear powered weapon that would simulate an earthquake, effectively destroying the Glades. Once his main cohort, Robert Queen, began backing out of their master plan, Merlyn sabotaged his yacht, which stranded young Oliver Queen on an island for five years, completely altering his destiny.Oliver returns to Starling as The Arrow, a hooded vigilante archer bent on ridding the city of evil. This eventually puts he and Malcolm at odds. The two do battle on the rooftops of Starling as the earthquake machine begins destroying the glades, which, in turn, kills Merlyn's son Tommy. Oliver believes a fatal wound to Merlyn's chest kills him, but nearly a year later Malcolm resurfaces. Upon learning Thea Queen, Oliver's younger sister's true heritage as his own daughter, Malcolm blackmails Moira, Thea's mother, to tell her the truth and allow Malcolm to raise her proper. Moira refuses and warns Malcolm that Ra's Al Ghul is aware of his reemergence and wishes to kill him personally. This sends Malcolm on the run.After Moira Queen is executed, and the city is under siege from Slade Deathstroke Wilson's Mirakuru super soldiers, Merlyn returns to rescue his daughter from the impending calamity. He offers her the chance to join him and learn how to do what is necessary to protect those she loves. She joins him in Corto Maltese where he trains her in the same manner as he was taught. Effectively turning Thea into the powerful force he wished his late son Tommy was.Once Thea is trained and battle ready, Malcolm uses a specialized herb that can control one's mind on her. Under his control, Thea murders Sara Lance, aka The Canary, which forces Oliver to confront Ra's Al Ghul. This was a bold move on Malcolm's part to help remove the blood debt still owed to Ra's. After Oliver fails to kill Ra's Al Ghul in armed combat, Malcolm offers his services to train he and Thea for the oncoming storm, effectively becoming an uneasy ally of Team Arrow. During this time Merlyn learns that the true killer of his wife, Danny Brickwell, has taken hold of The Glades. Merlyn doesn't kill Brick as a sign of transformation and growth, which somewhat strengthens his partnership with Oliver.Soon Oliver uses Merlyn's understanding of the League of Assassins' inner circle as a tool in destroying the syndicate from the inside out. Merlyn's assistance in bringing Ra's Al Ghul down earns him the immortal seat as Demon's Head, and new Ra's Al Ghul. He and Oliver are sworn enemies once more.In the Smallville Universe, The Dark Archer is named Vordigan. At one time, he was the mentor of Oliver Queen, aka Green Arrow. He taught Oliver all of his special fighting and archery skills. The two men were part of a secret society of archers. Eventually, Oliver and Vordigan had a falling out. Oliver turned his back on him. Years later, Vordigan comes back for revenge on Oliver. While dressed in a costume resembling Green Arrow's uniform, Vordigan attacks Chloe Sullivan and Lois Lane and makes the crimes look as though they were committed by Green Arrow. Show less «