ARROW: Marc Guggenheim Talks Working With DC, Malcolm Merlyn’s Return, Barry Allen And More

In an interview with GreenArrowTV, Arrow executive producer Marc Guggenheim talks more about what to expect for the rest of the season. While mostly going through things that we have known, he also drops a few tidbits of new info. First, he confirms that there are no plans to show the resurrection of Malcolm Merlyn, who seemingly died at the end of the first season and returned right before the mid-season finale. “There’s no plans at the moment. I don’t want to spoil too much, but there really are no plans at the moment. I sort of feel like we’ve moved past that point, and it would be regressing. There’s a lot more story to tell with Malcolm, but I think all that story is best told looking forward rather than looking back.” Guggenheim then comments on Nyssa al Ghul, who will make her debut in Episode 13. “I don’t want to spoil what brings her to Starling City, but I will say that it’s one of our best episodes this season. Episode 13, which introduces Nyssa. Katrina Law, by the way, is absolutely phenomenal. She really is a perfect bit of casting. Katrina is wonderful in the role, and gave us everything we needed to tell that story, in a really, really wonderful way. You haven’t seen the last of the League of Assassins, and we’re hoping that you’ll enjoy your first look at Nyssa.” 

Episode 20 was originally set to be a backdoor pilot for The CW’s planned Flash series, with the debut of Barry Allen in the Flash costume. However, those plans have been scrapped. But could we see Allen himself return this season? “I don’t know, is the honest answer. Everything always gets talked about, and there are all different sorts of possibilities, but I really don’t know. We haven’t hit upon anything just yet. I know that Greg, Geoff, and Andrew are really focused on making the Flash pilot as amazing as it can be, and that’s really where the focus should be. If it’s in the cards, it’ll happen; but if it’s not in the cards, then it won’t.” 

Finally, Guggenheim discusses working with DC and receiving permission to add specific concepts to the show, such as references to Ra’s al Ghul. “I don’t know if “surprised” is the right word. Honestly, DC has been amazing. They’ve been so encouraging, and very cooperative. Even name-dropping Ra’s al Ghul in Episode 5; even that was the product of several months’ worth of casual conversations. So, by the time we get official permission, it doesn’t feel like a surprise. We’re always very open with us about our plans, and they’re always very open with us with their plans and their needs in terms of other DC-related shows and whatnot.” He then teases more exciting DC elements coming up. “We actually have some very cool DC things coming up. Nothing I can announce just yet, because they really are their own sort of stories, but the level of DC integration, I think it’s fair to say we’ve found a way to kick it up a notch.” Arrow airs on The CW Wednesdays at 8 PM EST.