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Rebecca Merlyn (died 1993)[1] was a wealthy philanthropist in Star City whose main goal in life was to help the less fortunate residing in The Glades. Rebecca was the wife of the late Malcolm Merlyn and the mother of the late Tommy Merlyn. Her death served as the catalyst for the Undertaking.

Biography

At some point in her life, Rebecca met and fell in love with Malcolm Merlyn, who she eventually married. On February 1, 1985, they had a son, Tommy.[2] Rebecca was also close friends with the Queen family.

A compassionate woman, Rebecca started up a free clinic in the Glades to help the low-income citizens who lived there.

In 1993, Rebecca was murdered on her way home from her clinic in a mugging, when Danny Brickwell shot her and stole her purse.

Rebecca Merlyn

Rebecca Merlyn being killed

As she laid dying in plain view, Rebecca implored the aid of people passing by, who ignored her pleas. Using the mobile telephone she had on her, Rebecca dialed her husband’s phone number, leaving him messages in which she begged for his help; a preoccupied Malcolm refused to respond to his telephone’s ringing, something he would later deeply regret. Following Rebecca’s passing, Malcolm withdrew from his life at home and grew distant from his young boy, an action that strained their father-son relationship as Tommy developed into manhood. Malcolm was given a photo of the man that was a suspect in her murder and set out to find him and kill him. However, killing him didn't ease Malcolm's mind. Rebecca's clinic was eventually closed by Malcolm[3] as he stated he could not bear to see it leveled with the rest of the Glades.[4]

In early 2015, Team Arrow discovered Danny Brickwell had killed Rebecca Merlyn and that Malcolm killed the wrong man. Malcolm went after Brick and confronted him, and Brick admitted to killing Rebecca as an initiation to join his first street gang. Merlyn intended to use the gun that Brick used to kill Rebecca on him, but Oliver Queen managed to talk him down from it.[5]

Rewritten reality

In an alternate reality created by the Legion of Doom using the Spear of Destiny, Rebecca, along with her son, Tommy, is still alive. It was implied that she was also Thea's mother in this reality.[6]

Legacy

Rebecca's death is what caused her husband Malcolm Merlyn to become the ruthless, cold-hearted psychopath he is today, as well as the fact that her murder served as the catalyst for the Undertaking. Rebecca's death is also one of the main reasons why her son Tommy, had an extremely strained relationship with Malcolm and did not get along with his father at all.

Rebecca's clinic was eventually closed by Malcolm as he stated he could not bear to see it leveled with the rest of the Glades; it is unknown if the clinic was destroyed in the Undertaking, as it is unknown if it was located in the east or the west sector of the Glades. It is currently unknown if the clinic was reopened.

Her death was avenged 25 years later when Stanley Dover killed Danny Brickwell with a butter knife.[7]

Appearances

Arrow

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3


DC's Legends of Tomorrow

Season 2

Comics

Arrow

Arrow: The Dark Archer

References

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