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For other uses of Prometheus, see Prometheus (disambiguation).

"Your naïveté would be charming, if your weakness wasn't so pathetic. Is this how it is on your planet? Everybody's swayed by sentiment? Is everyone here really so weak!? The Reich will change that; the weak will be eliminated, your entire world will be enslaved, but you...you won't be around to witness it. He is going to feel your skull crack under the weight of his boot. Everyone you care about, everyone you love...they are going to die badly...in ways that would give even monsters nightmares. I really wish that I could live to see it."
—Tommy to Oliver Queen, right before his suicide.[src]


Tommy Merlyn (died November 27, 2017) was a member of the Nazi military wing of Schutzstaffel in the New Reich, where he operated under the codename Prometheus. He was captured and held captive in S.T.A.R. Labs before killing himself via a cyanide pill.

Biography

Tommy Merlyn was born to the Reich by unknown parents. He mentions not having a normal childhood. At some point, he became friends with Oliver/Fuhrer.

He journeyed to Earth One, along with the Fuhrer, Kara/Overgirl and a squadron of Nazi soldiers, to attack the heroes that had gathered together for the wedding of Barry Allen and Iris West. He went on to engage both Sara Lance and Alex Danvers in combat but the two women managed to overpower and beat him. He was then taken to S.T.A.R. Labs at gunpoint by Sara and Jefferson Jackson where he was locked up in one of their cells of the pipeline but hadn't spoken a word.

He soon removed his mask and everyone, especially Oliver Queen, was surprised to see who was under the mask. Oliver asked to be given some time alone with Tommy. He informed Oliver that he was from Earth-X and heard that his doppelganger of this world had already died over four years ago and told him that he would actually prefer that. He told Oliver that on Earth-X, he didn't have a choice but to be put into military training for the Reich as a child because they didn't have elementary schools and summer camps like they did here. Oliver tried to convince him that he had a choice now and asked for help in trying to find out what the Fuhrer wanted. Tommy told Oliver that there was someone like Oliver on Earth-X and he would die for his friend. Oliver said of wishing to have died for Tommy's doppelganger too but had been beaten to it. Tommy then revealed that his "sob story" was all a facade and that he actually enjoyed dominating over people and killing. He called out Oliver's sentiment as weak and asked if all the people in Earth One were this weak as well. He told Oliver that the Reich would come and destroy the weak and then enslave the rest, but Oliver wouldn't live to see any of it as the Fuhrer would kill Oliver. Tommy next said that he wished he could live to see that himself, pulling out his tooth where there was a hidden cache of cyanide. Oliver moved to stop him but Tommy swallowed it and died a moment later.

Legacy

His suit's biosensor sent out a signal to the Fuhrer, notifying of Tommy's demise. While Eobard Thawne/Reverse Flash viewed Tommy as pathetic, the Fuhrer took a moment to mourn for him and that he had died for Overgirl and vowed to make his death worth it.

Personality

Initially, it seemed that Tommy Merlyn was a more sympathetic villain than Dark Arrow, Overgirl and Eobard Thawne, claiming that he was indoctrinated into the Reich from birth and thus never had a true childhood, also noting that perhaps dying as his Earth One counterpart had would be preferable to an empty and miserable existence as a Nazi enforcer.

However, this show of being insecure, remorseful, and repentant was, in fact, nothing more than a facade done for the purposes of exposing Oliver Queen's gullibility in trying to reach out to an alternate version of his dead friend. His true nature revealed, Tommy mocked Oliver's high morals and idealism and sentiment, considering Oliver to be "weak" and deserving of being crushed, also sadistically taunting Oliver with the promise that the Fuhrer would kill them slowly and horribly and make Oliver watch, and lamented how he himself would not live to see it. In short, Tommy was ultimately shown to be every bit the sadistic Nazi henchman that his Earth-X fellows were, and a man who reveled in and rejoiced in the cruelties of the Nazis.[1]

Abilities

  • Peak of human physical condition: Unlike his Earth One counterpart, Tommy was trained from his youth in the Reich military to be in peak physical condition and has great athletic prowess.
  • Master combatant/Martial artist: Tommy was highly skilled in combat, allowing him to fight against the likes of Sara Lance and Alex Danvers for a time before getting defeated.
    • Master swordsman: Tommy was trained in the art of swordsmanship and managed to fight off Sara Lance and Alex Danvers with two swords.

Equipment

  • Prometheus suit: Tommy wore a protective suit while operating under his alias Prometheus.
  • Chokuto: Like Simon Morrison, Tommy is shown wielding a chokuto he keeps on the back right next to his quiver.
  • Quiver: Tommy is also shown having a quiver on his back, though he doesn't use the arrows stored in them or use a bow.
  • Shurikens: Also similar to Simon Morrison, Tommy keeps at least six shurikens strapped to his abdomen, although he is never seen using them.

Appearances

Supergirl

Season 3

Arrow

Season 6

Gallery

Promotional images

Crisis on Earth-X

Behind the scenes

  • This version of Tommy Merlyn, being a black-clad archer villain, is likely inspired by New 52 version of Tommy Merlyn from the DC Comics continuity, which itself was originally inspired by Tommy Merlyn from Arrow.
    • The Earth-X version of Prometheus could be a reference to a popular fan theory that Earth One Prometheus' true identity was actually Earth One Tommy Merlyn resurrected and disguised.
  • According to Stephen Amell, Colin Donnell was still very busy at the time of the filming of "Crisis on Earth-X", yet managed to get enough free time one night to get on a flight to Canada, perform his scene at the S.T.A.R. Labs pipeline prison and fly back to his rigorous working schedule on Chicago Med.
  • Like Simon Morrison, Tommy taunted Oliver Queen about the prospect of his friends dying before killing himself. Also, like Laurel Lance/Black Siren, Tommy is a doppelganger of a deceased friend who made Oliver Queen emotionally vulnerable, being offered a second chance on Earth One, only to deny it for various reasons, leaving Oliver disappointed with the outcome.

References

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