On Arrow Season Finale Episode 'Sacrifice,' Tommy Merlyn Dies

Death of Tommy Merlyn on Arrow Season Finale 'Sacrifice'

In Arrow Episode 123 "Sacrifice," somebody has to die. That somebody is Tommy Merlyn, and he was a recurring character on the show.

I personally liked Tommy Merlyn and was sad to see him die, although it makes sense because I saw Colin Donnell (who plays Tommy Merlyn) in a Television commercial recently. Obviously his stint on Arrow had ended and he is looking for more work.

Oliver Queen and Tommy Merlyn on Arrow

Oliver Queen and Tommy Merlyn: Best Friends

I was actually shocked at the end of the Arrow Season Finale when Tommy Merlyn was stabbed through the chest with a steel rod. He was a likable character, and Oliver Queen's best friend. I was very surprised that he death was so early in the show, especially since Oliver and Tommy have an ongoing feud over Laurel.

As Season 1 comes to a close, Oliver has a meeting with Tommy Merlyn at Merlyn Global, and tells Tommy to fight for Laurel because he (Green Arrow) cannot endanger Laurel by dating her. Tommy takes his advice and goes to talk to Laurel only to find Oliver upstairs making love to her. This can be seen through an open window. This upsets Tommy because he just received the "go ahead" from Oliver, yet his buddy Ollie is shagging with his woman.

Merlyn Global Group

Oliver Queen's mom, Moira Queen holds a surprise press conference and announces that she has been involved in the conspiracy called "the Undertaking." This conspiracy involved seismic devices that Malcolm Merlyn ordered from a company to be modified so they can be turned into Earthquake catalysts. Malcolm Merlyn is going to level the Glades of Starling City so he can rebuild it. He came up with this insiduous plan after his wife was killed in the Glades, where her clinic was.

Malcolm murdered all of the employees with knowledge on the seismic devices. He does this to prevent anyone from learning of what he is planning on doing, so nobody can stop him. He did not foresee Moira Queen spilling the beans to reporters. Green Arrow goes to investigate at Merlyn Global. Diggle finds the empty crates. Malcolm Merlyn has already removed them from storage at the thought of being discovered.

He has already placed the devices in the subway underneath Starling City.

Green Arrow Fights Malcolm Merlyn

Green Arrow fights Malcolm Merlyn on rooftop

Green Arrow has a showdown with Malcolm Merlyn on the rooftop. Green Arrow manages to stab him with an arrow. Ultimately, Oliver Queen spares Malcolm Merlyn's life. Malcolm Merlyn reveals that he is a businessman and he has learned redundancy, hinting that there is more than one seismic device underground.

The east side of The Glades is spared, but the west side is leveled. Tommy and Laurel happen to be on the west side. Oliver Queen races to the offices where Laurel works. Laurel was saved by Tommy, but Tommy is lying inside the rubble. Oliver finds his best friend with a steel rod through his chest. Tommy Merlyn is dying.

Oliver Queen finds dying Tommy Merlyn with steel rod in his chest

Colin Donnell as Tommy Merlin at his death scene

Best friend Malcom Merlyn and Oliver Queen embrace before Tommy dies

The Death of Tommy Merlyn

Tommy Merlyn wants to know two things at the end of Arrow Episode 123 'Sacrifice':

1. He wants to know if Laurel is okay
2. He wants to know if Oliver killed his dad

When Tommy finds out his dad is still alive, he says "Good" because his death should be torture enough for all of the atrocities that his dad has committed.

Tommy Merlyn was a character that started out a selfish and rich man. His father, Malcom Merlyn cut him loose, and Tommy had to fend for himself, and get a job and be out on his own. During this time, Tommy grew and because more respectable. By Episode 123 of Arrow, he went back to his father for a job, not knowing that his dad was plotting to destroy the Glades.

I wish that Tommy Merlyn and Oliver Queen had been able to truly mend things in the show, but it ended as they were both interested in the same woman. It felt like their friendship has not been restored.

After all of this takes place, Oliver Queen realizes that he is still in love with Laurel.

Season 1 of Arrow was very good and I am looking forward to Season 2 in the Fall on the CW.