Dark Archer comic

[Raissa]

We've reached #11 of 12.

[SPOILER]We find out that Malcolm's R&D lab at Corto Maltese is built on the site of the second Ashkiri tomb on top of a second working Lazarus Pit, and Malcolm of course knew the whole time. Jr. is affected by the Pit when he leaps in the water to save himself from the Plankton-Pit-Drone Creature. He could breathe underwater. Whether this means literal gills as a Pit extension of his animal magic isn't specified. But, it strengthens the case for Saracon being Thea's brother through that Pit connection.

Also, in the course of things, Probably Dad and Probably Jr. stab each other with the same dagger that's key to unlocking the secrets of the tomb and Malcolm orders the drone operator to kill Saracon as Lourdes screams "Nooo." If all of this doesn't lead to a parental reveal in the final issue, I don't know what I've been reading.[/SPOILER]

In spite of, or maybe because of, the CW mandated soap, I've enjoyed this arc. The Barrowmans seem better equipped to deal with these narrative requirements and still spin a good yarn than the people in charge of Malcolm's screen narrative.

[Raissa]

It's late. I downloaded and read the final chapter as soon as it became available. I'm posting the salient points now, because I won't have time tomorrow...

[SPOILER]1. Saracon is Arthur/Merlyn's kid AND as an added bonus, it turns out Ra's lied about Amina Raatko. Lourdes is also Nyssa's mother. Ra's kept his child in exchange for releasing Lourdes and Saracon when The Hidden came for them years later. Unfortunately, Lourdes is killed, and Malcolm coldly tells Nyssa who arrives on site that the body belongs to no one she knows.

2. Saracon lives! However, he's altered by the Pit water and eating the sacred Ashkiri heart. He controlled the drone because they're both based on the same power. Pit = Ashkiri, and goes on a rant about being no man's son and heir to Ashkiri power. Malcolm decides his boy has potential amidst all this.

All in all, this was a better "They're all related"tale then the one they gave us on screen. However, Nyssa has been truly shafted, and I want to see fall out in the screen narrative.[/SPOILER]

[Raissa]

Here's the latest JB & CB interview...

"Dark Archer" introduced Saracon and Lourdes, two prominent figures from Merlyn's past with interesting histories and abilities. How did these characters develop during your planning process?

Carole Barrowman: Well, I really felt -- and John did not disagree with this -- that we should have a very strong female in it who wasn't 20 or 24, who was a little closer to my age, perhaps. We thought that was really important. We also were really intrigued [by the idea of Lourdes], because you hear a lot in the show, "Who's Nyssa's mother? Who's Nyssa's mother?" and, "She was a concubine. She was a concubine." You know, what does that really mean in that world? From the very beginning, we knew we wanted to create -- you know, I just have to say, we're going to post a video of us doing this interview --

John Barrowman: No, don't tell her! You have to watch it!

Carole Barrowman: You have to watch this video! We feel like you're a part of it, but we feel like you have to know that he's doing outrageous things with masks from pop culture, and wigs. When you watch this, you will appreciate our answers even more. Anyway, that's where Lourdes came from. We knew we wanted to play around with what her history was like, and then -- given how she ends -- it's really sad!

John Barrowman: It is not sad.

Carole Barrowman: And Malcolm is just cold, coldhearted. I think we knew from the beginning that we wanted a character [Saracon] to have some powers that hadn't been touched on before.

John Barrowman: Everyone [on the show] has powers that are learned and they hone in on those powers, like myself. I'm a magician, Oliver has learned how to be an archer. But no one really has any kind of supernatural kind of powers, so that's why it was important to bring something else like that in. Because it also then widens the kind of horizons of what you can do with people.

Carole Barrowman: And also, John always liked "Doctor Doolittle."

John Barrowman: [Singing] Because I can talk to the animals! Just imagine it -- chatting to a chimp in chimpanzee!

...In an earlier interview, you said Greg Berlanti suggested that the show could use some elements of your comic. Since "Arrow" Season 4 has wrapped and "Dark Archer" is winding down, can you give us any sort of update on that?

John Barrowman: It wasn't just Greg! It was Andrew Kreisberg, also. They had mentioned that they might decide to do something with the show if we were cool with it and everybody agreed. Nothing has gone further with that, I think because of the many things they're doing at the moment, with "Legends [of Tomorrow]" and "Arrow," "Supergirl" now coming into the fold, and also "Flash." I would love to see some things. What's great is that we've given Malcolm a son, who is another character who could possibly appear, because the relationship between Malcolm and Thea has come to a resolution in so many aspects. I would love to see his son being brought into the fold...

Carole Barrowman: I think he makes some choices, like poor Lourdes -- good grief!

John Barrowman: Nyssa didn't know that Lourdes was her mother, so what's the point in telling her? But who knows -- later, he may use that at another point to manipulate her. Malcolm puts everything in the bank and he just waits...

http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/barrowmans-promise-pretty-f-in-awesome-finale-for-arrow-dark-archer