The Flash and Arrow writers have found ways to acknowledge wild fan theories before and the Crisis on Earth X crossover is no different. MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD.
Though short lived, fans got to see Colin Donnell as Tommy Merlyn once again. The fan-favorite character killed off in Season 1 was revealed when the Earth-X/ Nazi version of Prometheus took off his mask in a containment cell in STAR Labs. Oliver, expecting Adrian Chase, was a surprised as fans.
The reveal had more impact because Tommy Merlyn being Prometheus was a top fan theory for the majority of Arrow Season 5. When Prometheus turned out to be Adrian Chase (the writers faked us out with Vigilante, who is Chase in the comics), everyone forgot about Tommy Merlyn and nobody was expecting him to appear anytime soon. After five years, all hope was lost. But thankfully, the writers are crafty and managed to bring back Tommy in a way that was believable and fit naturally in the story. It’s unfortunate Earth-X Tommy killed himself to avoid being tortured after only a brief conversation with Oliver, but at least his death prevents another Black Siren situation.
Arrow fans have been waiting for Tommy Merlyn’s return since the Season 1 when he was tragically killed. Trapped in the middle of his father’s plan to destroy The Glades section of Star City, Oliver’s best friend and Thea’s (later to be revealed) brother perished beneath a pile of rubble. Not even Green Arrow could save him. Ever since, fans have been waiting for series to bring Tommy Merlyn back. After The Flash introduced doppelgangers, time travel and alternate universes into the Arrowverse, it was just a matter of time until Tommy returned in one way or the other. A little fan service never hurt anyone.
So far, Prometheus’s Earth-X identity is the only one different from Earth-1. When Oliver fought Prometheus in Season 5, it was Adrian Chase behind the mask. While it would have been great to see josh Segarra (who gave one of the best performances in Arrow history), proper closure with Tommy has been a long time coming.
Were you expecting to see Tommy in the crossover? Let us know in the comments. Crisis on Earth X continues on The CW Tuesday at 8 p.m. EST.
