It's official, Malcolm Merlyn - played by John Barrowman - will be returning for the upcoming fourth season of Arrow.
With the season three finale showing Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) hanging up his Arrow suit and leaving Starling City behind alongside Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards), Thea (Willa Holland) remained at home and vowed to take up the mantle of vigilante Speedy, with John Diggle (David Ramsey) also looking set to get his own mask and costume.
Before Oliver left however, he gave the title of Ra's al Ghul to Malcolm Merlyn, and that is somebody we will see in the new episodes, Barrowman has confirmed.
Speaking about what's in store when production resumes to the audience at Amazing Las Vegas Comic Con, he said: "We start filming in July, season four - I just finalised my deal about a week ago. I'm very excited about going back, I can't tell you anything because I do know a bit about what's going to happen. But if you love Malcolm Merlyn, if you love Oliver Queen, if you love Thea Queen, if you love the Canary sisters, and I say that with a bit of a twist and a joke in it, you're going to love what's going to happen across the DC world."
Meanwhile, Amell's most-recent hints about which villains would be making an appearance include the introduction to Ra's al Ghul protege Damien Darhk, and his mercenary organisation H.I.V.E.
Mentioned but never seen at the end of season three, it makes sense for Darhk to now step out of the shows with a new Ra's al Ghul in charge of the League of Assassins. Could Oliver be brought onboard by Merlyn once more to help maintain control?
Arrow returns this fall on The CW.