- NOTE: This article is about the incarnation of Brick from the Arrowverse. The mainstream version can be found here: Brick (DC).
“ | Thank you all for coming. But seeing as I'm the reason none of you are sitting in a prison cell right now, I figure it is the least you can do. And I'm the guy who made all the evidence against you go away. But as you can see, it didn't go too far. You are all part of my crew now. And if any of you have a problem with that, I can send a gift wrap package to the D.A. Together, not only will we make a lot of money, we will make history. Together, we are going to take over The Glades. | „ |
~ Brick speaking to his men about his plan. |
“ | Brick: Brunette? [laughing] Yeah. Now I remember. She was my first, my initiation into the Orchid Bay Butchers. [chuckles] Merlyn: You murdered her because you wanted into a gang? Brick: No. Because she was weak! Because she was crying, begging me not to kill her, but you won't get that from me, so come on! Finish it! |
„ |
~ Brick confessing to killing Malcolm Merlyn's wife, but without showing any remorse. |
Daniel "Danny" Brickwell, better known as Brick, is one of the overarching antagonists of the TV series Arrow.
He is a powerful mob boss with superhuman-like durability who planned to take over Starling City's most dangerous area, the Glades. Following his defeat, he was broken out by H.I.V.E. and assisted Damien Darhk with destroying mankind in exchange for protection. Years later, after Oliver Queen was imprisoned and unmasked as the Green Arrow, Brick attempted to get revenge on him in prison, which includes working alongside Ricardo Diaz.
He is also responsible for killing Malcolm Merlyn's wife Rebecca, therefore being responsible for the villainous path he has chosen.
He is portrayed by Vinnie Jones, who also played the Juggernaut in X-Men: The Last Stand, Boyd in Fire with Fire, Ewan McStarley in The Condemned, Drake in Escape Plan, Rommel in Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties, and Gareth in Galavant.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Little is known about Danny Brickwell's life before he turned to a life of crime. Initially he was a low-level street thief. His first victim was Rebecca Merlyn in the Glades, and his reason being that it was simply because he considered her weak when she begged for her life.
Eventually, Brickwell rose in the city's underworld and became a notorious mobster leader, earning himself the nickname "Brick" due to his unnatural superhuman-like durability and fearing many residents of Starling City. He also made examples out of any enforcer who disappointed or failed him; he gave them a "fighting chance" by handing them his gun, saying if they killed him, they would live. No one ever survived because of his durability.
For unknown reasons, Brick ended up being a name on Malcolm Merlyn's List and helped co-fund the Undertaking, although Merlyn was unaware that Brick was his wife Rebecca's real killer.
Takeover of the Glades[]
After Oliver Queen left to face Ra's al Ghul, Brick started his scheme to take over the Glades. He and his men started terrorizing the city. To do so, Brick orchestrates the theft of evidence against criminals still awaiting trial to have them released from lack of evidence and to join his crew. Bricks then confronts one of his men who shot a cop stealing schematics of the evidence locker. Angered by his actions, Brick gives him a choice to shoot him or be killed but Brick beats him to death anyway. Later Brick and his men attack the building to steal the evidence, despite resistance from Diggle and Arsenal and gets away. He also displays unknown means to survive a head-shot. All the criminals incarcerated based on the evidence he stole are released and Brick forces them into his gang, threatening to send it to the D.A. if they refuse, and informs them of his plan to seize the Glades.
Captain Quentin Lance orders a team to arrest Brick and his men, but he put most of them in the hospital. Later Brick stormed a meeting of the city's high-ranking members, Mayor Castle, 3 aldermen, Laurel Lance, Quentin, Ray Palmer and Felicity Smoak. Brick ordered the mayor and the aldermen brought with them but to kill the rest but his men only succeeded in taking the aldermen as everyone else fought back. Brick later contacted Mayor Castle and ordered a meeting between the two in person or else the alderman would die. Later Brick was transporting the aldermen to his hideout; Arsenal and Canary attempted to stop him to be defeated and when Arsenal shot an arrow into Brick's arm, an enraged Brick shot one of the aldermen in front of them and dumped his body on the street. He later met with Mayor Castle, Quentin and Ray and ordered all police to leave the Glades or the other aldermen would die. Arsenal and Canary stormed Brick's hideout and freed the aldermen but when Canary confronted Brick again he still overpowered her, forcing her to run. Although he lost the aldermen, he later informed Mayor Castle he had the addresses of every city official in the city, forcing her to order the evacuation of the Glades.
With all the cops gone from the Glades, Brick and his men quickly took control off the Glades. He made his men extort the people living in the Glades and made the abandoned police precinct as his headquarters. Learning that two of his men encountered Arsenal but got away he gives them his gun and says they have to kill him to survive. One guy goes for the gun however Brick grabs it first and shoots him. The power goes out and Brick quickly rallies his men, ordering them to shoot anything that moves. Canary and Arsenal take out some of his men but Brick goes for a shotgun and starts to shoot flares at them. Knocking them down he moves in with his gun to finish them off, but his hand is shot with an arrow by the Dark Archer and he runs.
He later leaves his headquarters as Canary and Arsenal approach him again. He rallies his goons and seemingly outnumbers them but then their army including Diggle, Sin and Wildcat. Brick orders his men to fight Team Arrow's army and also engages Wildcat who manages to hurt Brick but he still comes out on-top but Canary comes to Wildcat's rescue as Brick runs. When in an ally however he is confronted with Dark Archer again and fights him but Brick looses as Dark Archer subdues him and reveals his identity as Malcolm Merlyn, Rebecca's husband, who angrily points his gun at him and prepares to execute him. However The Arrow shows up and tries to persuade Malcolm to spare him if he truly wants to make things right and Malcolm ultimately agrees. Brick is then arrested and incarcerated.
Genesis[]
During H.I.V.E.'s Operation Genesis, Damien Darhk busts Brick out of Iron Heights. Together with Murmur, he is sent to kill Noah Kuttler who could endanger H.I.V.E.'s plans. However, when the group arrives at Kuttler's hideout Cuttler has already fled. Felicity manages to locate her father at a forest hut where the family spent time in the past. However, Brick managed to track Kuttler down as well. Arriving there first, Brick offers Kuttler to kill him painlessly should he surrender. However, Kuttler shoots one of the H.I.V.E. men with a shotgun and runs away. However, Brick catches up to him, offering Kuttler his trademark routine shot. Before Kuttler can decide either way, the group is attacked by Team Arrow and Oliver shoots an arrow through Brick's arm. Brick fights Oliver nonetheless but once Kuttler is safe, Oliver and his team retreat.
Brickwell is one of the men send to the headquarters when Kuttler triggers a virus while trying to decode Rubikon. He engages in a fight with Oliver outside the facility where he is defeated. Brickwell was later taken into custody again.
Iron Heights with Green Arrow[]
Danny Brickwell is one of criminals that Oliver Queen meets again in custody along with Derek Sampson and Ben Turner/Bronze Tiger. Later, when Ricardo Diaz arrives to Slabside Maximum Security Prison, he tries to kill Green Arrow with Derek Sampson, but is defeated by Ben Turner allied with Oliver. Later, he is stabbed in the side by Stanley Dover while he tries to escape. Brickwell dies of his injury while Stanley escapes.
Killed Victims[]
- Rebecca Merlyn
- 1 unnamed aldermen
- Numerous unnamed people
Trivia[]
- Danny Brickell is considered a Big Bad as he is indirectly responsible for the backstory of the show, as well as the rest of the Arrowverse from 1993 onward in Earth-One.
- After Brick killed Rebecca, Malcolm Merlyn went after and killed the alleged suspect. Malcolm ran away to Nanda Parbat after that and joined the League of Assassins. Malcolm unintentionally caused a crime wave in Starling City and decided to destroy the wave's center, the Glades. To ensure of this, Malcolm sabotaged the Queen's Gambit to kill Robert Queen for fear of interference. His son Oliver survived and ended up on Lian Yu which put on the path of becoming the vigilante he is today.