Barbara Kean

**Barbara Kean**, also known as **Harlot** is a female Human who was a former art gallery owner in Starling City's Art District, former personal assistant of Malcolm Merlyn, current crime lord and former best friend and ex-girlfriend of Oliver Queen. She was a crime boss running The Sirens nightclub with her partner Tabitha Galavan until they were both being chased by the SCIS and she is shot in the stomach with an arrow by Malcolm and dropped into electrical wiring, killing her. League of Assassins leader, Ra's al Ghul, used the waters of the Lazarus Pit to revive her.

## Biography

### Early life

Growing up Barbara had a strained relationship with her parents, causing them to be estranged more or less. While in high school, Barbara met and became best friends with Laurel Lance. Several years later Barbara later got into a relationship with Oliver while he was undergoing a downward spiral and getting into scandals. The two later broke up due to Oliver cheating on Barbara constantly. When Laurel and Oliver began dating this caused Barbara to get extremely jealous and fall out with the both of them.

When Oliver seemingly died after the Queen's Gambit went down Barbara didn't seem to care and just continued on with her life.

### Meeting Oliver Queen again

Several months after Oliver had returned from Lian Yu, Tommy Merlyn brought him to an art show to help him get a bit more social and to meet new people. When the two saw Barbara get onto the stage to talk about her art they were both shocked and Oliver knew he had to talk to her after all the years they never spoke. He caught up with Barbara and the two spoke about the years of each others lives they had missed, with Barbara explaining that she had bought her art gallery from a wealthy man that was willing to sell. Oliver told her about some of his time on an island called Lian Yu and how he was stranded before Barbara stops him mid-sentence, she tells him that she doesn't want to talk to him and that there is stuff going on with her and her parents right now. Barbara storms off, implying to Oliver that she doesn't want to pick up where they left off since they parted ways on bad terms.

When Barbara gets back from another day of working at the art gallery, she comes home to encounter Malcolm Merlyn sitting in the dark. She is startled at first but calms down and questions what the hell he's doing here, Malcolm tells her she should really show him more respect since he is the one who got Barbara her own art gallery to run. She sighs, sits down beside him and the two discuss his business in Starling City. Barbara threatens to just go to the police and reveal Malcolm's entire plan and his underground terrorist organization, Tempest. However, Malcolm tells her that she is an associate of Tempest and that if she reveals the group's identity to the police, her art gallery will go down and she'll go down with it. Malcolm explains he came here to make sure she was on board with Tempest's plan but now he isn't so sure. He gives Barbara a threatening look and leaves, she then sighs, worried.

The next day, before leaving for work, Barbara hears a knock at her door and when she opened she saw her ex-best friend, Laurel Lance. Barbara sighs and tells Laurel to come in, Laurel tells her that her penthouse is very nice and fancy place to live. Barbara tells Laurel to stop talking and asked why she's come to talk her after all these years. Laurel tells her that she wants to become friends again and that it's been far too long. Barbara asks if Oliver sent her and promptly denies to her request to become friends again. Laurel hands her a piece of paper with her phone number on it and tells Barbara to call her if she changes her mind. After Laurel leaves, Barbara rips up the piece of paper and throws it into the fire with an infuriated look on her face. Barbara drives to her art gallery and gets out a key to open the door before she is stopped by Malcolm, who tells her to get out of the way fast as a wrecking ball smacks into the side of the building, knocking the entire thing down. Barbara screams and asks Malcolm why he did this, he just responds with, "you started it", Barbara begins to walk to the police station until Malcolm puts a knife to her throat. Malcolm tells her that she can work as his assisstant and that nothing will happen to her as long as she follows orders and doesn't test him again.

While working there, Barbara went to bring Malcolm his coffee when she overheard him talking to another one of his employees, she listens and discovers that Malcolm plans to blow up The Glades and kill everyone in it. Barbara attempts to get closer but accidentally trips, falling into the door and bursting it open. Malcolm panics and orders his employee to leave and Barbara to get up. She stands and looks very nervous at Malcolm, he asks if she overheard any of his conversation and she quickly replies that she hadn't, Malcolm smiles and tells her to go and get him another coffee. She agrees and runs off, but not before seeing Malcolm give her an angry look while making a phone call.

The next day, Malcolm told Barbara that she needed to attend the ball that was being held for Merlyn Group Global.