Why not just use Mercy Graves?

[Bizzaro Kyle]

Tess Mercer was based on the superman character Mercy Graves, Oliver even calls her Mercy sometimes. Why not just use Mercy? Why make a new character in place of one that already excists?

[REebee52]

Her name is a combination of Mercy Graves and Mrs. Tessmaucher (sp) from the movies. While I respect the allusion, I too would have preferred just Mercy Graves. But, either way, this works for me for now I suppose.

[costas22]

I don't know much about Mercy Graves,but i think their goal was to ultimately create a villain with no strings attached to Lex.Last night they made that point.Tess was seemingly against the evil Lex but at the same time murdered someone brutally.