After years of absence, Colton Haynes confirmed on Twitter that his character, Roy Harper, is coming back to Arrow “very soon.”
Haynes is one of the first actors Arrow fans fell in love with early in the series. His character, Roy Harper, hailed from the Glades neighborhood of Star City. First introduced as an antagonist, he became a member of Team Arrow after he began to date Thea and got on the Green Arrow’s good side. Coming from a background of doing anything to survive, his training and brotherhood with Oliver taught him to be persistent, fearless, and selfless… the perfect sidekick.
Leaving the show for personal reasons during Season 3, Haynes never got to realize his character's full potential. Thea donned the red Arrow costume as Speedy when Roy, known as the Arsenal, left town. He was written out of the series in a great way that ended up working out nicely: Green Arrow’s secret identity would have been revealed a long time ago if Roy hadn't taken the heat.
Had Roy stuck around, his relationship with Thea would have gotten super serious or broken off, which could have taken a toll on Team Arrow. Ultimately, Haynes’ departure ended up working out for the show. Instead of Thea and Roy, we got to explore Thea’s relationship with Malcolm Merlyn, revealed to be her biological father.
But now that we know Haynes is back on board, how will Roy fit into the story? Here’s five ways it could go down.
He Helps Oliver Save Team Arrow
With the entire team stuck on Lian Yu when the island exploded, Roy is about the only person skilled enough to help Oliver save everyone. He’s also the only person Prometheus never came after; it’s possible the writers did this intentionally.
Thea Dies
We may end up seeing Roy because of a tragic event: Thea’s death. Thea’s story arc has wound down over the last season. Maybe they are writing her off the show? Someone has to die on Lian Yu that will leave an impact on the team, and Thea would be a good pick. Though it would be a shame for Roy’s return to be a funeral cameo.
Thea Is Hurt, Bad
Stephen Amell said there will be “physical scars” after the Season 5 finale. It’s possible Thea gets severely injured and nobody makes her more happy than Roy. With Malcolm Merlyn out of the picture (to our knowledge), who else could take care of Thea full-time? Maybe Thea will go live with Roy in Monument City.
He Replaces A Team Member
We know Black Siren is coming back, but we have no idea about the rest of Team Arrow. 2.0: Wild Dog, Mr. Terrific, Thea and Dig. It’s possible one or more of them is severely injured or even dead. Oliver could recruit Roy back onto the team to replace them.
He Stands In For Oliver
Oliver made a promise to Deathstroke in the Season 5 finale. The two will embark on a journey to find Joe Wilson, Deathstroke’s son. This means Oliver will have to leave Star City. But who is going to protect the city… especially if Dig is dead or injured? Vigilante is still roaming the streets... Hopefully, Oliver will call on Roy to run point or help out while he’s away.
With Oliver still acting as Star City Mayor and taking care of William, and Thea done with vigilantism, he could really use another archer on the team. We need Roy back!
How do you think Roy will return? Let us know in the comments.
