At long last, it seems that Roy Harper is being called back to Star City and ‘Arrow,’ though sadly the news is bittersweet, as it seems Colton Haynes is not coming back to be a permanent member of the cast. On the plus side though, he is coming back for a multi-episode arc in Season 6, so at least it will not just be a brief cameo like the last time we saw Roy Harper.
For fans who may not remember, Roy left Star City after taking the heat for Oliver and claiming to be The Hood back in Season 3, allowing himself to be arrested and imprisoned and then faking his own death in jail, all so Oliver could continue leading his life without the SCPD coming after him (led by Captain Lance at the time) for being a vigilante. It is somewhat interesting that Roy is coming back now, as Oliver is standing trial once more for being a vigilante but I cannot imagine they can use the same trick twice, so maybe he will have his own name cleared? Either way, his return is sure to have major implications for this season’s storylines.
While speaking on the return of Roy Harper to the show, executive producers Marc Guggenheim and Wendy Mericle teased that Thea’s life, in particular, would be greatly impacted by his return (as I theorized in my show reviews this season). In their statement they said:
“We’re thrilled to announce that Colton Haynes will be reprising his role as Roy Harper for a short arc on Arrow this year. Roy is called back to Star City to help resolve an urgent matter with high stakes for the team. His short visit turns into something surprising when he reunites with Thea and sparks a change in both of their lives that will have long-lasting consequences…”
I personally wonder if Thea running off with Roy is how they are going to use the last of Willa Holland’s vacation days for this season, and whether his appearance this season is set-up for future appearances in ‘Arrow’ next season (would be nice to get him back full-time). It is sure to be fun to see the original “new guy” on the team tell the current “B-squad” how easy they have it working with a more mature Oliver as compared to the beatings and lectures Roy had to go through to get his spot on the team.
Do you have any thoughts on the return of Roy? Feel free to share any theories you may have in the comments below!
