“You know, when I first met Oliver, he gave me a purpose, but he also gave me all of you. It makes sense that having a team is what helps me in the future, so why wait?”
―Roy Harper to John Diggle
Roy Harper is a major character within the Arrowverse. He was the deuteragonist of Season 2 and Season 3 and supporting character of Season 4 & 7 of Arrow and one of the two protagonists of the miniseries Blood Rush (alongside Felicity Smoak).
Roy is a street-savvy young man and reformed small-time criminal from the Glades. He is the son of the late Roy Harper, Sr. and an unnamed woman, the fiancé of Thea Queen, and the former sidekick/good friend of Oliver Queen.
Roy Harper is portrayed by Colton Haynes, who also portrayed Jackson Whittemore from the MTV drama Teen Wolf (a role Haynes left for this one).
Roy was noticibly younger than his Arrowverse comics. He has more of a father-son relationship with Oliver (His adopted parents in the comics). Additionally, he was the adoptive brother of Thea's counterpart, Mia Dearden.
He is also is the first to take on the code-name Speedy, followed by Mia Dearden. Similarly, Mia's counterpart in Arrow, Thea Queen, takes up the name after Roy leaves it and his costume behind for her.
He has a close relationship with Sin in the series because their comic book counterparts were step-siblings.
Roy was a member of the Teen Titans and close friends with Wally West and Dick Grayson. Both relationships are not explored due to Wally and Roy never meeting each other and Dick's absence in the Arrowverse and being present on another DC TV show, Titans.
He was also a descendant of Vandal Savage, but Roy was not aware of this.
Colton Haynes is the second actor who was demoted to guest and then get promoted a second time, preceded by Katie Cassidy, who becomes part of the main cast once more as Laurel Lance's Earth-2 counterpart.
He often wears a red hoodie in reference to the color in association with his comic.
It may also be a reference to Jason Todd, the second Robin. They were both street kids, sidekick to billionare superheroes and have fits of rage.
Roy hates the name "Speedy", which is ironic, considering that he used the name in the comics.
Roy has hatred and fear of needles.
The Public is aware that Roy is alive in "Docket No. 11-19-41-73."
As of "Life Sentence" Roy was cleared of all charges of being the vigilante once Oliver outed himself as the Green Arrow.
the second Arsenal suit Roy wore in "The Thanatos Guild" was loosely based on his appearance in The New 52 and Rebirth comics.
Star City (Arrowcave • Ashram • Queen Industries • Sherwood Florist • Star City • Starfish Island (Lian Yu) • Vlatava) • Central City • National City • Waverider • the Vanishing Point • Star City Police Department • Queen Industries