Roy Harper Is the Only Useful Member of Team Arrow

The Big Picture

• In Arrow, Roy Harper undergoes a significant character arc, transitioning from a criminal to a respected hero, earning a well-deserved position on Team Arrow.
• Roy’s bond with Oliver Queen is a defining aspect of his character, setting him apart from others that Oliver trained, as he is one of the first to gain Oliver’s trust, and is unafraid to confront Oliver when necessary.
• Despite leaving the show earlier than others, Roy is remembered as a vital and capable member of Team Arrow, making him the best addition.

The CW’s Arrowverse began with a single hero who, let’s face it, wasn’t entirely heroic. Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) starts his journey as a vigilante murdering for a personal vendetta before her evolves into the hero everyone remembers. Along the way, Oliver inspires many other heroes, creating Team Arrow and, later, the Justice League. But over Arrow‘s eight seasons, Team Arrow grew to a ridiculous size, including heroes such as Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards), John Diggle (David Ramsey), Laurel Lance (Katie Cassidy), Thea Queen (Willa Holland), Curtis Holt (Echo Kellum), Dinah Drake (Juliana Harkavy), Rene Ramirez (Rick Gonzalez), and several more. These characters have a wide range of skills, but none come close to matching Oliver. The size of the team pulls focus from the main character, and despite the many members, Oliver continues to carry the team as they rarely provide a substantial contribution. Yet one other hero in particular deserves every minute of screentime they receive. Roy Harper (Colton Haynes) becomes Arsenal and is the first to join him in the field.

Not only is he the first to join Oliver’s crusade, but Roy is also the most well-rounded and useful sidekick Oliver trains. Initially a criminal, Roy is inspired to become a vigilante after watching Oliver. Going on a personal journey throughout the series, Roy is more than a sidekick. As Roy struggles with his own demons, he learns to control his anger. Roy is one of the few team members able to easily put aside personal vendettas for the ultimate goal. While the others follow Oliver’s orders, Roy calls their leader out. Yet Roy cares for his mentor, taking the fall to clear Oliver’s name of the Arrow’s crimes and later withstanding torture as he refuses to testify against Oliver. Roy may not be on the show for as long as some other members of the team, but he is by far the best addition.

‘Arrow’ Gives Roy an Important Character Arc

Roy has the chance to grow and change throughout the series. Introduced when he steals Thea’s purse, Roy is initially a criminal himself. But after an encounter with the Hood, Roy begins to patrol the streets and eventually becomes an informant for the Arrow, though he did not yet know the vigilante’s identity. Driven to do good, Roy undergoes a significant change, turning his life around to become a vigilante. As he learns to control his anger and channels his ambitions into saving the city, Roy becomes a respected hero. He is also involved with the Queen family as he shares a complex relationship with Thea Queen. This relationship ties him closely to the main drama, making his involvement seem less forced. Though not in the show long, Roy reappears on occasion, helping the heroes and, ultimately, becoming one of the team’s best members despite his absences.

Though many characters grow throughout the story, Roy progresses quickly and parallels Oliver’s growth. Both begin as angry individuals chasing personal goals through illegal means, but they develop a sense of honor and duty as they serve the city and become heroes. This connection makes Roy the perfect fit for Oliver’s team, complimenting the title character and his growth. As he becomes Arsenal, Roy learns to manage his anger, though it never truly goes away. He can look past old grudges to accept help when the situation calls for it, even moving past Malcolm Merlyn’s (John Barrowman) destruction of the Glades when most of the team cannot, despite Roy being more directly affected by the event. With his sense of justice comes a heavy sense of guilt that Roy constantly struggles with, which is rare as most of the characters move on from their mistakes quickly. The result is that Roy becomes the tactical voice of reason that the heroes need.

Roy Stands Out on Team Arrow Because of His Relationship With Oliver

Not only are Roy and Oliver similar, but they share a strong bond. Though these two have a rough start, as Oliver disapproves of Roy’s relationship with his sister, they grow to be friends. As Oliver takes Roy under his wing to teach him to be a vigilante, Roy is one of the first to gain Oliver’s trust and learn his secret identity. This is important because, so early on, Oliver still intended to work alone. Roy has a major role in changing that aspect of Oliver’s journey as he is the first person Oliver actively trains. Roy proves himself to Oliver, which is difficult to do, especially as he began as Thea’s troublemaking boyfriend. But Roy’s drive to be a hero wins him over, and the two develop a solid working relationship. In fact, they become so close that, by Season 3, Roy takes the fall for Oliver, going to prison in his mentor’s place. This is partially motivated by Roy’s guilt, but it is not the only time he puts himself in a dangerous situation to protect Oliver. In Season 6, Roy is kidnapped by Ricardo Diaz (Kirk Acevedo) and withstands torture while refusing to testify against Oliver, even after years of separation. Few members of the team show that kind of loyalty, and some betray Oliver for less.

Though Roy and Oliver become close, they still disagree. Roy is willing to stand up to Oliver when he believes Oliver is in the wrong, like in Season 3 when Oliver grows angry with his team and snaps at Thea, Roy instantly insists that Oliver can’t do that. And once the words are said, the rest support him. Oliver tends to take control, to a fault, often not listening to others, but once Roy has evolved from being a sidekick, he refuses to take orders blindly. Frankly, as much as Oliver hates it, he sometimes needs this treatment. Roy’ is a capable member of the team, filling in for Oliver when necessary and proving himself over and over. But more than that, he shows significant growth in his characterization and his relationships. Though Roy leaves the show earlier than most, he is still remembered as a vital part of Team Arrow, and he earned that reputation.

Arrow is available to watch on Netflix in the U.S.

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