Roy Harper is returning to Star City to be a part of Arrow Season 6. The announcement about Colton Haynes once again playing Arsenal for a short story beginning with episode 15, was made today by The CW.
“We’re thrilled to announce that Colton Haynes will be reprising his role as Roy Harper for a short arc on Arrow this year,” Marc Guggenheim and Wendy Mericle, the executive producers stated. “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…”
The character of Roy Harper was first seen in the fifteenth episode of Arrow’s debut season. He moved up the ladder of Team Arrow in the subsequent seasons and became a vigilante in his own right. Under the mantle of Arsenal, Roy stood by Oliver till the completion of Season 3, which showed him claim to be Arrow in his bid to clear Oliver Queen’s name. Then he staged his demise and left Star City forever to begin a new life elsewhere. Yet, he made a brief come back for a single episode in Season 4 when the Calculator blackmailed him to work for him.
Later, in a private note, Haynes disclosed his reason for leaving the show. “I asked to step away because I cared more about my mental and physical health than my career at the time,” he stated and mentioned that he utilized his spare time to pay attention to his priorities. “I’ve had terminal anxiety my entire life. Physically ill, fainting. I’m 27 years old, and I have an ulcer. I had to step back.”
Earlier in September, Haynes had told a fan on Twitter that “Roy’s coming back very soon.” Although, no official announcement about his comeback was made before today. There is no information about the duration of his comeback and his story arc is being described as “short.” But, his help is most likely needed by Team Arrow as the new members Wild Dog, Black Canary, and Mr. Terrific have chosen to leave the team and launch their own group of vigilantes during the mid-season finale episode.
The Arrow featuring Stephen Amell as the Green Arrow will be back on Thursday, January 18 at 9 pm ET/PT on The CW. The show’s cast also includes Emily Bett Rickards, David Ramsey, Willa Holland and others.
