Roy Harper Is Always Welcome On 'Arrow'

One of the very best things about Arrow Season 3 was Roy Harper's satisfying character arc. He first appeared on the show as a purse-stealing prototypical bad boy (with an excellent jawline), but it didn't take long for him to soften around the edges, dating Thea and idealizing the Arrow, working to help him in the glades. Eventually he even joined Team Arrow as Arsenal and played a huge role in their heroism, becoming an excellent fighter while also serving as the comedic relief. When Ra's al-Ghul was set on destroying Oliver Queen, Roy stepped up in a big way, sacrificing himself for his mentor, surrendering himself as the Arrow and leaving Starling City, apparently for good. But does that selfless act mean Roy won't be in Arrow Season 4?

Faking his own death and starting a new life may have been a fitting end for the character, but even in the few episodes without him last season, Roy's absence was noticeable. Since he (thankfully) isn't dead, there is always a chance that Roy may return to Arrow . Unfortunately for fans, that doesn't seem like it's going to happen for quite some time. And if he does come back, I think it's very likely that Haynes will only stick around for a limited time.

It's no surprise people are holding out hope for Haynes' return, especially since he is not yet signed to another TV show. After Arrow, he was in the blockbuster San Andreas, and is currently filming Triumph (with Breaking Bad's RJ Mitte). It's impressive movie work, but after his big roles in TV hits like Arrow and Teen Wolf, I was expecting him to take on the lead on a new show this fall. I'm not sure what his plans are after Triumph, but at least we know he's welcome on Arrow.

In an interview with E!, executive producer Marc Guggenheim discussed Haynes' outstanding career, and future with the show. "He's got a big movie coming out, he's got a huge career ahead of him. For us, it was more of a conversation of how do we continue to go forward. There's a reason why we didn't kill off Roy. We want Roy Harper and Arsenal to remain in this universe that we're creating and Colton was completely game for that," he said. Guggenheim also spoke with Deadline about Roy's possible return to Arrow , and it should make Roy fans very happy, even if there is nothing firm lined up yet. “We love working with him so much. We’ve talked to him about returning to one of the three shows, and if available, he has expressed interest. He is gone, but definitely not forever.”

Haynes even hinted at a return himself while Tweeting his goodbye, though he could have been talking about his very brief return to the show in the May 16 episode, “This Is Your Sword” to say goodbye to Thea:

There has been no announcement or word that Roy might find himself in Starling City in Season 3, though it is possible that his return would be kept as a surprise for fans. After all, he's a popular character and who wouldn't want to see a Thea/Roy reunion? But, Thea is getting a new love interest this season, according to Entertainment Weekly, and it doesn't sound like Roy will factor in as anything besides some big shoes to fill. With any luck, he'll come back to Arrow Season 4 for a bit, or join one of its spinoffs for a while. He is clearly more than welcome!

Images: Katie Yu/The CW; Giphy