Team GATV Roundtable: Looking Forward To Season 4

Would you like to see Roy again?

STEPHANIE: Yes, I would love to see Roy again, as long as he gets a more meaty story than Slade Wilson did in “The Return.” I want to see his struggles and successes in his new life and something changing after his next intersection with Team Arrow.

More than Roy, I would love to see Captain Boomerang again. He was suspiciously missing from the Lian Yu prison in “The Return,” so here’s hoping that he can pop up again in the near future.

CRAIG: Only if Berlanti & company can take over that Titans show and put him front and center. In all seriousness, sure, I’d enjoy seeing Roy again. Colton Haynes was well cast, and he did a good job in the role.

MATT: Sure. It’ll be nice to touch base with Roy now and again. I can’t think of anything in particular I really need to see from him, to be honest. In a way, Roy’s story is kind of over. As such, it gives room for them to grow both Laurel and Thea as they take to the streets in their masks. That’s a good thing. Following up on the issues I’ve had with Felicity’s “growth” of ability, Arrow seems to have a knack with cheating on their progression of characters. It’s the bad side to the philosophy of not holding back and burning through plot. It’s a bit frustrating because they do take moments to set up plotlines and story points that focus specifically on natural growth and progression complete with growing pains. Then, they’ll suddenly make someone completely capable just tell a particular story in a given episode.

Roy had some natural ability and skills prior to joining Team Arrow, but they made a point of him needing training. Some of that was specifically tied to the Mirakuru, but Oliver eventually took him on as his apprentice. Roy had opportunity to evolve but it seemed like he became exceptionally gifted pretty quickly. Laurel’s competency was all over the place.  And I don’t care how intensive the five months of training with Malcolm were, there’s no way that Thea should’ve been as qualified as she was. Seeing Black Canary and Speedy further along in their training and efforts will be good, but I hope there’s genuine struggle for the two of them — and for Diggle, for that matter — as they’ve become the main heroes in Star City. Experience is going to make you better, but there should be holes in their game that not only require Oliver to come back but give them the feel of real people in extraordinary circumstances.

LAUREL: Sure, why not? I don’t need Roy back as a regular, but I actually enjoy his personal relationships with all of the other characters (not just the romantic one with Thea).

DEREK: I’m not clamoring for it unless they have a good storyline for him, or it’s a well-timed cameo. I wouldn’t be against it, though. I’d like to see him running his own Teen Titans-style team at some point, even in just a one-off adventure, because I don’t think Roy can stay away from the heroics forever.