It’s a hard life being a hero. It’s stressful, dangerous and often thankless. Heroes save lives but also get the blame when lives are lost. They have to make a thousand decisions, big and small, and sometimes they choose the wrong path. Without a rock solid mentor, the walls can close in. That happened to Arsenal.
Born as Roy Harper, Arsenal was orphaned and taken in by Green Arrow. Oliver Queen took Roy’s strong archery skills and trained him until Roy became an expert marksman. However, knowing how to hold your own in combat doesn’t prepare you for all of life’s challenges. A run of unfortunate events, including the Teen Titans disbanding, a break-up, and some struggles with Green Arrow, opened the door to a treacherous path for Roy. He leaned on drugs to get through the hard times.
While Roy’s since gotten clean, like everyone who’s struggled with substance abuse, addiction remains a constant conflict for him. But Arsenal’s thrived as a hero in spite of it. He’s exhibited courage and skill at Green Arrow’s side, as a member of the Teen Titans and most recently, fighting alongside another hero with a dark past, Red Hood. Though he’s perhaps suffered more than most, Arsenal continues to battle bravely, both against foes and his inner demons.
