1941–1992: Origin, Teen Titans, addiction and fatherhood
As an infant, Roy was raised by his father, Roy Harper Sr., a forest ranger. The fate of his birth mother is unknown, something that Roy has questioned his entire life, not sure whether she left them or died. When his father died in a forest fire when Roy was a baby, he was rescued by a man named Brave Bow, a Navajo medicine chief. Brave Bow took Roy into his tribe and raised him as his own son, telling him about how his birth father saved him, which made Roy grow up seeing him as a hero. Under Brave Bow's tutelage, Roy trained in archery, becoming remarkable at a young age and a champion in several events. Roy began learning about the superhero Green Arrow (Oliver Queen) and started idolizing him, seeing him as a hero alongside his father and Brave Bow.
When Brave Bow learned of an illness that would lead to his death, he contacted Green Arrow, asking him to take Roy in and raise him after his death. After posing as a judge in an archery contest, Green Arrow becomes impressed by Roy's skills as an archer, which prompts him to test Roy's character by rigging his arrows with magnets so they can be deflected. After Brave Bow's death, Roy was adopted by Green Arrow and became his sidekick, Speedy. He was given the name Speedy after stopping a pair of robbers faster than Green Arrow could even put on his costume, and for being quicker than him at shooting arrows and in general.
Speedy becomes a founding member of the Teen Titans along with Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad, and Wonder Girl, a group they formed so they as sidekicks could come out of their mentors' shadows. Roy develops a crush on Wonder Girl Donna Troy, and the two begin dating. As Roy spends more time with the Teen Titans, Oliver leaves to travel the country with Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) after losing his fortune. When the Teen Titans break up, Roy finds himself alone. Trying to find some comfort, he starts taking drugs and develops a heroin addiction in the award-winning story "Snowbirds Don't Fly". When Oliver returns and learns of Roy's addiction, he banishes Roy from his house. When Hal finds Roy on the street later, Roy vows to fight and end his drug addiction. Hal takes him to Black Canary, who helps Roy with his drug withdrawal. Roy reconciles with Oliver, but leaves him to go solo.
When the Teen Titans reforms, Roy rejoins the team. In addition, Roy begins working with the US Drug Enforcement Administration, working as a counselor in various anti-drug programs as well as in helping taking down drug operations and drug lords. His work with the DEA leads to him joining the Central Bureau of Intelligence (CBI), where he works as an agent and spy. While on undercover assignment with the CBI in Japan, Roy is assigned to capture the assassin Cheshire, but they end up falling in love. Roy's feelings for Cheshire lead him to let her go.
About a year later, Roy reunites with Cheshire on a mission with the Titans, where he found out he fathered a daughter with her, Lian. However, Cheshire, only allows Roy to see Lian once. Desperate to see Lian again on her first birthday, Roy sought the help of Dick Grayson. The two of them found Lian and fought off Cheshire. It was here that Cheshire realized how much more dangerous her life as an assassin was, and she decided to give Roy full custody of Lian.
Roy moves to Los Angeles, where he took up work as a private detective, balancing that job with being Speedy and raising his daughter. It was during this time that Roy also reunites with Oliver after some time of not being on full speaking terms, where he was finally prepared to forgive him and accept him as a father.
