List 5 to 20 good things about Roy I need it
Uuuuh I'm too tired to find panels and specific comic references but this sounds like an emergency so we'll manage
Also "good things" is vague af but we can organize it by categories since you said 5 to 20 that should do it
-Snowbirds don't fly, far from being your off-the-mill PSA, is an iconic story that marked the history of comics and the way we talk about addiction -Roy's relationship with addiction, when written well, is quite literally historical.
-there's a certain pressure that comes with being "the second robin", as in, the ways the robin/speedy were soon established as Roy appeared when Dickbin's popularity first rose. As such, it's easy to expect Speedy to be Robin 2.0 with a bow- but Roy manages the perilous challenge of being simultaneously as bright and colourful as Speedy, as likable as him, while simultaneously having a different personality -different enough to distinguish it, close enough that it reaches this difficult balance that makes him and dick complimentary in some aspects. One of the herald of the era of sidekicks.
-not where you'd expect this one but actually it *is* very important to me that he's a single dad and he loves her so much and puts in the effort and it's good to see, ngl
-disability rep yay!!! Badly written and soon changed though. Dc cut off his arm again please.
-sharpshooter, potentially one of the best if not the best shooter in all of dc.
-lovable and charismatic leader. There's a reason people trust him to lead their team!
-Great engineer! There's some light-heartedness in there that belongs to the "fun stuff" category, but also, he was already making amazing trick arrows as Speedy!! Tynion may have taken it to a weird, unpleasant direction, but Roy will always be a master engineer to me. I bet he's the one who came up with the sun arrow.
-Master strategist. I need to read that comic to get the specifics (haven't read it yet cause Lian's death bums me out) but I'm pretty sure he manipulated/negociated her back into existence or something. Also he kept Dick from committing suicide in the aftermath of Donna's death, arguably a feat of similar difficulty. Also it's not just preplanned strategy, his ability to think on the fly is awesome- as introduced immediately by that plotline in which Ollie tricks his arrows/target before he becomes Speedy and Roy immediately adjusts his aim.
-loves so much so widely and deeply and so usually. Fake idgafer persuaded he can do casual who ends up falling in love. Reading him I feel like he's constantly falling in love with the world and instead of replacing past loves with new ones he just makes space for more.
-deeply kind. As others have pointed out before, he was the one who offered Indigo a chance after she killed Donna. If you remember one thing about Roy let it be how big his heart is.
- I don't know that I agree with all of his political stances (for now I'm leaning towards no) but I at the very least love his opinion on marriage! Far from being a sign of immaturity, I actually view it as great insight into his worldview that hits at the deconstruction of flawed/oppressive institutions held as socially sacred the primary function of which is to uphold the status quo. Especially love that he was willing to ask Donna in marriage anyway.
-the Speedy hat! I will defend it with the same vehemence people dedicate to defending discowing
-not only was he a drummer for a small rock band, which is already amazing, but the band is called "Great Frog". I'm dying that's awesome
-questionable wardrobe fits! Made all the more frustrating by the fact he remains hot no matter what- and absolutely delightful.
-Abandonment issues, abandonment issues and even more of them! Easiest way to get me to like a character fr
-he's a narrative link if not the greatest one between Mia and Rose, that alone deserves my love
-he reminds me of George Michael in the Faith video in a good way
-various degrees of mistreated by the people he loves most. Someone give him a hug rn. Love that kind of trope also. The type of character who will smile and say "nah man you're good, I understand" as his eyes burn with unshed at being cast aside, never picked first, never prioritized- not the kid who sits on the bench in PE until everyone else has been voted in, no, but never first, no matter what he did, no matter what he does. That joins one of my first points about meta, hmm. Always second-best no matter how awesome. I love him.
