Oliver Queen... I'm doing this whether you want me to or not... I'm telling you... this is the life I'm choosing. I want to fight by your side. Please... let me do it at your side. 
- — Speedy src
The second Speedy was Mia Dearden, a young runaway taken in by Green Arrow.
Contents
History
Origin
Mia Dearden was a teenage girl who ran away from home after being abused by her father. Unable to survive on her own, she fell in love with a man named Richard, who offered her shelter and food in exchange for exploiting her.[1]
Green Arrow
Mia was rescued from one of her clients, a depraved local politician, by "Green Arrow" Oliver Queen, who had just recently returned from the dead. Mia continued to work with Oliver, who was busy trying to reconstruct his own life, and she began to train at archery under his reluctant tutelage. Mia continually petitioned Green Arrow to allow her to serve as his sidekick, but Ollie continually demurred, not wanting to put another youngster at risk. As Oliver Queen got his life back in order, Mia fantasized that she would one day become Green Arrow's new crime-fighting partner and began taking up practice with the bow. Once the Emerald Archer learned of her desire, he nipped it in the bud, instead emphasizing that she concentrate on her academic studies. Mia began to work after classes in the Star City Youth Recreational Center with Queen and his son, Connor Hawke.
When Mia tested positive for HIV, a legacy from her years on the street, she was more determined than ever to do something special with her life. Green Arrow felt he at least owed it to Mia to give her a chance. Mia became his sidekick, the second one to don the costumed identity of Speedy.[2] To complement her training, Mia also joined the Teen Titans at Ollie's request, though she did so at first reluctantly. After facing foes such as Doctor Light and the new Brother Blood, Mia left the Titans shortly following the events of Infinite Crisis. During the Lost Year, she trained heavily in various forms of the martial arts alongside Ollie and Connor under the tutelage of many of the world's greatest martial artists. She has committed herself to working with Team Arrow, and has already begun establishing her own network of street contacts throughout Star City.
After the marriage of Oliver Queen and Dinah Lance, Mia continued to operate as Speedy, and accompanied Team Arrow throughout the rescue of Oliver from Themyscira and the subsequent pursuit of the League of Assassins. During this time, she met and developed a crush on British ally Dodger, who she began a relationship with. She has since relocated to London to be with him. She returned just in time to witness Ollie leaving. Mia later left Dodger because she found him kissing the actress Emma Watson. She returns in a black costume with black arrows, differentiating her from the green costume that Ollie wears and the red that Roy sports as Red Arrow.
Teen Titans
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Cry for Justice
Mia was babysitting Roy Harper's daughter Lian, but was called away when the Electrocutioner was sighted planting bombs created by Prometheus in Star City, which were intended to move Star City to an alternate universe. The bombs, however, did not teleport the city, but instead began destroying it. To Mia's horror, the bombs destroy their home and killed Lian.[3] In "Rise and Fall", Mia attacks Electrocutioner in her rage, keeping secret his murder of Star City from the rest of the JLA.[4] Green Arrow arrives and convinces Mia that killing is not the answer, and takes Electrocutioner into custody.[5]
Powers and Abilities
Abilities
- Acrobatics[citation needed]
- Archery: Green Arrow has taken Mia under his wing, training her with a bow and arrow. Mia has been ardently practicing her skills, and honing her bowmanship techniques. She is a proficient archer and uses the longbow well.[citation needed]
- Martial Arts: Mia is a vastly above-average fighter, having trained underneath many of the world's top martial artists.[citation needed]
- Swordsmanship: Green Arrow and Connor Hawke trained her to be an swordswoman, and she has become an exceptional swordswoman.[citation needed]
Weaknesses
- AIDS: Having contracted HIV,[6] Mia Dearden must take the AIDS cocktail and keep herself in excellent physical condition.
Paraphernalia
Equipment
- Trick Arrows
- Phantom Zone Arrow: Given to Mia by Arsenal, who stole it from Superman's fortress of solitude when he was a kid.[7][8]
Weapons
Trivia
- Mia enjoys reading books.[7]
Related
- 124 Appearances of Mia Dearden (New Earth)
- 43 Images featuring Mia Dearden (New Earth)
- 9 Quotations by or about Mia Dearden (New Earth)
- Character Gallery: Mia Dearden (New Earth)
Footnotes
 This character is or was a member of the Green Arrow family of vigilante super-heroes, who fight crime using archery and martial arts. They are a loose connection brought together through family bonds and shared experiences. This template will categorize articles that include it into the category "Team Arrow members." |
 This character is or was primarily a member of the younger superhero team known as the Teen Titans, in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Teen Titans members" category. |
