Barry Allen and Team Flash have had a difficult season 8 of The Flash. It began with a five-part “Armageddon” crossover in which the alien Despero, who believed that the Scarlet Speedster was about to bring about the end of the world, put Central City at his mercy. He was unaware that Reverse-Flash had actually planned the entire scheme. However, defeating Despero and Reverse-Flash only helped to create a bigger threat for Team Flash, as the Negative Forces emerged as a result of Thawne’s downfall and wanted to take vengeance on Barry for wiping out the Negative Speed Force by exploiting Iris’ Time Sickness.
Barry Allen’s old rival Eobard Thawne attacked him once more in The Flash season 8 finale. Armageddon, a parallel universe where the Scarlet Speedster somehow became the villain, was created by the Reverse-Flash. Thawne, though, was left without speed and swore vengeance when good overcame evil. The Reverse-Flash himself was never able to take that vengeance on himself, but with the unexpected assistance of the Negative Forces, he was able to complete the task, erasing the redeemed Eobard from of the Flashpoint timeline and regenerating himself (and his speed) in the process.
The race between the two speedsters was the focus of the season finale, “Negative, Part Two,” as Thawne was desperate to show that he had become faster than his rival. However, it had grave repercussions for both him and Central City. The Flash and the reborn Reverse-Flash, who now held all of the Negative Forces’ strength, engaged in a great battle at the show’s end. When everything was said and done, a hazy uncertainty remained regarding the show’s future.
The Flash Season 8 Ending Explained
Eobard, who had been given extra power by the Forces, tried to lure Barry into one final combat in an effort to prove that he was faster than him. It briefly worked because Barry, who was furious and believed Iris was dead, would do everything to finally kill his archenemy. And he nearly succeeded with the support of the returning Positive Forces.
However, when he realized Iris was still alive and that he was not like Thawne, he made the decision to end the nearly ten-year-long race between the two by remaining silent. Unable to accept it, Thawne attempted to supercharge himself once more. This time, however, it was too much for him to handle, and he screamed in agony before dissolving into space.
Does this mark the Reverse-Flash’s final episode? That possibility has weight because Season 8 went to great lengths to set up that major conflict between the two, offering the finale a very series finale vibe. Having said that, let’s not forget that Thawne has repeatedly been killed, and each time, he usually vanishes in a painful way ). If The Flash has at least one more season left, you can bet that Tom Cavanagh will reprise the character at least once more. After all, the Reverse-Flash has survived being erased from the universe, being pursued by Time Wraiths, the Crisis of the Multiverse, and several deaths.
Same Old Drama In The Flash
Naturally, it took most of the episode for Barry to arrive at the decision to kill Cavanagh’s Eobard Thawne. Barry’s internal battle over Reverse-Flash’s fate was not a new struggle for the character, despite the Arrowverse’s well-known no-killing rule. In actuality, it’s a rather dated one. After all, this isn’t the first time Barry has thought of killing Thawne while also receiving resistance from his teammates over his justification. There was no practical reason for The Flash to repeat this plot since it was already covered previously in season 8.
This ongoing argument hasn’t changed, which is a major factor in why it makes for such a tiresome plotline for The Flash. The conclusion is the same no matter if The Flash uses the Reverse-Flash or another villain from the Arrowverse, making the conclusion predictable. Barry will never intentionally kill someone, no matter how furious he is. Even if he decides to kill Reverse-Flash or simply let him pass away, someone else from the show will be there to convince him. There was almost little hope that Barry would get through it, even though Iris’ “death” gave Barry more motivation than ever to do so—especially given her scenes with Damien Darhk confirmed she wasn’t dead.
If Reverse-Flash returns in The Flash season 9, the series should find solutions because the debate about whether or not Barry should ignore his biggest rule for him has been used up. Although Thawne has already passed away, his several deaths across the Arrowverse show that what happened in the finale won’t prevent his character from making a comeback in the future. If and when he returns, let’s hope his plan won’t involve yet another version of the Reverse-Flash drama from season 8.
Reverse-Flash Return Teased By The Creator
The showrunner of The Flash, Eric Wallace, suggested a bit about Reverse-Flash’s future on a show during a post-mortem discussion of the season 8 finale. Reverse-Flash & Negative Reverse-Flash are unquestionably dead, he says, but he also reminds viewers that “it is a comic book series.” He implies that Reverse-Flash’s death may not have been permanent because death isn’t usually a permanent thing in the world of comic books, adding that it’s “very fair to guess” that “you might be seeing Tom Cavanagh again.” It makes complete sense that Cavanagh will return in some way given that he has already been in 138 episodes of The Flash.
One reason for this final death of Reverse-Flash is that Wallace assumed the episode was gon na end up being the final episode for The Flash show. The CW abruptly canceled a number of shows earlier this year, including Batwoman, Naomi, and the Arrowverse’s DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. They learned that the show had been renewed for a ninth season after the episode had already been written, but they were unable to change any of the choices they had made concerning the characters’ futures. They concluded “let’s just kill Reverse-Flash for now and think about that later” because they didn’t know how to top themselves.
Another thing to keep in mind about Wallace’s statement is that he didn’t specifically state how Cavanagh may reappear. This quote might hint at the return of Reverse-Flash in some capacity, but it might also indicate that Cavanagh will have yet another new part on the show given the actor’s extensive playing history. Longtime fans are guaranteed to be thrilled no matter what happens because The Flash has always been full of compelling twists and turns.
Barry’s Twin Brother Cobalt Blue in The Flash Season 9
Barry Allen finally defeated his rival in the season finale, “Negative, Part Two,” putting an end to the Reverse-Flash’s terrorizing activities. The episode’s ending scene, however, also made it quite clear that the Negative Forces hadn’t been defeated and that they would probably eventually select a new avatar.
Speaking of time jumps, The Flash Season 8 Ending showed a blue crystal that started to shine in 2049 as Barry and Iris talked over a discussion about the new avatar. Does this hint at the introduction of a new Negative Speed Force-capable speedster in season 9? Cobalt Blue, a fictional character from DC Comics who is also Barry Allen’s long-lost twin brother Malcolm Thawne, is one character who fans frequently link with the color blue. In the comics, Malcolm ultimately controls the Blue Flame by using a powerful blue medallion because he feels envious that his brother had a happier life than he did.
Eddie Thawne In The Flash Season 9
Although Malcolm doesn’t appear in The Flash, there has always been a fan theory that Eddie Thawne would come back as a different Malcolm. Eddie, played by Rick Cosnett, appeared frequently in season 1. He eventually gave himself up for Iris after he realized he was an ancestor of Eobard Thawne, hoping that his passing would banish the villainous speedster from history. It’s possible that if he were to come back in time and get corrupted by the Negative Speed Force, he would become enraged and envious upon learning that Iris had married Barry, essentially recreating the majority of Cobalt Blue’s comic book storyline.
The likelihood that Rick Cosnett could come back in season 9 of The Flash only strengthens this theory. It was revealed that he might reprise his part for additional episodes in the ninth season after doing so for three episodes in season 8 (through flashback).
It’s unlikely that his anticipated reappearance in season 9 would have anything to do with those since the Deathstorm arc has been concluded and the flashback episode was indeed a one-and-done story. With that in mind, may Cosnett’s portrayal of Cobalt Blue finally confirm the long-held fan theory?
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