While it’s only been seven days since The Flash wrapped up its second season (read our review) and settled into this hellish five-month break we call hiatus, we’re already speculating about what lies in store given the literal world-changing events of the season finale.
If you haven’t seen it yet – why are you still reading? – Barry was overcome with heartache after losing his father and made the decision to go back in time and save his mother from the Reverse Flash. You know, the event that set everything into motion. Basically Barry rewrote history – a history we don’t know yet – and changed everything that has happened in these first two seasons of this show.
As we head into the summer, spoilers from season 3 will begin to trickle out in the form of a synopsis and Comic Con interviews. But with no spoilers involved at present, here are our top 5 things that we want to see in season 5:
1. Flashpoint Paradox
If we are going to see this entire world that has been crafted in two seasons wiped clean then can we at least have a legitimate reason for it? With the Flashpoint Paradox this would allow Barry to explore an alternate timeline while being aware of how things actually were supposed to happen. The potential of this storyline would be great as Barry would have to deal with the repercussions of the selfish decision he made to change time so that both of his parents are still living.
This isn’t something I’d necessarily want to encompass an entire season, but definitely something for the first nine episodes before returning to the world we know and getting to deal with a new threat. The thing is these arcs don’t necessarily have to be an entire season long. It might actually work better – for all of these superhero shows – to divide the season into two main arcs.
2. Progression for Barry Allen
One of the things that really irritated me about The Flash’s second season was how Barry didn’t really make any significant gains in terms of progression as a hero. Looking at the season finale he actually regressed, which isn’t something that your hero should do. Barry started off the season essentially running away and he ended it the same way as he ran from his emotional heartache and made an incredibly selfish decision that will change this show as we know it.
Whatever version of Barry Allen we meet in season three I hope that we’ll get to see a natural progression. To watch him go from being this selfish hero to a full self-sacrificial hero by season’s end. Barry isn’t a bad person, but he does have his flaws and being selfish is one of them. He needs to learn the lesson the Speed Force was trying to tell him: You can’t outrun the tragedies in your life. It sounds like Barry might be dealing directly with the consequences of his decision in the finale, which should make for a good progressive story arc next season.
3. Explore Barry and Iris’ Romantic Relationship
When it comes to WestAllen, we’ve long since accepted that this is for all intents and purposes a slow burn to the fullest extent. We’ve watched Barry and Iris’ romantic involvement be teased for two seasons, and just when it appeared as if they were headed in that direction it was snatched from us. Barry is obviously not in the right state of mind to be in a healthy relationship – the relationship that Iris deserves. But she promised to wait for him to get to that place, which shows that they both remain committed to this relationship and to each other when the time finally comes.
Who knows what will happen now that Barry has forever altered time. Barry and Iris most likely wouldn’t have grown up the close friends they were, which means they probably wouldn’t have gotten to a point where they are romantically involved. But assuming that we eventually get back to the regular timeline, Barry has some growing to do before he and Iris can be together. Hopefully this growth can be felt as he’s stuck in this Flashpoint Paradox.
There’s such thing as a slowburn and then there’s too much. The Flash is rapidly approaching the latter. Barry and Iris are ready to be together. Don’t drag it out anymore than it needs to be.
4. Explore Backstories of Cisco and Caitlin
While I understand The Flash is primarily about Barry Allen, just like with other shows, The Flash is not just about Barry; it’s about his team seeing as his team is a significant part of his story. While we’ve gotten a little tease into Cisco’s story, including some story with his brother Dante, there’s still so much more that we’ve yet to learn about Cisco. But even more than Cisco we haven’t gotten hardly any backstory about Caitlin other than her relationship with Ronnie.
This is something that the show’s counterpart Arrow struggled with, and it’s something I don’t want to see The Flash struggle with, as well. Next season I’d like to get to know about Cisco and Caitlin’s pasts, whether it’s family or professional. These are characters that are a vital part of Barry’s life, and I’d like to know more about them.
5. Barry Mentoring Wally
When Wally West was introduced this season on The Flash, we didn’t expect him to immediately jump into his Kid Flash role. But it was interesting to see the dynamic between him and Barry this season as it went from animosity to admiration as Wally learned at the end of the penultimate episode that Barry is The Flash. If you recall, Wally was struck by that matter of the Particle Accelerator explosion although he didn’t develop any immediate powers. But if the show continues to follow the comics he will develop superspeed down the road.
Watching Barry and Wally interact in the season finale looked to be a tease of what we could expect in the following season: Barry mentoring Wally when he eventually develops his superspeed. This is a relationship that could be similar to that of Oliver and Roy on Arrow. It’s interesting because for two seasons it’s been Barry that has been mentored – whether by Oliver, Harrison Wells, or Faux Jay Garrick. So when we finally get to see Barry step into that role it’ll feel like it’s come full circle.
What would you like to see in The Flash‘s third season?
The Flash returns Tuesdays this fall on The CW.
I definitely agree. I would add them really incorporating the Iris ace reporter they promised and actually never quite delivered. Her story can be interwoven into the main theme, after all it’s all crime fighting.