Following a somewhat depressing season as far as The Flash is concerned, it sounds like Season 3 is going to return The Flash to its lighter roots once Team Flash overcomes this whole “Barry being lost to the Speed Force” thing.
Last season, Barry Allen and Iris West began their romantic relationship, and they found themselves engaged…not once, but twice. But of course, because this was the Arrow-inspired Flash last year, Barry was ripped away from Iris after everything seemed like it was going to be okay.
While the season finale left us asking: “Is Barry going to return,” we find ourselves knowing the answer to the worst-kept secret of hiatus — next to Arrow’s, “Did everyone survive that explosion?” Barry will, in fact, return to Central City. The only thing is that six months have passed since Barry gave himself over to the Speed Force.
So when Barry returns, what can we expect from Westallen? While it was teased that Barry and Iris will be going to couples therapy, there’s also the question of: When are Barry and Iris going to get married?” And the answer is this season. But there’s also a “but” that comes with it.
“They are finally going to get married this season,” executive producer Andrew Kreisberg told EW.com. “And then it’s going to be: Can they stay married with everything that’s coming up against them?”
It’s an innocent enough tease, but it’s worded in a way that Kreisberg clearly wants to infuse a little uneasiness into the Westallen fanbase. But here’s the thing: I’d be worried if Barry and Iris don’t experience some ups-and-downs in their marriage.
One of the things that is lacking on television is getting to see couples in a relationship — or marriage, really — deal with the complications that are thrown their way. Usually, it’s all happy until it’s not. Then the couple goes from together, to not.
But where are the relationships where the couple fights, but then work through things to become stronger? Give me that! No relationship is perfect, and that’s what I want to see on television.
Producers think we want to see only the good that comes with romance. That’s not true in the slightest. Let me see these couples face adversity head-on — as a couple — and how they work through those struggles. That is the intriguing part.
So bring on Barry and Iris working through their issues as a married couple. I can’t wait to see them deal with the obstacles thrown their way. I can’t wait to see their relationship strengthen as a result.
Perfection worries me, imperfection does not.
The Flash Season 4 premieres Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 8/7c on The CW.