The Flash is one of the most solid superhero shows on television right now. It has heart, it has humor, and it has heroics. More importantly, it generally allows the characters to drive the plot and not the other way around. After a strong first season, the first half of season two was a bit shaky. It took too much time serving outside plots (it set up a lot of Legends of Tomorrow) and relegated screen time to characters that would eventually leave instead of series regulars (no, I’m still not over how Candice Patton’s Iris was sidelined in the first half of season two). Thankfully, the second half of the show’s sophomore season regained most of its balance and ended on a possibly game-changing cliffhanger that sent Barry back in time to save his mom from Reverse-Flash (Matt Letscher).
Season three kicks off with Barry (Grant Gustin) living in the new alternate reality he’s created. Believing that changing time and his parents being alive will finally make him whole and solve his problems, Barry is living in bliss at fist. Of course, the timeline has been affected and the changes laid out in season three’s first episode, titled “Flashpoint,” have affected all the people Barry loves and cares about.
So with endless possibilities and the show really raising the bar, here are the five reasons (in no particular order) to be most excited for in The Flash season three!
Flashpoint – Despite Barry’s choice to run back in time and alter everything he’s ever known to a certain extent, in terms of story, The Flash deciding to do something timeline-altering was a very bold choice. Based on the comic book series that has Barry traveling back in time and causing a time rift so large that heroes, like Wonder Woman and Aquaman, were at war with each other and causing destruction everywhere, the Flashpoint of the TV version will be on a smaller and more emotional scale. Perhaps Barry will finally realize that what he’s done is wrong and hopefully be able to move on from it.
While we’re in the Flashpoint timeline, there are a lot of new aspects and dynamics that will be explored. We’ll get to see characters that are deceased in the original timeline, like Barry’s parents (Michelle Harrison, John Wesley Shipp). He’ll get to interact with them and since they’re alive, this also means he never went to live with the Wests. What is most exhilarating is seeing different versions of the characters we already know and love. Cisco (Carlos Valdes), now an ostentatious billionaire, may be the most changed and while everyone may not be so wholly altered, it’s fun to see the cast get to play their characters just a tad differently. The possibilities of this story line are endless and the ramifications of what might be permanently changed when Barry goes back are both terrifying and spectacular.
Kid Flash – Wally West (Keiynan Lonsdale) was introduced midway through season two and at first, he wasn’t exactly happy with the family he’d never known. Understandably, not knowing you had a father and a sister would make anyone frustrated, but slowly and surely, Wally formed a bond. First with Iris, then Joe (Jesse L. Martin), and eventually with Barry. Wally was hit by the particle accelerator back when Barry was trying to regain his powers, but aside from being knocked out, Wally didn’t automatically develop his speed.
In Flashpoint, Wally is the hero of Central City, suit and all. He looks pretty awesome in his new costume and it’s nice to finally see him speeding around and finally taking on his mantle as Kid Flash, or rather, just as The Flash. Since in this timeline, he’s playing sidekick to no one and looks to be loving every minute of it. You know what would be even more exciting? If one of the Flashpoint changes made it so his powers remained. Because him and Barry speeding around Central City? I am here for it.
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WestAllen – Even with all the changes in Flashpoint, it looks like one thing won’t change: That is Barry and Iris’ love and connection to each other. More than that, it’s safe to say that the Barry and Iris relationship, known collectively to fans as WestAllen, will finally become a reality. It’s been two seasons and the show has established that these two are connected in every way possible, and also on every earth and timeline. So now it’s time to see the romantic relationship happen. In Flashpoint, Iris won’t know Barry that well, nor will they share history, but we can expect them to be drawn to one another. Post-Flashpoint, Barry will hopefully meet her back on that porch.
Their relationship is integral to the show and has been gaining steam since the pilot. The second half of season two built the relationship back up and finally got the long-time best friends on the same page romantically. Finally getting the timing right, Barry decided to go back and save his mother and pretty much erased everything. With all the fantastic teasers and information we’ve been getting from the actors and executive producers, I’m optimistic that we’ll be seeing this relationship play out. As it should. It’s 2016, and it’s time.
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Reverse-Flash – One of The Flash’s primary enemies, Reverse-Flash gets joy from making Barry’s life a living hell. Part of the reason Eobard Thawne ran back in time on that fateful night Barry’s mom was murdered wasn’t to kill Nora, but to kill Barry’s younger self. He’s enjoyed the immense satisfaction of seeing Barry suffer. By altering the time line, Barry has kidnapped and kept Thawne locked up. But he’s alive! Which means The Flash’s greatest foe will be back in a larger capacity to wreak general havoc. And he won’t only be appearing on The Flash, but he’ll also be appearing on Legends of Tomorrow as part of The Legion of Doom.
Why is this a good thing? Reverse-Flash is everything The Flash isn’t. Within Flashpoint, Reverse-Flash asks, “Who’s the villain now, Flash?” After all, Barry’s warped time and so the question of villainy is an intriguing concept. Since Thawne will be sticking around, who knows what kind of craziness and devious plots he’ll concoct. Whatever it is, it will be immensely fun to watch unfold.
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Dr. Alchemy / Savitar / The Rival – The Flash is looking to expand on its rogues gallery and instead of one big bad for the season. The emboldened show has added two big bads that Barry and Co. will be fighting in season three. Also possessing speed, The Rival (pictured above) looks to only be appearing within Flashpoint and is one of Kid Flash’s enemies in that world, but who knows just when we’ll see him again. Anything is possible!
Dr. Alchemy has been announced, but no casting details have been released. Many are already speculating that Dr. Alchemy is actually Julian Albert (Harry Potter’s Tom Felton), Barry’s new and distrustful co-worker and someone who is a direct product of Flashpoint. Unlike the past two foes Barry has faced off with, Dr. Alchemy is not a metahuman and does not possess any powers. What he does have, however, is a split personality. Because of a philosopher’s stone, he also has the ability to transmutate.
Savitar, on the other hand, is another speedster. While that sounds tiresome because we’ve had speedsters the last two seasons, he will be very different from Reverse-Flash and Zoom. In the comics (and this will probably play out on the show), Savitar generates a cult following because he is able to give his powers to others. With that kind of power and a mass following, Savitar could prove challenging for Team Flash. If this show has proven anything, it’s that it’s not afraid to take it to the next level.
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