If you’ve been watching The Flash since the pilot episode first aired, then you’re undoubtedly familiar with the newspaper headline from 2024 promising the Scarlet Speedster will vanish during a Crisis. And if that weren’t enough, his daughter from the future, Nora West-Allen, has let us all know that he’s still missing 25 years after those events.
Naturally, we all assumed for the big moment to be saved for season 10, but then The CW went ahead and announced “Crisis on Infinite Earths” as being the next major Arrowverse crossover upon the conclusion to “Elseworlds.” As such, that’s caused us to wonder if the timetable’s been moved up, or if Barry Allen will disappear during a later event like, say, a “Final Crisis.”
Right now, we’re getting the impression the timetable’s been moved up due to these comments Flash executive producer and showrunner Todd Helbing offered while speaking with TV Guide:
“We’ve certainly been teasing [the headline] a long time, but it’s a major factor in next year’s crossover. There will be little tidbits here and there that people will be able to start to put together.”
Considering how The Flash is still going hot and is the network’s top draw, it wouldn’t be crazy to assume those involved take a page from Sarah Connor’s playbook by saying, “no fate but what we make.” If you don’t get the Terminator reference, I’m implying that they’ll throw a curveball by allowing Barry to actually survive, with another hero dying in his place. Unfortunately, that could be the Green Arrow, but it’d allow for Stephen Amell to exit gracefully if he so chooses.
Taking Helbing’s quote into account, it sounds like various breadcrumbs will be dropped between now and this fall, when “Crisis on Infinite Earths” is set to kickoff. But in the meantime, be sure to keep checking out The Flash on Tuesday nights on The CW for all the latest happenings.