Highlights
- The Flash series finale released a deleted scene that honored Barry's relationship with Iris and showcased an emotional moment between Barry and Joe.
- The CW's The Flash succeeded because of its focus on relationships, unlike the feature film version which had a mishandled multiverse and a goal to introduce more franchise films.
- The ending of The Flash was the right time because it gave Barry the resolution and conclusion he had been seeking, with a family of his own.
Just in time for DC's The Flash to get a streaming release on Max, the CW counterpart starring Grant Gustin said goodbye to 9 seasons of content the only way it knew how.
The CW series was a fan favorite in the heyday of CW projects, and for many, Gustin was the definitive portrayal of Barry Allen. The Flash featured multiple crossovers and a bond that would never die between him and Stephen Amell's Green Arrow. But even more significant was Barry's relationship with Iris West (Candice Patton), which was honored in a deleted scene released after the series ended.
Posted by @flashfacts4real on Instagram, the deleted scene that never made it to The Flash's final season featured the aftermath of Nora's birth. Joe West (Jesse L. Martin) holds his granddaughter with glee as Barry looks on. The scene is an emotional cap on a series beloved by fans and would be a welcome addition to The Flash series' Blu-Ray release. For Barry, Joe has been one of the few authority figures present in his life. After the death of his mother and subsequent imprisonment of his father, Joe took in the boy and raised him as his own. Joe is a father to Barry in every way that matters, and showing him at the birth of his daughter is a significant moment for these two characters. The scene continues with Joe giving Barry advice on fatherhood, further increasing the scene's emotional impact.
This type of emotional stakes points to why a show about Barry Allen worked while his feature film variation did not. Take away the controversy surrounding the DCU actor Ezra Miller and The Flash movie's poor theatrical run, The CW's The Flash has always been about relationships. Barry's quest to find his mother’s true murderer and give closure to his father has always been a driving force of the series. While James Gunn may introduce a new era to DC, the feature films have a mishandled multiverse with the intent only to introduce more franchise films.
The Flash works because it becomes a bookend. Barry spends his life loving Iris while seeking a family of his own. Finally, after encountering trials and tribulations and meeting his daughter from the future, Barry has everything he ever wanted. It was the right time for The Flash to end because that was the resolution of his arc, and the series gave him the only conclusion he could have.
The Flash seasons 1-9 are streaming on Netflix.
Source: @flashfacts4real