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How The Flash's final season sets up the death of the Arrowverse

We're running out of time...

By David Opie

9 Feb 2023

The CW

The Flash season 9 premiere spoilers follow.

The Arrowverse had a good run while it lasted, but 11 years on, it's finally time to say goodbye. And who better to end this universe than the man who almost ended it multiple times already?

With Barry Allen's final season of The Flash upon us, Team Flash have a lot to race through in just 13 episodes. There's the current cast's journey to resolve, and then there's also the longer legacy of the show to explore with returning characters like Rick Cosnett, Matt Letscher and Jessica Parker Kennedy, as well as Keiynan Lonsdale in the role of Kid Flash.

It's an "incredible responsibility," showrunner Eric Wallace told Entertainment Weekly, to create "the kind of happy ending that not only I want, but which the audience deserves".

On top of that, season nine also has to wrap up the Arrowverse as a whole, and that's not going to be easy. What started in 2012 with a little show named Arrow soon expanded into TV's biggest interconnected universe with a story told across 710 episodes in 40 seasons of television.

It's fitting then that the show that started it all will come into play once more with Stephen Amell's return in this final run. He'll be joined by David Ramsey as Arrow's John Diggle for one last time, plus other Arrowverse stalwarts including Supergirl's Nia Nal (played by Nicole Maines) and even Batwoman's Javicia Leslie in a top-secret role following her own show's cancellation (more on that later).

How the story told across all eight shows will be brought to an end isn't clear just yet, but The Flash season-nine premiere does a lot to tease the Arrowverse's demise, especially when it comes to Batwoman's involvement. If we can even call her "Batwoman," that is.

Grab a Big Belly Burger and sit back as we explain the beginning of the end for the Arrowverse as a whole. And remember, Superman & Lois doesn't count.

How The Flash season 9 premiere sets up the final season

The CW

After Reverse Flash's defeat at the end of season eight, the final run picks up with Barry and Iris closer than ever. No one's trapped in a pesky mirror dimension or afflicted with some strange kind of time sickness, so that means they can finally spend some quality time together.

It turns out there's such a thing as too much couple time though because Barry and Iris soon end up stuck together in a time loop that forces them to relive the same day over and over again, Groundhog Day style.

That's just as well though, because The Flash needs some distracting.

Before the time loop kicked off, season nine's premiere started with a nightmare where Barry failed to protect everyone he loves. Sounds dark, and on top of that, the script also jokes around with this notion of the show coming to an end.

The Flash brings back major Arrowverse characters

"Welcome back," says Barry. "Let's do this one last time." Just moments later, he's then told that he can't win because "it's the end of everything". Now, that's not the first time he's been told such a thing, but lines like that pack much more of a punch now that this really is the end of everything as they know it.

Meanwhile, Iris is faced with a potential buyout from Catco Media, aka Cat Grant, aka Supergirl's camp superstar boss, played by Calista Flockhart. As crossovers go, it's a minor one to start with. Cat doesn't even show up in the flesh. However, with all the guest appearances soon coming our way, mentions of Cat and also Kara signify early on that The Flash won't be ignoring other Arrowverse shows still, even after their cancellations.

Barry's pretty obsessed with the future himself, as well. Using all of the knowledge he's gained from time-travelling over the years, The Flash has created a future journal of sorts, one where he can predict what's going to happen so he can better protect Central City and Team Flash.

According to this book, Sue Dibny's going to become the richest woman in the world by 2024, and Iris 'future Pulitzer Prize winner' Allen is also going to flourish career-wise too. But Iris isn't on board with Barry's new obsession: "You're planning our future without me," she says, and she's right to say so.

The CW

Eventually, Barry realises that he can't fight or control the future. Instead, he needs to focus on creating a new, better one with Iris looped in by his side. And with that, they manage to finally end the time loop, which is great in theory, although Grant Gustin's incessant need to be topless this week will surely be missed now that thing's are back to normal.

But wait. Are things really back to normal? With Barry and Iris's plans to start their family sooner than the book foretold, love is also in the air for Allegra and Chester who finally make out when the day is saved.

Not everything's coming up roses for Team Flash though. Joe tells Cecile that he wants to leave Central City, which makes sense given how pointless his character has become. Still though, it's going to be tough to see a big pillar of this show leave before the end.

And then there's Caitlin Snow. After Killer Frost was killed last season, Barry is confronted at the end by a new version of his teammate, one who is neither Caitlin nor Frost. "I know it's strange, but I'll explain everything," says this mysterious new figure. Let's just hope she also explains those blue streaks in her hair, because Caitlin deserves better than that.

How The Flash season 9 sets up the death of the Arrowverse

The CW

As hopeful as Barry and Iris are right now, season nine isn't going to be an easy one for them, and that's made clearer than ever with a final scene that introduces one last Big Bad to the Arrowverse.

Don't worry, it's not the new Captain Boomerang we just met earlier in the episode. It turns out he's being supported by a more powerful benefactor, one who remains hidden as his voice booms out from the shadows.

"The Flash is never truly alone, but once I'm done with him, he will be," says the voice, and then we see a figure made of black and red energy appear ever so briefly on screen. No discernible features can be figured out at this point, but it's entirely possible this new enemy is connected to the Forces, and specifically, the Speed Force yet again.

Flash boss says Amell pitched comeback storyline

What's most intriguing about all this though is that very last image seen before the credits roll. Yep, it's Batwoman's symbol, and her signature colours are there too. However, it looks like the symbol itself is broken, like a batarang snapped in half.

So it turns out the rumours are true. Javicia Leslie won't be playing Batwoman, after all. At least, not as we know her. Instead, this version is actually Red Death, a villain from the comics who is essentially an evil speedster take on Batman.

"We had to come up with a completely new origin for our version of the Red Death," Wallace told Den of Geek following the premiere. "And a reason why the Red Death is so obsessed with hating and wanting to kill Barry Allen... But, and this isn’t a spoiler really, but as we get to know this villain and this character, we’ll see—Red Death has a really good reason to not like Barry Allen."

"Sometimes, again, the villain doesn’t think they’re a bad guy, which means they don’t think the hero is a hero either," he added.

The CW

With that red energy, could this also have something to do with the phrase "Nightmare under red skies," written in Barry's future journal? Quite possibly. Red skies traditionally signify that shit's about to hit the fan in DC, and how else are you going to come up with a way to bring in the rest of the Arrowverse if not a Crisis of Infinite Proportions?

Storylines we can count out include The Forever War and The Blackest Night, which would have brought zombies shuffling into Central City. Eric Wallace revealed (via Nerds of Color) both of these potential arcs were cut when The Flash was cancelled, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be excited still.

In a new chat with Entertainment Weekly, Wallace teased "some very special things" in the four episodes leading to that final episode: "You're going to see a lot of familiar faces from the past popping up here and there, and it all ties into something that Barry's been struggling with ever since season one... Resolving those issues provides the emotional climax for our series finale at the end of season nine."

"Emotional" doesn't even begin to cover it though. Wallace promises that "there will be lots of tears" in the series finale with an ending that he's actually had in mind "for years". And yes, it will be "a definitive end". Let's just hope that doesn't mean Barry messes up the timeline for good. Our faves deserve better than that after all these painful cancellations we've been forced to endure.

The Flash airs on The CW in the US. Sky Showcase and NOW air the show in the UK.