‘The Flash’ Series Finale Review

The Flash‘s finale was a long time coming both for the show and the Arrowverse as a whole. Rather than have an entire season that builds up towards a big ending, this conclusion was pretty much isolated to a four-episode arc. The inclusion of Eddie Thawne (Rick Cosnett) as the main villain was a nice touch to bring the show full circle to its beginnings. It was also nice to see multiple villains come back and have appearances. However, bigger doesn’t always mean better. This season has been more or less flat. And because of that lack of buildup, the finale was more flash than actual substance.

After Eddie Thawne accepted the role of avatar of the Negative Speed Force, he brought back many of the show’s past villains from death to form a team. As Iris (Candice Patton) is about to give birth, Team Flash and Eddie’s group clashed in a battle that spanned the length of the city. Eventually, the other speedsters are defeated, forcing Eddie to try and absorb as much power as possible to become the fastest man alive. Sensing a never-ending cycle of fighting, the Flash (Grant Gustin) tries to convince Eddie of another way. He succeeds, and although they aren’t allies, they end with an understanding that fighting will accomplish nothing.

The show did its best to end on a heartfelt note. Nora was born and Barry also spread his speed across the world, granting a new generation of speedsters powers. This was either most likely done as a nod to fans or a potential opening for another series. Regardless, though, the episode as a whole failed to match some of the show’s highlights. The format the program took up in these final seasons wasn’t as strong as how the show operated in its earlier run. It should have taken its time to build Eddie as a villain throughout the entire season rather than just crammed him in at the end. Still, nine seasons of a superhero show is an accomplishment, and everybody involved should be proud.

The Flash is now streaming on The CW app.