Farewell, Ralph Dibny. We might as well start saying our goodbyes now.
The Flash has a way of making you love a character — or at the very least appreciate them — only to yank them away once the credits roll on a season finale. Now that the Thinker has set his (her?) eyes on the bus metas, Ralphie’s (Hartley Sawyer) time in Central City might be coming to a close.
Don’t believe us? What about Ronnie Raymond? Captain Cold? Hartley Rathaway? Jessie Quick? Julian Albert? Kid Flash? Wally is a member of the West family and even he couldn’t secure a permanent spot on Team Flash. Too many speedsters in the kitchen, or some nonsense like that.
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Yes, several of these characters have gone on to enjoy terrific runs on other Arrowverse shows (keep an eye out for Wally when he joins Legends of Tomorrow later this year) and some played a vital role as they made their departures. But we have to ask, if the Elongated Man has a target on his back, how likely is his survival?
“True Colors” did more than any other episode to elucidate the Thinker’s big “Enlightenment,” even if it did stop short of revealing the endgame. It’s clearly up to the teach to provide those deets in a classic villain’s monologue. Nevertheless, we know the Fastest Mind Alive is seeking out bus metas with cold, calculated brutality, snuffing the life out of them as he claims their powers for his own. This isn’t quite the dirty dozen Ralph dreamed of joining while living his noir fantasies as a private eye.
And yet, fate has brought us here. Well, not fate per say — Clifford DeVoe’s machinations have caused Clotho and her sisters to file for unemployment. At least Team Flash has an edge, if we can call it that. Barry and Co. already know Ralph is in danger, and that gives them a few options.
Hiding is out of the option. With thousands of variables racing through his mind, an ever-bloodthirsty DeVoe will smell the plan from a mile away. STAR Labs needs to change the paradigm, and thanks to Dibny, they already have. The Flash (Grant Gustin) was never supposed to leave Iron Heights.
As much as we love the off-beat humor and morally gray logic Ralph brings to the team, we can still question his relevance. After all, HR’s (Tom Cavanagh) transmogrification device could have turned anyone into Warden Wolfe or DeVoe v1.0. Losing the silly putty addition wouldn’t hurt Team Flash too badly, although the guilt would weigh heavy on their shoulders.
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No, the real reason we want The Flash to keep Sawyer around is to prove that they can. To prove they can find a way to move from season to season without hitting the reset button on everyone around the series’ regulars. Greg Berlanti’s crew has churned out some fantastic characters over the years, and they should have the confidence to keep a few of those irons in the fire.
Do you think Ralph will be x-ed off the call sheet by the time the summer hiatus rolls around? Sound off in the comments below!
Stay up to date on Central City’s metas via BuddyTV’s Facebook page. Catch The Flash Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW.
(Image courtesy of The CW)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
