The Flash is ready to unmask Savitar, and Barry Allen will be undeniably shocked when he meets his murderous foe. The real question is, will he come face to face with himself? If the writers played their cards right, “The Once and Future Flash” could give us the answer we’ve been looking for.
If the Arrowverse is known for one thing, it’s a penchant for playing fast and loose with comic book canon. Not that we’re complaining — seeing old tales spin into new adventures is what keeps fans coming back. When it comes to next week’s take on the 1993 comic of the same name, however, we’re hoping one very specific plot point translates to screen. If it does, fans on both sides of the “Savitar is Barry” argument will walk away satisfied.
Did The Flash Reveal Season 4’s New Big Bad?>>>
Here’s the quick and dirty — from splash page to splash page, “The Once and Future Flash” pits Wally West against Eobard Thawne. After the Reverse Flash hops in the Speed Force only to learn his future offers only an ultimate demise at the hands of the Scarlet Speedster himself (after killing Iris, of course), he spirals out and assumed the identity of his killer. Kid Flash puts the world back to rights after a series of trials and tribulations, of course, but the ultimate takeaway is the idea that someone could be masquerading as our hero.
The Flash universe certainly has the technology to pull off such a feat of legerdemain. Not only did we see Eobard (Matt Letscher) camouflage himself back in season 1, but just this year HR (Tom Cavanagh) introduced us to a brand new face-swapping technique. When Barry (Grant Gustin) lands in 2024, he might get a leg up on the Savitar case only to find himself reeling from the possibility that it’s his own eyes peering through the speed god’s armor.
We’re fairly sure the Reverse Flash has his hands full over on Legends of Tomorrow, so we can knock him off our suspect list. The Flash has already played the friend/betrayer twist into a trite cliche, which means HR isn’t a candidate either. Meanwhile, Barry himself can’t be a true suspect, particularly due to the fact that he would be ruining his own life, during which his future self (the alleged Savitar) would experience all the memories of pain and heartbreak that came with it.
Now, if “The Once and Future Flash” truly wants to throw Barry for a loop, they’ll pull from the comics. It will give writers a chance to shock their audiences twice, leaving Savitar’s true identity — the man behind the face swap — for a later date.
Did Legends of Tomorrow Waste Leonard Snart?>>>
Do you have your own theory as to who season 3’s big bad really is? Sound off in the comments below!
The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW. Looking for more news like this? Check out BuddyTV’s Flash Facebook page.
(Image courtesy of The CW)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
