With a whopping 7 seasons out so far, CW’s The Flash has undoubtedly enjoyed a healthy tenure on the small screen. The DC comics-inspired hit series takes us through the story of its protagonist Barry Allen (Grant Gustin), who gained super-fast speed after being hit by a bolt of lightning.
Through the show, we get to see the character evolve from when he took his first baby steps (more like super-fast baby sprints) into the powerful force of good that he is now. We see his adventures battling meta-humans and other speedsters, ever stretching his limits to ultimately become “The fastest man alive.”
Now, after a successful 7th season, the network renewed the show for an eight-season, which is set to debut in its 2021 fall schedule. However, this isn’t exactly reassuring for fans. Many suspect that it might be the final season of the beloved show. And here’s why.
Why some think ‘The Flash’ season 8 could be the last
Part of the reason behind the speculation is that 2 major players, Carlos Caldes, who played Vibe, and Tom Cavanagh as Harrison Wells, already left the show last year. Even more worrying is that Grant Gustin, who plays Barry Allen, has currently only signed for one more season. The good thing, however, is that this doesn’t necessarily mean the end of the show. Gustin could just as easily be signed for another season after season 8.
On the same note, many feel like the story’s narrative is approaching a natural end. You can compare it to its brother show in the arrow verse, Arrow, which also ended after eight seasons. In fact, after this 8th season, The Flash might just surpass Arrow as the longest-running show in the Arrowverse, which released 170 episodes in its time.
But then again, this doesn’t mean that The Flash has to follow in Arrow’s footsteps. The two shows are different in their own right, and as such, there might still be room for more adventures in The Flash.
Still, despite all the allegations and commentary by fans online, there have been no official reports released by CW of the show ending in season eight.
Will ‘The Flash’ season 8 be in the final season?
As it stands, it is uncertain whether The Flash will go beyond the 8th season. However, one thing that is for sure is that the show’s legacy will live on. And this is mainly thanks to the array of speedsters and other amazing heroes the show brought into the scene.
For instance, Screen Rant suggests the show might come back as a spinoff set in a different period, like the glimpse of their future lives we saw in the 150th episode of the show. This way, we can catch up with Iris and Barry’s kids, including Bart Allen/Impulse, Barry’s son, a character we’ll see played by Jordan Fisher in season 7.
Alternatively, we can have a show around Wally (Keiynan Lonsdale) as Kid Flash. The speedster has always been a fan favorite and would, therefore, easily carry on the mantle if called upon.
What to expect from ‘The Flash’ season 8 and its release
In its return, the show will be bringing back all the original cast, including Grant Gustin, Danielle Panabaker (Killer Frost), Candice Patton(Iris West), and Jesse L. Martin (Joe West). As per AV Club, all of them signed on to season 8, ahead of season 7’s last episodes. We are yet to see if some new characters will join the main cast or those who played a smaller role will be promoted.
About the storyline, Newsweek claims that The Flash season 8 is set to begin with a special 5 episode crossover event, in which heroes from other shows in the arrow verse would appear. This includes Cress Williams as Black Lightning, who revealed that discussions had been made surrounding his character paying Central City a visit.
According to the show’s showrunner, Eric Wallace, it is unclear at the moment if season eight of the flash would be the last one, especially since it relies on Gustin and other actors signing on. In an EW interview, he admitted that the writers’ main focus, at the moment, was to make the best show they could.
In a conversation with Deadline, Wallace said that the villains in the upcoming season would be horror/supernatural inclined. The season will also tackle Iris’ strange sickness. More details are likely to be revealed in the DC FanDome, which will happen a month before the season premiers on November 16th.
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