Will Barry Fall Into Darkness On Next Week’s ‘The Flash?’
by Erik Amaya
“Armageddon” continues as The Flash welcomes Black Lightning (Cress Williams) to the proceedings. But will Barry (Grant Gustin) crack and become a villain, as Despero (Tony Curran) claims?
We have to admit, the preview above is strangely light on details, even for a Flash promo. But it does play into the big revelation from this week’s episode: according to Despero, Barry will destroy the world in 2031. The notion loosely follows the plot of Armageddon 2001, the 1991 DC Comics summer crossover in which a time traveler from a future in which a hero became a despot tries to stop the hero from falling. Placing Barry directly as that broken hero has some appeal, even if there are one or two immediate solutions we can think of to exonerate him. But considering The Flash’s guilt complex, we can see him being swayed by Despero and launching himself on to a journey of self-reflection and special guest stars like Williams.
In terms of this week’s episode, the “Armageddon” story led to one of the most confident chapters of The Flash we’ve seen in a long time. From Barry and Iris (Candice Patton) feeling like they have a handle on things to the ease with which Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh) integrated into the program, to even Allegra (Kayla Compton) feeling integral to a Team Citizen story. Maybe an extended break and a feeling that the characters had some off time was key to that, but we’re happy to see The Flash find its footing again … even if we fear for Joe’s (Jesse L. Martin) life.
The Flash airs Tuesdays on The CW.