Flash Season 5 Character Breakdown Teases Caitlin Snow's Father

The father of Caitlin Snow (the new Big Bad.

Caitlin's journey over the course of the show has been one of loss and tragedy. Not only did she lose her fiance, Ronnie Raymond, twice in one season, but she's been in a number of doomed relationships since. First, she fell for a man calling himself Jay Garrick, only to discover he was actually the villainous Zoom. After that, she had a brief romance with Julian Albert, only for her alternate psychotic persona to emerge, ultimately leading to her exile. Thankfully, Caitlin's love life will get a reprieve next season.

According to That Hashtag Show, Caitlin's journey in season 5 will instead be an even more personal one. Casting is currently underway for Dr. Thomas Snow, who will be a recurring character when the show returns. Described as a Caucasian male in his 50's, Dr. Snow is an extremely intelligent geneticist who has been MIA for a few decades. As he returns to Central City, Dr. Snow will do his best to make up for lost time with his daughter Caitlin. However, Thomas is, as is usually the case, keeping a big and mysterious secret.

Until now, Caitlin Snow's father has been considered deceased and merely referenced. Towards the end of season 4, however, Caitlin discovered footage of her childhood, which revealed she'd had her powers longer than previously suspected. Given that the footage also featured her father, it makes sense that he would assume a bigger role, as Caitlin is sure to investigate her past.

A character returning from supposed death is nothing new in the world of comics. It's not even really anything new in the Arrowverse, of which The Flash is a part. Wally West. It's doubtful that the writers would revisit that well. More likely, Caitlin's journey will be an internal one, one of self-discovery more than secret siblings.

There is little reference to Caitlin's parentage in the comics, meaning the show could go in any number of directions with the character. That's not to say that Thomas won't be a character from the comics. The writers of The Flash have often mixed-and-matched names in order to throw fans off the scent. It seems a safe bet, however, that Dr. Snow will have something to do with the true origin of Caitlin's powers. Whether or not he had a hand in them remains to be seen. If he did, though, it'll be interesting to see whether his intentions were honorable or if there was a more sinister agenda in mind.