Warning: Spoilers for The Flash season 8, episode 19
The Flash has wasted the best Reverse-Flash twist the show has offered in years. Just one episode after his return, Matt Letscher’s Reverse-Flash was abruptly killed and replaced by the other version of the character. The shocking return of Tom Cavanagh’s Reverse-Flash has positioned the villain to serve as the season’s villain.
The Flash season 8, episode 19, titled “Negative, Part One”, was filled with unexpected developments that have huge implications for Barry’s next fight. Barry’s risky plan to turn the new version of Matt Letscher’s Eobard Thawne into a speedster turned out to be a disaster, but not in the way one might expect. Despite dying earlier in the episode, Cavanagh’s Reverse-Flash somehow manifested in the body of the good Thawne and ripped off his face. Exactly what happened hasn’t been explained yet, but it seems Barry’s decision to imbue him with speedster powers created a pathway for the Negative Forces to fully restore the evil Thawne, complete with all his abilities. It looks like Barry, Meena, the other Thawne, and Iris were all pawns in an elaborate scheme to make Reverse-Flash whole again.
What happened in the season’s penultimate episode was certainly a unique way for the series to make Barry’s greatest enemy a threat again, but it’s unfortunate that it came at the cost Letscher’s nuanced new take on the speedster villain. In bringing back the actor and having him portray a version of Reverse-Flash who has given up his pursuit of speed, The Flash has delivered a compelling Reverse-Flash twist packed with storytelling potential. What it was doing with his character was more surprising than anything the show has done with him since Barry convinced him to undo Flashpoint. That’s why it’s a disappointment that the series just used him to herald the return of the evil Thawne.
As well-received as Cavanagh’s performance has been, there have long been calls for Letscher to reprise his role as the original Reverse-Flash, as his take on the character has been met with plenty of praise as well. The character did make a recent appearance on Legends of Tomorrow, but he hasn’t been a part of The Flash’s story since season 3. Cavanagh’s version, on the other hand, has had quite a few villainous stints on the show since then. The Flash could have continued on its current course by diving into the new Thawne’s speedster journey and exploring whether or not he can remain on the right path.
ittedly, it makes sense that the show wasn’t just going to turn Thawne into a hero on a permanent basis. With all the history he has as Barry’s greatest villain, it seems only right that their rivalry should stay intact in some form or another. That being said, there was still so much more that The Flash could have done with Matt Letscher’s Eobard Thawne. If the show had found a way to give one character speed without killing the other, the series could have had a chance to pit the good and evil Thawnes against each other. Such a battle would have been an exciting confrontation to explore either in the finale or at some point in The Flash season 9.
The Flash releases new episodes on Wednesdays on The CW.