SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains potential spoilers for both recent and future installments of "The Flash" and "Arrow."
It was a newsworthy Sunday in Pasadena for The CW's "The Heroes and Villains of 'Arrow' and 'The Flash'" panel, held as part of the annual Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour. A group of 16 cast members and executive producers from both shows appeared in front of press, including CBR News, with discussion including some degree of resolution given to a mystery that's been running since "The Flash" series premiere aired last fall.
During the session, a group of images rotated on a big screen displaying actors from "Arrow" and "The Flash" alongside their comic book counterparts, including one slide matching Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanagh) and the Reverse-Flash. While not entirely a surprise -- last month's midseason finale established a clear connection between the two -- at the very least, it would be jarring for the Reverse-Flash's identity to be confirmed in that fashion. A reporter asked Cavanagh if the slide served as definitive proof.
"I've tried to deflect and parry as best I could -- yeah, sure. He's the man in the yellow suit," Cavanagh said of Wells. "I think the short answer to your question is, 'Yes, I am Reverse-Flash,'" the actor continued, stating those five final words in a voice mimicking how the Reverse-Flash sounded on the show. When asked if any of the executive producers wanted to add to this, Andrew Kreisberg stated, "I think he's doing a great job."
Now, things can't be quite that simple -- right? CBR spoke one-on-one with Cavanagh following the panel. "I would like to say, as a betting man, I would wager that it can be that simple," Cavanagh told CBR. "On the other hand, I'm not a keeper of the flame. These guys no doubt have stuff up their sleeve as we progress."
Indeed, there looks to be further complications to come, including the involvement of the show's Eddie Thawne (Rick Cosnett), a character who shares a last name with the original Reverse-Flash of the comic books, Eobard Thawne. "His name's not an accident," Kreisberg said during the panel. "Eddie's connection to the Reverse-Flash lore is going to pay off big time."
Additionally, the panel -- which included both Robbie Amell and Victor Garber, the two halves of Firestorm -- included a new glimpse at the nuclear superhero in costume, revealed to press on the screen:
Additionally, it looks like "Arrow" and "The Flash" could have some future company in their shared universe. When asked if Brandon Routh's Ray Palmer -- DC Comics' The Atom -- could potentially star in a spinoff, executive producer Greg Berlanti responded, "We're in very early talks on a very general idea that we haven't dug any deeper on yet, and aren't allowed to say anything yet."
"Right now we're just trying to get the suit finished," "Arrow" executive producer Marc Guggenheim added.
Berlanti spoke in more detail about the possibility to Nerdist, saying, "Ray really brings that and brings that energy and he's so much fun to write. He's a joy to write. Brandon's so terrific and embodies the role so well that when we talk about how to further expand things, he's a natural person to talk about."
Mark Pedowitz, President of The CW, spoke earlier that day during his TCA session of a possible new addition to the "Arrow" and "Flash" world in less specific terms. "We are in preliminary discussions to expand the Flash-Arrow universe," Pedowitz is quoted by Deadline.
Keep reading CBR for more from the TCA Winter Press Tour, including a full interview with Cavanagh on playing Reverse-Flash.