The Flash is the second oldest entry in the Arrowverse -- but it may be running toward its conclusion. Grant Gustin's new contract with the show suggests that the next season could be the series' last. Not only would this be a huge deal for fans of The Flash, but it would also have an irrevocable impact on the Arrowverse as a whole.
With a whole host of other recent changes and endings, the Arrowverse would definitely have its days numbered if its longest-running current series decided to wrap up. There's also the wrinkle that the Scarlet Speedster is soon getting his first live-action movie, which might then influence the show's future. Here's why the series may be coming to a halt, and what that means for the rest of the Arrowverse.
Why The Flash May End With Season 9
Gustin signed a contract for a ninth season of The Flash, but this new contract -- which sees the actor taking home $200,000 per episode -- is only for Season 9. That lack of a long-term deal has many fans speculating that the show is finally over, or at least that Gustin will be leaving the Barry Allen role soon.
There are many reasons to end the show with Season 9. Even the most ardent fans feel that The Flash's best days are behind it, with many saying that the show peaked way back its second season. It's also now the longest-running Arrowverse series on the air, since its predecessor Arrow only had eight seasons. It would feel right for the series to end on top. Plus, in 2024 the show will officially be 10 years old, so it could wrap up the 2024 storyline suggested in a newspaper from its pilot episode.
With the CW as a network potentially disappearing thanks to its ownership changing hands, it's probably best to end the show -- and the whole Arrowverse -- now when it can be done organically.
Could The Arrowverse Continue Without Grant Gustin?
There could be life for The Flash beyond Barry Allen/Grant Gustin with the other speedsters that the show has introduced. Barry's kids XS and Impulse could take over in the primary superhero role -- or better yet, his brother-in-law Wally West could become The Flash like he did in the comics. But Keiynan Lonsdale seems done with the series, and having the show continue without Barry would likely come off as trite and desperate to the show's fans. Even a separate spinoff starring those characters would probably end up going the way of Green Arrow & the Canaries. So if this truly is the last lap for Gustin, it's best to end the show in totality and give the show and Barry a fitting conclusion.
After The Flash ends, the Arrowverse as people know it will truly be dead as well. Arrow, Black Lightning and Supergirl have already ended, and Legends of Tomorrow is not nearly as integral to the shared universe. This would leave the well-received but mostly unrelated Superman & Lois and Stargirl, the recently premiered Naomi -- which might not be on the same Earth -- and the still highly controversial Batwoman. The most prominent and well-known characters would become figures from the past with no further influence on the universe's stories.
Especially if The CW does indeed cease to exist, the smartest course of action is to bring the whole franchise to an end with it and let the shows that could transition to HBO Max do so. Barry Allen may indeed be the Fastest Man Alive, but there's something that neither he or the Arrowverse can outrun: finality.