Jesse L. Martin recently revealed that Tom Cavanagh will return as the Reverse-Flash in The Flash Season 8.Martin, who plays police detective Joe West in the CW superhero series, hyped Cavanagh's comeback during an appearance on The Talk. "Everybody who is a fan of Tom Cavanagh and his Reverse-Flash...get ready," teased Martin.
Cavanagh debuted as the Reverse-Flash and his alter-ego, Eobard Thawne, in The Flash's first season. There, he masqueraded as benevolent scientist and wheelchair user Harrison Wells and quickly established himself as the mentor of Grant Gustin's Barry Allen. However, Barry eventually uncovered Thawne's deception and learned he was a time-traveler from the future who possessed super-speed powers like his own. The Scarlet Speeder also discovered the Reverse-Flash was responsible for murdering not only the real Harrison Wells but his own mother, Nora Allen.
The Reverse-Flash was seemingly erased from existence at the end of The Flash Season 1, however, he later returned as a "time remnant" and has remained a constant thorn in The Flash's side ever since. His most recent appearance on the show was in Season 8's fifth episode, "Armageddon, Part 5," which saw him defeated by The Flash in a clash that robbed him of his powers. Despite this apparent setback, Martin's comments about the Reverse-Flash's comeback later this season suggest the iconic villain's depowered status won't prevent him from going head-to-head with The Flash again.
The news of Cavanagh's return as the Reverse-Flash comes hot on the heels of reports that Gustin signed on for another season of The Flash. A ninth season would see the series outpace Arrow as the longest-running show in The CW's "Arrowverse" shared universe. Gustin's contract is believed to run for one year only and caps the total number of episodes he'll star in at 15. The contract reportedly came with a pay raise, as well, with Gustin set to pocket more than $200,000 per episode. The CW apparently offered Gustin a multi-year deal, however, it's understood the star turned this down.
Gustin's one-year contract, coupled with the rumors he knocked back a longer-term commitment, has stoked speculation that The Flash Season 9 will be the series' last. The burning question for fans seems to be not just whether The Flash could continue on without Gustin, but also whether the Arrowverse itself could survive The Flash ending. The CW has yet to make a formal announcement regarding either Gustin or The Flash Season 9, leaving the future of both up in the air for now.
The Flash Season 8Â returns to The CW on March 9.
Source:Â Twitter