The following contains spoilers from the series finale of The Flash, Season 9, Episode 13, "A New World, Part Four: Finale."
The final chapter in the four-part finale for The Flash debuted, and the ending might leave some fans confused. Those who aren't also fans of the character in the comics especially might not know all the new speedsters introduced in the final minutes. Yet, these characters suggest just how big the Flash family will get now that this Earth's window on the Arrowverse has closed.
The first half of the episode features the return of a number of evil speedsters, most killed in various season finales. Along with the help of future Nora, West-Allen and Earth-2's Jay Garrick, Flash is able to defeat his old rogues before they are absorbed by Eddie Thawne, the new avatar of the Negative Speed Force. Here, he goes by the name Cobalt Blue, a character from the comics who is Barry Allen's evil twin brother. Thankfully, after mollywhopping Barry a bit, Eddie and Flash come to an agreement. While still on "opposite sides," the Negative Speed Force avatar, Eddie, and the Positive Speed Force avatar, Barry, can work together. At the very least, it ends the open antagonism against Team Flash and the rest of Earth-Prime. As the avatar of the Speed Force, Barry can apparently create new speedsters. Old villains and new heroes amount to a speedster-heavy finale, which is the only way The Flash could've ended.
The Negative Speed Force and the Evil Speedsters
Speed Force avatars are a concept introduced more recently in both the series and DC Comics. Much of the conflict in Season 8 stemmed from the Negative Speed Force choosing Eobard Thawne, who looks like Harrison Wells, as its avatar. He was consumed by its power, leading it to tap a resurrected Eddie instead. Reverse Flash "died" in the Season 8 finale, but apparently, he was sent to the Negative Speed Force to meet with Eddie.
Season 2's villain, Hunter Zolomon, A.K.A Zoom, was killed by "time wraiths" for all his evil speedster shenanigans. He became the decayed "Black Flash," or a weapon the Speed Force uses to catch and consume speedsters who break time-travel rules. One of those is Savitar, the armored speedster who is a time-remnant of Barry Allen from an erased timeline. He was supposed to have been erased from existence when he didn't kill Iris in Season 3.
Finally, there is August Heart, who is also known as Godspeed. Like Savitar, he wanted to be a god of the Speed Force, yet unlike the Season 3 villain, he didn't die. At the end of Season 7, Godspeed was injured but alive when incarcerated in Iron Heights. This is why Heart, sporting a beard he didn't have in Season 7, talks about being seconds away from slitting Impulse's throat. Godspeed presumably dies in a battle with Impulse that is left to viewers' imaginations. When Cobalt Blue absorbs their speed, they return to the moments in time and space they were plucked from.
The Flash Family Grows Bigger in More Ways Than One
After the battle, Nora West-Allen is born, even though the future version of her is still present. They have a party to celebrate her birthday. Jay Garrick attends with either the physical manifestation of the Speed Force or Joan Williams (both characters played by Michelle Harrison). Timeless Wells, the original Harrison Wells resurrected via sci-fi magic, also arrives to tell Khione to "ascend," leaving behind a restored Caitlin Snow. Now that he has a daughter to raise, the Flash creates some new speedsters.
Barry taps Max Mercury, a speedster created in 1993 and goes by many names in the comics, including Windrunner, Lightning, Quicksilver and Thunderpace. He also taps Avery Ho, a character created for the comics two years after the show debuted in 2016. In the books, she lives in China and goes by the Flash in her hero identity. She is a member of both the International Justice League and the Justice League of China, though she's an American citizen. Lastly, there is Jess Chambers, a non-binary character created for the Future State DC Comics event in 2021. She also goes by the Flash in the alternate future of the comics.
It's a strange choice to introduce these new, deep-cut characters in the series' final moments. But like the name-drop of the Watchtower in the penultimate episode, it's a signal that the Arrowverse goes on even as The Flash ends. With the Negative Speed Force no longer actively menacing Barry and with Team Flash's new recruits, he may finally stop living crisis-to-crisis.
The final season of The Flash will stream in its entirety on Netflix starting June 1, 2023.