San Diego Comic-Con is our favorite time of year because we can get the scoop on shows like The Flash. So, let’s dive in, shall we? At the end of season 4, Team Flash got to meet its newest member, baby Jenna West. However, all of the excitement comes to a halt when future-Nora West-Allen (Jessica Kennedy Parker) appears by surprise. Her impromptu house call comes with a cry for help from her parents, Barry (Grant Gustin) and Iris (Candice Patton), and the rest of Team Flash. Can we assume she traveled back in time one too many times like her father? My guess is yes!
What’s the current dynamic for the brand new and unexpected West-Allen family when season 5 returns? “Everyone is on very different pages. So, Barry, Iris and Nora are all in very different headspaces. Nora is really clingy toward Barry, and we don’t know why just yet. She’s attached to his hip and way more distant with Iris.” says Gustin. Patton agrees, saying: “It’s a weird thing for Iris to see them bond so easily and to watch Nora not want to engage with her as much. Obviously, something happened in the future and that worries Iris. Iris didn’t have a mother growing up, so there’s a worry that she is destined to be an absent mother like her own.” We hope that the reason why Nora is distant from Iris is reasonable and doesn’t fall into any stereotypical tropes about black mothers. Iris and Barry have the healthiest relationship in the Arrowverse, and seeing another strong facet of Iris in the form of motherhood is welcomed.
Executive producer Todd Helbing confirmed even more about this new arc, saying “The theme of season 5 is legacy, and everybody is thinking about what it means after they leave.” When a fan asked Barry what things he will pass on to Nora that he’s learned from Joe West (Jesse L. Martin) and his late father, Henry Allen (John Wesley Shipp), Gustin said: “Patience and understanding as far as qualities he’s received from Joe. Henry is a tougher question; Barry missed out on a lot with Henry; therefore he will have to make it up as he goes along and figures out how to be a dad.” Maybe it’s the reality of not having his biological father around that will have Barry thinking more about the legacy he wants to leave for Nora.
While Barry and Iris will be too preoccupied with Nora to help out with baby Jenna, Danielle Nicolet, who plays Cecile Horton, was able to touch on what the West household would look like now for Joe and Cecile. “The first few episodes you’ll see them recover from having a baby. When a baby comes, everything gets turned upside down. Plus, there’s a grandbaby that showed up on the same day of the baby’s birth that is older than their current kids. So, it’s a lot. Hopefully this season we will see Joe and Cecile truly come together as a family and go back to work while figuring out how this impacts Team Flash.” Cecile represents a black woman re-entering motherhood for a second time while juggling a high-profile career. Also, Cecile could serve as the example that Iris never had growing up, taking cues and pointers from her, as she finds herself unexpectedly thrust into motherhood. We hope they use this season and this unique situation to help Iris and Cecile bond on a new level.
Other significant details about season 5 include Cicada (Chris Klein). Helbing comments on the villain’s new status as the Big Bad, saying, “While he’s not a cult leader like in the comics, his powers do present a challenge that they have never had to deal with before.” Sounds scary and mysterious enough for us. As far as Iris’ life goes, she’ll go full-on journalist again. Another version of Wells will arrive. This one’s a different flavor with the same intelligence and, as always, not to be trusted. Ralph will work as a private investigator again. Barry has an upgraded suit—hey Flash ring hey—and will finally be the CSI we all deserve. Caitlin’s family will play a larger role in her finding out how she got her frosty powers. And Cisco’s vibes and dating life will both be challenged following his break-up with Cynthia.
Despite all this new info, what questions do we still want to be answered in season 5?
Some questions include how does the theme of legacy tie into the Big Bad Cicada’s plans? Is Nora telling the truth about why she came back in time? Will there be a connection with this Wells and Cicada? Will Barry and Iris’ Nora discovery impact their daughter’s birth in the past? Will Joe and Cecile get married? We’re all about more black love representation on TV! Will there be a time jump for baby Jenna? And finally, how are they going to say goodbye to Wally? How will Wally’s departure impact the West family legacy? Todd also mentioned there would be many deaths this season, and one could include a major character. We’ll say this right now: PROTECT JOE WEST AT ALL COSTS!
Leave your thoughts and season 5 theories below! And while you wait and speculate about the season, check out the Comic-Con trailer below. The Flash races back to us on October 9 at 8 ET on the CW.
