Since Flash is getting a backdoor pilot on Arrow this season, I fully expect him to get his own show--complete with his own superhero guest stars. So who do I think will manage to show up on The Flash or whatever the show is called? And what's my rationale? Check out the list below.
6. Hal Jordan
What He Brings To The Table: A Good Friendship With the Barry Allen Flash
Notice I said Hal Jordan and not Green Lantern. While Hal Jordan and Barry Allen have a long history of friendship together on the comic book page, at the end of the day, featuring green hard-light constructs would obviously be too expensive for a CW TV show. Heck, it looked too expensive to get right in his $200 million movie. And featuring green flashes of light in the background wouldn't cut it. In addition, alien-related adventures aren't where I see the Flash show going in its first few seasons. And speaking of the Green Lantern film, that movie didn't do so well, so Warner may be hesitant about signing the character off again. That's why--at most--I can only see Flash becoming friends with test pilot Hal Jordan and not Green Lantern. Can you think of a good reason for pre-Green Lantern Hal to show up in Central City? If so, post in the comments!
5. Booster Gold
What He Has Going For Him: His Time Cop Background, His Personality, Previous Appearances on TV, and His Own (In-Development) Show ; Inexpensive Powers/Abilities
Since it's highly likely that a Flash show will feature time-travel elements, it would almost be funny if Booster Gold didn't show up. This disgraced football player from the future easily fits within the Flash mythology, has shown up on live action television before, and has had his own show in development for years. While I wasn't keen on his Smallville portrayal, he isn't too expensive of a hero to pull off and his vibrant personality could fill in for the Green Lantern in the buddy dynamic shared by Hal and Barry.
If there's anything working against this, it's the fact that the Booster Gold tv show is supposed to air on SyFy not the CW. Also, he's not a super recognizable hero anyway, so his appeal as a guest star would be mostly fan service with potentially little to show in a ratings boost. But what do I know? Maybe not being super recognizable is a plus on this kind of show?
4. Wonder Woman
What She Has Going For Her: Justice League Star Status, Her Own (In-Development) Show, Inexpensive Powers/Abilities
This one is pretty easy. Wonder Woman is very well known. Her powers (besides flight) can't be too expensive for TV. And she has had a show in development for some time now. If Warner Brothers goes this route, a Wonder Woman backdoor pilot could appear on Flash's show. Wonder Woman's Amazon background could even potentially be tied to the time-travel and alternate dimension aspects of the Flash show. The only thing I could see keeping her off the Flash show is Warner's fear of putting out a poor interpretation of the character so close to the release of a live action film--especially since they know how important this character is to the fans and to the Justice League property. Also, tying the Amazons into Flash's world can be done, but it wouldn't necessarily be easy. You would have to introduce a lot of ideas--like Amazons (and maybe even A.R.G.U.S.)--that may not have a big, long-term payoff for the Flash character himself on his own show. I think that was the problem with some of the later guest stars on Smallville as well.
3. (Green) Arrow
What He Has Going For Him: A Currently-Airing, Live Action Portrayal; Inexpensive Powers/Abilities; The Fact That A Flash Show Would Be A Spin-Off of Arrow Featured on The Same Channel (Meaning: Character History)
Do I really need to go into this one considering the two shows would be on the same channel and the fact that Flash would spin-off from Arrow? Again, this would be a little weird if it didn't happen.
2. Cyborg
What He Has Going For Him: Star Labs, Alternate Dimension Background, Friendship s With Multiple Flash characters, and Inexpensive Powers/Abilities
What?! Cyborg? Yep. Check it:
- Smallville proved he isn't an expensive character to feature in live action tv.
- His connection to Star Labs would allow him to provide Flash with (possibly needed) pseudo-science exposition.
- The inter-dimensional aspects of his background would easily fit into the Flash universe, and could make the introduction of some Flash-elements (like the cosmic treadmill) easier to process. Heck, he could even help Flash (and the audience) to understand the concept of alternate dimensions like Earth 2.
- He and Flash are friends in the comics.
- He is a member of the Justice League, so he has some name recognition.
- He wouldn't over-shadow Flash.
- His origin is easy to do. And his character progression wouldn't be hard to write.
- He likely wouldn't get so much demand for a spin-off that the creators would feel a ton of pressure to get this one to fit a certain mold. And he could be for Flash what Green Arrow was to Smallville: a good, recurring superhero friend.
He may not show up until a later season (if he does show up), but Cyborg could move from guest star to supporting role with no trouble. I actually can't think of a reason why he wouldn't show up at some point...
1. Jay Garrick
What He Has Going For Him: He Started It All, His Powers and Abilities Would Be Inexpensive to Feature, and He Expands the Flash Mythology
Jay was not only the first Flash, he also inspired Barry Allen to become the Flash via comic book. He also opened of the idea of alternate dimensions in the Flash universe, and has lots of name recognition and love from the fans. If he's featured on some interpretation of Earth 2, he could expand the Flash mythology without an expectation of his own spin-off. And there are so many interpretations of this character that the show runners could feel like they have a lot of creative freedom with him. Like Cyborg, he could easily move from guest-star to supporting character (depending on which version of Jay is used).
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Bonus: The Speed Force/Flash Legacy
If the show runs longer than 5 seasons, then there is no way this is not going to happen:
Impulse, Liberty Bell, Max Mercury, XS, and the Tornado Twins? It's almost too tempting for a long-running superhero show that will want to provide fan-service. Sadly, I am much less certain about Wally West appearing in anything DC-related these days. But who knows? Maybe Kid Flash will even pop up later on. The only reason for this not to happen is that the creators may feel that having this many speedsters makes Barry much less special. In that event, the other Flashes could still be heroes in different time periods.
Let me see your thoughts below!
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