Fans of The Flash television show on The CW should remember Detective Eddie Thawne fondly. Sure, he was the obstacle that kept Barry Allen (Grant Gustin), and Iris West (Candice Patton), from being together throughout the course of the first season, but it was also Thawne's sacrifice of his life in the season 1 finale that kept Eobard Thawne/Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanagh) from defeating the Flash during their final battle.

Since then, Detective Thawne has made a few cameo appearances, including on different Earths from the main events of The Flash. Now actor Rick Cosnett has confirmed that he will be returning in the latter half of The Flash season 3, which premieres on The CW this month.

According to a Tweet from Cosnett, he is coming back to The Flash; though he's offered up no further details as to what capacity Detective Thawne will be returning to the world of the scarlet speedster. Much of this most recent season has dealt with the direct consequences from both Flashpoint and the Invasion events. There have been many changes that have emerged as a result of Barry Allen's hobby of changing the timeline - including the death of Cisco Ramon's (Carlos Valdes) brother Dante and the strain this revelation has placed on his close friendship with Barry.

Ok, hate to tease you but now I can say it: I'm coming back on #TheFlash Photo credit @HarveyHouseP @SpencerAHarvey @lloydharvey pic.twitter.com/Cu7POAZ5IW— Rick Cosnett (@RickCosnett) January 16, 2017

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An important development in this season of The Flash is the development of a close romantic relationship between Barry and Iris - something that has been teased since season 1. This is a relationship comic book fans will be familiar with since the Silver Age. If Detective Thawne is either resurrected - or in the new timeline it turns out he didn't die (?) - he may be intent on continuing his engagement to Iris West (another development from season 1). That would definitely throw a wrench into the new couple's happiness. There is also the possibility that one of the season's main villains and progeny of Eddie Thawne - Eobard Thawne (Matt Letscher) - could be bringing his relation along for nefarious purposes. There are a lot of interesting possibilities, but Cosnett remains coy.

Rather than simply returning as a romantic rival, it would be really interesting to see Detective Thawne take on a more dynamic role or to possibly see another version of him from an Earth that Team Flash has not yet visited. In the photo attached to Cosnett's Tweet he is wearing a tank top, rather than the classic CCPD uniform or dress shirt that we are used to seeing his Thawne character in - and if the visual is any indication of the on-camera appearance, then it is likely to be a divergence from what we are used to seeing. This could be a compelling way to expand the Eddie Thawne character by doing something completely different and honor the tremendous legacy he left behind in the season 1 finale.

Conversely, if Detective Thawne returns simply to complicate the relationship between Barry and Iris then one is forced to ask the question: why? To bring back a character only to retread the same ground is perhaps a meta-textual paradoxical loop, but that doesn't make it the most insightful move for the character. There is also the possibility that it will be revealed that Thawne has actually been Savitar, this season's main villain, the whole time. However, this too seems unlikely given everything known about the baddie thus far.

The Flash returns with ‘Borrowing Problems from the Future’ on Tuesday, January 24th at 8pm on The CW.

Source: Rick Cosnett