The Crisis on Infinite Earths coming earlier than expected, and more challenges for Barry Allen lie ahead in The Flash season 6. Although Arrow came first, The Flash has become the Arrowverse's flagship show, with it the most in-demand superhero TV series of 2018.
2019 will see the Arrowverse slate change radically. On the one hand, Arrow season 8 will be the end of Oliver Queen's story, an abbreviated 10-episode season that could potentially launch spinoffs. But The CW isn't dialing back on the superhero genre; they've ordered a full series of Batwoman, a character who made her Arrowverse debut in the "Elseworlds" crossover event.
Change is coming to The Flash as well, with the series finally diving into the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" event that's been teased ever since the premiere five years ago. So what can viewers expect from The Flash season 6.
Last updated: June 17, 2019
The Flash Season 6 Premieres In Fall 2019
The Flash season 6 premieres on Tuesday, October 8. In addition to continuing to air on Tuesday nights, it will be followed by Arrow, which will air in the 9 pm time slot. The show's credits will look at little different when it does. Showrunner Todd Helbing is stepping down in order to work on new projects for Warner Bros.; he's been part of The Flash family since the pilot, taking over after Andrew Kreisberg was fired two years ago, and will be replaced by Eric Wallace. Wallace is no stranger to The Flash; he's been an executive producer since season 4, and has several writing credits including "The Flash Reborn," "Therefore I Am," "Run Iris Run" and "Elseworlds Part 1." Given the last two seasons have received mixed reviews from viewers and critics alike, a change in leadership may well be a good move.
The Flash Season 6 Story Details
Little is known about the plot of The Flash season 6, although Helbing insists it's been foreshadowed. "We’ve been dropping Easter eggs, especially in the back half of the season, about next season," he observed. "It all plays into that." Ever since the season 1 premiere, The Flash has been headed for a mysterious future event in which Barry Allen disappeared. Season 5 has given viewers an extended look at the post-Flash future, with the episode "Godspeed" dedicated to the origin story of Barry's superhero daughter. After years of buildup, this much-hinted-at plot looks set to become a reality in The Flash season 6.
Outside of that event, in The Flash season 6, Team Flash is facing their greatest shakeup since they were first formed. Carlos Valdez is leaving the role of Cisco after the season 5 finale, a dramatic change to the Team Flash dynamic that introduces new limitations.
The Flash Season 6 Will Include Crisis On Infinite Earths
This year's CW crossover event is "Crisis on Infinite Earths," a Multiversal epic that - in the comics - led to Barry Allen's death when he sacrificed himself to save his world. The Flash's impending disappearance has always been linked to the Arrowverse's version of the Crisis, with ominous warnings that Barry would vanish in 2024. It looks as though time has been changed somehow, and the Crisis will now happen in 2019, five years early.
Reverse-Flash has been confirmed to be a key player, with one newspaper from the future describing him "leading an army of 'shadow demons.'" Season 5 has essentially been the story of how Eobard Thawne escaped from Death Row, setting him up for this role, so The Flash season 6 will surely continue the setup