The Flash season 8 is going to have a huge effect on Team Flash, as the showrunner teases the group will go through a permanent change. One of the most popular Arrowverse shows is finally back after an extensive hiatus following The Flash's "Armageddon" event. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, The Flash and multiple CW shows have had their regular schedules shuffled around. Usually, by this time of year, the DC drama would be at least 12 to 15 episodes into its run. However, The Flash season 8, which premiered in November, instead kicked off with the Armageddon saga consisting of five episodes. With 12 episodes remaining, The Flash will soon be getting into its next Big Bad.
Since The Flash's early seasons, Team Flash has been a major component in the series, as Barry Allen relies on several allies. Like most ensemble shows with a team dynamic, the line-up has evolved significantly. Team Flash is never short on allies, from the many Harrison Wells that have come and gone, to newer members like Allegra Garcia and Chester P. Runk. The team has also relied on members who work with the group from time to time, such as Jay Garrick, Sue Dearbon, and many more. With The Flash now in season 8, however, it appears the STAR Labs team is about to go through a game-changer.
In a new interview with TV Insider, The Flash showrunner Eric Wallace talked about what's coming up in the back half of season 8. While the new villain is being kept a secret for the time being, Wallace stressed that what's coming up for Barry and the team will have some "permanent" repercussions. Without going into specifics, The Flash showrunner emphasised that he was not "kidding around" about how serious these developments would be. Read his full quote below:
"Oh no, that would be too simple. [Laughs] We will obviously explore that and resolve that throughout the remainder of the season, but as always, we’re sticking with our graphic-novel format. So “Armageddon” was the first graphic novel of Season 8, then we we have our first interlude episode as we like to call them—those are episodes that are more standalone and we’ll have a couple of those. And then our next graphic novel will kick in at the middle of the season with an all new Big Bad. And there will actually be another one at the end of the season. We’re gonna try something new this year with three graphic novels. We’re gonna see how much action we can pack into Season 8. It’s going to be a very wild ride, but I gotta warn folks that what is coming emotionally is gonna change Team Flash permanently. And I’m not kidding around."
Given that The Flash is currently now so many seasons in, Wallace's warning could mean that a beloved team member is perhaps in danger in The Flash season 8. It is also possible that the tease is more of a foreshadowing for a long-time ally simply getting ready to leave Team Flash. In The Flash season 7, Carlos Valdes, who had been portraying Cisco Ramon since season 1, decided to start his next chapter in life as the director of technology and science at A.R.G.U.S. The team has also been Harrison Wells-less for a whole season, so perhaps Wallace's hints imply that another The Flash departure could be coming soon. Depending on the planned villain, there is also always the possibility of a tragic season 8 death.
Currently, The Flash's future following the ongoing season 8 is unclear. While The CW is currently up for sales by its two owners, WarnerMedia and Paramount, The Flash season 9 is expected to be a certainty, according to reports. Depending on how season 8 ends, it's possible that Team Flash will look and/or feel very different in future episodes, should The CW officially bring back the show for another run. Whether a beloved character is leaving the group or the show altogether, the latter half of The Flash season 8 is clearly about to shake things up in a big way.
Source: TV Insider