Jon Cor, who has portrayed Chillblaine in the Arrowverse in the last few years, has officially been promoted to series regular on The Flash season 9. After running for nearly a decade, Barry Allen's time in the Arrowverse is coming to an end as The CW is bringing The Flash to a close in 2023. The Flash season 9, which was officially ordered this past March, will wrap its run with a 13-episode order, making it the shortest season of the Arrowverse drama in its entire run.
Not only will The Flash season 9 make the show the longest-running series in the Arrowverse, but it's also the end of an era for The CW's DC franchise. While Superman & Lois seems likely to continue after season 3, The Flash will be the last Earth-Prime-based series, as the former was revealed to take place on an alternative Earth in the Arrowverse. For The Flash's final season, lead star Grant Gustin is onboard for one more year along with returning cast members Candice Patton, Danielle Panabaker, Brandon McKnight, Kayla Compton, and Danielle Nicolet. Long-time The Flash cast member Jesse L. Martin stepped down as a series regular after season 8 but will recur for a few episodes in season 9.
However, The Flash season 9 is making one more promotion for the Arrowverse series' final season. Cor, who has portrayed Mark Blaine, a.k.a. Chillblaine, since season 7, is getting upgraded from recurring guest star to series regular in The Flash season 9, according to Deadline. The trade also revealed the following official description of Chillblaine's arc in The Flash season 9:
“A charming rogue obsessed with cryogenic technology, Mark Blaine gave the Flash and his allies a run for their money as the villainous Chillblaine. But after falling in love with Frost, he finally began to show a softer side. Now, as the new season begins, the memory of Frost’s shocking demise will haunt Mark as he sets out on his journey to become a hero.”
How Chillblaine Will Factor Into The Flash Season 9
At the end of The Flash season 8, Caitlin Snow went through with her experiment to bring Killer Frost back from the dead as she entered the Consciousness Resurrection Chamber in the finale. While not seen on-screen in the final episode, Chillblaine was the first one to witness what had happened to Caitlin, or supposedly a new Frost, who claimed to be "a friend," which became a cliffhanger for The Flash season 8. With the confirmation that The Flash season 9 will attempt to see Chillblaine turn into a hero, it's possible that whatever has become of Caitlin/Frost, he may have to go up against her as they essentially switch places in their hero and villain roles. The Flash season 8 had essentially already started to tease the idea that Chillblaine was getting prepped for a redemption arc, which is now being paid off in the final season.
Time will tell if The Flash season 9 will actually end with Chillblaine as a fully-fledged hero or if his attempt will go south by the time they reach the series finale. It's also unclear how long his arc will last, as The Flash season 9 will only have 13 episodes to wrap all of their remaining storylines up for good. While he may have started as a villain, Chillblaine's turn to heroism may also come to be useful, especially as The Flash will introduce a new Captain Boomerang in the final season. Hopefully, as 2022 reaches its end, The CW will announce sooner rather than later when The Flash season 9 will premiere in 2023.
Source: Deadline