For over six seasons The Flash fans have been able to watch their favorite hero come to life in the popular CW show starring Grant Gustin. With a lot of important history and lore behind the scarlet speedster, it's only natural the showrunners understand the character and attempt to use characters from the comics that make up the hero.
Another thing the showrunners and writers do to write the show takes influence from the comics and adapt it into an episode, season, or even as part of Barry Allen's defining moments. Looking back at our favorite show, here are some instances where they took something straight from the comics.
Origin Story
In Flash: Rebirth, Barry had his origins changed and became an orphan after his mother was killed and his dad was sent to prison, and it was all due to the time-traveling villain Eobard Thawne/Reverse-Flash. It's part of what defines Barry and inspires him to become a CSI and solve the murder of his dad to get him out of jail.
The first season of the show introduces this origin and becomes a crucial part to the character much like in the comics. It was something that they clearly ripped right from the pages and used to define Barry and his heroics.
Season 3 Storyline
Season 3 was one of the most tragic due to countless deaths and the almost death of Iris West, Barry's one and only true love. He spends most of the season improving his speed to be fast enough to save Iris and defeat Savitar all while starting his relationship with Iris. One of the biggest reveals of the season came when Savitar revealed himself as an evil future version of Barry out for revenge.
This was an interesting twist that threw a lot of people off guard and forced us to wonder how the writers came up with such a great twist. In the comics, there is a similar villain who goes by "Future Flash" that travels back in time to kill his younger self out of spite, much like Savitar in season 3.
How Barry Would React If Iris Died
Staying in season 3, we saw Barry travel in time several times, including a run 7 years in the future to seek advice from his older self. He is surprised by how cold and careless the future Barry is and how helpless he has become a hero and friend to the rest of Team Flash.
In the Flash story The Death Of Iris Allen, we see a much darker and brooding type Barry that suffers the loss of his wife to Eobard Thawne and it changes him completely.
Flashpoint
Perhaps one of the biggest Flash stories to date and the reason for the New 52, has Barry going back in time to save his mother and causing a ripple effect that throws off the entire multi-verse. We see a dead Bruce Wayne who died in the alleyway and then his father taking on the Batman mantle, we see a war between Amazons and Atlanteans, and we see a weakened Superman who landed in Metropolis instead of Smallville.
The entire season 3 revolves around Flashpoint and Barry dealing with the repercussions of it. Although it doesn't have the same consequences as the comic, It was still an interesting story to see on the small screen.
Crisis On Infinite Earths
The season 6 crossover featured on of DC's most popular stories. As we know the crisis featured a lot of deaths between superheroes, including Supergirl, Blue Beetle, and most importantly Barry Allen. We knew that it would be leading to this season as earlier seasons eluded to it but it was still thrilling to watch how Barry would survive the Crisis.
In the comics and the show, the Crisis changed the landscape of the multiverse permanently and Barry was a big part of stopping the war and saving his universe from getting destroyed.
Time/Dimensional Travel
The speed force was a concept introduced in the comics and is the main source of power for the speedsters, unknowingly created by Barry Allen. One of the many perks of controlling the speed force is a speedster's ability to run through time and space into different dimensions and periods of time.
We see it on every season of The Flash and the concept of time travel stays the same in both the comics and the show.
Barry's Relationship With Jay Garrick
Jay Garrick was the first Flash to take up the mantle before being rebooted for Barry Allen in the 60s. Years later, during Barry's first travel to another dimension, he meets Jay Garrick in Earth-2, and the two work together on several occasions, with Jay acting as a mentor to Barry.
In the show, their dynamic is pretty much the same and Barry greatly respects Jay and considers him a great friend even though he looks exactly like his dad.
Barry's Speedforce Prison
Part of the reason Savitar was so bitter towards Barry was that Barry found a way to capture Savitar and hold him for eternity until Savitar got out to torture Barry. In the season, it is revealed that Barry built a prison in the Speed Force where he kept Savitar for thousands of years due to the Speed Force's timeless nature.
In the comics, Barry was trapped in a similar prison for decades after he was presumed dead following Crisis and he comes out, seemingly unchanged.
The Return Of Barry Allen
The end of season 3 had Barry sacrificing himself to the Speed force to prevent it from sucking in the city and many presumed he had been dead after six months trapped inside. The beginning of season 4 however, had Barry coming out, slightly delusional and unstable.
In the comics, Barry returns in a similar stat after being trapped in the speed force for decades and has trouble adjusting back to his life after being gone for so long, much like the show.
The Trial Of Barry Allen
Season 4 was just not a good one for Barry. In the midseason classic, Barry is put on trial for murder after Clifford Devoe fakes his death and frames Barry by leading his dead body in his apartment. Barry faces jail time and spends some time behind bars before his innocence is proved.
In the comics, he is put on trial for the murder of Eobard Thawne after he accidentally breaks his neck trying to save his wife from being killed.