The Flash is bringing Cicada in as its Season 5 big bad, and while we're excited to see such an interesting comic villain enter Barry's life, we're somewhat in the dark about how the Arrow-verse will portray him. Viewers hadn't even gotten a proper view of the villain in previously released promotional materials, although that changed today thanks to our first full look at Chris Klein's Cicada, which can be seen below:
Cicada is all covered up in the above image, which is pretty fitting, considering the episode in question in called "Blocked." This second Season 5 installment will show Team Flash encounter the villain for the first time, and he'll probably be in the exact same outfit he's sporting in the picture.
The outfit lacks the pop and flashiness of uniforms used by past villains, with its only flair being the silver trim on his mask. That mask could be used to conceal Cicada's identity here, although his heavy breathing in the Season 5 trailer released at San Diego Comic-Con could mean this is a necessary apparatus that helps him stay alive in some way. Beyond that, he sorta just looks like a guy who's incredibly prepared for cold weather, with only the area around his eyes exposed to the open air.
Even the hands of Cicada are covered, which further makes it feel like there's a major reason The Flash's new villain is all covered up. Perhaps he has extensive scarring and injuries all over his body, and the protection helps hide them, or prevents him from being in pain.
There's also a chance the suit plays into helping him control his abilities, which we've learned involve the dampening of meta abilities. He might also be someone Team Flash or Barry and Iris' daughter Nora knows, which is why he's trying so hard to hide as much of himself as possible. A super-recognizable hand tattoo is going to get you every time in Central City.
As far as how the Arrow-verse Cicada look measures up to the aesthetic of the comic book villain, there are some noticeable similarities. The long black coat and red-ish area on the pants pants are both nods to the original design, showing that The Flash definitely drew some inspiration from the comic's Cicada, as created by Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins. It's hard to distinguish just how much inspiration was taken, however, since the hood masks whether or not Chris Klein shaved his head for the role. Plus, the mouthpiece hides if he's sporting the traditional white goatee.
We also don't see that black lightning bolt-shaped dagger he was crafting in the trailer, although it's possible he has a few of those stashed away on the inside his big jacket. Some closer looks at Cicada in action could come soon, probably in an Episode 2 trailer, as one would imagine he will at least pull the hood back should a battle with Team Flash get rough.
The Flash returns to The CW on Tuesday, October 9, at 8:00 p.m. ET. It's just one of the many shows premiering this fall season, and viewers curious about what else is on the way can visit our fall premiere guide for more details.
