A rumor surfaced recently that one of The Flash's beloved series regulars, Carlos Valdes, may be saying goodbye to The CW series at Season 5's end. While the thought of Cisco leaving is likely a devastating thought to many folks, there's no denying The Flash has introduced some story arcs that give the S.T.A.R. Labs scientist an exit from the action should he choose to take it. Provided the rumors are true, here are some of the ways it could happen.
Cisco Takes The Metahuman Cure
Cisco's story arc this season has revolved around two things. The first has been getting over his Gypsy heartbreak, and the other is the development of a cure for metahumans who want to resume a normal life without their powers. Now that he's finally cracked the code and made what appears to be a viable cure, will he opt to use it on himself once the Cicada mess is fixed?
It's possible, especially given that Cisco has openly talked about a life without his powers with Caitlin. Additionally, his Vibe abilities have been more of a curse than a blessing as of late. With that said, it would be kind of a jerk move for Cisco to erase his abilities, especially when he knows Barry's big disappearance is not far off. Cisco loves his friend too much to do that, which gives some reason to doubt he takes the antidote.
Cisco Gets Back Together With Gypsy
Gypsy and Cisco ended their relationship at an impasse, with Cisco unwilling to live on Earth-19 and replace her father Breacher, and Cynthia unwilling to leave her job to be with him. While he's found a potential rebound in the time since, it's clear he's had a hard time trying to get over his ex throughout all of Season 5. If Gypsy resurfaced, would the two take another chance on love?
It's hard to say, although it's worth mentioning Gypsy's father Breacher got a mention in a recent episode. Sometimes when a character who hasn't been seen in a while is mentioned, they may pop up in an episode not long after. If Breacher does hop back over to The Flash's Earth (Earth-1), one would think he and Cisco are bound to talk. If Breacher mentions that Gypsy misses him, it's hard to imagine Cisco won't reach out.
Cisco Could Be Killed Off In Crisis On Infinite Earths
If the rumors that Carlos Valdes is looking to leave The Flash are true, would "Crisis On Infinite Earths" be the ultimate send-off for him? The Arrow-verse mega crossovers have established a reputation for big moments, with big deaths and massive introductions happening in them. With "Crisis" one of the DC Comics biggest events of all time, one has to think the adaptation will have a body count.
Killing Cisco would absolutely be a massive moment, but would The Flash risk losing him permanently? That may depend on Carlos Valdes willingness to return, although The Flash's time travel and alternate universes always make guest spots possible. If he's not planning on coming back, the least the Arrow-verse could do for his service is give him an epic sendoff via some heroic sacrifice.
Cisco Could Get Killed By Cicada
It's possible Cisco may not even make it to "Crisis On Infinite Earths," as Season 5 still has a serial killing villain that's very much a threat. Cicada's already taken a run at Vibe before, so it's not crazy to think he'd take another pass at the hero now that he knows he's affiliated with Team Flash. Hell, he's even killed him already, and it would've stuck had Nora not changed time!
Cisco dying by Cicada's hand would be an incredibly hard death for Team Flash to stomach, and it's hard to believe for all of Barry's grandstanding about time travel that he wouldn't try to save his best friend going back. Plus, with "Crisis" potentially bringing an end to a handful of Arrow-verse heroes lives, giving Cisco's death its own episode may end up being more emotionally impactful than if he's one of a handful of people killed off.
Cisco Joins The Legends
Now, it's unlikely if Carlos Valdes is looking to leave The Flash he's doing it just to jump into Legends of Tomorrow, but who knows? Keiynan Lonsdale went that route, although his exit was more a product of his first show not knowing how to justify two speedsters on the show. Could Cisco go to the Legends and slowly be phased out the same way?
That's up to Carlos Valdes, and more of what his plans are if he's planning to exit The Flash. Discussing Film brought up that the former Broadway actor could be planning a stage return, which could hamper his future availability for Arrow-verse shows. Without knowing his plans, it's hard to say whether he'd be up for a short stint with the Legends. Plus, would adding someone who could appear places in an instant make that show even more out of control?
Cisco Packs His Bags And Leaves
This is, perhaps, one of the most typical ways for someone to leave The Flash. Wally, Earth-2 Wells, and even Caitlin have announced they're leaving the team at various points, and all have had various results in doing so. Cisco could be the latest to step away, and if his friends have objections, he can remind him that he's only a breach away from coming back into the picture.
Which is nice, but also a bit problematic. If that would be the deal, there's always that risk of folks wondering why whatever situation Barry was in wasn't so serious or life-threatening that Cisco couldn't be bothered to breach back to help. Conversely, think of how exciting it would be to have no Cisco for a season, only for him to suddenly breach back in and be ready to fight? Talk about an entrance!
Will you be okay if Cisco leaves The Flash? Sound off in our poll below, and be sure to watch The Flash on The CW Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. 2019 is silly with great television at the moment, so be sure to visit out midseason premiere guide and see what's around the corner.
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