Over the course of The Flash Season 1, fans have watched Barry Allen go from an average forensic scientist to Central City’s speedy protector taking down other superpowered people. As with any personal journey, he still has a ways to go before he becomes the experienced superhero that comic book aficionados are familiar with from the comics. That being said, series star Grant Gustin already has ideas in mind for what he wants Barry to be like for Season 2, namely a more confident hero.
Gustin noted to Comicbook.com that he had told executive producers Andrew Kreisberg and Greg Berlanti that he felt Barry had gone to a dark place recently in the show. While they assured him that Barry is still having fun, the lead actor hopes that next season will see the character get to be more like his comic book incarnation. In Gustin’s words:
I want to be able to, next year, get a little more cocky with it and confident with the super powers. I want to be a little bit closer to the Flash from the comics.
Although The Flash is nowhere near as dark as its parent show Arrow, the Reverse-Flash story arc that’s unfolded over the past month has seen the series taking a much more serious turn. Since Barry discovered that Harrison Wells killed his mother, he and the S.T.A.R. Labs team have mostly been preoccupied dealing with him. While this particular story won’t necessarily wrap things up in a neat package by the end of tonight’s finale, next season will almost certainly see a new status quo among the characters, which means that Barry will likely get the opportunity to move closer to the comic book Scarlet Speedster.
On the powers front, Barry has already made strides with using his super speed in ways beyond simply running fast, from vibrating though solid objects to creating vortexes by spinning his arms quickly. Most of these side abilities he’s only used once or twice, so for him to start using them more confidently and on a regular basis will be a treat, especially if it involves more time travel.
As for his personality ideas, the cocky attitude is typically an attribute of Barry’s successor from the comics, Wally West. However, considering that the TV Barry is a young man who’s still getting the hang of playing the superhero game, it’s understandable that he'd get more cocky taking down criminals. Whatever happens in Season 2, we know that from all the time travel and knowledge of the future that Barry eventually does mirror his comic book self (at least appearance-wise), so the viewers just need to hang in there for that long journey and know that it won’t move as quickly as Barry does.
The Flash wraps up its first season tonight at 8/7c EST on The CW.
