Following on the heels of Spartacus star, Cynthia Addai-Robinson joining The CW’s highly successful Green Arrow-themed television series, Arrow as ruthless DC Universe government agent, Amanda Waller, another bit of high-profile casting has been decided for the show’s second season! After announcing that Arrow would be used for a backdoor pilot introducing another well-known DC superhero, The Flash, The CW has now confirmed that the Scarlet Speedster has been cast!
Glee actor, Grant Gustin has won the coveted role of Barry Allen, the man who will become The Flash. Barry will be coming to Starling City during Arrow’s second season as a forensic scientist, being featured in the eighth and ninth episodes pre-Flash, before apparently setting in motion his superhero career in the season’s twentieth episode, which will serve as a backdoor pilot for his own potential series, Flash.
We must admit that Gustin is a bit of surprising casting, given that he’s only twenty-three years old. Yes, young incarnations of The Flash have existed before, even on The CW’s former DC Universe-inspired television series, Smallville, but Barry Allen has generally been a bit older before attaining his superhuman speed. Perhaps his character will be aged slightly however, given that protagonist, Oliver Queen is supposed to be pushing thirty when the show’s second season begins.
Barry would have to be one heck of a genius to have an established career as a forensic police scientist that young as well!
The CW has shed a bit more light on the character with the casting announcement. They claim that Barry is a comic book fanboy, and that he actually idolizes Oliver’s vigilante alter-ego, who is usually only referred to as “The Hood” at this point in the series, despite a cheeky, “Green Arrow” suggestion by nemesis, Malcolm Merlyn. This is so far the only time that the hero’s proper comic book name has been used on the show. Naturally, Ollie thought that the name suggestion was, “Terrible.”
The CW is making quite the gambit by introducing The Flash into Arrow’s universe, officially lifting the first season’s strict rule that superpowers could not be incorporated onto the show. The network has confirmed that The Flash will have his super-speeding powers intact when he undergoes his metahuman transformation, though the details of how this happens are still unclear. In the comics, Barry attains his abilities when a lightning bolt strikes chemicals that ultimately douse him as he’s leaving work.
Given the show’s grounding in realistic sensibilities, it’s probable that the character’s super-powered origin will be changed for his debut on Arrow.
What do you think of The Flash’s casting for Arrow? Are you looking forward to superpowers officially being introduced to the formerly power-less series? Are you eager for the potential of Flash, whenever The CW may air it? Are you among the many DC fans hopeful that Arrow and Flash will ultimately be a part of the DC Cinematic Universe that began with this Summer’s Man of Steel? Leave your comments below…
Arrow’s second season premieres on October 9th. Eggplante will be continuing to deliver you all of your news on Arrow and the DC Cinematic Universe, as we can mark it.