The Flash: Resurrecting Harrison Wells Is a Big Mistake | CBR - CBR - Comic Book Resources

WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for "The Speed of Thought," the latest episode of The Flash Season 7.

Tom Cavanagh is a truly talented actor. He first appeared in The Flash as Harrison Wells, the well-meaning scientist who served as Barry's mentor. Wells was instrumental to the original accident that gave the Flash his powers, and his arc throughout the first season hints as a mysterious and sinister past. His deception gradually unravels, and it's eventually revealed he is Eobard Thawne, the Reverse-Flash. As it turns out, the real Harrison Wells was killed many years ago and Thawne assumed his identity to accelerate his return to his original time. However, after years of being dead, The Flash Season 7 has decided to bring back the original Wells, having run out of other versions of the character.

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Cavanagh's portrayal of Wells throughout the first season is that of a wise and talented mentor, giving way to a darker and terrifying alter-ego that lies beneath the surface. So, after such an impactful debut, it only makes sense for the show's writers to want to keep the actor around after the end of the first season, which culminates in Eobard's erasure from the timeline. This results in the introduction of "Harry" Wells, an alternate version of the inventor fans never got to meet. Harry's a genuine ally to the team and serves as such up until the season's end when he returns to his own Earth. Season 3 then brings with it another Harrison Wells from another Earth who is known as "H.R." This third version cemented the show's pattern of depicting different versions of Wells, giving one for Cavanagh to play for the bulk of a season while also introducing others for one-off jokes.

These doppelgangers are ultimately one of the show's greatest vices. They give Cavanagh room to stretch his creative muscles by playing different versions of the same character, but ultimately accomplish little in a season that could not be done by other characters. They're also short-lived, tending to only stick around for a single season. This makes them frustrating characters, chewing up screen-time before their inevitable departure. The only exception to his is Harry Wells, who aged well throughout his time on the show. His introduction was a good idea, and his fierce protectiveness of his daughter combined with his gruff nature make him extremely likable. The show's mistake was how it tried to capture that same lightning in a bottle again and again.

Seasons 6 of the show brought with it "Nash" Wells, an Indiana Jones-esque explorer who serves as the catalyst for the events of the "Crisis on Infinite Earths." The crossover would eventually result in all the worlds of the multiverse fusing together, with unique consequences for the dimension-crossing Wells. He ended up with a legion of other personalities in his own mind, appearing to him as ghostly hallucinations. But one season is as long as any Wells can stick around, and so Season 7's first episode ends with Nash sacrificing himself to power up the Artificial Speed Force. This new status quo is preserved for a single episode, and Episode 2 ends with the resurrection of the original Harrison Wells of Earth-1, who's hardly ever appeared on-screen outside of a few flashbacks.

While the appearance of this elusive personality is an exciting development, it also feels like a running joke at the audience's expense. The writers can kill off as many Wells doppelgangers as they like, not having to worry about any sort of consequences or long-term effects. All that happens is the introduction of the next Wells, ready to go with a snappy gimmick and new name. The advantage of a television format is in its serial nature, which allows for the development of a character's personality and story over time. The audience gets to see their journey and become attached to them as they change and grow. If that character dies, it should be because their story has come to an end -- not because the writers have tired of them.

It's almost certain that this new Harrison Wells will join Team Flash, fitting into the slot that was never quite filled by Thawne's original departure. He'll have some distinguishing traits from all the other incarnations of the character, and fulfill his own arc throughout the season. But there will be some reason for him to leave or die, and he'll end up having chewed up screen-time that could have been given to other characters. The cast of the show already feels cramped, and there's no need to have a Wells just for the sake of having a Wells -- even if Cavanagh's performance is as charming as ever.

Airing Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW, The Flash stars Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Jesse L. Martin, Danielle Panabaker, Carlos Valdes and Tom Cavanagh.

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About The Author

Alexander Sowa (175 Articles Published)

Alexander Sowa is a journalist, poet and student. He lives in Toronto, and is currently studying in the journalism program at Ryerson University. Armed with a passion for television and movies, he works as a news/features writer at Comic Book Resources. He enjoys superheroes, slam poetry, and Magic: The Gathering. You can find him on twitter at @alexpaulsowa