The Flash Chose The Wrong Story To Test Its Post-Crisis Formula - Screen Rant

The Flash season 7 chose the wrong story to test its post-Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover formula. In season 6, and for the first time in the Arrowverse show’s history, The Flash had two different villains. This formula split the season into two distinct storylines, with Bloodwork and the focus on Barry’s impending death working as a lead-up to Crisis on Infinite Earths and the mystery of Black Hole being set up to be explored in the second half.

To say that season 7 has been far less thrilling than The Flash season 6 would be an understatement. The current season had less episodes to tell its story and spent the first three wrapping up the Mirrorverse storyline due to pandemic shutdowns last year. While the ending of that arc set up the Forces storyline — which saw Barry and Iris birth a new Speed Force, one that included four different cosmic entities — the lack of a concrete villain has made season 7 feel a lot more directionless as a result. Speed Force Nora and the Force conduits — Alexa (Strength Force), Bashir (Sage Force), and Deon (Still Force) — were not really villains in the traditional sense and the arrival of Godspeed in season 7’s episode 15 made it clear what The Flash had really been missing all along.

Continue scrolling to keep reading Click the button below to start this article in quick view.

The season would have had a much stronger arc if the speedster (or another, similar villain) had arrived much earlier in the story. The Flash has always centered its overarching themes and plots around whichever new villain was being introduced to the show. Reverse-Flash, Zoom, The Thinker, and Bloodwork have been just a few antagonists that have tangled with The Flash and his team. Each of these characters had their own vendetta, for better or worse, but their scheming kept the series moving forward, with the end of each respective season culminating in a final showdown between them and The Flash as their villainous plots came to a head.

Such is not the case in The Flash season 7. The Forces storyline wasn’t as engaging or as thrilling as the lead-up to Crisis on Infinite Earths was. It also lacked high stakes or a sense of urgency, which made it more lackluster than other storylines have been. And without a primary villain or two set up for the season, The Flash has been more than a little lost and struggling to maintain its balance in an otherwise intriguing plot that simply didn’t deliver in the way it was perhaps intended.

Now that Godspeed is coming to the forefront as The Flash season 7’s primary villain, the series could have shortened the Forces storyline to focus on the abundance of Godspeed clones and the mystery surrounding them. It would have likely driven season 7 in a much clearer direction. While every aspect of the Forces storyline wasn’t entirely irredeemable, it perhaps wasn’t the right story to tell in the aftermath of Crisis on Infinite Earths and the Mirrorverse arc. In The Flash season 8, the series might want to return to more traditional villains or else raise the stakes with whoever comes next.

Next: The Flash: Why Iris West's Season 7 Absence Is A Huge Arrowverse Problem

William Fichtner as Agent Mahone on Prison Break

Peacock's Joe Exotic Show Replaces Dennis Quaid With William Fichter

Related Topics

About The Author

Mae Abdulbaki (486 Articles Published)

Mae Abdulbaki is a movie reviews editor with Screen Rant. She previously wrote about a variety of movies and TV shows for Inverse, CinemaBlend, Pajiba, and The Young Folks, where she wrote reviews, features, news pieces. Her other work can be found at The Mary Sue, Film School Rejects, UPROXX, Heroic Hollywood, Looper, The List, and Bam Smack Pow, among others. Mae has also appeared on television segments, podcasts, and panels to discuss all things entertainment.

Search

The Flash Chose The Wrong Story To Test Its Post-Crisis Formula - Screen Rant

0 Response to "The Flash Chose The Wrong Story To Test Its Post-Crisis Formula - Screen Rant"

Post a Comment