Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for the series finale of The Flash.After nine seasons, The CW's The Flash has reached an end, concluding the Arrowverse along with it. But wrapping up such a long-standing show is never easy, especially when the series deals with an ever-changing future. Season 1 set up Barry's (Grant Gustin) disappearance as the ending, yet that event has long since been altered. The various Arrowverse shows reached many different ends, with each hero finding a unique conclusion to their journey. Arrow killed off the lead character, while Supergirl toyed with the hero giving up her secret identity. The Flash takes its own path as well. The series set up a lot for the finale while using glimpses of the future to show that it is never truly the end. Though Central City will always need a hero, Barry and his growing family have earned the rest the conclusion seems to provide.
The final episode, "A New World Part 4," picks up the fight against the Negative Speed Force, which claimed Eddie Thawne (Rick Cosnett) as the avatar. After facing the Negative Speed Force in the past, present, and future, Barry and Team Flash are well aware of its power but have found a way to fight it. However, they face the added complications of a collapsing timeline and a fully committed avatar. With the threat amping up, Team Flash must pull together to end it for good before their timeline is wiped away. But in true The Flash fashion, they reject the easiest and most violent solution, providing a happy ending even before the characters move forward in their individual journeys.
'The Flash's Fight Against the Negative Speed Force
The Flash has always had a strong focus on the Speed Force, as it is the source of Barry's power. The seemingly omniscient being holds the timeline together to create the world the characters live in. Meanwhile, the Negative Speed Force tries to damage that. The fundamental forces of the universe need balance, forcing them into constant conflict with their negative counterparts. Barry and his friends often get involved in these conflicts for all the Forces, but as the chosen representation of the Speed Force, this one is unavoidable for Barry. Feeding on Eddie's anger towards Barry, the Negative Speed Force makes a play to defeat the Speed Force once and for all. Eddie becomes Cobalt Blue, getting his own speed powers just before he calls all the speedsters who Barry has faced, including Reverse Flash (Tom Cavanagh), Zoom (Teddy Sears), Savatar (Tobin Bell), and Godspeed (Karan Oberoi). Team Flash takes on the group of speedsters, with Cecile (Danielle Nicolet), Khione (Danielle Panabaker), Mark (Jon Cor), Allegra (Kayla Compton), and Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy) fighting beside Barry. Even Jay Garrick (John Wesley Shipp) comes along to save Barry.
As they fight, Cobalt Blue realizes he's outmatched and steals the speed from the other villains. The heroes understand that Eddie overloading himself with the Negative Speed Force will kill him, and Jay is happy to let it happen. But Barry insists that Eddie is still the hero who sacrificed himself and is determined to save him this time. Khione explains the balance of nature, inspiring Barry to make a deal with Eddie. As the Negative Speed Force avatar, he has control over it once Barry appeals to his better nature. They agree to work together, striking a tentative balance that saves the timeline. Eddie and Barry don't part ways as friends exactly, but their alliance is enough.
Where is Team Flash Now?
In their conclusion, several characters reach major milestones. The episode includes the birth of Nora West-Allen, Barry and Iris' (Candice Patton) first child. But as the Team celebrates at the end of the episode, it's clear that nothing has really changed since future Nora is there holding her baby self, and, as always, the family plays fast and loose with the timeline. But there is more to celebrate, as Iris wins a Pulitzer for the article she wrote earlier in the season. This happy moment in the West-Allen family is a perfect spot to leave them, providing a sense of finality as they move into a new chapter. Yet they are not the only ones with something to celebrate. Years after their daughter's birth, Joe (Jesse L. Martin) finally proposes to Cecile, giving them a happy ending as well. Though it's unclear if they will continue living separately, both Cecile and Joe have expressed their commitment to making their family situation work.
Yet there are many other characters who say goodbye. After a near-death experience, Chester (Brandon McKnight) discovers an abnormality in his DNA, lingering from one of Team Flash's previous fights. This suggests he will develop his own black hole-based meta abilities. He and Allegra are still happy in their relationship as the series draws to a close, and Allegra has embraced her role as a hero. The newest member of Team Flash, Khione, gets her own moment as she says goodbye to her friends before leaving to protect the balance of nature throughout the universe. She claims to no longer need a mortal body, and when she goes, the body-snatched Caitlyn Snow reappears, reuniting with her friends who believed her dead. The return of this beloved character is bittersweet, as she receives no screen time, but at least she gets to live.
The New Speedsters in 'The Flash'
In the series' final moments, Barry recounts his story to the baby Nora, giving a small recap of what makes him who he is. Yet it reveals the surprising ending as Barry chooses to create new speedster heroes, referencing the comic characters Avery Ho (Piper Curda), Max Mercury (Trevor Carroll), and Jess Chambers (Hana Huggins). Barry releases lightning into the universe, giving the heroes powers like he got in Season 1. This full circle moment provides a best-of-both-worlds ending, where Barry can still protect the city, but sharing his legacy should allow him to take a step back to be with his family.
The Flash finale concludes the series by giving all the characters a well-earned happy ending but allows the story to continue, if only in the minds of the fans. Season 9 did a lot to wrap up the Arrowverse before the finale, providing many cameos, including one last appearance of Stephen Amell's Oliver Queen. So, although it is the last installment of the Arrowverse, the final episode focuses on just The Flash, which is for the best. After a decade of stories in the world, this may not feel like a definite ending, yet it provides a satisfying conclusion for the characters of the show, which was its most important job.