After nine seasons, The Flash speeds its way into its series finale. Given the super-speed powers of its titular protagonist, it feels almost ironic that the show’s conclusion feels so rushed. Despite featuring a few strong moments, “A New World, Part Four” simply does not have the stakes that the final episode deserves nor does it feel like a satisfying conclusion to the show’s nine-season run for the majority of its run time.
The biggest issue plaguing the show’s finale is that it simply does not feel like an organic stopping point for the show’s narrative. It feels as if the show has passed areas for a satisfying conclusion multiple times over the years. While the show still had occasional moments of greatness over the past few seasons, it is hard not to feel like it has been running on steam for the past couple of seasons.
For most of the show’s audience, what made The Flash special in its early seasons has been gone for years. The central cast has changed so much that the show has had no choice but to focus on new and less fleshed-out side characters. The core cast that the audience grew attached to is almost long gone. With this in mind, it would have been difficult for the series finale to recapture the magic of the earlier seasons without bringing back all of the original cast. The show’s finale never could’ve lived up to the legacy that the show created for itself.
However, this specific episode’s greatest flaw lies in its structure. Over the past few seasons, the show adopted an “arc-based” storytelling plot structure, splitting each season into two storylines. While this was refreshing and effective when first introduced, the final season’s shortened 13-episode run time could not keep up with this structure. As a result of this, the conclusion of the show has been condensed into a four-episode arc, making it difficult to build any sense of real tension. To put it quite simply, this finale does not have not enough time.
This arc-based plot structure left the conflict of the finale feeling rushed. The antagonist Cobalt Blue becomes a villain and gets his redemption in the same episode. It is a storyline with potential that could have benefitted from more build-up because the premise of bringing back Rick Cosnett’s Eddie Thawne but as a villain is intriguing. Watching the character slowly become more like Eobard Thawne but remembering his final words to Iris was an effective way of bringing him back to the light side. It is a serviceable arc that could’ve been even better with more time.
The episode’s premise of pulling villains from across the show’s history is an admittedly fun way of paying tribute to the show’s legacy. For the few scenes we get of the villains interacting, it is quite enjoyable to see some fan-favorite characters interact. My favorite scene of the episode was when the audience finally gets to see Tom Cavanagh’s Eobard Thawne meet Teddy Sears’ Hunter Zolomon. Watching the show’s villains interact was a fun tease of what could’ve been a potentially season-long arc of these villains working together.
The strongest element of this episode, and perhaps the entirety of the show, is Grant Gustin’s performance as Barry Allen. From the first episode nine years ago, Gustin has delivered a consistently great performance as the show’s heroic scarlet speedster. The audience has been able to watch the character grow and change, making his iteration of Barry Allen such a compelling character. Gustin’s passion and dedication to the role have been one of the only constants over the show’s run.
With this being the show’s final episode, Barry’s relationships bring some much-needed emotional impact on the audience. After following Barry Allen for years, it feels great to see him finally find happiness. Seeing the character get to be a father after years of waiting is a moment that t feels truly earned. Candice Patton’s Iris West has been on quite the character journey over the years, but the actress continues to shine in every scene that she shares with Gustin’s Barry Allen.
Speaking of important character relationships, it was nice to see Danielle Panabaker return to play the Caitlin Snow that the audience knows and loves, especially after the bizarre creative choice to spend the season with a completely unknown and alternative version of her character. The void left by her character’s absence this season becomes especially noticeable once she returns.
That being said, a special shout-out needs to be given to the return of another fan-favorite character: John Wesley Shipp as Jay Garrick, who continues to be one of my personal favorite castings in the Arrowverse. Despite not having many scenes together, it was great to see Gustin’s Flash reunite with Shipp’s Garrick one more time.
Despite the episode’s many flaws, the closing monologue truly feels like a satisfying conclusion to Barry’s journey that lives up to the show’s legacy. Gustin’s earnest delivery of the character’s final words coupled with composer Blake Neely’s amazing score helps the show find some form of closure. Despite the rocky conclusion, getting to see the character run across the screen one last time was the perfect shot to end the show.
Overall, the series finale of The Flash struggles with the issues that have plagued the show for years. With the rest of the season split across so many plots, the finale’s character arcs feel unresolved and the stakes do not feel particularly high. The fact that “A New World Part 4” feels like just another season finale is a bittersweet send-off for such a groundbreaking show. Despite not being a strong finale, the show has left an impact on the popularity of the character and the superhero genre that will outlast this singular episode.
The final season of The Flash will be available to stream on Netflix beginning June 1, 2023.
Overall, the series finale of The Flash struggles with the issues that have plagued the show for years.
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GVN Rating 7
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I’m Andrew! I love discussing movies and tv shows. My favorite genres include animation, musicals, and especially Superheroes.