The Flash: Eric Wallace Teases Iris’ Story In Season 9 (Exclusive)

The Flash returned for Season 9 on Wednesday night and while the episode saw Team Flash dealing with a very unique challenge as Barry and Iris found themselves stuck in a time loop, the episode also had some important impact for Iris West-Allen as well, personally. Ultimately, it was Iris who was the key to dealing with the time loop in “Wednesday Ever After” and the episode also set up her general trajector for the rest of the final season as well. Speaking with ComicBook.com, showrunner Eric Wallace teased what’s next for Iris and what she’ll be dealing with in the final season.

Warning: Spoilers for the Season 9 premiere of The Flash, “Wednesday Ever After”, beyond this point.

“It’s on purpose that Iris is quite frankly the smarter person in the season premiere. She is the font of wisdom. But because Barry learns that lesson, it doesn’t mean that Iris doesn’t have her own future demons. Now, notice I use the word future demons, not past demons,” Wallace said. “Barry, in season nine, has past demons to deal with. What Iris is going to be dealing with are future demons, not literally, obviously, metaphorically, coming for her, because she knows, ‘Oh wow, I’m going to win two Pulitzers. I’m about to get an extra 100 employees all of a sudden.’ This is a big deal, and sometimes, I would almost call it getting what you want can sometimes be the scariest thing that can happen to you. And I think it’s a very common thing that people go through in their lives as you navigate the waters of growing up, getting to the next markers in your lives, like, okay, marriage, children, getting that huge promotion you’ve worked for for 10 years, whatever it is.”

He continued, “Sometimes getting those things can be as hard as working towards them, and that’s, I think, a professional woman’s career journey. I think that’s something that they go through that we can use Iris as a character to reflect and say, ‘It’s going to be okay. You all got this.’ Right? And men, catch up with it, all right? It’s not all about just being the ego person in the room who knows everything. It’s okay to have a little self-exploration and question yourself and grow a little bit. It’s almost, I call it feminine wisdom, and that’s something that a character like Iris has in spades, and thank goodness, because she’s going to save everybody’s behind with it a couple of times this season.”

The Flash airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.