Spoilers for tonight’s episode of The Flash below!
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Fans of CW’s The Flash have been on pins and needles since this season’s midseason finale, in which Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) accidentally traveled into the future and witnessed the death of Iris West (Candice Patton).
While stopping Iris’ death – at the hands of the season’s Big Bad, Savitar – has consumed Team Flash in the episodes since, they have yet to find a fullproof way of doing so. Seeing as the show could be led down a very dark path if that event were to happen, and there are only a few episodes remaining in the season, time appears to be running out.
But we’ve been speculating about another method to prevent Iris’ death, one that has been right in front of our faces since early in the season. And the key to that method could have to do with H.R. Wells (Tom Cavanagh).
In ‘Shade‘, the sixth episode of this season, H.R. employed face-disguising technology, so he could go out in public without being recognized as Earth One’s evil Wells from the first season. While the technology hasn’t been explored within the show since then, it provides a sort of Chekhov’s Gun that could have a hand in stopping Savitar.
What if someone else on Team Flash were to disguise themselves as Iris on the night of her death, thus essentially cheating Savitar’s prophecy? This would allow Iris’ death scene to still play out directly as the audience has seen several times, without Iris actually having to die.
This theory is echoed by set photos taken a few weeks ago, which showed members of Team Flash gathered to film a somber funeral scene. Present for the occasion was Patton, possibly hinting that Iris isn’t the one in the coffin.
Of course, this theory creates several big questions as well. Which member of Team Flash would be willing to sacrifice themselves for the cause?
The biggest speculation after those initial photos were released was that either H.R. or Caitlin Snow (Danielle Panabaker) would be biting the dust, regardless of whether or not the face-changing tech came into play. Signs point more to it being H.R. than Caitlin, as the several Harrison Wells doppelgangers established throughout the series could replace H.R. in Season 4, without leaving a hole in the show’s cast.
Additionally, Panabaker hinted to us earlier today that her role as Killer Frost could stretch into Season 4.
It’s also worth considering how Team Flash would be able to pull this plan off without Savitar noticing, as the mysterious villain’s real identity proves that he will continue to be one step ahead of the team. He proved that in tonight’s episode, literally knowing what Barry was going to say before he said it.
There’s no indication if this theory could come to fruition, but if The Flash has taught its viewers anything, it’s to believe in the possible.
The Flash airs on Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.
More The Flash news:
- Why Harrison Wells Could Be Savitar on The Flash
- Teddy Sears Interested In Returning to The Flash
- David Dastmalchian Explains How Abra Kadabra Could Return
- The Flash Gets an Easter Egg Right in the Title As Time Runs Out to Save Iris
