Season 5 of The Flash is changing the status quo in a few different ways — including with the show’s latest big bad.
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In a recent interview with TVLine, executive producer Todd Helbing previewed what fans can expect with David Hersch/Cicada (Chris Klein), the villain who has been sporadically teased since San Diego Comic-Con. Described as “a grizzled, blue-collar everyman whose family has been torn apart by metahhumans, Cicada now seeks to exterminate the epidemic — one metahuman at a time”.
“His endgame isn’t about The Flash.” Helbing explained. “It’s more of a bigger-scale issue.”
But considering Cicada’s M.O., it’s safe to say that his actions will still impact Team Flash — especially with the fact that, as Nora Allen (Jessica Parker Kennedy) reveals in a recent trailer, they were apparently supposed to defeat the villain in one way or another.
“A big part of the story of this season [is about] the metas, where they got their powers from, and it’s tied into everybody’s journey this year,” Helbing added. “Cicada’s powers are different than DeVoe’s [and] any of the speedsters in the way they affect our team.”
Helbing has echoed a same sort of sentiment in previous interviews, teasing that Cicada will pose a unique challenge within the show as a whole.
“It is nice to have a villain that we can change up what Barry’s obstacle and the team’s obstacles are, and how to take somebody down.” Helbing told ComicBook.com after the Season 4 finale. “The Thinker, DeVoe, [was] a lot of fun and we certain see the benefits of doing that. Having a meta that isn’t a speedster and the new ways that we can pose challenges for those guys is fun. So I think for next season, it’s certainly not going to be a speedster.”
Hersch, who was first introduced into the pages of The Flash in 2001, was a Catholic preacher who became consumed by guilt after abusing and murdering his wife. On the brink of committing suicide, Hersch was struck by a bolt of lightning, and was essentially given the power of immortality — as long as he absorbed the life-forces of others.
This led Hersch to become consumed with his powers, ultimately forming a cult and taking on the moniker of Cicada. The cult of Cicada became committed to one goal, which was to use lightning bolt daggers to murder those who were saved by The Flash. The Wally West incarnation of The Flash tussled with Cicada for several issues, as Hersch resurrected his wife before ultimately being captured by the police.
Soon after, Cicada was put onto death row at Iron Heights, where his immortality proved to be a bit of a problem. He then escaped from jail as part of the Flash: Iron Heights miniseries, briefly joined the Secret Society of Super-Villains as part of Infinite Crisis, and was ultimately banished to the villain planet Salvation.
Are you excited to see Cicada make his debut on The Flash? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
The fifth season of The Flash will debut on Tuesday, October 9th, at 8/7c on The CW.
