The Flash: Showrunner Eric Wallace Teases More Characters From Previous Seasons Returning

The Flash returned Tuesday night with a blast back to the past as the West-Allen kids, Bart (Jordan Fisher) and Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy) went back to December 31, 2013, in an attempt to fix the timeline and protect the future following returning to their own time and discovering some surprising changes. The episode featured not just an appearance by Rick Cosnett as Eddie Thawne, but John Wesley Shipp as Jay Garrick as well and according to The Flash showrunner Eric Wallace, there are more familiar faces to come in Season 8. Wallace told TV Insider that there are a few other previous cast members returning during the season — including one who hasn’t been around since Season 1.

“There’s one I can hint at because we just filmed with him…in fact, today we’re filming with an old friend we haven’t seen in several years who I’m very excited to have back,” Wallace said. “I’m not gonna say who, but I’m very happy this particular character who hasn’t been with us since Season 1 and we haven’t seen for a while as come back. We’re trying to do a lot more of that here in Season 8. It reminds the audience of what a wonderful cast we not only have now, but also through the years. We’ve had so many incredible talents come through, so let’s revisit some of those folks. So, it’s not just Rick Cosnett, it’s a couple of other people from the past. One of whom I can definitely say will be back towards the end of the season.”

One of the actors returning to The Flash in Season 8 is Robbie Amell. It was reported last fall that the Upload star will be coming back to The Flash for two episodes in Season 8, though details of the return were not revealed. Amell played Ronnie Raymond, one half of the original Firestorm, in the series. His character disappeared the night of the particle accelerator explosion and he was believed dead until it was discovered that the incident had fused him with Dr. Martin Stein (Victor Garber), creating Firestorm. Sadly, Ronnie died saving Central City in the Season 1 finale. It’s not clear if that’s the actor/character Wallace is referring to, but he express the importance of populating The Flash with characters in a way that is authentic to the comic book nature of the series.

“One of the things that I’ve tried to do with the last three seasons of the show, but especially this season, is to create that comic-book ethic, which is: There is a whole world of characters, so why don’t we see them more often popping in, just kinda come through? You don’t have to have a full crossover to meet somebody on your show who’s been part of the same world for a long time,” Wallace said. “So, it’s a very deliberate attempt to kind of use that comic-book method in television because it makes everybody feel like, “Oh this world really is populated with all these other people,” where we can refer to characters on other shows or characters our show from the past. It just makes it feel a little more fully realized.”

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