‘The Flash’ Season 9: Release Date, Villains, Cast, and More

Another season of The Flash has come and gone in the blink of an eye, but what does that mean for the future of the show and our heroes?

Possible spoilers for The Flash season 8 and Superman and Lois ahead!

The Cast of ‘The Flash’

Unfortunately, many familiar faces have been lost along the way, with the only returning cast members confirmed being Grant Gustin (Barry Allen/The Flash), Danielle Panabaker (Caitlin Snow/Killer Frost), and Candice Patton (Iris West-Allen). Jesse L. Martin (Capt. Joe West) has stated he is leaving the main cast but will be returning for the occasional one-off. Other actors/characters who will be guest starring include Sendhil Ramamurthy as Dr. Ramsey Rosso/Bloodwork, Richard Harmon as Owen Mercer/Captain Boomerang, and Javicia Leslie as Ryan Wilder/Batwoman and Red Death.

John Diggle’s story is also reportedly done on the show, though the character (or a variant of Diggle, rather) has appeared on Superman and Lois.

New and Returning Villains

That’s not to say there won’t be some returning characters: CinemaBlend reports that Bloodwork is returning to the show, though whether he’s returning as a main villain or a one-off is unconfirmed. And while Thawne is gone (possibly forever this time), the Reverse Flash will almost certainly pop up again to ruin Barry’s day at the most inconvenient time possible.

Release date

As for when The Flash will return, it is now confirmed that the series will return on February 8, 2023 and will feature 13 episodes.

An especially interesting note: The Flash is now the Arrowverse’s longest running show, having received an early renewal for season 9 (sorry, Oliver, you failed your city). Should we call it the “Flashverse” now?

But honestly, the reveal that Superman and Lois somehow takes place in an alternate world, despite the Crisis on Infinite Earths event supposedly combining the main Arrowverse Earths, doesn’t bode well for the continuation of the Arrowverse as a whole.

This, combined with the fact that Supergirl, Batwoman, Black Lightning, and Legends of Tomorrow have all ended, means that the next karaoke night on The Flash will probably be a swansong for the Arrowverse as a whole.

Is this the final season of The Flash?

We have confirmation that season 9 will be the final season of the show, potentially ending the Arrowverse that has defined the CW for over a decade.

Previously, we weren’t sure when—or if—the show would end. There was speculation that the series might end with Barry’s disappearance, as he supposedly disappears on April 25th, 2024.

(I just hope the final season will be better than the shitshow Ezra Miller’s Flash movie is bound to be.)

(featured image: The CW)