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Credit: The CW / DCNo one can say Grant Gustin did not pay his dues when portraying Barry Allen/The Flash. After portraying the speedster on The CW for the past ten years, the man has become somewhat of a household name. During his time, Gustin became a fan-favorite, with many hoping that he would have a hand in The Flash movie for Warner Bros. Sadly, that does not seem to be the case, and Gustin has said goodbye to the character in a highly emotional video.
Related: ‘Flash’ Actor Confirms Fans’ Worst Fears About Upcoming Film
Though Gustin is seen as the superior actor in portraying Barry Allen over Ezra Miller, the actor is officially done with the role, as is The CW with the Arrowverse. Though Arrow began the DC-based TV universe, it wasn’t until The Flash appeared in 2013 that it truly began to create this comic book world.
The Arrowverse became its own monster, producing five additional shows, two web series, and nine official mega-crossover events that created a television universe that not even Marvel has rivaled yet. However, The CW was purchased by Nexstar, effectively sealing its fate with scripted shows involving DC material. Little by little, the dominos began to fall on the shows, including Arrow, Supergirl, Superman & Lois, Stargirl, and many more.
The Flash was the only remaining show that truly mattered on the network, and now it has ended. Grant Gustin has stepped away from the role and has taken the Arrowverse with him. The actor spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the show’s meaning, stealing the ring from the show as his keepsake and generally making us weep with his goodbye video.
Grant Gustin Pays Farewell to Barry Allen
Deciding to steal the ring was easy. Deciding when to end #TheFlash? Not so much. When Grant Gustin ended @CW_TheFlash after nine seasons, he unintentionally ended the #Arrowverse with it. Gustin unpacks his decision: https://t.co/Gx5tvZfyXY Story by @SydneyBucksbaum pic.twitter.com/7o8XKXaPBH
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) May 18, 2023
It’s not enough that the sad music accompanying the video is enough to make most people shed a few tears; it’s that Grant Gustin is digging through the keepsakes of the show’s character while packing them all into a single box. He looks at the items longingly before packing them all away one final time, before smiling to the camera, and what we imagine is his acknowledgment of how important this role has been to him. The final moment of the video is the actor lifting the super suit to reveal a message that states, “Gone in a Flash.”
In an in-depth interview with Entertainment Weekly, Gustin also elaborated on his feelings and revealed what items he took to commemorate his time on the hit series. According to Gustin:
“I knew I was going to keep one thing, but I didn’t know that it was going to be the ring. Right as we were finishing, I was like, ‘This is going to stay in my pocket.’ Now it’s in a drawer at home with all of my important jewelry. I put it on, actually, the other day.”
Again, Grant Gustin was vastly important to the Arrowverse, as his inclusion allowed the universe to happen. Fans have been clamoring for him to appear in the upcoming DCU film, The Flash, though the actor has stated he is not involved. However, there have been strong rumors that a “dream cameo” from the Arrowverse will find its way into the film.
Related: Production Designer on ‘The Flash’ Says Crimes Against Ezra Miller Will be “Forgiven”
Either way, Gustin has given his all to the role, and fans have loved him for it. We wish him the best in his future career and hope that his lack of involvement in the upcoming DCU movie is a trick and he will be replacing Ezra Miller as the Barry Allen of the future.
Are you sad to see Grant Gustin say goodbye to The Flash? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!