Credit: The CW / DCGrant Gustin was once Barry Allen in the Arrowverse, and his stint on The Flash series is the best portrayal that DC has ever been involved with. Fans hoped Gustin would appear in the DC film of the same name alongside Ezra Miller, though that never happened. Though he will never return, Gustin paid tribute to the Arrowverse in the most hilarious way possible.
Related: Grant Gustin Says Goodbye to ‘The Flash’ in Incredibly Emotional Video
Though Gustin never appeared in The Flash film, he and Ezra Miller have crossed paths before in the Arrowverse. The DC-based CW shows consisted of Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Batwoman, and Legends of Tomorrow. All these shows intertwined during a massive event called Crisis on Infinite Earths. Much like the DC comic of the same name, all these heroes and shows collided to stop the Anti-Monitor from destroying all realities.
During this big crossover event, it served as the final moment for Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) of Arrow, as he died heroically to save the world. Amell and Arrow were set to wrap up on The CW, and his death in the Crisis on Infinite Earths story was meant to serve as his final time in the Arrowverse.
During the end of Crisis on Infinite Earths, the heroes hold a memorial for Oliver Queen. Though the episode is quite sad, it would lead to the creation of one of the most iconic memes made in the last few years. Grant Gustin kneeled next to the tombstone of Oliver Queen in a behind-the-scenes shot, altering that image thousands of times. Gustin recreated it using a fan’s hilarious cosplay at an event.
Grant Gustin Recreates Tombstone Meme with Fan
In 2020, Arrowverse actor Echo Kellum took an image of Grant Gustin sitting next to the tombstone of Oliver Queen. Though the image was meant for a laugh between the cast and crew of the series, it would lead to one of the most used memes in internet history in the last few years. Thousands of edits would replace the Oliver Queen text with text relating to sports, pop culture, gaming, and so many others.
Grant Gustin appeared at the FanX Salt Lake Pop Culture & Comic Convention 2023 event to sign autographs, engage in photo ops, and meet fans worldwide. While meeting one of his fans, Gustin would engage in arguably the funniest fan cosplay and celebrity moment ever. Instagram user garylizaso shared a pic of his meeting with Gustin. According to the post:
@grantgust wins again! Thank you so much for the opportunity.
#grantgustin#grantgustinmeme#grantgustinmemes#oliverqueen#theflash#theflashwb#fanx
View this post on Instagram
The corresponding image is of Gary Lizaso taking a pic with Grant Gustin while sporting a cosplay of his head in the tombstone of Oliver Queen. In truly hilarious fashion, Gustin posed in the same manner he did for the meme, with a giant smile plastered across his face.
Everyone in the image is all smiles, but we imagine Gustin’s super toothy grin was him trying to hold back his laughter. In terms of hilarious cosplay moments, this has to be one of the best. We also love that Gustin can laugh at himself and engage with fans in such a way that brings fans together.
Comments on Gary’s post are full of praise, with one person stating, “This is the best thing ever,” and another saying, “You won the internet, full stop.”
Related: The CW Renews Final DC Series, but at a Steep Cost
Though we may never see Grant Gustin return to The Flash, at least we have people dedicated to the excellent CW shows willing to track down stars and provide such fun-hearted moments like this. Thanks for the laugh, Gary.
What do you think of Grant Gustin returning to his iconic Arrowverse meme? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!