A New World, Part Four
| "A New World, Part Four" | |
|---|---|
| The Flash episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 9 Episode 13 |
| Directed by | Vanessa Parise |
| Written by |
|
| Original air date | May 23, 2023 |
| Guest appearance(s) | |
| |
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"A New World, Part Four" is the series finale of the American TV series The Flash, based on the DC Comics character Flash, revolving around Central City Police Department forensic chemist Barry Allen who gets speed powers after a freak accident, leading him to become Central City's protector. It is set in the Arrowverse, sharing continuity with the other television series of the universe. The thirteenth episode of the ninth season and the 184th overall of the series, it was written by showrunners Eric Wallace & Sam Chalsen, and directed by Vanessa Parise.
Grant Gustin stars as Barry, and is joined by the season's principal cast members Candice Patton, Danielle Panabaker, Danielle Nicolet, Kayla Compton, Brandon McKnight and Jon Cor. The episode sees the return of Tom Cavanagh as Eobard Thawne / Reverse-Flash and Harrison Wells, Jesse L. Martin as Joe West, Rick Cosnett as Eddie Thawne / Cobalt Blue and Jessica Parker Kennedy as Nora West-Allen / XS, alongside appearances from other former cast members including Teddy Sears, Karan Oberoi, Andre Tricoteux, John Wesley Shipp, Patrick Sabongui and Carmen Moore.
"A New World, Part Four" aired in the United States on The CW on May 23, 2023.
Plot[edit]
Production[edit]
Development[edit]
On July 2, 2022, The Flash showrunner Eric Wallace revealed that the cast and crew didn't expect for the show to be renewed for a ninth season, so the writers wrote "Negative, Part Two", the season eight finale, as the series finale. Thus, an additional scene in which Team Flash would have all said goodbye to each other to provide closure, but when The CW renewed the show, Wallace and the writers had the final scene cut and replaced by a teaser of Cobalt Blue.[1]
After the ninth season was greenlight, Wallace had expected about the network renewing the show for an additional tenth and last season, but once the decision to wrap-up the show was made by the cast and crew with a 13-episode long season, thanked the network for notifying him with a year in advance and resorted instead to make along with the other writers the best series finale they could for The Flash. Although The Flash became the last ongoing show of the Arrowverse after Superman & Lois was retconned out from the continuity into taking place in another universe, Wallace didn't write A "A New World, Part Four" as an ending for the Arrowverse, hoping it could be continued through other shows.[2]
Writing[edit]
In preparation to write the last episode, Wallace turned to rewatch some of his favorite series finales, like those of Angel, Lost and The Office, opining that he had to approach similar conclusive feelings for The Flash finale, particularly like those from the Lost finale, but finding major inspiration in The Office finale and admitting that while he could wrap-up The Flash in a cliffhanger like in the Angel finale, he knows that such plot device wasn't fitting for The Flash so he wrote the episode in a way not cliffhangers are left, promising a "properly" last episode.[3]
Bringing Eobard Thawne / Reverse-Flash back one last time was always part of the show's plan according to Wallace, who felt that Barry Allen / Flash's story had to end with "one final confrontation" with his archenemy.[4] The episode also brings Hunter Zolomon / Zoom back to fight against Barry Allen one last time, a reunion that Wallace had been hoping to write for several seasons.[5]
Casting[edit]
Main cast members Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Danielle Panabaker, Danielle Nicolet, Kayla Compton, Brandon McKnight and Jon Cor appear as Barry Allen / Flash, Iris West, Caitlin Snow / Killer Frost / Khione, Cecile Horton / Virtue, Allegra Garcia / Accelerant, Chester P. Runk and Mark Blaine / Chillblaine.[6]
Guest cast members include Tom Cavanagh, Jesse L. Martin, Rick Cosnett, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Teddy Sears, Karan Oberoi, Andre Tricoteux, John Wesley Shipp, Patrick Sabongui and Carmen Moore reprising their roles as Eobard Thawne / Reverse-Flash and Harrison Wells, Joe West, Nora West-Allen / XS, Hunter Zolomon / Zoom, August Heart / Godspeed, Savitar, Jay Garrick / Flash and David Singh respectively. Stephanie Iszak co-stars as Daisy Korber.[6][5] Cosnett's return as Cobalt Blue completely "blew away" Gustin,[7] admitting that the writers always built moments to foreshadow such fan-rumored storyline.[2]
Carlos Valdes, who portrayed Cisco Ramon / Vibe in previous seasons, considered to return as Cisco in the series finale so he could "round up" his run in the show since his first appearance in the season one premiere "Pilot", having left the show since seventh season due to some creative opportunities and mental health issues he had been struggling with, but unworkable scheduling conflicts with his starring role as Miguel in the Hulu series Up Here prevented him from reprising the role. Ahead of the episode's release, Valdes felt "heartbroken" at his failure to work out his reprisal as Cisco. Nonetheless, Valdes expressed his hopes that Cisco is happy now with Kamilla Hwang, feeling that his character deserves some happiness.[8]
Filming[edit]
Preparation for the episode had begun by February 26, taking place in the same location of downtown Vancouver, Canada where the fight scene between the Flash, Reverse-Flash and Godspeed took place in the seventh season finale "Heart of the Matter, Part 2". Reports confirmed the return of several castmembers, though noting that stunt doubles filled-in to portray Godspeed and Savitar, while Gustin was replaced for some scenes by Cody Laudan due to not working a whole night of shooting.[6] Gustin contracted COVID-19 during filming six days before wrapping up the episode, so he had to be quarantined for ten days before returning to the set, resulting the production shutting down one day before Gustin returned.[9] According to Panabaker, scenes were shot without Gustin to later add him through greenscreen and one extra day of filming was ordered to enable him to return to the set. Gustin's wife and daughter visited him during the last day of filming, allowing Gustin to ask them to take a photo of himself hanging the suit for a last time.[2]
Reception[edit]
Ratings[edit]
Critical response[edit]
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ Mitovich, Matt Webb (July 2, 2022). "How Exactly The Flash's Series Finale Was Changed to Be a Season Finale". TVLine. Archived from the original on September 5, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2023. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Bucksbaum, Sydney (May 18, 2023). "How Grant Gustin runs The Flash — and the Arrowverse — across the finish line". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
- ↑ Bucksbaum, Sydney (May 19, 2023). "The Flash showrunner says series finale is similar to The Office, Lost, and Angel finales". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
- ↑ Bucksbaum, Sydnei (May 8, 2023). "The Flash showrunner reveals how Tom Cavanagh returns in series finale: 'Always part of the plan'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 8, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2023. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 5.0 5.1 Webb Mitovich, Matt (February 16, 2023). "The Flash Brings Back Teddy Sears as Zoom, John Wesley Shipp as Jay Garrick". TVLine. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "THE FLASH - episode 9x13 set photos - MAJOR SPOILERS - 11 characters on set - season & series finale". Canadagraphs. February 2, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
- ↑ Webb Mitovich, Matt (May 31, 2023). "Grant Gustin Opens Up About The Flash Ending and What Exactly in the Series Finale Made Him 'Emotional' (VIDEO)". TVLine. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
- ↑ Bucksbaum, Sydney (May 18, 2023). "Carlos Valdes not returning for The Flash series finale: 'It was really heartbreaking'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
- ↑ Bucksbaum, Sydney (May 18, 2023). "Grant Gustin reveals he got COVID in last days of filming The Flash series finale". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
External links[edit]
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- 2023 American television episodes
- American television series finales
- The Flash (2014 TV series) episodes
- Fiction set in 2023
- Time travel in fiction
- Television shows about time travel
- Television episodes about families
- Television episodes about friendship
- Television episodes about resurrection
- Television episodes about revenge
- Television episodes about time travel
- Television episodes written by Marc Guggenheim
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