The Flash: How does the season finale lead into Crisis On Infinite Earths?

The conclusion to The Flash’s fifth season brought an end to one of Barry Allen’s greatest foes, though it was accompanied by a drastic twist at the end.

Warning! Spoilers for the season five finale of The Flash follow. Read on at your own discretion.

In case you were wondering, Barry and Nora West-Allen were able to save Central City’s metahumans in the season finale of The Flash. They stopped Cicada and Thawne but it came at a major cost: Nora. By destroying Cicada’s dagger, Team Flash created a new timeline—one that doesn’t have Nora West Allen in it. She fades away just like Thawne did in season one and the West-Allens are left to grieve over the daughter they’ll never have—a tragic loss none of us saw coming.

Sadly, that’s not the only departure Team Flash sees in the finale. Cisco Ramon also winds up taking the metahuman cure, putting a permanent end to his career as Vibe. He parts ways shortly after Sherloque bids adieu to his former comrades too.

By the episode’s end, Team Flash is basically scattered. Everyone is handling the loss of Nora in their own way and it’s clearly difficult for Iris West-Allen to even comprehend. She breaks down in tears once the team leaves Star Labs, realizing Nora is gone forever. Even if Barry and Iris were to have another child right away, the odds that it would become Nora are astronomical, giving reason to why she was completely devastated.

While all this tragedy and grief is going on, an even sinister plot boiling beneath the surface begins to emerge. It isn’t revealed until the finale’s last moments but a glimpse at the newspaper clipping which describes Barry Allen’s disappearance gets interrupted by a time flux. This causes the newspaper’s date to wind back from 2024 to 2019—the same year that Oliver Queen is taken by the Monitor to participate in the Crisis On Infinite Earths event.

Without needing to speculate on what this tease means, it’s fairly obvious that Barry Allen will be recruited by The Monitor to stand alongside Oliver Queen during the Crisis. Of course, the message streamed from Barry during the disastrous event all but confirms that he’ll be yet another casualty in the war, just like Oliver.

On the other hand, the Monitor’s prediction of Oliver and Barry dying during the event could be completely wrong. Last night’s finale of Arrow concluded with an older Felicity Smoak joining the Monitor on an unknown adventure—possibly to the Crisis On Infinite Earths. She told William and Mia that it was a long-awaited journey but didn’t elaborate on the actual mission. Though, heading off with the Monitor could be a sign that she intends to change the Crisis’ outcome.

Additionally, other pivotal characters from the Arrowverse could unite to stop legends like the Green Arrow and the Flash from meeting untimely demises. If Felicity can convince the Monitor to allow her to join the fight, there’s a good chance that other heroes will be recruited as well, probably to change the dark future looming over them.

What are your expectations for the Crisis On Infinite Earths event? Let us know in the comments section below.

The Flash airs on The CW.