Excluding the world of animation, many variations of Barry Allen have sprinted across the big screen, but only one has run a good marathon. The titular comic character made his live-action debut in 1979's Legends of the Superheroes TV special. Rod Haase played the Flash as he and other DC heroes faced the Legion of Doom in a powerless battle. Seeing how much the character meant to DC's audience, studio producers began imagining more live adaptations of The Flash. This led to the 1990s The Flash, which saw John Wesley Shipp wear the red suit for a single season. Despite giving the role his best shot, it wasn't until 2016, when Ezra Miller was cast in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, that Barry Allen solidified his role in the DC live-action universe. However, none of the character adaptations in these movies hold up to Grant Gustin's Barry Allen in The CW's Arrowverse, specifically in the 2014 series The Flash.
It is worth highlighting and appreciating Gustin's commitment to Barry Allen. His immaculate yet humane portrayal of the comic character in The Flash has epitomized Barry as an endearing superhero many will miss when the series finale airs. Since his 2014 pilot debut, on and off-screen, Gustin has perfectly embodied the strengths and flaws of the forensic scientist across The Flash's successful nine seasons. At the same time, he has brought life to the comic character like no actor could achieve. Here is why.
He Had the Best Character Arc
One strength of CW's The Flash is Barry Allen's storylines. It involved other notable comic heroes and villains. However, what took the central position of the hero's identity was his mother, whose mysterious death was the inciting incident for Barry's entire arc. In the pursuit of his mother's killer, we witnessed Gustin's Flash transform from a nerdy forensic scientist, too timid to confess his feelings to his childhood crush, to becoming a team leader at Star Labs and Central City's beloved hero, detaining metahumans criminals and occasionally saving the world in multiverse crises.
His storyline was a thrilling ride full of ups and downs — victories, defeats, and many pep talks — that served as real-life advice to the audience. At every phase of his character arc, his humility to admit his flaws, courage to confront his deepest fears, faith in the goodwill of strangers, belief that criminals deserve a second chance at life, strength to overcome the loss of both parents, humor as he learned to become a dad to his future children, and persistence to master his abilities fully, has made Gustin's Barry Allen one of the best-developed characters in the Arrowverse.
He Faced Tougher Villains
Gustin's Barry Allen has come to face some of the toughest metahumans and villains more than any of his live-action counterparts. In addition to the daily roaster of metahumans that Barry and Team Flash beat, he was victorious against more prominent villains in the DC universe. None of these victories was a walk in the park. It took a ton of experience and intelligence to win. Over time, Barry realized his biggest strength was not his speed but his intelligence and family at Star Labs.
He is a Great Team Player and Leader
Considering the number of crossovers with Supergirl (Mellisa Benoist), Green Arrow( Stephen Amell), and comic characters in the Arrowverse, the relationships between Gustin's Flash and the supporting cast are incredible as he has strong relationships with his crew and other superheroes, especially Green Arrow and Supergirl. The trio has experienced both the highs and the lows of superhero life. Gustin's charm so naturally seeps into Barry that the speedster brings out the best of other heroes he interacts with in the crossover episodes. In addition to his team spirit, Gustin's on-screen leadership plays a huge role as he mentors the younger heroes living in his universe, accurately nailing a vital trait of Barry Allen from the comic books.
Grant Gustin Was Born for the Role
Gustin and Barry were a match made in heaven. Some actors are born for certain roles, and the former Glee star's role as Barry Allen over the last 10 years proves so much that the two names have become inseparable in the DC franchise and television in general. Let's not even talk about "The Run" stance.
Barry Allen's running stance is one of the most significant characteristics that define him as The Flash. It is what brings him to life. Gustin's Flash gives off the ideal impression of being much faster than everything else we are observing. Some fans believe Miller seems more like Wally West than the Flash. But Gustin's interpretation is the ideal Barry Allen. He not only fits into the brand, but he also defines it.
As Gustin hangs the racing boots of his iconic character in a heartfelt Instagram video, Miller, in their upcoming feature-length film, or any actor hoping to play Barry Allen in the future, has a lot to live up to.