The final season of The Flash is upon us, and a lot is riding on it. Not only is it the last season of one of The CW's most popular shows, but it is also the final season of the Arrowverse as a whole. With that in mind, here are a few things that we hope to see in the last season of The Flash, as well as some fan theories.

First and foremost, we hope to see the return of Barry Allen (Grant Gustin). After being absent for most of the previous season, it is essential that he returns for the final season in a big way. Additionally, we hope to see the return of some other major characters, such as Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), Kara Danvers (Melissa Benoist), and Cisco Ramon (Carlos Valdes).

Fan Theories Speculating About the End of The Flash

The Flash Featurette Explores the S.T.A.R. Labs Team
The CW

The fans have some amazingly great ideas in which to end the series and bring about potential new storylines for more in the Arrowverse. Reddit user u/UntilTmrw posted an intricate synopsis of what they would like to see, including a return of Bloodwork (Sendhil Ramamurthy) for four to six episodes. Lastly, Barry would travel to the future to:

"Stop a threat and we witness the Eobard origin we heard in 'Armageddon Part 5' where Barry saved a crowd Eobard was supposed to…but we don’t even know Eobard was there we just think 'Oh, Barry saved the day.'”

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In other subreddits, u/Hermit_News would like to see other villains take center stage over the last few episodes. They feel that Reverse Flash has become a weak and boring villain, opting for either Zoom, Cobalt Blue, or even Red Death to make it back to their timeline to wreak havoc.

The Flash and The Dark Knight(s)

Ben Affleck as Batman in Justice League
Warner Bros.

In The Flash, different versions of Barry Allen exist within the multiverse. Each universe has its own unique characteristics and history. The existence of the multiverse was first hinted at in the season one episode "Out of Time" when Cisco Ramon mentioned the possibility of alternate Earths to Barry Allen. The concept was explored further in the season two episode "Welcome to Earth-2," when Barry traveled to an alternate universe for the first time.

With the release of the Season 9 trailer, we get glimpses of other DC heroes -- specifically Batman. At the time of this writing, sources have not one but two different actors listed as Batman in The Flash. Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck are both credited for the same role in the post-production of season 9. This gives viewers quite a lot to speculate on. Screen Rant confirms this speculation but gives no further details about the story. As fans will have two Batmans in the final season, will they venture to Central City, or will The Flash join them in Gotham?

The Returning Cast for Season 9

The Flash and Batman
Warner Bros. Pictures

Let's state right away that Grant Gustin is scheduled to resume his role as Barry Allen, which is excellent since The Flash wouldn't be the massive hit it is without its star. Unsurprisingly, Gustin was the first to sign up for season 9. His return was announced in March 2022, just before the program was renewed. Prior to The CW deciding on a 13-episode final season, the actor reportedly set a cap on his involvement at 15 episodes.

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Speaking of leads, Iris West-Allen will once again be played by leading woman Candice Patton. There were initial worries that she wouldn't return because the actress had said she didn't know what Iris' future contained. However, TVLine confirmed her return, much to the pleasure of the devoted star's fans, around the time the season 8 finale aired.

Existing cast members Danielle Panabaker, Danielle Nicolet, Kayla Compton, and Brandon McKnight are also expected to return, even if there haven't been any rumors confirming the return of other cast members just yet. All three of the aforementioned characters had happy season 8 endings, and Caitlin Snow's attempt to bring back Frost appears to have ensured that Danielle Panabaker will once more be performing two roles in season 9.

Another thing we hope to see in the final season is a resolution to the tensions between Team Flash and Team Arrow. After years of being allies, the two teams have been at odds with each other for the past few seasons. It would be great to see them put their differences aside and come together to take on the common enemy one last time.

Lastly, we hope to see a satisfying conclusion to the Arrowverse as a whole. After nearly a decade of stories, it would be nice if all the loose ends were tied up in a neat little bow. Of course, with the Arrowverse being as complex as it is, that may be easier said than done. But we have faith.

These are just a few of the things we hope to see in the final season of The Flash.