The Flash: Season 7 Vs The Comics

Season 7 of The Flash has chosen to take on one of the most iconic stories from the latest run of comics. That is Volume 10 of The Flash rebirth series called The Force Quest.

Barry leaves Central City with Iris West to accompany him on a journey to fully understand the forces that emerged known as the Strength Force, Still Force and Sage force. Comics often handle stories like this in a more complete nature than shows or movies because there aren't limitations. This one is an immediate difference because Barry doesn't even leave Central City to explore these new forces. He seeks out their isotopic signatures in the show and they are all very close by.

That element takes it out of being a Quest for Barry and more of just another situation that calls for the Flash. The thing that made it a quest in the first place was it was a journey to unknown places to discover unknown things. Barry's only known peace in this quest was the comfort of Iris West, the love of his life. In the show he literally has all of his comforts including all his friends and family. The show definitely tries to make it more of an ensemble for effect rather than keeping Barry to this quest and coming up with another story for everyone else while he leaves? Why not use this as literally an excuse to make Wally the Flash who guards central city? Or use Commander Cold like the books do. Oh wait, the answer is simple. The CW only wants to capitalize on the names of the forces and quest but not a realistic portrayal of the events. It's very similar to the way they handle Flashpoint in two episodes.

Also in the comics there are lovers known as Gemini and desperately want to track down the powers of the forces. They track the Flash all over the world killing as they go in order to obtain these powers. The Flash is able to track down the Sage force to a country known for its villains. Literally. A sanctuary built and designed for Villains to unwind and evade capture. It's epic and it sucks that the show just chooses to dismiss that part of the storyline. Instead they are doing a reunion tour for the Flash and some of his old rogues while he takes on the new forces and tries to help them understand their new abilities.

It's an odd time too because the fact that this is so Barry and Iris heavy would have fit better after the departures of series stars Tom Cavanaugh and Carlos Valdes. I know a lot of that changes daily with cast negotiations and contracts. It could have allowed the show to embrace it's Barry and Iris roots without having to force this forced child storyline upon us. Particularly compared with other comic book storylines the show has actually handled the very core of the forces rather well. If you remove the comic book version and look at it purely as its own take on the forces it's not bad. Psych has been the best one as he can sense the deepest fears within your mind and make you live them out. The core of his powers are the same and his look for the show is menacing at the very least.

This is a side by side comparison so I like the potential that the comic book version could have had for the show. It's hard to say what could have been had they taken that route. Imagine a few episodes where Barry and Iris are on their own trying to infiltrate Roulette's notorious casino just to have someone they are attempting to build trust with betray them. The way Psych preaches to them he wants a better life and then brilliantly manipulates them in the comics is much better and it's tighter prose than him always making them live nightmares and Iris being able to fight back mainly because she's part of the Forces creation. The show's incessant need to make Iris a part of Barry and his powers drives me crazy. In the comics she loves him and he is the only person Barry fully trusts. She is a badass journalist with a skill set for investigation. She is tough as nails and often proves she doesn't need heroes to bail her out of a tough situation.

The show Iris just doesn't have that same personality in the show as Iris in the books. When Wally is lost after Heroes in Crisis she asks Barry to kill the person responsible in a fit of rage one and it seems the show doesn't afford the characters long term vulnerability in any way. In the comics we see the emotions overcome her and she falls onto the floor with Barry. In the show she just views herself as the mother of the forces and an equal to Barry because she is his "lightning rod" and they together created these forces. It's a far cry from the comics and while it's not necessarily bad because it deviates it's also not a great writing decision to have to connect them at the hip for literally everything that happens. Barry and Iris can exist without literally being connected by the Speedforce. It's what humanizes their relationship in the comics. That despite being The Flash she doesn't want him to lose his humanity. That part that makes him Barry Allen.

While they seem to be heading towards Impulse and XS likely becoming additions to the team I don't think now is the right time to do that. Carlos Valdes says goodbye in a little under two weeks and it seems like based on set photos they are heading for a showdown with Godspeed. I don't think 5 episodes is enough time to adequately wrap this all up and generate a new concept heading towards the season finale. Doing the story by blocks has hindered the show. Mid season we get a complete contrast in characterization and trajectory for the show. It seems with episodes being written about their exits both Carlos Valdes and Tom Cavanaugh gave the writers chances to properly address their goodbyes. Which baffles me why they would have gone this story route now as it seems to be heading towards a wrap up before Cisco departs.

Everything's very much up in the air about where this series goes between now and the end of the season. This likely doesn't conclude my chatter about The Flash season 7 and I'm sure Impulse and XS will be sure to stir the conversation pot once they make their entrances. For now season 7 feels messy even if it does have a few bright spots.