The Flash Season 4 started out with a huge upgrade for Wally West. Earth One’s second most iconic speedster had to very suddenly go from the supporting legacy character of Kid Flash to the leader of the team. The “Team Kid Flash” jokes from both Wally and Cisco were some of my favorites, and I’m still hoping that one of them sports a team t-shirt at some point. Tonight in “Luck Be a Lady,” there was a pretty conspicuous absence of the second good guy speedster to grace this Earth.
Another second incarnation of a character kicks off what could be the beginning of the end for Wally—Harry Wells. We’ve probably seen more versions of this character than anybody else on The Flash, and it’s interesting to be returning to a familiar face so early in Season 4, rather than introducing us to yet another version of the character. There’s still a lot of room for more Wellses to appear, but, personally, I was thrilled to have Harry back.
Unfortunately for Wally, Harry is something of the bearer of bad news where he is concerned. During last week’s episode, we got some great development on the West/Allen front, and in this week’s episode, we are witnessing what might be the death knell of Quick/West.
You might remember from the #DCTV Couch Club last season that I wrote extensively about my love for Quick/West and my hope for their future together as individual characters and as a couple.
Along with Wally’s, “Luck Be a Lady” broke my heart as well.
Kid Flash’s Season 4 trajectory seems to be headed downhill from the minute Harry hands him a break up cube. The idea of the break up cube is pretty inventive. Every time The Flash is able to introduce traditions and folklore from the other Earths into our main continuity so casually and with such conviction from the actors it’s a fun reminder that the DC Multiverse is unlike anything else that’s on television right now. Sadly, the break up cube is anything but humorous and features a recording of Jesse explaining to Wally that she’s taken a lot of time in self-reflection of both herself and her role as Jesse Quick and isn’t sure that remaining a couple is the best thing for her at this time.
I must admit that this is a wildly mature delivery and point of view from Jesse considering the age of the character, even if it makes me sad in my Quick/West shipping heart of hearts.
As you probably suspect, Wally doesn’t quite see it that way and it’s hard to fault him. Barry and Iris are hurtling toward their nuptials, Joe and Cecile have just moved in together and even Cisco and Gypsy seem to be making it work between their respective homes on Earth One and Earth Nineteen. The latter are literally succeeding at the thing that Wally and Jesse were evidently struggling at.
In an equally mature move—seriously, there are some other couples in #DCTV Universe that could take notes from Jesse and Wally’s behavior—Wally elects to hop over to Earth Two and talk to the woman that he feels this deep connection with. What I find to be a real bummer about this decision is that it tables Wally for the majority of the episode. I think it would have been super funny (pun completely intended!), to see Kid Flash trying to take on Hazard!
As someone who discovered the Flash in the 1990s through the Justice League cartoon, Wally will always be the most sacred of speedsters to me. He’s enjoyed tremendous growth over the course of his time on The Flash and has turned into not only a very capable super hero, but a wonderful young man as well. It has been very gratifying to see Wally in live action this way.
SPOILER ALERT: By the end of “Luck Be a Lady,” I’m guessing Kid Flash fans aren’t feeling as lucky as most of the characters are when Wally announces to the S.T.A.R. Labs crew that he’s going to be going to Earth Two to spend some significant time with Jesse in the wake of Barry returning from his tenure in the speed force. I’m, honestly, so sad that Kid Flash is going to be on hiatus for the coming episodes…
…although I remain hopeful that Kid Flash and Jesse Quick will reemerge with an awesome idea to save the day as things get more and more dangerous leading up to the four-way crossover!
If you are equally sad about Wally going away for a bit, let’s talk about it in the comments!
Ashley V. Robinson covers The Flash as a part of the #DCTV Couch Club. You can find her on Twitter at @AshleyVRobinson and on the Jawiin YouTube channel. The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. (7 p.m. CST) on The CW.
