Grant Gustin did a great job as Barry Allen inThe Flash, but even he acknowledges that there were moments when the show seemed to lose its way. Before theDCUkicked off, The CW’s Arrowverse was arguably the best shared universe DC had. However, there were moments when the show’s began to lose focus, and things became less entertaining.
In saying that, I always felt thatThe Flashwas one of the absolute best shows in the Arrowverse.Grant Gustin was a perfect castingwho brought the hopeful and heroic Barry Allen to life. Always pushing himself to go faster, finding a way to save the people he loves, and working hard to ensure his ordinary life doesn’t fall apart. For the majority of the show’s run, it was a blast, but there wasone scene in particular that felt completely outrageous.
Grant Gustin Has Commented On 1 Scene From The Flash Season 7 He Tried To Get Changed
InThe Flashseason 7, episode 18, “Heart of the Matter Part 2,” Barry comes face to face with one of the most powerful villains he has ever faced, Godspeed. After chasing him around the city, Barry eventually gets some backup from one of the most unlikely allies, Thawne, and the pair get ready to fight Godspeed. However, Godspeed then calls lightning from the sky, which he begins to wield like a lightsaber, and then Flash and Thawne bothdraw their own “lightsabers” with an even more on-the-nose movement.
Evidently, Gustin, the man who already spent nearly a decade playing the hero by this point, felt that this scene was just a little too wacky. While being interviewed on a panel at Comic Con Liverpool,Grant Gustin mentioned that he tried to get the scene changedto a more traditional speedster fight, but the creatives were unwilling to change it. And I have to say,Gustin was completely rightto try and get this scene altered.
The Flash’s “Lightsaber” Scene Does Stand Out As A Strange Choice
The Flash Is Not Star Wars… So Why Have Lightsabers?
The thing is, the scene makes no sense in the context of the show. Godspeed is a speedster,Flash is a speedster, and Thawne is a speedster. These are not Jedi, and lightsabers only exist as toys within the universe of the show. So, when Godspeed finds a way to wield lightning, it feels like an interesting concept, but the visual of it being a literal rod of hard light is ridiculous. Then, Barry and Thawne don’t even need to draw lightning from the sky, as they simply unsheathe lightsabers, accompanied by a sound effect that evokesStar Wars.
Yes, this is a fantasy sci-fi show, and there are plenty of highly advanced technologies included, and multiversal travel, and even a musical episode. However, this episode and scene feels like a lazy way to try to appeal to another fanbase. But itcompletely kills the immersion of the episode, and it doesn’t make sense for these characters to use this weapon instead of their speed and prowess. And if it was dropped from the episode, it would have been a much better end to the story.
I’m Convinced Grant Gustin’s The Flash Scene Change Ideas Could Have Made It Way Better
Grant Gustin Should Have Been Listened To After Years On The Show
Grant Gustin was in a unique positionto have been playing the character for years at this point. He evidently had astrong understanding of Barry Allen, and the way he operated as a hero. However, it appears that his creative input was not necessarily held in as high regard. But, if the show opted to drop the lightsaber fight and include a more traditional speedster fight, it would not have led to this awkward moment.
Sure, by this point in the series, there were already dozens of speedster fights, and creatives were likely trying to find ways to make it feel new and fresh, but the lightsabers were a dud. Perhaps the show could have seen Thawne and Flash use some team-up moves, or find a way to reflect Godspeed’s own powers against him. But in all honesty, just about anything would have been a better choice to include inThe Flashthan the ill-fated lightsaber battle that we got in the end.
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The Flash follows CSI investigator Barry Allen, who wakes from a coma with super speed after a lightning strike. Collaborating with S.T.A.R. Labs, he adopts the identity of The Flash to safeguard his city, marking his journey as the Fastest Man Alive in this superhero tale.
