The Flash is currently in its ninth and final season, but how will Barry Allen's story end? That's something we'll find out in the weeks ahead, but now the Scarlet Speedster has averted an eventual crisis in Central City, we know that fateful newspaper headline is unlikely to become a reality.
The Fastest Man Alive getting a happy ending with Iris West-Allen seems likely, but star Grant Gustin tells TV Line he pitched a very different idea showrunner Eric Wallace was quick to dismiss.
"When I thought about [The Flash] ending, there was a theory out there that Barry would sacrifice himself to keep the Speed Force alive and become the lightning bolt that inevitably struck him [in The Flash's pilot episode] and create this full circle moment, which I thought was really cool."
"I kinda always wanted him to die a hero's death in a way, and [showrunner] Eric [Wallace] was very opposed to the idea, and we really wanted to see a happy ending for Barry and Iris," the actor says. "And ultimately, I think that is, probably, looking back at this [season] and as fans revisit it, probably how they're going to want it to end."
That rules out The Flash making any sort of heroic sacrifice, but we're sure there will still be plenty of surprises in store for us when this series - and the Arrowverse - finally reaches its conclusion.
The Flash has been running on fumes for a while and, after the shock cancellations of TV shows like Legends of Tomorrow and Batwoman, it's officially the last Arrowverse series left standing. We still have Superman & Lois on The CW, but that's set in its own reality and is expected to conclude after season 3 to make way for the new DCU.
Rumours continue to swirl that Gustin will reprise the role for a cameo in The Flash movie but that remains to be seen.
What are your hopes for the TV show's upcoming series finale?