If you're a fan of The Flash TV series, April 25, 2024 is a date which should be instantly familiar to you.
After first playing Barry Allen in Arrow, Grant Gustin raced into his own series on October 7, 2014, with that run coming to an end last May after 9 seasons.
During the series premiere's closing moments, it was revealed that S.T.A.R. Labs' Harrison Wells didn't really need a wheelchair and that, in a secret room, he had technology which offered him a glimpse into the future.
It was there we saw a newspaper headline which read, "FLASH MISSING VANISHES IN CRISIS."
If you weren't watching The Flash at the time, it's difficult to explain just how huge a moment this was for fans back in 2014. Not only did it set the stage for an adaptation of Crisis on Infinite Earths, but it strongly hinted that The CW had long-term plans for the show.
While The Flash didn't make it to 2024, that headline was addressed. Various time-travel shenanigans changed that headline and it was in 2019 when the Scarlet Speedster eventually vanished; however, there was a twist.
As time passed, the headline changed to reveal The Flash would vanish on December 10, 2019, the same day an episode of the four-part Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover aired. However, it was actually the Earth-90 version of the Fastest Man Alive, played by John Wesley Shipp, who sacrificed himself. With that, the prophecy was fulfilled, and Barry lived to fight another day.
Of course, one could argue that The Flash's cancellation and the fact this series is no longer airing means he really did vanish.
The CW has moved away from scripted television in recent years, leading to both Batwoman and Legends of Tomorrow being scrapped. The Flash was allowed to end its story, and when Superman & Lois's fourth season airs later this year, the Arrowverse will well and truly be dead.
Moving forward, the majority of DC TV shows will be set in the DCU with all of them produced under the watchful eye of DC Studios' James Gunn and Peter Safran.
Gustin has also chimed in to share the following: