The Flash Season 5: 6 Major Questions We Have For The Second Half
Will we finally get some answers in the back half of Season 5?
The Flash tore up our screens during the latter half of 2018 when it returned for its fifth season. It also presented us with a brand new mystery to unravel - one that has left many of us scratching our heads - and it all started with the introduction of one particular character.
Fresh off his victory over the villainous Clifford DeVoe, Barry Allen found his world turned upside down once again with the arrival of his and Iris' daughter Nora West-Allen. Having traveled from the future, Nora didn't just share her father's complete lack of regard for the fragility of the timeline, she also shared her mother's desire to protect him from what's to come.
However, as far as the show itself goes, Nora's arrival in the present has changed things for the better, allowing it to improve dramatically after its disappointing fourth season. With a convincing Big Bad, an engaging mystery and a familial story at its heart, Season 5 has been a return to form for the show and has seemingly set the stage for a strong back half. But with the midseason premiere on the horizon, there are still some questions we need answered.
6. Will Joe West Return?
In case you've been wondering why Flash mainstay Joe West has been absent for the vast majority of Season 5, it's because actor Jesse L. Martin suffered a back injury last summer and, as a result, had to temporarily depart on a medical leave of absence.
The fact that the character had recently become a father allowed the writers to hide Martin's absence via various explanations about how Joe was busy looking after his newborn daughter Jenna. Furthermore, the heavy reliance on his wife, D.A. Cecile Horton, has made these multiple excuses seem much more plausible, while allowing her to shine at the same time. However, the show is expected to address his absence with a more long-term explanation in the back half of the season.
But does that signify that Martin will be gone for the remainder of the season, or just for the foreseeable future? While nobody wants the veteran actor to return to work before he's well enough, it is still possible that we'll see him appear at some point before the season comes to an end.
Either way, we wish Jesse L. Martin a very speedy recovery!