The Flash: Ranking Every Major Death Worst To Best

The Flash has been a staple of the Arrowverse for years. Fans of the show have been along for some pretty incredible, multidimensional adventures and shared many a laugh and tear along the way. But even with a team of superheroes and a couple of other speedsters at his side, Barry Allen can't save everyone.

The series has introduced a lot of unique characters - some are series regulars, some are only around for a short time - and while it's natural for characters to disappear or move on from the main story, most of the time, a character's exit is much more dramatic. Though the Fastest Man Alive is quick enough to save many Central Citizens, the timeline and even the world, sometimes that isn't enough.

Like peanut butter and jelly, comic-book characters and death go hand in hand. Like many other heroes, the Scarlet Speedster's journey begins with the tragic death of his mother. Although we know the losses of characters in The Flash aren't always permanent, there are limitations to what Allen can do.

Not all deaths are created equal. We see integral characters meet unsatisfying ends. We experience some passings that are insignificant and forgettable. Yet there are other deaths that are tragic, meaningful, and impactful.

This one was a letdown. Fans had been waiting all of the second season for the Crimson Comet to finally reunite with his father. And when Henry Allen's innocence was at last proven, audiences were overjoyed.

Everything seemed to be getting on the right track for Barry Allen at the end of season two, until Zoom ruthlessly and randomly murdered his father. Henry, played by 1990s Flash actor John Wesley Shipp, became somewhat of a favourite on the show as he seemed to be the Flash's moral compass. It is the death of Barry's father that is pivotal to his motivations for getting into Crime Scene Investigation as a career.

What is so unsatisfying about his death is the fact that he's murdered by the evil speedster Zoom. Though Zoom was a daunting foe, he was not a great villain nor a good character. His motives were weak, unrelatable, and cliched. So it feels especially unearned to have such a poor villain be the one to kill off a character as important as Barry's father. Not to mention it is this death that breaks the Flash emotionally. His grief leads to the creation of Flashpoint, which is, of course, one of the most important storylines in the DC universe and one of the worst things Barry ever does.

A character as important as Henry Allen deserves a better death. Thankfully for fans, John Wesley Shipp was back by the end of season two, as the hero Jay Garrick, and at least that character gets a better send-off.