The Flash Season 6 Premiere: 9 Ups & 3 Downs From 'Into The Void'

8. Iris As An Independent Entity

One of the things that stood out about the premiere pretty quickly was how effectively it managed to use Iris. While she did have her own personal character arc (we'll get to that later), it's hard to deny that it was great to see her doing her own thing... or perhaps the more appropriate way of saying that would be that she's doing the same thing as everyone else but in her own way.

The show has struggled to use her correctly since the third season as, in an admirable attempt to make up for portraying her as a damsel in distress, they put her at the forefront of Team Flash. While she was an effective part of the Team, she often felt lost for any standalone stories as she got swallowed up by the ensemble.

Iris belongs with Team Flash, yes, but she doesn't belong on it. She belongs on the front lines, getting the answers independently. Get her involved in the final act as the team champion Barry from the cortex, sure, but each episode is more engaging as we uncover the mystery with her through her reporting - and that is why her role in the premiere was ultimately a major success.

Reporter Iris West-Allen is finally where she belongs, and Candice Patton did a phenomenal job juggling both of the character's narratives here.