CW's 'The Flash' has failed to do justice to Wally West and it's high time he's given a bigger role to play
'The Flash' series has given audiences one of the most memorable versions of Barry Allen, as played by Grant Gustin. However, even though the CW show has done justice to its depiction of Barry, it has failed to do the same for Wally West/Kid Flash (Keiynan Lonsdale).
Wally has always been little more than a supporting character on 'The Flash' despite being one of the most popular Flash characters in other media. When Barry Allen died during the comic book version of 'Crisis on Infinite Earths', Wally is the one who succeeded him as the Scarlet Speedster.
Though he may not have been the first person to take up the title, Wally more than proved himself worthy of being the Flash on more than one occasion. His hopeful nature and fun sense of humor have made him a beloved figure for many and after the 'Justice League' animated series featured Wally as its Flash instead of Barry, he became the definitive version of the Scarlet Speedster for a whole new generation of fans.
The comic book version of Wally isn't just a sidekick to Barry. In fact, he has grown to become a speedster much more powerful than his mentor and has been hailed as the Fastest Man Alive not just in his own universe but in the entire multiverse as well.
Considering how iconic Wally has been in the comics and in animation, it's truly a shame that the character's live-action adaptation hasn't been able to grow into his full potential. Lonsdale's Wally first moved from 'The Flash', where he was sorely overlooked, to its sister show 'Legends of Tomorrow' before leaving that series as well. He has been an eternal outcast in the Arrowverse, never really fitting in in either show he has been on.
Lonsdale has confirmed that while Kid Flash will be coming to Season 6 of 'The Flash', he will not be a part of the upcoming crossover 'Crisis on Infinite Earths'. While it is understandable that Wally might not have much of a role to play in an event that already has multiple big-name heroes, that doesn't make it any less disappointing that he has been so spectacularly underwhelming throughout his time in the Arrowverse.
Wally has the potential to be an amazing hero in 'The Flash' but he is yet to show any signs of truly coming into his own. At least after 'Crisis' finally hits, the CW could consider giving the character a bigger role to play though judging by their treatment of the character so far, that's starting to look extremely unlikely.
'The Flash' season 6 will premiere on the CW on Tuesday, October 8.