The best villain of each season

With Superman and Lois’ last season acting as the last remnant of the Arrowverse, it’s a great time to reflect on another DC hero in that universe and the villains who have already wreaked havoc on Barry Allen’s life in The Flash. Whether they have a personal connection to the Scarlet Speedster or are simply far more dangerous than most, these antagonists have proven to be memorable for a number of reasons.

The Flash was impressive from the start, including some of Barry Allen’s most iconic villains right from the start, and setting the stage for what was to come. 9 seasons later, a plethora of incredible villains have emerged and continued The Flash. From their costumes and overall design choices to the emotional impact they have on Team Flash, these villains have been the most vital to the overall narrative of each of their respective seasons.

Season 1: Reverse Flash

Played by Tom Cavanagh

Despite some unpopular fan opinions about the Reverse-Flash, he has continually been one of the most important villains on The Flash’s rogue list since the beginning. With a personal connection to Barry Allen after taking responsibility for his mother’s murder, Eobard Thawne immediately stood out from other antagonists due to the life-altering impact he had on the Speedster.

Thawne was repeatedly a thorn in Team Flash’s side, but it was the first season of the series that really established the character as the Flash’s archenemy. The reveal that Harrison Wells was in fact the villain in disguise is still one of the series’ major twists; one that continues to haunt the entire Flash family to this day.

The Flash the first season had to start off with a bang, including a plethora of villains alongside the Reverse-Flash. Other notable villains to appear were Gorilla Grodd, Heatwave, Captain Cold, Weather Wizard, and the Trickster.

Season 2: Enlargement

Played by Teddy Sears

While season two may have featured a similar twist for THE Flashdebut, Jay Garrick’s transformation into Hunter Zoloman was one that addressed recent wounds within the team and created conflict at the heart of STAR Labs.

As a physical threat, Zoom was imposing, even his costume reflected a sinister emissary of death seeking his next kill. Although he was perhaps intellectually beneath the Reverse-Flash, especially when it came to his true mission, the problems he caused allowed Barry Allen to move forward in his life, becoming a catalyst for him to actually become a true hero. Zoom is therefore crucial to Flash’s journey.

Alongside Zoom, several villains appeared throughout Season 2, including King Shark, Killer Frost, The Turtle, Tarpit, and Dr.

Season 3: Savitar

Played by Grant Gustin

Savitar represented an intriguing threat to Team Flash, as it was the monster’s inevitability that made him so cruel. The implication that he would murder Iris West in the future and be able to manipulate anyone to achieve this goal was psychologically draining for Barry Allen.

Follow that up with the reveal that it was a twisted, vile memory of Barry Allen beneath the spiked armor and Savitar immediately rises up the ranks of the Flash’s worst enemies. He once again left a mark on the team, but victims like those forced into the Cult of Alchemy and Savitar, like Julian Albert, were also permanently scarred by the Speedster of the past.

Although Savitar was a formidable force, there were other major villains who appeared throughout the third season. These included Alchemy, Mirror Master and Top.

Season 4: The Thinker

Played by Neil Sandilands

As one of the Flash’s most intelligent enemies, The Thinker forced a different kind of conflict into the show’s narrative. Clifford DeVoe was consistently one step ahead of STAR Labs, which forced the group to think outside the box to defeat him.

The Thinker’s ideology allowed him to become a more memorable villain than most, but it was the intricate story surrounding his romance with Marlize that was both intriguing to watch and critical to the comic book antagonist’s downfall. Plus, it’s infinitely refreshing for Flash to face anyone with an alternative power to his own.

Alongside The Thinker, a group of Flash villains called The Rogues played a prominent role. These include Captain Cold, Golden Glider, Mirror Master, Captain Boomerang and Weather Wizard.

Season 5: Gorilla Grodd

Played by David Sobolov

Gorilla Grodd never got the opportunity to be the big bad of any season. Normally, it’s the series’ biggest threat who consequently emerges as the best antagonist, but Grodd proved he was more than a match for the Crimson Comet, and Season 5 had one of his most exciting appearances.

Featuring the psychic gorilla himself fighting King Shark, this was a kaiju-like fight that lasted for centuries. It demonstrated that in any situation Grodd could be an exciting threat who contributed infinitely to the show thanks to his physicality and wide range of powers. Cicada, by comparison, was perhaps disappointing compared to a comic book-accurate antagonist that continued to work with each viewing.

Several villains appeared in Season 5, including Cicada, Rag Doll, Weather Witch, and Silver Ghost.

Season 6: Antimonitor

Bathed by LaMonica Garrett

Personally, The Flash encountered a number of significant crises heading into Season 6, but The Anti-Monitor was the cosmic being who served as the most significant villain throughout this chapter of Barry Allen’s superhero journey.

With the entire Multiverse at stake, Allen lost dear friends and allies to the wave of antimatter that the Anti-Monitor unleashed. Not to mention the individual conflicts that occurred as a direct result of the bad guys’ actions, this menacing god of epic proportions will forever haunt Team Flash, even if they managed to take responsibility. The DC Cinematic Universe will never be the same after the arrival of the Anti-Monitor, who could have initially been portrayed as a somewhat lame Flash comic book enemy.

There are definitely other villains that appear in The Flash Season 6, including Ultraviolet, Godspeed clone, Bloodwork and Reverse-Flash.

Season 7: The Speed ​​Force

While there may have been a number of big bads in season seven of Flash, The Speed ​​​​Force is without a doubt the one that impacted Allen the most. The loss of Iris to the Mirrorverse was an extremely turbulent time for Team Flash, but without the Speed ​​​​Force himself, Barry felt powerless to save his loved one or protect his family in the future.

The forces that emerged from Barry and Iris’ connection left a lot to be desired in terms of antagonists, but The Speed ​​Force represented a cascade of feelings for The Scarlet Speedster. Taking on his mother’s face only added to the inner turmoil, as Barry had to try to maintain his morally upright position despite the consequences it could have on his powers and his ability to keep those he loves safe.

Season 8: Deadly Storm

Played by Robbie Amell

While he’s not The Flash’s most significant villain, Deathstorm stands out primarily because he inhabits the body of Caitlin Snow’s once-fiancé Ronnie Raymond. Deathstorm is a fusion of Firestorm and the Negative Speed ​​Force. To gain physical form, Deathstorm began feeding on people close to Caitlin Snow, making him a truly sinister villain.

Other villains that appear in season 8 are Chillblain, Reverse-Flash and Godspeed.

Season 9: Red Death

Played by Javicia Leslie

The final season of The Flash had to end the long-running series properly. One way to do this was by incorporating a villain who was only introduced in the comics a few years before the final season. Red Death was an alternate version of Batman with the Flash’s super speed. For the TV series, Ryan Wilder is Red Death, who is from Earth-4125. The Flash tried to incorporate the Batman mythos into the series, with Batwoman as the villain, which led to some interesting developments in season 9.

Alongside Red Death, a multitude of villains appeared to The Flash final season. These included Weather Wizard, Mirror Master, Blood Work, Goldface, and Pied Piper.

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