The journey of Ezra Miller’s The Flash has been a long and tumultuous one, but after years, it’s finally here.
Not only that, but the film arrives just ahead of a massive DCU reboot headed by James Gunn and Peter Safran. Many fans are wondering what the future might hold for Miller’s Flash and the continuity he was once a part of.
So what does the movie tell the world?
Here are all the biggest spoilers to be found within the runtime of DC Studios’ latest blockbuster.
Warning - The rest of this article contains minor spoilers for The Flash.
1.) The Justice League Friendship
Often after the big team-up films, the gang breaks up for a time. This is seen in the MCU after almost every time the Avengers group up.
Here, however, it’s clear that the members of the Justice League often team up, even for smaller jobs. After a Gotham heist went wrong, Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman joined Ben Affleck's Batman and Miller's Flash (as well as a headquartered Alfred) and exchanged fun banter after saving the day.
Who needs a world-ending event to bring together friends?
2.) Saving the Tomatoes
Barry realizes he can save his mom and his father’s fate by making one small change to the timeline: putting a can of tomatoes in their shopping cart.
In making this one small change, Barry’s life is changed forever.
The downside? As Barry quickly learns, his simple adjustment causes unforeseen ramifications for the entire timeline.
3.) This New Universe
Barry’s changes to the timeline cause him to create a universe where superheroes are not nearly as relevant. Aquaman was never born since his father never met Atlanna, queen of Atlantis, Cyborg is still a star football player, and Wonder Woman may have never left her home island of Themyscira.
The world doesn't even have a Superman. But what it does have, as Barry eventually learns, is a Batman.
4.) Gotham Is the Safest City
After recording word of Batman existing, both Barrys take a trip to Gotham City. Instead of meeting Ben Affleck’s regal Bruce Wayne, he’s met with Michael Keaton’s grizzly, essentially retired Batman.
Turns out the Caped Crusader is no longer needed. Gotham is now one of the safest cities in the world.
It’s worth noting that the film does not confirm if this universe is exactly the same as the one seen in Keaton’s older Batman films or if it’s just really similar.
5.) The Multiversal Spaghetti
Not long after meeting both Barrys, Michael Keaton starts to give them the Multiverse lecture. It’s here where the film makes a pointed effort to tell the audience that this isn’t the MCU, and there aren’t any branching timelines.
Instead, Bruce Wayne compares it to a messy bowl of spaghetti, with paths going all over the place. The point is sometimes there’s no rhyme or reason why some things are different and others are not.
6.) The Kryptonians
The story of Earth’s Kryptonian visitors played out differently in this timeline. For one, Kal-El never made it–instead, he was intercepted by General Zod, experimented on, and then killed.
As for Kara, aka Supergirl, she was intercepted by the Russians. Needless to say, her first impression of humanity wasn't all too great.
7.) Barry’s Power-Swap
When DCEU Barry Allen meets his younger self in the new timeline, he quickly realizes what day it was: the day he became The Flash. So to make sure everything plays out properly, older Barry takes himself to the lab where it all happened.
Rather unexpectedly, when the lightning does strike, older Barry’s powers get swapped into his younger self—leaving the former hero powerless.
Some time after meeting Michael Keaton’s Batman, the old Barry once again recreates the same situation to get his speed back. It doesn’t work—until Supergirl arrives and carries him up into the storm clouds, getting him struck by lightning.
There’s no telling why one worked where the other didn’t, but best not to ask questions.
8.) Fated To Die
The film’s last act takes an unexpected turn. Instead of a heroic save by Team Flash, both Batman and Supergirl die in the fight against Michael Shannon's Zod. Even worse, it becomes clear that neither Barry will be able to beat Zod, meaning that the entire timeline is doomed.
Zod is one of those circumstantial convergences Keaton mentioned in his Multiverse spiel.
No matter what either Barry tries to do, each rewind they initiate ends with both Bruce and Kara dying.
9.) Barry’s Twisted Alternate Self
Turns out that the distorted figure who pushed Barry out of the Speed Force earlier in the movie was his younger self—the one who had been corrupted by his intense need to try and save Kara and Bruce from their fates. Instead of saving them, the misguided Barry fell from grace.
Their confrontation doesn’t last long, so it’s hard to even call that distorted Barry a villain. When he tries to kill his other, more heroic alter ego, the killing blow lands on his own younger self.
This causes a time paradox that erases the corrupted Barry from existence.
10.) The Multiverse Cameos
While Barry is in the Speed Force toward the end of the movie, fans are treated to glimpses of other timelines facing destruction, thanks to The Flash. The biggest cameo from the bunch is undoubtedly Nicholas Cage’s Superman—though it’s a shame he’s entirely CGI.
Additionally, there are glimpses of Christopher Reeves’ Man of Steel, Helen Slater’s Supergirl, and Jay Garrick himself.
11.) Barry Allen Takes Away Those Tomatoes
After seeing all the harm changing time continues to do, Barry realizes that he needed to accept what happened to his mother. So shortly after his past-future self came in and placed a tomato can in Nora Allen’s cart, current Barry takes it right back out, effectively resigning his mom to her fate.
Interestingly, the mystery of what actually happened to Barry’s mom is left unanswered. It’s clear that the writers didn’t want to close the door on the Reverse Flash, who is the arch-nemesis of The Flash and is known to be the man who killed Nora Allen.
The villain also plays an integral role in the comic book storyline that the film is based on, The Flashpoint Paradox.
12.) Barry’s New Universe & New Heroes
Once Barry “fixes” the timeline, everything still doesn’t go back to how it was. For instance, this time, Bruce Wayne is George Clooney—a shock for Barry Allen.
The movie doesn’t give audiences any further word about Wonder Woman, Superman, Supergirl, or Cyborg. Jason Momoa’s Aquaman is around, but it’s not clear if he actually is an Atlantean in this timeline.
For Barry, however, the best part of his new reality is simple: in this universe, his father’s face was seen on camera—a revelation that freed him from prison.
Where To Next, Barry Allen?
One of the key questions the blockbuster fails to answer by the end of the movie is what the next step is for Ezra Miller's leading hero.
Warner Bros. still hasn't made any public choice about the star's future in its DCU plans. Miller is drowning in controversy—in fact, earlier this year, they recently skirted being charged with two felonies.
Even outside of the legal troubles of Ezra Miller, The Flash itself isn't predicted to perform all too well at the box office. Currently, the film is projected by The Hollywood Reporter to make $70 million domestically for its opening weekend.
For reference, that's $23 million less than the studios' critical and financial failure with 2017's Justice League.
It's safe to say that whatever James Gunn is planning for his new DCU will almost certainly include some version of The Flash. However, even with the studio's silence on the matter, it's difficult to see it choosing to keep Miller any longer.
The Flash hits theaters on Friday, June 16.
