Is The Flash Finally Going There With Barry and Iris?!

Exclusive: The CW star previews what fans can expect from the Feb. 16 episode, "Escape From Earth-2," including the introduction of a new love interest for Iris

By Tierney Bricker Feb 16, 2016 5:00 PMTags
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One of the reasons we're kind of dreading the escape from Earth-2 on tonight's episode of The Flash? It means we have to say goodbye to Earth-2 Iris. (Or should we say Earth-2 Detective West?)

Don't get us wrong, we love our Earth-1 Iris, too. But Earth-2 Iris is equally as irresistible--even for star Candice Patton. "I loved it," she tells E! News. "I think it was probably the best time I've had thus far working on the show. It's kind of the Iris I always imagined, having so much agency and sheer will and aggression and just going after what she believes in and being a badass and looking great doing it. She's just such an awesome, awesome female and it was really, really fun."

And it's easy to see why Barry (Grant Gustin) has taken such a liking to his doppelganger's life. Taking over for Earth-2 Barry—including his marriage to Iris and relationship with his mother Nora, who is very much alive and happy—will affect our hero "deeply" when he returns to Earth-1, especially his relationship with Earth-1 Iris.

"It's all very alluring to him, so having him go back to Earth-1 knowing these things definitely takes an effect on him and Iris," Patton says. "Now, it's not only that they supposedly are married in the future according to the newspaper we saw last season, they're definitely married on another Earth, so what does that mean? Does that mean they are destined to be together? Does that mean fate is real? It starts the clock-ticking about what does that really mean?"

Fate and destiny aside, Barry and Iris' relationship on Earth-1 will also be tested by the introduction of a new character in tonight's episode: Scott Evans (Tone Bell), Iris' new boss at CCPN, who is not a fan of the Flash. At all. 

"He wants her to write an anti-hero piece on how the Flash may not be the hero Central City thinks he is, which is really difficult for Iris," Patton previews. "She instead asks if she can write an article about this other Flash trying to stop Geomancer—Jay Garrick—Scott acquiesces and that's where we are in episode 14. Earth-1 Iris is trying to write this article on Jay Garrick instead to appease her new boss."

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But will their professional tension lead to romantic tension? "It definitely starts more on his end than on her end," Patton teases. 

Before WestAllen fans get too upset over Scott's introduction and what it means for Earth-1 Barry and Iris, Patton says, "What I can say is Scott Evans is introduced and his being there is kind of the first time Iris is awakened to the idea of moving on from Eddie and the possibility that love can exist for her again."

And The Flash has let Iris take her time to recover after the devastating loss of her fiancé in the season one finale, a move Patton is "happy" with, as well as Barry's serious relationship with Patty (Shantel VanSanten).

"In the comic books, their romantic relationship is so iconic, I think it would be difficult for us to never explore that. It's highly possible," she says, "And I'm glad it didn't happen this season. I'm happy Iris had time to grieve over Eddie and I'm happy Barry had another relationship. I think anytime you put destined lovers together too soon, where do you go from there?"

The Flash airs tonight at 8 p.m. on the CW.