The CWNon-comic book fans, this is your safe space! The Flash season two premieres on Tuesday, and it'll introduce alternate universes and a bunch of major characters from the comic books. If Jay Garrick, Zoom, and Wally West all sound like random words strung together with no discernible tie to one another, then read on. We are here to provide you with Nerd Notes, a.k.a. quick summaries of the big comic book characters headed to the CW this fall.
Jay Garrick: Teddy Sears is playing this new ally, who arrives in the season premiere to warn Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) about some seriously dangerous stuff that's about to go down. Jay Garrick is also The Flash—in an alternate universe.
In the DC world, Jay Garrick was actually the first Flash, introduced in 1940, and remained the lone speedster until his character was retired and Barry Allen (the Flash we know on TV) was introduced. Years later, the character was reintroduced as existing in a parallel world from Barry.
Garrick can also travel at superhuman speeds, though is slower than Barry. He wears a metal helmet with wings, inspired by the Roman god Mercury. On the show, Sears' Garrick is a little older and wiser than Barry, and will act as a mentor to him.
Earth 2: This is the world Jay Garrick comes from, and it's pretty much like our Earth except totally different. So expect that to be incredibly confusing! (But also a way in which we might see Tom Cavanagh's Harrison Wells or Rick Cosnett's Eddie Thawne.
Zoom: This season's big baddie is Zoom, a villainous speedster whom the producers promise will be a thousand times scarier than last season's Reverse-Flash, despite the fact that the characters possess similar powers. The character originated as Hunter Zolomon, an FBI and police profiler injured by giant gorilla Grodd, then further injured in an attempt to use the cosmic treadmill, giving him the ability to manipulate time. While the evil entity's face will be obscured by a mask when we see him on the show, he'll be voiced by Candyman star Tony Todd. (And played by...TBD.)
Wally West: Keyinan Lonsdale is set to play this character, who, in the comic books, eventually becomes The Flash. Although the show has different plans for the hero sometimes known as Kid Flash, in the comic books, he is introduced as Iris West's nephew who eventually inherits powers similar to Barry Allen's during a freak accident. He's set to appear later in season two.
Are you ready for The Flash season two premiere on Tuesday, Oct. 6? As a non-comic fan, will you be able to keep all these shifting timelines straight?