Are you curious how The Flash movie ends, or are you looking for an explanation of the ending after seeing the movie in theaters? Since The Flash takes inspiration from the Flashpoint comics and will be used to reset the DCU, it is only natural to wonder what happens not only in the movie but to the actors and the characters they have played in the DCU. However, to understand the ending of The Flash, we must first briefly talk about how it all begins. This synopsis sets the stage and will help you understand the ending since we deal with two different versions of Barry Allen, Batman, and many cameos that can lead to confusion.
Warning: Spoilers for The Flash appear below.
The Flash Beginning Explained
In the beginning of The Flash, Barry Allen offers his assistance to Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth in Gotham City. However, when the upcoming appeal date for his father’s court case approaches, Barry is consumed by sorrow and chooses to travel back in time to prevent his mother’s demise. Allen is able to ensure his mother’s safety and prevents his father’s wrongful indictment by arranging for a can of tomatoes to be purchased on the crucial day. This way, his father stays at home, avoiding any need to step out and buy the can, and his mother’s life is saved.
Barry successfully saves his mother’s life and returns to the future to find his parents alive and well. However, he is shocked to encounter an alternate version of himself who grew up with both parents. To avoid confusion, let’s refer to this other Barry as alternate Barry. Barry soon learns that it’s the day he was struck by lightning and gained his powers. He takes alternate Barry to the same location and unfortunately loses his powers while alternate Barry gains them.
After learning about General Zod’s attempt to terraform Earth, Barry seeks out other heroes for assistance. He and alternate Barry travel to Gotham to meet Bruce Wayne, portrayed by Michael Keaton instead of Ben Affleck. Batman enlightens both Barrys about the consequences of altering the timeline by saving his mother and creating a Multiverse. Additionally, he emphasizes that certain events in every universe within the Multiverse are predetermined and unalterable.
Related: Is There a Post Credit Scene in The Flash?
The Flash Ending Explained
In their quest to enlist Superman’s help against General Zod, the group instead discovers Supergirl (played by Sasha Calle). The ensuing battle results in the tragic deaths of both Batman (Keaton’s version) and Supergirl. Alternate Barry attempts to alter this outcome by repeatedly traveling back in time, causing the universes to collide and ultimately be destroyed. We witness cameos from various DC heroes from alternate universes throughout these events including various versions of Batman and Superman from decades of nostalgic material.
When Barry urges alternate Barry to stop his actions, they are interrupted by the appearance of Dark Flash, an older version of alternate Barry who has been attempting to save Batman and Supergirl for for so long that he’s transformed into an old, decrepit monster. It is revealed that Dark Flash was responsible for Barry’s travel to alternate Barry’s timeline all along, having been the mysterious foe to push Barry out of the time force. In a selfless act, alternate Barry sacrifices himself to stop Dark Flash, and Barry returns to the past to ensure his mother’s death, which is an unalterable event.
However, he makes one small change by providing an alibi for his father to clear the name of his wife’s murder. Upon returning to the present, Barry’s father is acquitted, and the movie concludes with Barry realizing that Ben Affleck’s Batman no longer exists and is replaced by George Clooney, showing that once again, altering his timeline even in the smallest way had consequences, which James Gunn will use to reset the DCU.
- This article was updated on June 16th, 2023
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