The Flash will return for a ninth season but will Candice Patton be back as Iris West-Allen? Show The Flash is a staple of television. One of the longest-running superhero shows of all time, The CW series has been a fan-favorite since its debut, bringing DC’s Scarlet Speedster to life for a whole new audience. The show is currently in the midst of its eight season, but there will be more on the way. It was recently revealed that The CW had renewed The Flash for a ninth season, allowing it to edge closer to Smallville‘s ten-season record as the longest-running superhero series ever. The question is: Will all of the familiar faces we’ve fallen in love with over the years be back? One character that fans are concerned they might not see is Iris West-Allen. Portrayed by Candice Patton, the leading lady of the show has found herself in an unpredictable situation this season thanks to her Time Sickness and viewers are wondering if her days are numbered. Is Iris dead on The Flash season 8?Iris West-Allen’s Time Sickness has been a cause for concern for her and husband Barry Allen for some time now, but recent episodes have shown that it is getting much worse. Not only has Iris been disappearing in and out of the timeline, she’s become so unstable that some people who come into contact with her end up disappearing from existence. With Iris worried about her future being non-existent, it’s easy to see why everyone is concerned about her. The most recent episode of The Flash season 8, however, has made things that much worse as Iris was seemingly killed by a lightning bolt thanks to an elaborate plan from Deon and the other negative Forces. That said, given that she’s such an integral part of the show and we already know that her and Barry are destined to have children in the future (Bart and Nora), it’s highly likely that she will overcome the Time Sickness. Fans have also been concerned about whether or not Candice Patton will be returning to The Flash in season 9. Reports have suggested that she and fellow Flash veteran Danielle Panabaker were in negotiations to return for the show’s next chapter, but there has yet to be any definitive confirmation that Iris will be back. Moreover, Candice herself just wrapped filming on season 8 and posted an Instagram Story that reads “That’s a wrap on Iris West-Allen”, followed by a video of her shutting her trailer door. Naturally, fans were curious about whether this was just a typical pre-hiatus post to confirm she had wrapped season 8, or if this meant she had bid farewell to the character for good. It’s hard to believe that The Flash would carry on without its leading lady (unless a potential departure was Candice’s decision). We’ll have to wait and see. Next: 25 most heartbreaking Arrowverse deaths of all-time Do you think Candice Patton will reprise her role as Iris West-Allen on The Flash? Let us know in the comments below! Is Candice Patton leaving The Flash and, beyond that, why aren’t we actually seeing Iris West-Allen on screen these days? If you are frustrated by the character’s current MIA status, let’s just say that we MORE than understand. It’s frustrating anytime that you see a popular character sidelined, especially one like Iris who has been around from the beginning. Also, this is Barry Allen’s wife! It’s not like she is someone he would ever forget about. Yet, here we are with this whole Still Force – time sickness storyline that is keeping Iris away from the action for the time being. We should note that you will see Patton again before the end of the season, but she’s expected to be gone for a little stretch of time now. She’s not the first series regular to have an unusual absence from the show, and it’s possible that she won’t be the last. We just hope that she is around for the real crux of the series, mostly because of the fact that she and Barry will need each other. The end of season 8 could feel in some ways like the end of the series — at one time, there was speculation that it would be. We wish we could speak to Patton’s status beyond this season but alas, we cannot. The only thing that we can state for certain is that Grant Gustin is signed for 15 episodes; we’d hope that some other original cast members will join him. We know already that Jesse L. Martin (Joe) won’t be around as a series regular, but he could turn up for some sort of appearance. Go ahead and prepare for that in advance. Related – Be sure to get some more news when it comes to The Flash, including more on the next new episode Do you miss having Candice Patton around as Iris on The Flash season 8 the past couple of episodes?Be sure to let us know in the comments! After you do just that, remember to keep coming back to ensure you don’t miss any other scoop through the rest of the season. (Photo: The CW.) Is Candice Patton leaving The Flash, and should you be worried about the future of Iris West-Allen at this point? We know that the character could be MIA for a good stretch of the next few episodes. What’s going on here? Story-wise, it seems like Iris’ exit is going to be addressed as a result of her time sickness, something that will play out as Barry does his best in order to find her. Tonight’s episode in a lot of ways is the foundation for the final portion of the season, one that will culminate in the biggest finale we’ve seen in years. Patton’s absence, meanwhile, is just an ongoing trend for this show to not have every series regular for the entirety of the season. We’ve seen this in the past with people like Carlos Valdes and Danielle Panabaker; now, it’s happening with Candice. The reason behind these absences is complicated, but it’s easy to attribute some of it to the studio trying to save money having fewer cast members around every single week. For the time being, though, we’re trying not to worry about her long-term future. The Flash has been renewed for a season 9 already, and we know there have been talks around her and Panabaker both coming back. We can’t imagine doing a possible final season without Iris; what would be the point of that? Given how important she is, we’d rather just see the show end with season 8. Hopefully, the contract situation is something we hear a little bit more about by the end of the season. We already think that The Flash season 9 is going to be slightly shorter, especially since Grant Gustin has only signed up for fifteen episodes based on all indications. Related – Be sure to get some more news on The Flash right now Are you sad to see any episodes of The Flash without Candice Patton / Iris?Be sure to share right now in the attached comments! Once you do just that, keep coming back — it is the best way to ensure you don’t miss any other updates. (Photo: The CW.) |