After three consecutive seasons of speedsters, CW’s The Flash finally broke the mold in season 4 with the Thinker, a fun villain that didn’t always work but managed to push the hero into new territory throughout the season. The upcoming year promises to keep that trend going with a dangerous new villain that doesn’t have speed on his side but can still do plenty of damage.
Actor Chris Klein, best known for his role in American Pie and more recently the TV show Wilfred, will play the role of Cicada. In the comics, Cicada is a villain obsessed with the Flash and who has the power to drain life force from his victims. On the page, he aims to drain life from everyone the Flash has saved and from the Flash himself, with the goal of resurrecting his dead wife (who he killed).
Meanwhile, the season picks up where the last one left off, with Barry and Iris’ future daughter Nora stuck in the present day and freaking out just a little bit. Producer Todd Helbing says that Nora’s relationship with her modern-day parents suggests a future fracture in their relationship.
One element Flash fans will love is the appearance, shown in the trailer above, of the Flash ring, a fanciful piece of jewelry that lets Barry store his suit on him at all times. Reverse Flash had one earlier in the show, but now Flash is getting his own. I’m hoping this is a sign of the team being able to pull in more goofy stuff from the comics to keep the show lighthearted. Helbing is promising “lots of deaths,” so some levity is going to be necessary to keep the show from backsliding into the third season’s overly grimdark tone.
The Flash season 5 premieres on October 9 at 8 P.M. EST.
