[SPOILERS ahead for those not caught up on The Flash.]
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Throughout its first two seasons The Flash has dealt with a handful of speedsters, all adapted from the DC Comics on which the entire show is based. Season 1 introduced Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) as The Flash as well as Eobard Thawne (Matt Letscher) as the Reverse-Flash. Meanwhile, season 2 saw the addition of Jay Garrick (Teddy Sears) and Zoom as major players on the show, which also featured comic book speedster Trajectory (Allison Paige) in a one-off episode.
However, in the back half of season 2, The Flash has unveiled the man behind the mask of Zoom to be “Hunter Zolomon a.k.a. Jay Garrick” and the most recent episode, ‘Versus Zoom,’ seemed to indicate that Jay Garrick was an identity either created or used by Hunter to escape his past as a serial killer. Some fans of the DC Comics, including veteran comic writer Mark Waid, took issue with the handling of Jay Garrick’s legacy as the first Flash, prompting The Flash showrunner Greg Berlanti to respond.
On Twitter [h/t ComicBook.com], Berlanti urged fans to keep watching the series as the mystery of Zoom, Hunter, and Jay unfolds in the second season:
For those inquiring, we love Jay Garrick and would never make him a baddie. No reinvention. Keep watching :) love that you’re asking q’s.— Greg Berlanti (@GBerlanti) April 20, 2016
Of course, the DC character of Jay Garrick has a long history in the comics ever since he was introduced as the first superhero to take on the moniker of Flash in 1940. He was a founding member of the Justice Society of America, and has mentored various other speedsters including Bart Allen a.k.a. Kid Flash. Though Jay may not be as well known as the Barry Allen iteration of The Flash, he’s certainly a staple in the superhero’s history.
But, ‘Versus Zoom’ seemed to reveal that the version of Jay Garrick viewers have seen on The Flash, who seemed to fall in line with the character from the comics, has actually been the villain Hunter Zolomon a.k.a. Zoom the whole time. So, those DC Comics fans worried that The Flash would be completely reinventing the character of Jay Garrick seemed to have their fears confirmed by the reveal of Hunter’s identity and plan in ‘Versus Zoom.’
However, as Berlanti indicates, season 2 of The Flash isn’t over and there is still plenty of time for the full extent of Zoom’s relation to Jay Garrick to be revealed. For instance, many have theorized that the man in the iron mask being held captive by Zoom is the real Jay Garrick, which would leave room for the show to feature a version of the character more closely resembling the hero fans know from the comics. But, of course, it remains to be seen how the mystery between Zoom, Hunter Zolomon, and Jay Garrick fully unfolds until The Flash season 2 concludes.
Next: Zoom’s Secret Plan & Timeline Explained
The Flash continues with ‘Back to Normal’ next Tuesday @8pm on The CW.
Source: Greg Berlanti [via ComicBook.com]
