Read at your own risk!
The Scarlet Speedster saved the day inThe Flashfinale and then he changed it.
What does this all mean?
Credit: Katie Yu/The CW
JOHN WESLEY SHIPP:I went up March 1 to shoot my last four-episode arc.
I knew that Henry Allen would be dying, but thats all I knew.
Im thinking, This is interesting.
Katie Yu/The CW
Then, a mention was made of an iron mask.
Then I had a conversation with Grant and Jesse [L. Martin].
They were like, Yes, do you know whats happening?
Katie Yu/The CW
And Im like, Yup, apparently Im the man in the iron mask.
They were like, Thats all you know?
What do you mean, Thats all I know?
They said, You better call Greg [Berlanti].
Three minutes later, he emailed me back and we had this long conversation.
Later on, I had one with Andrew [Kreisberg], who flew up to Vancouver.
They laid out this story, everything that they wanted to do.
I have to tell you, my jaw dropped.
I didnt see it coming at all.
That was not my choice.
I felt that, in this medium, I could legitimize myself as an actor with the quiet moments.
It was all about the truth of the moment.
That they can make it work, Im still dumbfounded.
I am very excited, bordering on nervous to see what the reaction will be [Tuesday] night.
What was that feeling like once you got to suit up again as The Flash?
Andrew Kreisberg said to me, You get to be The Flash again!
I dubiously went, Yeah, I know.
He said, Why?
Andrew, its been 25 years.
I was very nervous.
The minute I stepped onto the set, the crew and the cast burst into applause.
When the crew comes up to you and says, Fantastic, thats great!
it made me feel more comfortable.
Hes like, Look at this!
Jesse L. Martin would go, Im so glad you agreed to do this.
I looked over and saw Candice with her hand over her heart, which is a wonderful expression.
I just got the most incredible and wonderful support from the entire cast.
Im still waiting to see what its going to look like [Tuesday] night.
I comfort myself in knowing that Jay Garrick, chronologically, is 92 years old.
However, he and his wife were exposed to age-reversing vapors, so hes physically 50 years old.
Im like, OK, I just have to remember that.
Im under no obligation to look like I looked 25 years ago.
I will be nervous watching [Tuesday] night, thats for sure.
Although, I so trust my producers.
I could barely work the unitard 25 years ago.
They want me to be the Trickster again?
That was the case.
I believe it was the case also with me.
Its a little nerve wracking.
Regarding the man in the iron mask, were you in the costume the whole time?
I wasnt in it until the finale.
Let me give the actor who was in it all the kudos in the world.
On the one hand, Henry Allen has died and Jay Garrick has left Earth-1.
On the other hand, Barry has gone back in time and saved his mother, which changes everything.
What does this mean for your future on the show?
Are we going to see you back next season?
Thats all Im allowed to say about that.
But yes, I will be back next season.
How do you think Henry would feel if he knew Barry had changed the past to save his mom?
We know already, dont we?
I go, No, absolutely not.
Things happen for a reason.
There are unintended consequences, Barry.
You cannot go and change one thing without it having myriad unintended affects.
You cannot do that.
Now hes decided, What do I have left to lose?
Ive lost my father.
Ive lost my mother.
What else can go wrong?
So he decides to go back and do what Henry had advised him not to do.
How do you think this is going to change the show?
Thats going to be very interesting to find out, isnt it?
After Barrys father got out of jail, viewers expected him to be around, but he left town.
What came with that decision?
Was that because you werent planning to do so many episodes?
I dont think that wouldve served me having played The Flash in the past.
It wouldnt have served Henry Allen.
It would not have interested me.
They needed to get Henry off to one side.
The bulk of what I came on to do was achieved in the first season.
After that, there was a question of, OK, what do we do with Henry?
I didnt want to hang around.
I got to do some lovely, beautiful work.
But I wouldve hated to be hanging around in the background at S.T.A.R.
Labs with no real purpose, other than just to have me there.
Now he needs his dad again, and his dad comes back.
The Flashwill return this fall on The CW.
In the meantime, read: DidThe FlashintroduceBlack Flash?
And will The Flashdo Flashpointin season 3?
