Grant Gustin found this one 'The Flash' scene wacky — And honestly, he was right

Grant Gustin's run as Barry Allen in The Flash lasted nine seasons, a few hundred episodes, and a whole lot of multiverse pandemonium. He has gone through everything from emotional meltdowns to time paradoxes over the years. But even someone that far into the speed force experiences a moment or two that just does not feel right. Speaking of one "really hard to do" sequence, Gustin didn't spare his true feelings about how he felt.

As per TheDirect, Gustin spoke of a scenes that seemed to test the limits of even comic book sanity. He said,

"There was one other thing we did that I tried to convince them not to do: using our lighting as a sword. There’s a big sword fight sequence with Godspeed…"

The "problem" scene? The notorious lightsaber lightning battle between Barry Allen, Eobard Thawne, and Godspeed in Season 7, Episode 18, titled Heart of the Matter Part 2. Gustin felt the sequence was tonally jarring and reminiscent of a sci-fi parody rather than a dramatic superhero finale. According to The Direct, he revealed,

"I had a real problem with the whole Forces [storyline] and having to refer to them as my children and them having to refer to me as their dad. I’ve always thought that was really hard to do and to sell."

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What made the scene feel 'off'

Barry and Thawne fight in this episode with lightsabers — literally fighting their speed powers in Star Wars-esque duels. Although the series has long indulged in flashy effects and over-the-top drama, the scene felt different for its style.

Gustin, who had played Barry through some of the series' most realistic and emotional storylines, thought the scene was strange enough to ask for a rewrite.

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Gustin's bid to alter the scene

Grant Gustin's went out of his way to consult with the writing staff, to propose modifying the combat scene into more classic fare, preferably a speedster chase or hand-to-hand combat based on the physical laws and aesthetic that the series had established previously. However, his ideas weren't accepted.

The episode was broadcast as originally planned, with the flaming lightning swords included, making Gustin — and many viewers — feel that it jumped too far from the tone of The Flash.

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A shared challenge in long-running superhero series

Gustin's criticism points to a larger problem in long-sustaining superhero shows: The challenge of innovating without being inconsistent. As series attempt to innovate, they inevitably venture into uncharted territory.

Here, the creative push to do something different visually didn't work for the actor for whom it was done. Gustin's discomfort is a testament to the struggle to keep emotional integrity while offering a visual spectacle.

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Fan reactions to the scene

The reception to the Season 7 finale was divided. Some viewers appreciated the visual novelty and regarded it as a daring stylistic move, while others shared Gustin's frustration that it was tonally incompatible. The scene was the subject of debate on internet forums, comic conventions, and interviews, not only for its CGI, but for the way it raised the issue of the tonal balance that The Flash otherwise consistently had.

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The value of creative feedback

Gustin's honesty regarding the scene shows he is among actors who, instead of simply reciting lines, tend to be interested in how their characters are represented and how narrative arcs are developed.

Gustin wasn't attempting to belittle the writers. He was merely fighting for consistency of tone in a show in which he had played a lead role from day one. His concern for the lightsaber battle scene reveals these shows are at times produced.

Also read: How many seasons of The Flash are there?