The Flash Season 6 brings back a trippy Arrowverse villain, here's what it could mean
A familiar figure returns, with one major change.
The Arrowverse crossover “Crisis on Infinite Earths” rebooted the multiverse. While the resulting changes haven’t played out in a substantial way just yet, The Flash’s first post-Crisis episode hit the ground running with a twisted new storyline that saw Iris uncover a major criminal organization hiding in plain sight and the reveal of the new Mirror Master.
Spoilers ahead for The Flash's Season 6 episode, "Marathon."
While the episode didn’t introduce Mirror Master in person, Iris West-Allen uncovered quite a few clues that led to a massive cliffhanger involving the villain. Here are three theories to ponder about Mirror Master’s grand return in The Flash Season 6:
Mirror Master can alter perception.
What does Mirror Master’s return mean for the remainder of the The Flash Season 6?
The Flash’s new version of Mirror Master is a gender-flipped version of Evan McCulloch, who was Earth-2’s Mirror Master. Played by Efrat Dor, Eva McCulloch is the wife of McCulloch Technologies CEO Joseph Carver, aka the leader of the criminal organization Black Hole.
Back in November, an official description for the character revealed she is a quantum engineer whose “chance meeting with Iris West-Allen results in a surprising alliance that pushes the boundaries of sanity.”
That meeting occurred when Iris was pulled into a mirror while snooping around one of McCulloch’s rooms. However, the description offers a new twist on Mirror Master that’s new for The Flash. For one, Eva doesn’t sound like much of a villain, but more of a frenemy. Whatever happens next will likely tie into Iris’ investigation of Black Hole, and it’s already proven to be quite the twist.
Iris is pulled into the mirror universe.
Where did Mirror Master take Iris?
It’s possible Iris has been pulled into some kind of alternate universe, similar to her own, but with distinct differences. In the comics, Mirror Master is able to trap people inside a mirror world and create portals from any reflective surface to pass through at will. This means Iris is likely stuck there for the time being.
But if Mirror Master can pass through, why has Eva been missing? It’s possible that her husband had something to do with her disappearance, and that’s why she’s trapped inside the mirror.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, showrunner Eric Wallace revealed the series will explore “the other side of the looking glass” and compared Iris’ trip to Mirror Master’s world to Alice in Wonderland. “Perception of what you think is real doesn’t necessarily mean it’s real,” Wallace said. Talk about trippy!
Cisco leaves Central City for the time being, but will his research turn up?
Is Cisco leaving The Flash?
Cisco spent a lot of “Marathon” bemoaning the state of Earth Prime and the changes in the post-Crisis world. His subplot ended with his decision to leave Central City to compile and research all of the changes — from altered metahumans to Supergirl and Black Lightning now calling the same planet home.
So is Cisco’s sabbatical permanent? Showrunner Eric Wallace confirms he’ll be back “very quickly.” Speaking with TVLine, Wallace revealed Cisco’s research will provide answers to Team Flash’s mission and “that involves the return of an old villain.”
That the old villain might be Mirror Master, last seen in Season 5. The Flash’s rogues gallery is vast and it’s unclear what information Cisco will bring back with him. Now that we know Mirror Master will play a pivotal role in the remainder of Season 6, it’s possible Cisco will return with news about Mirror Master’s backstory that will help Team Flash figure out what they’re dealing with once and for all.
The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW.
