WestAllen: Why The Flash’s Barry and Iris are the Arrowverse’s best couple

Barry Allen and Iris West have been moving fans with their romance for years on The Flash and here’s why the West-Allens are the best couple in DC TV history.

Barry Allen constantly refers to Iris West as his lightning rod. A line inspired by the pair’s relationship in the comics, it reminds fans just how much his love for his wife grounds him in a world that is anything but, and it goes without saying that it’s a sign of just how important their relationship is to The Flash.

The pair have been part of each other’s lives for years – and certainly long before the show began airing – but there’s so much potential there that, even six years down the line, it still feels like we’re only getting started.

But why is that? Is it down to the evolution of their loving friendship? The natural chemistry between actors Grant Gustin and Candice Patton? Or is it the thrill it gives you to see such comic book royalty come to life? Let’s find out (and celebrate #WestAllenWednesdays) by exploring why exactly West-Allen is the pinnacle of Arrowverse and indeed DCTV romance.

They’re strong people who make each other stronger

Barry Allen is quite the nuanced character. The Scarlet Speedster has been through a lot over the years – including the death of own mother at the hands of a time-traveling arch-nemesis from the future and the death of his own father by a universe-hopping arch-nemesis from a parallel dimension – and, somehow, he’s come out of it stronger than ever. The same could be said about Iris West-Allen. The intrepid reporter has had to overcome a lot in her life – including the deaths of her fiance and her mother – and she too came out the other end of it stronger.

The reason that the two of them work so well together isn’t down to the fact that they make a great couple. They obviously do, but that’s not the point here. Barry and Iris were already compelling, well-rounded and engaging characters to begin with. They function well on their own because they’re fully aware of their own purposes.

When you put them together, however, they thrive simply because they encourage that strength that was already there. Not only do they complement each other as people, they become a collective unit that ultimately assists their own personal journeys in the process.

West-Allen isn’t built on “oh they’d make a great couple” or “they look good together”. It’s built upon the fact that these two battle-damaged heroes are full of depth that was always there. Putting them together only enhances that depth.

And, just for the record, they do make a great couple and look good together.

A rich history

One of the things that makes Barry and Iris such a believable couple is the fact that they have a really rich backstory.

Growing up together as part of the same family after Joe took Barry in following his mother’s death, they’ve been a regular part of each other’s lives for so long. However, even though they may have grown up in the same household, the writers did a great job highlighting how Barry never saw Iris as a sibling simply because it was clear that he loved her before he became part of Joe’s family.

More from Arrowverse

• The 9 best (and 8 worst) Arrowverse characters
• 27 best fighters in the Arrowverse, ranked
• All 8 Black Canary actresses ranked from worst to best
• 11 things nobody wants to admit about the Arrowverse
• The 7 best (and 6 worst) Arrowverse villains

Barry’s feelings for Iris have grown and blossomed over the years into the love that they share now and that ultimately helped Iris to see that the man of her dreams was there for her all along.

Some of the most authentic partnerships on TV have worked so well because the characters involved have real history together. That’s one of the many reasons why Laurel Lance was always a better choice for Oliver Queen than Felicity Smoak on Arrow, but it’s also one of the many reasons why Barry and Iris are in a league of their own when it comes to loving relationships.

Their friendship blossomed into a different kind of love and nothing else can really compare to that.

Comic book royalty becomes TV royalty

Above all else, The Flash is a comic book TV show. It’s based upon one of the most popular comic book heroes of all time and has done a great job of showcasing some of his greatest allies and enemies, victories and losses. It’s also done a great job adapting his love life.

Barry Allen and Iris West are among the all-time greatest couples in comic book history. They’re up there with Clark Kent and Lois Lane, Batman and Catwoman, Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor and Green Arrow and Black Canary – something Arrow would have done well to remember.

The Flash makes up for its predecessor’s failure to give comic book royalty its due because it didn’t force an inferior original character into the place of a far superior character, it instead chose to adapt the source material in a way that would ultimately do justice to it.

Barry and Iris are indeed comic book royalty, but thanks to The Flash, they have now become TV royalty as well. Like Barry said, Iris is his lightning rod, grounding him in times that he needs it and supporting him in his darkest of days. She also uses her own initiative to solve problems that they face together – just as he does the same for her.

It’s rare to see a comic book couple adapted so well, but the truth is that Barry and Iris are among the all-time greatest that the genre has to offer and this writer applauds The Flash for sticking to the source material and ultimately enhancing the greatness that was already there. And, furthermore, Grant Gustin and Candice Patton are an absolutel delight to watch.

We can’t wait to see where their loves takes them in Season 7!

Who is your favorite DC TV couple and why is it West-Allen? Let us know in the comments below! Be sure to follow @BamSmackPow on Twitter for more #WestAllenWednesdays!