The Flash ending and post-credits scene explained: What does [SPOILER] mean?

The Flash movie finished out on quite the shocking note. What does it mean for the DC Universe going forward?

Well we finally made it. The Flash movie has landed in movie theaters.

Fans of the DC Extended Universe have been waiting for the better part of a decade for the Scarlet Speedster’s cinematic solo offering, but script rewrites, shared universe complications, and multiple other factors delayed it for a long, long time. But Barry Allen finally put his boots to the ground and sped onto the silver screen this weekend.

DC fans are aware that this is the movie DC Studios is relying on to reset the DC Universe, because Barry’s time-travelling shenanigans can pave the way for a new shared universe. Those shenanigans also paved the way for a heck of a movie.

If you’ve just watched the movie and need some answers about its ending sequence, here’s what you need to know about The Flash, its ending, and that post-credits scene.

*** This article contains major SPOILERS from The Flash. Do not read on if you don’t want the movie spoiled for you. ***

The Flash movie ending explained

The Flash ends with Barry Allen having restored the timeline after his Flashpoint-esque attempt to save his mother created a whole new timeline that saw worlds collide with one another. Upon realizing that the younger Barry from that world had become the Dark Flash because he couldn’t let Supergirl and Batman’s deaths happen, the Scarlet Speedster went back in time one more time and heartbreakingly reset everything so that his mother would die.

While he was able to ensure that his father got released from prison, not everything played out as it should have. Yes, he received help from his close friend Bruce Wayne, but it wasn’t Ben Affleck’s Bruce (who was his friend and mentor), nor was it Michael Keaton’s Bruce (who had become a close ally in the new timeline). It was George Clooney.

Clooney played Batman in the notorious Batman and Robin, so his return here was a nod to that. But what does it really mean? Well, that’s a good question. The answer is a complicated one, but it goes something like this: Barry Allen has created a new timeline, one that will serve as the basis for James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe going forward.

Now, that doesn’t mean that George Clooney will be Batman going forward. As Barry explained to Aquaman in the post-credits scene, everytime he goes back and changes things, he ends up with a new Bruce Wayne. So far, those Bruces have looked like Ben Affleck, Michael Keaton and George Clooney, but we can presume that this will eventually lead to the DC Universe’s new Batman, who will headline The Brave and the Bold.

The Flash has begun the DC reset as the DCEU now evolves into the DCU.