The Flash: Every character ranked from worst to best

12. Eddie Thawne

Eddie Thawne’s character arc in The Flash season 1 is a thing of beauty. He’s the attractive, confident detective that fans could have easily taken a disliking to. He had charm, swagger and had the affection of Iris West, making him the obstacle in the long-awaited West-Allen romance. And yet, he was so kind-hearted, so loving, and cared so deeply for Iris that it was impossible to dislike him.

His fear of losing Iris and amounting to nothing drove him forward to make the ultimate sacrifice when he shot himself so that his descendent, the Reverse-Flash, would never be born. He died a hero, knowing that his loved ones would be safe and that we would all never forget him.

Eight years later, The Flash finally followed in the footsteps of the fan-theories and brought Eddie back as Cobalt Blue, the avatar of the Negative Speed Force who sought to destroy Barry Allen for “stealing” his happy life with Iris. He ultimately chose to destroy the crystal fuelling his hatred but remained the avatar, ensuring that there would be peace between the two forces going forward.

The rushed conclusion didn’t exactly give fans the payoff they wanted, but it wasn’t enough to take away from Rick Cosnett’s incredibly committed and enjoyable performance as Eddie.