The Flash: Every character ranked from worst to best

1. Barry Allen / The Flash

The man, the myth, the legend. The Scarlet Speedster, the man with the lightning, the Paragon of Love; Barry Allen, The Flash. Of course, he’s in our top spot.

There are rare occasions where the title character isn’t the best character on the show, but that isn’t the case here. Barry Allen is, without question, one of the best leading characters to ever grace the small screen. With his relentless optimism and his drive to do good, Barry has been a hero for years, but not because he was struck by lightning; because he was an inherently good person. The lightning chose him for that reason, and so much more.

Fans have watched Barry overcome the most insurmountable of odds (even when it looks like he can’t). They have seen him fight to do the right thing when nobody else believes that he can. And they have watched him grow into the greatest hero in all of the Arrowverse.

Grant Gustin was so perfectly cast in this role, because he redefined Barry Allen. He’s the definitive version of this character and will remain so for a very long time. And we’re just so glad that we got to witness him bring this gem of a character to life for nine wonderful years.

Barry Allen is a good man, husband, father, and hero. That bolt of lightning did good.