HEROES AND VILLAINS
THE FLASH recruits a team of superhero allies to battle an alien enemy
NEW SUPERHERO DRAMA The Flash
Tue, 8pm, Sky Max & Sky Showcase
THE EIGHTH SEASON of The Flash arrives with a bang this week, when Sky’s superhero drama kicks off with a five-part storyline called Armageddon.
The action begins when a psychic alien, Despero, from the planet Kalanor, arrives in Central City on a mission to kill Barry Allen, AKA The Flash, who he believes will bring about the destruction of the world in 2031.
‘Despero is convinced that Barry is going to be the cause of the Armageddon to come,’ says Grant Gustin, who plays the scarlet speedster.
‘At first,
Barry is in disbelief, but there’s enough evidence to leave him concerned that this future is something that might end up happening.’
TEAMING UP
To combat Despero’s threat, Barry recruits several allies from the Arrowverse, including Black Lightning (Cress Williams), Batwoman (Javicia Leslie),
Legends of Tomorrow’s The Atom
(Brandon Routh) and Supergirl’s
Sentinel (Chyler Leigh). However, Gustin, 32, is keen to stress that the Armageddon storyline isn’t a typical Arrowverse crossover.
‘It’s cool because it all takes place within The Flash,’ he explains. ‘It’s just one continuous
Flash story, and we were inviting all these other cool guests over to our home base.’
The role of alien Despero – who was created by DC Comics in 1960 – is played by Scottish actor Tony Curran, seen recently as the villainous Frankie in US drama Your Honor.
‘Despero has lots of powers and when he shows up on Earth, you kind of understand why he’s here,’ says showrunner Eric Wallace.
‘The audience will flip out when they see how exciting, and unpredictable Tony Curran is in bringing Despero to life. Tony’s the nicest guy ever, but he’s intense, and he helped the cast rise up to the next level. The scenes between Grant and Tony will make viewers hoot with joy because they’re just amazing.‘