The Flash was not shown vanishing on April 25, 2024. That was the date printed on a fictional future newspaper in the closing scene of the 2014 CW pilot. The show’s Crisis storyline happened in 2019, and the series ended in 2023—so the date arrived after the story had already moved on.
When was the Flash supposed to disappear?
The pilot’s final scene revealed a future news page dated April 25, 2024. Its headline read “FLASH MISSING VANISHES IN CRISIS,” teasing a future in which Barry Allen would disappear during a Crisis. The page was a fictional story clue, not a real prediction or an episode scheduled to air on that date. The Los Angeles Times’ account of the date and Inverse’s coverage of the pilot’s headline describe the original tease.
What did the newspaper mean in the pilot?
The future page appears at the end of the October 2014 premiere, when Harrison Wells accesses a hidden Time Vault. It plants a long-range mystery: the Flash is missing, and a Crisis is involved. That tease pointed toward the Reverse-Flash and a Crisis story that would become important later in the series. TVLine’s report on the pilot stinger also recounts the scene.
Reports differ on the fictional publication’s name: the Los Angeles Times calls it the Central City Citizen, while TVLine describes a Central City Gazette website. “Future newspaper” is the safest description without relying on a specific version of the page.
#1 Best Overall
- The Fastest Man Alive! Bring home the bold adventures, thrilling battles and daring deeds of The Flash with this 12-inch tall posable DC action figure with detailed design and 7 points of articulation.
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Why did the show’s Crisis happen before 2024?
The story’s timeline changed after the pilot established 2024 as the future date. The Arrowverse’s Crisis storyline came to pass in 2019 instead. The available reporting documents that shift but does not establish a specific production reason for moving the event earlier, so it is best understood as a change in the series’ chronology—not as a promise that Barry would vanish on the printed date. The show concluded in 2023, before April 25, 2024 arrived. The Los Angeles Times recaps both the earlier Crisis and the series’ ending.
Did Grant Gustin react when the date arrived?
Yes. On April 25, 2024, Grant Gustin marked the date and joked that he had not vanished; the Los Angeles Times reported his brief post as “We made it.” Candice Patton also shared an image of the future newspaper on her Instagram Story, according to the same report. Read the Los Angeles Times’ coverage of the cast’s reactions. The date was a playful milestone for fans, not a new development in the show’s plot.
Rank #2
- Featuring heroic figures: 2.5” scale Sonic as The Flash and 5” scale The Flash for play and display
- Sonic as The Flash has 5 points of articulation and The Flash has 27 points of articulation for ultimate poseability
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- Suggested for ages 3 years and up
Was it really a decade?
Almost, but not quite: the pilot premiered in October 2014, and the newspaper’s April 25, 2024 date came about nine and a half years later. The series’ tenth anniversary followed in October 2024. “A decade” captures the nostalgic anniversary mood, while the exact interval from premiere to predicted disappearance was shorter than ten years.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- SPEED FORCE THE FLASH: The 12-inch Speed Force The Flash action figure comes with full armor and lightning speed action features This large-scale figure offers DC fans ages 4 and up exciting action and adventure
- LIGHTS AND 15+ SOUNDS: Press Flash’s chest logo or shake to activate unique light patterns across his suit and sounds Batteries included, so you can play right out of the box
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Rank #3
- The Sultan of Speed! Bring home the speedy adventures, quick battles and outpacing of Super-Villains with this 6.5-inch DC Premier action figure of The Flash with 22 points of articulation.
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- Super Heroes & Super-Villains! Fans can collect both DC super-heroes and super-villains, with many key characters available for rich DC storytelling at home. Each figure sold separately, subject to availability.
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