Published May 17, 2026, 8:45 PM EDT
Ben is a Senior Writer on the New TV team at Screen Rant. He graduated from the University of Central Lancashire with a First Class B.A. Degree in English Literature and History.
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The CW's The Flash managed to become a pillar of the Arrowverse, in large part thanks to masterful episodes that saw Grant Gustin's Barry Allen embody the comic book character in live-action. While James Gunn is currently rebooting the world of DC Comics stories on the big and small screens with the DCU, the Arrowverse stands out for the success it achieved during the 2010s despite the flailing DCEU.
The Arrowverse was an excellent exploration of incredible heroes from DC Comics, which largely focused on less popular figures. However, Barry Allen stands out as the central exception, considering his prominent role as a member of the Justice League in the comics.
With that, it's fitting that this character drew the spotlight in the Arrowverse and came to be one of the most beloved and popular figures across that shared universe. And across its nine seasons, the show had its fair share of spectacular episodes that could reasonably be called masterpieces.
"Invasion!"
The Flash Season 3, Episode 8
Early in the show's run, Barry Allen had the chance to work closely with other heroes from across the Arrowverse, but "Invasion!" stands out as a rare crossover that kicked off in The Flash. With that, this episode set the tone as it introduced the Dominators and brought a team together, before launching into the rest of the story.
The crossovers are an essential part of the DNA of the Arrowverse, and they went a long way in shaping the identity of this world of stories. "Invasion!" is exciting, innovative, and it felt like a huge achievement when the episode initially came out in 2016.
"Crisis On Infinite Earths: Hour Three"
The Flash Season 6, Episode 9
As invigorating and exciting as "Invasion!" was, however, the crowning achievement of the Arrowverse has to be the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" stories. Across five episodes and five different shows, this storyline connected all of DC's history together with incredible cameos, a cataclysmic storyline, and an imposing narrative that would change the universe forever.
The third part of this epic Arrowverse crossover event took place in The Flash, where the storyline really picked up with the paragons identified, featuring several notable moments that impacted the wider world of The Flash, as well as exploring the broader DC Comics series of adapted stories. Balancing all of that is no small feat, and as such, it stands out for the incredible collaboration and ambition.
"Duet"
The Flash Season 3, Episode 17
"Duet" stands out as one of my all-time favorite episodes of The Flash! As a big fan of musicals and the superhero genre as a whole, seeing Kara and Barry join forces to unravel a mystery inside a musical was a pure delight. Both Grant Gustin and Melissa Benoist got a chance to showcase their incredible talents, along with some of the other big performers from across the Arrowverse.
It's fun, it's campy, and they made it work with incredible skill. And bonus points for casting Darren Criss as the Music Meister. Certainly one of the more experimental episodes, but one that paid off in terms of quality and fun.
"Enter Flashtime"
The Flash Season 4, Episode 15
Getting back to the real meat and bones of what made The Flash an incredible show, "Enter Flashtime" stands out as one of the all-time great speedster episodes. Not only do we get to see Jay Garrick, Jesse Quick, and prominent Team Flash members work together to stop a nuclear threat, but this episode revolves around the idea of Flashtime in spectacular fashion.
Barry learns how to bring others into Flashtime; there is a deep exploration of the limitations of speedsters' powers; and the stakes actually feel incredibly high (not always the case in the Arrowverse, unfortunately). "Enter Flashtime" is absolutely a masterpiece in the superhero genre, not just The Flash or the Arrowverse.
"Flash Back"
The Flash Season 2, Episode 17
One of the unique aspects of The Flash that is rarely touched on in other Arrowverse shows is the idea of time travel. Thanks to Barry's ability to navigate the speed force, he is able to travel through time, and as a result, things can end up changing in momentous ways.
So, after learning that the young blonde Jay Garrick is Zoom, Barry decides to go back in time to meet Harrison Wells, aka Eobard Thawne, in an effort to get faster. This episode had a lot of hurdles to overcome in terms of dealing with conflicting timelines, but it navigated all of them beautifully and presented one of the most emotionally complex and challenging episodes of the series.
"The Man In The Yellow Suit"
The Flash Season 1, Episode 9
"The Man In The Yellow Suit" serves as the mid-season finale in the premiere season of The Flash. The episode sees Barry come face-to-face with his rival, the Reverse-Flash, and there are several major developments in the episode for the wider team, from Joe West joining Team Flash to Iris being proposed to.
However, this episode is best known for the fact that it reveals Harrison Wells to be the Reverse-Flash. This stunning reveal cemented the show as a real contender for the best series in the Arrowverse just nine episodes in, and in many ways, the relationship between Barry and Wells continues to be a central element for much of the rest of the run, but this was an astonishing turn of events.
"Welcome to Earth-2"
The Flash Season 2, Episode 13
Along with a deep dive into the concepts of time travel, The Flash also frequently explored the multiverse. For instance, the season 2 episode, "Welcome to Earth-2" saw Barry, Cisco, and Wells all travel to Earth-2 to save Wells' daughter. Of course, nothing is quite that simple in The Flash, and the team runs into trouble and gets split up.
What is fascinating about this episode is the idea of multiple versions of these characters in different realities, and how their characters may change. This is best seen with the Earth-2 Barry and Iris, who are very different from their Earth-1 counterparts. It's a rich episode with incredible storytelling, and it dramatically deepens the lore of the show.
"Enter Zoom"
The Flash Season 2, Episode 6
Many episodes of The Flash deal with how Barry and his friends prepare to fight a rival. This can be wonderful, and it can provide a lot of background and excitement for a season, but there is also a lot to be enjoyed when the action comes to a head. And with that, "Enter Zoom" marks a momentous occasion in Barry's rivalry with Zoom.
Evidently, as the series goes on, and Zoom's identity is revealed, it adds to the intensity and intrigue of this episode, but even in isolation, it's a lot of fun and packed with incredible action and dialogue that makes it stand out.
"Out of Time"
The Flash Season 1, Episode 15
"Out of Time" holds a special place in the lineup for becoming essentially the episode that never was. This episode not only sees Barry unlock his ability to time-travel and break through new speed barriers, but it also sees huge developments like a romantic moment between Barry and Iris, and Cisco confronting Wells, only to be killed.
The thing is, in an effort to stop the Weather Wizard, Barry accidentally goes back in time and essentially erases the events of the day. While this saves Cisco, it massively halts the progress in the romance between Barry and Iris. But the fact that the show was able to briefly play with this outcome, only to switch it out and course correct, was a masterstroke.
"Fast Enough"
The Flash Season 1, Episode 23
Finally, The Flash season 1 finale "Fast Enough" sees Barry take everything he learned throughout the season, including his ability to travel through time, his enhanced speed, and his relationship with Eobard Thawne. It's a gripping episode and a spectacular season finale that leads into plenty more conflict in the following season.
Like many of the other entries on this list, "Fast Enough" balances intense emotion, complex character relationships, and epic action. It's a true spectacle, and one of the episodes that remains top of the list for any list about the best moments from the Arrowverse. But in the context of The Flash, this is just the beginning, and it sets Barry Allen's Flash on a course that will prove impossible to turn away from.
Release Date 2014 - 2023-00-00
Showrunner Eric Wallace
Writers Lauren Certo, Judalina Neira, Kelly Wheeler, Alison Schapker, Zack Stentz, Joe Peracchio, Julian Meiojas, Lilah Vandenburgh, Keto Shimizu, Gabe Snyder, Mike Alber, Gabrielle Stanton, Jaime Paglia, Carina Adly MacKenzie, Emily Silver, Bryan Q. Miller, Ray Utarnachitt
English (US) ·