With all of the buzz and marketing that’s been swirling around the CW’s new superhero show, The Flash, a big part of the story has surprisingly been left out. That would be Rick Cosnett’s character, Eddie Thawne, who in the comics is Barry Allen’s arch-nemesis Captain Zoom (aka Reverse-Flash).
The yellow costumed speedster has been the Flash’s biggest foil for decades, and has gone through several iterations and name changes over the years. One popular take, the Professor Zoom version created in 1963, finds him going by the name of Eobard Thawne, a man from the 25th Century who finds a time capsule containing the Flash’s costume. Using a machine to amplify the suit’s speed energy, he gains the Flash’s abilities and uses them to commit crimes, both in the future and the present day.
We still don’t know how far into the science fiction elements the new series will go, though the mere existence of super speed and hints at other characters like Killer Frost show that we’ll definitely witness more super-powered antics than in The Flash‘s sister show, Arrow. So, some traditional storylines for Thawne are certainly not out of the question.
Rick Cosnett, who portrays Thawne on the show, was recently interviewed by IGN. When asked about his thoughts on the series, he said:
“Oh my gosh, it’s exciting, it’s terrifying… and it’s magical, you know? It’s been quite a journey, but it’s just a wonderful show, beautiful cast. Such good hands with the crew and director and producers, so I’m very lucky to have landed here.”
As far as what we can expect from Thawne, it seems like he’ll be, fittingly, the polar opposite of Barry Allen:
“He’s very calm, he’s very nice, he’s very golden. He’s a good guy… he’s almost flawless, you know? He sort of sweeps in and saves the day, much to Barry’s dismay. Which creates a great tension I think for Barry because we’re friends, as well. That’s always kind of wonderful to play that between the two of us.”
Barry’s a good guy, but before he gets his powers he’s a shy, geeky scientist who lacks the slightest bit of confidence. Thawne, on the other hand, appears to exude confidence, and he’s in many ways is the kind of guy Barry probably wishes he could be. That won’t only effect their personal relationship but Barry’s romantic life as well. Apparently, in true CW fashion, love triangles are in our future:
“There’s also some wonderful women in the show, who um… who we kind of both, maybe… who get in the middle of us, should we say. So you’ll have to wait and see who that is.”
He’s obviously talking about Iris West, Barry Allen’s unrequited love interest, right? According to a new promo for the show, Barry’s been ostensibly “friend-zoned,” so it will come as no surprise when square-jawed, handsome hero cop Eddie Thawne “swoops in.”