15 Times Iris West Was the Best Part of The Flash

Barry Allen is an incredible character. He has a good heart and is an outstanding citizen of Central City. Not to mention, he is the fastest man alive. But what is a good man without a great partner like Iris West? 

Of all the fantastic things that Barry has achieved over eight seasons of The Flash, how many would have fallen flat without the fabulous Iris West by his side?

Without Iris as his counterpart, Barry never would have beat Savitar. Heck, the absence of her wisdom-filled pep talks alone would have had Barry throwing in the towel years ago.

Relationship aside, Iris stands as an integral part of Team Flash, doing much of the footwork for her friends and family, serving up her reporting skills on a silver platter. If there is anything to know about the villain of the week, her journalistic expertise is irreplaceable by any unit of measure.

Her never-give-up attitude always gets everyone out of the tight spots and into a positive headspace. Trust me, this is no easy feat! But of course, these brief generalizations only skim the surface of everything the character has to offer.

That’s why we compiled this list of 15 times Iris truly shined brighter than every metahuman in town and changed the shape of things to come by using her humanity as a superpower.

In chronological order, here are 15 times that Iris West was the best part of The Flash:

1. Iris names the Flash (Season 1 Episode 6)

From the beginning, Iris was the Flash’s number one fan. She started a blog titled, “The Streak Lives,” just to cover all his superhero antics throughout Central City, and this was all before she even knew his secret identity.

After a heavy argument from Barry, Iris dropped the moniker of the Streak and went with his suggestion, the Flash.

Although Barry thought it up, it was her expert coverage of the scarlet speedster that made the name a staple in his hometown. Without her content, Central City may have never taken Barry as a serious superhero, and he may have been mistaken for some guy who liked to walk around town naked.

2. Barry resets their first kiss (Season 1 Episode 15)

Iris and Barry’s romantic relationship started on rocky ground during The Flash Season 1. When Barry told Iris of his feelings for her she was still dating Eddie, after all. Plus, awkwardly admitting you’ve had a crush on your step-sister for years just isn’t a good look.

At that moment in time, it was unclear to the audience how this whole thing would work and if the two even had any on-screen romantic chemistry. As a tidal wave closed in on Central City, Iris confessed to having feelings for Barry too, and they sealed the deal with a kiss. Let me tell you, it felt like a breath of fresh air.

We instantly knew that this couple needed to exist, no matter what stood in their way. Unfortunately, fate wasn’t on their side that day, as Barry accidentally reset time for the first time minutes later.

That’s okay because the audience now collectively knew how important Iris was to the show. She wasn’t going to be some random love interest that came and went. Iris was, and is, a focal point of Barry’s universe.

3. Iris forgives her mother (Season 2 Episode 11)

Iris has a lot of reasons to harbor hatred in her heart, especially towards her mother.

After years of absence, Francine West showed back up in Central City to make amends with her family. Her years of drug addiction had caught up to her, and there were only mere weeks left before her time was up.

There were many reasons for Iris to shut her out, giving Francine the ultimate kiss-off for eternity. Instead, Iris met her at CC Jitters to understand what happened and why a mother chose to leave her daughter behind.

Although few explanations can excuse the ultimate betrayal, Iris took it mostly in stride being civilized as possible.

It wasn’t until Francine was in the hospital that reality began to set in for Iris. This was the moment she would never get back. With tear-filled eyes, Iris and Francine spilled their hearts out to each other knowing this may very well be the very last time they speak.

Iris found it in her heart to forgive her absentee mother and made sure she knew that she didn’t hate her — at least not anymore.

4. Iris defeats Savitar (Season 3 Episode 23)

The Flash Season 3 had Barry and the team attempting to find a way to save Iris from being killed by Savitar. Every scenario led them to a dead-end with the villain winning and Barry suffering his greatest loss.

When the final showdown came, Barry was mere inches away from slaughtering the alternate version of himself before he realigned with his morals. Savitar played possum long enough for Barry to let his guard down, taking advantage of his good nature.

As the big bad made his final attempt at finalizing his future, Iris pulled the trigger without hesitation. By doing so, she not only rescued her lover but also saved herself.

5. Iris takes over Team Flash (Season 4 Episode 1)

When Season 3 ended, Barry disappeared into the Speedforce leaving Team Flash and Central City behind. This was a moment when Iris could have given up, left Star Labs behind, and never looked back. After all, what did she owe any of these people?

Instead of doing any of these things, Iris took front and center choosing to lead her friends and family into battle as if nothing had changed. Her fortitude drove the team out of hopelessness and kept them on the rails during their time of need.

This couldn’t have been easy for her, as she must have felt the loss more than any of them, but that never deterred her actions for a moment.

6. Iris and Felicity save Kara (Season 4 Episode 8)

During Crisis on Earth X, Iris partnered up with Felicity Smoak to rescue many of their superfriends. Their bravery in the face of nazis proved to be a true superpower.

While Felicity did what she could to contact the Legends, it was Iris who decided they can’t sit on the sidelines waiting. She knew it was up to them to save Kara before time ran out.

Working together, Iris and Felicity woman-handled their way through baddies and environmental hazards until they made it to Kara’s side.

Freeing Supergirl didn’t prove to be as fruitful as they hoped, but Iris’ willingness to step into harm’s way at the most difficult of times proved her mettle.

7. Iris’ wedding vows (Legends of Tomorrow Season 3 Episode 8)

Writing your vows is a time-honored tradition of letting your partner know exactly how you feel about them right before making the ultimate commitment. Iris West dove deep into her memory banks, plucking out a moment that happened long before she started dating Barry or even thought of him as a beau.

One can only imagine Iris as a ballerina scared out of her wits in front of a packed house of parents at her first recital. No one was there to save her from what could have proven to be the most embarrassing moment in her young life.

That is until Barry Allen stood at the back of the theater and parroted the moves he watched her perform time and time again during practice. This truly was an act of love in ways the two children had no way of understanding.

Since hindsight is 20/20 vision, Iris can now look to this day as a keynote in their budding relationship, allowing her to pinpoint exactly how she feels about her soulmate and when she started to feel different about the love of her life.

8. Iris becomes a speedster (Season 4 Episode 16)

When a new metahuman accidentally gave Iris Barry’s powers, she had to take on two villains nearly simultaneously. Feeling ill-prepared for an active crime scene, Iris needed direction on how to play her part.

This would have been a perfectly understandable time for Iris to bow out of the spotlight, saying adieu, nice knowing you, but she did the exact opposite.

Racing straight into the action, Iris was met with mile-high flames and the heat to match it. Backed up by her fast-thinking teammates, Iris created a tidal wave to douce the slightly over-the-top villain, drowning out all his ambitions of striking it rich the easy way.

9. “You’re not the Flash, we are.” (Season 4 Episode 23)

Okay, I’ll be the first to admit it. Sometimes guys just don’t get it until someone speaks clearly to them. We think we are an island, self-sufficient, and strong enough to take on damn near anything.

Barry Allen is no different. Up until this pivotal moment, he believed he was the one calling all the shots, protecting Central City, and keeping his wife safe. Iris minced no words when she corrected her husband by telling him, “You’re not the Flash, we are.”

The truth is, she’s right.

So many times it has been her logic and on-the-fly decision-making that got Barry out of a tight squeeze. It was her wisdom and pep talks that set Barry straight when he doubted himself most. Iris’ love and confidence in Barry made him the hero he is today.

10. Iris notices Barry’s change (Season 5 Episode 9)

Of all the wacky adventures that have taken place in the Arrowverse, Elseworlds may have taken the cake. Sure, we got that nearly unmentionable musical episode, but two very different heroes switching identities proved to be a laughable and zany escapade.

As Oliver Queen woke up in Barry Allen’s bed, confusion set in immediately. Fortunately, Iris noticed something was off in record time. Her close friend, Felicity, didn’t prove as reliable

Iris’ moments alone with the Green Arrow showed the deep connection she has with the man she loves. She knows him in whatever costume he wears and whatever skin he is in. Their souls are connected in a way that no evil can ever tear them apart.

11. Iris suppresses Nora’s powers (Season 5 Episode 4)

While this one wasn’t shown on screen, it wasn’t any less effective.

As Iris did her best to get to know her future daughter, Nora always gave her the cold shoulder. Repeatedly, Nora brushed off her mother’s attempt at bonding moments, and it drove Iris up the wall.

Eventually, Iris confronted Nora for doing this and the truth finally came spewing out. In the future, Iris implants a meta power dampening chip in her daughter. To Nora, this makes Iris seem villainous, but in all honesty, she was only doing what she felt she had to so she could protect her daughter.

Let’s face it, all of our parents did some weird things while we were growing up, but it was always in our best interest. Iris was acting the same way, in love.

Her speedster husband had already vanished into oblivion, and she didn’t want her daughter to face the same fate. While it must have broken her heart to inflict this damage on Nora, she felt she was choosing the best option for her family.

12. Iris convinces Ryan Choi to join the fight (Season 6 Episode 9)

Not an episode goes by that there isn’t some sort of pep talk amongst Team Flash. Many of these monologues have validity in the battle against the villain of the week, propping up a member of the gang during a time when they need it most. But Iris delivered a rallying cry to Ryan Choi that quite possibly saved the multiverse.

Ryan Choi was revealed to be the Paragon of Humanity during Crisis On Infinite Earths, but he wasn’t all that interested in the position. He doubted his abilities, especially in the presence of such greatness as The Flash, Green Arrow, and Supergirl. Mr. Choi found it more appropriate to spend his last remaining hours on Earth with his wife and daughter.

This seems like a fairly reasonable argument. What would a normal man be able to do in the face of such great dangers?

Iris looked deep into Ryan’s eyes and explained what being human means — and how that reflects the purpose of a superhero. It wasn’t until then that Ryan saw what he had to offer. Without the non-superpowered individuals, the world wouldn’t be worth saving.

It is the innocent, the defenseless, and the weak, who give meaning to the extraordinary.

13. Iris never loses hope in escaping the Mirrorverse (Season 6 Episode 12)

The Mirrorverse seemed like its own special rendition of hell. Worst of all, there was no escape, at least that is what Eva believed. In fact, she gave up trying years ago.

Iris, being the eternal optimist, looked for every possible solution, rarely doubting that she couldn’t find some way to break out or possibly contact her husband. Quasi-science experiments and wishful thinking kept Iris going even after constant failure.

She knew after every crazy thing her husband came up against, he would pull through for them even if it was the last thing he did.

Of course, her hope paid off and was just in the nick of time. Her efforts not only saved herself, but the people trapped alongside her. Barry may have done the rescuing, but Iris kept them all around long enough for them to be saved.

14. The Central City Citizen goes mainstream (Season 8 Episode 1)

Iris West has all the skills of a top reporter. Curiosity, logical assumptions, and good connections, just to name a few. Throughout every season of The Flash, Iris has used her abilities to bring Central City much-needed info on every important detail about the crisis of the week.

It wasn’t until Season 8 Episode 1 that we got to see the payoff.

The Central City Citizen is now a budding empire with legitimate journalists writing alongside Iris and taking her lead. They may not always like what she has to say, but they listen out of respect and admiration.

Seeing Iris’ hard work coming to fruition is probably one of the most inspiring things that have taken place on the show because it is the most realistic.

Will any of us ever get superpowers? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean we can’t strive to obtain our dreams in different ways.

15. Iris shoots Thawne (Season 8 Episode 4)

Iris was put in a nearly impossible situation, to choose between the man she loved and his nemesis. Against everything she was told, Iris chose wisely.

During Armageddon, Eobard Thawne created a Reverse Flashpoint making Barry the villain and himself the hero. Only Eobard and Barry knew about the switch which made it very easy to manipulate Team Flash.

Several times Barry tried to convince Iris he wasn’t who she thought he was. His profession of love was what finally got to her.

Somewhere deep in her subconscious Iris knew this love he spoke of not only existed but also that she reciprocated it. When all the cards came down, Iris chose love over logic firing her weapon at Thawne instead of Barry allowing him to get away.

This was a major turning point of the event, giving Barry a head start on resetting the timeline. If Iris didn’t make the proper decision, who knows what irreversible tragedy would have befallen the planet?

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Did we miss any of your favorite moments? Sound off in the comments below.

The Flash airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.

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