Summary
- Wally West, played by Keiynan Lonsdale, was a beloved character on The Flash but left the show after just two seasons, leaving fans questioning why.
- Lonsdale’s departure from The Flash was a narrative decision, with his character choosing to do soul-searching and eventually joining the Legends of Tomorrow.
- Lonsdale left the Arrowverse to pursue new opportunities in his career but returned as a special guest star in various seasons, leaving a lasting legacy on The Flash.
The Flash’s Wally West was among the most beloved characters introduced to the DC show, but his tenure was fleeting, leaving the DC show after the Flash season 4 with just two seasons total under his belt. Wally West was first introduced in Season 3 as a result of the Flashpoint, an event that saw the show’s star, Barry Allen, create an alternate timeline where Kid Flash watched over Central City. After losing his super-speed post-Flashpoint, he was bestowed with more thanks to Doctor Alchemy – ostensibly securing him as a series mainstay, though this was not to be the case.
Wally West was portrayed on-screen by Keiynan Lonsdale, who gave an exceptionally memorable performance as Kid Flash. This did not stop Lonsdale from hanging up the costume rather soon after donning it, though not before joining forces with the Legends of Tomorrow. Despite being a part of the Arrowverse for just two years, Wally West left a lasting impression that would leave the question of why he left The Flash hanging.
Why Keiynan Lonsdale Left The Flash For Legends Of Tomorrow
Lonsdale’s initial departure from The Flash came as his character, Wally West, resolved to do a little soul-searching just a few episodes into Season 4, making only a couple of brief appearances in The Flash following this decision. It was during this period, specifically while in a Chinese monastery, that Wally was approached by Legends leader Rip Hunter. This led to Kid Flash becoming a member of the Legends, joining the team part-way through Season 3 of the DC series.
All this is to say that Lonsdale’s move from The Flash to Legends of Tomorrow was a narrative-driven decision and one that paid dividends to his character as a whole. Struggling to step out of Barry Allen’s shadow, it made a lot more sense for Wally to make the most of his own time in the limelight aboard The Waverider. This, however, was also a short-lived tenure, as Lonsdale’s Wally West soon left The Arrowverse altogether after just one season in Legends of Tomorrow.
Why Wally West Left The Arrowverse
The reasons for Wally West’s departure from the wider Arrowverse are directly tied to the actor, Keiynan Lonsdale. It was in a 2018 Instagram post that Lonsdale announced he would be leaving the Arrowverse, citing his desire to pursue a new path in his career while singing the praises of his experience in the Arrowverse (via EW). Suffice it to say, Lonsdale did not leave the show under duress nor with any bad blood.
This didn’t exclude Wally West entirely from the Arrowverse, however, as Lonsdale reprised the role on several occasions throughout the show’s run. He returned as a special guest star in Seasons 6, 5, and 9, even going so far as to kill Barry Allen in the The Flash season 9 finale while under the influence of Bloodwork. His departure, along with much of the Arrowverse’s prominent DC heroes, left a lasting legacy that helped The Flash become as successful as it was.
