What Happened to Joe West in ‘The Flash’ Show? How Did He Die?

‘The Flash’ series ended two weeks ago, and it feels like they still owe us something. The series had an underwhelming end but still brought us some great moments and characters. One of them was Joe West, whose role in the show was significant for Barry Allen’s character. His love and devotion to Barry after Eobard Thawne killed his mother “molded” Barry into the man we meet in the series, and frankly, he did a very good job raising his adoptive son. Of course, like many characters in ‘The Flash,’ Joe also died at one point in the show. So what happened to him?

Joe West is alive after the end of ‘The Flash.’ In season nine of the series, we saw Joe moving away from Central City with his daughter Jenna as part of his retirement plan from CCPD. His partner Cecile stays in Central City to help Team Flash and continue working as a lawyer. Joe finally proposes to Cecile in the last episode of ‘The Flash.’ However, in the erased timeline, Joe West died once in the show after Eobard Thawne was created after manipulating Negative Still Force. Joe was crushed by a train in that timeline.

‘The Flash’ introduced us to many storylines from DC comics, and in each major event, many characters died, including Joe West. However, he was revived after the Reverse-Flashpoint was erased forever. Nevertheless, that whole comic book storyline was “a trip,” but it never permanently killed Joe West. Let’s discuss this topic in more detail.

Did Joe West die in ‘The Flash’ series?

Superheroes always need a role model and a good supporting cast to stay true to their cause and continue in their efforts to save the world. Joe West is the best example of that trope in the TV series ‘The Flash.’

Joe West is an important character in ‘The Flash’ series because he was that father figure that Barry Allen missed in his life. At the beginning of the show, we learn of Barry Allen’s tragic childhood, which was marked by the death of his mother, Nora Allen.

A strange man in yellow came to Allen’s house in the middle of the night in the year 2000 and killed Barry’s mother. Later, his father, Henry, was accused of killing his wife, sending him to jail for life while the West family took in Barry.

Before that, throughout the show, we learn that Joe was married to Francine, and the two got a daughter Iris, but his wife was an avid drug addict, which crippled their marriage.

When Francine overdosed in the kitchen of their home and, consequently, put young Iris in danger, Joe decides to send Francine to the rehab facility. However, the woman escapes, and Joe tells his daughter that her mother has died. Joe didn’t know that Francine was pregnant again, with none other than Wally West.

Nevertheless, Joe and Iris continued their life, and the young girl met Barry Allen, her classmate, and quickly became best friends. Of course, Joe became really close with Barry’s parents, Henry and Nora Allen, and continued their close friendship.

However, everything changed when Reverse-Flash killed Nora Allen, and Henry was accused of killing his wife since no one believed that an evil speedster would do that. Nora Allen was killed on March 18, 2000, and little Barry was brought to CCPD. Seeing that he is alone, Joe takes in Barry as his own and becomes his guardian.

For years, going into adulthood, Joe always supported Barry and his life choices, bringing him to work as a forensic scientist in CCPD. After the incident that gave Barry Allen speedster powers, Joe was the first person to support his stepson.

Barry Allen’s story goes from there, with his Team Flash as his biggest support group and Joe West as his confidant. With speedster powers comes great responsibility, and Barry eventually realizes that Eobard Thawne stole identity from Harrison Wells and learns about time travel. Of course, Thawne is an expert in time travel and vows to travel across the multiverse and kill everyone Barry loves.

During one event, specifically, season eight of the show, we see Reverse Flash doing his best to make Barry miserable. The evil speedster uses the so-called Negative Still Force, an extra-dimensional energy source that is the opposite of Still Force that feeds on negative emotions. Its avatar could travel wherever desired, but one’s stagnation, negative emotions, and perpetuation are what make it different from the Negative Speed Force.

Nevertheless, Eobard Thawne created his version of Flashpoint, famously called Reverse Flashpoint. In that timeline, Thawne steals the identity of Barry Allen and kills civilians, prompting the public to turn against the man and consequently become Reverse Flash.

Barry becomes Reverse-Flash after Thawne kills young Barry in the Reverse Flashpoint timeline and forcefully strikes himself with the lightning after the explosion in S.T.A.R. Labs – Thawne is now Flash, while Barry is the Reverse-Flash in the eyes of the world.

Of course, in his killings, Thawne kills Joe West using the Negative Still Force by reversing the timeline – Joe dies in the train accident. This is the only time Joe West died in ‘The Flash’ series.

What happened to Joe West in ‘The Flash’ series?

Of course, when Joe West died, his death happened in the Reverse Flashpoint timeline, which Barry Allen and his Armageddon event erased. Barry caused Armageddon to destroy the erased future, and with the help of Damian Darkh, he restored the timeline.

With the restored timeline, Joe West and the rest of the deceased Team Flash members were revived once again. The Reverse-Flashpoint occurred in season eight of the show, and Joe West’s character got sidelined due to actor Jesse L. Martin deciding to step from the regular role on the show.

Joe was always important to Barry and the West-Allen family, so we saw Joe always supporting his family in season nine. The beginning of the show’s last season saw Joe West and his girlfriend Cecile discussing their future as a family – they have a young daughter Jenna.

After the arrival of the Red Death in Central City, Joe’s resolve to leave Central City was stronger than before. When Cecile showcased her powers as the Virtue and helped Team Flash defeat Red Death, Joe made a compromise – Joe and Jenna would move away from Central City, while Cecile would work as a lawyer and help Team Flash during the week, but find time for her family on weekends.

So yes, Joe moved away with his family outside of the city, and after the danger of Cobalt Blue was resolved, he finally proposed to his long-term girlfriend.

Joe West was a great father and supporter of his children, and he would definitely take the award for the Father of the Year over Iris’ comic book father, William West. The comic book version of Iris’ father was abusive to his children – Iris and Daniel West, who William crippled.

‘The Flash’ series had its faults, but Joe’s character was spot on, showing us that superheroes could have healthy parental figures in their life.

What’s your opinion on Joe West? Let us know in the comments below.

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