Who Is 'The Flash's Kid Hero?

If you thought the first season of The Flash was everything you hoped it would be and more, then brace yourself: the second season is about to be a very special treat. According to Variety, The Flash has added Keiynan Lonsdale to the show as Wally West. So, yeah, it's safe to say that Central City is about to be rocked — but in a good way. All things considered, Lonsdale is an optimal candidate for this role, given his similarly action packed portrayal as Uriah in Insurgent. Another reason why Lonsdale's casting was an inspired decision? He was on the TV show, Dance Academy, and man can he move. I have a feeling a certain somebody is going to be doing a lot of their own stunts!

But, agreeable casting aside, Wally West or Kid Flash is an enigma all his own. Sure, getting to see Kid Flash in the flesh has more than piqued my interest — but regardless of who is playing him, his character alone has got a whole lot to offer the sophomore show. I bet you’ll think so too once you get to know him better.

Here is a more in depth look who Wally West and, subsequently, Kid Flash really is:

He's A Teen Titan

According to DC Comics, the Teen Titans are Kid Flash, Wondergirl, Superboy, and Robin, and their first appearance was in 1964. The squad also includes heroes Raven, Starfire, and Beast Boy. Their main issues? DC Comics explains that, "As they grapple with their own idealism and unite to fight their enemies, their adventures span galaxies, dimensions, and beyond, as these heroes-in-training fight super-villains, super-calamities, and sometimes even super-hormones." Oh man, super-hormones. Good luck, Central City.

He's Supposed To Be Related To Iris West

Variety states that, "In comics canon, Wally is the nephew of Iris West (played in The CW series by Candice Patton) — the love interest and eventual wife of Barry Allen (Grant Gustin). While Wally initially served as his uncle’s sidekick and a founding member of the Teen Titans, he later inherited Barry’s mantle as The Flash."

Wally West Gets "Super," Just Like Barry Allen Did

Wally "idolized" The Flash, unknowing at the time that he was the same person as his uncle. So, Barry being the good guy he is, let Wally meet The Flash in his lab where he had an extremely convenient chemical cabinet like one that gave him his powers. Anyway, apparently Barry didn't learn any kind of a lesson, because it was storming, lighting hit the cabinet, and those chemicals spewed all over Wally. As the story goes, Barry tells Wally to keep quiet and gives him a "specially tailored" suit, probably in an effort to make up for being an irresponsible uncle. The rest is history.

IGN Lists Wally West As Number Eight In Their Top 100 Comic Book Heroes List For These Reasons

They wrote, "Wally West is a character that has seen major growth since his inception. He’s grown up, gotten married, had two kids, and discovered the Speed Force, the psuedo-science explanation for where the speedsters’ powers come from. Wally has also been a member of the Teen Titans, New Teen Titans and the Justice League. Basically, Wally West is one of the DCU’s greatest heroes, even if he doesn’t rank as the original Scarlet Speedster." Sounds epic.

So, there you have it. Kid Flash is kind of a big deal.

Images: Giphy (4)