Ranking 'The Flash' Characters, from OK To Perfect

There is a real lack of Barry Allen in my life right now, and I'm beginning to feel the withdrawal symptoms. Sure, I'd only really gotten to know him for nine episodes before the midseason finale of The Flash left fans with a bunch of questions, but that doesn't make things any easier. Those questions won't be answered until The Flash returns on Jan. 20 and finally brings Grant Gustin back to my television screen. That date can't come soon enough, because waiting to see what happens next is making me as crazy as the Clock King.

The Flash has an origin story worthy of its protagonist. The show was at first advertised as the quirky partner of Arrow, but has gained popularity and acclaim since its premiere. After winning Best New TV Drama at the People's Choice Awards, The Flash is hotter than Firestorm.

While waiting for the show to return, I've decided to rank the main characters of The Flash, mostly because it will give me an excuse to read theories and look for gifs. Let it be known that I really love all of these characters, even the less developed ones, so the ranking isn't really from worst to best but from pretty cool to REALLY COOL.

7. Iris West

I don't blame Iris' low placement on the list on the adorable actress who plays her, Candice Patton. Iris' individual character is as yet to be developed. Joe has to protect Iris, and Barry has to pine for her, but hopefully in the second half of the season, the show's writers will continue to develop her character, instead of maybe giving her a terrible end. Give me more scenes where Iris proves her awesome fighting skills, please.

6. Cisco Ramon

Cisco may have the most cliché lines of anyone else on the show (which is saying something) and you could create drinking game based on his metahuman nicknaming attempts. But thanks to actor Carlos Valdes' charm, Cisco doesn't come across as irritating. He's the one who finds the humor in dark situations and brings a wide-eyed enthusiasm that's infectious. Team Flash would be a lot more depressing without Cisco.

5. Caitlin Snow

Caitlin has a lot in common with Iris, actually. She's often defined by her romantic interests, and is shipped with Barry. But Caitlin is higher on the list because she is slightly more developed. As a scientist and official member of Team Flash, Caitlin has the opportunity to prove her smarts often. The character is also intriguing because she has potential to become a bad guy later in the show. In the comics, the character Caitlin Snow doubles as Killer Frost, a villain with some cool capabilities (I couldn't resist the pun). It will be interesting to see how Caitlin's character develops as she interacts more with Ronnie Raymond, aka Firestorm, her hunky not-dead metahuman fiancé played by Robbie Amell.

4. Eddie Thawne

Eddie's ranking is based on his potential and on the fact that he is very pretty. At the moment, Eddie doesn't have too much to do. As Iris' boyfriend and Joe's partner, he's portrayed simply as Barry's ridiculously attractive romantic rival and an all-around good guy. Rick Cosnett is great in the role, bringing warmth and humor to a seemingly dull part. But comic fans know that Eddie shares a last name with Eobard Thawne, the Flash's arch-nemesis also known as Professor Zoom and Reverse-Flash. We saw Reverse-Flash confront Eddie in the midseason finale, but leave him unharmed. What connection does Eddie have to Reverse-Flash? Will he actually become a villain, or is his last name just a red herring? Also, why isn't he my boyfriend?

3. Joe West

Played by Jesse L. Martin, Joe is basically the best dad ever, no offense to Barry's biological father who's still in jail. He took in young Barry after his mother's murder, nurturing and supporting the traumatized kid. Whenever Barry's in deep trouble (which is every episode), Joe is there to offer some wise advice and give a speech so heartwarming, it makes me weep. Joe is the perfect mentor, urging Barry to do better and loving him no matter what happens. OK, I'm going to go cry now, because I've been thinking about Joe too long and have been hit by all the feels.

2. Harrison Wells

My mom has a crush on Harrison Wells, which I think is a tad odd because he's really sketchy and also was recently confirmed to be the man inside the Reverse-Flash suit. Like, pretending to need a wheelchair is weird enough, not to mention now also being a time-traveling supervillain who killed the protagonist's mom. But crush-worthy or not, you can't deny that Wells is a pretty awesome character. Played by Tom Cavanagh, who can work a creepy smile like no one else on television, Wells is just an enigma wrapped in a mystery wrapped in a dark sweater. Despite his uncertain motives and shady secret office, Wells does seem to want to protect Barry. Manipulator, mentor, murderer: no matter what Wells' identity is, he sure is fun to watch.

1. Barry Allen

Obviously Barry is at the top of this list. The titular hero, played by Gustin, is as adorable as a kitten in a teacup. Barry is goofy yet determined, responsible yet reckless — a character with surprising depth for a CW superhero show. Gustin also manages to wear the dorky Flash suit with aplomb, which is no easy feat. It will be interesting to see how he develops further as he encounters more metahumans and confronts Reverse-Flash. No matter the plotline or the outfit, Barry will no doubt capture our hearts with his cute smile and super speed.

Images: Diyah Pera/The CW; theflashgifs (7), theflashladies, felicityholysmoak, smoakparker/Tumblr