‘The Flash’: What Is the Relationship Between Barry Allen & Iris West?

Throughout comic history, we’ve learned that Barry and Iris always shared a special relationship and even got married. However, in the movie ‘The Flash,’ they are not quite on that level yet, and sometimes in the movie, it is hard to determine what is happening between them. In that regard, in this article, we’ll get into more detail about the relationship between Barry Allen and Iris West in the latest movie.

‘The Flash’ movie reveals that Barry and Iris are old acquaintances from college, and it has passed several years since then. However, Barry always had a crush on her, and the people who cared about him urged him to ask her out. In the alternate timeline, Barry and Iris are supposed to go on a date the night when Barry gets his powers. Toward the movie’s end, Iris gives Barry a clue that she likes him and maybe he should take her out sometimes.

We know from various sources that Iris and Barry have a future together, but they are still far away from that phase in this movie. Their chemistry has just started to develop, and it is clear that Barry likes Iris because he is very nervous and clumsy around her. However, some moments in the movie were a bit confusing regarding their relationship, so let’s see what it was all about.

Barry might be many things, but being a ‘ladies’ man’ is not one of them

There is no doubt that Barry Allen rightfully stands side by side with one of the greatest superheroes in the world and is a proud member of the Justice League because of that. His abilities as a speedster and his intellect as a forensic scientist make him a valuable asset on and off the field. However, it is fair to say that he still has much to learn about charming women.

Sometimes dating can be hard even when you are just a regular guy, but when you are a geeky-looking, clumsy superhero responsible for saving those who can’t defend themselves, dating life becomes non-existent. It is not that Barry did not try. He regularly visited a restaurant where a girl he liked worked, but he never made any move on her. And she was not even there the last time he visited the restaurant.

The people who cared about Barry, especially his father, often asked about Iris and urged him to ask her out sometimes. But things were not so simple. Barry met Iris at college and has had a crush on her since then. However, years have passed, and they never really talked. After college, Barry became a forensic scientist and Iris a reporter. The big day of Henry Allen’s appeal hearing was closing in, so the public wanted to know more about the new evidence.

And that is how Barry and Iris got in touch after all that time; she approached Barry on the street and left a weird impression. Barry’s initial excitement of finally talking to Iris faded when she asked him about his father’s case. Naturally, he considered that Iris just wanted to use him to get some information and insights about the case. However, it was clear that Barry likes her and is nervous around her, and she also regretted the fact that her approach seemed like a business opportunity.

Iris was attracted to Barry, even though it seemed she has zero reasons for that

Even though Barry had a lot on his plate, things became even stranger when he had a surprise visit from Iris at his apartment. When she asked to come in, he used his speed to clumsily clean up the apartment and phased himself through the wall to his neighbor’s apartment to grab some beers. His fast-paced clean-up had gone wrong, and his clumsiness was everywhere. In the middle of their talk, Barry realized that it was possible to save his mother and decided to travel back in time.

He left Iris at his place, alone and in the middle of a conversation, without much explanation. Everything seemed a bit cringy at moments, and no one could blame Iris if she never wanted to speak with Barry again.

In the alternate timeline, Barry met the other 18-year-old Barry, who grew up in a happy family with both his parents alive and well. That Barry was a college freshman and was supposed to go on a first date with Iris. That date never happened because Barry, from the ‘original’ timeline, had to ensure his doppelganger got his powers. This somewhat resembles Flash’s origin story from the comics, where he had a date with Iris the morning after he got his powers.

After all the turmoil in the alternate timeline, Barry eventually returns to the future, where his actions from the past freed his father from jail. And there was Iris, unbothered by how Barry had left her in the apartment before, charmed by him and boldly stated that she thinks Barry should sometimes ask her on a date.

So, while there isn’t any direct romance in the movie, it is implied that their relationship will probably progress in the future. However, the chemistry between these two seemed a bit off throughout the movie, but as you already know, love works in mysterious ways.

What did you think about Barry’s and Iris’s relationship in the movie? Share your thoughts in the comments below!