Iris West

[jaytee1812]

I love Iris, she smart, funny and caring. Both Joe and Barry treat her like crap, like she's barely more than a toddler. 

[Enero]

 

Iris' tears at the end felt earned. She finally finds a way to try and help Barry free his dad, prove Barry's right to Joe, and share in something Barry's had a passion about proving since he was eleven. The 180 by Barry had to be hurtful and baffling; I think she knows Joe is behind it, as he seems to have been behind the nipping of any bud he deems dangerous. While I am not in agreement with everything Iris has done, Joe has overreached too much and needs to have a metaphorical nub to be pulled back after this episode. Iris has made The Streak and her blog her hill to metaphorically die on. She has to get him to back off for herself.

 

You know, I'd forgotten that Joe torpedoed her attempt at the police academy. Now it's her blog about  about The Streak he's coming down on.

 

That said, I don't think I could ever hate Joe. Like I Iris, I really enjoy his character.  Though I do think his overprotectiveness of her is way over the top. It does make me wonder what happened to Iris' mom and I assuming Joe's wife? Perhaps this is why he's overbearing with Iris' life choices because he lost his wife in an unforseen/dangerous manner.  I do find it interesting that Iris is a college grad, who not only still lives at home, but cooks dinner for her father, presumbly every night. Perhaps she can't afford to live on her own, but with her age I'd think she'd at least be away from home even if she had roommates.

 

In last night's episode, she said that writing about The Streak now went beyond helping Barry. I hope that we'll get more insight into this as well as her relationship with her father. Maybe her interest and passion about this has something to do with her own life (growing up without a mother) and experiences.

[Actionmage]

It does make me wonder what happened to Iris' mom and I assuming Joe's wife? Perhaps this is why he's overbearing with Iris' life choices because he lost his wife in an unforseen/dangerous manner.

 

I really hope that we don't have yet another Dead Mom For Character Development. Maybe Iris' mom moved away due to a job that Joe deemed "dangerous."  I totally agree that Joe's overbearing protectiveness is due to why Mama West left.  I'd think there would be more parallels smacking us in the face if Iris' mom was dead too.

[Chicago Redshirt]

Okay, do these folks want me to hate Joe? Because they are.

 

I like that Iris feels she has found something important to her and she is refusing to let her dad, and now Barry, talk her out of it. Joe somehow talked/got her out of the police academy after being accepted. She's being treated as if she is some heedless, flaky teenager. She's a woman in her twenties, doing work on a freaking dissertation- the last step before attaining a Doctorate. Her father gives her no credit for anything not in his narrow definition of safe for Iris.

 

I thought that Barry neglected to explain the "if some bad guy, like that cold guy, thought you understood The Streak more than the average person, you are going to be a magnet for Bad Guys" reasoning. As either Barry or The Streak. 

 

Iris' tears at the end felt earned. She finally finds a way to try and help Barry free his dad, prove Barry's right to Joe, and share in something Barry's had a passion about proving since he was eleven. The 180 by Barry had to be hurtful and baffling; I think she knows Joe is behind it, as he seems to have been behind the nipping of any bud he deems dangerous. While I am not in agreement with everything Iris has done, Joe has overreached too much and needs to have a metaphorical nub to be pulled back after this episode. Iris has made The Streak and her blog her hill to metaphorically die on. She has to get him to back off for herself.

 

I would say that the character of Iris is somewhat a heedless and flaky teenager, or at least, has a fair amount of growing up to do. If she really wanted to be a cop, no amount of overprotectiveness from Joe could have tanked that. Even if he had the juice to keep her out of the Central City police academy, there's countless other police departments she could join. She could have early on come clean about dating her dad's partner, but she let that issue stay unresolved for as long as it did.

 

Hopefully the writers will give Iris more dimensions beyond Joe's daughter, Barry's love interest, Eddie's love interest and Flash groupie. When we see pretty much every other character, I get what they're about and why they are jazzed about what they're jazzed about. (Wells being a slight exception, as at least some of his motivation is a mystery by design.) 

[Trini]

I'm really hoping that the fact the characters are talking about it means that they'll tell Iris soon. (Or even better, she figures it out herself.) On Chuck it took them 3 seasons for the lead to tell his sister his secrets--after everyone else was in the loop. It was excruciating; just tell her!

[Grace19]

The way I see it, she loved the idea of being a cop but was not passionate about it, so when she found something she was intrested in she stuck to it and refused to give in. She also refused to breakup with her boyfriend despite her father, and she told him in episode three that didnt take long. She already have more dimension, which will grow as she comes to love being a reporter and growing as one. I love what the writers are doing, they are not just giving us the flash origins, but are showing us an iris west the reporter origins, the firestorm origins, reverse flash origins and possibly the vibe and killer frost origin.

[Izeinwinter]

The way she is being treated is rage inducing. And their reasons for doing it are poor. I know secrecy is a trope for super heroes, but it is a toxic one for interpersonal relationships, and it is leading them to act in ways that are just utterly beyond the pale. 

[In2You]

Barry's secret is the worse kept on the show. Look how many people outside of Iris know. Plus he stays taking off his mask while on the job.

[ribboninthesky1]

I've liked Iris from the beginning, but she was written more like a teenager than adult in the first few episodes.  She's more mature in the later episodes, which is good.  But the way Joe and Barry regard her yet simultaneously dismiss her makes me wish she'd leave Central City and live her own life.  It's really sad that the Joe and Iris relationship seems underwritten to prop up Joe and Barry's.  But this is a Berlanti show.

[The Kings Foot]

I dont know if this will seem improper or not but I'm really glad that Iris in an African-American character. There are so few interracial relationships on TV. 

[slayer2]

I love Iris, she smart, funny and caring. Both Joe and Barry treat her like crap, like she's barely more than a toddler.

Me too. She's wonderful, capable and emotionally intelligent. They need to tell her the truth.

[phoenics]

I want to thank the writers for giving us a character who "has to be her own hero sometimes". Way to go Iris! And even with that they gave us a Flash moment with her too showing she could be a heroine and still the object of the hero's affection.

I really like Iris. I hope they let her in on the truth soon.

I think the writers are treating the character with a huge amount of respect and are being really careful not to have her compared to Laurel when she's nothing like her. And also to illustrate that she's no Lana Lang either but actually more like Lois (which is comic canon anyway). I love the CW for doing so many comic shows but one pitfall seems to be the baggage some fans bring from other shows and saddle completely different characters with. I wish people didn't do that but at least the show runners are aware and are batting down the comparisons constantly and protecting the Iris character.

[quarks]

The comparisons to Laurel are inevitable, but I think they stack in Iris' favor.  Especially after this last episode, where Iris helped save herself and the hostages.

[Enero]

The comparisons to Laurel are inevitable, but I think they stack in Iris' favor.  Especially after this last episode, where Iris helped save herself and the hostages.

 

This. And also Iris doesn't come off entitled. Though this could simply boil down to acting choices by the actresses. Honestly, I don't think there's any comparison between the two. Both will inevitably need rescuing at one point or another (and sometimes another and another). That's a common trope for the love interest of the superhero. Besides that, IMHO they have nothing else in common.

 

I want to thank the writers for giving us a character who "has to be her own hero sometimes". Way to go Iris! And even with that they gave us a Flash moment with her too showing she could be a heroine and still the object of the hero's affection.

I really like Iris. I hope they let her in on the truth soon.

I think the writers are treating the character with a huge amount of respect and are being really careful not to have her compared to Laurel when she's nothing like her. And also to illustrate that she's no Lana Lang either but actually more like Lois (which is comic canon anyway). I love the CW for doing so many comic shows but one pitfall seems to be the baggage some fans bring from other shows and saddle completely different characters with. I wish people didn't do that but at least the show runners are aware and are batting down the comparisons constantly and protecting the Iris character.

 

I loved that she came to that conclusion at the end of her ordeal and that she wasn't angry at the Flash for not coming to the rescue. She didn't even ask him where he was (not that she had a right to). Though she was obviously a little disappointed that he didn't show to help, she sort of found a lesson in it for herself.

[phoenics]

The comparisons to Laurel are inevitable, but I think they stack in Iris' favor. Especially after this last episode, where Iris helped save herself and the hostages.

I think the comparisons are made only due to fan baggage since the two characters and their lives are absolutely nothing alike.

But I do think the writers are being very careful to establish Iris as her own character who isn't even close to Laurel.

I actually think Iris is more like Felicity in terms of their spirited disposition even though Iris isn't a geek.

[slayer2]

I think the comparisons are made only due to fan baggage since the two characters and their lives are absolutely nothing alike.

But I do think the writers are being very careful to establish Iris as her own character who isn't even close to Laurel.

I actually think Iris is more like Felicity in terms of their spirited disposition even though Iris isn't a geek.

I agree. The only thing they have in common is they both marry/date superheroes, big whoop that's basically everyone. Additionally since Iris doesn't become a superhero herself they have even less in common. Comparisons to Felcity or Lois Lane make far more sense. She even has the Daily Planet background (in the comics)

Edited December 2, 2014 by slayer2

[Iamsweetdee]

I actually think Iris is more like Felicity in terms of their spirited disposition even though Iris isn't a geek.

UGH! Likening Iris to Felicity is the one way to make me dislike Iris.

Edited November 27, 2014 by Iamsweetdee

[phoenics]

UGH! Likening Iris to Felicity is the one way to make me dislike Iris.

Lol - I only meant that they are both sunshiny characters. And I still think Iris is more like Lois Lane just not as hard nosed and sarcastic. She's a much sweeter person than Lois.

[Iamsweetdee]

Lol - I only meant that they are both sunshiny characters. And I still think Iris is more like Lois Lane just not as hard nosed and sarcastic. She's a much sweeter person than Lois.

Hee. Yes, she is Lois like at her core, but definitely not as hard nosed or sarcastic.

[slayer2]

UGH! Likening Iris to Felicity is the one way to make me dislike Iris.

Felicity isn't the holy grail. I prefer Iris but I don't understand why we have to pit them against each other. Fail.

[Actionmage]

I liked that Iris highlighted how very human Tockman is, even if he is elevated to "super-villain" status.

 

a) Tockman notices the "strong resemblance" between Joe and Iris. Yet, knowing Joe's a cop- of a handful he has taken hostage- Tockman chooses Iris as his getaway hostage.

b) Tockman is either easily distracted/ uncomfortable with very emotional scenes that aren't his, so he doesn't notice Iris reaching for Eddie's back-up gun. (It's a slight cheat, but whatever.)

c)Even if Tockman saw the gun retrieval, he may have figured he could disarm the policeman's daughter.

d) After Iris showed Tockman the gun, and he backhanded her hard, she kept control of it and fired.

 

Iris? Is damn brave and is a loss to the Central City PD, Joe. Even though she was scared and watching the man she loves bleeding out in front of her, she kept herself as calm as she could. She wasn't stoic, but she wasn't some screaming nit either. She saw her father in one of the most helpless situations he's faced. She still called to him for help.

 

If the writing could stay consistent with how Iris has been shown these last two episodes, I'll be glad. There is almost always room for tweaks here and there, but Iris is feeling more balanced, to me. Less potential damsel, more potential Flash Mobster.

[CoyoteBlue]

I've figured out what irritates the hell out of me about Iris's crusade. She reminds me of people who thought they had the right to out gay people, especially celebrities, because "their story would be inspirational to others and make a statement". When "The Streak" himself asks her to stop trying to out him, she should have stopped. She has no idea (and gives not one solitary fuck) how outing The Streak will affect his life, his job, his family. And she totally does not care. Does not give a shit. And for that, I kinda really dislike her, while still being able to admit that beyond that, she's an okay character. 

 

Also, WTF problem do these people have with headshots? Boyfriend takes body shots despite being close enough to not miss a headshot and Iris decides to pause instead of just lifting the gun and shooting him instantly. I admire your composure, girl, but next time, right in the head before he can react, yes?

Edited November 30, 2014 by CoyoteBlue

[In2You]

Why would Iris shoot to kill? Last I checked she doesn't have that right. She did exactly what she was supposed to do.

[CoyoteBlue]

I'm pretty sure being dragged to your likely death by an armed fugitive gives you the right to use deadly force.

[slayer2]

Not when you're black it doesn't.

[Enero]

I've figured out what irritates the hell out of me about Iris's crusade. She reminds me of people who thought they had the right to out gay people, especially celebrities, because "their story would be inspirational to others and make a statement". When "The Streak" himself asks her to stop trying to out him, she should have stopped. She has no idea (and gives not one solitary fuck) how outing The Streak will affect his life, his job, his family.

I don't see any similarities here. How is she outing The Flash? She knows nothing about who he is, where he comes from or if he even has a family. All she's doing is blogging about his good deeds which apparently was already being discussed by citizens who'd been privy to his rescues and such. I'm of the mind that if she had not started a blog about him someone else would've, considering how many people he's been rescuing.

I do, however, think she'd be more concerned about her own safety being as her writing about him could possibly make her a target as evidenced in 1x6. However, as others have pointed out, the threat of danger hasn't stopped other individuals from pursuing things they're passionate about (ex: Joe and Eddie as cops, Barry as the Streak/Flash and even Wells and his team with their research). So why should Iris have to stop writing her blog.

[wingster55]

I'm pretty sure being dragged to your likely death by an armed fugitive gives you the right to use deadly force.

 

Yes but I don't think Iris is of that mentality. She just needed to stop Tockman, not kill him. Which she did.

[GraceAbigail]

I don't see any similarities here. How is she outing The Flash? She knows nothing about who he is, where he comes from or if he even has a family. All she's doing is blogging about his good deeds which apparently was already being discussed by citizens who'd been privy to his rescues and such. I'm of the mind that if she had not started a blog about him someone else would've, considering how many people he's been rescuing.

I do, however, think she'd be more concerned about her own safety being as her writing about him could possibly make her a target as evidenced in 1x6. However, as others have pointed out, the threat of danger hasn't stopped other individuals from pursuing things they're passionate about (ex: Joe and Eddie as cops, Barry as the Streak/Flash and even Wells and his team with their research). So why should Iris have to stop writing her blog.

 

Exactly. She even says that it doesn't matter who he is, just that he can give hope to her friend, to the people of Central City.

 

I like that Iris doesn't let fear temper her curiosity. I couldn't help but chuckle at her suggesting to Flash that she talk to Tony again, even knowing that he was dangerous. Some may consider that reckless and maybe it is but it also showcases Iris as someone who's inquisitive and headstrong, both admirable qualities to have, especially for a journalist in the making.

[Trini]

If the writing could stay consistent with how Iris has been shown these last two episodes, I'll be glad. There is almost always room for tweaks here and there, but Iris is feeling more balanced, to me. Less potential damsel, more potential Flash Mobster.

 

Amen to that. Lois &Clark, Smallville, and Arrow have all preceded this show. Iris West can be great if the writers can learn from those mistakes (and successes).

[ribboninthesky1]

I mentioned this in one of the episode threads, but I've never understood the argument of Iris' blogging putting her in danger beyond "the writing says so."  The Flash operates openly day and night, and surely, news media would be all over the story, if not interviewing citizens saved by The Flash.  The show chooses not to show that to bolster the "Iris is vulnerable to peril" perspective, but it's a natural consequence of supernatural phenomenon occurring in the city.  If Iris was an actual reporter, I wouldn't see the difference.  

 

Not to mention Barry being reckless with strangers and other metahumans, as evidenced in the recent episodes.  If anything, some of HIS actions may be putting Iris at risk more so than her blogging.  She's not "outing" him - he's doing that all by himself.  She's blogging about what any regular person would see.  It's not like she's the only witness to his activities.  If she was, then I could see the "outing and putting herself in danger" argument.  But Barry's running around in public, and outing himself to strangers and villainous metahumans alike, which have nothing to do with Iris.  

Edited November 30, 2014 by ribboninthesky1

[Chicago Redshirt]

We don't know how much the actual media is covering stuff, or covering stuff up. I would imagine if there were a Flash in the real world, people might be hesitant to cover him because it would just be so unbelievable.

 

In any case, there are two possibilities where Iris's writing about the Flash might put her in danger.

 

1. Criminal thinks she knows more about the Flash than she has put on her blog and abducts/tortures/kills her trying to get that info.

2. Criminal thinks she is a Flash fanboy and abducts/tortures/kills her to hurt Flash.

Edited November 30, 2014 by Chicago Redshirt

[ribboninthesky1]

If The Flash was clandestine in his activities, I might understand media hesitance.  But again, there are plenty of private citizens (cops too, if they're willing to leak the story) who are witnesses to the Flash AND the activities of some of the introduced metahumans.  The show doesn't address that because it's not expedient to the story they're telling, which is their choice.

 

But, the show has already implied there are others blogging about the metahumans, including The Flash.  By this logic, anyone who blogs about him is in danger.  For the most part, little that Iris blogs about is information only she would be privy to.  Anyone in Central City who cares to write about it could do so.  And if The Flash has a reputation of helping others, targeting Iris vs some other private citizen is just another "because the writing says so" rather than any internal logic of the world created by the show, just like the "Barry can't tell Iris even though everyone else he's close to knows."  Iris isn't a reporter, but I don't see how what she does is much different than someone in the media.  The Flash team, save Wells, Joe, and Eddie are JUST as vulnerable to metahumans as Iris...so, again, what's the justification of Iris being in danger?

 

The one time so far her blog got her "in trouble," she wasn't in any real danger - the guy just wanted her to blog about him instead of the Flash.  OMG, the perilous nature of writing a blog about someone else!

 

And of course, if Barry and Joe were so concerned for her safety, they could have just told her the truth months ago.  But they haven't because...."the writing says so."   

[Trini]

 

... She's not "outing" him - he's doing that all by himself.  She's blogging about what any regular person would see.  It's not like she's the only witness to his activities. ...

I mean, seriously. Even just in the episode with Captain Cold, he must have saved several dozen people from that train.

[Chicago Redshirt]

We don't know what exactly Iris's blog contains. (At least, they haven't shown it in detail on the show. They may have created a fake blog, but I'm not going to search it out.)

We know that Iris and Flash have had at least a couple in-person conversations. We don't know if she has blogged about them or not, but it would make sense to me at least that she would have, since she is trying to show that the Flash is real, and what better way than to say "I spoke to him"?

[In2You]

We don't know what exactly Iris's blog contains. (At least, they haven't shown it in detail on the show. They may have created a fake blog, but I'm not going to search it out.)

We know that Iris and Flash have had at least a couple in-person conversations. We don't know if she has blogged about them or not, but it would make sense to me at least that she would have, since she is trying to show that the Flash is real, and what better way than to say "I spoke to him"?

She was hiding from Eddie that she spoke to The Flash so why would she put it in her blog he could potentially read?

[ribboninthesky1]

It's true that we've not seen much from Iris' blog, but she's had a handful of conversations with The Flash, which isn't much blog fodder.  So it's logical to assume that she's blogging about his activities, not so much their conversations.  From what I can tell, Iris has no interest in discovering and, more importantly, sharing Flash's identity as much as what he does for others. Which goes to my point that she doesn't have some insider information that would put her, specifically, in peril.  It's no secret that she's close to Barry, though, and if Barry continues to out himself to others unnecessarily, I can see how that could put her (or Joe) in danger.         

[Chicago Redshirt]

In2You, I'm not sure what you're referring to in terms of her hiding from Eddie that she spoke to the Flash. I could have tuned out a scene to that effect, because Eddie is (so far) pretty dull when he's not high on pain meds. But I don't remember any scene in which Eddie has shown any awareness that the Flash exists.

[Enero]

Well tonight kind of put to rest what Iris was blogging about when writing about The Flash. As already been said, she was blogging about what he was doing not their conversations, which was why Eddie was completely in the dark about him communicating with him.

 

I do wonder what's next for her though now that she's given the Flash the boot. Will she blog about other meta-humans she hears about? Or give up the blog all together. She was most inspired by the Flash. He was the one that inspired her to write the blog I can't imagine she'll continue at this point, especially with her and him now on the outs and of course Eddie's new crusade.

 

What I also find interesting is that when Eddie asked if she was okay with him going after the Flash, she didn't answer, but deflected to her feelings for him. It kind of makes me wonder if the real reason why she "broke things off" with the Flash was to protect him from Eddie than because she now sees him as dangerous.

Edited December 3, 2014 by Enero

[ribboninthesky1]

I read it like she realized he was dangerous, especially given her stance with the Flash later. I doubt protecting him was on her mind.  Iris understood perfectly why Eddie wants to take him down, though I also read disappointment in The Flash on her face.  Very well played by Candice.  I know this won't last long, but I'm glad she cut ties with him for now.  I always thought the Iris/Barry with a mask interactions were creepy, not romantic in the slightest. Eddie may be boring, but he's forthright and mature, so I continue to support them as a couple.  I really have no reason to root for Iris/Barry at the moment. 

 

I was highly amused with her crush on Oliver.  Amell doesn't do it for me, but there's no denying he's cut from granite.

[Trini]

So they've mentioned that Iris is a grad student, like, once? What is she supposed to be studying?

[ribboninthesky1]

Sociology, I think? Since it's been completely tossed aside, I suppose it doesn't matter. Don't know why they just didn't have her studying journalism, though.

[In2You]

I feel like they've changed what she's been studying several times since the original pilot.

[BkWurm1]

Could someone please tell Iris that her life is being threatened?  How is keeping her in the dark about any of this keeping her safe?  Argh!

[Carrie Ann]

Barry told her the wrong secret. The timing was totally wrong to tell her about his feelings, although I understand why he did. And at the same time, she's in more danger than ever and she deserves to know that.

[phoenics]

Yeah she's going to be furious when she finds out. They need to tell her so she can at least try to protect herself. Or so she can decide to help - or not.

I'm glad at least one secret is out. They couldn't drag that out forever.

I do wonder how they are going to proceed now though. I wonder if Eddie might still be connected to the whole RF thing and Iris living with him makes her uncover it.

I also think Barry will get a temp love interest and Iris will become jealous. Tired trope if they go that way though.

[Londongirl2001]

I feel sorry for her. Now that Joe has clued in Eddie on the metahumans, another man in her life is going to lie to her. One of them finally decides to be upfront about something but it's 1) the wrong secret and 2) terribly timed (though I did feel for Barry). I want Iris to find out everything. Seriously, not telling her about the threat against her life is just silly. Next to all the other things Iris apparently needs protection against.

[phoenics]

Maybe Barry will have an epiphany like he did about not telling Iris about his love for her ending up causing him to lose her. Maybe he will tell Joe that keeping this from Iris to protect her could lead to her being truly hurt (physically and emotionally). Although he already said that to Joe.

My wish is still that Iris figures this out on her own. She was clueless about his feelings for her. Now that she knows about that I do wonder if she will start to question things more and think about how something is still off with Barry.

Also - since Iris already knows about the meta humans Eddie won't be lying right? Unless I missed it and Joe told him about RF threatening Iris.

Edited December 10, 2014 by phoenics

[Enero]

phoenics - I agree. Iris kind of already knows about the metahumans. Granted she doesn't know how they came to be, but she does know they exist due to her interaction with at least two of them.

 

I agree though. There is no reason for her not to be told about Barry, and the danger she's in. She's obviously still writing her blog (or it's at least still up online) based on her conversation with Caitlin last night. So she's still not only at risk from the blog but from the Yellow Man/Reverse Flash who knows who she is.

 

I'm still hoping we'll get more insight into what happened to Iris' mom and how that has affected her, what's driving her etc. Though we've received some insight into her personality, I'd like to see less surface and more depth with her. Which I think crazy enough with Barry confessing his love for her will allow for us to see more layers added to her.

Edited December 10, 2014 by Enero

[phoenics]

I'm surprised we haven't gotten more backstory on what happened to Iris' mom... that ring is obviously important, but they haven't really talked about it much.

I do wonder if Iris - due to her mom not being there - has attachment issues. I wonder if that blinded her to Barry's love for her (that everyone else could see).

[Trini]

I'm glad one secret is out, but that just means it's going to take the rest of the season (or more) for the other secret to drop. But points to the show for not dragging this out as long as they could have.