Eddie Thawne

[Kromm]

Rumor says he's a bad guy!

 

Detective Eobard "Eddie" Thawne is a police detective of the Central City Police Department.

[Amelie06]

He's hot. He seems cool, so far. He genuinely seemed to be happy that Barry was out of his coma.

[Skyline]

Every show needs its eye candy. I don't care if he has lines or not. Just keep him looking GQ and I'll be happy.

[chaos is welcome]

After his line to joe, "I am your partner, not your assistant!" I find myself not wanting him to be rf.

[Actionmage]

After his line to joe, "I am your partner, not your assistant!"

 

I enjoyed that line because it showed that Eddie took Joe's words seriously- be my partner, not my daughter's boyfriend- when Joe couldn't follow his own advice- trying to keep Eddie safe for Iris' sake.

 

While I think that Eddie genuinely likes Barry, I think he can tell about Barry's feelings for Iris.

 

I am liking Eddie, so I hope the writing keeps giving us little surprises and some complexity.  I want to keep liking him. 

[FurryFury]

Ep 4 and still no real characterization, but the actor isn't bad (and nice to look at), so I don't hate him at all. Still, no idea what his role could be later, but please, don't make him a villain. Actually, the same could be said about Wells - both would be just too obvious. Go with somebody shocking, like Iris or Daddy Flash.

[ribboninthesky1]

The actor is blandly attractive, but I have to wonder what the show is going for by making him a mature, caring boyfriend, reliable partner to Joe, and kind to Barry.  I've read no spoilers, so he'd have to either be a lying sociopath or do a pretty abrupt 180 for me to dislike the guy.  As it stands, I suspect the show assumed that Barry being cute, nice, and the protagonist, along with comics canon, would be enough to make Barry's pining for Iris sympathetic.  And perhaps it is for most viewers.  But give me mature and caring over immature longing and angst any day of the week, and twice on Sunday.   

[Actionmage]

I rather enjoyed Eddie this last episode. It was nice that we got a teeny bit of his background. I liked that he's trying to befriend Barry because Barry is important to Iris. (Barry's important to Joe, but Eddie's only dating Iris,afaik. *g*)  

 

That he was a "fat kid" who was the son of an unpopular local politician, as he was growing up, give nice-but-vague outlines of his past. I like that he seems to genuinely care about Iris and her relationship to Joe.  The teaming with Barry on the Girder case was fun.

 

Yet, if Eddie's comics destiny is to play out on the show, I'm good with it. I just hope there comes some Wells-level writing for him in that case. I feel the actor might be able to pull it off.

[Ottis]

Every time this actor talks, he sounds like a 6-pack a day smoker. Ugh.

[Actionmage]

So I could stop calling him "that actor", I went to IMDb and his name is Rick Cosnett! He grew up in Zimbabwe, lived for a time in Australia. His great-grandfatherwas head of the Royal School of Music. 

[Skyline]

He's also a voiceover actor.

[NumberCruncher]

I kind of love Rick Cosnett's voice. It's unique.

[Skyline]

I kind of love Rick Cosnett's voice. It's unique.

I perk up every time he speaks.

[Trini]

 

The show is gonna have to do some heavy lifting to make me NOT side with Eddie.

[From the episode thread]

 

Normally in these TV "love" triangle situations, one corner is the obvious Wrong Choice. And since Eddie's not the lead here, usually he'd be it; but so far there hasn't been anything to make think he's the bad guy. In fact, he's probably the better choice at the moment. (Although, I am rooting for Barry and Iris eventually.)

[wayne67]

I'd root for Barry more in the Eddie Barry Iris love triangle if Barry wasn't switching between being paternalistic about her 'reporting' and watching her while she's not aware of it and actively keeping a GIGANTIC secret from his supposed best friend.

 

I like Eddie even though he hasn't had much character development. He has had some fun moments, losing out on Star Wars trivia, teaching Barry to box, being high on morphine and being generically hot.

 

I wouldn't mind if he turns to the dark side as long as it doesn't feel like a cop out so Barry can get a girl without putting in the effort to confess to Iris about his secret identity which is known to at least 7 people now. That has been done even more than keeping alter ego secret from best friends/family/ love interest.

Edited December 5, 2014 by wayne67

[ribboninthesky1]

[From the episode thread]

 

Normally in these TV "love" triangle situations, one corner is the obvious Wrong Choice. And since Eddie's not the lead here, usually he'd be it; but so far there hasn't been anything to make think he's the bad guy. In fact, he's probably the better choice at the moment. (Although, I am rooting for Barry and Iris eventually.)

 

To expand on this, I think you can be the wrong choice without being a bad guy or nemesis.  Unfortunately, I suspect that's where the show may go because they're telegraphing Eddie as too perfect.  If Iris had not already chosen Eddie, I could handwave it as "well, he might be a good guy, but that doesn't mean Iris has to want him."  But she wants him, she's with him, and he's good to her.  

 

And even if Iris wasn't with Eddie, at the moment, Eddie comes off as the more mature guy.  No doubt the show is giving Barry the better development arc, but beyond superpowers, Eddie is just more stable.  He's as decent as Barry, he went through similar hardships with the bullying, he respects Joe but doesn't let him push him around, he risks his life for others without having superpowers, he's not targeting The Flash (that we know of) out of some sense of jealousy or resentment.

Edited December 5, 2014 by ribboninthesky1

[Kromm]

Yeah, but I think the show is potentially heading off the deep end with Eddie becoming obsessed with The Flash.  Admittedly that dovetails with the "classic" comic Eddie in some ways (except: totally different origin and totally different REASON he's obsessed with The Flash), but I could see this going wrong pretty easily if they mis-do this.

 

I don't particularly care if Eddie becomes a villain (you know who....), but if so it needs to be laid out very carefully due to this new origin.  Or if he's NOT a villain and this is yet another misdirect (the way we've had so many with Wells), then they need to pace this exactly right. Take too long and people will bitch about it becoming predictable, going nowhere, and consequently "ruining" a whole half season.  Go too quickly and they'll have to find something else for Eddie to do.

[Oscirus]

Eddie seems to be fading into the background, he doesn't seem to care about the Flash task force or about his girlfriend flirting with a costumed hero or Barry being all super weird with his girlfriend

 

 

It's weird how little people care about Eddie. His girlfriend appears to be over him and his partner's off working on a secret closed case that the captain's apparently cool with. At this point, the only thing that Eddie has going for him is his name and they're even  failing with that since the writers aren't even bothering to set up a decent rivalry with Barry.

[phoenics]

It's weird how little people care about Eddie. His girlfriend appears to be over him and his partner's off working on a secret closed case that the captain's apparently cool with. At this point, the only thing that Eddie has going for him is his name and they're even  failing with that since the writers aren't even bothering to set up a decent rivalry with Barry.

 

I think there is going to be something interesting with Eddie coming up.  I don't know what - but it's gonna be something.  He can't have that name for nothing.  I kinda wonder if the writers are going to let him fade into the background a bit and then do something shocking with him later.

 

Also - I don't think Iris is "over him", but I definitely think she's confused - if she was over him, she would have traipsed off with Barry when he came to interrupt her dinner plans with Eddie and his family... 

[wayne67]

I think there is going to be something interesting with Eddie coming up.  I don't know what - but it's gonna be something.  He can't have that name for nothing.  I kinda wonder if the writers are going to let him fade into the background a bit and then do something shocking with him later.

 

Also - I don't think Iris is "over him", but I definitely think she's confused - if she was over him, she would have traipsed off with Barry when he came to interrupt her dinner plans with Eddie and his family... 

 

The problem with that is that if they leave Eddie off in the background doing whatever for an extended period of time by the time he does something supposedly shocking most of us will be like "Who's that guy again" and then after a moment it'll be like "Oh yeah Iris apparently lived with him without throwing a house warming party for her friends and family".

 

If Eddie turns out to be evil for whatever reason, I don't think it'll come across as some shocking revelation or betrayal it'll just be some other nonsense piled onto the altar of poor set ups. They've been teasing Well's dubious intentions every other episode. Eddie barely even gets to interact with his actual girlfriend or partner so anything he does will be like "oh he still exists" rather than something meaningful.

Edited February 15, 2015 by wayne67

[phoenics]

I feel like Wells is a giant red herring. I know he's reverse flash, but I just don't think he's the only one.

Just like Barry went back in time and was there when his mother died - I wonder if there is another version of Eddie running around?

Eh - I dunno.

I do think there are some major scenes coming up with Eddie soon - 18, I think?

[wayne67]

I feel like Wells is a giant red herring. I know he's reverse flash, but I just don't think he's the only one.

Just like Barry went back in time and was there when his mother died - I wonder if there is another version of Eddie running around?

Eh - I dunno.

I do think there are some major scenes coming up with Eddie soon - 18, I think?

 

Yay Eddie may get some screen time in 5 weeks ... woohoo ...

 

I assume Wells will be a red herring but at least he has some screen time to sell the possibility he'll be evil once he secures Barry's timeline or something.

 

Eddie has nothing going on plot wise even though he's connected to 2 main characters via partnerships (love and work wise) and also works with Barry the main character.

[phoenics]

I know you're right... Maybe we'll get more before episode 18 - that's just the only one I know of.

It's a sad state of affairs. Since we got into the Firestorm stuff, we've seen Iris, Eddie and even Joe somewhat marginalized. Joe less so, but in episode 12 he wasn't on much except at the very end.

[In2You]

If Eddie isnt a villain then they're just wasting the Thawne name.

[driedfruit]

Eddie has nothing going on plot wise even though he's connected to 2 main characters via partnerships (love and work wise) and also works with Barry the main character.

 

Right now the show is setting up Wells' eventual reveal (we all know that's coming) so Star Labs is getting a lot of focus, while other characters are pushed to the back. That doesn't mean Eddie is any less important to the series as a whole, just that the focus shifts according to what's happening in the near future. 

 

They've already planted the seeds for Eddie/Iris/Barry for when the time comes to push that rivalry forward.

There is a double date coming up in 1.14 so we'll be seeing how the changes in the Barry/Iris dynamic are effecting Eddie very soon.

Edited February 15, 2015 by driedfruit

[wayne67]

They've already planted the seeds for Eddie/Iris/Barry for when the time comes to push that rivalry forward.

 

Sadly The Flash nearly killing Eddie has been completely overlooked so if they wanted to really build up some tension they'd explore that. Love triangles are boring motivations as evidenced by Headless on Sleepy Hollow and the Ichabod/Katrina/Headless triangle.

 

If Eddie goes dark side I want it to be for a good reason not because he's hulking out because of a jilted love interest.

[driedfruit]

Sadly The Flash nearly killing Eddie has been completely overlooked so if they wanted to really build up some tension they'd explore that. Love triangles are boring motivations as evidenced by Headless on Sleepy Hollow and the Ichabod/Katrina/Headless triangle.

 

If Eddie goes dark side I want it to be for a good reason not because he's hulking out because of a jilted love interest.

 

I agree about hating love triangles as motivation (Slade/Shado/Oliver was just about the stupidest and I'll take your word for SH since I don't watch that) but I don't mind the lost love being used as a seed for Eddie losing complete faith in Flash. And Zoom's nutty obsessiveness with Iris has the potential to be entertaining at least. 

Edited February 15, 2015 by driedfruit

[peachmangosteen]

I don't know anything about the comics so I didn't know Eddie is evil in them. I don't get the vibe at all from tv show Eddie that he's evil or even that he's gonna go evil. But maybe that's just because he only appears for like 30 seconds per ep.

 

I agree about hating love triangles as motivation ... but I don't mind the lost love being used as a seed for Eddie losing complete faith in Flash.

 

I don't mind it either, but they're gonna have to do a lot more with Iris/Eddie soon for me to find it believable and not just a lazy excuse for a shocking twist.

 

And Zoom's nutty obsessiveness with Iris has the potential to be entertaining at least. 

 

Who's Zoom? I'm drawing a blank.

Edited February 15, 2015 by peachmangosteen

[phoenics]

There is a theory that Zoom is Wells. Look up Professor Zoom.

About Eddie - I'm not sure that Eddie becomes evil - I just feel there is some kind of twist going on with him - maybe something future related.

[In2You]

I don't know anything about the comics so I didn't know Eddie is evil in them. I don't get the vibe at all from tv show Eddie that he's evil or even that he's gonna go evil. But maybe that's just because he only appears for like 30 seconds per ep.

 

 

I don't mind it either, but they're gonna have to do a lot more with Iris/Eddie soon for me to find it believable and not just a lazy excuse for a shocking twist.

In the comics there's a long ongoing feud between the Thawnes and Allens.

[Actionmage]

I wasn't sure what I wanted in Eddie's reaction to the Flash revelation. Part of me wanted a good, satisfying punch to the kisser. Part of me was perfectly happy with the amazed  awe at the reveal.  I liked the reveal, in that Eddie is a neglected part of the canvas. 

 

Did not like that he went along with the Lie To Iris fallback.  Eddie followed Joe's lead on the let's lie to protect the rest of the police force ( about metahumans). It's probably because Eddie wasn't sure how beneficial it would be ( my opinion? Life-saving. Obvs, MMV. *g*)  Now he's keeping Iris in the dark, knowing that his lady doesn't take brush-offs well. Nor (hopefully) blatant lies. So I am betting that Eddie thinks things will be straightened out well before a year passes. If he doesn't? Det. Eddie Thawne deserves every ounce of disgust he'd have coming from Iris.

 

As to Matt Letscher being his decendant?  I'm glad they chose him. I enjoyed him in that Zorro movie and whenever I've seen him in movies or TV.  

 

I hope that Rick Cosnett gets some really good stuff now that he's in the Circle of Lies.  Hopefully, he and Candice get some meaty scenes together.

[quarks]

At least Eddie protested. I didn't like that he still went along with it, but at least he made the token protest.

[Xantar]

Well in the end, Eddie turned out not to be the bad guy. In fact, he was unfailingly noble and probably the most moral character in the show. That was certainly a characterization and a twist I didn't expect. But over this season, it's what has made me really like him even though he's objectively kind of boring and bland. I'm so tired of the jealous other man trope that it's just really refreshing when he turns out to be a really good guy instead. It's too bad he's gone, but I think he had a complete and satisfying story.

Even if it does seem like he might have triggered the destruction of all reality by his last act. But he had no way of knowing that would happen.

[bettername2come]

It is great that he didn't turn evil. Going evil because you don't get the girl is a pathetic move as a person and a tired cliche as a writer. Also, I love that this never would have happened if Eobard hadn't kidnapped him and given him all that information. The "monologuing villain leads to his own demise" trope taken to an extreme degree.

[Trini]

I hope they find a way to bring him back, maybe for a short arc.

 

The writers used him as a plot device, and I knew they were going to break up him and Iris, but didn't think they'd actually kill him off.

[Lady Calypso]

Well, here's another tumblr post regarding a theory about Eddie's role in season 2. I could totally get behind it, actually, and it makes perfect sense.

[Cirien]

Well, here's another tumblr post regarding a theory about Eddie's role in season 2. I could totally get behind it, actually, and it makes perfect sense.

Well if he is dead then a certain Allen would not exist. So yeah I hope so. Also Rick has hinted at it.

[phoenics]

Well, here's another tumblr post regarding a theory about Eddie's role in season 2. I could totally get behind it, actually, and it makes perfect sense.

I mentioned the cobalt connection in the episode thread - as soon as Eobard mentioned cobalt being added to the time machine, I knew it had to do with Cobalt Blue. When Eddie got sucked into the wormhole with the cobalt panels on the machine, I knew he'd eventually return as CB.

That's why I know he's not dead - or he won't stay that way.

[Impish Dragon]

I want Eddie to return but only as one of the good guys. 

[Sakura12]

I wouldn't be surprised to find out that Eddie's middle name is Malcolm or he could even be going by his middle name instead of his first name. Just as long as

he's not Barry secret brother.

[ribboninthesky1]

I've not watched the show in months, and tuned into the finale.  I always liked Eddie, but I wasn't surprised by his fate.  Disappointed, though. It was absurd for him to be left behind when the black hole became unstable, though I sup.  In the episodes I did watch, they never did much with the character, so I guess it's not surprising he was quickly forgotten. 

[catrice2]

Unfortunately I am certain they will bring Eddie back.  I never cared for the character, but when he said he killed himself to be Iris' hero, I was sure. 

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

I guess you could say I never 'cared' for the Eddie character either.

 

But that wasn't because I chose to not care or not like him, the writing failed to make him worthy of caring two sh*ts about (save for a rare occasion in E1-20 and then finally more characterization & reasons to notice him in the last 3 or so eps); IMHO.

[Trini]

After re-watching "The Flash is Born", I'm again disappointed that we didn't have more Eddie during the season, and more Eddie/Barry scenes.