The Flash movie bolted to the big screen on June 16, 2023, and, for those who have been following along with the DC Universe’s changes and Ezra Miller’s controversies, the most of the anticipation may have been for the film’s ending. The DCU is getting ready to make some big changes, with James Gunn and Peter Safran being named co-CEOs of the studio and quickly retiring many of the old regime’s heroes. Additionally, Miller, who plays the titular hero, has been steeped in controversy since 2020. Miller has been hit with serious accusations of assault, harassment, and child grooming, and was charged with felony burglary in 2022.
As a result, viewers have been curious about what The Flash would mean for the future of both the DCU and Miller. Would it set up Gunn’s new DCU use the multiverse and time travel to explain massive changes in the franchise? Would it finally signal the end of Miller’s career as The Flash since Warner Bros. has been reluctant to part with them? If The Flash were to address these things, the likeliest place for it to do so would be in the post-credits scene. Like Marvel, DC movies usually include post-credits scenes which typically involve some twist that either sets up the future, teases a new character or storyline, or promises a character’s return.
While some films have multiple credits scenes, The Flash has just one at the tail end of the credits. Here’s a breakdown of the scene and what it means for the DCU and Miller’s future.
Spoilers for The Flash ahead
What happens in The Flash post-credits scene?
The Flash‘s post-credits scene sees Barry Allen (Miller) hanging out with a familiar DCU character: Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry, a.k.a. Aquaman. Seeing him there was a little surprising, as the film did a good job of keeping his cameo secret. However, given the upcoming Aquaman sequel and the character’s prominence in the DCU, it wasn’t the most exciting reveal. Meanwhile, the scene sees Allen helping Aquaman out of a bar. While Allen can’t get drunk due to his superhuman metabolism as The Flash, Aquaman can, and he is spectacularly drunk.
As Allen tries to get Aquaman home, he describes his experience in the multiverse. He explains how, even though Batman exists in many universes, he is often a completely different person from timeline to timeline. However, the Aquamans he has met in different universes are always pretty much the same. Of course, Aquaman is a little too drunk to understand all this multiversal stuff and ends up collapsing in a puddle. He splashes around for a while, enjoying the reminder of home, and asks Allen to get him another beer. To pay for it, he gives Allen his “Atlantean treasure” ring, and the scene ends with Allen leaving and unlikely to return to Aquaman’s puddle.
Similar to The Flash‘s ending, the post-credits scene plays out a lot like a joke. It mainly seems to be a teaser for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. The mention of Aquaman being the same in every timeline does seem significant, though. Instead of just confirming that he still exists despite The Flash’s timeline changes, it seems to tease that Momoa’s Aquaman will continue existing in the DCU regardless of Gunn’s changes, or that he at least won’t be recast. Still, it suffers from the same vagueness of the film’s ending, and it’s hard to tell if it’s hinting at something bigger or if it’s just a gag to raise excitement for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. It’s also not a confirmation of Miller’s return, but showing Barry bonding with Aquaman and pointing out their continued existence in this potentially altered timeline does leave the door open for them to reprise the role.
(featured image: Warner Bros.)
