History AbortedArc / TheFlash

* In ''ComicBook/{{Impulse}}'' #88, Max Mercury is possessed by the spirit of Edward Clariss aka the Rival, and dragged off to an unknown destination in time. This was never followed up on thanks to the book being cancelled. Max would turn up in the Speed Force during ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'' before being brought back in ''The Flash: Rebirth'' but Clariss' fate was never revealed and he never appeared again before ''ComicBook/{{Flashpoint}}''
* ''The Flash: Rebirth'' left multiple sequel hooks that weren't followed up on:

* ''ComicBook/TheFlashRebirth'' had an annual that set up a new life for Wally after he was confined to the ''Titans'' ongoing. It saw him reconnect with Magenta and restore her memories and powers of her old life and setup an apartment for himself in Keystone City. He would return to the book proper in the "Perfect Storm" arc, which saw him helping Barry and even being passed the mantle of the Flash again for a while. However, the arc right after that, "Flash War", ended with Wally in the superhero therapy centre, Sanctuary, which led into ''ComicBook/HeroesInCrisis''. There, Wally suffered a mental breakdown and was imprisoned in its conclusion for manslaughter, which seemingly completely derailed whatever Joshua Williamson had planned for Wally.

* In Season 8 episode 8, Taylor vows to destroy Allegra for undermining her at the Central City Citizen. This B-arc isn't significantly developed, nor is Allegra and Taylor's rivalry explored in detail until episode 17, the same episode in which they bury the hatchet. Taylor only appears four more times in the remainder of the series, and one of those is in a dream sequence.

* In ComcBook/Impulse #88, Max Mercury is possessed by the spirit of Edward Clariss aka the Rival, and dragged off to an unknown destination in time. This was never followed up on thanks to the book being cancelled. Max would turn up in the Speed Force during ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis but Clariss’ fate was never revealed.

!!Comic Books

''Franchise/TheFlash'' is known to drop multiple plot threads due to editorial shifts and edicts.

** The ending implied that the Reverse-Flashes of the Silver and Modern Age would be teaming up again (they had briefly worked together once previously in ''Rogue War''). Hunter Zolomon, the second Reverse-Flash, had lost his powers but approached Eobard Thawne, the first Reverse-Flash, and told him that they could make each other "better". Within the story itself, Eobard had used one of Hunter's signature moves and even explicitly said he learned the trick from Hunter. Then ''Flashpoint'', a Flash story ''by the same writer'' rebooted the DC Universe, and Zolomon and Thawne didn't exist in this universe for ''years'', as a new Reverse-Flash was introduced and seemingly was the first. Later, Eobard would be reintroduced (and even later, he'd regain his pre-Flashpoint history and memories) and use some more of Hunter's signature moves. About a year later, Hunter ''would'' return, but by the time Hunter returned, ''Thawne'' was dead! However, the prison scene ''was'' eventually followed up on, close to a decade after it happened -- Eobard broke Hunter out a while later and explicitly brings up Hunter's offer, and we learn that Eobard and Hunter travelled into the future and worked together before a disagreement divided the two, and Eobard ended up dead.
** Thawne told Wally West that one of his kids would grow up to ruin his life. Wally's son Jai had lost his powers to his sister Irey (and also TookALevelInJerkass compared to what he had been like before the miniseries), and the ending implied that he was now TheResenter because of his sister now having full access to superspeed and being allowed to be part of the Flash Family. There were plans for a ''Green Lantern Corps''-esque series called ''All-Flash'', with Wally West serving as protagonist with numerous Flash characters in supporting roles while Barry Allen kept the main ''Flash'' ongoing, and Wally's son Jai was meant to become the new Turtle after his disconnection from the Speed Force altered him and gifted him with the ability to steal speed, similar to his father. The series never happened because DC were worried that the name "All-Flash" would be too easy a target for critics (i.e. "All Flash, no substance"), and the plot point of Jai's depowering was never brought up again. Then ''Flashpoint'' rebooted Wally and his family out of existence. When the twins eventually ''did'' return, Jai not only had a Speed Force connection, but now had superspeed. Interestingly, the final issue of ''Comicbook/DoomsdayClock'' featured an image of what appeared to be Jai in a Turtle costume as part of a vision of the DCU’s near future. However, since this whole spread was meant to foreshadow the now-cancelled "Generation Five" initiative, it seems Jai/Turtle subplot has once again been abandoned. A story in ''ComicBook/TheFlashInfiniteFrontier'' depicts the adult versions of Irey and Jai, and Jai is said to be a superhero there with superspeed.

** Thawne told Wally West that one of his kids would grow up to ruin his life. Wally's son Jai had lost his powers to his sister Irey (and also TookALevelInJerkass compared to what he had been like before the miniseries), and the ending implied that he was now TheResenter because of his sister now having full access to superspeed and being allowed to be part of the Flash Family. There were plans for a ''Green Lantern Corps''-esque series called ''All-Flash'', with Wally West serving as protagonist with numerous Flash characters in supporting roles while Barry Allen kept the main ''Flash'' ongoing, and Wally's son Jai was meant to become the new Turtle after his disconnection from the Speed Force altered him and gifted him with the ability to steal speed, similar to his father. The series never happened because DC were worried that the name "All-Flash" would be too easy a target for critics (i.e. "All Flash, no substance"), and the plot point of Jai's depowering was never brought up again. Then ''Flashpoint'' rebooted Wally and his family out of existence. When the twins eventually ''did'' return, Jai somehow has his superspeed back. Interestingly, years later, the final issue of ''Comicbook/DoomsdayClock'' featured an image of what appeared to be Jai in a Turtle costume as part of a vision of the DCU’s near future. However, since this whole spread was meant to foreshadow the now-cancelled ''5G'' event, it seems Jai/Turtle subplot has once again been abandoned, at least for now.

* ''ComicBook/TheFlashRebirth'' had an annual that set up a new life for Wally after he was confined to the ''Titans'' ongoing. It saw him reconnect with Magenta and restore her memories and powers of her old life and setup an apartment for himself in Keystone City. He would return to the book proper in the ''Perfect Storm'' arc, which saw him helping Barry and even being passed the mantle of the Flash again for a while. However, the arc right after ''Flash War'', ended with Wally in the superhero therapy centre, Sanctuary, which led into ''ComicBook/HeroesInCrisis'' which seemingly completely derailed whatever Joshua Williamson had planned for Wally.

** Thawne told Wally West that one of his kids would grow up to ruin his life. Wally's son Jai had lost his powers to his sister Irey (and also TookALevelInJerkass compared to what he had been like before the miniseries), and the ending implied that he was now TheResenter because of his sister now having full access to superspeed and being allowed to be part of the Flash Family. There were plans for a ''Green Lantern Corps''-esque series called ''All-Flash'', with Wally West serving as protagonist with numerous Flash characters in supporting roles while Barry Allen kept the main ''Flash'' ongoing, and Wally's son Jai was meant to become the new Turtle after his disconnection from the Speed Force altered him and gifted him with the ability to steal speed, similar to his father. The series never happened because DC were worried that the name "All-Flash" would be too easy a target for critics (i.e. "All Flash, no substance"), and the plot point of Jai's depowering was never brought up again. Then ''Flashpoint'' rebooted Wally and his family out of existence. When the twins eventually ''did'' return, Jai somehow has his superspeed back.

** Thawne told Wally West that one of his kids would grow up to ruin his life. Wally's son Jai had lost his powers to his sister Irey (and had also TakenALevelInJerkass compared to what he had been like before the miniseries), and the ending implied that he was now TheResenter because of his sister now having full access to superspeed and being allowed to be part of the Flash Family. There were plans for a ''Green Lantern Corps''-esque series called ''All-Flash'', with Wally West serving as protagonist with numerous Flash characters in supporting roles while Barry Allen kept the main ''Flash'' ongoing, and Wally's son Jai was meant to become the new Turtle after his disconnection from the Speed Force altered him and gifted him with the ability to steal speed, similar to his father. The series never happened because DC were worried that the name "All-Flash" would be too easy a target for critics (i.e. "All Flash, no substance"), and the plot point of Jai's depowering was never brought up again. Then ''Flashpoint'' rebooted Wally and his family out of existence. When the twins eventually ''did'' return, Jai somehow has his superspeed back.

** Thawne told Wally West that one of his kids would grow up to ruin his life. Jai, Wally's son, had lost his powers to his sister Irey, and the ending implied that he was now TheResenter because of his sister now having full access to superspeed and being allowed to be part of the Flash Family. There were plans for a ''Green Lantern Corps''-esque series called ''All-Flash'', with Wally West serving as protagonist with numerous Flash characters in supporting roles while Barry Allen kept the main ''Flash'' ongoing, and Wally's son Jai was meant to become the new Turtle after his disconnection from the Speed Force altered him and gifted him with the ability to steal speed, similar to his father. The series never happened because DC were worried that the name "All-Flash" would be too easy a target for critics, and the plot point of Jai's depowering was never brought up again. Then ''Flashpoint'' rebooted Wally and his family out of existence. When the twins eventually ''did'' return, Jai somehow has his superspeed back.

* Early during Geoff Johns' run, Detective Jared Morillo was stabbed by Cicada's blade, granting him a speed-derived HealingFactor. This continues to be a major secret of his that he only shares with Fred Chyre, and they indicate that he's now connected to Cicada mentally. This plot never goes anywhere, however, as Chyre and Morillo are DemotedToExtra when Wally's identity becomes a secret again.

* Meloni Thawne had left a message for Bart Allen (the fourth Flash) to stay away from his brother. While Bart didn't know it at the time, Owen Mercer, the second Captain Boomerang, was actually his half-brother on their mother's side. Owen even inherited super speed and was learning to use it more efficiently (he could only do small bursts initially). It's implied that this may have had something to do with the Rogues killing Bart...except Owen wasn't even a part of that group at the time. Bart would later return to life and Owen would die, and this warning about their meeting could never occur. In fact, they never even met.

** The ending implied that the Reverse-Flashes of the Silver and Modern Age would be teaming up again (they had briefly worked together one time previously). Hunter Zolomon, the second Reverse-Flash, had lost his powers but approached Eobard Thawne, the first Reverse-Flash, and told him that they could make each other "better". Within the story itself, Eobard had used one of Hunter's signature moves and even explicitly said he learned the trick from Hunter. Then ''Flashpoint'', a Flash story ''by the same writer'' rebooted the DC Universe, and Zolomon and Thawne didn't exist in this universe for ''years'', as a new Reverse-Flash was introduced and seemingly was the first. Later, Eobard would be reintroduced (and even later, he'd regain his pre-Flashpoint history and memories) and use some more of Hunter's signature moves. About a year later, Hunter ''would'' return, but by the time Hunter returned, ''Thawne'' was dead! However, the prison scene ''was'' eventually followed up on, close to a decade after it happened -- Eobard broke Hunter out a while later and explicitly brings up Hunter's offer, and we learn that Eobard and Hunter travelled into the future and worked together before a disagreement divided the two, and Eobard ended up dead.

* ''ComicBook/TheFlashRebirth'' had an annual that set up a new life for Wally after he was confined to the ''Titans'' ongoing. It saw him reconnect with Magenta and restore her memories and powers of her old life and setup an apartment for himself in Keystone City. He would return to the book proper in the "Perfect Storm'' arc, which saw him helping Barry and even being passed the mantle of the Flash again for a while. However, the arc right after "Flash War", ended with Wally in the superhero therapy centre, Sanctuary, which led into ''ComicBook/HeroesInCrisis'' which seemingly completely derailed whatever Joshua Williamson had planned for Wally.
* In the ''ComicBook/FlashForward'' miniseries, Wally ends up confined to the Mobius Chair which has been imbued with the leftover powers of Doctor Manhattan. The epilogue to the miniseries showed Wally gaining access to knowledge of the various reboots of the DCU and its complete history, with him and Tempus Fuginaut intent on fixing the fractured history of the DCU to create a solidified timeline -- which ''was'' what the "Generation Five" initiative was meant to do. However, ''huge'' shifts in DC's structure led to those plans being scrapped in favour of a SoftReboot with ComicBook/DCInfiniteFrontier, so Wally instead is interrupted before his attempt by the Batman Who Laughs. In the end, Wally's time as "Wally Manhattan" didn't amount to much and the powers were removed, with ''Wonder Woman'' instead defeating the Batman Who Laughs and leading into a soft reboot.

''Franchise/TheFlash'' is known to drop multiple plot threads due to the change in writers.

* Iris West and Fred Chyre were shown to have a budding ShipTease, after Iris adopts Fred's godson before he could and the two bond while taking care of the boy. Besides Wally's confused response, this also goes out the window when Wally's identity is erased.

* And now, it seems like DC's ''Generations'' relaunch is all but cancelled, making Wally's [[ComicBook/FlashForward transformation into a New God armed with Dr. Manhattan's power]] in order to retell/rewrite the DCU timeline seemingly this. Wally instead turns up in ''ComicBook/DarkNightsDeathMetal'', his emotions and personality intact, and it seems whatever was planned for him has been absorbed into this book.

* It definitely looked like something major was going to go down with Wally's kids, but then the ''ComicBook/{{New 52}}'' happened and the entire family went MIA. Artist Ethan van Sciver later clarified in his ''The Flash: Rebirth'' commentary in his [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIZ40RurHls&t=6s Youtube channel]] that Geoff Johns was planning to keep Irey as Impulse while making Jai the new version of the Turtle, a minor Silver Age villain who can drain speed.
* And now, it seems like DC's ''Generations'' relaunch is all but cancelled, making Wally's [[ComicBook/FlashForward transformation into a New God armed with Dr. Manhattan's power]] in order to retell/rewrite the DCU timeline seemingly this. Wally instead turns up in ''ComicBook/DarkNightsDeathMetal'', his emotions and personality intact, and it seems whatever was planned for him has been absorbed into this book.

** Thawne told Wally West that one of his kids would grow up to ruin his life. Jai, Wally's son, had lost his powers to his sister Irey, and the ending implied that he was now TheResenter because of his sister now having full access to superspeed and being allowed to be part of the Flash Family. There were plans for a ''Green Lantern Corps''-esque series called ''All-Flash'', with Wally West serving as protagonist with numerous Flash characters in supporting roles while Barry Allen kept the main ''Flash'' ongoing, and Wally's son Jai was meant to become the new Turtle after his disconnection from the Speed Force altered him and gifted him with the ability to steal speed, similar to his father. The series never happened because DC were worried that the name "All-Flash" would be too easy a target for critics, and the plot point of Jai's depowering was never brought up again. Then ''Flashpoint'' rebooted Wally and his family out of existence.

** Wally and his family were supposed to have backup stories in the 2010 ''Flash'' series, but this never came about.

* And now, it seems like DC's ''Generations'' relaunch is all but cancelled, making Wally's [[ComicBook/FlashForward transformation into a New God armed with Dr. Manhattan's power]] in order to retell/rewrite the DCU timeline seemingly this. Wally instead turns up in ''ComicBook/DarkNightsDeathMetal'', his emotions and personality in-tact, and it seems whatever was planned for him has been absorbed into this book.
* Meloni Thawne had left a message for Bart Allen (the fourth Flash) to stay away from his brother. While Bart didn't know it at the time, Owen Mercer, the second Captain Boomerang, was actually his half-brother on their mother's side. Owen even inherited super speed and was learning to use it more efficiently (he could only to small bursts initially). It's implied that this may have had something to do with the Rogues killing Bart...except Owen wasn't even a part of that group. Bart would later return to life and Owen would die, and this warning about their meeting could never occur. In fact, they never even met.

** Abra Kadabra returns at the end of the series, saying that he'd been put out of commission by Thawne himself. He is seen preparing a plan that will involve all three Flashes, as well as both Reverse-Flashes. Nothing ever comes of it.

!!''ComicBook/TheFlash''

* Back in Messner-Loebs' run, Wally's surrogate father figure Mason Tollbridge had a teased relationship with Joan Garrick when Jay was believed dead, and the two received significant panel time together. This went out the window when Mason married a NewOldFlame and he subsequently disappeared completely, with his entire role as Wally's mentor/surrogate father being replaced by the recently-revived Jay Garrick when Mark Waid took over.
* Early during Geoff Johns' run, Detective Jared Morillo was stabbed by Cicada's blade, granting him a speed-derived HealingFactor. This continues to be a major secret of his that he only shares with Fred Chyre, and they indicate that he's now connected to Cicada mentally. This plot never goes anywhere, however, as Morillo is DemotedToExtra when Wally's identity becomes a secret again.
* Iris West and Fred Chyre were shown to have a budding relationship developing, after Iris adopts Fred's godson before he could and the two bond while taking care of them. Besides Wally's confused response, this also goes out the window when Wally's identity is erased.

* It definitely looked like something major was going to go down with Wally's kids, but then the ''ComicBook/{{New 52}}'' happened and the entire family went MIA. Artist Ethan van Sciver later clarified in his ''Flash: Rebirth'' commentary in his [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIZ40RurHls&t=6s Youtube channel]] that Geoff Johns was planning to keep Irey as Impulse while making Jai the new version of the Turtle, a minor Silver Age villain who can drain speed.
* And now, it seems like DC's ''Generations'' relaunch is all-but cancelled, making Wally's [[ComicBook/FlashForward transformation into a New God armed with Dr Manhattan's power]] in order to retell/rewrite the DCU timeline seemingly this. Wally instead turns up in ''ComicBook/DarkNightsDeathMetal'', his emotions and personality in-tact, and it seems whatever was planned for him has been absorbed into this book.
* Meloni Thawne had left a message for Bart Allen (the fourth Flash) to stay away from his brother. While Bart didn't know it at the time, Owen Mercer, the second Captain Boomerang, was actually his half-brother on their mother's side. Owen even inherited super speed and was learning to use it more efficiently (he could only to small bursts initially). It's implied that this may have had something to do with the Rogues killing Bart... except Owen wasn't a part of that plan. Bart would later return to life and Owen would die, and this warning about their meeting could never occur. In fact, they never even met.

** It was said that Thawne had done something to Gorilla City's jungles... again, not followed up on.