The Flash set us up for a pretty pointed twist on the norm in Season 3, enough that the presence of yet another evil speedster on set raised more than a few eyebrows. We’ve since learned that two villains will menace The Flash this year, but why bother with another speed demon? A producer has the answer – plus, a bit of clarification on “Flashpoint” changes to the surrounding universes.

IGN spoke with Flash executive producer Todd Helbing on a variety of Season 3 topics, the most pressing of which sees the demonic “Savitar” added to the ranks of Flash baddies, alongside the mysterious “Dr. Alchemy.” Season 2 viewers made frequent note of Zoom retreading ground from the Reverse Flash in Season 1, so why bring yet another speedster into the mix?

I think in general if you have some of these other meta humans, it gets hard to show how Barry can’t get them. If you have another speedster, especially someone like Zoom, or Reverse Flash, you need somebody on an equal level to provide that threat that a lot of these other metas can’t do. […]

Savitar is more of a psychological villain in a weird way. I think the Hindu word for Savitar means God of Speed; he’s all about speed. Everything about this guy is different. I can’t go into super detail, but he’s not like Zoom or Reverse Flash.

Additionally, where Barry’s “Flashpoint” changes will make up the first half of Season 3, we also have a clue as to which character Tom Cavanagh may end up playing this year, and what it means for the other series. Whatever changes appear on Arrow or Legends of Tomorrow, separate universes like Earth-2, Supergirl or Jay Garrick’s universes will remain unchanged:

Jay Garrick and [Barry] are free. Those other Earths aren’t affected, much like Supergirl is not affected because she’s on whatever Earth she’s on. Jay Garrick on Earth-3 still exists as Jay Garrick – nothing has changed. And I think that now Barry knows where he is, and that there is somebody a lot older than him, a lot more experienced, even though he looks like his father, he’s going to use him for advice every-so-often.

We’ll have until October 4 for The Flash to tease Season 3, but must the DC drama always have another speedster to rival Barry? How will the other universes come into play after Barry’s time-turning changes?

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