'The Flash' boss debunks one theory

Has The Flash been pointing us in the direction of a major spoiler ever since the pilot?

Big events on the series have coincided with liquids defying gravity by floating into the air, including the night Nora Allen was killed (the fish tank), the particle accelerator explosion (the champagne), or when Barry Allen was struck by lightning (the chemicals).

Some have theorized that the floating liquids could indicate when one or both of the speedsters are in the process of altering the timeline—like Barry Allen hoping to save his mother by going after the Reverse Flash on that fateful night. And some even think this phenomenon could be pointing to the possibility that Barry Allen actually is—spoiler alert!—the lightning bolt that turns him into The Flash in the first place. This is a plot point in “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” a comic the producers have often cited as an inspiration for the series.

But executive producer Andrew Kreisberg has somewhat debunked that theory. “It’s not necessarily that time has been altered,” he told EW during a recent press screening. “The rising liquid is always a harbinger of a space-time event.” In short, the liquid just signifies a big moment on the series—like the (accidental?) creation of metahumans with the particle accelerator explosion. It’s not necessarily an overt clue towards the future of The Flash. “It’s always like, ‘When that happens, put on your seat belts and say goodbye!'”

This doesn’t necessarily rule out the possibility that Barry is his own lightning bolt. But since The Flash has been renewed for a second season, and there are likely many more to come, it’s highly doubtful that we’ll see that storyline anytime soon.

The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on The CW.