Despite rumors to the contrary, actor Carlos Valdes does not have any plans to leave The Flash. Valdes portrays Cisco Ramon on the series, the tech genius behind Team Flash who was also the metahuman known as Vibe before taking the metahuman cure at the end of season 5. His superpowers allowed him to open portals across the current world, and he could even open portals to alternate dimensions.
Cisco is a major geek, who often uses pop culture references that the rest of Team Flash don’t usually get. This quality makes him endearing to fans of the series who identify with him. Many fans also praise Valdes’ likable portrayal of the character. During the previous season of The Flash, though, it seemed that the series was setting up a storyline that would lead to the character’s departure. Not only did Cisco change his mind about his superpowers in season 5, but he spent a lot of time trying to develop a cure. That plot point, combined with him appearing less on the show, led to reports that Valdes had plans to leave the series.
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At a panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2019, as reported by Digital Spy, Valdes addressed those reports head-on. He unequivocally stated that the rumors were untrue and that he, as well as Cisco, was sticking around, at least for The Flash season 6. He said:
“I know [about the rumors]. Here’s the thing – this should be a cautionary tale. When ‘publication x’ says, ‘sources tell us… bla-di-bla-di-bla’, they have no sources! The telltale signs are there, the red flags are there, but people buy that sh-t anyway. They’ll buy that sh-t till the cows come home! I can’t tell you how many people have come up to me, have written to me, have yelled at me, have cried at me, about me leaving the show. I’m like, ‘I’m learning sh-t about myself that I didn’t know – this is crazy!’ So, for me, it’s a cautionary tale: Don’t believe the rumors. I’m here. Season 6, I’m here.”
This is good news for fans who are already getting excited about season 6. A lot of things are coming for Team Flash, including the return of Keiynan Lonsdale as Wally West. Tom Cavanagh, who portrays a variety of characters on the series, will also return, this time as Pariah. Cisco will be vital in helping Flash face new villain Bloodwork, as played by Sendhil Ramamurthy. The team needs the genius of Cisco, and well, who else will name all the new villains set to harass Central City in season 6?
Team Flash will also need Cisco when The CW’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover begins. The five-hour crossover event will have a massive impact on The Flash, with Team Flash dealing with the fallout from what happens during the Crisis.
Valdes makes an excellent point for fans who spend a lot of time speculating. Just because it seems that a character is being set up to leave a TV show doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the case. Cisco’s struggle with accepting himself as Vibe was all part of his story, a chance for the character to grow and learn who he is. Fans can rest assured that Cisco will hang around for a while because as most know, there is no Team Flash without him.
