I do want to point out I do think YJ!Wally was a really good dude.
He was probably the best 'friend' of the bunch to the point I often wondered why he hung around these people a lot. His supportive nature was the staple of his characterization from the the two-part pilot where he told Superboy something along the lines it's still cool how high he can jump after Conner was feeling distraught about not being able to fly like Clark.
But that type of compassion/concern never really carried over to his hero work unless pushed. "Coldhearted" was supposed to fix that, but they decided to throw that development out to go another direction. It's why Weisman's reasoning "he did the hero thing with less" doesn't really mean what he thinks it does in my opinion.
That's the most frustrating part because they wouldn't have had to change much to pull it off.
He had an ample amount of screen-time in the first season for them to establish his heroic outlook as a strength (like it was supposed to be seen) and/or explore how his inferiority to Barry made him feel. But they gave him development for the former that they promptly dropped rendering it irrelevant and the only mention of his inferiority (as far as I can recall) was Dick's throwaway line making fun of him for it.
Season two was a mess, at least from a Wally perspective, but they could have softened it by doing better in season one where he was a main character. But the disappointing fact is nothing about Wally was ever really about Wally on the show which is why he was the least developed/fleshed out character among the main cast.
Reading these posts on Weisman's stated views on Wally versus what he made happened on screen, I'm starting to see some parallels between Weisman and a certain gone man whose name started with D.
Just say'n.
Parental care is way exhausting. Gained insight into what my parents went through when I was a baby. Not fun, but what ya gonna do? (Read comics, obviously.)
Weisman has always maintained that Wally is his favorite speedster so I doubt any of it was intentional.
I just think he was too close to what was supposed to be going on to objectively view how it all got translated over to the screen. He also seems to view things with Wally on an incredibly simplistic level which is kinda ironic given how 'incredibly nuanced' they were in regards to handling his character according to him.
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My name is Wally West. I"m the fastest man alive. I"m the Flash.
Favorite Heroes - 1-Flash/Wally West, 2-Superman, 3-Green Lantern/Hal Jordan, 4-Nightwing, 5-Hawkman, 6-Firestorm, 7-Supergirl/Linda Danvers, 8-Zatanna, 9-Robin/Tim Drake
Scott Snyder gave an interview on Comics historian and they ask him about Wally.
He says Wally sets up the whole ending of DM and is an important part of it.
That they want to bring him back to his core.
That they are using him from what he has become over the years for the story but they want him to come out of it as himself and give him back his mantle at the end of it.
That last part is particularly interesting to me. Not sure what it all means but it sounds good.
The Wally part starts at about 57:30 and goes on.for about two minutes.
My name is Wally West. I"m the fastest man alive. I"m the Flash.
Favorite Heroes - 1-Flash/Wally West, 2-Superman, 3-Green Lantern/Hal Jordan, 4-Nightwing, 5-Hawkman, 6-Firestorm, 7-Supergirl/Linda Danvers, 8-Zatanna, 9-Robin/Tim Drake
Lol. That scenario is a give in. Batman is the be all and end all.
But maybe Wally will come out somewhat repaired and even moved up a few notches in status. That's the part that I like. That Sbyder says they are going to restore him to his mantle.
Hopefully Wally will come out of this with another mini or a spot in a relaunched Titans.
My name is Wally West. I"m the fastest man alive. I"m the Flash.
Favorite Heroes - 1-Flash/Wally West, 2-Superman, 3-Green Lantern/Hal Jordan, 4-Nightwing, 5-Hawkman, 6-Firestorm, 7-Supergirl/Linda Danvers, 8-Zatanna, 9-Robin/Tim Drake