Warning! Spoilers ahead for The Flash season 7.

The Flash season 7 has seen quite a few character exits and the ending of episode 15, called “Enemy at the Gates,” had a cliffhanger that hints at Joe West’s death and Jesse L. Martin’s potential departure from the Arrowverse show. The cliffhanger at the end of the The Flash episode put Joe West in a dangerous situation as he continued his investigation into Kristen Kramer’s mysterious metahuman friend Adam Creyke, one that might have resulted in an early demise. 

Kristen Kramer may now be the captain of Central City’s police department, but she hasn’t been able to crack the case surrounding Operation Griffin, in which her military unit was killed following a metahuman attack. While Joe had believed it was Kramer who’d led her platoon into an ambush, it was actually Creyke who did so and got everyone killed in the process. Kramer felt betrayed by this and when she and Joe were finally making some headway with finding Creyke to confront him, staking out a boat he owned outside of the city, their car was blown up before they could confront him. It was quite a thrilling cliffhanger that left Joe’s fate on The Flash up in the air. 

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Fans won’t have to wonder about whether Joe really did die, however, since the plot synopsis released for The Flash season 7’s episode 16 confirmed that both he and Kramer were still very much alive. While they’ll be hunted by Creyke, the synopsis reveals that they at least made it out of the car before it actually exploded. The scene itself in episode 15 suggests as much, with the final shot showing a flaming car that had both its doors open, hinting at the pair’s survival. It’s unclear how much time Joe and Kramer had to jump out and roll away from the vehicle, but even though they will likely be a little worse for wear, Joe managed to once again beat the odds. 

Of course, it would have been a bit strange and unsettling if Joe died right then and there, especially considering that none of his family members (aside from Cecile) knows he’s working alongside Kramer. However, that isn’t to say that the cliffhanger isn’t teasing Joe’s demise in The Flash season 7. At the very least, the series could be setting up the character’s exit at the end of the season (with a departure that doesn’t include death being preferable). Joe quit being the captain of Central City’s police department and, unless he gets his job back or figures out what to do moving forward, helping to solve Kramer’s case may just be his last outing in the field. 

The Flash season 7 has already said goodbye to Harrison Wells, Cisco Ramon, Kamilla, and Ralph Dibny. This is not to say that Joe should leave at the end of the season, just that there is a possibility he might. What’s more, season 7 marked the end of the principal cast’s original contracts. While Grant Gustin is reportedly returning for season 8, there hasn’t been confirmation regarding any of the remaining cast members’ future with the Arrowverse series. Whether or not Joe will die, simply retire, or perhaps leave Central City altogether is unclear, but The Flash is thankfully keeping him around despite the deadly cliffhanger.

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Mae Abdulbaki
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Mae Abdulbaki is a movie reviews editor with Screen Rant. She previously wrote about a variety of movies and TV shows for Inverse, CinemaBlend, Pajiba, and The Young Folks, where she wrote reviews, features, news pieces. Her other work can be found at The Mary Sue, Film School Rejects, UPROXX, Heroic Hollywood, Looper, The List, and Bam Smack Pow, among others. Mae has also appeared on television segments, podcasts, and panels to discuss all things entertainment.

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