The Flash hit the theatres today and Henry Cavill is definitely a part of it. No, he doesn’t have a cameo. That was cleared weeks before the film’s release. While the Britisher was allegedly roped into the project, he left it after his exit from DC. What followed after Cavill hung up his red cap was the backlash from fans and myriad speculations about his “final” appearance in The Flash.

There is no Henry Cavill appearance to look forward to in the film, but despite that, the actor is present in the film—in spirit.

This is how The Flash honors Henry Cavill

Henry Cavill won’t be in The Flash was known to all, especially after the trailer erases, saddening many fans. However, what they probably didn’t expect was how present the actor and his version of Superman was throughout the film. Without making a physical appearance, Snyderverse’s Man of Steel has a significant impact on the storyline, particularly, the intentions of Barry Allen in the film.

For starters, the film opens with Bruce Wayne’s butler, Alfred, calling Barry, and asking him to assist Batman in Gotham. Why call the speedster? Turns out, Wonder Woman is away from her phone and Superman (Cavill’s version) is busy dealing with a volcano. Apart from the mere mention of the caped hero, we also get a TV news clipping of the man of steel. Although the face is not revealed, the suit is the same as the one used in the previous DCEU films.

Since the Superman Barry knows in Cavill’s The Flash has several references to the events of Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Justice League. He honors the legacy left behind by the 40-year-old by using events of these movies to explain the importance of Superman to his younger self in a new timeline and Michael Keaton’s Batman.

He understands the value of the Kryptonian that saving him becomes a major part of his multiverse plotline to save Earth from General Zod. So, while Cavill’s cameo would have added the cherry on top, the many references in The Flash ensured that he was present in spirit.

ALSO READ: After Henry Cavill His Mission Impossible Costar Tom Cruise Also Gives ‘The Flash’ Film His Seal of Approval

Meanwhile, the newly released movie certainly changes a lot of things for DC’s future.

What does The Flash mean for DC’s future?

The Flash‘s ending was perhaps the most surprising one in a while. And unlike Marvel movies, the surprise is not just in the post-credits but also in the many cameos in the film. The most surprising one was that of George Clooney as Batman in the last act of the film. After beating alternate versions of himself and resetting the timeline, Barry Allen reaches out to his current timeline’s Batman, hoping to see Affleck’s version. What he gets instead is the Batman from 1997’s Batman & Robin.

While the scene draws out a few chuckles due to Barry’s visible confusion and Clooney’s reaction to it, it doesn’t quite clarify what one can expect from James Gunn and Peter Safran’s vision for DCU. For now, we know there will be a new Batman and Superman, but how does Clooney’s return count in? Will Ezra Miller reprise his role in the next set of DC movies? The answer most likely lies in Barry Allen hopping timelines again and us getting a new version of all heroes.

But time will tell which Earth will get a visit from DCU next time. Either way, after Gunn’s work in Guardians of the Galaxy 3, future of DC seems to be filled with hope.

What did you think about The Flash honoring Cavill’s Superman legacy?