Watch ‘The Flash’ cast react to the news that Jay Garrick will be joining the show

The finale of the CW’s “The Flash” strongly hinted that the original speedy comic book superhero Jay Garrick was somewhere lurking in the DC Entertainment ether. The comic book character’s famous silver-winged helmet was spotted in the final episode. And now it’s confirmed: The original Flash (before the present Flash, Barry Allen, played by Grant Gustin) will apppear on the TV series.

MORE: Follow our Special Edition Comic-Con magazine on Flipboard >>

Earlier at San Diego Comic-Con CCO of DC Entertainment, Geoff Johns, confirmed to fans at the DC Page To Screen panel that Garrick was coming back. So when Hero Complex interviewed the cast of “The Flash” we had to ask Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Danielle Panabaker and Carlos Valdes what they thought of the new (old) superhero. Needless to say we surprised them because we probably weren’t supposed to know just yet.

And the Internet is blowing up because Geoff Johns said that Jay Garrick is joining you guys.

Danielle Panabaker: He did!

Grant Gustin: Well we didn’t do that, so…

Danielle Panabaker: I haven’t met him.

Candice Patton: He shows up very early.

Grant Gustin: Very early is probably all we should say.

Candice Patton: Very early. We saw his emphasis helmet in the finale of season one.

Danielle Panabaker: I got in trouble for talking about that. Andrew Kreisberg was like, “don’t say his name ever again.” And I was like “all right.”

Carlos Valdes: But I mean, the helmet does the work.

Grant Gustin: And one of them did say this, that wasn’t random, that it was for a very specific reason and that the audience would find out why very shortly.

Danielle Panabaker: Our show is really packed full. They cut 22 minutes from our finale so everything that was left in there was intentional.

But there was a lot more discussed during our interview. And we’re very impressed with the on-set motto revealed by Candice Patton, “I think that’s why our show does so well. If there’s a great idea Andrew’s like, ‘Let’s put it in the script -- we’ll think of a better idea next episode or next season.’”

Main character Gustin concurred, “There’s no reason to save ideas with these character, there are unlimited possibilities as to where to go for this series.”

Check out the full interview embedded above.

It was announced that actor Teddy Sears of “Masters of Sex” has been cast to play the character Garrick, while actress Shantel VanSanten of “The Messengers” and “The Final Destination” has also been cast on the show as Patty Spivot. According to the CW press release: “On the show, Sears’ character will be a mysterious newcomer to Central City, who warns Barry and the S.T.A.R. Labs gang of an impending danger.” For the character ot Spivot, the release says: “Patty Spivot is a police officer and science enthusiast who catches the eye of Barry Allen. Patty is obsessed with metahumans and partners with Det. Joe West this season but has no idea that her new crush is The Flash.”

Season 2 of “The Flash” will premiere Oct. 6 on the CW.

For more news, follow Hero Complex on Twitter @LATherocomplex. And for additional Comic-Con coverage, check out our Los Angeles Times Comic-Con team on this Twitter list.