When last we tuned into The CW’s The Flash, Barry Allen (played by Grant Gustin) had seemingly sent steely Savitar packing — only to then tumble into a near-future where the “speed god” brutally slays Iris (Candice Patton).

As such, “saving” Iris from that possible fate is foremost on Barry’s mind when Season 3 resumes this Tuesday at 8/7c. During the holiday break, I’ve teased you with bits and bites from co-showrunner Aaron Helbing; here now is our (mostly) complete midseason preview Q&A.

TVLINE | How worried should Iris West fans be?

You know, obviously, Barry loves Iris more than anything, and now that he has gotten a glimpse of the future, that’s kind of going to be the thrust of the back half of the season — Barry trying to do whatever it takes to save Iris. Kid Flash (Keiynan Lonsdale) is going to play a huge part in that. Cisco (Carlos Valdes) will play a huge part. Everybody will play a huge part in saving Iris, because she’s part of the team.

TVLINE | But didn’t Savitar get put back into that box, which was then stashed away in the Speed Force…?

Yes, the box was thrown into the Speed Force, but because Barry got thrust into the future and he saw Savitar, it’s going to be kind of that itch that he can’t scratch — like, how is this possible? That’ll help drive Barry through the rest of the season.

TVLINE | As far as Savitar’s three prophecies, was Iris the one that “fell”? Is Barry, watching her die, the one who has “a fate worse than death”? Or do we not necessarily check two of those off the list yet?

I don’t think I would check any of them off of the list because the future’s malleable. Anything can happen.

TVLINE | I didn’t notice this when Savitar first showed up until Danielle [Panabaker] pointed out to me, the fact that Barry saw Savitar, but in that moment, Joe didn’t. Will the “why” of that be addressed?

Yes, we’ll reveal the why of that, and it’s going to be a pretty big reveal. There’s a reason why Barry could see him [in that moment] and no one else could.

TVLINE | Great work on the Savitar CGI, by the way. That guy scares the s–t out of me.

Yeah, I mean, the VFX guys at Encore are the best in the business as far as I’m concerned.

TVLINE | Are we heading towards the return of happy-go-lucky Cisco, or is there still a bit more darkness lingering?

Cisco’s going to come up against a very strong adversary [the metahuman bounty hunter Gypsy, played by Sleepy Hollow alum Jessica Camacho], and she’s going to be someone that he just can’t stop thinking about.

TVLINE | Gypsy is a character from the comic books, yes? What’s her deal?

Well, she essentially can cross dimensions. She’s a much more advanced Vibe, I would say, and she is a badass. She doesn’t take any prisoners. She’s very good at her job, and she’s a very formidable adversary for the team.

TVLINE | I was glad to see Caitlin turn it into a “white Christmas” with a simple flick of her finger. Is that something she can do freely, or is there still the threat of consequences if she gets willy-nilly with her power?

Because it’s The Flash, there’s always going to be that threat there, and that’s going to be something that she’s wrestling with for the rest of the season. We have big plans for Caitlin, ones that I think are really exciting and really satisfying.

TVLINE | I said to Danielle that, in the vision Cisco vibed, we don’t know that Caitlin was being the adversary. Cisco could’ve been the bad guy and she was trying to thwart him. These are questions we have.

Anything is possible in our universe.

TVLINE | How would you describe the Barry/Julian dynamic moving forward? Will they be chums? Are they conflict-free?

I would say they’re conflict-free. The thing about Team Flash is they’re willing to always give people the benefit of the doubt, give people a second chance. They’re very big on people making amends for their past mistakes. I mean, we know Barry’s made a ton of past mistakes. Cisco’s made some mistakes. Caitlin’s made some mistakes. So I think Barry will take the same attitude towards Julian that he takes with any of this other friends. Julian was overtaken by Savitar — he wasn’t 100-percent here — but he feels culpable, so he wants to make amends.

TVLINE | Was it pure serendipity that Tom Felton was cast in a storyline that involved something called The Philosopher’s Stone?

Yes, 100-percent. We talked about it quite a bit, not expecting to get such an amazing actor like Tom Felton. I mean, it was just amazing. It’s like the stars aligned. We’re all huge Harry Potter fans, but that was just complete blind luck.

TVLINE | What sort of hurdles, if any, are in front of the officially christened Kid Flash? He’s got the skills. He’s got the suit. He’s got the desire.

He’s got the skills, but he’s got the hubris, too, that comes along with it. I mean, he was a drag racer in Season 2. He has that need for speed, so he goes a little half-cocked sometimes, and that gets him into danger. That will play out throughout the season, that he’ll have to realize that he’s got to check himself. There’s a reason why Barry has the attitude and the mentality that he has when he goes out there. He’s very methodical. He learned it from Oliver, and now he is try to impart that wisdom to Kid Flash.

TVLINE | A handful of people found it a bit jarring that Barry up and got himself and Iris a place to live. Are we to assume that they have been lovers for a period of time…?

You know, I think that’s open to anybody’s interpretation. I mean, [that closing scene] was a very romantic setting, a beautiful apartment and two people who love each other…. Music Meister: 8 Casting Suggestions

TVLINE | Right, but before I get my girlfriend and I a place to live, we have probably taken that step, you know? That’s why people are asking.

I mean, yeah, they’re two consenting adults who love each other. [A recent promo seems to clarify the intimacy issue.]

TVLINE | Speaking of romance, did I pick up on a vibe between Caitlin and Julian? Or is eggnog just eggnog?

I think they’re just friends for now. They’re two people who are struggling with what they’ve each had to go through this season, and they both understand each other’s plights, and so it’s just kind of perfect that they’ll come together as friends. Maybe they’ll go down that path, maybe not, but for now they share a common path that they want to try to help each other with.

TVLINE | Plus if I’m Caitlin, at this point, boy, I’m going to be really careful about my next boyfriend.

Yeah, definitely!

Want more scoop on The Flash, or for any other show? Email insideline@tvline.com and your question may be answered via Matt’s Inside Line.