No superhero show or a movie is entirely the same as the comic book from which it originated. The directors and screenwriters usually make multiple changes. Sometimes the differences are purely cosmetic (the way the characters look), sometimes the changes go deeper. The second case happens when the heroes have a different character or a backstory.
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The Flash is currently one of the most popular superhero shows. And it manages to combine both of the above-mentioned approaches. It offers a new story that draws its inspiration from the comic books but doesn't follow them to the last letter. As a result, there are many ways in which the show is different from the comics.
10 Barry Didn't Kill Eobard Thawne
Just like many superheroes, Barry Allen also doesn't like to kill people. That can cause trouble for him when he faces some of his most dangerous opponents who keep going after him - such as Eobard Thawne aka the Reverse-Flash. In the first season, Barry and his team manage to defeat Eobard without killing him themselves. Instead, Eddie Thawne, Eobard's ancestor, sacrifices his life to kill Eobard. In the comics, though, Barry finally snaps at one point when Eobard tries to kill his would-be-wife (not Iris). He attacks Eobard and snaps his neck.
9 Barry Didn't Sacrifice His Life To Stop The Crisis
Many fans eagerly anticipated the crossover Crisis on Infinite Earths. And they worried for Barry since the Monitor kept repeating that the Flash would die in the Crisis. That's exactly what happened in the Arrowverse except it wasn't Barry who sacrificed his life, but another Flash, Jay Garrick. However, in the comics, it's Barry who sacrifices himself to stop the Anti-Monitor, and he does so in the same way as Jay did on the show.
8 Eobard Thawne Didn't Burn Down Barry's Home
Eobard Thawne has been consistently making Barry's life more difficult since season one and he keeps coming back. That's why some fans of the show might be surprised to hear he's even more brutal in the comics. It wasn't enough for Thawne to kill Barry's mom Nora in the comics. He also decided to burn down Barry's childhood home, pushed Barry down the stairs, and let his dog escape so that a car would hit the dog. The show made the scene more bearable, albeit it was still drastic.
7 Caitlin Didn't Join Suicide Squad
Caitlin Snow aka Killer Frost has a different character as well as the backstory on the show. In the comics, Killer Frost was captured and joined the Suicide Squad.
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She was also much eviler than she is on the show where she eventually became friendly. Caitlin is currently away from the show but even if she comes back, it's doubtful she would ever join the Suicide Squad.
6 Barry Grew Up With Iris
Caitlin isn't the only person who has a different backstory on the show. So does Barry. On the show, he grows up alongside Iris and Joe West takes care of them both. In the comics, though, neither of these things happen. Joe doesn't even exist in them and Barry and Iris don't grow up together as siblings. Also, Barry has an evil twin brother who also hasn't made it onto the show.
5 Eobard Thawne Didn't Kill Iris
In comparison to her comic-book counterpart, Iris West on the show is a lucky person. Even though she's currently trapped behind the mirror. In the third season of The Flash, a new evil speedster called Savitar (who was actually future Barry) wants to kill Iris. And he might have succeeded if it wasn't for H.R. who sacrifices himself. In the comics, another speedster kills Iris, though - none other than Eobard Thawne. He kills Iris after she rejects his offer to leave Barry for Thawne. It's understandable why the show left this storyline out - after all, the show's Eobard Thawne never showed a hint of romantic interest in Iris.
4 The Particle Accelerator
Every fan of The Flash no doubt knows how Barry got his powers. It happened during the particle accelerator explosion and while he was struck by lightning. The particle accelerator continues to cause trouble since it made many more people into meta-humans, not just Barry. However, that's not what happened in the comics.
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Barry traveled back in time in the comics and he was responsible for giving himself special powers in the first place. The show probably didn't want to introduce the concept of time travel so early on, that's why they changed Barry's origin story.
3 Iris's Looks
In the comics, Iris has white skin and brown or reddish-brown hair. So when the show cast Candice Patton, some people weren't happy about it and were even rude about the casting. But Patton absolutely nails the role and she and Barry are great together. This is just one example that characters don't need to look the same way they do in the comics for the show to work. After all, Barry is a blue-eyed blonde in the comics which is also different from the show.
2 Iris And Wally Are Siblings
Iris has a younger brother Wally on the show who later becomes the superhero Kid-Flash. In the comics, Wally also exists and is a superhero but there's one major change - he's Iris's nephew, not her brother. Depending on the individual comics, Barry sometimes trains Wally to use his speed just like he did on the show. But they don't always get along in the comics while they're mostly friends on the show.
1 Barry's Mom Died Sooner
Finally, another change that might have influenced the show's story, is the fate of Barry's mom. She dies when Barry is a child on the show. As a result, Barry's dad ends up in prison, accused of murdering his wife even though he's innocent. In the comics, Barry was lucky enough to spend more time with his parents. His mom lived long enough to see him grow up and get married.