Joseph West is a fictional character portrayed by Jesse L. Martin in The CW's Arrowverse franchise. Created by Geoff Johns, Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg, the character was introduced in the pilot episode of The Flash. He is the legal guardian of protagonist Barry Allen / Flash, father of Iris West, Wally West, and Jenna West. Joe works at the Central City Police Department initially as a detective, heading its metahuman task force, and later as the captain, aiding Barry in keeping Central City safe from superpowered and dangerous criminals. Martin has received positive reviews for his performance as Joe.

"Pilot" is the pilot and first episode of the first season of the American television series The Flash. The episode was written by Andrew Kreisberg and Geoff Johns, based on a story by Greg Berlanti, Kreisberg, and Johns, and directed by David Nutter. The series is a spin-off of Arrow; many of the characters in The Flash were introduced during its second season. Based on the DC Comics character Barry Allen / Flash, the episode revolves around Barry Allen, a forensic scientist working for the Central City Police Department. On the night that a particle accelerator launches, a malfunction causes it to explode during a storm. At the same time, Barry is struck by lightning. He wakes from a coma after nine months, and discovers that he has developed a new power: super speed.