In a world where Leonard Snart is the Mayor and sweet little Caitlin Snow is a supervillain, Barry Allen must set aside his feelings for his loved ones’ doppelgangers and focus on the task at hand: save Harrison’s daughter.
I can see how it’s going to be hard for him, seeing as how he just saw Joe West die on Earth-2, having to fight three people who look like his best friends, and also happens to be married to the girl of his dreams – Barry struggles to devote all his time to Wells, like they initially planned.
I’m just going to jump right into it. Once Barry, Cisco and Harrison reach Earth-2, the breach becomes unstable and collapses, meaning that the Barry and Cisco are pretty much trapped on Earth-2 until Caitlin and Jay can fix it. My first impressions of Earth-2? A long and constant 50s themed party in Dubai. With the speedy metro, futuristic technology and the clothing straight out of the 50s. If you had to throw a 50s themed geek party, that’s exactly what you’re going to get.
Barry and Cisco, clearly starstruck with STAR Labs of Earth-2, take all the selfies and gawk at literally everything they come across. While Cisco tries to vibe, the three realize that Earth-2 vibrates at a different frequency, rendering Cisco’s Vibe-goggles useless.
Barry finds his Earth-2 doppelganger, who is sporting the famous Allen bowtie, and brings him back to STAR Labs so that he can take his place and find out information that the CCPD has on Zoom’s whereabouts. Reaching the station, Barry is surprised to see that instead of Detective Joe West on duty, it happens to be Detective Iris West – and her partner Floyd Lawton. That’s right, Deadshot is her partner, except he isn’t so sure of his aim in Earth-2.
But this was the part that really got me. When Barry and Iris get back to her home, she reveals that his mother had called for him. Barry’s mother is alive on Earth-2!!! I can’t even imagine how he must have felt hearing her voice again, hearing her say that she loved him. It’s been clear since day one that Barry loved his mother so dearly, so this actually teared me up.
At Jitterbugs, a quaint Jazz club, we finally see Joe West! And he’s a singer! This isn’t surprising though. Actor Jesse L. Martin actually sings and is best known for his role as Tom Collins on Rent. We also learn that Joe and Bartholomew don’t actually get along on Earth-2. Joe blames Barry for Iris being a police officer and putting her in harm’s way. Ah, fatherly instinct. During Joe’s rendition of My Funny Valentine, Killer Frost and Deathstorm decide to crash the party. After getting civilians to safety, Barry tries to reason with whom he thinks is his friend Caitlin. Joe, trying to help Iris, ends up getting hurt and succumbs to his wounds in the hospital.
While trying to get her revenge on the villainous duo, Iris goes in headfirst with Lawton and Cisco backing her up and trying to take them down. Cisco, trying to comprehend that his best friends’ doppelgangers are evil on Earth-2, finally comes face to face with his doppelganger, who also happens to be villain known as Reverb.
Reverb believes that he could eventually takes Zoom’s place and tries to take matters into his own hands by trying to kill Barry. Earth-2 Cisco Ramon seems to be very much in tune with his full abilities, which is really great to see. Cisco is personally one of my favorite characters, so it’s great to see him in full on power mode. Even if it technically isn’t the Cisco I care for.
Zoom, clearly unhappy with Reverb’s attitude and Deathstorm’s disobedience, kills them both and leaves Caitlin alive, since she was the only one who didn’t harm Barry (since his orders were very clear to leave The Flash unharmed). Zoom takes Barry back to his lair, where he also keeps Harrison’s daughter Jesse, and basically tells Barry that he’s going to die there. Dramatic.
Back on Earth-1, Joe tries to convince Jay to take Velocity 6 to gain his speed back to protect the city from a new menacing villain known as the Geomancer. A touching moment with Caitlin convinces Jay do what’s best for Central City. But Velocity 6 proves to be short lived as Jay quickly loses his speed in an attempt to stop Geomancer.
Zoom pretty much sends out a bounty for Harrison Wells on Earth-1, while he broods over his Central City. Harrison Wells, also brooding at STAR Labs, makes a plan with Cisco to try and find Zoom and decides to get Iris and Barry of Earth-2 up to speed on the current events and enlists their help to get Jesse and Barry out alive. Unexpectedly, they also receive help from Killer Frost, and even though she eventually turns on them, which frankly was predictable, it was still nice to see her help them even with her cold heart.
Meanwhile in Zoom’s lair, Jesse still believes that she is going to die there. At least now we know that she gets her negativity from her father. Jesse and Barry try to put their brains together in order to find a way out. The third prisoner, who still hasn’t been properly introduced to us, tries to talk to Barry by using the 5×5 code. Unfortunately, Zoom stops him from revealing more than “Jay” and starts to beat up Barry in his glass cage. BUT, when Zoom finally stops and leaves, Barry realizes that he can escape by phasing out of his glass cage. After countless tries, Barry fails and realizes that he’s moving at a different frequency.
Cisco, Harrison and Earth-2’s Iris and Barry successfully find Killer Frost hiding away in a forest (that’s an interesting hideout) and convinces her to take them to Zoom’s lair. And right then, I knew she’d double cross them. It’s kind of a given to be honest.
On Earth-1, Caitlin still tries to produce a formula that will help Jay keep his speed for longer and realizes that Velocity 7 is hurting Jay – eventually giving birth to Velocity 9 which was originally developed by Vandal Savage.
Geomancer returns in hopes of battling The Flash, which is when Jay injects himself with Velocity 9 and manages to save citizens from the wrath of Geomancer. It’s great to see Jay doing good, but he still seems really shady to me. For instance, when Geomancer goes to STAR Labs and attacks Caitlin and Iris, where was he? Are you really trying to tell me he napped through a mini earthquake right there in STAR Labs? Really?
Finally making it into Zoom’s lair, Harrison is sweetly reunited with his daughter. Barry almost gives up on the fact that he can’t phase out of his glass cage because of a component called Carbine. So naturally, his doppelganger must give him a cliche pep talk on how he can do it, if just believes in himself – because that’s just what Earth-2 Barry had to do a while earlier. While Killer Frost tries to keep Zoom from killing Jesse, Barry promises the unidentified third prisoner that he will come back to save him.
With the breach into Earth-2 still causing problems, Joe helps Jay stabilize it just in time for Barry and Cisco to go back home. Taking Harrison and Jesse back with them, the four make it back safely, right after Zoom threatens to kill Harrison just before, they happily reunite with Caitlin, Jay, Iris and Joe, but only for a not-so-surprising twist. Zoom sticks his hand through the breach and right into Jay’s chest, and pulling him back onto Earth-2. First of all, why would you move towards a breach when you know what Zoom is capable of? Shady Jay, strikes again.
Easter eggs from both episodes:
When Barry, Cisco and Harrison jump through the breach, we see several characters appearing such as Connor Hawke (maybe? It’s a very strong possibility), Cara Danvers aka Supergirl, John Wesley-Shipp’s version of The Flash, a Legion of Super-Heroes flight ring, Jonah Hex (who will also be heading to Legends of Tomorrow soon along with Hawke) and Grodd. A bonus was also Supergirl’s appearance, which doubles down on the crossover episode that we know will happen with Barry traveling the multiverses! How exciting!
A nod to the Justice Society of America!
A free & just society” happens to be the motto of the Central City Police Department on Earth-2, which is also the home of the Justice Society of America!
Barry’s contacts on Earth-2
Earth-2’s Barry Allen is apparently friends with three members of the Justice League (Batman, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman) and our beloved Eddie!
Unidentified third prisoner
Not much of an Easter egg, but here are a few thoughts:
The guy was so adamant on telling Barry something that could be vital to his expeditions, that happened to be related to Jay Garrick. Maybe perhaps giving Barry a warning that Jay is trying to trick them in some way? Personally, there isn’t much I can theorize on when it concerns this prisoner, but I really do hope Barry goes back for him.
So many questions, yet no answers delivered. But have hope, all will be revealed… eventually.
