I can honestly say that I’ve never been more nervous during a TV show than I was during today’s episode of The Flash. My heart was racing due to being genuinely scared for fictional characters. But I guess that’s what happens when you get attached to superheroes and their families.
Jumping right into it, Barry points out that different circumstances in childhood help define who you become, and I really couldn’t agree more. Finally getting an insight into Jay’s past – and consequently crushing my twin theory – we learn that Jay, who is actually a serial killer and sociopath Hunter Zolomon, watched his father murder his mother in cold blood right in front of him. Hunter was then sent to an orphanage while his father was imprisoned, and eventually decided “hey, my father killed his wife, so I can kill 23 other people just for the heck of it”. Well, maybe he had a reason, but that’s still unclear for the time being. Barry, on the other hand, was lovingly taken in by the Wests when his mother died, due to his father being wrongly accused as the murderer. Barry was given a loving home by people who weren’t even blood relatives, while none of Hunter’s actual family wanted him.
The episode actually begins with Barry using a tachyon enhancer to help him increase his speed, which is what helps him jump through the multi-verses and meet Supergirl. Although no mention of her in the episode, we kind of figure that part out when a surprised Barry returns to his own earth, panting “I’m…. back”.
Deciding that they do need to stop Zoom once for all, Team Flash try to come up with ways to open another breach, but it is only through a comment from Joe, does Barry realize that Cisco is the key. Harry initially refuses to help Barry on this quest for vengeance, as he’s afraid of Jesse being taken away again. Jesse is still MIA, but we’ll see her soon, bringing back the father-daughter nerd team that really excites me.
Barry, Caitlin and Cisco decide to venture out without Harry, but to no success. Cisco feels as though he is incapable of opening another breach, unlike his doppelganger Reverb, who is easily able to do so. Barry believes that everyone’s doppelganger from Earth-2 have similarities, and feels that Cisco can access these hidden powers. When Harry finally gives in (thanks to a convincing argument from Joe, who has learned to never try to talk Barry out of anything), he revamps Cisco’s goggles to give him enough power to open another breach.
Barry finds that an old abandoned orphanage has the “highest levels of residual trans-dimensional energy”, which meant that they were able to open up a breach again – the same orphanage where Hunter grew up, back on Earth-2. Cisco is able to open up a breach, but backs out in the middle of it after sensing Hunter’s presence. Cisco later reveals that he’s scared of becoming power hungry like his Earth-2 doppelganger but Barry reassures him that it won’t happen. One of my favorite parts of the entire series is the relationship Barry has with Cisco and Caitlin. The three are like family, and would clearly do anything to save the other. And it’s moments like these, where we see Barry trying to console his friend, that really make me love this show to no end.
Joe and Iris make their way over to STAR Labs to offer a helping hand, and here Barry tells Joe that he should offer Wally a place to stay, rather than pay for one far away. Joe and Barry’s relationship is something I think a lot of people envy. They’re not blood related, but Joe took this sad, defenseless kid in, treated him as though Barry was his own, and helped him become the man he is. If anything ever happens to Joe on this show, there will be hell to pay.
While Caitlin and Iris work together, Iris reveals that she may or may not feel differently about Barry, since everything seems to be pointing towards the two of them being together. Now, I wasn’t a fan of this concept in season 1, mainly because I just wasn’t a fan of Iris. But she grew on me towards the end of the first season, and I actually really like her in the current season. But should the two actually have a relationship? Well, I don’t think it’s really necessary to the plot at this point, especially with the whole Zoom fiasco, but maybe eventually. I mean, we all know it’s going to happen anyway, so why not just leave it be? And who knows, maybe Patty might make a reappearance.
I know I always feel for Barry in every episode, but this time I really felt for Caitlin. When Iris asked her whether she believed in destiny, Caitlin sadly replied “maybe for you”. Caitlin Snow can never catch a break, and it really breaks my heart. She’s the sweetest person, who always wants to help everyone, no matter who they are. Yet, she gets her heart broken time after time, and you can see that she just wants to give up but she won’t, because she cares about her friends way too much.
When I heard that Killer Frost was going to make an appearance this season, I was genuinely shocked. I really couldn’t imagine sweet little Danielle Panabaker being a villain, after portraying Caitlin Snow so gracefully. Yeah sure, she was the “villain” of that one Disney movie back in ‘06, but now that I’ve seen her on The Flash, I truly cannot imagine her ever playing a dark role. Even when she was Killer Frost for a little while, I was still very attached to her.
Meanwhile back at Joe’s place, Wally shows up and is finally offered a place to stay with Joe. It’s good to see Wally finally warm up to everyone, and not constantly throw tantrums and walk out. He also called Joe “dad” for what I think was the first time, which made me incredibly happy.
Once Barry convinces Cisco that he will not become the Darth Vader of their team, Barry learns that the name Hunter Zolomon is associated with a convicted serial killer on Earth-2. The team finally learns of Hunter’s origins and uses this to their advantage. And let me just say that I did not see this coming at all. Now that they’ve revealed so much about the character, I feel as though all the theories I thought of were too simple-minded. For shame.
Cisco and Barry go back to the orphanage to open up the breach, and once Zoom gets through it, Barry makes Zoom chase him around the city and back to STAR Labs. Here, the team have set up distractions to slow Zoom down – that being cutouts of Hunter’s parents. But this is what I did predict, Zoom would manage to escape Barry’s hold, and he does, but not before dramatically proclaiming that “you can’t lock up the darkness”.
When Zoom escapes, he decides to amp up the evil and kidnap Wally and will only release him if Barry gives up his speed. Joe, who is shaken up with the recent doings of Zoom, tells Barry that he doesn’t have to give Zoom his speed in exchange for Wally, but good guy Barry Allen decides to do so anyway. Back at Zoom’s lair, Wally meets the man in the iron mask, who is still yet to be revealed. Zoom tells Wally that The Flash is the only one who can save him now, and really, I think we’re heading towards Wally finding out Barry’s secret and eventually joining Team Flash.
Team Flash eventually decide that Cisco needs to vibe and tell Zoom that Barry has agreed to his terms. Zoom jumps through a breach with Wally and releases him, and finally takes off his mask in front of everyone including Caitlin. Keep in mind, this is the first time everyone except Barry and Cisco have seen the man they thought they knew, reveal himself to be a masked mad man. We should’ve listened to Harry in the first place.
Understandably, the team have questions. Hunter reveals that the man parading around as “Jay Garrick” was a time remnant of himself. It turns out, Hunter’s time remnant was as much as a lunatic as Hunter. When asked who the man in the iron mask was, Hunter claims that they wouldn’t believe it if he told them. Caitlin then proceeds to call Hunter a monster, which triggers a flashback of Hunter’s mother’s death. I can’t help but think the writers are still trying to show us that Hunter does have even a little bit of humanity left in him. But that quickly disappears when Barry finally gives up his speed, resulting in Hunter injecting Barry’s speedforce into his system, and attempting to kill Barry.
Caitlin sees through Hunter’s lunacy and reminds him that he did used to care for her once upon a time, in an attempt to save Barry’s life. Hunter releases his grasp from Barry and decides to kidnap Caitlin instead. Because nothing screams “I actually do care for you and I’m sorry” like kidnapping the girl who was in love with you.
Now that Barry doesn’t have his speed, is he going to turn to Velocity-9 in order to save Caitlin? We all know Barry would do anything to save his loved ones. And I can’t see Harry objecting to this, because well… it’s Harry. We’ve seen him do it before. Things are really tensing up on The Flash, and I’m more than excited to see what/who comes next.
Have a look at the teaser for next week’s episode, titled “Back to Normal”!
