The Flash hasn’t – wait for it – slowed down at all in its second season, and this episode alone gave us a number of really interesting threads that, hopefully, will be picked up over the next few weeks. As always, spoilers are discussed.
1. Say hello to the new Firestorm
When the show started, they made the decision, understandably so, to root all metahumans in the particle accelerator explosion. Because of that, certain characters – like Ronnie Raymond – were changed radically from the pre-existing comics versions. However, as the writers got a handle on this world, they’ve been slowly course correcting certain things, so that the characters – if not by secret identity, then by codename – are true to who they are supposed to be.
So, Firestorm is now, once again, a jock and a professor. Jefferson Jackson is far closer to the comic version of Ronnie Raymond than Robbie Amell’s on-screen version was, and the dynamic between the two parts of the Firestorm matrix is going to be interesting to watch grow over on Legends of Tomorrow.
Having Henry Hewitt, aka Tokamak, as the other option for who Stein’s partner could be is a fun nod to a minor DC character, but someone who is incredibly important to the Firestorm mythos. Hewitt is responsible for Firehawk (who I would bet will show up one of these days), and had tried to re-create, and contain, the Firestorm matrix. I wouldn’t be surprised if he is part of the show again in the future.
2. You’re as Cold as Iris (sung to the tune of “Cold as Ice” by Foreigner)
Damn, girl. I know that it must hurt a lot to have your long lost mom pop up in your life, but she’s dying, and can introduce you to your brother, and you still walk away? Again, damn. We can only assume that her son will be named Wallace – aka Wally – and that is how we will get that member of the Flash family on the show.
But – and I’ve said this many times – this still doesn’t solve the Iris/Barry problem. Tonight Barry told Joe that Patty was “no Iris,” and all I could think was ‘yeah, she’s likable.’ Iris is becoming a more complex character, which needs to be priority #1, but if part of her purpose on the show is to be Barry’s love interest, then she needs to really be developed in that way, too. Being beautiful isn’t enough reason for Barry to go gaga over her.
3. KING SHARK
OK, I get it, I get it – we live in the best of all possible worlds. I submit to that concept.
4. Harrison Wells as Zoom?
Last season, the show kept teasing us that Harrison Wells was the Reverse Flash, and then would do something to suggest that can’t be the case. Well, it sure as hell looks like this season is trying to do the same thing. I think once we all saw Earth 2 Harrison Wells, we all thought that it was possible that he would be Zoom. Well, now we see Earth 2 Harrison, on our Earth, take out one of Zoom’s agents. Is this more of that trickery? Or is Harrison Wells on Earth 2 still good, and hasn’t been worn like a slutty Halloween costume by Eobard Thawne.
5. Cisco, Caitlin, and Joe
The show’s cast continues to grow, but the team that has assembled around Barry remains consistently in the spotlight and excellent. Caitlin’s pain informs her character as much as Cisco’s unbounded enthusiasm influences his; Joe is a protector in every sense of the word. These characters are unique, well drawn, and allow Barry to be the chameleon the show needs, while keeping it anchored in some sort of reality. Barry can have an emo week, or be lovestruck, or whatever, and the supporting cast keeps the show’s tone from following Barry’s mood. This is the opposite of Arrow, where when Oliver is brooding, the show gets even dark…oh, what am I say, Ollie is always brooding.
So, what part was you favorite from this week? Sound off in the comments!
