The Flash Review – “Fast Enough” S1E23

“Fast Enough” was The Flash’s season 1 finale, and it did not disappoint. While the first half of the episode was a bit slow, the final half picked up pace and through a bunch of curveballs. Read on for pros, cons, and Easter Eggs.

Pros:

Harrison Wells’ speeches: Gah! The evil, evil man has the best speeches. At the beginning when he and Barry talk, Harrison tells Barry he hates him in any future. They are “enemies, rivals, opposites, reversals of one another.” His dialogue is pretty great, but better than the dialogue is Tom Cavanagh’s delivery is absolutely perfect. At one point he says to Cisco, “A great and honorable destiny awaits you now.” If you think about it, that line is really formal and over-the-top, but Cavanagh’s delivery brought the line to the modern era and seemed super badass.

All the feelings: While The Flash is a really emotional show, this episode was understandably emotive. Saying goodbye to the life Barry knows would be incredibly hard. Cisco was visibly upset about the possibility of never knowing Barry. And Joe. Joe gets my heartstrings every time. He is the perfect dad, and he had great lines about what it means to be a parent. When Barry is about to run to the past and calls Joe “Dad”, I got tears in my eyes.

Cisco Vibes: Cisco approaches Wells and admits that Wells killed him in an alternate universe. Before we were just supposed to believe this as a miracle. But now we, and Cisco, know that he was able to see the alternate universe because he can see through the vibrations of time and space. Ehrmergerhd! Nerd spasm!

Eddie comes around: Eddie was pretty mean about the newspaper byline reading Iris West-Allen. After his talk with Dr. Stein, Eddie realizes that he can make a choice about his future, something most of the other people in their group cannot do. His speech to Iris repeated a lot of what Dr. Stein said to him, and made me root for Eddie to get the girl. Sorry, Barry.

The first twist: This is a good time to stop reading this review if you haven’t seen the episode because HERE BE SPOILERS: Barry didn’t save his mom?! I honestly did NOT see that coming. At all. Why did he tell himself not to do it? I know we will be going back to that in the series because it was too important to not investigate. This is the first reason I loved this episode. The twists are great.

Barry vs. the Reverse Flash: The fight itself was eh, but when Barry came flying through the wormhole and punched a hole through the time machine Thawne/Wells was sitting in, I was blown away at the effects. Plus, that was one hell of a punch.

The second twist: SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER: Eddie kills himself to rid the world of Eobard Thawne? Holy shit, that is commitment to “serving and protecting.” And totally unexpected.

The final scene: The effects for the black hole were really cool. Barry’s eyes flashing lightning, the way he was running by bouncing off objects inside the black hole, and the damage being done to Earth below were all some of the biggest budget stuff The Flash has been able to pull off. The cliffhanger of Barry running in a freaking black hole is also enough to keep me on the edge of my seat all summer long. How are we supposed to wait for the fall season with that big of a question?!

The score: I don’t know why, but the music resonated with me a little more this episode. It had a good Danny Elfman vibe, and I like it.

Cons:

No alternate plans from team Flash: Barry’s team just accepts that Thawne/Wells will not screw with the blackhole/wormhole/ time travel plan? They don’t create a backup ever. Don’t scientists always have a plan Z? Especially if one possibility of Barry running into the wormhole is death?

The Wedding: I understand why Ronnie and Caitlin’s wedding was rushed, but the whole scene felt a little like filler. Plus, they don’t have parents? What’s up with that?

Mach 2: Caitlin makes a pretty big deal about Barry not being able to run at Mach 2, but when it comes time, he easily makes the speed. It just seems a little quick.

The Time Machine: How can Cisco build a time machine? And how come they didn’t send Barry back in the time machine instead? So many questions!

Easter Eggs:

Eobard Thawne, born 2151: I don’t know what is happening in DC Comics specifically in that year, but according to Eobard, he is born 136 years from now, which puts his birth year at 2151. He speaks so eloquently! Maybe this means that future generations will be smarter than text speak?

Big Belly Burger: The restaurant chain has been brought up a few times in the show, but this time it was more noticeable. Wells/Thawne asks for it, and then later he is seen drinking out of a Big Belly Burger cup. The chain first appeared in Superman #441 and is a LexCorp subsidiary.

Cisco is Vibe: Cisco finally finds out he was also affected by the particle accelerator explosion. In the New52, Cisco Ramon is introduced as a meta-human who has the ability to find interdimensional breaches, making him a serious threat to The Flash. But don’t worry; Cisco is still a good guy.

One minute, fifty-two seconds: Barry finds out he only has 1:52 to save his mom and get back to this dimension before the world gets sucked into a black hole. DC sure does love 52.

Barry’s Speed Force: Barry is able to see his past, present, and future all at once when he runs through the wormhole. As he was running, there were a ton of tidbits.

• We get our first glimpse of Danielle Panabaker as Killer Frost and goddamn, I cannot wait for that to happen again.
• There is a shot outside of The Flash museum that gets built in the future.
• We get a quick scene of Barry in Iron Heights as an inmate. Perhaps this is from an alternate universe?
• The last scene in this running sequence before Barry gets to his childhood home is from Legends of Tomorrow, and we get a really good look of Caity Lotz as White Canary.

Rip Hunter: When Wells/Thawne sees the time machine Cisco built for him, he notes that Rip Hunter would be proud. Rip Hunter is a time-traveler who made his comic debut in Showcase #20 in 1959. In later adaptations, Rip Hunter builds himself a Time-Sphere. The machine Cisco built is a giant sphere, so this reference coincides well. Additionally, in Legends of Tomorrow, the man who brings all the heroes and villains together is Rip Hunter, who will be played by Arthur Darvill.

Jay Garrick: While Barry is in the wormhole, Jay Garrick’s original metal Flash cap comes flying through STAR Labs.

Hawkgirl: -There is a flash (teehee) of a pretty woman looking to the sky when the blackhole forms That pretty woman is Hawkgirl, and will play her in Legends of Tomorrow.

Predictions:

The Ring Costume: Cisco asks Thawne/Wells how he got his costume in his ring. While we may not ever have an answer for that, I think maybe Ray Palmer will contribute to that since he is now the only one who knows how to miniaturize things. Also, I predict Ray Palmer will be resurrected * wink *.

Quote of the Week:

When Ronnie goes to touch the time machine, Cisco says “Ronnie, I love you, but this is a time machine; not a bookshelf from IKEA.”

---

 

Hush Comics gives “Fast Enough” an A for giving us a really compelling and familiar story, but changing it enough to keep viewers on their toes.

We cannot wait for next season!

All images belong to The CW and DC Entertainment. They are credited to Cate Cameron and Diyah Pera.

The Flash Review – “Rogue Air” S1E22

Pros:

Harrison Wells’ Voice Over: The opening scene was SO good! I loved Wells’ voice over about getting back everything he has lost. He is still evil, but in a small way, I do feel bad for the guy. Plus, his speeches are some of the best in the series. In the mean time, everyone looking at pictures of those they have lost, made it seem like he was just part of our rag-tag team of heroes. We know that’s not the case, but I like the writing here.

Wells’ Spinning Sorcery: It was a neat touch that the wheelchair that Wells was actually the source of his power. In a battery! That you can’t buy from Radio Shack (FYI, Joe, you can’t buy anything from Radio Shack anymore)

Iris was sorta smart this time: Iris saved Caitlin from Peek-A-Boo’s leg. Then she was upfront with Eddie over his fear of their marriage not happening because he “saw the future”. The thing about the future is that you can change it, and Iris knows that.

Eddie Thawne, Professional Shade Thrower: Eddie is saved, and seems cool with Barry not finding him. But he is upset at Iris because he can’t see what has been in front him the whole time. When he throws shade at Iris, he also gives some MAJOR side eye. It was pretty funny.

It’s from the fuuuuttuuuuurrrrrre: When Cisco discovers the tube that is charging the particle accelerator, the group tells him to turn it off. His response was classic. There is no power button on this thing… “It’s from the fuuuuttuuuuurrrrrre.”

Meta-Human Fight!: I thought all the effects from the five meta-humans were pretty neat. I particularly like the tiny weather in Weather Wizard’s hand. Also, Peek-A-Boo leaving after seeing all the chaos was exactly how I would react.

I’m a criminal: When Barry finds out about Captain Cold’s sabotage, Cold tells Barry that he is a liar and a criminal. Barry should just be mad at himself. That was just about the best thing Captain Cold has said.

The crossover: Ronnie and Ollie finally show up and help Barry kick some Reverse Flash butt. The slo-mo and effects were AWESOME! And they got the bad guy, so that felt pretty good, too.

Commentary on the Penal system and the Legal system: Joe had some great moments this episode. He was constantly there to tell the group (mostly Barry) when they were wrong. But reading between the lines, there was a lot about how police treat people, how police are treated, and how inmates are treated. Joe makes it clear he doesn’t like how STAR Labs never rehabilitated the meta-humans they house. Caitlin chalks this up to being “too busy.” Then Joe and Barry argue about what police can and cannot do. While Barry claims they are protected and can therefore get away with anything, Joe tells him that cops have to follow rules, and breaking them is no different than what criminals do. Barry says this is different. I don’t know if I am reading too much into the conversation, but this seems really important for the state of our country currently. Could The Flash be the best political show out there? I don’t know, but this was pretty damn good.

Cons:

Locksmith: The employees of STAR Labs (how are they getting paid?!) don’t ever lock the doors. Shocker… Harrison Wells has been in this super high tech building the whole time and you never knew! Surprise… here comes Leonard Snart through the front door. I lock my car when it is in the garage; I’m sure STAR Labs can think of something to keep the bad guys out.

Joe always grabbing his gun: Joe grabbed his gun when Wells and Snart were both in STAR Labs. You really think your little pistol will stop a guy faster than Barry and another guy with a freeze ray? No. No it will not.

Finding Eddie: It’s really hard to believe that Barry never found Eddie BELOW THE PRISON IN STAR LABS. I mean it’s right there. I don’t know. I just think it’s silly. Also, Iris looking around the room and only finding the engagement ring was dumbing down females to “Oooohhhh, Shiny!’

Wentworth Miller: I know we say this every time, but his acting is so bad as Leonard Snart. It’s really hard to watch.

Barry’s terrible plan: Why would Leonard Snart not lie? Also, how could he stop the meta-humans anymore than what Barry could do? Involving him at all, other than to give his sister a nickname, and releasing the meta-humans, seemed really unnecessary.

Destroying the evidence: Barry destroys all the evidence about Captain Cold at his request. How would Cold know if the computer evidence at CCPD was gone? He wouldn’t. Also, Barry brings physical evidence and Cold’s sister shoots it with her gold gun before they even check. Barry could easily have lied and said that he destroyed it all. But we know that Barry is a terrible liar, so there is that.

The Sabotage: How did Captain Cold and Golden Glider sabotage the prison break? They didn’t seem to have a lot of time, or smarts for that matter.

Easter Eggs:

Address Labels: Iris and Eddie’s address was:

203-2320 Western Ave.
Central City, USA 74912

I think it is funny that there is no state. Also, 74912 is not a real zip code in the good ole U.S. of A.

Scarlet Speedster: Leonard Snart address Barry as such when they meet at the bar. The only gripe I have with this is that the only other time “Scarlet Speedster” has been mentioned is from the newspaper in the future.

What was on the paper?: I don’t know if this is really an Easter Egg, but when Barry asks Leonard to help, Leonard writes what he wants in return on a paper. Barry declines. We never find out what Leonard originally wanted as payment. I am very curious if this will play out in the future.

Ferris Air shut down: Captain Cold notes that Ferris Air is shut down, and Barry tells him it is because a Test Pilot disappeared. Hello Hal Jordon reference!!

Golden Glider: After some serious flirting, Captain Cold’s sister finally is crowned with her moniker by Cisco: Golden Glider.

The Costume Ring: Harrison Wells shows Barry his ring, and then his costume flies out of it and Wells runs into the ring. How cool! Also, it is a direct reference to Barry’s costume ring in the comics.

Predictions:

Meta-Human Shield: Wells may not have factored in the meta-human prison break into his plan, but that doesn’t mean he won’t use them against Barry in the future. Especially if it means protecting himself by putting his “army” on the front lines to distract The Flash.

Flashpoint: I didn’t really get the sense we were there yet until the preview for nex

Line of the Week:

When Cisco realizes that the Golden Glider actually does like him, he says “Really not enjoying being one of the good guys this week.” Ha!

---

Hush Comics gives “Rogue Air” a B for delivering some of the best special effects the show has had, getting some sympathy points for Wells, and Joe being the best dad on TV, but for a lame plan and Captain Cold’s terrible acting.

All images belong to The CW and DC Entertainment. They are credited to Dean Buscher and Diyah Pera.

The Flash Review – “Grodd Lives” S1E21

Gorilla Grodd is in the house, you guys! We’ve been waiting for this initial showdown ever since the pilot aired. Eobard Thawne continues his descent from the alias of Harrison Wells, while Caitlin and Cisco learn how to function without a mentor. All the while, Iris learns how to make an episode all about her.

Pros:

Alternate narrative: Like last week’s Arrow, The Flash begins with a different introduction of our hero. This time, it’s Iris who gives the nifty little spiel. It works really well given the circumstances, and it’s just about the only positive thing Iris brings to the entire episode.

Cisco and Caitlin at play: With Wells out of the picture, and no drama to distract them from each other, these genius scientists are a joy to watch interact with each other. No looming bad guy scientist to tell them their jokes are stupid or dampen the mood means Caitlin and Cisco’s personalities can run free. Wells’ absence (and lack of pointers) also means that Cisco will have to be more resourceful with his gadgetry. Remember, the first rule of Mechanical Engineering: never waste good tech.

The movie references: Cisco is usually on point with his film references during each episode, but this was an All-Star performance right here. From Jurassic Park to King Kong, he hits it on the nose each time. It might have come off as excessive to a lot of viewers, but it was the nice, nerdy supplement to all the mush going on with Iris. Cisco is a nerd’s nerd, and we all love him for it.

Good Grodd almighty: Grodd is terrifying. He’s completely CGI’ed, which was to be expected, but he was used sparingly enough that if you weren’t staring him in the face, you were constantly looking around to see where he could be. I loved the failed sonic punch and the futile efforts to punch the Grodd. It made him a believable formidable opponent – and a problem that won’t go away for a while. Also interesting, we know that Grodd loves Wells, but he’s not an outright bad guy, sort of like Koba was in the first Planet of the Apes. You have a certain sympathy for him, and it doesn’t make the “heroes” any more heroic by encroaching on him.

Wells is… mean: I know the facade is up, but jumping Jesus, he is so mean! He tears Eddie’s self-esteem down to shreds, and caps it off with the whole “oh yeah, and Iris doesn’t even love you” thing. I personally love that Wells/Eobard Thawne is becoming the egotistical a-hole that we want the Reverse-Flash to be, and Tom Cavanagh is portraying him very well. Eddie is just a nice guy, and I’m curious how his psyche will change after being caged up by this mad man.

Cons:

Iris: She’s one of the worst characters on TV today. To me, she’s Season 1 of Arrow Laurel. She’s not quite Gotham‘s Barbara Keane, but she’s on the same totem pole of badly-written characters whose reactions are full of narcissism and bad timing. Unfortunately, a majority of this otherwise solid episode is spent with Barry pandering to her emotional needs. It’s so frustrating to watch a show revolving around a relationship I hope never happens. Things could change, and they obviously will if we’re ever supposed to root for the West-Allen thing, but it’s hard when Caitlin and Felicity have already proven to be better matches for Barry than Iris has.

Who pays for this?: What’s the deal with STAR Labs? Who pays the lease? Who pays Cisco and Caitlin? Why is nobody worrying about security? What the hell is going on?

Easter Eggs:

Rainbow Raider: Barry’s off-handed remark about this guy in full riot gear being the “Rainbow Raider” sounded weird to me, especially since he was dressed in all black and a gold mask. Well, the Rainbow Raider is a Flash character from the 80’s who dressed in a rainbow suit, and used intensely colored beams of light to defeat his enemies. Yeah, I’m glad they went with the riot gear.

No nanners: The Grodd I grew up with, from the Justice League cartoons, also HATES bananas.

Heartbeat: While Joe is lying in the hospital bed, talking with Iris, his heart monitor machine has some weird 3D display to it. Upon closer investigation, there are just two lines spiking – one red, one yellow. It might be coincidence, but that could signify the impending face-off between The Flash and Reverse-Flash.

Curious George: I’ve been wondering why they still sometimes refer to Reverse-Flash as “The Man in Yellow,” and here’s an idea. In Curious George, his owner’s name is The Man in the Yellow Hat. It fits perfectly with Eobard’s new pet monkey, Grodd. Not really an Easter Egg, but a fun observation. Also unrelated, did anybody else notice how close “I Am Grodd” sounds like “I Am Groot?”

Street names: Okay, again on the far-fetched theories: 5th Ave and 10th Street…. what if it’s a reference to The Flash: Rebirth, which was released in May of 2010. Rebirth was an interesting book about the return of Barry Allen (he dies in the comic books during Crisis on Infinite Earths, no biggie), and the Reverse-Flash’s admission to murdering Nora Allen and framing his dad. I’m probably reading too much into this, but it fits, so why not?

Predictions:

What was that gold for?: Safe to say that Grodd wasn’t stealing gold to make himself a shiny necklace. I’m no expert on the metal, but I do know it is an excellent conductor for computers and other science machines. Maybe Grodd is on his way to making a mind control device for a larger audience.

Why reboot the particle accelerator?: Here’s a crazy idea. Eobard Thawne is going to use Barry’s compulsion to save everybody against him. He’s going to activate it, tell Barry that the only way to stop it is to turn back time. The reactor core is shaped like a giant donut, so he could do it that way – or, to make comic book fans happy, he could use the treadmill. Thawne will then run alongside Barry, allowing him to use the Speed Force to return home. There are a lot of holes to this idea, but it’s the best thing I could come up with.

Free Will vs. Destiny: Obviously, Barry is going to live to see next season. With all that the group knows, what’s stopping Eddie from just never having children (or taking his own life)? There is just too much out in the open now for them to question whether or not they can change the world. And having Gideon stowed away in the time vault won’t make that any easier. That is, unless CW decides to just go back in time and erase everybody’s memories. Time travel is confusing.

Line of the Week:

An undercover ice cream truck may be the dumbest idea in police history if they want to remain conspicuous, but when the officer tells the mom looking for ice cream that if the music is playing, “Yeah, it means we’re out,” I couldn’t help but laugh.

---

 

Hush Comics gives “Grodd Lives” an B+ for doing everything right, in spite of a Barry-Iris mushfest. With a team-up for the ages coming next week, don’t miss out!

All images belong to The CW and DC Entertainment. The are credited to Cate Cameron..

The Flash Review- “The Trap” S1E20

This week’s The Flash really outdid itself. It was one of the best episodes of the season, pushing the story forward majorly. There was no “bad guy of the week”, which put the focus on the big matter at hand: Who is Harrison Wells? Now everyone is on the same page. And the amount of Easter Eggs dropped just added to the excitement for fans of both the show and the comic.

Pros:

Cisco wonders something I have thought about: When Cisco notices Barry’s much brighter suit, he wonders if it will be created because they think of it on their own, or if it is because they saw it in this picture. This is something I think about often when they are dealing with time-travel and the ability to see the future. It’s pretty trippy stuff, which is also noted by Cisco.

Gideon and her Newspaper: When the gang finds out about the Time Vault, they are all very shocked. I was impressed with the amount of information given to the characters and the audience (see below for all my Easter Eggs), and by the acting ability of all three. I love when a show can give the fans of comics a taste of what they crave, and I love learning about it all right beside Barry, Caitlin, and Cisco.

Eddie and Iris’ Future: I like everyone involved in this situation. Eddie is true to his character; he thinks he is quite the catch and doesn’t understand why Joe wouldn’t want Iris to marry him. It’s actually a likeable quality about him, because while he thinks highly of himself, he isn’t a douche. On the other hand, Joe just wants his daughter to be happy and knows that only Barry can provide that. The only caveat I have to this whole scenario is that Joe wants to protect Iris from the knowledge that Barry is The Flash, but he wants her to marry Barry. He can’t have her married to a dude she doesn’t know the truth about. You gotta pick one, Joe.

Time Travel: Barry admitted to the crew that he already has traveled in time. I am happy this finally came out. It would have been nearly impossible to keep it in for much longer, especially with Cisco’s nightmares. I am also glad that the show acknowledged that Cisco having these Harrison death dreams doesn’t make sense if no one remembers. But hey! Let’s go with it!

Flashbacks: The flashbacks were cathartic for both Joe and Iris. Joe blames himself for allowing Wells to take Barry to S.T.A.R. Labs, but ultimately knows it Barry wouldn’t have survived in a normal hospital. Iris realizes Barry is The Flash because she felt the spark while he was in a coma and when he told her he would save Eddie from Reverse-Flash. This was also a great way to mirror “The Man in the Yellow Suit,” similar in many ways to this episode, including Iris finding out the truth about Barry. At the end, we also got to see the sinister moment for Harrison/Eobard talking about fate being tricky. In order to kill The Flash, he must create him, but there will be a reckoning. It was a great moment for Wells. He maybe the bad guy, but his speeches are amazing.

Harrison’s speech: Speaking of, Harrison talks to Barry after the fire about why he doubted himself. This speech is so great, I feel like it should be repeated to anyone who is feeling down about themselves. Included in his speech are “the only thing that stops you from achieving your goals is you,” and “everything you need, you already have.” Holy crap, I feel so motivated right now!

Cisco’s Dreamscape/Inception moment: The whole dream sequence was really cool. I particularly liked the fish-eye camera lens and the hyper color. It was a good and modern touch to a dream sequence. Plus, Cisco now knows what happened to his shirt. Also, Joe giving him a glass of milk to help him fall asleep was adorable.

Harrison’s Plan: Despite some nuances I have with Harrison’s plan (see my cons), it was pretty brilliant to send in the shapeshifter to throw everyone off, and then come out and say he wasn’t going to admit anything. It sucks for Barry about not getting his dad out of jail, but sometimes the bad guys are pretty damn cool. The entire scene has me at the edge of my seat. I was impressed with Barry slo-mo (or fast-mo for him I suppose) grabbing the bullets Joe shot. It is finally confirmed for everyone that Harrison/Eobard is the bad guy here. I also giggled when Harrison tells them he looks forward to working with all of them. Um? Where? Not at S.T.A.R. Labs because talk about a hostile work environment.

Cons:

Crappy friends: When Cisco is dreaming, he starts to panic when Wells is about to kill him. Why didn’t they stop the dream at this point? They found out everything they needed to know. It’s kind of messed up. Also, when they are testing the speedster trap, they let Barry run full force into it. They are pretty good scientists, so you would think that setting up a crash pad would have been a good idea. But nope! Let’s let Barry fly into a metal cart and get hurt. It’s fine though because he heals real fast!

The Speedster Trap: Does the speedster trap work if say, a speedster just walks into it? I guess we will never find out.

Hannibal Bates insane memory: Harrison didn’t have much time to hatch is plan of bringing in Hannibal Bates as his likeness. He had from the time he found out Cisco was in the bunker to maybe 5 minutes later. It’s hard to believe that Hannibal was released from his cell, promised freedom, and had time to memorize Harrison’s life story in order to repeat it to Cisco. Unless he has a crazy good memory, this seems unlikely. I debated whether Harrison knew what was happening much earlier, but two things deterred me from this belief. Harrison only knew that they were creating a lucid dreaming device. He did not know how quickly they would figure out what was happening. Also, Cisco had a tracking device on him, so they knew he was at a lecture, not inside S.T.A.R. Labs.

Easter Eggs:

The Newspaper: When the gang find Harrison’s secret room, complete with a newspaper from the future, we get A LOT of Easter Eggs in that publication.

-The date is April 25^th, 2024, almost exactly 9 years from the airdate of this episode.

-The article refers to The Flash as “The Scarlet Speedster,” a nickname mostly attributed to Barry Allen in the comics.

-Green Arrow (who is now only known as Arrow in Arrow), The Atom, and Hawkgirl are all fighting at the seen from which Barry disappeared.

-It’s very brief, but if you look closely at the article, it mentions a Police Chief “Jo…” We can’t see the rest of the name, but I assume that it is Joe West.

-As noted by Caitlin, the by line is Iris West-Allen, who will become Barry’s wife. Aw!

-The event being written about is more than likely the Crisis on Infinite Earths storyline, in which Barry Allen dies and Wally West takes over the post of The Flash.

Also during this scene, Barry says that The Reverse-Flash told him they would be fighting for centuries. Considering that Eobard Thawne/Professor Zoom/ Harrison Wells is from the 25^th century, this makes sense.

Gideon’s Talk: In the same scene, Gideon is activated. In this conversation, Barry finds out he is promoted to Director of the CSI Division of the CCPD. Additionally, Gideon begins to mention that Barry is the founding member of… something before she is cut off. Barry is the founding member of the Justice Society of America, which happened in The Flash #129 (1962). This gets tricky because Jay Garrick was the founding member of the JSA in 1940. Just know The Flash created JSA.

JSA’s Roll Call in All Star Comics #3

 

She also tells Barry that he created her, so she will take any of his commands. Gideon is not in the comic books. There is a god named Commander Gideon, but this computer from the future seems to have no connection to him. I don’t know what this could refer to, or if it brand new to the TV series, but I will keep my eyes peeled.

Vacuum arms: The Flash is known to create vacuums in order to put out fires. It wasn’t great CGI, but a pretty good Easter Egg.

Predictions:

Harrison will keep Eddie as long as possible: Harrison told Eddie that he is insurance. I don’t know exactly what will come about, but Harrison will use this kidnapping to his advantage for as long as he can.

Line of the Week:

When Eobard kidnaps Eddie and reveals the family connection Eddie, in true Eddie form says, “This whole thing was about me?” Eobard says, “Not a chance.” Bahahaha.

---

 

Hush Comics gives “The Trap” an A- for zeroing in on the most important story of the season, clearing things up for audience and characters, lots of suspense, and so many Easter Eggs!

All images belong to The CW and DC Entertainment. The are credited to Cate Cameron and Dean Buscher.

The Flash Review- “Who is Harrison Wells?” S1E19

This week’s The Flash brought out a lot of revelations, redeemed characters that were annoying in the past, and gave us a pretty cool villain. There were more pros than cons. Let’s jump to it!

Pros:

Caitlin’s turn around: I like that Caitlin was opposing the investigation into Wells’ life. It makes sense because she hasn’t experience anything weird with him yet. All she has seen is his benevolent side. At the end when they find Harrison’s room, she starts to change her mind. I like progression with characters and not just following because Barry says so.

Iris and Eddie: This week I wasn’t so annoyed by the troubled couple. Eddie even cut her down a little, with the reply of major side eye from his gal. After Eddie is in holding and then found innocent, Iris seems happy that he is ok. He finally admits he is working with The Flash. Hopefully she doesn’t use this against him in the future, but for now, they seem to be ok.

Wells’ interest in Hannibal Bates: Two things about this. It was a good move to mention that if Hannibal Bates touches Barry, he could gain Barry’s powers. Wells also seemed really excited to catch Mr. Bates. At first I thought it was because Wells likes the idea of shapeshifting (which I’m sure adds to it) But then I realized that his true interest is in Eddie Thawne. Eobard Thawne can’t exist without Eddie, and if Eddie is in prison, then Eobard doesn’t have a “future” to go to. Ta da!

Joe and Cisco in Starling City: Joe and Cisco take the trip to Starling to the site of the Harrison Wells car accident. Along the way, Cisco becomes smitten with Laurel, especially after she admits she is the Black Canary. He makes her the Canary Cry choker, and in the ultimate fanboy moment of the show she gives him a picture of the two of them in return. Joe and Quentin have a heart-to-heart about daughters, making Joe really likeable and at the same time, maybe repairing Laurel and Quentin’s relationship. They also realize there are bits of time-travel in the air, causing Quentin’s coffee to fly, and then they find Harrison Wells’ real body. In all, it was a very productive part of the story, and considering the matter of why they were there, the funniest too.

First meeting with Hannibal Bates: This was one of the stand out scenes from this episode, so I felt it warranted it’s own section. It was pretty obvious that the grandma was actually Bates. And for a brief second, she did touch Eddie’s shoulder when he and Barry came into the house. When he ran and Barry didn’t know how to catch him, Harrison told him to do it the old-fashioned way; run like a normal person. This struck me so funny. But the shock was when the shapeshifter turned into Eddie and shot the cops. It was one of the first times in the show where I absolutely didn’t not see that coming, and was really impressed with how it was carried out. 

Eddie being the bigger person: Even though he had the opportunity to get out of his terrible predicament by just having Barry whisk him away, Eddie tells Barry that they have to do this the right way. It really showed that Eddie is not the bad guy in this show.

Iris getting a little smarter: Iris may be late, but she if figuring everything out. It is a matter of time before she figures out Barry is The Flash. She already knows that Caitlin has something to do with the “burning man.” I enjoy it when women have brains!

Harrison and Joe’s chat: This talk was rife with undertones. They both know some truths about the other one, and they both know this. But they also were able to talk about their dead wives to cover it all up. I mostly enjoyed the long shots here.

The damning final scene: I don’t know how Harrison is anything but screwed now. Barry, Caitlin, and Cisco find the Reverse Flash suit and the newspaper from the future. It’s all coming really fast (get it, because it’s The Flash?).

Cons:

Underestimating the Enemy: So many times in this episode the “heroes” underestimated the enemy. This was a week that Oliver Queen needed to show up and provide some tips. Central City may be the fun and lighthearted one, but they need to be a little more street-smart if they are going to get by. Cases in point: Barry talks to Caitlin about evil Dr. Wells inside of Dr. Wells’ lab, Barry thinking that Eddie is really showing up at his door after he was just in a holding room at the police department, Caitlin thinking that Barry would be suave and brave enough to kiss her, Iris and Caitlin not locking the car doors so that way construction workers can let out the shapeshifter, and Barry fighting the shapeshifter at the airport and dropping his guard when he shifts into Caitlin or Iris. Dumb.

Easter Eggs:

Coast City: Another reference to Hal Jordan’s Coast City in this episode. Barry runs to the neighboring town to grab the gang pizza. And the scenery in Coast City far out does Central City and Starling City. I wish we could get a spin-off set there.

Hannibal Bates, Everyman: Caitlin finally got to name one this week! Everyman, Hannibal Bates, or the Shapeshifter was part of Lex Luthor’s Everyman Project. This Everyman had to eat people in order to shift into them. Ew.

Experience in Sound Waves: Cisco tells Laurel he has experience in Sound Waves lately. Not only did he give her her Canary Cry, but he could also be referencing his future powers of sonic vibration manipulation.

Predictions:

Eobard Thawne already knows: He knows what is going on with Joe and Cisco in Starling City. He probably already knows that the body of Harrison Wells is there. I just don’t know what that means for our team.

---

 

Hush Comics gives “Who Is Harrison Wells?” a B+ for adding a level of depth not seen before, still being “light”, but for some of the dumb things characters did when faced with the enemy.

The Flash Review- “All-Star Team Up” S1E18

The Flash had a really strong episode with “All-Star Team Up.” Read the review to find out all the ins and outs of the episode.

Pros:

The Flash and Joe West team up: The opening scene was pretty good. I have always wondered why the police didn’t just work with the superheroes. I guess this is one of the few stories where it makes sense. They were funny, clever, and most importantly, got on Eddie’s nerves. It’s not that I dislike Eddie, but his attitude toward The Flash is unwarranted, especially when they are catching the bad guys.

Brie Larvan: Sure, she was over the top. But the writers knew that, so all her cheesy lines about stings, buzzing, and bees were totally worth it. Even her dress had a hive pattern on it. The only thing Emily Kinney’s character was missing was a maniacal laugh.

She wasn’t a meta-human: Sometimes the meta-human thing can get boring. It was fun to see someone who was wronged do something evil with it. And I kind of agree with Brie; her whole life’s work meant nothing once her boss fired her. She felt worthless, a good motivator for wrong masterminds. Her smarts also made her Felicity’s nemesis, and that was amazing.

Telling your friends vs. not telling your friends: I don’t have super powers and probably never will, but I do know a thing or two about telling friends about your super powers and not telling them because I have watched A LOT of TV and read a lot of comics. The fact is, keeping your friends and loved ones in the dark about your true self only drives you away from those you love. And I like that Felicity and Joe were Barry’s “angel” vs. “devil”. I don’t know who was right, but I like that Barry made a decision on his own about telling Cisco and Caitlin about Harrison Wells. I just hope he comes to the decision to tell Iris before she goes crazy.

Ray and Cisco: Ray and Cisco should be shipped on Tumblr. I am sure they already are, but now I’m declaring it. The adorable relationship these two have made for one of the best episodes of The Flash to date. Their back and forth with geeky jokes and villain naming was enough to say “Awww” too every five seconds. It became even clearer this time that perhaps Ray and Felicity would best be suited for the “light” show, because for some reason, their antics on Arrow irritate me.

Felicity: This season on Arrow, Felicity has lost a lot of her strength because she is always lovesick over someone. However, her presence in this episode proved that she is still the adorable hacker we know and love. She also had some great dialogue including, “I thought Central City was the fun one!” when noticing everyone’s bad attitude.

Barry’s Suit: Barry’s suit has a defibrillator in it! Genius. Also noted is that Barry became a defibrillator and brought Cisco back to life. Pretty cool!

Cons:

Barry isn’t stealthy: Throughout the episode, he says one thing and does another. At first he says, “Ok! I won’t tell my friends what is on my mind.” Then Felicity comes to town and he immediately blabs. He also is making it super obvious that he is keeping secrets from Harrison. Harrison/Eobard isn’t dumb. Barry needs to work on this.

Iris: I was so looking forward to liking her. I really was. But this episode almost made my thoughts about Iris irreparably bad. Her treatment of Eddie is absolutely unfair. I do realize that not all of that is her fault since he does know Barry’s alter ego. But even after Barry tells Iris about what it is like to be a cop, and why Eddie keeps her in the light (a speech I thought was very heartfelt, even if not completely the truth), she goes out of her way to ruin the relationship with an ultimatum. And don’t even get me started on the dinner she ruined. UGH.

Cisco’s dreams: While I appreciate the cinematic effect of the dream sequences Cisco is having, if time was turned back, how would he have any memory of the event between him and Eobard Thawne? It just doesn’t make sense.

Easter Eggs:

A bird, a plane, Ray Palmer: The clip of Ray flying into Central City in his ATOM suit was a hilarious reference to actor Brandon Routh’s role as Superman. Well done.

Superhero Billionaires: It is asked, “What is it with billionaires being superheroes?” Well we do have Ray, Oliver (formerly), and Bruce Wayne. It is worth noting in DC.

I’m partial to the ATOM: Ray tells Cisco his suits name. Cisco isn’t sold on it, asking “Are you married to that?” This isn’t the first time the suits name has been mentioned, but it is worth nothing.

Always go smaller: Ray mentions that the solution is to always go smaller. A direct reference to eventually being able to shrink.

Predictions:

The fight 15 years ago: So I don’t know how I came to this conclusion. I have no reference to how I got to it, but here it goes: Barry does not go back in time to save his mom; he goes back to save the real Harrison Wells. Somehow he figures out there was a body switch and realizes how much better off they would be with the real deal.

---

Hush Comics gives “All-Star Team Up” a B+ for a strong team-up episode, hilarious dialogue, and a silly villain, but for not making sense in the timeline and making Iris insipid.

All images belong to The CW and DC Entertainment. They are credited to Cate Cameron.

The Flash Review- “Tricksters” S1E17

This week’s The Flash brought back a fan favorite, but most importantly, made some crazy revelations about Harrison Wells. Crazy I tell ya!

Pros:

The Reveal of Harrison Wells’ identity: Finally! We don’t know too much, but we now know that Harrison Wells’ is really Eobard Thawne. Eobard found Wells and his wife, Tess Morgan, stalked them, and caused the car accident, killing Tess in the process. He then switched bodies with Harrison and the real Harrison ended up dying as a result. Now Eobard has the likeness of Harrison, with all his knowledge, but Eobard is controlling everything behind the face. All the flashbacks leading up to this were really well placed. Starting out the episode with the reveal of The Man in the Yellow Suit not being Harrison, but an unknown was brilliant.

All the nods to Mark Hamill’s past: Mark Hamill reprised his role as The Trickster in this episode. While that story felt more like a side bar to all the other crazy stuff that happened, it was cool to see some nods to Mark Hamill’s career. His lair from his hey day was stocked with his costume he wore on the 90’s The Flash. At the mayor’s fundraiser, he wore a purple flower on his lapel like The Joker does, and when he revealed his relation to the new Trickster he said, “I … am … your … father!” I was sort of hoping for some weird breathing after that one. Not related to his past was the best line of the episode. After Barry gives everyone at the party an antidote for the poison, Trickster exclaims, “That wasn’t very sanitary!”

Breaking Bad nod: When James Jesse, aka the “old” Trickster is talking about his masterpiece, he uses “Breaking Bad season 5” as his analogy of what a masterpiece is. Bravo! Although this does make me question what Iron Heights allows the inmates to watch.

Special Effects: Particularly in the first scene, I thought the special effects were really good in this episode. The slo-mo fight between The Flash and The Reverse Flash was beautiful to watch.

Joe has the best pep talks: I was pretty annoyed with Barry crying this episode, but Joe telling Barry his real superpower was seeing the best in people really warmed my heart.

Iris playing Detective: Iris is really concerned for her co-worker Mason Bridges’ disappearance. Iris tries really hard to look into it. Unfortunately Eddie lies and tells her that Mason is in Brazil with a girl. I find it hard to believe that Iris is that dumb, but I know this story line is being set up to take center stage eventually.

Barry reveals identity: We know his dad had already figured it out, but Barry finally let his dad know he was The Flash. Henry even got to see S.T.A.R. Labs after almost dying. That relationship is one that I love seeing on the screen. Also, Eddie was told about Barry’s true self because they need help investigating. Considering they are both Thawnes, this does not bode well.

Harrison reveals himself: Harrison teaches Barry how to run through walls in order to get the Trickster’s bomb off of Barry. The way he describes it is almost as if he is reliving his old glory days. It is a really clever way for Barry to figure out that Harrison is the Reverse Flash.

Cons:

Acting: Not all the acting was bad. And I do appreciate Mark Hamill as an actor. But both he and Devon Graye, who played the new Trickster, were both so over-the-top it was laughable. All the evil laughing and bad dialogue did nothing for me as far as being terrified. I know it wasn’t totally their fault because the directing and dialogue played a big role in the final product.

In your face: A lot of this episode was in the audience face. There was a lot more telling than showing. I was surprised honestly that Cisco, Caitlin, or Harrison didn’t just look at the camera and start narrating.

Joe tells them who Trickster was: If Trickster was really one of the worst criminals in Central City history, how does no one at S.T.A.R. Labs know who he is? People remember the worst criminals, even 20 years later.

Barry’s passive-aggressive behavior toward Wells: I understand Barry thinking Wells had something to do with the death of his mom. But treating him badly and saying passive-aggressive things to make digs at him isn’t a good idea when there is an inkling the guy is the Reverse Flash. I’m glad it got better at the end, but I thought that the writers think less of Barry’s common sense than the audience does.

Barry is stubborn: Barry not listening to Wells because he is stubborn almost cost his dad his life. I also thought this was bad writing. Barry is a forensic scientist, but they often make him insolent. It is annoying.

Dumb, dumb citizens: How does Central City take the new Trickster seriously when the box with the bomb in it has a giant cartoon bomb drawn on it? So silly.

Why is money always a factor?: The Tricksters going after money doesn’t make any sense to me. Even if they aren’t caught right then and there, how can they spend said money? They can’t without being caught? I am sick of money being a motivating factor for evil in this show.

Easter Eggs:

52^nd Street: The new Trickster says the bomb is at 52^nd street. This is another nod to DC’s obsession with the number 52.

Felicity: Cisco mentions that Trickster’s location can’t be mapped and is “Felicity-caliber” a nod to Arrow’s Felicity and her hacking skills.

Predictions:

None of this will come to a head this season: Now that Eddie knows Barry’s secret, It is likely nothing with Eobard, who is sure to be a relation to Eddie, will come to head until next season. Otherwise, how will they keep things juicy?

---

Hush Comics gives “Tricksters” a B for giving the audience a lot of answers, yet leaving a lot of questions about the origin of Reverse Flash, but distracting us with Trickster, bad acting, and too much telling instead of showing.

All images belong to The CW and DC Entertainment. They are credited to Cate Cameron and Diyah Pera.

The Flash Review – “Rogue Time” S1E16

It is hard to follow up such an amazing episode like the one they had last week, but it had to be done. Unfortunately the follow up was not nearly as strong as the previous episode.  There weren’t a lot of great things this episode and it was mainly a lesson in responsibility for Barry.

Pros:

Cisco is Alive!:  Even though going back in time changed a great number of things, this is the one that I think most people, myself included, would have been angry about if it wasn’t corrected.

Barry realizes the truth about Wells: Things moved forward and backward simultaneously regarding Wells’ identity. Cisco no longer knows, which is good for his life, but now Barry knows. This was most likely done to start rounding out the season with a conclusion between these two.  Now that Barry has gotten so much more powerful, I can’t wait to see what they have in store for that showdown.

Lightning Psychosis: This was a hilarious description Barry use to explain why he acts the way he does to the people in his life not exactly “in the know.”  A convenient excuse, but it still funny nonetheless.

Cons:

Linda Park is gone and so is Iris: Barry somehow managed to lose both of the girls in this timeline. Linda was a given, but losing Iris as well is kind of lame. This obviously isn’t the end for them, but at least Barry hasn’t forgotten her reaction to discovering his identity as The Flash.  When the time is right, things should resume and will be presumably better going forward.

Too much was retconned: A pretty large number of plot details from last week were retconned and I don’t feel like it was for the better.  The only positive out of all this is the reversal of Cisco dying.

Cold and Heat Wave are still terribly acted: They are still terrible, and I don’t understand why nobody at the studio seems to notice it. I really can’t help but cringe every time these two are on the screen.

Flash has all this power and still acts like a bitch: So Barry was fast enough to run into the casino and snatch Lisa up in a bear trap, but he somehow managed to bitch out the second he found out about Cisco.  Lame!  He could have knocked her out and then pummeled Cold into the ground before either could blink.  I don’t understand why they ignore the power Flash has at his disposal.  He just traveled through time and it hasn’t done anything for his superhero self-esteem.

Easter Eggs

Flashbacks: So much was repeated from a different perspective.  It is interesting to see what the day was like after the small changes.

First Weather Wizard: This line is almost exactly the same from the pilot when Barry runs into the first Weather Wizard “I didn’t know there were more like me.”

The Santini Crime Family: Possibly a reference to the Rafael Santini crime family from the post-Crisis Batman books.

Cosmic treadmill: Time-travel Barry is on the treadmill!

The Golden Glider: Lisa Snart is finally here and there were a few references to The Golden Glider in this episode.  First the wig makes her look identical to the character from the comics.  Also, her gun firing gold couldn’t be any more on the nose.

Wells’ comment on wreaking havoc: That is exactly why the Reverse Flash is in this timeline to begin with. He realized that killing the Flash as a boy led to him never becoming the Reverse Flash so instead he tries to torture Barry in every way possible. Could be a taste of things to come.

---

 

Hush Comics gives “Rouge Time” a B- .  Cisco is still alive, but the realm of time travel was otherwise poorly handled.

All images belong to The CW and DC Entertainment. They are credited to Dean Buscher.

The Flash Review – “Out of Time” S1E15

After a short break, The Flash came back stronger than ever. I can’t believe how many things they have decided to go forward with instead of making fans wait seasons for each little reveal. As for this episode, I think Martin Lawrence said it best. “Shit just got real” So many major things happened in what could possibly lead to one of the biggest events from comic books history.

Pros

The Flash has unknowingly realized the full extent of his speed: Barry Allen may not yet know it but when he gets overly emotional and runs really fast, he can travel through time accidentally. His ability to travel through time is actually only related to the speed but, in the comics, it was prefaced by his anger and sadness over not being able to save his mother. The show is a different situation, but tensions were understandably high and you could argue that it was the TV show way of representing that. This is what he has been training for all these episodes. I don’t think he can get much faster than time traveling speed, unless you consider running so fast he turns into a lightning bolt. The greatest thing about this episode is that it has left the future open for all sorts of possibilities.

Iris learns the truth, and it is only Season 1: They used a similar setup in Arrow of revealing Oliver’s identity in order to include more people on the team, but this show is much more similar to Smallville in many respects. It took 6 or so seasons for Lana to find out about Clark’s powers and in the very same episode Clark goes back in time and changes it all. I feel like the same thing will happen with the time-travel but it would be nice if they didn’t ret-con it. Barry deserves this, and it would add an interesting dynamic to the show.

We discover the true identity of Dr. Wells: Eobard Thawne (what a terrible name) also known as Professor Zoom or the Reverse Flash is second of the Reverse Flashes but is largely considered one of the greatest adversaries from the Flash rogue gallery. If the comics are any indication, his inclusion does not bode well for Iris in the future. It is nice that the fans get to know what is happening, but with the inclusion of time travel at the last minute, everything that happened this episode is suspect aside from the identity of Dr. Wells.

Things are progressing nicely: Usually shows drag on forever with slow reveals and plot advancements, but the lessons learned from Smallville have showed up in both The Flash and Arrow. This pleases me greatly and makes me very excited for the future of both series.

Gay Rights!!: It was very subtle, but I thought was an interesting inclusion. I wasn’t sure if they were going to broach the subject during the scene but I’m pleased with the way they handled it. With the Captain’s fiancé being shown this episode, The CW or creators of the show, made a subtle statement about where they stand on the rights to allow gay couples in this country.

Cons

Possibly no more Linda Park- We all know that she came to break it off when she showed up at the police station; Barry leaving her there while running off with Iris probably did nothing to help that. I like her character and it doesn’t hurt that she is smoking hot, but she is not destined to be with this Flash. Again, time travel makes this one of many possibilities, but I think it is safe to say she is on the way out.

Also possibly no more Cisco: While he got the Temple of Doom treatment, I can’t help but feel that we haven’t seen the last of Cisco Ramon. He hasn’t even been able to live up to the terrible persona of Vibe yet. He was killed and resurrected many times in the comic books and even was a Black Lantern for a spell. He is a popular character so his death may just be for the shock factor; however, it would be a shame to lose such a great character so early in the series.

The possibility of the episode not ever “existing “ in time: Once time travel enters the equation, all bets are off. Anything that happened in this episode is susceptible to getting ret-conned. That means the advancements along with the bad stuff.

Easter Eggs

This episode was a little light on the easter eggs, which is probably a result of so many revelations in the story.

Speed Mirage: The idea of using speed to approximate being in two places at once is referenced early in the episode as a potential explanation for Barry seeing himself…and then actually used by Zoom.

Wizards Wand: This is used by the Weather Wizard in the comics to control the weather, but it is used against him in this episode. Seems to me that a certain Hush writer did his research and called this all the way back in week one! It’s also pretty awesome that this particular Weather Wizard was portrayed by Spartacus‘ lead actor, Liam McIntyre.

The Walking Dead: “I will watch every episode of The Walking Dead with you.”

---

 

Hush Comics gives “Out of Time” an A for progressing the story, making huge reveals, and in general, shit got cray.

All images belong to The CW and DC Entertainment. They are credited to Diyah Pera.

The Flash Review – “Fallout” S1E14

Pros:

Cisco’s Hilarious Lines: And did he have some doozys this week. “It’s like this time I stepped on a sea urchin—only much worse” and referring to Mist being trapped in the basement of Star Labs and Ronnie not knowing, he says, “Dude, that was like week three!” (And it was episode three! Yay for being consistent!)

Gorilla Grodd: Harrison did some pretty nasty things this episode. I am not sure if want to hate him or like him, but he gets a tick in the good column for unleashing Grodd on General Eiling as payback. In addition, when General Eiling pleads to God and the ape says “No, Grodd!” I felt like that was coolest way to execute a cheesy line.

Professor Stein and Ronnie Raymond’s relationship: I couldn’t think of The Odd Couple when these two were arguing. The jabs were cute, and while it is comical the way they don’t get along, these two have the same values and a lot of brains when combined. Together as Firestorm, they are pretty freakin’ awesome.

Professor Stein and Ronnie Raymond need each other: They can’t live without each other now that they are both Firestorm. The way this was presented was really well done, with Professor Stein living in Ronnie’s head, and the moments they choose to fuse together and separate again. I was pretty impressed with how science-y and smart the whole thing was.

Graphics: The slow-motion effects of Barry taking down people, taking on a rocket filled with chemicals, and the scene of The Flash and Firestorm leaving the Army base were really striking. Good job effects team!

Time-Travel: There was a lot of talk about time-travel, especially concerning Barry as The Flash being at his mother’s murder. It was a good way to begin to explain why Barry was there while including the characters we currently have, like Professor Stein.

Cons:

Lying to Iris: While lying to Iris about who Ronnie is will drive a major plot point for Iris for a bit, it was all executed poorly. The music that played as Caitlin and Barry claimed Ronnie was Caitlin’s cousin was silly and the whole thing was treated like a joke. If they had told something resembling the truth, Iris may not have decided to snoop around more.

Pizza, Pizza!: It’s very millennial and cutesy, but the tip off that Ronnie and Professor Stein are still linked is because the prof is crazing pizza? It’s kind of silly.

Harrison’s motives: So Harrison poisoned Professor Stein, let General Eiling kidnap Professor Stein, lied to the group that Eiling barged in and took Professor Stein, put Professor Stein in mortal danger, and put Ronnie in mortal danger ALL so he could find the location of General Eiling and release Grodd on him? Seems a little over-the-top.

Easter Eggs:

Ronnie is from Coast City: As the group was trying to convince Iris that Ronnie was Caitlin’s cousin, they mentioned he was from Coast City. This is yet another reference to Hal Jordan’s hometown.

Ronnie is from Midway City: The second time that Caitlin talks about her cousin to Iris, she mistakenly says he is from Midway City. This is home to Hawkman.

Destiny to fail: Barry admits that his destiny in the future is to fail at saving his mom. If you are familiar with Flashpoint, you know this is true.

Predictions:

Harrison isn’t all bad: You know how they were talking about going back in time, and that if you change something in the past, you cause the event a la Back to the Future? Harrison goes back with Barry when he learns that he will try to save his mother because Harrison knows that if Nora Allen lives, Barry never becomes The Flash. Or something. I dunno.

Hush Comics gives “Fallout” a A- for propelling the “Flashpoint” story forward, delving more into Firestorm, and using Gorilla Grodd for the good kind of evil.

All images belong to The CW and DC Entertainment. They are credited to Cate Cameron.