This week’s Flash was clearly a Valentine’s Day episode. I’m glad the show has dodged the mistake of having main characters get together too soon. Unfortunately, we have to sit through Barry’s dating life – probably only this one, though – before he starts to date Iris. That day, I dread.
Pros:
Super Science Cisco: I love super-technology and all of the sci-fi nerd in me really enjoyed it when Cisco reconstructed the crime scene at the time of the crime using freaking holograms. Someone has to be as smart as Dr. Wells when everything goes down.
Fireman Ronnie Raymond: I really like what they did with Firestorm, especially graphically. His firey goodness was excited and visually stimulating, which is nice after the last two episodes. Also the Nuclear Man actually shows us why this episode was titled thusly.
Joe Knows: Joes has already shown that he knows how to read people better than anyone else in the show. He knows something is up with Dr. Wells and not everything is as straight forward as it seems. He’s the only one that questions his motivations.
Purposely accentuated man boobs: I guessed being ripped runs in the family.
Barry Blood: Barry’s adult blood was found at the crime scene of his mother’s murder. Ok I didn’t see that coming, I’ll keep this going.
That last scene: DID YOU SEE IT!?
Cons:
Flash in the pan: Barry Allen dates Wally West’s future wife. Unless they plan on killing Barry and bringing in Wally, then I don’t really care and neither should you.
Firestorm’s split personality: So in the comics Firestorm is a combination of Martin Stein and Ronnie Raymond, cool whatever I still think that’s dumb. But why have Stein be the mind behind the body? If they make Ronnie in control like in the books they could drag Robbie Amell’s bad acting out for longer.
Iris & Linda: Iris likes Barry but won’t pull the trigger. Linda goes one two dates with Barry. Poorly written conflict happens.
Barry & Iris: The “will they, won’t they” trope has really taken full grasp on this relationship. I can hope it will just get nipped in the bud, but I don’t think we’ll be that lucky.
Purposely accentuated man boobs: We get it. It runs in the family.
Dr. Wells Super Engineerman: Why doesn’t anyone question how Wells designed or had the time to create a quantum whatever. That would seem dubious to me.
Easter Eggs:
Time travel confirmed: It’s been skated around all season long, but with the confirmation that an adult Barry at the crime scene, it opens up a whole bunch of doors from Flashpoint.
Mal Duncan: When Barry geeks out to Linda about their planned date, he tells her last that he wants to go see Mal Duncan perform after they play mini-golf. Mal Duncan is Vox in the Teen Titans comic books, but has also gone by Guardian in Young Justice. He is an accomplished jazz musician, as well – referenced in Tale of the Teen Titans #50 (1985).
52nd & Waid: The DC-CW shows loves using their street names for Easter Eggs. This week, they go with the lucky number 52 (New52, 52 event, etc) and Waid, a call-back to long-time The Flash writer, Mark Waid.
Predictions:
Barry Blood 2: Electric Boogaloo: So we found Barry’s blood at the scene of his mother’s death. Once Wells gets his time travel paradox on Barry is going to travel with him and during the melee inadvertently cause his mother’s death. Then….sadness.
Impending Litigation: Someone is getting sued for that “flame on” remark.
Killer, maaaan: They’ve been teasing it all season; we know who Caitlin Snow becomes in the comic books, right? Killer Frost may be closer than we think. Barry may be able to outrun or metabolize the effects of a nuclear explosion, but Caitlin is going to be pretty screwed. Throw in the way people’s powers in this show are blended from the environment around them, and we may have a much colder version of Caitlin Snow – very soon. Quantum Splicer, my ass, Wells!
Hush Comics gives “The Nuclear Man” a C for pointless love story taking away from a much more important storyline happening all around it. Also for Robbie Amell, meh.
All images belong to The CW and DC Entertainment. They are credited to Cate Cameron.
Hush Comics 