The Flash – Flashpoint

By: Stacy Miller

The episode begins with Barry (Grant Gustin) at Jitters trying to ask Iris (Candice Patton) out on a date. He is absolutely adorable in an awkward sort of way, struggling to find the words. He reminds Iris that they went to elementary school together. From her response and the fact that she gets his name wrong, it’s obvious that this is the new world Barry created when he prevented Eobard Thawne (Matt Letscher) from killing his mother. So, with Nora (Michelle Harrison) alive, his father Henry (John Wesley Shipp) never went to prison for her murder and Barry never went to live with the Wests therefore Iris barely knows him. But when he hears a news report about a criminal named The Rival (Todd Lasance) attacking the city, Barry speeds out of Jitters to help. Unfortunately, he isn’t needed because there is a new hero, Kid Flash (Keiynan Lonsdale), who has the situation under control. Barry smiles…a Flash who is not him protects the city giving him the chance for a normal life.

Barry goes to bring his prisoner The Reverse Flash a/k/a Eobard Thawne food. He can’t escape because Barry has him confined in a speed proof cage, but that doesn’t stop Thawne from taunting Barry because hey, he’s the bad guy and if nothing else bad guys like to hear the sound of their old voice and cast doubt on the good guy’s choices. Thawne warns Barry that he made a huge mistake creating this reverse It’s a Wonderful Life. “This isn’t your home,” warns Eobard. “This is a mirage that will end us both unless you let me out.”

Although Barry has his happy family back, Joe (Jesse L. Martin) is a mess. He is still a police detective, but is a drunk who is often late to work. Joe needed Barry Allen as his adopted son, it kept him grounded. Now he’s just loss.

Iris agrees to go out with Barry, but their date is interrupted when he experiences memory glimpses of his old life and also rushes off when there’s another The Rival/Kid Flash fight. This one ends with Kid Flash being tossed out the window of a building. Barry flaps his arms at an accelerated speed creating a wind that blows Kid Flash inside a dumpster. Barry rushes to him and takes off his mask. “Wally?”

Wally West brings Barry to his place and it’s a pretty cool superhero lair. Iris enters. They are a brother and sister crime fighting duo. Wally tells Barry how he was in a race when lightning struck the car and he discovered he had powers.

Barry goes back to Thawne when he experiences another memory incident. Eobard explains that the timeline is solidifying and if he keeps using his speed, he’ll forget everything from the original timeline and remain in the new world he created. But Barry refuses to listen to Thawne, he has to find a way to help stop The Rival. After showing them that he is The Flash, Barry goes with Iris and Wally to the former Star Labs building which is now where billionaire Cisco (Carlos Valdes) has Ramon Industries. He doesn’t want to get involved with the superhero stuff because he knows from experience that people end up hurt or worse. Barry tries to convince Cisco to work with them and even grabs Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker), too. In this world, Caitlin is an ophthalmologist. Iris and Barry finally get Cisco and Caitlin on board. The only way to defeat The Rival is if Barry and Wally team up.

It’s the two Flashes vs. The Rival. They put up a good fight; however, The Rival injures Wally by hitting him with a pipe. But Iris’ pep talk that she believes in him allows Barry to defeat The Rival, who concedes “You really are the fastest man alive.” Iris is relieved Barry is okay and admits she loves him. Regardless of the timeline, it’s obvious that Iris and Barry will always find their way to each other. Barry then goes to see his parents and says goodbye to Nora and Henry, having made the decision to set the timeline back when it looks like Wally won’t recover. So, he goes to Thawne and with pain and anger in his voice says “I need you to kill my mother.” Thawne responds with a smirk, “With pleasure.”

In addition to the casualties of the deaths of Nora and Henry Allen once the timeline is restored, Barry tells the Iris of the new timeline that she won’t remember any of this once everything has been set right. “Today I get to be the hero,” Thawne says as he and Barry speed run into the past to the moment when Barry saved his mother from being killed by The Reverse Flash. But this time, The Reverse Flash kills Nora Allen again.

The timeline is restored. Barry enters Joe’s house and he and Wally ask how he’s doing as this is after Henry was killed last season. Barry says he’s okay, probably because he got to spend a short time with his parents in the alternate timeline. “Where’s Iris?” Barry asks. Joe leaves angrily. Wally tells Barry that Iris and Joe no longer speak. What happened between them? How did Barry’s messing with the timeline cause father and daughter to become estranged?

Meanwhile, Eobard Thawne goes to The Rival’s home, wakes him and writes Alchemy on his mirror.