The second half of THE FLASH season three picks up with that HUGE cliffhanger from episode 9…with Savitar killing Iris in the near future! We know changing the past has very serious repercussions, but what about changing the future? And after all, what has ever stopped Barry from messing with time in this series? Now that we pick back up…we have a very solid mid-season premiere with huge hints for future episodes, with some significant developments for the whole Flash cast! Want to know more? Follow us after the jump!
SPOILERS AHEAD
NOTE: This review is being published prior to THE FLASH airing on the West Coast USA. If you haven’t seen the show yet, trust us, you need to WAIT and come back to this article later!
There is a thread running through this episode, called “I can’t do this alone”. It not only impacts Barry, but Caitlin, HR, and more. That thread allows us to see people starting to come together, and that’s a very good thing since so much of the first half of the season showed the team pulling apart.
But of course, we have to add just a little more tension to the team first.
Barry is pushing Wally away again, but not for the reasons you might think. Barry is about to capture a criminal when he recognizes this bad guy…from the future! More specifically, Barry recognizes Jared Morillo, aka Plunder, from the news scroll he saw just before Savitar killed Iris. He wants to change the future to protect Iris, even if it means letting a bad guy go. Since Wally stepped in for the capture, Barry is angry and pushes him away, at least for now.
Eventually, Barry has to come clean. He tells Iris about his trip to the future and what fate lies ahead, and she convinces him to bring the Flash team (minus Joe) in on the truth. When Cisco vibes Barry into the future to get more clues, they do see one change…HR with a rifle on a nearby rooftop…so does that mean the future can be changed further?
This scene is where we get a LOT of “news headlines” that make promises for upcoming episodes. With everything from the upcoming musical episode to a visit to Gorilla City and more…including the fact that “Killer Frost is still on the loose”…can they stop that too?
In the meantime, HR’s first attempt at the S.T.A.R. Museum flops miserably, prompting Cisco to be more than a little harsh toward HR for wasting their time. It didn’t help that HR has put together a very cheesy Cisco hologram welcoming people to the museum. But, by episode’s end things begin to improve…and we even see a partnership start between the two!
Speaking of partnerships, Caitlin is worried because her suppression bracelets are glitching, and she asks for Julian’s help in getting rid of her powers. This doesn’t start well…but Julian eventually agrees to help and is offered a spot on Team Flash!
Back to the main story…somehow Plunder has escaped, and both Barry and Wally go after him. Barry has had a change of heart about Wally, but he also has an ulterior motive. In that future timeline, Barry captured Plunder…and if Wally makes the capture instead it could be the first “change” that may save Iris. It is indeed Kid Flash who saves the day, gaining the adulation of the crowd and changing the new stories about the event!
A celebration is in order for Team Flash, with a new team member in Julian. Everyone is on board to change the future…except for Joe, who has not been told about all of this quite yet. It is a very happy ending, which of course takes us to…
The Epilogue: Where someone comes through a breach between worlds, looking for HR!
SUMMARY – This was a very solid return for THE FLASH, picking up from a great mid-season finale and launching us at full power into the rest of the season. I’m glad to see the team coming back together, resolving a lot of hard feelings from earlier this season. And, if nothing else I would love this episode for simply seeing Wally’s eyes sparkle with Speed Force energy just before the final battle with Plunder. A great script, impressive acting, and great effects as well.
This was a solid 10/10 for the mid-season premiere for me. What do YOU think? Leave your comments here!
Considering they all just fought an alien invasion brought about by the fact that Barry changed the timeline, do they really need to ask that question?
On the plus side, it was nice to see Barry finally start talking to people, and to see Wally in action.
A few moments reminded me of “Terminal Velocity.” Lightning flashing in Wally’s eyes. Barry not talking about his vision of the woman he loves being killed in the near future, and manipulating his younger speedster family member because of it. I wonder if we’re going to wrap this season with Barry finally fast enough to stop Savitar, but having to take him into the speed force somehow and getting lost. I know they did the lost-in-the-speed-force thing last year, but they’ve done the mysterious-villain-turns-out-to-be-a-close-ally-all-along thing three years running.
Also: I got a real kick out of McSnurtle the Turtle.
It was great seeing Barry and Wally in action together, but there’s still this weird off-putting note to their relationship. Plunder, I felt, would have been a bit more interesting as a lackey of Mirror Master (and actually would have been a much better villainous persona for Julian).
Barry’s unease about Wally seems less like concern these days and more like active distrust and animosity. He has encountered several rookie heroes in his career, and has always managed to do a good job mentoring them, but when it comes to Wally, he keeps him out of active duty and is far too critical of him. This was not the case with Jesse Quick, Cisco, Caitlin, Firestorm, Hawkgirl, or any number of other heroes. I’m glad that characters are finally calling him on it, but I don’t think the problem will be resolved with this episode. Certainly not when Barry is only supporting Wally to save Iris. I think Wally still has major ties to Savitar, and Barry’s treatment of him will alter the future in ways he cannot foresee. Hopefully, we will see Barry’s side of this sibling rivalry exposed soon. We know that Wally felt jealous of Barry’s connection to the Wests , but perhaps the opposite is becoming true now that Barry knows he’s here to stay.