Jessie Robertson reviews the season 2 finale of The Flash…
Run, Barry, Run!
We’ve heard that slogan all throughout this show, “Run, Barry, Run”, both slyly acknowledging his superhero identity while urging him forward on his superheroic quest. 2 episodes back, there was a very interesting slogan used when Barry was inside the Speed Force: “Sit, Barry, Sit.” In that somewhat introspective episode, Barry dealt with something that had nagged at him for far too long; the loss of his mother and his inability to stop it. It was a sentimental tear jerker. Tonight’s finale ending pretty much undoes all of what came before and I don’t think it sits very well with me. But, let’s not skip ahead yet:
After Henry’s death last week, Barry is gripped by sadness; he doesn’t even want to exchange pleasantries with the Flash team, just get down to business. Wells reveals there’s a device called a Magnetar in play, one that could create a “Crisis on Infinite Earths” if you will; Flash meanwhile, has been locked inside STAR labs prison system for being too angry to think right; Zoom has challenged him to a race; the goal is to use Barry and his combined speed to activate this Magnetar and awful, terrible things happen. I try not to read a lot of other reviews as the season progresses so not to influence myself but Zoom’s plans and motivations tend to change every week or so. And what is he doing with all that extra time???? I do think Teddy Sears has done a better job of being Zolomon than Garrick and I enjoyed most of his delivery tonight when speaking with Barry; it had a cold, confident evilness behind it. I also like the idea of ending their rivalry in a foot race (only The Flash could pull this off) but to what end? We find out, yes, he wants to destroy all the other Earths and leave this one alone, as a conduit for if he needs to visit the others? I’m not entirely sure and the way the Magnetar is sort of dropped in conversation, it seems no one else is either; but something was needed to up the stakes of this race. Team Flash (w/ Barry locked up) decides to take on Zoom themselves and nearly succeed, with clever use of hologram Caitlin and Cicso’s Vibe abilities, but it backfires and Joe gets sucked into Earth 2 along with Zoom. That actually provides some good moments where Joe is incredulous in the face of death (love Jesse L Martin) and Zoom sort of gives some of his back story which was nice to fill in. It makes some of the goofier things this season (ex. Time Wraiths) make more sense.
It’s actually Wally who opens Barry’s cage and lets him out; now that he knows Barry’s the Flash, he’s cool with him; He knows Barry’s the only one that can save “Their Dad.” So, the race is set up; Joe is there as bait and the team sort of stands by like spectators at a sporting event except no bleachers, popcorn or drunk idiots yelling obscenities. The race and end of it all is a satisfying enough endeavor and to say nothing (again) of the amazing special effects this show uses. Earlier in the episode, Zoom creates a “time remnant” of himself; moments before he kills Henry in front of Barry, he goes back in time and creates a copy of himself to bring forward; Barry uses the same trick to save Joe and stop the Magnetar from blowing everything to kingdom come. Just then, the Time Wraiths (double ugh) show up and do nasty things to Zoom. And the end of that sometimes convoluted storyline is here.
The Man in the Iron Mask is finally revealed! It’s actually the real Jay Garrick from Earth-3 and it’s Henry Allens’ doppleganger. Dude looks badass in that suit too, especially with the winged helmet. His appearance really strikes Barry hard and he breaks down over it. After that, we get the Wells family goodbye, with Jesse and Harry both leaving; this was a very good scene; probably the best of the finale. Tom Kavanaugh just plain delivers; in both of his parts from the last 2 seasons. He will be missed. Barry is still brooding; it’s been a tough couple days; Iris, again, reaffirms to Barry she’s ready to date him, seemingly give a lifelong commitment on the spot. Barry backs off the relationship, saying he’s too hollow inside to make anyone else happy. They exchange I Love you’s , a tender kiss, and then Barry changes everything. He goes back in time, and saves Nora Allen, his mother. We see last year’s season finale Flash watching from the other room, dissipate into nothing, never existing and a new timeline is born.
My issues with this bold dynamic left turn is that it sort of “hollows” out (to use this show’s vernacular) the emotional core of last year’s finale and Barry’s trip to the Speed Force; he had come to terms with the loss of his mother, and realized the events that transpired lead him to the man he is, the hero he was destined to be; him changing it now unmakes all those personal sacrifices and realizations and sort of erases The Flash’s best episodes and that makes me a bit sad. I do see where this can reset everything on the show, formerly dead characters brought back, our main players still in the mix, but in a different version, I just don’t know how you undo 2 years of superheroics and life lessons Barry has learned and not suffer in some way.
Season one of The Flash was action packed, light hearted, goofy as hell, and everything that makes this show unique and amazing to viewers; season two has been filled with sad, dreary moments, a less than happy Flash, and while still providing the astonishing action and brilliant cameos/Easter Eggs and time travel hijinx, it feels like it lost some of it’s brightness and that’s one it’s most glowing attributes. I really loved Cisco as a character this year, his interplay with Harry was def. some of my favorite character stuff. Iris more came into her own, even if it is a bit weird that she’s dating her faux-brother, or wants to at least. And we saw King Shark! So, not as stellar as season one, but I’d give it a hard 8/10.
Alright, Speedsters, catch you next year in Central City (whatever form that takes!)
Visit Jessie Robertson as he plays vintage video games and WRITES ALL THE THINGS- FOR YOU!
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