By: Dave Clark
Last week we saw the sad and sudden end to Barry's father's life as Zoom murdered him right in front Barry. This week, we get the finale of this amazing season of The Flash! Let's not waste any time and jump right into the action!
I need to start by doing a brief monologue praising Grant Gustin. I don't get too emotional while watching shows or movies. I feel things, but I never cry or anything like that. Grant Gustin has made me care for moments and characters that I really wouldn't otherwise be concerned with if not for his exceptional acting. He's really redefined what it means to act to me. Not to slight anyone else on this show, as it's filled with amazing performances, but as the lead actor portraying a beloved character he has a heavy burden that he carries fully. He knows what Barry Allen means to the fans and he takes that very seriously. I was skeptical of his casting originally, but that hesitation was quickly erased when I saw him during season one. He is the quintessential Barry Allen and this fan thanks him for his hard work and dedication to the character.
Upon killing Henry Allen, Flash and Zoom begin racing around Central City and at one point, Zoom is racing himself. When they split off Barry trips up one of the Zooms and is very close to killing him but stops only to see Zoom's own fist push through the Zoom standing in front of him. Zoom #1 dies while Zoom #2 reveals to Barry that there could be two of him as well. Shocking? A bit. Zoom's master plan is to race Barry so that he can syphon his speed from him and then with that added power he will destroy every Earth in the Multiverse with one fell swoop. Barry is all too willing to jump into this race so he can beat Zoom, but Joe and the rest of the team have other plans. They shoot Barry with a tranquilizer dart and put him in a cell to stop him from acting too rashly.
Team Flash gears up to stop Zoom on their own, with Barry locked up for his own good. The team plans to use Caitlin as bait to bring Zoom out into the open. Zoom attempts to kill her but she is just a hologram. Meanwhile Joe, Wells, and Cisco push him into a breach, but Joe ends up going with him by mistake. When Wally finds out what happened, he frees Barry and with Cisco's help they send a message to Zoom that Barry will race him in exchange for Joe. Zoom reveals that Earth 1 is the central of the Multiverse and that when he sends the pulse out it'll destroy every Earth but this one. During the race Barry duplicates himself (by going back in time and creating a Time Remnant) which frees Joe while the other continues the race. Meanwhile the other Barry counteracts the Magnetar which is what Zoom was going to use to destroy the Multiverse, but doing this destroys the other Barry. Zoom and Barry begin fighting and Barry finally gets the upper hand but doesn't kill him. The time wraiths return and take Zoom away, but not before disfiguring him in a way that makes him kinda look like the Black Racer (look him up kids!).
With Zoom gone, the team frees the Man in the Iron Mask revealing the real Jay Garrick, who also happens to look exactly like Henry Allen. He explains he's from Earth 3 and shows the team his costume, which looks a lot like the New 52 version of Jay Garrick's suit. He also inherits Zoom's father's helmet, thus giving us the Jay Garrick we all wanted!
Jesse confronts her father about their plans after they defeat Zoom. She tells Wells that she wants to go back to Earth 2, but that he should stay on Earth 1 because he's happy and he's doing good work there. Wells, however, declines to stay and wants to go him with his daughter. He plans to help Garrick get back to Earth 3 from their Earth.
Outside of Joe's house, with the team relaxing inside, Barry tells Iris that he feels hollow inside and that he cannot start a relationship with her until he finds some peace. Iris agrees to give him time, saying he waited for her for so long and she can wait for him to figure everything out. The two finally kiss after Iris tells Barry that she loves him, which Barry returns to her. She returns to the house and Barry runs off without anyone knowing and goes back in time to his mother's death, this time he stops Reverse Flash and saves his mother (recreating the events of Flashpoint. Go read it, kids!). The Barry from the end of season one that looked in on his mother fades away as present day Barry comforts his mother and we're all left with our jaws on the ground wondering what in the world is actually going to happen next season!
What I Liked:
As I said before, Grant Gustin. He's done an amazing job with this role and I cannot wait to see him do more and more with Barry Allen.
Zoom. I hated Jay Garrick all season long. But the villain of Zoom has been done nearly perfectly. He's been fantastically ruthless.
The symmetry between Barry and Wally. Wally is at risk of losing both of his parents, just as Barry has now.
The Time Wraiths taking Zoom away. They kinda made him look like the Black Racer as they attacked him.
The reveal of the real Jay Garrick's costume. Looked great!
FLASHPOINT!
What I Didn't Like:
Constantly referring to Zoom as Jay. Caitlin did it a lot, and even Iris and Cisco. They all know he's Hunter Zolomon. C'mon guys.
Their plan was to send Zoom through a breach, but Zoom can create breaches whenever he wants. Not smart.
The reveal of who's in the Iron Mask. I'm not impressed with more doppels taking over roles of previously deceased characters. I was happy that Wells was brought back simply because of the actor's performance, and I love John Wesley Shipp but...I'm disappointed with the reveal.