Hopefully the rest of the season will be more impressive than this episode. If not, we are in for a long, slow, ride.
I have been waiting all summer for this show to return. I couldn't get enough and the season finale made me into a Flash feign and now that it is back I am a little disappointed.
Recap:
Barry and Iris: Barry has been feeling guilty about the destruction and the lives lost during the singularity event. Ronnie died (again) saving him and central city by separating from Dr. Stein in the middle of the rift. Barry managed to save Dr. Stein but Ronnie has disappeared and assumed dead. Instead of finding comfort in his team, Barry has pushed them away and is fighting Meta-Humans own ineffectively. When he has free time he is rebuilding the destroyed business in Central City to right the wrongs he believes he has committed. Iris tries to talk him into going to Flash Day to accept the key to the city but he refuses. She tells him that the people deserve to see their hero. He changes his mind and attends the event. When the Flash Day event is crashed by a Meta-Human called Atom Smasher, Barry pushes everyone away again. He doesn't want anyone he cares about in danger.
Iris has enough and decides that she is going to help Barry whether he likes it or not. She re-ensembles the team and they help Barry whether he likes it or not. Barry eventually accepts and as a team they take down the Atom Smasher.
Cisco and Joe: Cisco join's Joe's Meta-Human Task Force. He creates a weapon called the boot that is supposed to disable the Meta-Human's powers and allow the police to arrest them. During the Flash Day event, Cisco has a brief vision of the Atom Smasher talking to zoom. Joe snaps him out of it and asks for the boot. Joe fires the weapon and the boot wraps around the Atom Smasher's ankle. However, it did not work since the Atom Smasher expanded his body until the boot popped off.
Caitlin Snow: After the singularity event, Caitlin has been working for Mercury Labs. When Barry visits her, she reveals that he has no ill feelings towards him and she knows that he did his best. She tells him that she blames herself for Ronnie’s death. Ronnie asked her to leave the city but she refused because she couldn't leave Barry, Dr. Wells or S.T.A.R. behind. Barry and Caitlin decide to watch the video from Dr. Wells and was surprised that it was a confession tape. Wells admitted that he killed Nora Allen and described the events of the murder in detail.
Henry Allen: Henry was released from prison and the gang gets together to celebrate. Dr. Stein gives a toast to everyone saying that it is time to leave the past six months behind them and move forward. Barry pulls Henry aside and informs him that they can start looking for apartments and Iris is researching how to get his physician license reinstated. Henry tells Barry that now is not the time and that he has decided to leave the city for Barry's betterment. He does not think Barry can reach his full potential as the Flash if he is still around. Barry begrudgingly accepts.
Jay Garrick: The very last scene of the episode his Jay walking into S.T.A.R. Labs and telling the crew their world is in danger.
Thoughts:
I wasn’t impressed with this episode. For a premiere, it was lack luster. I thought this episode would have been better if we came in contact with Jay Garrick in the beginning and he would be the reason why everyone reassembled at S.T.A.R. Labs. I wish there was a lot more action than what we’ve got. This show seemed like an episode filler that would air mid-season. It just wasn’t a good start.
I am tired of Crying Caitlin and Emo Barry. They need to retire once and for all. Iris lost her boo too and you don’t see everybody handling her with kid gloves. I thought we were done with Barry being a recluse and not relying on his team. Hopefully after this episode we can move closer to early season 1 Barry. That Barry was fun but also took his work seriously.
The writers should have left Henry in jail. The excuse he gave for leaving Barry a second time and willingly was weak as hell. Barry should have stood up to him and told him he wasn't ok with his Father's decision. Barry had so much mouth this entire episode but the one time he should have asserted himself, he kept quiet.
I do love that Joe and Iris are playing the supportive family unit that Barry needs, even when he doesn't want them around. They are the two steady figures in his life that he can count on.
Jay Garrick seems like an interesting character. I wonder how similar he and Barry are to one another. Does he have an Iris West in his timeline and a Joe or is his background completely different?
I can’t wait to learn the full scope of Cisco’s powers. Once he really starts using it and fully accepts them, I know he is going to be bad ass.
Final Score: 7/10 Power Ups
