The Flash is back… and this time, he’s faced with a female speedster zipping around Central City.
And she’s got nothing but chaos in her sights.
In this quietly deep episode, it feels like the whole team is on a soul-searching mission. Wells is forced to gain a little perspective when Jessie finds out the lengths her father would go to, just to protect her. Barry struggles to make the right choice when he discovers the existence of speed enhancing V9, and the team make some distressing links which may point to Zoom’s identity.
During some much needed down time, Cisco busts a few interesting moves on the dance floor while Iris contemplates her Earth 2 doppelganger… and how her future self ends up being married to Barry. Could she be warming to the idea that the pair are destined to be together?
They’re given little time to ponder this as the evening is interrupted by another speedster, who whips through the club stealing wallets. Mistaken for The Flash, Central City residents question whether their hero has lost his halo.
Determined to expose The Flash as a fraud, Iris’s editor Scott insists she write a piece entitled “Robbed by a Hero”.
Surely she can’t go through with it?
In an attempt to buy some time for Barry, Iris suggests she and Scott discuss it over coffee. Scott is embarrassed when he realises that it is not actually a date, which is evident from Iris’s visible shock when he questions whether his anti-Flash stance is a deal breaker. Of course, she softens later in the episode, and it appears it’s not a deal breaker at all!
Could we see a budding romance in the coming episodes between the pair? And will that throw a spanner in the works for Barry?
Meanwhile the team consider where the female speedster came from. Caitlin reveals the existence of V9 as she considers a colleague at Mercury Labs as the culprit. Despite Wells and Caitlin explaining how dangerous the drug is, Barry is furious they didn’t offer it to him when he was taking on Zoom; “If the game is already rigged, then why can’t I level the playing field?”.
The dangerous effect of V9 is demonstrated when the speedster, who introduces herself as Trajectory, breaks into Star Labs to acquire another fix. Holding Jessie hostage she demands that the team make some more for her.
Obviously, Team Flash are reluctant… but Wells steps forward, showing his weakness for his daughter, and offers to brew some up.
But Trajectory isn’t stupid…
Offering a freshly-brewed batch of V9, Wells is ready to hand it over. But Trajectory decides not to trust them and injects Jessie, instead. And that’s when Dr. Wells’ weakness becomes all too apparent – even to Jessie herself.
She clearly sees that if she is around Wells remains compromised, as we have already seen what he will do for her. Rather wisely Jessie decides to flee Star Labs, and it looks like Wells isn’t going to follow (at least for now).
In the final face-off with Trajectory, Barry realises that Eliza is sick and tries to talk her out of injecting more V9. Sadly she has to have a last fix, which proves fatal. As Trajectory speeds off and disintegrates, Barry notices that her lightning has turned blue… exactly like Zoom.
Back at Star Labs he explains what he saw, whilst Cisco confesses to vibing Zoom near Jay’s helmet. Barry sees red and thrusts the helmet at Cisco so they can learn the truth. And all proves a bit too much for poor Barry, as he runs off for one of the more cringe-worthy moments of the episode.
The rest of the gang are left stunned, especially Caitlin, who had clearly become close to Jay.
But has the identity of Zoom really been unveiled? Could Jay really be Zoom?
Given that we saw Jay’s potentially-lifeless body being carried away by Zoom, it’s unlikely that they’re one and the same. But let’s face it – we’ve already seen plenty of doppelgangers. Could this be another?
The Flash and the gang have already hopped universes to head to Earth-Two… could Zoom be another Jay from Earth-Three? Earth-Four? Earth-Fifty?
The Flash and the team appear to be heading into the unknown, and we can’t wait to find out what that entails…
