The Flashback: ‘The Flash’ – Episode 8 ‘Flash vs. Arrow’

The Flash is DC’s television adaptation of the comic book of the same name. It airs Tuesday nights at 8/7 Central on The CW. Our writer, Nicole Drum recaps the series each week updating you on the latest episode here in The FlashBack.

Welcome back, Flash Fans! Last night we got the first episode of a two-episode Flash vs. Arrow crossover event (part two is tonight over on Arrow.) The event was pretty solidly hyped as being an explosive battle between the heroes, but did it end up that way? Let’s find out!

Okay so we open with a pretty cliche and ham-handed lesson about love. Flash runs around doing all sorts of nice. happy, and romantic things for people as he takes a break from crime fighting to play Central City Cupid all the while talking about love being a chemical reaction. Then, of course, he sees Iris smiling and can’t believe it’s all science.  Gag.

Meanwhile in the part of the city that isn’t being romanced folks certainly aren’t seeing red from roses. There’s this weird dude in a bank whose eyes are all swirly and read and when you look at him you turn all sorts of violent towards other people. This weird mind control lets him just waltz right in and rob the vault while patrons Battle Royale each other. Flash zooms in just in time to save one man from being shot by a mild-mannered girl, but our crimson eyed crazy has gone.

Image Credit: CW

Then we have a brief little scene of Iris and Thawne contemplating ‘sexy-times’ in bed. Yuck. I really, really hate this couple. Fortunately they both have work to do so we’re spared more ick than we can handle. We then head back to the bank (because you know, Thawne’s gotta work) and Joe is asking Barry to explain things. Thawne has decided that this Flash guy is bad news and tries explaining that to Singh.

Back at the Nerd Lab Barry checks in with his crew about this weird red-eyed dude. The cops get a hit on the tracker for the money the bad guy stole and go to get him, but he turns his creepy eyes on some cops and HOLY CRAP ONE OF THEM IS ABOUT TO SHOOT JOE! But Flash shows up (whew) and oh, he gets an assist from some dude with a bow and arrow.  HI OLLIE.

Now we get a pretty great cross-team heroic meetup at the shack of forgotten times or something.  Felicity and Diggle are just chilling with some Big Belly Burger when boom, Flash shows up. Diggle has the reaction of the night, genuinely stunned by how fast Barry is. Oliver rolls up a little bit later. Turns out Team Arrow is in town looking for Captain Boomerang. Seems that one of the dude’s boomerang things probably came from Central City or something and they want a team up to figure it out. The Nerd Squad is happy to see Felicity but the Starling Dudes want to stay out of it. Staying out of it would suite Joe and Dr. Creepy Jeans just fine because they think the Arrow is a bad influence and proceed to talk to Barry like he’s a teenager who experimented with a cigarette. You better stay away from that bad kid, Arrow or you’re grounded!

Iris, however, lets us know she’s down with Oliver Queen. He’s on her three, a list of guys she has permission to cheat on Thawne with.  Please, honey, do it.  ANYONE BUT THAWNE.

Barry, like most teenagers, doesn’t listen to his two faux dads and continues to hang out with Arrow. Of course he does because guess what time it is? It’s training time! Woo! Oliver tries to school Barry about being aware of his surroundings and taking more time to really look at a crime situation before acting (because Barry has that luxury). Barry is still a stubborn kid and tries to best Oliver and is all “ha ha, caught your arrows” but Oliver makes a solid point about not looking at his surroundings and takes some arrows to the bag. Good work, Oliver.  Kudos.

Back at the lab, Dr. Creepy Jeans tries to get the Arrow’s identity out of Felicity, but that’s a no go. I don’t feel like Dr. Wells is bringing his a-game in creep this week. Also at the lab the nerd collective with Felicity’s help upgrades some things and they track the villain, Roy G. Bivolo, to his apartment. The Flash thinks he’s got this without the Arrow but, nope. He gets an eyeful of the crazy red gaze but even though the nerds find no issues the episode isn’t over yet and we’re short a battle scene so you know trouble’s brewing.

And trouble we get. It’s more training time with Arrow and Flash. Ollie tries to impart some wisdom about experience being useful more than superpowers and Barry does not take this well. In fact, Barry thinks Oliver is just jealous and ends up popping off at Oliver. Then Barry goes to work and mouths off to Singh before losing it on Joe. Someone’s angry.

So the team of smart people try to figure this out and ask Arrow for help. Unfortunately Angry!Barry has put on his Flash gear and has just yanked Thawne out of Iris’ car and thrown him into the street. He’s going to smash down Thawne! Thawne, who is an idiot, tries to shot at Flash with Iris sort of behind Flash, but bullets aren’t going to do anything for Flash. Fortunately for my least favorite detective ever Arrow shows up, which lets Thawne and Iris run for it.

Now we get our fight scene! Flash and Arrow go at it. There really is no describing this scene because the effects are just fantastic. Flash is fast and awesome, Arrow has trick arrows and sheer grit and manages to keep up but really is about to lose it because Angry Flash is pretty fierce. Fortunately Dr. Wells and Diggle (I think? That appeared to be the Arrow Action Van, but it could have also been Joe) roll up in the Arrow Action Van and blast Barry with different lights to cancel out the red-eyed dude’s power. It works. Barry is back to normal and feels awful about all the bad stuff he’s just done.

During the commercial break the red-eyed villain is captured. Caitlin tries her hand at naming this episode (she suggests Rainbow Raider) but is shot down. Felicity asks for her help sorting out some evidence from Canary’s murder because teamwork makes the dream work and we need more team ups. Oliver tells Barry that there is something “off” about Dr. Creepy Pants.  Ollie gets it. Felicity, Oliver, and Barry hit up Jitters before the Arrow Squad leaves town. Oliver tries to give Barry some wise advice about how guys like them never get the girl. As he’s walking out, Oliver runs into…holy crap that’s the girl from last season on Arrow, the one who was pregnant with his kid and Oliver’s mom paid off!  Holy crap! They’re picking up this thread! When asked about who she is, Oliver just says she’s someone he used to know. Baby Mama, meanwhile, talks to her little nugget on the phone. She’s bringing the lil’ Arrow a hot chocolate.

Our episode closes out with Caitlin having sad times looking at a photo of Ronnie before we cut to a couple of thugs picking on a homeless guy…who turns out to be able to conjure fire. It’s Ronnie!  He’s alive!  HELLO FIRESTORM!

Tonight we get part two of this crossover event. I’m pretty excited. Can’t watch Arrow tonight? No worries, friends.  I’ve got you covered. I’ll be back tomorrow with a very special edition of the FlashBack!