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.
Image Credit: The CW
Last night, The Flash returned after a short break and we finally got to see Barry and Zoom/Jay face off under honest terms. I don’t know about you, but I was so looking forward to this episode and didn’t want a single moment spoiled for me, so consider this your spoiler alert. This recap is going to contain spoilers from last night’s episode starting now…
Our episode opens up in a familiar place. Barry is thinking about the night his mother died and reflecting on how being taken in by the West family changed his life in positive ways that lead him to who he is now. This contrasts with another young man who lost his mother. That’s right—we get to see Zoom’s origin story. Zoom—real name Hunter Zolomon—didn’t have a great father figure. Hunter’s father gave the boy a gift of his war helmet, then made young Hunter watch as he murdered his mother. Hunter’s father, like Barry’s, went away to jail but instead of being taken in by a loving family, it was off to an orphanage and foster care for Hunter.
Back in the present day and on Earth-1 Barry is testing out a tachyon device as a speed enhancer. He pops into a form of breach and then pops back out nearly immediately (though we know he actually ended up over on Supergirl during that time). That tachyon device is really doing the trick as Barry is four times faster than he’s ever been! He’s faster than Zoom now, though Barry wants Harry to make the device smaller for him. This victory has Barry pumped and he wants to open up one of the breaches between Earths and go after Zoom. He will need help to do that, though, since the breaches were supposedly closed for good. Harry isn’t keen on helping Barry. Keeping Zoom stuck on his world is far preferable than risking things again.
It’s pizza night at the West house. Joe and Barry are enjoying their dinner and talking when Wally shows up. He wants to do his laundry, which is normal college kid behavior, but Wally also reveals that he is no longer staying in the dorms because he can’t afford it. Joe offers to pay for the room and board, but Wally refuses. Joe ends up making an off-hand comment about wondering what Wally’s Earth-2 counterpart is like and it sparks inspiration for Barry. Our favorite speedster goes back to STAR and starts pumping Harry for information about Cisco’s double, Reverb. Barry thinks that if Reverb had the power to manipulate the energy between dimensions, Cisco could do it too. Cisco and Barry go down to where the breach once was and Cisco tries to open things up, but he fails.
Still not feeling good about all of this, Harry goes to see Joe and asks for a status update on the hunt for Jesse, but Joe has no news. Harry then asks Joe to stop Barry from trying to go after Zoom, but Joe is wise about his surrogate son. He knows Barry won’t stop, so instead Joe asks Harry to help Barry.
Cisco and Barry go to an old, abandoned hospital because that’s where the energy of Earth-2 is strongest to attempt to open the breach. Cisco is not having any luck doing the deed though, until Harry shows up with Reverb’s gauntlets. Harry has adapted them so that Cisco can use them. The changes do the trick and Cisco starts being able to open the breach. Zoom senses this and goes to the corresponding hospital on Earth-2 where he tells Cisco to keep coming. Cisco freaks out and stops.
Back at STAR, Harry continues working on making the tachyon device smaller. Barry dispenses some advice to Joe, telling him that what Wally wants isn’t for Joe to pay for his room and board. Wally wants Joe to invite him to move in. Iris is also having a heartfelt chat with Caitlin. Iris tells Caitlin that she has feelings for Barry and thinks that they may be meant to be. Barry also goes to speak with Cisco, but Cisco is struggling with expanding his powers for fear he will turn into Reverb. Barry supports his friend, pointing out that he also felt fear with every new power but that Cisco was with him. That support was critical for Barry and Barry promises Cisco that he will have the same support. Cisco is back on board.
Now it’s time to get things going. Between conversations, Caitlin mentions that Jay’s Earth-1 counterpart is a man named Hunter Zolomon and this gets Harry’s attention. Harry then explains that on Earth-2, Zolomon is a serial killer who got his powers because he was receiving electroshock therapy during the accelerator’s explosion. While horrifying to the group, this information gives Barry an idea of how to stop Zoom. Cisco and Barry go to the old hospital to open the breach while Iris, Caitlin, Harry, and Joe hide out in the secret time room. Once the breach opens, Zoom pops out and it’s on—the two race each other with Barry just narrowly keeping a lead. Barry lures Zoom to STAR where he runs him through a sort of obstacle course. Barry has it set up for Zoom to be distracted by life-size pop-ups of his parents. The scheme works and Zoom is distracted enough for Barry to boot him, but then Barry makes a mistake—he monologues. Barry goes on about how he would never be like Zoom, and then Zoom tells Barry that he can’t lock up the darkness. Zoom breaks out of the boot and escapes.
With Zoom on the loose Iris, Joe, and Barry go home and discover that they are too late. Zoom has taken Wally and scrawled a message on the wall. He wants Barry’s speed in exchange for Wally’s life. Back on Earth-2, Zoom has Wally at the lair and tells his captive that only the Flash can save him.
Time to get down with saving! Barry has decided that he will make the switch as Wally’s life is more important to him because Wally is family. Cisco vibes, confirming that Wally is alive and telling Zoom that the exchange is on. Zoom then shows up with Wally. Once Zoom hands Wally over and he is safe, Harry sets up the speed siphon. Barry runs on his treadmill until all his speed has drained, then Zoom injects it most maniacally. One would think that would be enough for Zoom, but no. He then tries to kill Barry, but Caitlin intervenes. She begs Zoom to spare Barry, calling on the hope that some part of him was real and cared for her. Caitlin’s plea works. Barry doesn’t die by Zoom’s hand, but Zoom speeds off and takes Caitlin with him.
Next week? Barry is a normal human again and Zoom is picking people off. This can’t be good. Do you think Barry will get his speed back and if so, how? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
The Hudsucker 
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