Season 2, Episode 1: “The Man Who Saved Central City”
Grade: B-
Season one of The Flash ended on such a huge cliffhanger that it left me so angry I wasn’t sure if I wanted to watch season two out of spite. However, with The Flash back on TV, I’ve become a giant hypocrite eagerly awaiting each new episode.
We then learn through flashback and some scientific mumbo jumbo that Barry can’t stop the wormhole alone so Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein become F.I.R.E.S.T.O.R.M. in order to stabilize the chaos. In doing so, Team Flash loses Ronnie and poor Caitlin has to deal with losing the man she loves for like the fifth time. I’m a bit tired of this thing Ronnie and Caitlin have going on here and if I’m honest, I feel as though she’s lost him so many times already that any emotion I was meant to feel at their parting was lost.
Barry feels guilty over the loss of Ronnie, so instead of talking about his feelings and going to his friends for help, he tries to save Central City on his own. He avoids every aspect of his life: not talking to Joe or Iris; refusing to go to Flash Day (which admittedly seems like a baddie trap); ignoring lawyers about Harrison Wells’ will. Generally, Barry just closes himself off to others.
However, after a chat with Joe, Barry’s brain grows three sizes and he decides to make an appearance at Flash Day. Surprise, surprise, a meta human shows up to ruin his heroic moment and “Atom Smasher” makes Barry and Cisco (with his baby super powers!) look stupid. Barry then decides to work with Team Flash once again to stop this man who absorbs radiation like I absorb pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
But that wasn’t the end of the episode. Since Wells did confess to the murder of Nora Allen, Barry’s father, Henry is finally released from prison. There are so many things wrong with scene, but I can overlook most of them for the sake of Barry’s happiness. Freeing his father has been his goal for years and years and years. It is what drove him to BE the Flash, among other things, so this is a life-changing moment for him. And then, just like that, Papa Allen leaves. Not because he’s afraid that he’s already labeled a murderer or because he’s spent so much time in prison he isn’t sure how to live with Barry, but because Barry already has a family…. Are you kidding me? I know that season two is rife with new characters, love interests and plenty of faces to forget, but to completely dismiss Barry’s dad like that almost ruins the episode for me.
- I hate to say this because everyone knows I’m all about vagina loyalty but one of the reasons this episode didn’t receive a lower score was because of the lack of Iris. Maybe she changes this season, but her character is the worst of the lot, IMO.
- Cisco with powers! At first, I thought Cisco was annoying, but I’m warming to him because he has such a kind heart and his grief over the revelation of Wells’ real character was a highlight from last season.
- Please, please, please don’t make Caitlin/Barry a thing. PLEASE.
- Joe and Barry still have the best relationship on the show.
- Look at the change in the Flash’s costume!
- Seriously, WHAT was that nonsense with Barry’s dad?