Jessie Robertson reviews the sixteenth episode of The Flash season 3…
Will the real Flash please stand up?
Last season’s second to last episode “The Runaway Dinosaur” was our first look at being “inside” the Speed Force; it’s a nebulous entity really, it’s not time, or space, or a place, but a familiar setting to whoever steps foot into it, using people you would know to dole out lessons about your character or future or the decisions you’ve made. That episode was an emotional growth for Barry that became three large steps forward (and not to mention a tearjerker) but as Eddie (really the Speed Force incarnate) points out, Barry took one large step back when he proved he wasn’t really over his mother’s death. So now we’ve had not letting go of the past, fear and not being yourself as three more lashes for punishment to Barry this season. Will these lessons sink in?
This time in the Speed Force, Barry’s confronted by it in the form of 3 deceased people; Eddie Thawne, Ronnie Raymond and Leonard Snart. Each of them meant something to Barry and they lament about themselves and the lives they could have lead (Eddie as a husband, Ronnie as a father and Snart, well, just at being a career criminal dick) and Barry is ready to join them, sacrifice himself because at this point, it is easier to do that than to figure out how to fix things with Iris, course correct the future and stop Savitar. But the Speed Force, much like last time, has plans for Barry and is willing to work with him. In Runaway Dinosaur, by the time that episode ended, you really felt like Barry had been on a journey, a passage of time that he grew with and found answers that were within himself there. This time, it feels rushed, and not difficult at all to come to grips with what he must do, why he must remain the man he was born to be, when the Speed Force blessed him with his gifts; a hero among heroes (as HR later describes Jay). The Speed Force doesn’t put up any great fight to keep Wally, they just seem to like playing with Barry. Does he learn his lesson this time? Considering the very first thing he does is talk with Iris about their breakup; he again gives her his reasons for doing what he did. She has considered them, and forgives him and wants to marry him anyways. His response: to stay away from her. What is the reason for that? Does he need to concentrate on being a full time hero? That doesn’t hold water! She’s there every damn day. Her family is there. Hell, they live together. What a blind, dumb moment in the show. Love conquers all Barry. But, he chooses to keep her at arm’s length, further beating up her heart and her mind in a strange turn on the show. Barry looks like an ass at this point. Not sure if it’s better than melancholy Barry we’ve gotten too much of this season.
Everything is dour right now; Jesse, after hearing the news Jay stayed behind so Wally could leave, decides, heroically to watch over Earth-3 while he’s gone. Wally, still shellshocked, barely registers it. It’s for the best. They’re young (and apparently in love) so no ground lost with these two apart. The trend to separate two people so much that seem destined for each other on TV is so over done that it just felt old hat and weak after Jesse and Wally split amicably and for good reason to have Barry turn around and do it immediately to Iris. It’s a good thing next week is the musical episode as this hour of TV was pretty downright mundane. The only bright spot was HR, who’s quickly winning the race of my favorite person on this show. No one else really had anything to do this week.
7/10- the spiritual successor to Runaway Dinosaur is a boring, self-inflicted wound on the heart of this show and besides some HR foot in mouth jokes and Jesse finding a chink in Savitar’s armor, didn’t have much to provide.
Other Notes:
– while it’s always good to see old characters return, I only missed Leonard Snart in actuality. Eddie was a good addition on the show, but lived his usefulness; Ronnie was pretty dry as well and Jax is a much better fit with Martin. There’s also no evidence Caitlin and Ronnie would have had a child; I feel the Speed Force was playing fast and loose with that prediction.
– Black Flash shows up and gets outdone by…Flash’s insignia?
– Also good to see Jay and I love that the winged helmet is such an iconic piece to this show.
Jessie Robertson
Originally published March 15, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
