Tag: Candice Patton

The Flash Season Three Premiere: Flashpoint (Review)

Barry Allen/The Flash

Season three of The Flash starts with “Flashpoint.” The premiere took off in an alternate reality, or parallel world as it were, created by Allen when he saved his mother in the season two finale.

In short order we learn that Barry is in a different place in this reality. Neither Iris or Joe know who he is and Wally is now The Flash.  There is also a new speedster in town; The Rival,  who is running rings around Wally.

Barry Allen spends three months in this alternate world. Both his parents are alive and the Reverse Flash has been held captive in a glass cage that dampens his speed. Allen is not a cruel captor though as he does feed Thawne.

Throughout the episode Barry has moments where his memories flash before his eyes and then vanish. He is starting to forget key moments in his life and he does not know why.  Thawne tells him that he will be begging him to kill his mother before much longer.

He also explains that every time that Barry uses his speed, he will forget more. Finally, the Reverse Flash says, Allen will forget he is The Flash.

As Wally struggles to stop The Rival, Barry “meets cute” with Iris and he sets up a first date.  (Later Joe will not approve of this at all.)  Allen steps in as The Flash to help Wally, who he calls Kid Flash. This goes over like a lead balloon. Barry then tells young West that it will take two of them to defeat The Rival.

Allen gets together the old team, Cisco (who in this world is a billionaire), Caitlin and Iris. They work out a plan of attack. Iris takes Barry aside and asks about their connection in the other world. She says that she knew something was missing even before Barry introduced himself.

In this reality, Joe is a mess. He is always late and seems to have a drinking problem.  Later he shows up and saves Barry’s life after The Rival takes down Wally.

Both Flashes are to take on The Rival but Wally gets overconfident and pays the price. Barry steps in but only after Iris reminds him who he is. Those memory lapses slow him down temporarily but Iris’ pep talk sorts Allen out.

He reverses the double tornado that The Rival started and then takes the speedster out. As he turns his back and moves toward Wally, The Rival goes to attack and Joe West shoots the villain.

Wally is badly injured and he is not “speed healing.” Barry asks the Reverse Flash to kill his mother, seems the baddie was right after all.  When the deed is accomplished Thawne tells Barry that his world is now back to normal. He intimates that this will not be the case for Barry Allen.

Barry enters the  house to find Wally and his father  drinking a beer. After offering Barry one, things take a downward turn when he asks Joe about Iris. Joe storms off and Wally tells Barry, “you know they don’t talk.”

Things are definitely not back to normal in Barry’s world. Meanwhile, this world’s version of Edward Clariss is called by Dr. Alchemy,  “It’s time to awaken.”  Clariss moves toward the bedroom mirror to see Alchemy being scratched into the surface from other side.

As promised this season is shaking things up a bit and introducing some new characters.  This alternative world should make the upcoming crossovers pretty interesting.

Underneath all the setting up of this season, The Flash makes a valid point with the Barry Allen mash up in his new “corrected” world.  It is clear that changing any little or big thing in the past changes the present, or alternative, world…a lot.

Although apparently the more things change, the more they stay the same.  As The Rival shows up in the preview of next week’s episode “Paradox” and he clearly does not like The Flash in this world either.

The Flash airs Tuesdays on CW.

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