Jesse’s new powers also brought out a jealous side of Wally that hasn’t really been explored before. Frustrated at the fact that he was thrown into the exact same situation as Jesse but came out with no powers, Wally starts to become extremely reckless, hoping danger will help to activate his speed. It’s an interesting choice on the writers’ part to have an exasperated Wally who, in some ways, echoes many impatient fans who have been waiting for him to finally become a meta. This puts fans in peculiar place-- do they root for Wally to up his iconic role as a speedster, even if he does so in a way that isn’t so admirable? Wally kept his dreams from Alchemy a secret from the rest of Team Flash, is he willing to seek out the villain if it could potentially give his powers? These are fascinating questions, and ones that the show will undoubtedly be teasing in the weeks to come.
On the topic of bad guys, this week we were introduced to Magenta, a metal- controlling teenager with a split personality. The show’s take on mental illness was unfortunately more than a little backwards, but I appreciated that they didn’t vilify Magenta for lashing out at her abuser and treated her sympathetically. Seeing Barry go up against an adversary he’s trying to save instead of stop is something we don’t see very often, and it did a nice job of highlighting the real thing that makes Barry heroic, his compassion.
We also saw Barry’s softer side during his long-awaited date with Iris. Their “flopped first date” subplot was a little bit of a romantic cliche, but Grant Gustin and Candice Patton have such magnetic chemistry it didn’t end up taking away from the final product. This cast has shown time and time again that they’re a force to be reckoned with, regardless of the material they’re given. Overall, it was pretty sweet to see the two of them navigate their transition from friends to lovers, and it showed again that Barry and Iris are more entertaining to watch as a pair than when they’re dancing around one another.
As we head into next week where the once dead Captain Cold will be making his return almost certainly due to the changes in the timeline, one begins to wonder how drawn out seeing the consequences of Flashpoint will be. At the moment, seeing all the new alterations have been fun or interesting, but it’s easy to imagine how it could quickly get old if they keep using it to revive dead characters or wave away previously established plot developments. Going forward, I think using the less is more approach might be the safer bet. That said, Captain Cold is a favorite for a reason, and his reappearance will be sure to go over well if the show keeps the sense of fun and lightness that it did such a good job of reviving this episode.
Written by Kaitlin Roberts, THE FLASH Beat Writer -- Click to read Kaitlin's posts
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