THE FLASH Gets Help From The Flash
Episode 202 “Flash of Two Worlds”
[photos: Cate Cameron/The CW]
The same successful formula from season one is apparent in these first episodes of season two. The Flash is a show with a lot of moving parts and the writing team is doing a great job developing new and old characters.
The lab’s surprise visitor, Jay Garrick, tries to explain who he is and the present threat of Zoom. The team is skeptical of Jay’s story; Barry in particular is not willing to take his word for it. Having lost his speed battling Zoom, Jay has no way to prove his claims. Caitlin begins testing him to see if he is in fact a speedster from an alternate Earth (Earth 2). The team discusses the theory of a multiverse; Stein and Cisco take the lead breaking it down. Joe is confused and takes his leave to use his skills and pay the bills.
Zoom makes his first full appearance as he transports a metahuman — Sand Demon — onto Earth-1 via a dimensional breach. Zoom is a flickering, shadow=black horror, sporting blue lightning. He promises to return his pawn to Earth-2 if he kills the Flash. Newcomer to the series, Officer Patty Spivot, petitions Joe to allow her to join his meta-human taskforce. Joe is dismissive, refusing to hear her out and denying her request. Sounds like there are a few trust issues this episode.
Barry locks Jay in a holding cell, despite his warnings about the threat Zoom poses. Before Jay can convince Barry to let him help, the scarlet speedster is called to investigate a mysterious fire. When Barry arrives, he is easily able to put out the fire, but is sucker-punched by the Sand Demon. With his ability to turn his body into sand and manipulate his form, he is easily able to escape the Flash.
Undeterred, Spivot shows up at the fire scene and uses her forensic skills to impress Barry. Joe once again refuses to allow her to join the task force. Back at STAR Labs, Barry gives Cisco some material left by Sand Demon to examine. Jay finishes his tests and tries once again, without success, to convince Barry to trust him. Barry is still unsettled from Wells’ betrayal.
While examining the material left by Sand Demon, Cisco feels another vibe and catches a glimpse of Sand Demon’s activities here on Earth-1. Notably disturbed, he struggles to understand the changes happening to him. Team Flash determines Sand Demon’s real name, Eddie Slick, and Joe tries to track him down. Spivot beats Joe to the task, catching him as he tries to flee.
Back at the precinct Joe interrogates Eddie Slick. While observing Joe interrogate Slick, Barry and Patty become fast friends. Eddie’s alibi is confirmed, lending credence to the alternate Earth concept. Cisco and Stein work on a method to detect the breach allowing Zoom to transport his assassins across the multiverse.
Barry’s brooding forces Iris to pull him aside and discuss his trust issues. She urges him to come to terms with it before his team loses faith in him. Later, Joe releases Eddie and to his surprise moments later is attacked by his alter ego Sand Demon. Rendering Joe unconscious, Sand Demon takes Spivot hostage to lure Barry into a fight. Learning of the abduction, Barry relents and asks Jay for help. Jay, the Crimson Comet, teaches Barry to throw Speed Force lightning, indicating that it is the best shot for defeating his foe.
With the team unable to find where Sand Demon is hiding Spivot, Cisco rushes off to tap his new powers for a solution. Stein is getting suspicious of his behavior and follows him, arriving moments after Cisco has experienced another dimensional vibration. Unwilling to explain to the professor what is going on he rushes off to tell Barry.
Jay joins Barry in the field to fight Sand Demon. While Jay distracts his Earth-2 enemy, Barry scoops up Spivot, moving her a safe distance from the bomb. Tables turn on Jay and put him in mortal danger, since he’s been bluffing Sand Demon into thinking he’s still got his powers. Barry races in, throwing a powerful bolt of lightning that fuses Sand Demon’s body and shatters it. Arguably one of the Flash’s coolest takedowns to date.
Back at HQ, Jay bonds with several of the members of the team. He and Barry discuss the threat of Zoom and what their next actions should be. At the precinct. Joe presses Spivot for the real reason she wants to join the task force. In an emotional scene, she reveals a mutual connection to the Weather Wizard, Mark Martin. Martin brutally killed Spivot’s father and she wants to do anything in her power to ensure others do not have to suffer as she has. Joe confirms Spivot’s appointment to the metahuman taskforce. As he is leaving Joe is caught off guard by a surprise visit from his ex-wife.
Cisco and Stein find a way to map the breach, unfortunately they have discovered there are in fact 52 inter-dimensional breaches. This is a nice Easter egg for comic fans, referring to 52 different Earths present in the current DC Comics universe. Looks like Team Flash is going to be very busy this season. Mysteriously Stein collapses while discussing the breaches; his fate awaits us in the third episode of this season.
As the show closes we get a brief glimpse of Earth-2 and Harrison Wells, who is apparently a revered hero in this alternate world. There should be some fireworks when Barry undoubtedly encounters him later his season.
Final Thoughts
As I mentioned at the beginning, you can see similar plot threads with the “villain of the week” structure. However I feel it works well for this series. The writers have established an almost unquantifiable threat and the Flash’s rogues gallery is vast. I am enjoying the diversity of the stories. With nearly ten main characters, the show is doing a great job keeping roles fluid and highlighting different characters week to week.
There are hints of the emotional tone present from season one, but it’s early and Zoom has not had a chance to become a real threat yet. Buckle in and stay tuned; this season promises to be quite a ride.
