We knew that since it was the mid-season finale that tonight’s episode of The Flash was going to be good and it didn’t disappoint. Being the holiday special, we got some “feel good” moments, but a lot of our suspicions were proven correct, a few curve balls were thrown our way, but overall we were left with a sense of… that’s it?
WARNING – SPOILERS AHEAD
From the promos, we knew that we were finally going to learn more about Dr. Alchemy and Savitar. What we didn’t know was that we were going to discover not only who he is but also his master plan. The key to this whole thing lies in an old box from India, more aptly what is inside the box…a stone containing the essence of Savitar called the Burmostra. We discover the box’s existence with the opening scene of Julian on an expedition looking for something. When he finds the box and opens it, a blue swirling light comes out which we can only guess is the soul of Savitar since Savitar’s speed trail is the same blue.
As the show progresses, Julian is once again called out to by Savitar and he uses the stone as Dr. Alchemy to attempt to summon all those who lost their powers in Flashpoint, but both Barry and Jay Garrick (Barry went and got him from Earth-3) show up to stop him. At the same time, Savitar shows up and Garrick says he has Savitar and has Barry go after Dr. Alchemy. While Savitar is kicking Garrick’s butt, Barry takes down Dr. Alchemy and puts the stone back in the box and closes it, which makes Savitar disappear and cements that he is connected to the stone being free.
Unfortunately, when the Flash questions Julian about being Dr. Alchemy, he sincerely has no idea what Flash is talking about. Barry realizes that Julian is not going to give him any information as the the Flash so he reveals his identity AGAIN to someone outside of his circle. We know this always comes back to bite him, but yet he continues to do it. What it does do is get Julian to admit he has been blacking out since the expedition when he found the box. At the same time, Cisco is seeing Dante everywhere he goes until Dante tells him that he has to open the box so they can be reunited. I am sure everyone else had the same reaction we did screaming at the TV – “DON’T OPEN THE BOX”- but alas, he did. And of course, Savitar appears and goes after Flash.
While the team looks on, Savitar kicks Barry’s butt like he did Jay by basically throwing him around like a rag doll. At this point, H.R. whispers to Wally “weave in and out,” referring to earlier training, and Wally takes off to help the Flash. While they are fighting Savitar (and losing), Caitlyn is busy convincing Cisco to close the box and let his brother go. He finally takes one last look at his brother and closes the box, sealing Savitar inside and closing the chapter on the death of his brother.
Cisco realizes since Savitar uses their brain waves against them, he can make a device to do the same. He has Julian put it on to summon Savitar to find out what he wants. In typical comic book anti-hero fashion, he lays out the whole plan to the crew, as well as why he is doing it all. He basically says that future Flash is who trapped him in the stone and that he wants everything back that he took from him. This is parallel to Reverse Flash’s motivations and seems to be a recurring theme in this show, yet Barry never seems to learn from these lessons.
What is the most revealing, and surely will have the largest impact moving forward, however, is the line that “One will betray, one will fall, and one will face suffering worse than death” to the team. After the connection is broken, this prediction leaves the team shaken and wondering if what he says is true and how that will play out for them. At first, we don’t think we will get any more clues on this. But when the Flash and Jay Garrick work together to send the box into the speed force to keep it from being opened again (which seems to be a MAJORLY bad idea with bad speedsters roaming around in there), there is a kick back which throws Barry into the future by 5 months. In this future, he watches as Savitar kills Iris in front of the Flash and himself before Jay Garrick pulls him back to the present. This leaves us to believe that Iris will be the one to die and Joe will be the one destroyed, but knowing this writing team they will turn this on its head. At this point in the story, any of the characters (except Iris) could turn on Barry and betray him, which means that while we know that one possible future is the Iris is killed, that is not necessarily what will happen.
The remaining part of the episode was all happy, Christmas with the whole team including Julian coming by. Joe finally kisses the girl, H.R. is pleasantly drunk, Caitlyn uses her powers to make snow with no bad effects, Wally with his new Kid Flash suit, and Barry buying a home for him and Iris. While this ending was seemingly happy, it left us with a “that’s it” kinda feeling knowing that there is a lot looming on the horizon for the Flash team and that we have not seen the last of Savitar.
Our final rating in two words is: That’s It?
Next Episode of The Flash:
‘Borrowing Problems from the Future‘ (3×10)
Episode airs January 24th, 2017
About The Flash– After a particle accelerator causes a freak storm, CSI Investigator Barry Allen is struck by lightning and falls into a coma. Months later he awakens with the power of super speed, granting him the ability to move through Central City like an unseen guardian angel. Though initially excited by his newfound powers, Barry is shocked to discover he is not the only “meta-human” who was created in the wake of the accelerator explosion – and not everyone is using their new powers for good.
Barry partners with S.T.A.R. Labs and dedicates his life to protect the innocent. For now, only a few close friends and associates know that Barry is literally the fastest man alive, but it won’t be long before the world learns what Barry Allen has become…The Flash.
