The Flash
Season 2 Episode 18: “Flash Versus Zoom”
Directed by Stefan Pleszcynski
Written by Joe Peracchio & David Kob
Starring Grant Gustin, Jesse L. Martin, Danielle Panabaker, Candice Patton, Carlos Valdez, Tom Cavanagh
Created by Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, Geoff Johns
The CW
Air Date: Tuesday, April 19th, 2016, 8:00pm

Last time on The Flash, we got a dose of nostalgia as Barry (Grant Gustin) went back in time to get evil Dr. Wells aka Eobard Thawne (Tom Cavanagh) to help him run faster. We got to see Eddie (Rick Cosnett) once more, and Barry got Eddie to make a love video for future Iris (Candace Patton), who had been having a hard time moving on. Past Wells figured it out but agreed to help future Barry anyway. Barry mucked it up even more so that Cisco and Caitlin (Carlos Valdes and Danielle Panabaker) found out too. His only saving grace was that he did not reveal what was in store for Thawne. We don’t know the full consequences of his time traveling actions, only that when he got back, Hartley Rathaway (Andy Mientus) was now on Team Flash.

Spoilers below.

The Flash 2.18 “Flash Versus Zoom” review: The episode starts off with an Earth-2 flashback. Hunter (Jay’s) dad made him watch him kill his mother, then he got sent to foster care. I mean, I guess that makes sense. Hunter Zolomon was a convicted serial killer.

Iris going on a date brings us right back to the original awkward tension of unrequited love between Barry and Iris. Don’t worry guys. It wont be as dragged out as last time.

Barry gets faster than Zoom with the help of the evil-Wells tachyon thingamagig. Not-so-evil Wells refuses to help. He even goes to see Joe (Jesse L. Martin), to ask about his daughter, and to ask him to talk Barry out of going to Earth-2. Joe, in turn, asks Wells to help Barry, to give him a fighting chance.

Wally moved out of his dorm. Joe offers to help, but Wally turns him down. That gives Barry the idea to develop Cisco’s Reverb powers to tap into the multiverse, after he gives Joe a clue. At that point I did not see the connection to the two. I thought he was going to use Earth-1’s Hunter Zolomon in some way, but that didn’t happen.

Barry and Cisco go to a former breach place to work his magic. “In this Patch Adams nightmare?” Wells shows up with the cool Cisco glasses. It starts working and freaks him out. But not for the reason everyone thinks, which is Zoom was waiting in the Earth-2 spot. It is for another reason entirely.

Cisco: “Right now I’m Anakin Skywalker… what if this is how I become Vader?” I love you, Cisco.

Cisco tries again. Zoom comes through. Then they mess with his mind with pics of his parents. He gets captured, but not for long.

“You can’t lock up the darkness.” His eyes turn black a la Supernatural, and he’s gone. He went and stole Wally on the way. I knew it!

Joe is devastated. Barry agrees to sacrifice himself. Cisco vibes the message to Jay and the transfer begins. It is all kinds of mess. I really thought it was going to end a different way than it did.

It may sound like my criticisms mean I did not like the episode, which is not true. I really liked it, feeling it ended way too soon. Those are minor things that detracted nothing from the enjoyment of “Flash Versus Zoom.” As usual, Joe is “best tv dad ever,” Wells is enigmatic, and Cisco is just perfect.

What I really want to know now is…

Who IS the guy in the iron mask? I hope it’s Leonardo DiCaprio.

The Flash airs Tuesday nights at 8:00pm ET on The CW.

The CW’s synopsis:

The Flash
Versus Zoom (Ep# 218)
BARRY IS READY TO FACE ZOOM; HUNTER ZOLOMAN’S STORY IS REVEALED — Equipped with the tachyon device, Barry (Grant Gustin) believes he is fast enough to stop Zoom (guest star Teddy Sears) and wants to open the breaches to catch him. Harry (Tom Cavanagh) strongly advises against that plan but after Barry convinces him, Harry reveals that Cisco (Carlos Valdes) has the power to re-open the breach. Meanwhile, Hunter Zoloman’s (Teddy Sears) painful story on Earth-2 is revealed. Stefan Pleszcynski directed the episode written by Joe Peracchio & David Kob (#218). Original airdate 4/19/2016.

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The Flash | Versus Zoom Scene | The CW

Will Wells help Barry re-open a breach? Find out on Tuesday’s new episode of The Flash at 8/7c on The CW.