The Flash
Season 2 Episode 23: “The Race Of His Life”
Directed by Antonio Negret
Written by Aaron Helbing & Todd Helbing
Starring Grant Gustin, Jesse L. Martin, Danielle Panabaker, Candice Patton, Carlos Valdes, Tom Cavanagh, Keiynan Lonsdale
Created by Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, Geoff Johns
The CW
Air Date: Tuesday, May 24, 2016, 8:00pm

Last week on The Flash, Barry (Grant Gustin) was super optimistic, despite all the metas running around, including Black Siren (Katie Cassidy). She was screaming down buildings, one of which was Mercury Labs. They figured out a way to take them all down with sound, but also had to stop more building collapses. Cisco and Caitlin (Carlos Valdes and Danielle Panabaker) dressed up like their doppelgängers to distract her, and it worked. Cisco got an end of the world vibe. Zoom (Teddy Sears) showed up and killed Henry (John Wesley Shipp).

Spoilers for the finale below.

The Flash 2.23 “The Race Of His Life” (Finale) review: Henry is definitely dead. Barry is filled with rage, which is exactly what Zoom wants. A comic book speedster animated race/battle ensues, and then Zoom kills his own remnant, to show Barry the possibilities… of what, I am not sure.

Funeral time… Barry cannot find the words, so Joe finds them for him. Wally (Keiynan Lonsdale) is so genuine and likable. I am so pleasantly surprised by Lonsdale. Iris (Candice Patton) tries to comfort.

Zoom makes himself a bit more clear. He wants a race with Barry or he’ll kill more. Wait, what? What is he, 5?

Some science talk for an explanation: Pulsar – power magnifier – weaponized – my eyes glaze over too. The power will be siphoned from the race to make Cisco’s Earth-2 destruction vibe come true.

Cisco: “One pulse to destroy them all” Now is not the time for jokes, Cisco!

Barry: “I have to race him and I have to win.” Joe (Jesse L. Martin) tries to talk him out of it to no avail, so Harry (Tom Cavanagh) hits him with a tranquilizer and sticks him in a cell. The whole group decided that together. Not for nothing, I understand stopping Barry from making a rash grief-based decision is smart, but locking him in a cell with no books, tv, bathroom, etc., is cruel for the villains, let alone beloved Barry. On top of that, they are going through with a plan to stop Zoom without him. Oh boy. What a bad idea!

Well… most of the plan worked, but Zoom took Joe with him. We get the whole Zoom story, and I think I know who the guy in the helmet is now.

Wally comes strolling in and flips out at the stupidity of the group. Wally, I know! He runs to free Barry. And Barry is gonna race.The group say a bunch of typical “Go Barry!” and “Yay Barry (sorry-we-locked-you-in-a-cell-while-a-serial-killer-stole-your-dad-after-killing-your-other-dad)!” stuff, and I started rolling my eyes, until Iris said, “Kick his ass.”

The race goes how the typical Flash battles go – the good guys almost lose and then Barry pulls off a surprise at the last minute, winning. How’d he do it this time? He made a time remnant, and then his remnant sacrificed himself pulling the multiverse destroying power unto itself. Meanwhile, Barry (not dead remnant Barry) punches Zoom a lot, but does not kill him. The Dementors, I mean Time Wraiths drag him away.

BTW… did you know that The Flash and Arrow‘s Earth is the central Earth? The main one? I mean, I knew, but Zoom confirmed it.

The man in the iron mask is… the real Jay Garrick aka The Flash of Earth-3 aka Henry Allen’s doppelgänger! John Wesley Shipp puts on his old outfit, Barry is all kinds of freaked out. Harry and Jesse decide to hitch a Flash ride to Earth-2.

Harry: “I’m a better man than I was when I got here.” Everybody goes to the correct Earth.

Barry and Iris finally kiss… and then…

The end end… The Flash always ends with a second ending, and it was the best and the worst end ever. It might be the dumbest thing Barry Allen has ever done. It also might be the most confusing, yet completely awesome way to end a season ever. I have already speculated about 37 possible repercussions and probably haven’t gotten any of it right.

Did you see it? Barry went back in time and saved his mother from Thawne.

If the season did not end with that last bit, I might have been upset at some of the predictability of the rest. But I fell for their tricks, and was shocked at the end.

What do you think will happen now? I need theories, people!

The CW’s synopsis:

The Flash
The Race of His Life (Ep# 223)
THE FLASH VS. ZOOM — After Zoom (guest star Teddy Sears) reveals his true plan, Barry (Grant Gustin) vows to do whatever it takes to stop him. Antonio Negret directed the episode written by Aaron Helbing & Todd Helbing (#223). Original airdate 5/24/2016.

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The Flash | The Race of His Life Scene | The CW

The race to determine who’s the best starts tonight on the season finale of The Flash at 8/7c!