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The Flash: Armageddon, Part 4

"It's been you this whole time."

If last week was all about grief and sacrifice, this week was all about love. And on that battleground, Thawne didn’t stand a chance.

Thawne is truly the mirror image of Barry, and he spends this entire episode proving it. Thawne may have stolen Barry’s life, but it’s clear he has spent his time as a hero very differently. He commands the rest of Team Flash instead of working with them. He treats Iris as a trophy instead of as a partner, and despite believing Barry was out of options and time, he was prepared to stop Barry’s heart rather than wait till the clock struck midnight.

Thawne can’t love. Not anyone or anything, not even himself. Not truly. And on some fundamental level, Iris knows it. It’s the reason she couldn’t write her wedding vows despite her Pulitzers. I’d venture it’s the reason she’s waited so long to marry Thawne in the first place.

In contrast, Barry’s first thought is to turn to his friends and family for help, and when that doesn’t work, he balks at fighting them. He may have solicited the assistance of an old enemy, but he refuses to let Damien kill even though it leads to his unmasking. Even when he finds a way to reset the timeline, he resists because his failure would bring about Despero’s promised Armageddon.

Which brings me to Damien Darhk. Man, I missed him! It is so much fun to watch someone relish their villainy. He knows exactly who he is and what he wants and if he has to maim and kill to get it, so much the better. Yet his love for Nora overrides his desire for mischief and mayhem. He’d still sacrifice anything for his daughter.

Barry uses Damien’s love to enlist his help after he discovers Barry is one of the good guys. Damien returns the favor when he reminds Barry that his superpower is his capacity for love, not his speed. Something Barry continues to forget.

This is one of the few times I don’t blame him. Barry repeatedly turned to Iris, believing their love would supersede any change to the timeline, only to be rebuffed. So, of course, he questions his ability to make a difference. However, Barry’s faith was not misplaced. In the end, Iris’s love for Barry gives him the strength to do the impossible.

Playing with the timeline also allows you to up the stakes with no long-term consequences. Sara, Nate, Ray, and Cisco were all killed as a result of Thawne’s rewritten timeline. And, as it turns out, Despero was right. Barry was responsible for millions, potentially billions, of deaths. Just as Despero was responsible for the deaths of Team Flash in 2021. However, thanks to the power of love, the timeline was reset, wiping out all those deaths, including Joe’s. Barry’s face when he spoke to Joe was one of my favorite moments in the show.

The fun part of time travel episodes is the sneak peek into the future lives of our characters. Unsurprisingly, love plays a part in almost every one of them. The Reverse-Flashpoint didn’t just alter the lives of Barry and Eobard. It rewrote Choi’s as well. Not only are his wife and daughter erased, he’s seemingly given up on the possibility of love. Frost and Mark have made amends… and then some. Alex and Ryan have both married and Ryan is now contemplating starting a family with Sophie. We also learned that Jenna has turned into a typical angry teen, although I don’t think it’s fair for Cecile to hold Jenna’s thoughts against her.

In Chester and Allegra’s case, we've skipped past the subtle flirtations we’d been privy to up till now in favor of declarations of love. On the plus side, I loved Alex playing the role of Allegra’s big sister and sticking her nose in where it doesn’t belong, but was definitely needed. She truly can’t help herself. Just as I loved Choi playing devil’s advocate, although we all knew who would win that argument. On the downside we missed the joy of watching them fall in love. However, it’s a problem that’s easily rectified.

Once again, Barry and Iris’ love has saved the day. But Thawne has no intention of letting this go, leaving us with one more installment to see how this all plays out. Is Despero gone for good? Will Thawne attempt to manipulate the timeline in some new fashion? Which superheroes will arrive to assist Team Flash and save the world from the impending Armageddon?

Inquiring minds want to know.

4 out of 5 PEDs

Parting Thoughts:

Iris called Ryan “Sis.” I’m not caught up on Batwoman. Have I missed something. Or does this have to do with the ten years that just passed?

Before his death, Cisco had become the Director of A.R.G.U.S. Yay?

Wow, I didn’t realize how many Noras and Ryans were floating through the Berlanti-verse.

Quotes:

Iris: “Your heart will figure out the how.”

Thawne: “You’re not The Flash, Allen.”

Mark: “So sorry, Allegra. But we did put a tie on the door.”

Thawne: “The fact remains, at the stroke of midnight, my timeline will solidify and you will cease to exist. And your precious Speed Force cannot help you now, because in this timeline, she chose me. And Iris chose me. I’ve won. I finally won. Who’s faster now?”

Damien: “Nobody gets to rig time except me.”

Barry: “When you’ve killed as many people as I have, you start to lose track.”

Alex: “What’s the deal with you and Chester?”
Allegra: “Nothing, why?”
Alex: “The stolen glances. The nervous energy. You either hooked up, you are hooking up, or you really need to.”

Damien: “Help you? I’m the bad guy. I don’t help heroes.”

Choi: “See, this is what happens when you try to play cupid.”

Damien: “How dense are you? Speed isn’t the only thing that guides you through these things. It never is.”
Barry: “What else is there?”
Damien: “Love, you idiot! You’re the Paragon of it.”

Thawne: “Nice try, Allen, but she doesn’t love you. She loves me. Tell him, Iris. Or better yet... shoot him.”

Barry: “Iris, I need you to know that no matter what happens, after everything Thawne’s taken from me, he can’t take away my feelings for you. I love you, Iris.”

Choi: “Not to be that guy but since this could be the end of the world as we know it, if anyone has anything to say, now would be the time.”

Allegra: "Chuck!"
Chester: “What?”
Allegra: “I love you!”
Chester: “Well, I love you too!”
Caitlin: “When did this happen?”

Iris: “Barry, I love you too.”

Despero: “If you’re wrong or I find any evidence that this world is still in danger, I will return and you will die.”

Thawne: “Nobody uses time against me.”

Shari loves sci-fi, fantasy, supernatural, and anything with a cape.

2 comments:

  1. Damien Darhk, big yay. He was just so much fun in this episode. So smart to bring him back for this one.

    Wow, I didn’t realize how many Noras and Ryans were floating through the Berlanti-verse. Lol, Shari.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes! As much as I loved Arrow, Damien was a much better fit here and on Legends.

    ReplyDelete

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