The Flash Episode Guide: Season 9, Episode 12 - A New World, Part Three

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.

Plot

Dragged to 2049, Barry finds an unlikely ally in the resurrected Eddie Thawne. But how long will that last with the Negative Speed Force determined to make Eddie into its new avatar?

Influences

The Flash comics of Mark Waid (character of Cobalt Blue and mention of the Savothians), Gail Simone's The Movement (Cecile's new costume and Virtue codename), the Venom movies with Tom Hardy (a blonde man named Eddie is pushed around by an alien force that takes control of him.), and the Doctor Strange movies (Cecile pushing the Negative Speed Force out of Nora resembles astral fighting.)

Goofs

With the exception of Candice Patton having some grey streaks in her wig, no attempt was made to make any of the actors in the 2049 segments look 25+ years older than they are in 2023. Danielle Nicolet is looking particularly spry considering Cecile should be in her mid-70s at that point.

Daisy Corber shifts attitude from trying to arrest Eddie Thawne to trying to get him to a hospital so they can figure out how he's alive between episodes.

Allegra has a rapid recovery from radiation sickness off-camera and is somehow allowed to be near Iris in spite of having just undergone treatment for radiation exposure. Even allowing that her light-control powers may give her some shielding from radiation, the hospital still should have been reluctant to have her walking around, much less being in the maternity ward.

The establishing shot of the Flash Museum in 2049 shows a dark sky, but everyone acts like it is early in the day, what with the museum being open and Chester talking about finishing Cecile's new costume by that afternoon.

Cecile seems to take control of her future self far too easily. Shouldn't her future self, who is more powerful, be able to sense a psychic intrusion and fight back against it? (Maybe she didn't notice since she can't sense her past self being a hostile threat.)

The show seems to forget that Jenna West should be approaching 30 in the year 2049, so it is rather odd that Cecile expects her to still be living with Joe West. (Perhaps the housing crisis of 2023 is even worse in 2049?)

Nobody in Future Team Flash thought to call Iris West-Allen and let her know that Eddie Thawne was back from the dead?

The future Iris West-Allen shows a shocking lack of compassion for her former fiancee. 

Future Cecile just vanishes from the scene of the fight with the Negative Speed Force after telling Barry to call her Virtue.


Performances

While having to deliver some amazingly narmy speeches, Rick Cosnett still manages to convincingly portray Eddie Thawne's mental breakdown in a way that is generally plausible so long as he is interacting with other characters and not shouting to the void.

Flash Facts

The subtitle of this episode is Changes, according to the title card, but the subtitle does not feature in the actual episode title.

Mention is made of a villain called The Chronarch. There are two characters with the title Chronarch in the classic DC Comics books. One was the tyrannical ruler of 64th Century Earth, who was defeated by an unlikely team-up of The Flash and Abra Kadabra. The other was a 30th Century scientist named Circadia Senius, who was appointed head of the Time Institute during the time of the Legion of Superheroes. The Arrowverse version is probably based on the former, given it was mentioned in 704 by Abra Kadabra, and Allegra says she was trying to blast him back into the 64th Century. 

Mention is made of the 2049 Barry being on something in space called The Watchtower. This was the name of the Justice League's base of operations on Earth's moon in the comics during the Grant Morrison JLA era.  The name has since then been appropriated for various satellite bases in the cartoons ever since.

Chester makes mention of the Savothian freedom fighters. The Savothians were a race of aliens who appeared during Mark Waid's run on The Flash. The Savothians were a brilliant race of scientists and philosophers, but had no concept of how to begin a resistance movement after their planet was conquered by another race of aliens. Thankfully, they were able to pull Jay Garrick to them through the Speed Force (which they had studied intensely) and he was able to help free their planet.

Cecile's future supersuit design and the codename Virtue are based on a different DC Comics character. Created by Gail Simone and Freddie E. Williams II for the series The Movement, Virtue was the leader of the titular team. The original Virtue was a woman named Holly Ann Fields, whose Empathy based powers allowed her to read the emotions of others, project emotions on to other people, give herself increased strength and size by tapping into her rage, intangibility and flight.

Technobabble

Eddie Thawne is giving off high levels of Hawking radiation, which is only found inside Singularities. 

Chester says he thinks he can build a cuff to destabilize the quantum field around Eddie Thawne.

A Code Scarlet is the 2049 Team Flash phrase for an emergency.


Dialogue Disasters

The entirety of the opening scene, in which Rick Cosnett delivers the most restrained scream possible for someone watching someone else get sucked into a black hole.

The remix of Elton John's "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" in the final scene is similarly at odds with the sinister tone of the acting.


Continuity

In the opening scene, Daisy Korber is sucked into a breach, while trying to convince Eddie Thawne he needs to go to a hospital.

Team Flash is trying to find Barry.

Iris is still in labor at the hospital, but Allegra is staying with her.

Cecile feels a wave of terror before Speed Force Nora manifests again.

Speed Force Nora says that Negative Speed Force was cloaking Barry, but she was able to briefly sense his presence in the year 2049. The crystal is also going to 2049.

Speed Force Nora says that if Barry dies and the Speed Force is extinguished, it will erase the timeline and everything in it forever.

In 2049, Team Flash is still operating out of  STAR Labs, despite it now also being The Flash Museum. (Presumably the levels with the command center are off-limits to civilians?) 

In 2049, XS has just taken over as the leader of Team Flash and led a mission against a villain called The Chronarch, who was previously mentioned in 704.

The Barry Allen of 2049 is said to be in space, on the Watchtower.

Future Cecile now wears a costume with a mask in the field and her powers have grown to where she can sense Barry Allen's emotions despite his being in deep space.

Allegra and Chester are married in the future and still madly in love.

Chester is working on a new super suit for Cecile. He says the nano-welding should be complete that afternoon.

The Flash Museum has displays for Ray Palmer's ATOM suit and Jesse Quick's costume, along with The Flash's costume.

Eddie Thawne watches a video on the Reverse Flash in The Flash Museum, which talks about how he returned time and time again to fight The Flash. This makes him realize how pointless his sacrifice was. 

Eddie is confronted by a woman who looks like Nora West-Allen, but with a blonde bobbed haircut. She introduces herself as Eddie's daughter and tries to guide him through a breach.

Nora runs upstairs after Chester detects an energy spike and pulls Eddie away from the breach. It and the blonde Nora disappear before she sees them, however.

Nora recognizes Eddie Thawne and takes him to Chester's lab.

Chester confirms that Eddie has the DNA and fingerprints of the Eddie Thawne who died 34 years earlier.

Team Flash theorizes that Eddie might be creating the breaches subconsciously. 

Chester makes reference to his developing the ability to open singularities in 601.

Nora unmasks herself. Eddie recognizes her as the woman he saw earlier, but guesses that she is Barry's daughter based on what he has learned.

Nora makes reference to 806, where she briefly met Eddie Thawne while time-traveling to 2013.

Eddie tells Nora about the singularity that killed Daisy Korber. She tells him about the large singularity that nearly destroyed Central City on the day of his death.

Eddie says he's thankful to be alive, but he can't help but wonder why when Iris, the best thing in his life, is gone and there's no way he can be with her given her life with Barry Allen.

In 2023, Team Flash is out of ideas on how to help Barry in the Future.

Chester suggests that since Cecile's powers allowed her to sense Barry in the past, albeit not with any degree of accuracy, that maybe she could use her powers to project her mind into her 2049 self.

The Watchtower is said to be on the Dark Side of the Moon, meaning it cannot be contacted for another 12 hrs and 52 minutes.

The blue crystal reveals itself to Nora and possesses her.

The Negative Speed Force possessed Nora tells Eddie that the singularities are tied to his emotional state. The idea that he killed Daisy Korber, coupled with the revelation that Iris went on to marry Barry Allen, just like destiny said, starts to push him over the edge.

"Nora" suggests they return to Mercury Labs since that was where he first started to regain his memories.

Cecile is able to take control of her future self's body

Cecile is horrified to learn that she apparently hasn't visited Joe and Jenna more than twice in the past year. The rest of Team Flash doesn't find this unusual, suggesting that her future self prioritizes being a superhero over her family.

Chester says Cecile was busy with The Cronarch Wars and helping the Savothians free their planet that year.

Cecile faints and her mind returns to the Present. She refuses to go back to the future again.

Chillblaine, Chester and Khione discuss trying to talk to Cecile. Khione says that Chester should be the one to talk to her.

"Nora" suggests that Eddie was brought back to life for a purpose and that maybe it had something to do with the other Thawnes in the future. This causes Eddie to remember his talk with Eobard Thawne, who told him that Eddie was the only Thawne to be forgotten by history, in 121.

"Nora" tells Eddie about the Negative Speed Force and how it needs a host, trying to build Eddie's resentment at how pointless his sacrifice was and how Barry got the life he wanted with Iris.

Eddie runs from "Nora," refusing to take the crystal she offers him, unable to believe this is all real.

Barry teleports into the lab at that point, when the Negative Speed Force attacks him through Nora.

Eddie returns and distracts the Negative Speed Force, allowing Barry to grab Eddie and run.

Barry takes Eedie to Joe West's house, which it turns out is Malcolm Gilmore's house in 2049.

Barry thanks Eddie for saving his life and helping stop Eobard Thawne.

Barry asks Eddie to help him figure out a way to save Nora.

Eddie says he wishes he could help, but he has no idea who resurrected him or why he was living the life of Malcolm Gilmore.

As Barry is looking at a framed award belonging to Malcolm Gilmore, it flashes blue and changes into a certificate for Joe West. Eddie says the same thing happened with his driver's license in 911. Barry says he's seen the same thing happen before and that it is caused by negative tachyons. 

Barry theorizes that everything created for Malcolm's life was made using negative tachyons, suggesting he was resurrected and manipulated by the Negative Speed Force, so that he would become its new avatar.

Cecile tells Chester about how her future self apparently has only been home twice in the past year. She rejects Chester's suggestion that maybe there's some tech 25 years from now that lets them keep in touch through VR.

Cecile fears she's lapsed back into her workaholic ways that caused her to miss her own mother's death.

Chester tells Cecile that he can't believe that her future self would neglect her family and that she should trust her future self because he trusts her now. He says her dedication to the ones she loves is a real virtue.

Barry thinks the Negative Speed Force needs Eddie to choose to become the avatar. He rejects this idea, as the Negative Speed Force starts talking to him directly and telling him that Barry is just trying to keep him away from Iris.

Eddie speculates that the Negative Speed Force can give him the life he should have had with Iris. Barry says that's not possible and asks him to consider what Iris would want to do.

Barry leaves Eddie alone to fight the possessed Nora.

Cecile agrees to try and reach her future self to help Barry again.

Eddie goes to future Iris West-Allen to ask her what he should do.

Cecile is able to push the Negative Speed Force out of Nora's body before it can kill Barry.

Cecile says her superhero name is Virtue.

Iris' talk with Eddie only makes him more determined to bond with the Negative Speed Force.

Allegra confirms that Team Flash in 2049 has no memory of the fight with the Negative Speed Force in 2023. Barry says this is because of the attacks happening simultaneously across the timeline.

Cecile says that Speed Force Nora says that all that remains of the Speed Force now lives in the West-Allen family bloodline.

Chester determines that the red lightning over Central City 2049 is not Negative Speed Force energy - it is the timeline starting to crack.

Future Iris asks to talk to Barry alone and tells him about what Eddie Thawne said to her.

Iris confirms that she still loves Barry in the future and that they had a good life together, just before Barry is once again trapped in blue light and teleported away.

Eddie Thawne returns to Mercury Labs, where he finds the blue crystal in a display case.

The Negative Speed Force gives Eddie a vision of Godspeed, Savitar, Zoom and the Reverse Flash before telling him they will end the Barry Allen legacy forever.

Location

Central City - 2049


The Bottom Line

A bit of a mess all around. Like the previous episode, this feels oddly padded out. Again, Barry is next to useless and has to be saved by a deus ex machina. It is even worse this time, however, with Cecile's suddenly being able to send her mind across time coming out of left field. The drama of Iris giving birth is also put on hold, which is just sloppy storytelling even if, logically, we know she and Nora are okay because of the future storyline. 

The Flash Episode Guide: Season 9, Episode 11 - A New World, Part Two

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.

Plot

Team Flash searches for the missing Barry Allen, as an unseen enemy starts picking them off. Meanwhile, in the not too distant future. Dr. Malcolm Gilmore investigates the death of Eddie Thawne and why he resembles the dead cop so closely.

Influences

The Venom movies with Tom Hardy (a blonde man named Eddie is pushed around by an alien force that takes control of him.), Avengers: Infinity War (the effects for Khione cleansing Chillblaine look like the people dusted by the Thanos snap) and The Flash comics of Mark Waid and Brian Augustyn (character of Cobalt Blue).


Goofs

No attempt was made to make any of the actors in the 2049 segments look 25+ years older.

The security guard at CCC Media in 2049 makes no effort to stop Malcolm Gilmore from fleeing the scene after he breaks into Iris West-Allen's office.


Performances

It's subtle, but John Cor has a few moments that hint at Chillblaine's possession by the Speed Force before it is revealed, such as his rolling his eyes while burying his head in his hands as if he can't believe his own performance.


Artistry

The sequence in which Malcolm Gilmore has a breakdown on a rainy night, set to a techno remix of Elton John's "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" is a fantastic bit of direction, even if it does look more like a music video than a scene from The Flash. It is at least visually interesting.


Flash Facts

The subtitle of this episode is The Blues, according to the title card, but the subtitle does not feature in the actual episode title.

This episode was the directorial debut of Kayla Compton, who plays Allegra Garcia. 

Cobalt-97 is not a real cobalt isotope. It's number is likely a reference to the year of Cobalt Blue's creation, 1997. 


Technobabble

Chester detects trace amounts of an radioactive cobalt isotope in Barry and Iris' apartment. This seems to be a signature of the Negative Speed Force in action, as Chester notes this kind of isotope does not show up naturally.

The specific isotope is Cobalt-97.

Continuity

In the opening scene, Dr. Gilmore takes the file he found in 910 to CCPD HQ. Several of the officers look at him in disbelief, apparently recognizing him. This includes Daisy Korber, who is wearing the dress clothes of a Detective rather than a CCPD patrol officer's uniform. This is the first indicator that Dr. Gilmore's scenes are not in the present day.

Iris assembles Team Flash six hours and 52 minutes after Barry disappeared.

Chillblaine returns, having spent the past seven months traveling through Tundi, the Arctic and Corto Maltese, volunteering at a few research facilities.

Cecile called Chillblaine in. Apparently Mark reached out to her a few months after he left. He asked her not to tell Khione, thinking he should give her some space.

Chillblaine and Khione go to inspect Barry and Iris' loft, while Chester scans for more cobalt radiation around Coast City. Cecile contacts ARGUS to see if they've heard anything, while Allegra and Iris go to check the CCC Media databases for anything involving cobalt radiation or mysterious disappearances.

Iris finds her old draft of the "Flash Missing - Vanishes in Crisis" headline from the pilot episode.

Iris tells Allegra about how the first version of Nora West-Allen from the future that she and Barry met in Season 5 was from a future where Barry disappeared during the Crisis on Infinite Earths and how she grew up without a father.  She's afraid that they may have only delayed the inevitable and Nora is destined to grow up without a father after all.

Allegra thanks Iris for taking her under her wing and teaching her to be a reporter and a leader.

 Iris' favorite tea is chamomile. 

Allegra is attacked by an unseen figure wielding blue lightning. Whoever they are, she recognizes them, speaking to them before they attack her and knock her out.

The unseen figure sabotages the fire suppression system for the CCC Media building. This results in a gas leak, which causes Taylor and Aariz to pass out.

Khione and Chillblaine respond to Iris' distress signal.

Khione tries to repair the damage to Taylor and Aariz's lungs by growing plant cells inside their body to generate more oxygen so they can breathe better. This has the temporary side effect of turning their skin.This terrifies them and makes them run from Khione, even though she says they should return to normal in minutes.

Iris finds the unconscious Allegra in the hall.

Allegra is taken to STAR Labs, where Gideon determines she is suffering from acute radiation exposure. Specifically, she was exposed to the cobalt-97 isotope.

Chillblaine asks if Khione can cure Allegra's radiation sickness. She can't, because she can only use her powers to cleanse people of unnatural influences. Since radiation is part of the natural order, she can't alter it.

Chillblaine suggests locking Iris in the Time Vault, while the rest of them look for Barry.

In 2049, Daisy Korber tells Dr. Gilmore that he's the spitting image of Detective Eddie Thawne.

When Dr. Gilmore tries to show his ID to Daisy Korber, it is a blank card at first. It later changes to a government ID with the name Malcolm Gilmore on it in a flash of blue light.

Dr. Gilmore describes the events of 910 and how he found the file after being struck by lightning.

Daisy says she worked with Eddie Thawne as a rookie cop. She says there was never an official explanation for why he died.

Dr. Gilmore hears a growling voice speaking to him, telling him to "find her."

Khione is upset that Chillblaine apparently didn't want to talk to her but was willing to talk to Cecile.

Chillblaine says he needed time to come to terms with his grief over Frost, but that now he's scared of what Khione has become and calls her an abomination. This causes her to run off.

Chillblaine is revealed to be possessed by the blue crystal, as Joe West was in  910.

After giving Chester a sob story about wishing he had been there for Frost whens he died, Chillblaine offers to finish reprogramming the STAR Labs satellites so he can be with Allegra. This allows him to disable the satellites completely.

Malcolm starts having visions of Eddie Thawne and Iris West together. This leads him to start searching for Iris West, presuming she is the "her" he must find. 

Chillblaine knocks out Cecile to gain access to the Time Vault and lures out Iris.

The Negative Speed Force is about to kill Iris, but the Speed Force (in the form of Nora Allen) attacks her.

Speed Force Nora reveals that Chillblaine is possessed by the Negative Speed Force.

Speed Force Nora says the other Negative Forces are attacking her on the cosmic plane, to distract her from their plan. She thinks they took Barry, but their connection is disrupted and she can't find him anywhere in time or space.

Speed Force Nora says Khione is the only one who can help them fight back against the Negative Forces.

In 2049, Malcolm breaks into Iris West-Allen's office and starts looking for information about Eddie Thawne.  He recognizes Iris from a framed headline about her expanding her media empire.

Taylor, who is still working at CCC Media in 2049, calls for security upon seeing Malcolm.

Malcolm has more flashes of Eddie's life after seeing a framed picture of Joe West with Iris.

Iris uses Gideon to make a recording for Barry in case she doesn't make it.

Speed Force Nora summons Khione using some of the last of her strength.

Speed Force Nora says she can't help Team Flash anymore and Khione must step up.

Khione says she is inhuman and the Speed Force says that is true, but humanity is important to keep beings such as them grounded even if emotions can blind them.

Speed Force Nora helps Khione figure out exactly what she is.

Chester tracks Chillblaine to Caitlin and Frost's apartment.

Khione's arrival at Frost and Caitlin's apartment generates a shift in the barometric pressure equivalent to a hurricane. 

Iris goes into labor.

Khione turns Chillblaine into dust to remove the Negative Speed Force Crystal and then puts him back together.

The crystal disappears before Khione can take it.

Cecile detects a massive way of panic and joy right before Iris tells her she's in labor.

Barry reappears in STAR Labs at that moment, in a flash of blue light, apparently having just teleported there after vanishing in 910.

Allegra undergoes an iodine treatment for her radiation sickness.

Khione tells Chillblaine that she is a goddess. She says she is not connected to one Force or one element, but all of nature. She says she will need to explore what that entails but that she doesn't think her destiny is to protect just one team or one city.

Khione says she doesn't think she can stay with Team Flash, but she won't leave until after they stop the Negative Speed Force.

Barry is teleported in another flash of blue light from the hospital waiting room.

In 2049, Daisy Korber finds Malcolm Gilmore digging up Eddie Thawne's grave. 

They discover that there is no body in the coffin in the grave.

Upon seeing the empty coffin, Malcolm has a vision of Eddie Thawne killing himself to stop the Reverse Flash in 123. He also spontaneously develops the lethal shot through the chest that killed him.  He reaches into the wound to pull out the bullet, which he shows to  Daisy Korber.


Location

Central City in 2049


The Bottom Line

It makes sense that, after an episode focused on Barry, we should see what the rest of the team was doing in his absence. It does not make sense, however, that so much of this episode feels like padding. The explanation of Khione's powers works with what is given, but it still makes her into a literal deus ex machina to take the place of the Speed Force. The bits with Malcolm/Eddie are also good, but somewhat confusing given it isn't made clear until next episode that they take place in the future.

The Flash Episode Guide: Season 9, Episode 10 - A New World, Part One

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.

Plot

It's been several months since Barry Allen's birthday and big things are in the works for Team Flash, with Chester working on a super-suit for Allegra, Khione mastering her powers, and Iris receiving word of a long-awaited career milestone. But Barry Allen is nowhere to be found, lost in time and about to relieve the worst day of his life from another perspective.

Influences

The Flash comics of Mark Waid and Brian Augustyn (character of Cobalt Blue), Flashpoint (the theme of Barry spending time with his parents before their deaths) and The Flash Season One (Barry travels back to the events of the Pilot and the Season 1 finale.)


Goofs

While the cameo from Professor Stein is funny, by this point in time he would have had multiple encounters with the Legends of Tomorrow as a young man. As such, it is unlikely he'd be so quick to dismiss someone claiming to be a time traveler on the phone.

Due to a combination of archival footage being mixed with new footage, Barry is wearing the wrong Flash costume at several points during the fight with Thawne.


Performances

Grant Gustin gives one of his best solo outings as Barry Allen yet, playing up Barry's pain at being powerless to change the past but appreciating the chance he's given to enjoy one last meal with his parents.

Matt Letscher likewise delivers a masterful performance as the original Eobard Thawne that will leave you wishing we had seen more of him in the role over the last nine seasons.

Artistry

The use of the color blue as a theme in the opening scene is nice, from the flowers in Malcolm's home and his suit, the blueberries he eats, to the fact that he's humming Elton John's "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues."


Flash Facts

The subtitle of this episode is Reunions, according to the title card, but the subtitle does not feature in the actual episode title.

This episode introduces the character of Dr. Malcolm Gilmore. His name, and repeated references to the color blue involving him, are nods to The Flash villain Cobalt Blue.

First appearing in Speed Force #1 in 1997, Cobalt Blue was the twin brother of Barry Allen.  On the night Barry was born, Nora Allen gave birth to twins. The doctor overseeing the twins birth, Dr. Gilmore, was negligent in his treatment of another patient, Charlene Thawne, who was also giving birth that night. To balance things, Dr. Gilmore gave the Thawnes the second Allen child, whom they named Malcolm.

Unfortunately, the Thawnes were an abusive family of con artists, who commanded a strange mystic blue flame. Everyone in the family had this power, except for Malcolm. His search for answers led him to Dr. Gilmore, whom Malcolm murdered after he confessed to taking Malcolm from his birth parents. 

Malcolm later gained access to the blue flame through a talisman crafted by his foster grandmother. Powered by his jealousy for his successful, happy twin brother, Malcom became Cobalt Blue and set out to ruin his brother's reputation by posing as him, having learned Barry Allen was also The Flash. 

The colorful patchwork costume Chester crafts for Allegra with a helmet that hinders her ability to see is a reference to the villain Crazy Quilt. Like Allegra, he had light-based powers, though his were based around a helmet.

Barry's parents take him to an Italian restaurant called Zatara's that is said to have the best pizza in Coast City. This is a reference to Giovanni "John" Zatara, who was DC Comics first magic hero and the father of Zatanna.


Technobabble

Barry baby-proofs his loft with proximity-based meta-dampeners, so Nora can't hurt herself by accidentally using her speed.

The C-Net database that allows the police to look up unlisted phone numbers was not developed until 2002.


Dialogue Triumphs

(Barry has just realized he's in the year 2000.)
Barry: What did I do this time?

Nora Allen: Bart, do you believe in fate? Because I do. That's why I believe that there's a reason that we met, so that even for one day, you don't have to go through all of this alone.

Thawne:  Somebody's having a bad day. Unfortunately... ( laughs ) It's only gonna get worse.

Thawne: You can't walk away from what's about to happen, Barry.
Barry: I know. I can walk towards it. 

Thawne: You'd actually destroy an entire timeline just to save your own pathetic existence?
Barry: No, Thawne. I'm not here to save myself. I'm here to save you. 

Thawne: I don't understand. You saved yourself and let me kill her instead. Why?
Barry: I had no choice.

Thawne: (slowly, in comprehension) Killing your mother... it's a fixed point. You knew this was gonna happen. And now I'm stuck here in a hell where I get to watch you grow up and become the hero that I should have been! I swear... even if I have to tear the universe apart, I will find a way to destroy you and everyone you love! Because from this moment forward, my life's work will be finding ways to kill you.

Barry: (calmly) I know. And this night tortured me for decades. Not anymore. Because today I got to see my parents one last time and feel how much they loved me. 

Thawne: (desperate) This is the worst night of your life. I know it.

Barry: And today brought me the peace I've been looking for ever since. I have you to thank for that, Eobard, and I'll always be grateful. 
(Barry is suddenly seized by blue energy and pulled away screaming. Faced with no target to attack and the realization that he's doomed himself and totally failed to ruin Barry Allen's life in a meaningful way, Thawne screams in pure impotent rage.)

Continuity

The opening scene details the morning of a mystery man named Dr. Malcolm Gilmore, who works at Mercury Labs. The man is the spitting image of Eddie Thawne, who died in 123.

Allegra is still maintaining a secret identity in regards to her light powers.

Chester made Allegra a new costume, which she hates.

Cecile is still commuting to Central City while living with Joe and Jenna elsewhere.

Joe West makes a big dinner for Cecile whenever she stays the weekend with him and Jenna.

Khione is living in Caitlin and Frost's apartment. She has now mastered the ability to change her body into fog and back.

Khione is keeping a journal, where she writes letters to Caitlin and Frost, whom she considers her sisters.

Khione says it has been "nine months since she started her journey."  Presuming that 909 took place on March 12. 2023, this would place the events of this episode sometime in the middle of November 2023. This matches up with the presumed date that Iris' pregnancy would come to a close, since she discovered she was pregnant in February 2023 in 905. 

Khione refroze a lake for a group of school kids so they could ice skate.

ARGUS has been helping Khione catalog her powers. She says she is discovering a new power every day.

Khione has not talked to Mark in nine months, suggesting he has kept his distance since 907. Despite everything that happened between them, she does miss him and wants to talk to him.

Iris' article about the Red Death from 907, Nightmare Under Red Skies, is nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.

Barry disappears in a flash of blue energy. He finds himself, in pain, on the streets of Central City.

Barry figures out he is in the past when he sees a woman walking by wearing a portable CD player.

Barry figures out it is the year 2000 based on a license plate.

Barry tries to run back to 2023, but something blocks him from the wormhole portal. He crashes into the back of a Gambi's Cleaners van, just like when he first used his speed by accident while running in 101.

Barry goes to CCPD HQ and tries to talk to Joe West. 

Barry confuses David Singh by addressing him as Captain, when he is only a Detective in 2000.

Barry tries to get Joe West to help him find Dr. Tina McGee, who has an unlisted phone number in 2000. Joe, however, wonders how Barry knows about the City Registry as a civilian. He agrees to help Barry, but asks to know who he is.  It is then that Barry sees a desk calendar and realzies it is the day of his mother's murder.

Barry runs off before telling Joe anything more about the past.

Barry tries to call Professor Martin Stein, who hangs up on him, thinking his talk about being a time-traveler he hasn't met yet is a crank call.

Barry sees his parents while using a pay phone. He walks to talk to them, not paying attention, and is knocked unconscious by a streak of red lightning and nearly hit by a car. He is saved by his father running out into traffic to stop the car to treat him.

Barry wakes up in the hospital with his father, Dr. Henry Allen, watching over him.

Barry gives his name as Bart, when asked who he is.

Barry's parents treat him to a meal when he says his blood sugar is low. They take him to Zatara's, which was his favorite pizza place as a kid.

Joe covers the scene of Barry's accident and identifies him as the weird guy who was acting strangely in the CCPD HQ earlier that day. He tells Detective Singh about his gut feeling that Barry was running from something and in need of help.

Joe hears a voice calling his name. This takes him to a blue crystal, which he picks up. This causes him to be possessed by some dark influence.

Barry's parents offer to let him stay with them, but he runs off and has an anxiety attack.

Barry is discovered by Eobard Thawne, in his original body. This is a younger version of Thawne, who has just learned The Flash's secret identity. 

Thawne denies having anything to do with bringing Barry to the past. He thinks Barry showing up there may be the universe giving him one more chance to torture Barry before erasing him from existence completely.

Thawne takes Barry to O'Shaughnessy's Bar to have a drink and taunt him further.

Thawne admits he came to that point in time to kill Barry as a child. He says the only ways Barry can stop him are to kill him or to lock him up in Iron Heights. He says Barry won't do the former because of his moral code and he won't do the latter because it would cause a paradox. 

Henry and Nora talk about looking for "Bart" and both admit to feeling an odd connection with him.

Barry goes to his parents and tells them they reminded him of his parents and what he'd say to them if he had one more day. He tells them that their love made him who he is and he carries their light with them every day.

Barry is confronted by Joe West, who attacks him with a blue energy that saps his speed.

Barry realizes Joe is possessed by the Negative Speed Force.

One doctor takes the initiative in evacuating people as the Negative Speed Force knocks out the power ot the hospital. This doctor is Dr. Rachel Rosso, the mother of Ramsey Rosso, AKA Bloodwork.

Barry is able to knock Joe West out. This causes the blue crystal he is carrying to disappear.

Barry goes to his childhood home to confront Thawne. This leads to the battle seen in 101 and 123, with 2023 Barry in the place of the future version of himself that stopped 2015 Barry from saving his mother.

Thawne is left powerless and trapped in 2000, as in the flashback scene from 117.

In the final scene, Dr. Malcolm Gilmore is working late in Mercury Labs and is struck by a red lightning bolt. He is oddly injured and, when he stands up, he finds a classified CCPD police report regarding one Detective Eddie Thawne and his mysterious disappearance. Dr. Gilmore sees a photo of Eddie and realizes it looks like him.

Location

Cemtral City in November 2023, based on the date in Khione's journal.

Central City on March 18, 2000.

Keystone City on March 18, 2000 in O'Shaughnessy's Bar,

While it is not clear in this episode, Dr. Malcolm Gilmore's scenes take place in the future of 2049.


Untelevised Adventures

Reference is made to the first time Thawne and Barry met, from Thawne's perspective, in the year 2170.  This meeting has never been shown on camera, though Thawne made reference to it as the reason he hated Barry so much in 805.


The Bottom Line

A solid start to the finale, which builts perfectly on the Season 1 battles with The Reverse Flash.  The only problem is everything else involving the supporting cast feels tacked on, especially the bits setting up Cobalt Blue. Still, Grant Gustin and Matt Letscher sell it.

Sensei Starman Plays Baldur's Gate 3 - Part 28

In which, having determined we finished the dungeon from last time, we destroy that cursed book we found a few chapters ago and continue exploring the overland map. Get ready for more Absolute cultists and an unfortunate counter with an owlbear where I forget I can talk to animals.

Sensei Starman Plays Baldur's Gate 3 - Part 27

In which we finally explore those ruins we've been putting off for too long and find where we were supposed to meet Withers before he just showed up at our camp!

Sensei Starman Plays Baldur's Gate 3 - Part 26

In which, after finally figuring out what the deal is with that one frog in the swamp, we return to our camp, bond with our companions a bit more, get a strange visit in our dreams and round the chapter off with a little more commerce. Sorry, action fans! This is a talky chapter!

Sensei Starman Plays Baldur's Gate 3 - Part 25

In which we confront Auntie Ethel and start trying to put things right with everyone she wronged. Well, almost everyone. 

Sensei Starman Plays Baldur's Gate 3 - Part 24

In which we try keep fighting our way the Hag's Lair, past several unfortunates ensnared by her spells. We also take what turns out to be the stupidest route possible through a trap-filled pathway. (Don't do what I did, kids! Just block the gas vents with something heavy!)

Sensei Starman Plays Baldur's Gate 3 - Part 23

In which we head deeper into the Hag's Hut and discover some of the other unforunates she has "helped." But first we have a revealing conversation with Gale about his unfortunate curse and why mortals dating gods is a bad idea.

Sensei Starman Plays Baldur's Gate 3 - Part 22

In which we continue exploring the swamp and I forget that Communicate With Animals is a potion, not a scroll, while trying to help some hapless frog. Still, we confront Auntie Ethel and her Redcap sheep after it becomes apparent, yet again, that she really is a wicked witch. (I mean, she's fattening a teenage girl up and wants eyes and babies. What else could she be?)

Sensei Starman Plays Street Fighter 6 - Part 51

Wait a second... didn't we beat the story mode last time?!

Well, yes. But there's still some content to enjoy and a chance to train with the big bad. So we're going to look at that. So there.

Sensei Starman Plays Baldur's Gate 3 - Part 21

In which, with Gale switched out with Wyll, we question that unfortunate drow paladin we killed a few chapters back, after allowing Shadowheart to show-off her cunning disguise skills. We then set off in search of the Hag and discover a bunch of redcaps pretending to be sheep. Illusions are wacky!

Sensei Starman Plays Street Fighter 6 - Part 50

The Double-Sized Finale! In which, after setting up a public transportation stop in the middle of the Resistance HQ, and getting another new outfit, we FINALLY begin the Nayshall tournament.

Will we save Bosch? Will JP fall before our strength? Will I stop asking rhetorical questions?

Sensei Starman Plays Baldur's Gate 3 - Part 20

In which, after showing off the party's new outfits, we head back to camp and get to know our new companions, Gale and Astarion.

Sensei Starman Plays Street Fighter 6 - Part 49

In which we do some breaking-and-entering to stop our friend from becoming a suicide bomber to take down JP, and then get lost in the arena trying to find our next point of contact.

Sensei Starman Plays Baldur's Gate 3 - Part 19

In which we continue exploring the dungeon under the healer's shop and discover an unspeakable artifact of Evil. We then head out to explore beyond the blighted village and discover (shocker) that Auntie Ethel might not be the kindly old healer she appears to be!

Sensei Starman Plays Street Fighter 6 - Part 48

In which, after changing clothes yet again, we do a few more training quests and help Chandi work out her confusing non-punching related feelings for her boss. Ah, love!

Sensei Starman Plays Baldur's Gate 3 - Part 18

In which we belated rescue Gale, a cheerful wizard with a rather embarrassing condition. We then return to the basement of the Apothecary in the Blighted Village and seek out those rare plants we read about.

Sensei Starman Plays Street Fighter 6 - Part 47

In which, after FINALLY turning in all that junk to The Counterfeiter, we return to Nayshall to hunt down some delivery drones that are acting quite strangely.

Sensei Starman Plays Baldur's Gate 3 - Part 17

In which we start exploring some of the area we missed in my haste to seek out help for our brain parasite. This leads us to a faithful encounter with the elf rogue Astarion, who will promptly be ignored because I am all the rogue this party needs, thank you!

Sensei Starman Plays Street Fighter 6 - Part 46

In which we finally get around to doing that side-quest for The Counterfiter. This means beating up a lot of random people in the hopes of getting certain items to drop. Fun!

Sensei Starman Plays Baldur's Gate 3 - Part 16

In which we talk to Withers, who somehow shows up in our camp despite our not finding him where we are supposed to find him in the game world. Yay early game glitches!

With that done, we celebrate in style and consider which of our companions we might enjoy getting cozy with in private.

Sensei Starman Plays Street Fighter 6 - Part 45

The search for hardware in the Red Steel Factory continues, as we wonder why we can't just go buy this at Lowes' like a normal person instead of punching a bunch of drones.

Sensei Starman Plays Baldur's Gate 3 - Part 15

In which we loot the corpses of our fallen foe and debate whether or not to continue using our newfound psychic powers. We also finally break into the druid's treasure vault, because those True Neutral bastards owe us.

Sensei Starman Plays Street Fighter 6 - Part 44

In which, after a rooftop battle in Metro City, we return to Nayshall for a series of fetch-quests. 

Don't worry! We still punch a lot of people, too!

Sensei Starman Plays Baldur's Gate 3 - Part 14

In which we defend the Emerald Grove from the invading goblins and discover it is possible to kill the bad guys by pushing them off a cliff. Hilarity ensues.

Sensei Starman Plays Street Fighter 6 - Part 43

In which, after explaining what you didn't miss in two episodes of training where my microphone wasn't on, we head back to the SIRN building for more breaking-in-and-entering fun!