The Flash Season One: Power Outage

"Which letters you want me to show you next?"

The episode begins at the night the particle accelerator exploded and a drunken young man named Farooq Jibran (Michael Reventar) climbed an electrical tower to see; he was electrocuted, becoming Blackout, while his two best friends looked on. In the present Wells is using his hidden computer to make a log of Barry's development and thinks that his desire to help people is holding him back. Later Barry is called to a crime scene where a body has been charred beyond recognition but with the help of the team at S.T.A.R labs they discover his identity and find out he worked at a power company. Barry then rushes to it as The Flash when they find out Blackout is draining electricity there and after a short fight Barry finds himself outmatched and his powers drained from him. This is then confirmed after several tests at S.T.A.R labs and that it could be permanent and when Wells looks at his future newspaper and finds The Flash is in no records.

"You better no be stealing my powers!"

While Barry contemplates never having his powers again Blackout arrives at the lab to get his revenge on Wells for the death of his two best friends who died when he couldn't control his power. Meanwhile at the CCPD William Tockman AKA The Clock King (Robert Knepper) takes the place hostage after using a blackout, caused by Blackout, to his advantage and his hostages includes West and Iris. When Barry tries unsuccessfully to negotiate with Blackout, Wells believes they can restore Barry's powers by using the treadmill and a lot of power meanwhile at the CCPD Clock King wounds Eddie who was hiding until the right moment. Back at the labs Wells enlists the help of Girder to fight Blackout who agrees while Barry, after convincing Caitlin to help, doesn't believe the treadmill has worked. They then both try to escape and run into Girder who dies after failing to kill Blackout, this angers Barry especially when he finds out Wells basically used him as a distraction. The team then discovers that Barry does have his powers back he just mentally believes he cannot do it anymore.

"I'm back!!"

At the CCPD Clock King takes Iris hostage for when he gets on his helicopter however Iris manages to pull a gun on him, after secretly removing Eddie's spare, and a shot is heard. At the labs while the team is escaping Blackout catches up with them and tries to kill Wells however Barry saves him by regaining his speed. He battles Blackout who dies after absorbing too much of his power again, Barry then rushes to the CCPD to find Clock King shot in the leg and Iris okay. Later Barry apologies to Wells for his comments earlier and to Iris as The Flash for not being there and then promises Wells to work more on researching his power. The episode ends with Wells discovering the future as been restored and extracting blood from Blackout; wanting to know how he could absorb Barry's speed.

Awesome!

I guess first I want to talk about one of the most important events in this episode and that is the subplot involving Wells trying to restore the future. I mentioned in an earlier review that I think Wells is from the future and I kind of think this might confirm it. At the beginning of the episode I think Wells wanted to change the headline of the newspaper which reads; "Flash missing in crisis". Maybe this means that something so terrible happens in the future because The Flash wasn't there and Wells wants to guide Barry as much has possible. It would also explain why Wells cares about his safety more than anything because he always prefers if Barry just stays in the lab; maybe he doesn't know exactly what happen The Flash and wants to be cautious. Whatever the reason I found it interesting when the newspaper changed when Barry lost his powers and when he took blood from Blackout; could this mean Wells wants to absorb Barry's power or make him immune to another absorbing affect?

You got to love drinking while climbing very high

Now on to the first villain of the episode and that is Blackout and he was a really good one as well with a cool power. I like that it wasn't just electricity that he can absorb Barry's power because it made for a good subplot; I liked the moment Barry had when he said he could not live without his powers, just shows how much he wants to keep being a hero to Central City. Back to Blackout you are probably tried of me saying that the villains have some great backstories but when it comes to comics what makes an awesome hero and villain is a great origin story. They might not be that fleshed out but they do a good job with the time in one episode and they learned from their mistake with the lacklustre Weather Wizard. It again shows just how much lives where ruined by the particle accelerator and how much guilt Wells has to live with such as Blackout's two friends. Because of this, and the fact that Blackout comes across as a drug addict to absorbing power, does make him more of a villain to sympathise with along with Multiplex and Plastique.

Special guest time!!

As for the other villain I am glad that we get to see Clock King again because he was awesome in Arrow. I liked that he had a role in this show because it is just a little reminder that the shows The Flash and Arrow are connected and hopefully we will see more characters cross over. For example I read that the team behind Arrow haven't ruled out the possibility of having Meta Humans on their show which I am looking forward to because even though Arrow is one of my favourite shows, I wish some of their villains wasn't so grounded they need some powers. Again I liked Clock King in this because he is a villain that uses his intelligence to fight and with it he took a whole police station hostage. Don't like that he was stopped by Iris since I just don't like her that much because like Laurel in Arrow they put her in every episode and try to make her seem so important but at least Laurel is going to become a vigilante soon so that might make her character better. I hope to see Clock King again, maybe still in The Flash or in Arrow's Suicide Squad.

"This is so much better than writing it down

For what I didn't like in this episode firstly it was the events with Girder; don't get me wrong he is an awesome character but he was wasted here. Firstly we didn't even see his fight with Blackout and that had the makings to be absolutely epic and he was basically killed off screen as well; Girder looked like he had the advantage at first but we didn't get to see how Blackout turned it around. Next I can't believe they killed him off!! He was a cool character and I liked that we had a Meta Human who knew Barry from his past. I honestly thought Girder would live and become sort of an anti - hero; reluctantly teaming up with Barry to stop other Meta Humans before finally redeeming himself and maybe even being friends with him. Sorry but I got to shake my head at this; such wasted potential of a character and future good storyline. As for what else that annoyed me I am getting tired of Caitlin constantly being against Barry all of the time; whenever the team comes up with a plan she is always the one who says it can't be done. I know this is because she cares but why does she always have to be the annoying voice of doubt?

Eddie shouldn't have tired sneaking up on him

Overall this was a great episode with Wells and his plans for the future and having Clock King on it but I just hate that Girder is now dead.

SCORE: 7/10

Highlights: Blackout and the plot of him stealing Barry's powers
                   Clock King
                   The mystery of Wells continues to deepen

Let - Downs: Didn't see Girder vs. Blackout and Girder is now dead
                      Caitlin constantly being the voice of doubt
                      Iris is the one to stop Clock King

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/                 

The Flash Season One: The Flash is Born

The episode begins with Iris once again blogging on her site and Barry, disguised as The Streak, trying to warn her to stop. Barry leaves when he hears sirens and speeds to a car chase and manages to get a kid out of the way while West and Eddie look on. Barry fights the man the police are chasing but is severely injured when he discovers it is a Meta Human who can coat his skin in to a metallic substance. At S.T.A.R. labs Barry wonders how he can fight someone with that kind of power but West assures him they will find a way, he then goes to CCPD where he learns that the Meta Human is criminal Tony Woodward AKA Girder who used to bully him as a kid. West later talks to Wells about the possibility of a Meta Human killing Barry's mother, Nora, but Wells believes that's impossible, elsewhere in the lab Cisco thinks Barry can hurt Girder if he can channel his speed the right way.

Now that has got to hurt!

Barry and Eddie then investigate the car Girder left behind and follow the clues to a brewery factory and question the employees. They learn that Tony worked at a steel factory and while in a fight over losing his job fell in a vat of molten metal; this also happened the day of the accelerator exploded thus turning him into Girder. Girder then visits and flirts with Iris and even shows off his powers and when Iris tells this to The Streak, Barry angrily speeds off to Girder's hideout. At the old steel factory Barry fights Girder but is once again beaten into submission. Cisco and Caitlin take him back to S.T.A.R labs where Cisco thinks that Barry can damage Girder if he hits him at Mach 1.1 with a running start of 5.3 miles. Later Barry trains with Eddie and learns more about him meanwhile West has a drink with Wells because he is suspicious he had something to do with Nora's murder but Wells denies this.

"Pretend the bag is Eddie"

Girder kidnaps Iris who takes her to their old school because he wants to be famous for killing The Streak however she manages to pull the fire alarm that alerts Barry when he hears about the kidnapping. He races to there but once again finds himself losing to Girder despite dodging his punches with his speed at first. He then runs 5.3 miles away and charges back at Mach 1.1 and punches Girder, creating a sonic boom and knocking him out. Barry later puts Girder in a cell next to the accelerator and reveals his identity, having finally defeated his old bully. West apologies to Wells after finding out he moved to Central City shortly after Nora's murder because his own wife recently died. Barry then visits Iris and the two make up for being angry with each other and during their talk The Streak is renamed The Flash. The episode ends with West going over Nora's case files but is surrounded by a yellow and red vortex, even getting a blurred glimpse of the man in yellow, he is unharmed but is left a photo of Iris with a knife stuck in it with the message "Stop or Else".

"Guess who's back?"

We got to have a another look at The Man in The Yellow Suit sooner than I thought and I had to admit that was one awesome scene with West in the vortex. It may be 14 years after Nora's murder but The Man in The Yellow Suit is still at large and after his threat I wonder if West will continue to help Barry. He now must believe him beyond any doubt and makes me even wonder if he will tell him what happened or just keep it to himself because he doesn't want Barry or S.T.A.R labs doing more investigating. This also makes me wonder if Wells had anything to do with it because as I had said before he defiantly has his own plan but I can't see him as a villain because he is just too helpful to Barry. This is my theory but since Wells had that device that let him saw that newspaper article in the future maybe him and The Man in The Yellow Suit are both from the future; maybe that is why The Man in The Yellow Suit killed Nora because she was mother of The Flash?

That does look cool

As for the rest of the episode I really enjoyed it and the Meta Human had an awesome power and the effect of it covering his skin looks really good. It is cool that we get a Meta Human who Barry actually knew from before; I am reading the New 52 Flash comics and there is a Meta Human called Mob Rule who is a childhood friend of Barry's so this episode kind of reminded me of that. The fights between Barry and Girder where great to watch as well; the first Meta Human to be a physical challenge to Barry but that slow motion Mach 1.1 punch was done so well. Also again they are keeping up these great origin stories for how the Meta Humans got their powers.

looks like West has found a new best friend

The rest of the episode was great as well I liked the interaction between Barry and Eddie and how they where both bullied. Eddie is a good character and I want to see him more involved with the cases like he was now, maybe he might even join the team in a future episode. I am also glad that Barry and Iris are talking again because I honestly didn't want that to go one for ages and also that The Streak is finally renamed The Flash; was quicker than The Hood becoming The Arrow.

"Yeah new move!"

Overall this was a great episode and left on such a cliff hanger that I cannot wait until next week to find out what West will do. Iris still kind of annoys me but that is because her subplot of being an amateur reporter investigating the superhuman and meeting that superhuman on a rooftop isn't exactly original in the world of superheroes now is it? I just think they could have found another way for her to be involved because she is just being an inconvenience to Barry who is having to constantly visit her as The Flash to warn her of the dangers.

SCORE: 9/10

Highlights: Another glimpse of The Man in The Yellow Suit
                   The fights between The Flash and Girder
                   The interactions between Barry and Eddie and West and Wells

Let - Downs: Iris's blogging subplot still annoys me

 

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/