You guys, I don't think The Flash knows that its season finale is still weeks away. The series pulled out all the stops for last week's episode, which made good on an earlier hint and fully introduced a game-changing new element to this universe: If Barry Allen runs fast enough, he can actually go back in time. Awesome. Well, awesome and dangerous. The conclusion of the episode found Barry back where he started when he set out to stop Clyde Mardon's revenge-hungry brother Mark, the Weather Wizard. (And the same poor girl still trying to hail a cab on the street corner. When will Uber come to Central City?) "Out of Time" delivered so many payoffs for fans — the good, the bad, and the ugly (and the ugly crying) — but did Barry time traveling erase all the events of The Flash last week by setting the clock back?
It's a tricky situation, because some of the events from "Out Of Time" were so horrible, a re-do is exactly what fans want. Others, however, were plots we've been waiting for since the very first Flash episode, and desperately want to stick. Let's consider all of the episode's big moments and figure out what might carry over into Tuesday's new episode, "Rogue Time."
Barry & Iris: It's Kind Of A Thing
We've all fantasized about going back in time to avoid an awkward date, right? One of the casualties of the episode reset might be the most ill-advised double date in history. Linda, Barry, Eddie, and Iris go bowling together, the result of which is basically Barry and Iris having a captive audience for their flirting. Linda's no fool; she sees what she's in the middle of. But it's Iris who has the true "a-ha" moment: she's totally into Barry Allen, and later, she tells him so. They share a kiss, making the classic comic book pairing TV canon (for now). Oh, and Barry reveals to Iris that he's that Flash guy she's been following around.
Unfortunately for WestAllen shippers, I think that epic kiss will be staying in the alternate reality. But it still has an impact: Iris won't remember her confession, but Barry will. What will he do with that juicy bit of information?
The True Identity Of Harrison Wells
Dr. Wells proved the suspicions of Joe West and Mason Bridge by revealing his true name and purpose. Barry's champion and protector is actually Eobard Thawne, Reverse-Flash and distant relative of Iris' boo. He was in the Allen house that night to kill Barry, not his mother. And now he's just desperate to get home — to the future. Sure, Dr. Wells is a terrific villain; why not squeeze everything we can out of him? If his Bond movie-style disclosure is rewritten, that gives The Flash another chance to work this huge moment for all it's worth.
Come Back To Me, Cisco
But the main reason I need that scene with Wells gone from this reality is because there is no Flash team without Cisco. When Thawne murdered him, he ripped the heart right out of the group. It wasn't pleasant to watch, but kudos to Carlos Valdes for a magnificent performance that didn't leave a dry eye in the fandom. Cisco will be back. He has to be. The only other option is a full fan revolt.
Producer Andrew Kreisberg teased the impact of Barry's time traveling to Entertainment Weekly. Dr. Wells once explained the complexities of the phenomenon; there are fixed points and there are points that can be changed. Obviously, the differences come into play here. "What can’t be changed?" Kreisberg wonders. "What things always have to happen? What things are changeable and are mutable? It’s a mixture of both.” We'll find out where the various events from "Out Of Time" fall when The Flash returns this week.
Images: Dean Buscher/The CW; Giphy (3)
