The CW’s “The Flash” has created its own following in its first season after the show’s title character was introduced during “The Scientist” episode of “Arrow” last year.
Going into the season’s final four episodes, I have a strong feeling that the show has similarities to the recent Flashpoint Paradox movie.
Yes, showrunners Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg and Greg Berlanti take liberties in what elements of the story they reveal during the season and have similarities to the 2013 DC Animated Original Move by the same name. As in the movie, the pilot depicts Nora Allen dying as Barry Allen’s motivation be on time and be faster. The movie does not depict how Nora is murdered and who killed her. However, in the show, Nora is murdered by a mysterious “Man-in-Yellow”, who is revealed to be the Reverse Flash. Batman is not a part of the show and neither is Superman, two characters I do not see coming back to the small screen anytime soon. Previews for upcoming episodes show the Arrow (previews show Oliver Queen wearing a League of Assassins uniform) and the Atom taking on those roles to help Barry in his fight to get back to his timeline. Cyborg is the technical genius in the movie while Cisco Ramon and Caitlin Snow are the technology geniuses at S.T.A.R. Labs on the show.
To this point, viewers have been shown that the Reverse Flash (Eobard Thawne) exists in the 21st century and he has plans for Barry Allen. Furthermore, the character’s reveal to Cisco Ramon in “Out of Time” (episode 15) shows evidence that there are roots of the Flashpoint Paradox storyline (in which the Flash was confronted by Captain Boomerang, Captain Cold, Mirror Master, Heat Wave and the Top) is the likely avenue showrunners Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg and Greg Berlanti envisioned when the show premiered in October 2014.
Flashbacks have revealed that Harrison Wells is not Harrison Wells, but actually Eobard Thawne, the secret identity of the Reverse Flash, the arch nemesis of Barry Allen’s Flash. In “Tricksters” (Episode 17) viewers were shown that years before Thawne stole the true Wells’ identity and memories and has been impersonating Dr. Wells since. Also in “Tricksters”, Jesse James, a criminal known as the Trickster (portrayed by Mark Hamill) attaches a bomb to the Flash’s arm and, with Wells’ (actually Thawne) help the Flash access the Speed Force for the first time, which causes Barry to travel back in time to the previous day. In my opinion, this is the trio’s homage to the Flash breaking the time barrier.
These last four episodes will be intriguing to watch and I see Guggenheim, Kreisberg and Berlanti leading towards their own variation of the Flashpoint Paradox movie as a possible conclusion to the show’s first season. However, I do have lingering questions: How did Thawne receive his super speed? What were Thawne’s motives to help Barry Allen understand his abilities? How will Thawne get back to his 25th century timeline? Why he decided to impersonate Wells, how he learned about the particle accelerator and why he decided to turn on the device without knowing exactly what the device would do.
