Last night's episode of The Flash was the 100th instalment of the long-running series and it definitely delivered in terms of some big surprises and the inclusion of a lot of familiar faces from the past.
What we're focusing on here, though, are the biggest twists and turns, particularly that shocking ending and what it means for not only this season of the show but also the Scarlet Speedster's future in general. Whether you've watched the episode or are simply curious about what the landmark instalment delivered, you definitely need to check this out.
So, from surprise references to THAT twist, all you guys have to do is click on the "View List" button below to read this entire breakdown. Needless to say, SPOILERS obviously follow...
Reverse-Flash Wiped The Twins Out Of Existence Too
We know that Eobard Thawne changed history when he travelled back in time and murdered Barry Allen's mother but that had a bigger impact on the future that any of us could have realised.
When the Scarlet Speedster confronts Eobard (disguised as Harrison Wells) in the past, the evil speedster mistakes Nora for Dawn before realising that his actions have changed the future enough so that neither Dawn nor Donexist now. In the comics, they became the Tornado Twins and this is yet another victory for "Wells." However, those aren't the only speedsters he mentioned...
Other Speedsters
As he ponders who Nora could be, Thawne also talks about Jesse Chambers and Danica Williams.
For those of you who aren't familiar with those names, Chambers was Jesse Quick in the comics and the daughter of Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle. Her powers came from a special formula passed down by her father but the Jesse we know obviously hails from Earth-2.
As for Danica Williams, she took over as the Flash from Wally West in Justice League Beyond and hails from the 2040s. Like Nora, she once worked at the Flash Museum.
The Legion Of Superheroes
It's not clear whether this has already happened or is yet to come in Nora's future but Gideon mentions that XS was the fifth member recruited in the "rebooted" Legion of Superheroes.
We've obviously seen a very different Legion in Supergirl and as cool as it would be to see Nora teaming up with them, they're from a different Earth so who knows who the other members are!
Zoom Returns
We know that Zoom made duplicates of himself throughout time and while his "death" (which saw him transformed into the Black Flash) seemed pretty definitive, there is a chance he could return.
What's interesting about this episode is that when Barry crosses paths with him in the past, he sees Nora and realises that she too is a speedster who he can feed off. Chasing the Scarlet Speedster and XS through time, he's ultimately tackled by a Time Wraith but what if this leads to Zoom being able to race back into Team Flash's lives somewhere down the line? We'll see, I guess!
That Mysterious Language
Remember when Barry came out of the Speed Force and was covering the walls in some weird looking symbols? Well, that's the same text that we've seen in Nora's journal and it turns out that it's a secret language which can't be changed by anything that happens to the timeline.
In other words, even if Nora returns to the future and her father is alive and well thanks to her actions, she'll always have notes on what happened even after her memories are replaced by the new timeline solidifying. However, Sherloque Wells manages to translate some of them...
"The Timeline Is Malleable"
That's all we see from Sherloque's translation but it seems as if XS is definitely trying to change the timeline for reasons which aren't immediately clear. Common sense says that she wants to stop her father from ever going missing during the Crisis on Infinite Earths event which leads to Barry vanishing and never returning.
How will she do that?
Well, stealing his speed is one option and while that may seem like a somewhat random prediction, what happens next definitely points to that being a possible "solution" for the speedster...
Reverse-Flash Returns
Racing back to the future, Nora confronts someone in a prison cell...Harrison Wells, a.k.a. Reverse-Flash! It seems he's been pulling her strings from the start and may have neglected to mention exactly what he did to Barry Allen beyond just being his arch-nemesis.
Interestingly, Wells seems just as annoyed with XS after reading her messages from the past and while his motivations aren't clear, this must be the version we saw during the "Earth-X" crossover who once again had Wells' face. Could it be that something has happened to change the villain's outlook in order to make him a good guy or is he simply looking to regain his speed and freedom?
Crisis On Infinite Earths
The latest version of the newspaper article detailing the Flash's disappearance said this about the night Barry Allen vanishes during what is clearly going to be an adaptation of "Crisis on Infinite Earths."
"But in the years following the crisis, accounts only grew more contradictory. Some eyewitnesses remember dozens of other heroes present, including Green Arrow, Batwoman, and Elongated Man. Others remember heroes thought lost in time, like The Atom, or from other worlds, like Supergirl. Some even contend they saw Reverse Flash leading an army of 'shadow demons.'"
Shadow demons? That sounds a lot like Time Wraiths and it could be a sign that Reverse-Flash does indeed end up taking a heroic turn after the events of this season. Either way, it's clear that the villain has a future in the Arrowverse which could end up taking him to some surprising places.
What Comes Next?
It's hard to say but seeing as this "Crisis" doesn't take place until 2024, it's going to be a while before we get to see that newspaper article come to life. There's a chance it could be moved forward, of course, but for now, the mystery surrounding Wells and XS is surely going to take centre stage.
If we're lucky, the extremely underwhelming Cicada (who doesn't really warrant a mention here) will end up being replaced by Reverse-Flash for the remainder of the season. Time will tell!
What did you think of last night's 100th episode of The Flash? As always, be sure to let us know your thoughts on that in the comments section and stay tuned for additional updates.
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