About a ماہ ago, Tuesday, 8th December to be precise, I was waiting for The Flash's mid-season finale with great enthusiasm and full of expectations. Usually mid-season finale is one of the most highly anticipated of all episodes in the series since the writers created something big and thrilling that makes us, the audience, unable to wait for the continuation in اگلے year. Concisely, it creates a huge impact for the forthcoming episodes.
So, what substantial things that this supposedly amazing episode gave to us??? Three ex-protagonists rogues (Spartacus, Michael Scofield, and Luke Skywalker) vs newbie protagonist hero (The Flash)? Na-ah... Wally West?? Hmmm? The revelation of Zoom's identity??? Yes, please! Well, here are my opinions:
Note: This مضمون may often refers to Arrow (2012 TV series) since The Flash is a spin-off of Arrow, and I believe the latter serves as a template for the Flash, especially for the characters.
[WARNING: DO NOT READ IT UNLESS آپ HAVE WATCHED IT!]
First of All, The Characters of the Episode:
Patty Spivot
+ As we have already known, link is created only as the girlfriend of Barry Allen. But thank goodness that eventually, it is a story of Patty’s personal vendetta. She had to face her long lost Meta-enemy, Mark Mardon, who killed her father years ago. Sure, she was a bit selfish and cruel when she did her actions, such as letting no one to stop her vengeance into restraining The Flash سے طرف کی shooting his leg so he could not interrupt her shot to Mardon (though that’s what making her awesome). But when the yellow-streak speedster tried to prevent her سے طرف کی words from doing this nefarious step, she finally came to her senses, choosing to arrest the villain instead. Bravo! If her presence is not only as Barry’s sweetheart, Patty Spivot is a truly lovable character.
The Rogues
+ Three times the Weather Wizard appeared in the first season, and in the سیکنڈ one, his character (ummm powers, actually) is improving. Last time we saw him, he escaped from the pipeline with Captain Cold’s help and The Flash’s foolishness. In return, he released the former from the jail and also the Trickster. It’s an entertaining scene for villains when he planned to kill the Flash سے طرف کی working together with the experienced bad guys. Additionally, his broad weather-controlling powers, just like X-Men’s Storm, are amusing to watch.
+ While the First Order and the Resistance busied searching for the last Jedi, he was actually sojourning in Central City! Oh yeah, 'The return of Luke Skywalker' has his own spotlight again, though not as scene-stealing as in 1x17, thanks to his lack of screen time. He retained his amusing, creative and creepy Trickster's qualities, mostly when he became Santa and singing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer song with modified lyrics. >:)
'Flashy the red nose speedster,
Had a very shiny suit,
And if آپ ever saw him,
آپ may even want to puke.'
- The synopsis told us that Weather Wizard returned to break Trickster and Leonard Snart AKA Captain Cold out of Iron Heights and Barry must stop these rogues from taking over Central City during Christmas. The truth is Leonard did not take any part in this scheme. He even warned Barry from the hazard, though preserving his enigmatic manner. It's understandable that he no longer wanted to perform wicked deeds since, in a subtle way, he already switched alignment into good and will be joining as one of the assembled heroes-and-villains in another Arrow's spin-off, link.
The Flash, himself
- As for Barry Allen, I spotted him three times being stupid when handling the three villains who were also protagonists a couple years ago.
1. First, he pushed Captain Cold without knowing that Iris was the cold gun’s target and later he begged the rogue to tell him the other bad guys’ location.
2. Second, when the Weather Wizard flew, he was only stunned at him without doing anything. Moreover the other Earth-1 members (Barry, Dr Caitlin Snow, and Cisco Ramon) were only doing scientifically explanations on how Mark could fly! Thankfully the Earth-2 members (Jay Garrick and Dr Harry Wells) were مزید competent to handle the situations.
3. Last but not the least, he begged for the سیکنڈ time to the villains to undo the bombs and let them tortured him. What made him so sure that when he ‘died’, they will keep their promise to not exploding the bombs? Thankfully, for the سیکنڈ time, the E-2 members were able to handle this less sinister threat than Zoom’s.
Plainly he trades his brain for speed! With possessing the potentially best powers in this Arrowverse, he is, ironically, far from being a resourceful hero. Without his friends, he is powerless. But what embarrassed me most is that he loves to brag about his powers even though he doesn’t know how to use them properly. His cocky and confident attitudes and his ‘catch me if آپ can’ phrase are really irksome and, for me, have to be stopped if he is still incapable to control his super gifts in utmost. He’s like a seven-year-old kid who boasts about his C- math test to others unashamedly.
Moving اگلے to The Action:
The Attack of the Deadly Dreidels
+ Detective Patty Spivot with gun as her only protection inspecting an abandoned factory, later accompanied سے طرف کی the interfering Flash combined with Trickster’s menacing voice and his spinning dreidels with exploding capability are quite thrilling. Too bad the tense of this action scene diminished at the time The Flash rescued her from the bombs سے طرف کی whirling his arms so fast, rendering both of them levitated. Ummm, Flying Flash? Oh, it’s incredibly silly, I can’t برداشت, ریچھ it.
The Attack of the Rogues
+ Knowing that only two Rogues who will endanger Central City is dissatisfying. But fortunately, the Weather Wizard and the Trickster were proficient to make their actions enjoyable, starting from The Flash chasing down the gliding Weather Wizard, Santa Trickster’s lethal Christmas gifts to the kids, and the Wizard exercising his extensive powers to beat Barry. Though when Trickster attempted to kill the defenseless Flash with his چھری is too predictably slow (doesn’t mean at that time I wanted The Flash to be dead, but it’s just too foreseeable…), the lamest part is how Team Flash disengaged the bombs سے طرف کی sending them to a portal to be detonated there. I scratched my head hearing their theory and annoyed to see them always successful in their first try. The action scene luckily returned into agreeable once مزید when Patty showed up, striving to complete her mission once and for all.
Then, Stop سے طرف کی at The Drama:
The West family’s dilemma
- All I know is that Iris was in dilemma and she cried, she and Barry told her secret to Joe, Joe was disturbed, Barry consoled him, and voila! Joe and Iris were fine with their dilemma and Wally came to their house without an appointment. And Candice Patton کہا it’s about West family’s drama... Oh well, there are still hopes to explore مزید about the West relationships in the upcoming episodes, right?
Barry and Patty's relationship
- My first thought of Barry has a new girlfriend with Felicity traits (geek, socially awkward, compassionate, witty) makes me sick. Worse, Barry is like Felicity, and I always believe that someone who is very similar to his significant other could never be a good couple. Take an example from Oliver Queen and Sara Lance in season two of Arrow, they were almost kindred spirits too and their relationship was horrible. Ultimately, Oliver ends up with Felicity who is almost the opposite of him and their chemistry is excellent. Don't get me wrong, I like Patty Spivot. She is a charming, cheerful, lively, friendly, brilliant (ugh, if only the writers make her cleverly discovering the other identity of her boyfriend) detective. Plus, she's not fangirling The Flash. Clearly, this episode makes me realise that Patty is too good for Barry. Here are the reasons why Barry is unworthy of her: He is...
* distrustful - Until now, he keeps lying to Patty about his identity.
* dishonest - Another lies to her about his condition and her canned سوپ in 2x07.
* hypocrite - He told Oliver to tell everything to Felicity in Arrow 4x08, which he doesn't do to Patty yet. Another unfair fact is that he knows her private problem first سے طرف کی using his alter ego whilst the seemingly intelligent detective remains clueless to his confidential matter.
* intolerably selfish - With all his selflessness as The Flash, deep down inside, he had a very selfish intention which was to save his mother from death, and this one selfish act in season 1 finale created a singularity, with the possibility of destroying Central City and even the whole universe. It costed the life of his two friends, Eddie Thawne and Ronnie Raymond. He quickly made Caitlin a widow after her marriage on the same دن and Iris lost her fiance (on the same دن too? I've forgotten).
Patty's only selfish action was to avenge her father's murderer and, as I've written above, she did it without harming others یا even herself (yeah, Barry was credited, though if she really did kill Mark, she will only hurt herself and the inmate).
In addition, it is too evident that their relationship exists because that is what the writers want. Grant Gustin and Shantel VanSanten’s chemistry is purely from the script, unnatural. I really wish their relationship will end sooner than later.
Caitlin and Jay’s relationship
- What I see in Jaitlin is that Caitlin had already six months recovery from her newly husband’s demise and suddenly she is attracted with the tall and handsome broken hero from other Earth. She thinks that he is like Thor, having different stuffs in his reality from hers. She also believes in everything he کہا because he’s E-2 Flash and scientist یا just because she’s plainly, umm… infatuated? At last سے طرف کی kissing under the mistletoe, it’s official that they are in a relationship. Definitely, their relationship is called rushed, though I could still tolerate it since perhaps they have their own off-screen romantic moments, as most of the on-screen romantic scenes are for Barry and Patty.
Ultimately, The Most Important Thing in the Whole Ninth Episode...:
- Yes, Zoom and Harry’s agreement. However, what's the point if it's not the main plot? Zoom's aim is to increase Barry's powers and, seriously, it doesn't attract me at all! It's so like Reverse-Flash's, back in season 1, with only different motives (he wants to steal the impending E-1 Flash’s bloated Speed Force while RF just wanted to go ہوم *miss آپ Eoby!*). Furthermore, the fact that E-2 Harry Wells will mess Barry's life again doesn't encouraged me, as it's quite a repetition to E-1's fake Wells. I'll be surprised if the result of his actions will end unexpectedly astounding.
...and Also The Biggest Mistake in the Whole First Half of the سیکنڈ Season:
- Too many characters with lack of screen time is the main flaw and, as آپ can perceive from this article, this episode represents it perfectly. With the exception of Cisco, who maintains his true comical personality despite his Meta-human status conflict, both the socially awkward scientists and the non-genius ones, are becoming rather dull characters. Especially, as the principal role who is no longer the main troubled one, Barry turns into an uninteresting, monotonous character. In truth, he doesn't deserve to be the most screen-timed character anymore. Give the screen time to others who need it more! I think Harry Wells should be the main character in this sophomore season. Why? Simple, Barry in season 1 had personal issue with Reverse-Flash, Harry also has it with Zoom.
It's actually a pretty decent episode, if it’s a regular episode. But come on, this is MID-SEASON FINALE. Even in the first season mid-season finale, we saw Barry confessed his love to Iris and knew that Dr Wells was behind the man in yellow suit. In this one, with all those overloaded characters, we only saw Zoom’s uninspiring intention to fatten the Skinny Speedster. If it's about the arrival of Wally West, it doesn’t seem too notable to be in the mid-season finale, unless he ends up becoming an extremely important character and even, one day, kick Barry off from his تخت in this series (*cough, cough* Kid Flash).
Conclusion: It’s a VERY DISAPPOINTING episode. If I’m not excited to see The Flash as I used to be, this is the very episode to be blamed. (★★☆☆☆)
The Flash returns on Tuesday, 19th of January at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.
So, what substantial things that this supposedly amazing episode gave to us??? Three ex-protagonists rogues (Spartacus, Michael Scofield, and Luke Skywalker) vs newbie protagonist hero (The Flash)? Na-ah... Wally West?? Hmmm? The revelation of Zoom's identity??? Yes, please! Well, here are my opinions:
Note: This مضمون may often refers to Arrow (2012 TV series) since The Flash is a spin-off of Arrow, and I believe the latter serves as a template for the Flash, especially for the characters.
[WARNING: DO NOT READ IT UNLESS آپ HAVE WATCHED IT!]
First of All, The Characters of the Episode:
Patty Spivot
'I'm ready to آگ کے, آگ anyone who tries to oppose my intention.' - Detective Spivot.
+ As we have already known, link is created only as the girlfriend of Barry Allen. But thank goodness that eventually, it is a story of Patty’s personal vendetta. She had to face her long lost Meta-enemy, Mark Mardon, who killed her father years ago. Sure, she was a bit selfish and cruel when she did her actions, such as letting no one to stop her vengeance into restraining The Flash سے طرف کی shooting his leg so he could not interrupt her shot to Mardon (though that’s what making her awesome). But when the yellow-streak speedster tried to prevent her سے طرف کی words from doing this nefarious step, she finally came to her senses, choosing to arrest the villain instead. Bravo! If her presence is not only as Barry’s sweetheart, Patty Spivot is a truly lovable character.
The Rogues
(From left to right) Mark Mardon AKA Weather Wizard, Jesse James AKA Trickster, and Leonard Snart AKA Captain Cold.
+ Three times the Weather Wizard appeared in the first season, and in the سیکنڈ one, his character (ummm powers, actually) is improving. Last time we saw him, he escaped from the pipeline with Captain Cold’s help and The Flash’s foolishness. In return, he released the former from the jail and also the Trickster. It’s an entertaining scene for villains when he planned to kill the Flash سے طرف کی working together with the experienced bad guys. Additionally, his broad weather-controlling powers, just like X-Men’s Storm, are amusing to watch.
+ While the First Order and the Resistance busied searching for the last Jedi, he was actually sojourning in Central City! Oh yeah, 'The return of Luke Skywalker' has his own spotlight again, though not as scene-stealing as in 1x17, thanks to his lack of screen time. He retained his amusing, creative and creepy Trickster's qualities, mostly when he became Santa and singing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer song with modified lyrics. >:)
'Flashy the red nose speedster,
Had a very shiny suit,
And if آپ ever saw him,
آپ may even want to puke.'
- The synopsis told us that Weather Wizard returned to break Trickster and Leonard Snart AKA Captain Cold out of Iron Heights and Barry must stop these rogues from taking over Central City during Christmas. The truth is Leonard did not take any part in this scheme. He even warned Barry from the hazard, though preserving his enigmatic manner. It's understandable that he no longer wanted to perform wicked deeds since, in a subtle way, he already switched alignment into good and will be joining as one of the assembled heroes-and-villains in another Arrow's spin-off, link.
The Flash, himself
'And an idiom کہا "lightning never strike twice"...' - The Flash.
- As for Barry Allen, I spotted him three times being stupid when handling the three villains who were also protagonists a couple years ago.
1. First, he pushed Captain Cold without knowing that Iris was the cold gun’s target and later he begged the rogue to tell him the other bad guys’ location.
2. Second, when the Weather Wizard flew, he was only stunned at him without doing anything. Moreover the other Earth-1 members (Barry, Dr Caitlin Snow, and Cisco Ramon) were only doing scientifically explanations on how Mark could fly! Thankfully the Earth-2 members (Jay Garrick and Dr Harry Wells) were مزید competent to handle the situations.
3. Last but not the least, he begged for the سیکنڈ time to the villains to undo the bombs and let them tortured him. What made him so sure that when he ‘died’, they will keep their promise to not exploding the bombs? Thankfully, for the سیکنڈ time, the E-2 members were able to handle this less sinister threat than Zoom’s.
Plainly he trades his brain for speed! With possessing the potentially best powers in this Arrowverse, he is, ironically, far from being a resourceful hero. Without his friends, he is powerless. But what embarrassed me most is that he loves to brag about his powers even though he doesn’t know how to use them properly. His cocky and confident attitudes and his ‘catch me if آپ can’ phrase are really irksome and, for me, have to be stopped if he is still incapable to control his super gifts in utmost. He’s like a seven-year-old kid who boasts about his C- math test to others unashamedly.
Moving اگلے to The Action:
The Attack of the Deadly Dreidels
'My boyfriend is right اگلے beside me and I didn't notice it even though investigating is supposed to be my specialty.' - Detective Spivot.
+ Detective Patty Spivot with gun as her only protection inspecting an abandoned factory, later accompanied سے طرف کی the interfering Flash combined with Trickster’s menacing voice and his spinning dreidels with exploding capability are quite thrilling. Too bad the tense of this action scene diminished at the time The Flash rescued her from the bombs سے طرف کی whirling his arms so fast, rendering both of them levitated. Ummm, Flying Flash? Oh, it’s incredibly silly, I can’t برداشت, ریچھ it.
The Attack of the Rogues
'I'm laying flat on the سٹریٹ, گلی for the bazillion times.' - The Flash.
+ Knowing that only two Rogues who will endanger Central City is dissatisfying. But fortunately, the Weather Wizard and the Trickster were proficient to make their actions enjoyable, starting from The Flash chasing down the gliding Weather Wizard, Santa Trickster’s lethal Christmas gifts to the kids, and the Wizard exercising his extensive powers to beat Barry. Though when Trickster attempted to kill the defenseless Flash with his چھری is too predictably slow (doesn’t mean at that time I wanted The Flash to be dead, but it’s just too foreseeable…), the lamest part is how Team Flash disengaged the bombs سے طرف کی sending them to a portal to be detonated there. I scratched my head hearing their theory and annoyed to see them always successful in their first try. The action scene luckily returned into agreeable once مزید when Patty showed up, striving to complete her mission once and for all.
Then, Stop سے طرف کی at The Drama:
The West family’s dilemma
'Papa! Sister! I came here without telling آپ first. Surprise!' - Wally West.
- All I know is that Iris was in dilemma and she cried, she and Barry told her secret to Joe, Joe was disturbed, Barry consoled him, and voila! Joe and Iris were fine with their dilemma and Wally came to their house without an appointment. And Candice Patton کہا it’s about West family’s drama... Oh well, there are still hopes to explore مزید about the West relationships in the upcoming episodes, right?
Barry and Patty's relationship
Kindred spirits couples never work for me: Oliver Queen and Sara Lance / Patty Spivot and Barry Allen.
- My first thought of Barry has a new girlfriend with Felicity traits (geek, socially awkward, compassionate, witty) makes me sick. Worse, Barry is like Felicity, and I always believe that someone who is very similar to his significant other could never be a good couple. Take an example from Oliver Queen and Sara Lance in season two of Arrow, they were almost kindred spirits too and their relationship was horrible. Ultimately, Oliver ends up with Felicity who is almost the opposite of him and their chemistry is excellent. Don't get me wrong, I like Patty Spivot. She is a charming, cheerful, lively, friendly, brilliant (ugh, if only the writers make her cleverly discovering the other identity of her boyfriend) detective. Plus, she's not fangirling The Flash. Clearly, this episode makes me realise that Patty is too good for Barry. Here are the reasons why Barry is unworthy of her: He is...
* distrustful - Until now, he keeps lying to Patty about his identity.
* dishonest - Another lies to her about his condition and her canned سوپ in 2x07.
* hypocrite - He told Oliver to tell everything to Felicity in Arrow 4x08, which he doesn't do to Patty yet. Another unfair fact is that he knows her private problem first سے طرف کی using his alter ego whilst the seemingly intelligent detective remains clueless to his confidential matter.
* intolerably selfish - With all his selflessness as The Flash, deep down inside, he had a very selfish intention which was to save his mother from death, and this one selfish act in season 1 finale created a singularity, with the possibility of destroying Central City and even the whole universe. It costed the life of his two friends, Eddie Thawne and Ronnie Raymond. He quickly made Caitlin a widow after her marriage on the same دن and Iris lost her fiance (on the same دن too? I've forgotten).
Patty's only selfish action was to avenge her father's murderer and, as I've written above, she did it without harming others یا even herself (yeah, Barry was credited, though if she really did kill Mark, she will only hurt herself and the inmate).
In addition, it is too evident that their relationship exists because that is what the writers want. Grant Gustin and Shantel VanSanten’s chemistry is purely from the script, unnatural. I really wish their relationship will end sooner than later.
Caitlin and Jay’s relationship
'Is this bla bla bla in Earth-2?' - Dr Snow 'Yes, bla bla bla.' - جے Garrick *kissing time!*
- What I see in Jaitlin is that Caitlin had already six months recovery from her newly husband’s demise and suddenly she is attracted with the tall and handsome broken hero from other Earth. She thinks that he is like Thor, having different stuffs in his reality from hers. She also believes in everything he کہا because he’s E-2 Flash and scientist یا just because she’s plainly, umm… infatuated? At last سے طرف کی kissing under the mistletoe, it’s official that they are in a relationship. Definitely, their relationship is called rushed, though I could still tolerate it since perhaps they have their own off-screen romantic moments, as most of the on-screen romantic scenes are for Barry and Patty.
Ultimately, The Most Important Thing in the Whole Ninth Episode...:
'Who کہا I always look demonic? With these candy colours, I'm as sweet as other characters.' - Zoom.
- Yes, Zoom and Harry’s agreement. However, what's the point if it's not the main plot? Zoom's aim is to increase Barry's powers and, seriously, it doesn't attract me at all! It's so like Reverse-Flash's, back in season 1, with only different motives (he wants to steal the impending E-1 Flash’s bloated Speed Force while RF just wanted to go ہوم *miss آپ Eoby!*). Furthermore, the fact that E-2 Harry Wells will mess Barry's life again doesn't encouraged me, as it's quite a repetition to E-1's fake Wells. I'll be surprised if the result of his actions will end unexpectedly astounding.
...and Also The Biggest Mistake in the Whole First Half of the سیکنڈ Season:
One, two, three, four... I cannot count. (Currently, the white-haired professor is replaced سے طرف کی the brunet doctor from Earth-2.)
- Too many characters with lack of screen time is the main flaw and, as آپ can perceive from this article, this episode represents it perfectly. With the exception of Cisco, who maintains his true comical personality despite his Meta-human status conflict, both the socially awkward scientists and the non-genius ones, are becoming rather dull characters. Especially, as the principal role who is no longer the main troubled one, Barry turns into an uninteresting, monotonous character. In truth, he doesn't deserve to be the most screen-timed character anymore. Give the screen time to others who need it more! I think Harry Wells should be the main character in this sophomore season. Why? Simple, Barry in season 1 had personal issue with Reverse-Flash, Harry also has it with Zoom.
It's actually a pretty decent episode, if it’s a regular episode. But come on, this is MID-SEASON FINALE. Even in the first season mid-season finale, we saw Barry confessed his love to Iris and knew that Dr Wells was behind the man in yellow suit. In this one, with all those overloaded characters, we only saw Zoom’s uninspiring intention to fatten the Skinny Speedster. If it's about the arrival of Wally West, it doesn’t seem too notable to be in the mid-season finale, unless he ends up becoming an extremely important character and even, one day, kick Barry off from his تخت in this series (*cough, cough* Kid Flash).
Conclusion: It’s a VERY DISAPPOINTING episode. If I’m not excited to see The Flash as I used to be, this is the very episode to be blamed. (★★☆☆☆)
The Flash returns on Tuesday, 19th of January at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.
