The Flash Season 4 Episode 15: Enter Flashtime Review

If you would like to read my review of the last episode, click here.

Synopsis: When a nuclear bomb detonates in downtown Central City, Barry, Jesse Quick, and Jay Garrick slow down time by entering Flashtime. As everyone in the city is frozen, the three speedsters push themselves to the breaking point to save the city and everyone in it.  (TVGuide) 

Writers: Todd Helbing & Sterling Gates

Director: Gregory Smith

Rating: TV-PG

Running Time: 43 minutes

This season of The Flash has been somewhat boring and slow, however, tonight’s episode takes a break from the DeVoe storyline to give us something fresh. It is so refreshing to not hear about the bus metas, watch DeVoe switch to another body, or watch another Ralph-centric episode. While tonight’s episode isn’t The Flash’s best episode ever, it is the most exciting one for the season and was The Flash we all know and love.

The episode starts off with a panicked Barry enveloping Iris into super-speed with him and telling her that he can’t save them this time. What exactly do they need saving from? It appears a nuclear bomb has been detonated and over the course of eight minutes, Barry has not been able to figure out a way to stop it from killing everyone.

A flashback to approximately eight minutes before he goes to Iris shows Barry, Cisco, and Iris trying to figure out a plan to defeat DeVoe. This was the only mention of DeVoe this episode, thankfully. However, their brainstorming session is interrupted when Wells calls for their attention. Cisco has found a way to track DeVoe’s warping signatures meaning they can track his every move. And in the midst of this discovery, Jesse Quick makes her return after receiving an apology cube sans apology from Wells. She is upset with Wells because he refuses to face his wife’s death.

And then comes the dilemma of the episode. Joe is seen fighting off a bunch of men that are after something in an ARGUS container. We quickly learn that there is a nuclear detonator inside the container that is set off by someone named Veronica Dale (Bernadette Saquibal). In that exact moment, Barry and Jesse slow down time along with the explosion. In a state of super-speed, they realize the explosion is going to take place regardless. Barry tells Jesse to bring Jay Garrick from Earth-3. In the meantime, he brings Cisco into super speed with him. Unfortunately, due to being in hyper speed, Cisco does not have enough time to vibe the bomb to a dead Earth.

Unable to breach the bomb, Barry realizes it needs to be sent away somewhere. He has the idea of sending it into the Speed Force, but Jay tells him that by doing so it would destroy the Speed Force, and take away the speed of every speedster in the multiverse. However, Barry just wants to save the city and is willing to take that risk if necessary.

They decide to go down another route by attempting to cool down the bomb. Barry wakes up Killer Frost but it appears her powers are fairly useless in Flashtime as well. The notable part about this scene was that as Barry is about to take her out of Flashtime she tells him to make sure he doesn’t let Caity die. With close to no options left, they realize that they have to create enough energy to stop the bomb’s reaction which entails the energy only a fusion machine can create. All the while, it appears staying in constant super speed is taking a toll on Jay.

Jesse realizes that since there is no fusion machine at their disposal and that the three of them are the machine and have enough energy to offset the bomb’s energy. Unfortunately, Jay is unable to create any and breaks down. Jesse suggests going back in time to stop the bomb from detonating but as Barry’s history dictates, this is not a good idea.

As Cisco told Barry earlier, as the reaction continues to grow, the color of it will change. The reaction changes to a bright purple as Barry realizes that they are slowing down as everyone else is speeding up and sends Jesse away. In a clutch moment, Barry goes to Iris to tell her it’s over, who has an idea to stop the reaction. Remember the Quark Sphere with Barry’s genetic material? She believes he can use that to draw lightning out of the Speed Force providing sufficient energy to destroy the reaction.

Thanks to Iris, Barry is able to stop the bomb from killing everyone and all is well once again. Wells and Jesse even share a super emotional moment (which I loved!) as he finally opens up to her about his wife. On his way out, Jay informs the team he will be retiring and will be training a girl to take over for him as a speedster. Who might it be?!

The episode ends with Caitlin and Wells at Jitters, where yet again, the mysterious girl shows up. What is her purpose? I hope we find out soon!

Tonight’s episode of The Flash was waaaay better than anything else this season. I was fully engaged and excited in almost every moment that passed by and I haven’t felt like that about The Flash in so long. Even though DeVoe certainly has something to do with what happened this episode, it was just refreshing to not have another episode centered on him. I really hope this momentum continues for the rest of the season because tonight The Flash took us back to its roots–and we loved it.

Score: 8/10

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