The Flash Season 2 Episode 19. Versus Zoom
This episode starts out with Barry testing out the tachyon speed booster to see exactly how fast he can run. We see that Barry goes through a time stream and makes the jump to what we will call Earth 3 which would be the episode with The Flash and Supergirl. He comes back through the portal in what we see no time at all, but feels like he has been gone for a while. He even asks how long he has been gone when he gets back to Star Labs. If you didnt catch the Supergirl/The Flash Crossover you need to try to see it. Barry at this point seems to be getting a lot faster. He knows it and the rest of the team knows it.
Barry expresses his concerns with trying to open up the breaches and going through the portals to Earth 2 to confront Zoom since they knew he was Jay Garrick. Which they found out that he was Jay because of Cisco and his Vibes. Barry wanted to try to use Cisco like Zoom had used Reverb to use his vibes to open up the link between the Multi-Verses. Cisco wanted to try he wanted to be able to help Barry, but he couldn’t do it. When Barry confronted him about not being able to open the portals Cisco expressed that he felt like he was turning into Reverb. Barry had to explain to him that no matter what the consequence he would never be like Reverb. Barry needed Cisco’s help, but also wanted him to be able to control his abilities better and this was the best way to learn. I did enjoy that Barry promised he would be there for Cisco every step of the way.
Harrison Wells was still against the opening breeches up, even to the point that he went to Joe. He wanted Joe to talk Barry out of being so reckless. Joe explained to Harrison Wells that he hadn’t been able to change Barry’s mind about anything in years, but asked Wells to promise that he would help Barry face Zoom and do what he needed to do. Wells promised that he would help Barry if thats what Joe wanted since they had all been so helpful in saving his daughter.
Back in the Lab when Wells expresses that he is ready to help Barry we all get a big time reveal. Caitlyn explains that she had been working with Jay to help cure him of his sickness that was caused by the Velocity speed serum. They had found his doppleganger on this planet, but the weird thing is he had a different name. On Earth 1 Jay Garrick was Hunter Zolomon. Harrison Wells immediately knew the name. This is where everything gets interesting. Harrison Wells goes on to explain that Hunter Zolomon watched his father murder his mother when he was a child, which would put him into an orphanage. After which he would go on to kill 23 people. So he was locked away and had been experimented on with electro shock therapy. One of those nights was when the Particle Accelerator had exploded which would give Hunter Zolomon the abilities of the Flash. Barry and team Flash now had a way to try and trap Zoom.
After a good talk and a couple of fixes to the goggles that Cisco had Barry and Cisco started again. He was ready to open up the breech and bring Zoom through after what he had just heard. On Earth 2 Zoom or Hunter or Jay whatever you want to call him could feel the breech opening up. He immediately made his way through to Earth 1, where he was confronted by Barry. He made a few threats and it was off to the races. Barry was clearly out running Zoom, every step of the way. Team Flash was hidden in the time room for safety so that Zoom couldn’t get to them. Barry meanwhile was luring him to the trap that was set for him. Barry had Zoom in the trap with a picture, or cardboard cut outs of his parents at ever turn. Barry finally used Ciscos meta human gun to stop him for a moment. The two of them had a talk. Barry wanted an explanation as to why he had chosen to be Zoom, why he had chosen to kill people. Hunter/Zoom explained to Barry With his fragile mental state Zolomon created a persona of sorts who is called Jay Garrick. Which he used as the Flash to give people hope and as he stated take it away as Zoom. He also explained to Barry that their pasts were all to similar, their mothers were killed and their fathers were the only ones to blame. He however doesn’t know the entire story of Barry’s past. He explained to Barry that even his family will pay, and Barry suggested that even his family was no longer a weakness. Which as always proved to be incorrect. Zoom raced off to Joe’s house of all places and had kidnapped Wally. The only way to get him back was for Barry to give up his speed.
Barry had made the decision to bring Zoom back and give him his speed. Cisco contacted Zoom/Hunter/Jay with a vibe to let him know. Zoom made his way back to Star Labs with Wally. They all sat down with a super villain after this and had a chat. Zoom seemed to be willing to give up a lot of information just to get Barry’s speed. They all wanted to know exactly how he done what he did with Jay considering Jay and Zoom had appeared together a couple of times in the same room together. Zoom explained that he had went back in time, and convinced a time remnant of himself to go with him to the future and he used him as Jay Garrick—The Flash that had come to Earth 1. He also let some information slip that we may have already known but he isn’t as strong as Reverse Flash at least not yet. He can’t produce the speed mirage which was one of the Reverse Flash go to moves. After getting all of this information, Barry decided to get on the treadmill and run his speed force dry. Which we all know won’t last long it will take a few days maybe a week or two and he will regain his speed and be able to get back to training to take out Zoom once and for all.
Of course after Zoom had his speed he became enraged. Which if i forgot to mention he seems consumed by darkness, which means he could be after the speedsters because he wants their speed because he is considered Death or some form of it when he is taking their speeds, just a theory. Or this could just be a plot line to tie in Superman and DarkSeid. I hope its the second one, but I doubt it. I guess I will just have to settle with him being an enraged madman hellbent on destroying all speedsters. Either way he was trying to kill Barry, but Caitlyn stopped him begged him to not kill him. In the end Zoom ran away with Caitlyn and Team Flash was powerless to stop him.
This episode to date was the weakest episode of The Flash. To much talking not enough action. The only good thing was that we found out more and more about Hunter/Jay/Zoom. We now know that Jay Garrick may have never even existed in this universe, he was just a split personality of a mad man. I give this episode a 7/10.
*Barry is getting faster
*Barry Loses his speed to Zoom.
*Zoom Reveals that he is Hunter Zolomon.
*We see Vibe coming into his own.
*Earth 1 Version of Caitlyn could be around the corner to Killer Frost.
Next week we will see the Fall Out of what happened with Zoom and how it will effect Barry and Team Flash as he is now powerless against meta humans. Im excited to see how this is going to turn out!