The Flash season 2, episode 6, “Enter Zoom,” aired tonight. Read our recap and discuss the episode with fellow fans.
Barry’s motives
When Dr. Light escapes, Barry gets the idea to lure Zoom to Earth-1 by having Linda play Dr. Light. Linda needs closure with her doppelganger, so she agrees. After an adorable and amusing training montage with Linda, Barry wants to go ahead with the plan. Joe suggests Barry’s so gung-ho about getting Zoom because he never got closure with the Reverse Flash.
Later, Barry acknowledges that his issue is related to what Wells/Thawne said on the video. Barry remains haunted by not saving his mother in the past. Joe tells him to think about what makes him happy and to go for that. Barry takes his advice and goes to find Patty.
It makes sense that Barry would remain haunted by not taking the opportunity to save his mother’s life. Even though his future self warned him against changing things — and he may intellectually know he made the right choice — the emotional trauma of being there as his mother died would only make the worst night of his life worse.
Even with his father free of prison, Barry still doesn’t have him in his life. Not in the way he wants, anyway. It must be terrifying for Barry to think that there is no chance for him to be happy — not really, anyway. Projecting those feelings onto this new conflict with Zoom seems only natural.
And then there was Zoom
Zoom arrives on Earth-1 to reveal that he knew the team was fooling him from the start. And Zoom’s power outclasses Barry’s in every way. But where the Reverse Flash was faster than Barry at first and made sure Barry knew it in that stadium showdown, Zoom wants everyone to know he is superior to Barry. In a haunting sequence, Zoom drags Barry’s unconscious body around town, showing off his defeat.
This is rather fascinating, as the Eobard Thawne/Barry Allen conflict was personal. Thawne hated Barry and so targeted him and his loved ones. But Zoom’s motives aren’t personal — not with Barry, anyway (there is definitely something going on between him and Wells). Zoom is as obsessed with being the fastest man on any world, which changes the villain/hero dynamic for this season. It will be interesting to see how this conflict develops and becomes more personal.
The first step in making it personal, though, was the fact that Barry woke up unable to feel his legs. Zoom took away Barry’s legs, the very things that give him his power and his sense of identity.
And can we talk about how terrifying Zoom was? Because he was pretty damn scary. Well played, Flash. Well played. Now the question becomes just who he is. (See our theories here.)
Wells’ backstory
In flashbacks, we learn that Zoom targeted Wells’ daughter, Jesse Chambers Wells, to get at him. After several failed attempts to vibe off of Wells, Cisco succeeds and learns that Zoom has his daughter and wants to know why Wells went to Earth-1.
After Barry’s defeat, Cisco reveals that he saw Wells’ daughter alive, and Wells says he came to Earth-1 to get Barry’s help in capturing Zoom so he could rescue his daughter.
Also worth noting
- In Earth-2, Robert Queen was unmasked as the Hood. Oliver was killed on the boat accident. Interesting.
- Barry revealed his secret identity to Linda. She had perhaps the line of the night: “I made out with The Flash.”
- Meanwhile, Patty was hurt that Joe’s keeping secrets from her — and even Barry skipped out on dinner with her to take care of something with Joe. However, she makes Barry happy and he wants to continue exploring their relationship. How long until she’s brought in on the secret?
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