The Flash season 2, episode 13, “Welcome to Earth-2,” flipped the script on the characters from Earth-1.

In this episode, the team closes all the breaches but the one in S.T.A.R. Labs, and then Harry, Cisco and Barry use the Speed Cannon to travel to Earth-2 while Caitlin, Jay and Joe stay behind. When the trio reaches Earth-2, they immediately run into Dr. Henry Hewitt, who they know on Earth-1 as the man who failed the compatibility test with Martin Stein to be the next Firestorm. He was a villain there but a good guy on Earth-2.

This should have been their first clue that they would run into some familiar faces with different loyalties than they’re familiar with. In fact, we meet quite a few familiar faces — and get even more Easter eggs. So, just who did we see?

Doppelgangers

Barry Allen

Barry’s Earth-2 counterpart is also a CSI, though he’s a bit of a nerd, complete with glasses and a bow tie. According to Joe West, with whom he’s on bad terms, he’s selfish. Oh, and he’s married to Iris.

Iris West

Iris is the one and only Detective West on Earth-2. Despite interning at Central City Picture News, she was inspired to become a cop because of her grandfather. She’s tough, a great shot and married to one Barry Allen.

Floyd Lawton

That’s right, we got to meet Earth-2’s Deadshot — only he’s Detective Iris West’s partner at CCPD and a terrible shot. The nickname Deadshot makes fun of how bad his aim is. This was a big surprise, as he was killed off in Arrow season 3, reportedly because the character is being used in the Suicide Squad movie.

Joe West

Joe is a singer — which lets Jesse L. Martin show off his Broadway pipes. He’s close with Iris but can’t stand Barry. However, he sacrifices himself when Barry and Iris are attacked by Killer Frost and Deathstorm.

Nora Allen

Barry’s mother is alive on Earth-2, and Barry gets a chance to talk to her on the phone in a tear-jerking scene. Go ahead, Flash. We didn’t need our hearts anyway.

Caitlin Snow

Caitlin has become her comic book counterpart of Killer Frost on Earth-2. She’s cold (pun intended), ruthless and loyal to (or at least suitably afraid of) Zoom, for whom she and her partner, Deathstorm, are working. She unapologetically enjoys inflicting violence on those around her.

Ronnie Raymond

Ronnie gets a temporary reprieve on Earth-2, as he has taken over Firestorm and become Deathstorm, working alongside Killer Frost. His heat allows him to be intimate with her, making them the ultimate pairing. However, his hot-headedness gets him killed by Zoom for not following orders.

Cisco Ramon

Cisco is shocked to learn his doppelganger is a minor crime boss working for Zoom. He goes by the name Reverb. He has developed his powers significantly more than Cisco has or has even imagined he could, so he gives Cisco something to aim for once he returns to Earth-1. Ironically, Reverb meets his end when Zoom vibrates a hand through his chest, echoing Cisco’s death at the hands of Eobard Thawne in the aborted timeline.

Easter eggs

Which other Easter eggs did you notice?

Also worth noting

  1. Zoom kidnaps Barry and holds him hostage alongside Jesse and a mysterious man in a mask. Though Zoom wants to take Barry’s speed, he still has some steps to take first so Barry will live… for now.
  2. Jay reveals the real reason he’s dying: After becoming a speedster, he created Velocity 6 for himself, and the side effects are killing him, not Zoom. That’s why he never wanted Barry to find out about the serum.
  3. Caitlin will continue trying to help Jay. She’s working to upgrade the Velocity serum to something that works for the one who takes it.

Overall, this is easily the best episode of The Flash season 2 so far, and it will be exciting to see how everything pans out in the second part of this two-parter.

Watch a promo for the next episode

What did you think of ‘The Flash’ season 2, episode 13, ‘Welcome to Earth-2’?