The Flash returns after a short hiatus to reveal Zoom’s backstory on season 2, episode 18, “Versus Zoom.”
In the previous episode, “Flash Back,” Barry realized he’s not fast enough to confront Zoom, so he decided to talk to a speedster genius: Eobard Thawne. In order to do so, Barry traveled back to the previous year and took his own place for an afternoon to get Thawne’s advice on the speed equation.
However, things didn’t go as planned and Thawne figured out Barry was from the future. Thinking quickly, Barry convinced Thawne to help him by bluffing the existence of a letter that would tell season 1 Barry the truth about Thawne stealing Harrison Wells’ identity.
Additionally, Barry was targeted by a Time Wraith. The season 1 S.T.A.R. Labs team helped Barry get back to his own time, bringing the Time Wraith with him. In the present day, the combined efforts of Caitlin, Cisco and Hartley Rathaway defeated the Wraith. That’s right, Barry’s time traveling somehow brought Hartley back into the S.T.A.R. Labs fold.
The synopsis for The Flash season 2, episode 18, “Versus Zoom,” reads:
“BARRY IS READY TO FACE ZOOM; HUNTER ZOLOMAN’S STORY IS REVEALED – Equipped with the tachyon device, Barry (Grant Gustin) believes he is fast enough to stop Zoom (guest star Teddy Sears) and wants to open the breaches to catch him. Harry (Tom Cavanagh) strongly advises against that plan but after Barry convinces him, Harry reveals that Cisco (Carlos Valdes) has the power to re-open the breach. Meanwhile, Hunter Zoloman’s (Teddy Sears) painful story on Earth-2 is revealed. Stefan Pleszcynski directed the episode written by Joe Peracchio & David Kob (#218).”
I wrote a history of the character in the DC Comics, which you can read here. It’ll be interesting to see how much The Flash‘s take on the character matches up with the comic book lore.
Additionally, check out a comic preview for the episode from the official Flash Tumblr:
Could this be how Barry gets to Kara’s Earth on Supergirl? He is wearing a tachyon device when he arrives there, after all.
Finally, watch a scene from the episode between Harry and Joe. Harry doesn’t want to see Barry try to open the breaches to Earth-2 again, but Joe knows there’s no changing Barry’s mind once he’s made it:
