The Flash’s Best Episode Comes in Its Worst Season

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In its best moments, The Flash truly excels. The initial season starts off powerfully as it explores Barry Allen’s journey to master his super-speed while also delving into the mystery surrounding his mother’s death. A surprising twist unfolds when it is revealed that Barry’s mentor, Harrison Wells, is actually a speedster from the future named Eobard Thawne, leading to an intense rivalry between them. This rivalry pushes the Arrowverse to new limits, and Season 2 doesn’t disappoint as it introduces Zoom as a new adversary for Barry and his allies. However, the show experiences a decline in quality following that point.

As a die-hard fan of The Flash, I must admit that season 3 felt like it was swimming against the current, introducing yet another enigmatic speedster, Savitar. But boy, did things take a turn for the worse in season 4! It seemed as if the dam had burst, flooding the series with underwhelming villains and an overabundance of melodrama. However, there was one shining moment in season 4 that truly stood out – “Enter Flashtime.” This episode really tested the mettle of Barry Allen and his team to their very core.

The Flash Is Stuck Between a Rock and a Nuclear Place in Season 4

In Season 4 of The Flash, Barry Allen faces a challenging situation as he emerges from the Speed Force, only to encounter a new antagonist determined to bring him down. Unlike past adversaries, this one – known as The Thinker – employs intellectual prowess rather than brute force, causing chaos across Central City to divert The Flash’s focus from his ultimate objective. The Thinker even manages to implicate Barry in a murder charge, leading to his arrest. Once Team Flash successfully clears Barry’s name, they regroup to devise a strategy to defeat The Thinker. However, before they can make significant progress, another problem arises, requiring their immediate attention.

In episode 15 of Season 4, titled “Enter Flashtime,” an eco-terrorist gang detonates a nuclear bomb in Central City, placing everyone Barry Allen cares about in immediate danger. To prevent instant tragedy, The Flash manipulates time around him and consults with his fellow speedster Jesse Quick on a course of action. However, they are unable to find a solution, so they turn to Jay Garrick for help, who has extensive experience. The group contemplates throwing the bomb into the Speed Force as a possible solution, but Jay cautions that such an act would lead to the extinction of all speedsters. Feeling responsible for the multiverse, Barry struggles to find another way, pushing him to the brink. It isn’t until he has an emotionally charged conversation with his wife, Iris West-Allen, and takes a significant risk that he manages to save the day.

The Rest of The Flash Season 4 Can’t Hold a Candle to “Enter Flashtime”

In the latter half of Season 4, The Flash stumbles at the finish line. The Thinker’s scheme is confusingly convoluted, making it tough to grasp his motivations behind each action. His ultimate aim is to reduce global intelligence due to his belief that humanity excessively depends on technology. While a reduction in screen time might be beneficial, The Thinker swiftly veers off course, and the series doesn’t effectively establish his actions as justifiable. Even The Thinker’s spouse, Marlize DeVoe, distances herself when she discovers he intends to seize power. Interestingly, this ambition for world domination is essentially present from the get-go, as controlling knowledge equates to ruling Earth’s inhabitants.

Even when The Thinker isn’t present on-screen, there aren’t many elements to latch onto. A cryptic character appears in multiple locations across the season, and it’s evident she is Barry and Iris’s daughter from the future. However, The Flash seems to build up Nora West-Allen’s identity as a significant revelation, making it the cliffhanger for Season 4. The impact could have been greater if the episodes leading up to it were more engaging, but unfortunately, “Enter Flashtime” was merely a diamond hidden in rough material.

The Flash is streaming on Netflix.

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2025-07-14 02:11