The Flash: Out of Time
March 17, 2015 8:14 PM - Season 1, Episode 15 - Subscribe
Iris and Eddie have a surprise double date with Linda and Barry. Cisco revisits the time they caught the Reverse Flash and concludes that things don't add up. Joe is threatened by the brother of the first Weather Wizard.
Both Linda and Eddie become suspicious of the relationship between Barry and Iris when during a double date at a bowling alley.
The brother of the first Weather Wizard (seen in the pilot) who also has the same power to manipulate weather attempts to avenge his brother's death at the hands of Joe. The Flash sees an echo of himself while running to the scene of the first Weather Wizard murder, the Central City Morgue.
The Weather Wizard attacks at the precinct and almost kills Captain Singh, paralyzing him. Joe goes after the WW and is abducted by him in an effort to lure his daughter to the waterfront. Barry comes with her and, while there, she admits her love to him.
Cisco figures out that nothing about the Reverse Flash escaping makes any sense. He asks Caitlin to keep Dr Wells occupied the next day. He sees through her ruse and rushes back to the lab, leaving behind his wheelchair and his glasses. He confronts Cisco and reveals himself to be Eobard Thawne, a distant relative of Eddie from the future. He says he didn't mean to kill Nora Allen, but that he came to the past to kill Barry Allen and got stuck here in our time for the past 15 years. With a speeding hand, he kills Cisco.
The Weather Wizard sends a tidal wave towards Central City. Barry asks Caitlyn what he can do to stop it. She says he could theoretically run along the shore to build up a wind barrier to dissipate the energy of the wave, but she doubts he can run that fast. Apologizing to Iris for the way she's about to find out, Barry changes into his Flash costume and runs off...building up enough speed to...break through the time barrier and to the time when he saw his echo a day earlier.
Both Linda and Eddie become suspicious of the relationship between Barry and Iris when during a double date at a bowling alley.
The brother of the first Weather Wizard (seen in the pilot) who also has the same power to manipulate weather attempts to avenge his brother's death at the hands of Joe. The Flash sees an echo of himself while running to the scene of the first Weather Wizard murder, the Central City Morgue.
The Weather Wizard attacks at the precinct and almost kills Captain Singh, paralyzing him. Joe goes after the WW and is abducted by him in an effort to lure his daughter to the waterfront. Barry comes with her and, while there, she admits her love to him.
Cisco figures out that nothing about the Reverse Flash escaping makes any sense. He asks Caitlin to keep Dr Wells occupied the next day. He sees through her ruse and rushes back to the lab, leaving behind his wheelchair and his glasses. He confronts Cisco and reveals himself to be Eobard Thawne, a distant relative of Eddie from the future. He says he didn't mean to kill Nora Allen, but that he came to the past to kill Barry Allen and got stuck here in our time for the past 15 years. With a speeding hand, he kills Cisco.
The Weather Wizard sends a tidal wave towards Central City. Barry asks Caitlyn what he can do to stop it. She says he could theoretically run along the shore to build up a wind barrier to dissipate the energy of the wave, but she doubts he can run that fast. Apologizing to Iris for the way she's about to find out, Barry changes into his Flash costume and runs off...building up enough speed to...break through the time barrier and to the time when he saw his echo a day earlier.
Yeah, Carlos Valdes absolutely killed it in that scene. Err... So to speak.
posted by mstokes650 at 8:44 PM on March 17, 2015 [8 favorites]
posted by mstokes650 at 8:44 PM on March 17, 2015 [8 favorites]
Oh shit, y'all, that was intense for a Grodd-free episode.
There are at least three time travel story lines on TV now. Inside me, a 13-year-old girl is squeeing about that, but I was not feeling Barry and Iris kissing when papa West is freaking kidnapped with a broken jutting bone nearby. Timing, people! Also: ew, no. Barry and Iris feel wrong to me, like actual brother and sister.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 9:23 PM on March 17, 2015
There are at least three time travel story lines on TV now. Inside me, a 13-year-old girl is squeeing about that, but I was not feeling Barry and Iris kissing when papa West is freaking kidnapped with a broken jutting bone nearby. Timing, people! Also: ew, no. Barry and Iris feel wrong to me, like actual brother and sister.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 9:23 PM on March 17, 2015
Yeah, I just cannot get on board with Iris suddenly changing her mind and cheating on her boyfriend just because Barry started seeing her coworker.
Oh, poor Cisco!!!!
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:12 PM on March 17, 2015
Oh, poor Cisco!!!!
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:12 PM on March 17, 2015
Ugh. Lame. Ass. Reset. Button.
Best episode ever until Barry blasted backwards through time.
posted by eyeballkid at 10:54 PM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best episode ever until Barry blasted backwards through time.
posted by eyeballkid at 10:54 PM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
The Biris kiss. UGH. No. Just no. In fact, that was what I started chanting over and over again during that scene.
And if Barry actually does get to change the time stream, I'm expecting he'll be there to save Cisco. Maybe if we're lucky, the whole thing with Iris will be erased, too. But I'll be happy enough if we get to keep Cisco.
How the show is going to treat time travel is pretty critical, since there's clearly a huge amount of it just about to happen. I'm wondering just how that's all going to play out since Spoiler in Hovertext
posted by ursus_comiter at 10:55 PM on March 17, 2015
And if Barry actually does get to change the time stream, I'm expecting he'll be there to save Cisco. Maybe if we're lucky, the whole thing with Iris will be erased, too. But I'll be happy enough if we get to keep Cisco.
How the show is going to treat time travel is pretty critical, since there's clearly a huge amount of it just about to happen. I'm wondering just how that's all going to play out since Spoiler in Hovertext
posted by ursus_comiter at 10:55 PM on March 17, 2015
Ugh, I hate these kinds of resets, especially when it defuses/erases the emotional impact of significant events. But then some of those events probably need to be erased (Barry's reveal, the kiss.) I know that canonically, Barry is supposed to marry Iris, but it just doesn't feel right this time. Maybe it is just a rushing issue, not enough time to allow realistic developments in their relationship.
Yeah, I too have been wondering how the time travel issue with his mother would be handled in relation to [Spoiler]. But as little as I know of that storyline, it seems this version of his mother's death has an important difference with the Reverse Flash, so that probably frees us from other potential messes not self-inflicted by this show.
posted by insert.witticism.here at 11:31 PM on March 17, 2015
Yeah, I too have been wondering how the time travel issue with his mother would be handled in relation to [Spoiler]. But as little as I know of that storyline, it seems this version of his mother's death has an important difference with the Reverse Flash, so that probably frees us from other potential messes not self-inflicted by this show.
posted by insert.witticism.here at 11:31 PM on March 17, 2015
Holy shit this episode!
I'm kind of impressed with how slowly Wells killed Cisco. Dude's amazingly fast, but managed to draw that one out. I'm really curious what the rest of his plan is after that. Caitlin's next?
Also:
Maybe it is just a rushing issue
Boo!
posted by ODiV at 11:43 PM on March 17, 2015
I'm kind of impressed with how slowly Wells killed Cisco. Dude's amazingly fast, but managed to draw that one out. I'm really curious what the rest of his plan is after that. Caitlin's next?
Also:
Maybe it is just a rushing issue
Boo!
posted by ODiV at 11:43 PM on March 17, 2015
Oh, and the nod to Quantum Leap was funny.
posted by ODiV at 11:44 PM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by ODiV at 11:44 PM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
This episode was bananas. It had pretty much All The Reveals except for Grodd, but then most of them were wiped away by the time travel. Though the fact that Barry now knows Iris has feelings for him will probably lead to more moping as he'll end up doing something to prevent her from coming out with them next time around.
I liked the twist with Weather Wizard's baton, where it is now a thing that stops him from using his powers rather than the thing that does.
Cisco has justified his existence 100%. That he was killed "Vibe style" was a nice call back/forward.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 3:35 AM on March 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
I liked the twist with Weather Wizard's baton, where it is now a thing that stops him from using his powers rather than the thing that does.
Cisco has justified his existence 100%. That he was killed "Vibe style" was a nice call back/forward.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 3:35 AM on March 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
I loved seeing second Sparticus as Weather Wizard. If we are going to continue the trend of actors from that show appearing here, can we have Gannicus show up as Ralph Dibny, pretty please?
I'm ok with the reset button. What I'm not ok with is Barry ending up in the exact same spot as he was before. He should be aware that he's running around out there and try not to bump into himself. It's far too convenient for him to not to be. And we already saw Reverse Flash having an afterimage, which showed him in two places at once.
posted by Catblack at 3:58 AM on March 18, 2015
I'm ok with the reset button. What I'm not ok with is Barry ending up in the exact same spot as he was before. He should be aware that he's running around out there and try not to bump into himself. It's far too convenient for him to not to be. And we already saw Reverse Flash having an afterimage, which showed him in two places at once.
posted by Catblack at 3:58 AM on March 18, 2015
Gosh dammit, I was hoping they'd have the courage to kill Cisco.
No one ever stays dead, I have to remember that.
posted by FallowKing at 4:52 AM on March 18, 2015
No one ever stays dead, I have to remember that.
posted by FallowKing at 4:52 AM on March 18, 2015
Poor Cisco. He doesn't even try to run, because he knows there's no hope of escape. He's completely broken in that moment.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:02 AM on March 18, 2015 [8 favorites]
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:02 AM on March 18, 2015 [8 favorites]
Boo for reset button in theory, but yay for it being executed exactly right. That I didn't see it coming makes me feel dumb, which I think is a good thing. And that it happened so quickly it made taking away the reveals that happened before not feel like a cheat.
Cisco's death made me realize I find the character a lot less annoying than I did previously because I was not only moved but a little bummed.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 7:01 AM on March 18, 2015 [4 favorites]
Cisco's death made me realize I find the character a lot less annoying than I did previously because I was not only moved but a little bummed.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 7:01 AM on March 18, 2015 [4 favorites]
I'd missed the first ten minutes and I thought I'd missed an entire episode. This thing was packed.
posted by dinty_moore at 7:30 AM on March 18, 2015
posted by dinty_moore at 7:30 AM on March 18, 2015
Now that's how you return from hiatus. Apart from the Barry-Iris blah, this was a damn good episode. I'm in agreement with everyone on the development Cisco has made since the pilot, too.
posted by zombieflanders at 7:40 AM on March 18, 2015
posted by zombieflanders at 7:40 AM on March 18, 2015
I literally turned to my housemate and was said "It is a shame this character is going to die just as the actor finally learned how to act." He is so much more tolerable now. I assume he's not going to die the second time around, and I'm okay with that, although I dislike deaths being undone too much.
On the other hand, there seems a good chance that the Captain's paralysis will also be undone, and I am all onboard with that, I really did not want to lose him from the show.
Annoyed that now we are stuck with Iris not knowing again. I was willing to put up with the hideous incesty-romance for the sake of not having that wretchedly poor-choice of a secret hanging out there.
posted by instead of three wishes at 8:01 AM on March 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
On the other hand, there seems a good chance that the Captain's paralysis will also be undone, and I am all onboard with that, I really did not want to lose him from the show.
Annoyed that now we are stuck with Iris not knowing again. I was willing to put up with the hideous incesty-romance for the sake of not having that wretchedly poor-choice of a secret hanging out there.
posted by instead of three wishes at 8:01 AM on March 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
I was kinda hoping that Barry would be back before the (terrible) date and be able to have an awesome one, but thinking back, he's arrived to just after it, hasn't he? I'm not sure he'd be able to focus after that kiss with Iris though, so that's unfortunate.
Since last night I've been going over the things that might change. One that almost slipped my mind completely was:
"Oh by the way kid, I have a MacGuffin in a secure digital file."
posted by ODiV at 8:27 AM on March 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
Since last night I've been going over the things that might change. One that almost slipped my mind completely was:
"Oh by the way kid, I have a MacGuffin in a secure digital file."
posted by ODiV at 8:27 AM on March 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
“We didn’t even script that [Cisco] cries; it was a notion that Tom and Carlos worked out where the minute Tom walks into the room, Carlos knows he’s going to die. It wasn’t even something we intended, it’s what they brought to it.”
I'm even more impressed now.
posted by ODiV at 8:39 AM on March 18, 2015 [10 favorites]
I'm even more impressed now.
posted by ODiV at 8:39 AM on March 18, 2015 [10 favorites]
The worst part is Cisco wasn't crying because he knew he was going to die, he cried because he was betrayed by the person he respected and trusted the most.
posted by FallowKing at 9:03 AM on March 18, 2015 [7 favorites]
posted by FallowKing at 9:03 AM on March 18, 2015 [7 favorites]
I think it was all of that, FallowKing. He's betrayed and he knows he's going to die for it.
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:06 AM on March 18, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:06 AM on March 18, 2015 [3 favorites]
"Oh by the way kid, I have a MacGuffin in a secure digital file."
That was actually so blatant, and he went so far out of his way to tell Barry about it, that I assume it's actually just bait to see if Wells will come after it or send someone after it.
posted by mstokes650 at 10:57 AM on March 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
That was actually so blatant, and he went so far out of his way to tell Barry about it, that I assume it's actually just bait to see if Wells will come after it or send someone after it.
posted by mstokes650 at 10:57 AM on March 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
It was really blatant, but there was so much going on in this episode that I still sort of forgot about it.
This was like season one Sleepy Hollow level pacing - no time for the plot to make sense, we need to go!
posted by dinty_moore at 12:22 PM on March 18, 2015
This was like season one Sleepy Hollow level pacing - no time for the plot to make sense, we need to go!
posted by dinty_moore at 12:22 PM on March 18, 2015
Holy shitballs, what an episode! I'd heard that it had great SFX, but hadn't realised what they were going to do. As for the reset button, I guess we'll see - but I can't say I mind it too much given that at least Barry will remember what happened in the previous timeline (which, notably, does not include the knowledge that Wells is definitively evil, or that Cisco is dead).
Also, no-one's spotted that after Barry quantum-leaped into his earlier self, his first words were... oh boy?
posted by adrianhon at 4:40 PM on March 18, 2015
Also, no-one's spotted that after Barry quantum-leaped into his earlier self, his first words were... oh boy?
posted by adrianhon at 4:40 PM on March 18, 2015
Also also, Cisco saying, "I can help you."
:(
posted by adrianhon at 4:45 PM on March 18, 2015 [6 favorites]
:(
posted by adrianhon at 4:45 PM on March 18, 2015 [6 favorites]
"I can help you." = Please don't kill me.
:( indeed.
"That was actually so blatant, and he went so far out of his way to tell Barry about it, that I assume it's actually just bait to see if Wells will come after it or send someone after it."
Hoo boy, that was blatant. I would have expected him to get offed in this episode. But before he's offed, I just want to say that I am enjoying the shit out of Roger Howarth as a snarky, cynical reporter. I grew up watching him as a snarky, mostly evil, cynical newspaper publisher on One Life To Live for years. Kind of a comedown for him though, I guess....
posted by jenfullmoon at 5:54 PM on March 18, 2015
:( indeed.
"That was actually so blatant, and he went so far out of his way to tell Barry about it, that I assume it's actually just bait to see if Wells will come after it or send someone after it."
Hoo boy, that was blatant. I would have expected him to get offed in this episode. But before he's offed, I just want to say that I am enjoying the shit out of Roger Howarth as a snarky, cynical reporter. I grew up watching him as a snarky, mostly evil, cynical newspaper publisher on One Life To Live for years. Kind of a comedown for him though, I guess....
posted by jenfullmoon at 5:54 PM on March 18, 2015
Meh on Barry and Iris being canon. Linda Park isn't Barry-era but she's there. Barry needing calories is similarly Wally-era (and then only post Crisis) and Barry's mom being dead is only from the last decade. Comics Iris isn't African American and (thank Grodd) isn't his sorta stepsister. They don't have to get them together.
posted by phearlez at 7:45 PM on March 18, 2015
posted by phearlez at 7:45 PM on March 18, 2015
Yes, phearlez.
On another site where I'm discussing the ep, someone countered my meh by saying that Barry/Iris was akin to Clark/Lois. It just had to be!
Nope. The only thing, the ONLY thing, that compels a Barry/Iris pairing is that it's canon. It's canon because it's canon. i.e. begging the question. Comparing Iris to Lois Lane really made my eyes roll, especially since the show version of Iris is a half-assed journalist. Also, the creepy sibling thing. Ew.
posted by ursus_comiter at 6:53 AM on March 19, 2015
On another site where I'm discussing the ep, someone countered my meh by saying that Barry/Iris was akin to Clark/Lois. It just had to be!
Nope. The only thing, the ONLY thing, that compels a Barry/Iris pairing is that it's canon. It's canon because it's canon. i.e. begging the question. Comparing Iris to Lois Lane really made my eyes roll, especially since the show version of Iris is a half-assed journalist. Also, the creepy sibling thing. Ew.
posted by ursus_comiter at 6:53 AM on March 19, 2015
I wonder how they're going to deal with the fact that they now have a magic reset button for any time things get badI?
posted by happyroach at 7:17 AM on March 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by happyroach at 7:17 AM on March 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
There's no way Barry will have a handle on how to use it. He can't even avoid a sucker punch half the time.
posted by ODiV at 7:18 AM on March 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by ODiV at 7:18 AM on March 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
Thanks, jenfullmoon. Every time I see the show I keep thinking to myself, "why do I know that actor?" That's who he is. I have no idea why the tumblers never fell into place before now.
posted by sardonyx at 8:12 AM on March 19, 2015
posted by sardonyx at 8:12 AM on March 19, 2015
That was an amazing episode. We were pretty sure the time travel reset button was on, though we're both comics fans and have understood a lot of the implications of things like the Reverse Flash being present at Nora's death early on. When we saw the doubling at the beginning of the episode, we were pretty sure we were going to get some resetting. The big discussion we had about that afterwards was about how obvious or not the impending reset was to non-comics folks.
We had a big NO! to Cisco during that scene too. And a bit of eyerolling at the Barry-Iris smooch. (The tumblr kids call it WestAllen in terms of portmanteau ship names. Barry and Caitlin are apparently SnowBarry. I am old and wonder how ship wars are even a thing, but apparently there's a huge one over that.)
posted by immlass at 11:32 AM on March 19, 2015
We had a big NO! to Cisco during that scene too. And a bit of eyerolling at the Barry-Iris smooch. (The tumblr kids call it WestAllen in terms of portmanteau ship names. Barry and Caitlin are apparently SnowBarry. I am old and wonder how ship wars are even a thing, but apparently there's a huge one over that.)
posted by immlass at 11:32 AM on March 19, 2015
The tumblr kids call it WestAllen in terms of portmanteau ship names
What, AllenWest was too creepy?
posted by zombieflanders at 11:34 AM on March 19, 2015
What, AllenWest was too creepy?
posted by zombieflanders at 11:34 AM on March 19, 2015
sardonyx: Well, he was missing Todd Manning's trademark scar on his face...
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:49 AM on March 19, 2015
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:49 AM on March 19, 2015
I think it was more the combo of darker hair and a bit more age on the face is what did it. But looking back at the footage now, his profile should have given it away. I guess I should just pay more attention to the credits.
posted by sardonyx at 12:02 PM on March 19, 2015
posted by sardonyx at 12:02 PM on March 19, 2015
This show is extraordinary. I'm frankly amazed that something so unashamedly comic-booky is on network television every week. My quibble this week: why didn't Joe bring the weather wand when he went hunting for Mardon?
posted by sevenyearlurk at 7:01 PM on March 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by sevenyearlurk at 7:01 PM on March 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
My quibble was Joe being gagged but with only one hand restrained. Shows/movies are forever having bad guys gag people and tying their hands in front of them. I assume they do it because it's easier for the gagged actor to signal distress, or it's more cinematic to be able to see the that their hands are tied, but knowing they could just bend their elbows to remove the gag breaks my suspension of disbelief sometimes. This one really took the cake.
posted by oh yeah! at 4:43 AM on March 20, 2015
posted by oh yeah! at 4:43 AM on March 20, 2015
Oh man, that was a blast. Great episode -- well, mostly; I reject Barry-Iris in all its forms -- Wells' reveal was fantastic, everything with the Weather Wizard was really well done, and I am a sucker for the Flash stopping disasters by running around really fast to create and/or neutralize arbitrary environmental effects. I seriously cannot wait for next week, though, because it promises to go off the rails spectacularly. Barry can stop WW with basically zero effort at this point – he knows exactly when Mardon will be at the police station and can just be there ready to sucker-punch him. But he's also going to tell Wells/Eobard that he traveled in time and then everything hits the fan and it's gonna be amazing.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 9:03 AM on March 20, 2015
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 9:03 AM on March 20, 2015
I quite enjoyed the soundtrack in this ep as well. It's usually perfectly adequate, but the Weather Wizard theme was a much more fun and dramatic complement to the action.
posted by adrianhon at 3:59 AM on March 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by adrianhon at 3:59 AM on March 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
Really good episode. And yeah, Cisco acted the bejesus out of that death scene. Really nicely done.
posted by brundlefly at 4:40 PM on March 25, 2015
posted by brundlefly at 4:40 PM on March 25, 2015
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But the scene with Cisco and Wells...Cisco knows immediately that he is going to die when he sees Wells standing there. It's heartbreaking. So well done.
posted by inturnaround at 8:39 PM on March 17, 2015 [4 favorites]