The Flash is back in this post-Crisis Arrowverse with a new intro video to the show! Nice! In “Marathon,” Barry (Grant Gustin) is eager to find his next big mission as Iris (Candice Patton) jumps into the thick of her next big story. Life after Crisis may have slowed down, but our heroes haven’t.
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After Flash stops a robbery at the new and improved Jitters, the team is forced to sit down and evaluate the changes in the world. Cisco (Carlos Valdes) is on edge and overwhelmed with the “butt-ton” of villains that exist in this brave new world. Even old Flash villains are back to torment Cisco. He even made a “Cisco’s Who’s Who Binder.” It’s like a binder of baseball cards, but DC villains instead. The villain picture is one side, and I’m sure there is a list of stats and abilities on the back.
Cisco is also having issues with Nash Wells (Tom Cavanagh), blaming Nash for everything that is going wrong. And blaming him for the death and destrcution of Earth-2. Nash only wants to help, starting with tests to make sure the Crisis cave stays shut.
THE MASK
John Diggle (David Ramsey) visits Central City to give Barry his part of Oliver’s will. Oliver left his first mask to Barry. Barry actually made that mask for the Green Arrow, so Oliver would remember to protect the people he loves. Barry thinks there’s another meaning behind the mask because let’s face it…Oliver was not a sentimental man.
Diggle doesn’t think there’s anything to investigate, but Barry found a spot on the mask that just happens to be Mirakuru. What does this mean? Is there more Mirakuru on Lian Yu? Did someone find it and become a living weapon? Or replicate it and create an army of super soldiers? Did Diggle just break the fourth wall?
Barry is just itching for a mission. So he takes Diggle to Lian Yu only to find no Mirakuru. Barry gets so agitated that his hand glows funny…something that has never happened to him before. Diggle sits Barry down and says Oliver raced from crusade to crusade. He learned too late that there’s more to life than the mission. And this gift is a reminder to Barry to stop sprinting. Life is a marathon. Slow down and enjoy it.
THE BLACK HOLE
Before the Crisis, Iris and her newly formed Team Citizen were investigating this super secret organization that turned a metahuman into an assassin. They found a man who gave them a card with the name Maelstrom Couriers. That man was killed and Allegra (Kayla Compton) found a strange button near where he died.
Iris found someone willing to talk about the secret organization. His name is Gene Huskk (William MacDonald). It all started while Husk was working for McCulloch Technologies. He spotted a man named Malcolm Strombard checking out a prototype of an infrared photon rifle. The next day, the rifle was missing. He lost his job asking questions about that rifle.
The organization Iris is looking for is called the Black Hole. These people live in the shadows and will be difficult to bring out into the light. And they kill anyone who they think is compromised. So of course Huskk is afraid for his life. And he should be. There’s an assassin (Emmie Nagata) on the loose. She emits purple light from her eyes and that energy goes into the infrared photon rifle. She uses it to kill the people she’s ordered to kill. Her next target is Iris.
TEAM CITIZEN
Iris, Kamilla (Victoria Park), and Allegra go over their story with Cecile (Danielle Nicolet). The Black Hole has been operating in Central City for about seven years. They’ve been abducting meta humans and training them to be assassins. They’re also involved in international arms deals and murder. Cecile warns that the Citizen could be sued for defamation if Iris runs her story, but that’s a risk that Iris is willing to take.
Iris meets with the CEO of McCulloch, Joseph Carver (Eric Nenniger). She immediately brings up the story about the stolen rifle and Carver knows she’s been talking to Huskk. He admits that Obsidian Tech tried to steal one of McCulloch’s prototypes. He says Huskk became obsessed with conspiracy theories and scared the other employees. Carver had no choice but to fire Huskk. He says they handled everything internally with a new security system.
Carver says there’s no story there. Everything he does is to honor his late wife Eva McCulloch’s legacy. He asks Iris not to run the story, but Iris says she has an obligation to the truth. The public deserves to know what happened so no one else gets hurt. She’s running her story.
PURPLE HAZE
Iris publishes her story as soon as she returns to the office and Carver immediately responds with a lawsuit. Cecile delivers the bad news that agitates Iris. While Iris is ranting about Carver, Cecile senses something bad. The assassin is outside of Iris’ window across the street. Cecile yells for everyone to duck when a bullet is shot into the window. The ladies watch the wall disintegrate into purple ashes before their eyes.
Iris tells the others to go to Star Labs while she checks on her source. The assassin shoots another shot into the window and hits the team’s murder wall with all of the information they have on the Black Hole. Kamilla gets pictures of the wall before she runs out the door.
The ladies alert Cisco, who tries to contact Barry, but Lian Yu is too far and too remote. Kamilla and Allegra arrived at the lab and Cecile went home. Allegra suggests using the extrapulators to get Barry home, but the physics of the planet has changed the devices don’t work. He says Frost (Danielle Panabaker) went out to find the assassin. Kamilla tells him to warn Frost and shows him the pictures of the disintegrating wall. It’s a high intensity light that burns whatever it hits.
Nash arrives and immediately checks on Allegra. He’s mad that Cisco didn’t tell him about the attack and that starts an argument. Typical Wells vs. Cisco banter until Cisco brings up the Crisis. Nash’s curiosity started the Crisis, so Cisco can’t help but blame Nash for everything bad that has happened, including the deaths of Oliver Queen, Jesse Wells, and multiple versions of Harrison Wells. Cisco is really harsh with Nash. He says he’s just making sure they learn from their mistakes. For now they have to focus on Iris.
DR. LIGHT
Iris meets Huskk and the assassin catches up with them. Huskk is shot and says the word ‘mirror’ before he disintegrates. Iris notices his ID badge is left behind and it has a flash drive on it. She grabs the badge and jumps in Huskk’s van. As she is driving away, the assassin shoots at the back window. Some of the glass with the burning purple light hits Iris’ arm, but she gets away.
Iris makes it to STAR labs and tells the group about the assassin. Her name is Dr. Kimiyo Hoshi, an astronomer from Tokyo. She has the power to fuel starlight, but she had no precise control. The infrared photon rifle gives her the precision she needs. Like an evil light doctor…Dr. Light. Cisco nails the name, but is severely frustrated by the reveal of the new villain.
Iris pulls out the ID badge, but the flash drive is fried. She’s just as frustrated as Cisco and doesn’t even realize she has burns on her arm. Allegra and Kamilla try to get her to sit down, but Iris passes out instead.
NOT REALLY VIBING
Caitlin returns and checks in with Cisco to find out what’s bothering him. Cisco feels guilty because if he hadn’t given up his vibing powers, he might have been able to sense the first antimatter wave that destroyed Earth-2. Yes, the Monitor gave his powers back during the Crisis, but when the new universe formed, Cisco was back to being normal. He thinks if he had the vibing powers, maybe he could have saved Harry and Jesse. This is why he’s obsessed with all of the new and old villains. He wants to protect everyone on Earth Prime.
Caitlin asks if he regrets taking the metahuman cure and he doesn’t. But maybe he misses being Vibe. Cisco is emotional about the whole thing. Caitlin suggests that he compile information on the new threats and changes to their reality. This will take time and he will have to leave Central City. Maybe that time away will help Cisco figure out who he wants to be in the Post-Crisis world.
OVERDRIVE
Iris is patched up and Joe (Jesse L. Martin) pays her a visit. He’s upset that someone attempted to kill Iris and he’s worried about how Iris is approaching the whole thing. She runs into danger head on. If the assassin had succeeded, there would have been no evidence to arrest them.
Iris is upset too, but she won’t back down. She feels it’s her duty to honor Huskk by exposing McCulloch and the secret organization. Joe isn’t telling her to give up, but he’s telling her to slow down. She needs to take her time and do things so no one is put in danger.
Joe asks if anyone else, other than her source knew about Black Hole. Carver knows about Black Hole. And maybe he knows more than he’s willing to admit. And he’s holding a press conference, so Iris decides to go.
SWITCH-A-ROO
The team helps Iris deflect Doctor Light, by using a hologram to make Iris look like she’s at the West House. It’s a trap to capture Dr. Light, but Joe and Frost can’t hold her. Dr. Light knocks out Joe and shoots Frost. Frost is able to push the light bullet out of her chest, but she is weak. Dr. Light prepares to shoot again.
Iris is at Carver’s press conference. He’s very surprised to see her alive. The press has already there so Carver can’t make a scene. Since Iris has his ear, she reveals to him what’s going on.
Carver just isn’t working with Black Hole, he is Black Hole. He’s been using McCulloch resources to carry out his meta-human trafficking, international arms deals and murder for hire ploys. Iris doesn’t have definitive evidence, but she has enough to get people talking. Carver tries to threaten her family, but Iris knew he would. She says if any of her employees, any of her sources, or loved ones are hurt by his people, she will expose him and Black Hole.
Iris tells Carver to call off his attack. He calls Hoshi, telling her to cancel the gift basket. She lowers her weapon and turns to leave. Hoshi knows how to follow orders. Carver announces to the press that he will be dropping his lawsuit against the Citizen immediately.
MARATHON
Cisco asks Nash to watch over Star Labs while he’s away. He apologizes for the way he talked to Nash. Cisco tells him not to break anything and that he hopes Nash finds what he’s looking for. Nash may have found it. He pulls out a picture of him and a girl that looks exactly like Allegra.
Barry and Iris tell each other about their day. Barry remembered that he made the mask so Oliver would remember to protect the people he loves. And that’s why Oliver gave it back to him so Barry would do the same.
Iris realized she started living like every day was her last because she thought Barry was going to die. Barry is alive. Crisis is over. It’s time for them both to slow down.
That doesn’t last long. At 2:05 AM, Iris goes to the kitchen and has an epiphany. Huskk’s last word was ‘mirror.’ Iris remembers the room number ‘AV3’ at McCulloch Tech. She writes it down and looks in the mirror. AV3 because EVA.
Iris returns to McCulloch and goes to Eva’s office. It’s locked, but the button they found a couple of episodes ago, lights up and opens the door. Iris goes through a file on the desk, checks out the computer files, but nothing really stands out. There is a cover behind the desk and Iris removes it. A large mirror is behind the desk. Iris asks what Eva McCulloch was up to. Iris hears a beeping noise from the computer. When she turns around to look at it, two silver hands reach out of the mirror and pull Iris in.
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News Editor, Senior Contributor, and Press Editor. Coordinate breaking news, trailers and press releases. I also contribute reviews, recaps and interviews. Creator of the Indigenerd Wire, a column dedicated to the Indigenous creatives in pop culture.
GGA's resident Indigenerd, a little bit rez, a little bit classy...with a love for all things Star Wars, zombies, science fiction, and Indigenous. My ultimate goal is to start my own podcast.
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