There are time when the West-Allens don’t see eye to eye on The Flash. In “Timeless,” Barry (Grant Gustin) and Iris (Candice Patton) are at odds over how to deal with the Forces.
Last week, the Speed Force, aka Nora (Michelle Harrison) took matters into her own hands and attacked the Strength Force, aka Alexa (Sara Garcia). According to Nora, the new Forces attacked her when they appeared. Now she’s out to destroy them before they get another chance to hurt her. Even the Flash can’t stop her.
RELATED: The Flash Recap (S07E08): The People vs. Killer Frost
Alexa is dead and Barry blames himself. They are keeping Alexa’s body in the med lab, while Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) runs some tests. Barry wants to find a way to save the Forces from Nora and his only idea is to go back in time and stop their creation. Iris wants to find Nora and try to talk her down from killing anyone else. Barry doesn’t think that will work because Nora is not a real person. It’s not often that Barry and Iris disagree but they sure do this time.
Iris retreats to the Citizen and Barry and the boys go to the Speed Lab to map out a plan to time travel. Kamilla (Victoria Park) has a new heat signature camera and records Iris pacing the floor. Her heat signature is showing kinetic energy. Iris thinks since she and Barry created the Forces, then there’s a little bit of the Forces inside of them. And that means they can use Kamilla’s camera to possibly track down Nora.
TIMELESS WELLS
Barry wants to extract the elemental force particles from the night he got his speed back. Chester (Brandon McKnight) and Cisco (Carlos Valdes) go over the science and determine that a sample of the elemental force particle will allow them to send out an electromagnetic pulse to find the other Forces and erase them. Got it? Good. They plan to tweak the tachyon enhancer to extract the force particles, but they have to time travel to get them.
There’s only one person who can possibly help with time travel: A Timeless Wells. Since Dr. Wells (Tom Cavanagh) reappeared at the lab the same night Barry got his speed back, the present Dr. Wells should be able to lock onto himself. He plans to create a time bubble so he and Barry can go back in time, 17 days, and not mess up the timeline.
Iris, Kamilla and Allegra (Kayla Compton) search for Nora, but come up empty handed. Iris figures out that they’ve been looking for the Speed Force through isotopic readings when they should be looking for Nora, the person. Where would Nora go? She would go home.
STILLNESS OF THE NIGHT
While the boys work on the harness and the collection disk, they get a visit from the Still Force, Dion (Christian Magby). Chester puts the collection disk in his pocket and greets Dion. He introduces everyone and almost tells Dion that Barry is the Flash. Dion is suspicious of the guys because they are being really nice to him. He wants to know why they are afraid of him. Before anyone can really answer, Dion stops time. Dion and Barry are the only ones moving.
Dion knows Barry is the reason he is who he is now. Barry offers to fix him and that sets Dion off. He accuses Barry of wanting to destroy him. Barry insists that he’s trying to save Dion from one of the other Forces. But Dion sees the harness and puts the pieces together. He knows Barry is trying to stop him from being born. And he’s mad! Dion says he’s a god and it’s time that Barry understands that. He breaks the harness and leaves. Time resumes. The guys see the broken harness and think their mission is over.
Chester pulls out the collection disk and the guys are happy. He says he can fix the harness and asks for everyone’s help. Cisco hesitates because he agrees with Iris. Despite Barry’s insistence that he’s doing this to save Dion, Cisco says Dion doesn’t want to be saved. He wants the chance to be himself. Iris understood that. Cisco agrees that something needs to be done about Nora, but this can’t be it.
Barry asks if everyone sees what he’s doing. Chester is Team Flash all the way, but agrees that Cisco has a point. Dr. Wells agrees and says Barry needs to truly think about the choice he’s making. Barry asks Cisco to fix the harness, but instead, Cisco wishes him luck and leaves.
LEAD WITH LOVE
Joe (Jesse L. Martin) visits and Barry fills him in about how he and Iris created the Forces and his plan to uncreate them. Joe asks if they are above saving. Barry says everyone would be safer if the Forces didn’t exist. Joe tells Barry about his relationship with Wally. Despite the fact that Wally pushed him away, Joe kept trying and now Wally is a great guy. Barry gets it but the Forces aren’t his kids. Joe repeats what Barry said, he and Iris create the Forces. So in a way, those are their kids.
Joe agrees that the Forces all did terrible things, but maybe they can change. He tells Barry to never judge his kids for who they are now. You help them become who they know they can be when they grow up. Lead with love. After that, it’s’ up to them.
PSYCHOTIC EPISODE
Iris and the girls arrive at the Allen house and immediately notice a vintage car that looks brand new. They go inside to look around and head straight for Barry’s old room. They find a Force, but it’s not the Speed Force. It’s Sage Force, aka Psyche (Ennis Esmer) and he’s so happy to see Iris that he calls her mom. Psyche puts Kamilla and Allegra in their worst nightmares. He taunts Iris a little about Nora. Iris insists that she wants to help Nora, but Psyche knows she’s really afraid of Nora. He sends her into a nightmare where Nora tells her that she’s not good enough for Barry.
Barry puts the harness on and prepares to time travel. Cisco returns because he always has Barry’s back, even when he doesn’t agree with him. Chester and Cisco watch Barry and Wells transport. They arrive the moment the lightning bursts through the roof. It’s also the moment when Wells looks back and sees someone. That someone is himself. Timeless Wells says this is when it all began. When what began? Wells and Barry go to the roof and they collect the particles they need.
In Iris’ nightmare, Nora tells her that she’s not a good wife and will never be a good mother because she never had one. Iris is able to get out of the nightmare and confront Psyche again. She says they have a connection so he will never truly frighten her. She knows before he became a Force, he was a person. Iris can help him gain control of his body. He didn’t choose to have these powers and he doesn’t have to go through this alone. Iris says she’s like his parent and asks him to let her help him. But Psyche hated his parents and sends her into another nightmare.
After Barry gets the particles, the forces are struck by lightning and start fading. Iris and the girls are able to get out of their nightmares. Iris is disappointed that she couldn’t get through to Psyche. They leave quickly.
GONE IN A FLASH
Barry looks up at the sky and sees the Forces being created. A single tear runs down his cheek at the sight. He hears Joe’s voice in his head telling him not to judge his kids but help them become who they can be. He takes the collector and smashes it, releasing the particles. In the present, Cisco and Chester watch the Forces’ energy signatures return. Barry and Wells return as well. Barry says Iris and everyone was right. He couldn’t uncreate the Forces.
Iris returns to the lab and apologizes. Barry apologizes too. Neither of them were able to prove their way was better, so they don’t know how they will deal with the Forces now. But they will try again. They can’t judge who Dion and Psyche are, but help them be who they can be. Because that’s what parents do.
The ground tremors and they run to the med bay. Caitlin says Alexa sat up for just a second and then died again. Iris wonders if she and Barry brought Alexa back when they got on the same page. Barry and Iris both extend their hands out to Alexa and a blue lightning bolt is released. The lightning envelopes Alex and she wakes up.
LIFE DECISIONS
Cisco says goodbye to Timeless Wells. Wells can’t leave without giving Cisco some advice. Listen to his heart and go where his heart leads. He also says that cisco taught him and the other Wells as much … if not more than they taught him. Kamilla joins him and they both have something to say to each other. They both decide that it’s time to leave Central City. But … how are they going to break the news to the team?
And elsewhere, Dion walks around town, listening to his walkman when Nora appears. He knows she’s the one who’s after him. He asks what she is and Nora says she’s a reckoning. She vibrates her hand, preparing to attack.
RELATED: Catch up on The Flash Recaps Here!
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.
- INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE Recap: (S02E07) I Could Not Prevent It - June 24, 2024
- INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE Recap: (S02E06) Like the Light by Which God Made the World Before He Made Light - June 17, 2024
- INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE Recap: (S02E05) Don’t Be Afraid, Just Start The Tape - June 10, 2024
