Barry considers what happened after he tried to start over and make a new life by traveling back in time and saving his mother. He runs to Star City and goes to the bunker, and tells Felicity that he and he doesn't know if he can fix it. Felicity has him start at the beginning.
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Flash intercepts a robber as he escapes on motorcycle and takes apart the vehicle at superspeed. He then goes to S.T.A.R. Labs and Cisco is unable to come up with a nickname. He leaves for the gym and Caitlin tells Barry that his jokes aren't funny. Iris and Joe both say that they have to go, and Barry apologizes for suggesting earlier that Joe talk to his daughter. He suggests that they talk about why, and Iris says that it's Joe's fault. Joe leaves and Wally catches a ride with him.
Once they're alone, Iris asks Barry what is going on. He says that everything is fine and that he doesn't understand why Iris is mad at her father. Iris tells him not to bring it up and says that they should discuss their relationship. She asks if Barry feels the same, and Barry says that he did when they kissed... and Iris has no idea what he's talking about.
At the station, Barry realizes that Singh is back. Joe points out that Barry knows why Iris isn't talking to him: because he didn't tell her that her mother was alive. He then says that they've found another husk that morning and gives the evidence to metahuman CSI consultant Julian Albert. Julian says that it's the fourth incident, and Barry takes in the fact that Julian is at his desk. Once Joe leaves, Julian tells Barry that he doesn't want his help and that it's still their lab and they have to work together a little longer than he helped.
As Barry looks around the station, he hears Cisco in the next room with a bereavement group. He talks about the death of his brother Dante. Cisco sees Barry and goes over to ask what he's doing there. He's surprised that Barry wants to be there for him that way, and tells Barry to leave.
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Felicity asks if anything there has changed, and Barry checks the records. He discovers that Diggle has a baby son, John Jr., and refuses to tell anyone because it won't help. Felicity says that he needs to fix things and is sure that he can do it, but Barry doesn't know how.
On a bus in Central city, Edward has memories of his Rival self in the other timeline. The word "alchemy" scratches itself on the bus window. Edward goes to a nearby factory and finds a masked man in a robe waiting for him. The man turns to Edward and says that he's Alchemy, and Edward asks him to make the visions stop. Alchemy asks if he wants the other life that he's seeing, and Edward says that he does. With that, the robed man says that Edward will have power and no man will be his rival.
The next day, Julian investigates a spot on the river where another husk has been reported. Joe brings B Barry in and says that he thought the two of them could work together. Julian shoots down Barry's theories, and makes it clear that he doesn't need Barry's help. Barry collects a sample at superspeed and takes it to S.T.A.R. Labs. Caitlin and Cisco examine it and they point out that they've known Julian for a while. Cisco excuses himself and Caitlin says that cisco told him that Barry was at the bereavement group. She figures that Cisco needs some more time, but refuses to tell Barry why Cisco is mad at him. Barry asks Caitlin to bring Cisco to his house for dinner so that he can fix things. Caitlin reluctantly agrees and wonders how he's going to get Joe and Iris there.
Back at the station, Barry tells Joe that Iris wants to talk to him at dinner that night. When he doesn't believe Barry, Barry speeds to the paper and says that Joe is offering her a story on the husks. Iris refuses to go to the house and mentions her grandmother's recipes, and Barry speeds back and tells Joe that Iris will come if Joe makes her grandmother's meal. Barry speeds back to Iris and she accepts, and then speeds back to Joe and convinces him to invite Cisco and Caitlin.
That night, everyone eats and nobody talks. Barry finally breaks the ice and says that it's good that all of them are together. He suggests that they go away for a few days and reconnect, and that they're not the team they could be. Wally is the only one who agrees, and Iris asks for the story from Joe. She and Joe both realize that Barry lied to them, and he says that he wanted things back to what they were. Cisco says that he wishes Barry would go back in time and save Dante.
All of their metahuman apps go off, and Flash speeds to where Rival is waiting for him. He says that he remembers everything in the other timeline, and knows that Flash changed the timeline. Rival accuses Flash of stealing everything from him, and insists that he has his real life back. He races off and Flash runs after him, finally tackling him. However, by the time Flash can recover, Rival has escaped. In the shadows, a man watches him.
At S.T.A.R. Labs, Barry tells the team about Rival. Caitlin has her tests back and says that the husk has traces of the speed force. She figures that it's a husk from Edward, and everyone is surprised that Barry knows him. Iris talks to Barry privately and shows him a video that she accessed of Flash's confrontation with Rival. She demands the truth, and Barry says that it's all his fault and he's been trying to fix it, but there's only one way to do that. He apologizes to Iris and speeds off.
Flash travels back into the Speed Force but the Earth-3 Flash—Jay Carry--intercepts him and drags him to his world. They go to a diner and Jay explains that it's 1998. He knows that Barry was going to reset the timeline again, and that he's Henry Allen's doppelganger. Jay understands that Barry wants to save his mother, but warns that there are consequences to time travel. He's traveled in time and made the same mistakes, and explains that no matter how Barry tries to fix things, it won't be exactly the same as before. Barry insists that he won't make the same mistakes, and Jay warns that they're not gods but men. He tells Barry to ask himself what kind of hero he wants to be: one who keeps trying to do-over his mistakes or move forward.
That night, Barry returns to S.T.A.R. Labs and tells everyone what he did and that he can't fix it. Iris realizes that she and Joe got along in the original timeline, and Barry offers to tell them what the differences are but warns that they'll have to live with them. Cisco is furious that Barry changed things for his family but not Cisco's, and walks out.
Barry follows Cisco to his workshop and Cisco explains that he's working on the gauntlets for his suit. He doesn’t want to hear that it went bad, but Barry warns that someone else might have something happen to them that's just as awful as Dante dying. He says that it's a heavy burden to bear and tells cisco that he's sorry about Dante. Cisco says that "sorry" doesn't change anything, but Barry insists that all he can do is move forward... and hopes that Cisco can, too.
Later, Barry goes to see Julian at the lab and asks for his help. He asks Julian to read the report about Edward's husk, mentioning Edward by name, and Julian says that it was different from the previous husks. When Barry reads the report, he discovers that the husk was washed downriver from a sawmill. Flash speeds to the sawmill and finds Rival there. Rival says that he brought someone, and Alchemy steps out of the shadows and blasts Flash.
At S.T.A.R. Labs, Iris says that Barry made a mistake and tells the others that they all do the same to protect their loved ones. She tells them that they're like a family, and families get mad at each other... and forgive. After a moment, Joe hugs her. Caitlin says that that they all have secrets and screwed up... and the telemetry alarm on Flash's suit goes off.
Alchemy continues blasting Flash as Rival looks on. He says that he wants to help people achieve their true potential, because he's preparing the world. Rival speeds down and grabs Flash, and says that the sawmill is where he died. He then grabs Flash and speeds off.
The team confirms that Flash is at the sawmill.
Rival speeds Flash around the sawmill and then tosses him on the floor. The two speedsters Flash and Rival grabs a metal bar and prepares to impale Flash. However, Cisco arrives and blasts Rival with a vibrational pulse from his gauntlets. Flash renews his attack and tosses Rival at Cisco, and Cisco blasts him back to Flash to deliver the coup de grace. When Flash thanks Cisco for his help, Cisco apologizes for taking so long and his friend assures him that he was right on time.
Back at S.T.A.R. Labs, Cisco and Joe find nothing about Alchemy in the records. Cisco suggests that they call him Dr. Alchemy, and Caitlin figures that he got his powers from alchemy rather than the dark matter explosion. Barry tells the team what Alchemy said, and figures that everyone who had powers in Flashpoint will get them back. They conclude the four other husks belong to the people with their new powers, and Iris tells Barry that they don’t' want to know what their lives were in flashpoint. Joe, Iris, and Wally leave together.
Barry suggests to Cisco that the two of them partner up, but Cisco says that he has some things to work on before he does. Once he leaves, Caitlin says that things are starting to get back to the way they were. Barry tells her that she wasn't apparently affected by the time alterations and then leaves. Once he goes, Caitlin concentrates and generates cold from her hand.
At the station, Julian gives Barry the finished report on Rival. Barry says that there was no connection between the husk and his case, and Julian asks how he knew what Edward's name was when he asked for the report. He figures that Barry stole a sample of the husk and wonders how he did it. Barry doesn't say, and Julian figures that there is something not right about him and nobody sees it but him. He tells Barry that he doesn't like him because he doesn't trust him, and walks away.
That night, Barry goes to the West house and finds Iris on the porch. He asks if she's sure she doesn't want to know about Flashpoint, and Iris figures that no matter what, they always find each other. Barry leans over and they kiss.
At Iron Heights, Edward hears Dr. Alchemy talking to him. The villain says that Edward failed, and Edward begs for another chance. Instead, Alchemy strangles him to death.
Written by Gadfly on Oct 12, 2016