The police chase two crooks through the streets, and Cisco calls it to Barry. Flash closes in on the crook's car as they lose the police, and on the treadmill, Barry keeps running. Cisco directs the hologram projection, and warns that they can't do the lightning toss. However, he manages to run the hologram around the car, blinding the crooks and forcing them to pull over. As the hologram comes to a stop, the police arrive and arrest the crooks.
Once Barry gets off the treadmill, Harry comes in and warns that eventually someone will figure out that it's a hologram projected by a satellite. He says that they should rebuild the particle accelerator and get Barry's speed back, and Barry points out that the last time they did it, they spawned dozens of metahumans and created a portal. Harry insists that he can contain the explosion, and point out that he has their Harrison's data. He warns that when Zoom returns, they can only stop him if Barry gets his speed back.
The next day, Barry drives out to the cabin where Henry is staying. Henry wonders why Barry drove, and Barry explains that he gave up his powers to save Wally. He brings his father up to speed on what has been happening, and Henry notes that his mother's maiden name is Garrick. Barry explains Harry's plan, but Henry warns that it doesn't seem safe. When Barry says that it feels like everything good that's happened to him is taken away, Henry says that it's time to do something about that.
At S.T.A.R. Labs, Harry shows the others a schematic of his plan. As Cisco insists that Barry can't do it, he gets a vibe of his brother Dante. When he snaps out of it, Cisco tells the others what he saw and leaves. Barry and Henry arrive and Barry says that his father may be back for good. Iris says that Joe is with Wally at CCPD and they go to get settled.
Later at the station, Wally is with Joe and they're preparing to head out. Wally wonders if Joe ever gets sick of his police job, and wonders if designing cars is what he's meant to do with his life. Zoom speeds in with Caitlin and greets Joe, and reminds the officers that they tried to shoot him before. Caitlin begs him to spare the police, and Zoom tells the officers to tell everyone that the city is his. Anyone who disobeys him will die. Singh tells everyone to clear out, and the officers slowly back out.
At S.T.A.R. Labs, Joe tells the others what happened. Harry says that Zoom slaughtered policemen first, and then recruited metahumans and killed anyone who disobeyed him. Joe explains that Caitlin talked Zoom out of killing the officers, and Barry suggests that they set up at Jitters. Harry warns that Zoom will do the same thing that he did on his Earth, and walks out. Joe goes to make sure that Wally and Jesse are safe.
At the station, Jay handcuffs Caitlin and says that nobody can stop him. She wonders what his plan is, and Jay says that he won't kill everyone. He tells Caitlin that he doesn't want to be alone any more, and Caitlin says that she will never be like him. Jay says that he's seen the darkness inside her and all she needs to do is unlock it. Once he speeds off, Caitlin notices some file boxes nearby and tries to reach them.
Cisco tracks down Dante at a bar. Dante figures that something is wrong, and Cisco said that he had a feeling that he needed to make sure that his brother is okay. They start arguing, and Cisco admits that he thought being kidnapped by Captain Cold and Heat Wave would bring them closer together. Dante says that nothing is ever going to change that.
At S.T.A.R. Labs, Joe, Wally, and Jesse load up the vault with supplies. Joe admits that they'll stay there until they take care of Zoom, and Wally asks to do something. His father says that there's nothing he can do and seals them in. Joe then checks with Harry, who is working out the explosion formulas. Harry says that they have to convince Barry to change his mind, and Henry comes in and says that they shouldn't convince anyone to do something against their will. He wonders why Joe is considering the idea, and Harry says that it's about the people in Central City. Henry points out that the explosion could kill Barry. Even if he gets his powers back, he still has to face Zoom. Harry insists that the people of Central City need Flash. Barry comes in and overhears them. He says that the decision is his and he has to make it on his own.
At the bar, Cisco prepares to leave and sees a broadcast about Zoom at the station. He runs out and Nate goes after him. A nearby motorcycle explodes, and the brothers look up to see a masked man wielding an energy-charged scythe. He greets Cisco as "Vibe" and says that Vibe killed his brother, and removes his mask to reveal that he's the Earth-2 Dante, Rupture. Cisco tells Dante to run and they get into the van as Rupture opens fire on them and then hacks open the rear of the van. Cisco shifts the van into reverse and knocks Rupture down, and then drives off.
At S.T.A.R. Labs, Cisco tells the others what happened. Harry identifies Rupture as another villain working for Zoom. Cisco figures that Zoom lied to Rupture about who killed the Earth-2 Cisco, and Harry says that Rupture gets his powers from the scythe. Once Cisco leaves, Harry tells Barry that knows what he needs to do. Barry goes to the accelerator chamber, and Iris goes with him. She points out that something could get wrong, and Barry admits that he thought bringing Henry would make his decision easier. He asks Iris what she thinks, and she says that she doesn't know if she can handle Barry getting hurt again. Barry realizes that something is wrong, and Iris says that he's always had someone to come home to: her. She's been thinking about the two of them, and how they seem fated to be together. Iris was with Eddie when Barry told her how he felt about her, but now she's available. She wants Barry to know that it doesn't matter to him if he's Flash or not: she wants to see if she has a future with him. They stare at each other for a moment and then Iris goes to check on Wally and Jesse.
At the station, Caitlin manages to snag an evidence box and takes out a phone. Meanwhile, rupture arrives and tells Zoom that Cisco got away. Zoom tells him to wait for his revenge, and tells Rupture to show the police that they're wrong about being safe. Jay then goes over to Caitlin and says that he needs to teach the police a lesson. She wonders if he wants people to be afraid of him, and Jay tells her that he's nothing but a monster. Once he speeds off, Caitlin sends a text message warning about Rupture's attack.
At S.T.A.R. Labs, the team receives Caitlin's text message. Henry asks Barry what he's going to do, and Barry says that until they know setting off the accelerator will work, it's too risky. They're going to have to figure out how to stop Rupture without Flash.
Joe and Barry go to Jitters and warn Singh and the others. He tells the captain that Flash will be there. Barry wonders if he made the right decision, and Joe says that right or wrong, he'll have to live with it.
At S.T.A.R. Labs, Dante finds the note that Cisco left in case he didn't return from Earth-2. He wonders why Cisco went in the first place, and Cisco sys that his friends needed him to vibe. Dante demands answers, and Cisco tells his brother that he has powers due to the particle explosion. When Dante wonders why Cisco didn't tell him, Cisco reminds him of what he said earlier about them not being close. Cisco asks Dante to wait there for him and leaves with his equipment.
Cisco drives a van to Cisco and waits outside. Rupture cuts his way in and wonders where the officers are hiding. The Flash hologram speeds in and dodges Rupture's blasts. Barry fakes a fall, and when Rupture moves in for the kill, Joe and the others taser him. The officers take Rupture away, but the reporters get video of him.
At the station, Jay realizes that Caitlin warned the police. He sees the evidence box and realizes what she did, and Caitlin says now they're equal. Jay dons his mask and says that his name is Zoom, and speeds to Jitters. The officers draw their guns, and Zoom tells the reporters to get everything. He then kills all of the officers except Joe and Singh.
As zoom grabs Singh, Barry runs in and tells him to stop. Zoom kills Rupture and then picks up a camera and tells the viewers that the Flash they've seen is a hologram. He says that there's no one let to protect the city from them, and then tells Singh to tell his force that their policing days are over. Zoom warns Barry that he's only alive because of Caitlin, and if he tries something similar again then he'll carry Barry regardless.
Later at S.T.A.R. Labs, Cisco finds Dante. Dante realizes that Cisco went to fight Zoom, and tries to apologize. Cisco hugs him and says that he wants things to change, and Dante hugs him back and agrees.
In the vault, Wally keeps trying to get the door open and says that they should be out there so they can stop Zoom. When Jesse points out that they have no powers, Wally points out that she's good at solving unsolvable problems. Jesse says that she'll see what she can do.
In the cortex, Harry warns that next Zoom will recruit every metahuman he can find. He has a flash drive with hundreds of names, and they figure the metahumans will come out of hiding now that everyone knows Flash isn't around. Henry doesn't believe it, but Harry points out that he's been right all along. Barry says that they should recreate the explosion, and he wants to do it. He points out that now a dead cop's son will have to grow up without a parent, just like he did. Barry gave up his powers and enabled Zoom to rule their Earth, and now he has to fix things.
Harry and Cisco finish the small-scale version of the accelerator that Harrison built. This time it will direct all of the energy into Barry. Harry says that they also need to recreate what happened with Barry, and sends Cisco to the roof with the weather wand he built for Mark Mardon. Once Cisco is up top, Harry tells him to direct the lightning to the satellite. The circuitry is hooked to the breach room, and Barry's in the breach room. Barry enters the chamber and clamps fasten him in. He assures Joe that he'll be fine, and Iris tells Barry that whatever happens will never change how she feels about him. Henry tells his son that he doesn't have to do it if he doesn't want to, and Barry says that Flash is the best part of him. Harry seals the chamber and they begin.
In the vault, Jesse rigs the door with the electricity to open it. The building shakes and they go to investigate it.
Harry injects the chemicals into Barry's system, and Cisco summons the lightning.
Jay sees the lightning and speeds to S.T.A.R. Labs.
Barry screams in pain and the accelerator energy strikes him. As the team watches, Barry dissolves into energy. Explosions rock the building, knocking Wally and Jesse unconscious.
Cisco returns to the breach room and they realize that Barry is gone Zoom arrives and finds the remains of Flash's suit, and congratulates them on killing Barry before speeding off.
Written by Gadfly on May 4, 2016