Flash and Kid Flash prepare to race, and Flash explains that Cisco set up sensors to train Kid Flash's speed. Kid Flash promises to make Flash eat his dust, and Cisco starts taking bets. The speedsters begin and race through Central City, ending up neck-and-neck. Flash phases through a wall to win when Kid Flash has to go over the building. Kid Flash complains that he can't phase, and Flash tells him that he has to learn how to do I if he's going to save Iris from Savitar.
Later, Barry meets Joe and Julian at Luigi's. The chef, Stuart Holtsman, has apparently suffered from a flesh-eating disease. Barry says that they have a 3D scanner at S.T.A.R. Labs, and Julian agrees to do the autopsy there despite protocol.
Outside, Barry and Joe meet Iris at a café, and Joe suggests that they get together with Cecile and her daughter Joanie. They agree and assure Joe that Joanie will love him. Once Joe leaves, Iris takes Barry to S.T.A.R. Labs and shows him the name of the restaurant. It's the same of the restaurant in Barry's future-vision, and she worries that everything is coming true. Barry insists that things are changing, but iris admits that she's scared. When Barry suggests that they tell Joe, Iris refuses to ruin her father's future with Cecile. Barry agrees and promises that he's doing everything in his power to make sure that future never happens.
As Caitlin and Julian examine the body, Barry tells Wally that he's going to teach him how to phase. As they leave, Julian tells Caitlin that the corpse doesn't require a bedside manner. Caitlin opens the body bag and they discover that the decay has continued long after the body is dead.
That night, a band is leaving a club and one of the musicians, Julio Mendez, heads off. A man, Clive Yorkin, approaches him and congratulates Julio on his set. He offers to shake his hand, and when Julio does so he feels something strange. Clive says that it's for all of the pain that Julio caused him, and Julio drops to his knees as rot spreads across his body.
In the lab training room, Kid Flash speeds out of the pipeline and slams into the wall that they set up. Barry demonstrates how to do it and says that Kid Flash has to connect with his environment. He races at the wall again and bounces off of it, and keeps trying. Cisco says that Harrison worked it out after 15 years, and Barry gets called to a new crime scene.
Outside the club, Joe tells Barry that Julio's body was found by a bicyclist. Barry remembers that in Flashpoint, Julio was the CCPD captain instead of Singh. He looks at the photo of Stuart and remembers that he was a cop in Flashpoint as well. Barry takes Julian and the body to S.T.A.R. Labs so Julian can do an analysis before the body decomposes, and then suggests that Joe cancel his plans with Cecile and Joanie. Joe figures that he'll be safe and refuses to reschedule despite the possible risks.
At S.T.A.R. Labs, Caitlin and Julian examine Julio's body, racing against the clock to find the origination point. Julian finally says that he'd do it better alone, just as Caitlin finds the point of contact on Julio's hand. Julian takes over and Caitlin points out that he doesn't have to be a jerk all the time. Ignoring her, Julian finds a second string of DNA with an element that he's seen before... on Alchemy's meta husks. He figures that he created the meta killer.
At Jitters, Joe gets coffee and tea for everyone. Joanie says that she doesn't drink coffee because it causes coffee, and the others try to talk about Joanie's college career. She says that she misses Kid Flash, and Wally asks what Joanie likes about the hero. Joanie says that he's handsome and cool, but Cecile dismisses Kid Flash as a showboat and praises Flash. Iris says that Joe knows Kid Flash, and Joanie asks him which one is the real hero. Caught in the middle, Joe says that they both are, but Joanie and Wally both demand that he choose. Caitlin calls Barry and says that they matched the DNA from Julio's corpse with Clive.
As they send Barry Clive's photo, Clive comes into Jitters and calls to Joe by name. Joe has no idea who he is, and Clive says that Joe and his cronies ruined his life. He touches a table and it rots away in seconds, and everyone runs. Joe is up on the balcony, and Clive reaches for the supports. The bullets decay when they hit Clive, and Kid Flash speeds in. When Clive points out that Kid Flash can't touch him, Barry motions with his arms and Kid Flash generated a whirlwind with his spinning arms. He knocks Clive through a door, and by the time the others get there, Clive has escaped. Kid Flash speeds off and returns as Wally, as Joanie says that Kid Flash is a hero.
Later at S.T.A.R. Labs, Barry tells the others what happened. Joe insists on going out to check on Cecile and Joanie. When Iris objects, Joe says that they've been through worst. His daughter finally says that they might lose somebody soon, and tells Barry that her father needs to know. Iris then tells Joe about Barry seeing Savitar kill her a few months in the future, Barry assures Joe that they'll change the future, and Joe angrily demands to know how long they've known. Iris says that she told them to keep the secret, but Joe says that it's not something that should be kept secret. He tells Barry that he should know what Iris means to him and storms out. Barry goes to the CCPD to find a lead on Clive.
Once they're alone, Julian tells Caitlin that they should have told Joe that he created Clive. He insists that he's responsible for his own actions, and Caitlin wonders if he thinks she's doing that. Angry, she leaves.
That night at the loft, Iris is working on a story and tries to call Joe. She leaves another message on his voice mail to call her back, and then goes back. Clive comes in and Iris secretly texts S.T.A.R. Labs. Wally says that he'll handle it and speeds off while Cisco tells Barry.
Clive figures that the best way to make Joe suffer is to kill Iris. She swings a lamp at him but Clive destroys it with his touch. Kid Flash arrives and speeds forward, but he's not fat enough to stop Clive from touching Iris' wrist. He then tells Kid Flash to choose between him or Iris and walks out.
Kid Flash takes Iris to S.T.A.R. Labs and the decay spreads through her body. Barry arrives and tells Cisco that he should call him in the future. Cisco suggests that they freeze the decay and stop the spread of decay, and Iris tells Caitlin that she trusts her. Caitlin warns that she could lose control, but Joe asks her to try. Removing the dampener, Caitlin summons her cold powers and concentrates, stopping the spread of decay. Wally says that he's going where he can't screw up and walks out.
Barry finds Wally and apologizes for what he said. Wally says that he wasn't fast enough, and Barry tells him that he had a lot of people teaching him to use his powers. He figures that he hasn't been there for Wally because he hasn't inspired him to succeed on his own. Barry promises that he'll do that from now on, and Wally agrees. Cisco comes in and says that he and H.R. came up with a crazy way to track Clive down.
In the vibe chamber, Cisco and H.R. explain that if they can find out who Clive is going after, they can find him. They plan to vibe a Flashpoint where Barry stayed, and Cisco hopes that he can use his powers that way. Concentrating, Cisco touches Barry and finds himself in the alternate Flashpoint at the CCPD. He sees Julio and Joe talking, and two unis bringing Clive in. The uni in charge, Laura Stone, thanks Julio and Joe for the assist and Laura takes Clive to Iron Heights. Cisco snaps out of the vibe and tells them what he saw, and they figure that Clive will go after Laura next.
Joe goes to meet Laura at the train station where she's working as a PI following a suspect, and explains that a meta is targeting her. he shows Laura a photo of one of the corpses, and Laura suggests that they get on the train before it departs. Clive is watching from nearby.
Barry asks Julian if he's found a way to stop the decay. Julian figures that Barry's blood won't stop the decay but it will help them take down Clive. An alarm goes off and they check on iris. The decay is spreading and Caitlin is starting to lose control. Julian tells her that she doesn't want to revert, and insists that she's Caitlin. He says that he lost his battle to control, but Caitlin is stronger than he is and won't let it happen. Caitlin regains control and uses her powers on Iris, stabilizing her.
The train heads out of Central City and Joe warns Laura that Clive is dangerous. Clive steps out onto the tracks ahead of the train and brings a bridge up ahead. Joe sees the debris and realizes what is happening, and signals S.T.A.R. Labs. Flash and Kid Flash speed there and Flash warns that they don't have enough time to evacuate the train. He tells Kid Flash that he'll vibrate fast enough for the train to pass through the rubble, speeds onto it, and vibrates. The train vibrates as well and passes through the debris. Everyone applauds and Kid Flash contacts him by radio and says that Clive is back.
Clive tells Kid Flash that he'll try again, and Flash tells Kid Flash to phase his blood into Clive and negate his powers. Kid Flash says that he's never done it before, and Flash says that he just did something he never has before but had to do it. The younger hero cuts his hand and then speeds forward, phasing through Clive and leaving the blood behind. Clive grabs him but nothing happens.
Later, Iris recovers when they treat her, and Barry tells her that Clive is done. Wally says that he had a great teacher, and Julian explains that once Clive was stabilized, they were able to create a cure. Iris thanks Caitlin for what she did, and Caitlin says that she had help as she glances at Julian. Joe tells the others that they defeated Clive as a team, and they have to be real with each other if they're going to stop Savitar. Everyone agrees and Barry tells Joe that he won't let iris die.
Julian abruptly heads out and Caitlin goes after him. She tells him that he isn't weak, and thanks him for his help. Caitlin says that the rest of them would like to see the good guy inside of Julian more often, and then asks if he wants to get a drink. Julian immediately agrees and they leave together.
The next day, Cecile and Joanie visit Joe at the station before Joanie leaves. Joe offers to tell Joanie more about Kid Flash the next time she comes home, and assures Cecile that he's ready to commit to something in the future.
At the loft, Barry replaces the door that Clive destroyed and says that he wants to make sure Iris feels safe... about everything. Iris says that sometime she feels like she doesn't get the Flash, but she assures Barry that she loves and trusts all of him, including Flash.
At S.T.A.R. Labs, Wally practices phasing and manages to do it with the wall. A breach opens up behind him and Jessie Quick speeds in. She tells him that Grodd has Harrison in Gorilla City.
Written by Gadfly on Feb 8, 2017