15 Years Ago
After seeing his mother murdered, Barry goes to live with Joe and Iris.
Earth Two, Many Years ago
A boy, Hunter Zoloman, wakes up when he hears his parents arguing. His father, James, insists that Ashley is her husband. She says that the man he's become isn't her husband, and tells Hunter to run. James, wearing his Flash costume, pulls Hunter over and puts his helmet on him. He tells Hunter that he's going to want to see what happens next, and Ashley begs James to stop as James takes out a gun.
Later at the orphanage, a social worker takes Hunter to an orphanage and tells the attendant that Hunter's father killed his mother, and Hunter saw the whole thing. None of Hunter's relatives wanted him. The attendant takes Hunter to his room.
Now
Flash goes to Keystone City and checks in with the team at S.T.A.R. Labs. The speedster attaches the tachyon enhancer and Flash says that he feels different. He then races back to S.T.A.R. Labs, moving faster than ever. Caitlin confirms that his vitals are fast, and Flash goes even faster. He disappears and reappears momentarily, and asks how long he was gone. Caitlin and Cisco tell him that he went four times faster than he ever has, and Harry comes in and points out that it's faster than Zoom goes. Barry asks them to reduce the enhancer's speed, and Cisco points out that they closed the breaches and don't know how to open them. Harry wants to keep them sealed forever and tells Barry to forget about Zoom. He refuses to give zoom the chance to recapture Jesse and torture her again. He says that Zoom doesn't care about anyone, but he cares about Jesse and isn't going to endanger her. Barry refuses to turn their backs on another Earth, and Harry points out that there is no way to Earth two.
As Iris leaves, Barry asks where she's going. She says that she has a date with her editor Scott. Barry tells Iris that she deserves to move on and be happy, and Iris says that she'll help out the next day.
That night, Barry has pizza with Joe at home. Barry says that he has to get back to the lab and find a way back to Earth Two. He explains Harry's reluctance, and Joe agrees. Barry assures his foster father that he can take Zoom down, just as Wally comes in. He tells Joe that he's not living on campus now that room and board became more expensive than he thought. Joe offers to help, but Wally insists that he's good. Once he leaves, Joe wonders if Wally's Earth Two counterpart is that complicated and Barry gets an idea.
When Barry returns to S.T.A.R. Labs, he tells Cisco and Caitlin that he thought of something. He asks Harry what Reverb's powers were on Earth, and Harry says that Reverb could see through dimensions. Barry points out that Reverb could manipulate multi-dimensional energies and create breaches... and Cisco could do the same because he has the same powers. Later in the breach chamber, Cisco tries to focus his powers but fails. Barry assures him he can do it, and Cisco tries again. He fails and figures that he's not the right man for the job, and leaves with Caitlin.
Harry visits Joe at home and sees Wally in the living room. Wally excuses himself and Harry asks if Joe has located Jesse. He then asks Joe to talk Barry out of reopening the breaches. Joe explains that he can't talk Barry out of anything once he sets his mind on it, and he can't let it go. He asks Harry to help Barry, increasing his chances of defeating Zoom.
The next day, Barry and Cisco go to an abandoned hospital with the highest levels of residual trans-dimensional energy. Cisco tries to open a breach and says that he can't do it. Harry comes in and says that he's going to help Barry not killed. He gives Cisco the recalibrated Reverb goggles so that they'll let him access enough of the trans-dimensional energy to manipulate it. Cisco puts on the goggles and concentrates, and a breach opens.
On Earth Two, Jay senses the breach and speeds to the hospital on his world.
Cisco catches a glimpse of something through the breach and lets it close. He tells Barry that he can't do it and asks him not to ask again, and runs out.
Back at S.T.A.R. Labs, Harry updates the tachyon enhancer, and suggests that Barry and Caitlin check Cisco's workshop. Joe and Iris come by to help, and Iris goes with Caitlin. Joe tells Barry that Wally isn't letting him help him, and Barry says that Wally wants Joe to offer him a place to live. He assures Joe that he's good with it. Caitlin watches them and figures that they have a special bond. Iris agrees and says that she bailed on her date with Scott. Her friend wonders if it's because of Eddie or Barry, and Iris admits that recently everything has been telling her that they're supposed to be together. Caitlin says that she believes in destiny for Iris.
Wally arrives at the West house and finds Joe setting up the spare bedroom for him. Joe apologizes for not realizing that Wally wanted to move in, and suggests that Wally live there if he wants to. Wally, touched, agrees and thanks Joe.
At S.T.A.R. Labs, Barry finds Cisco in his workshop. Cisco finally says that if he starts doing what Reverb did, then he may turn to the dark side. When his counterpart felt the power, he succumbed. Barry tells his friend that he's been through the same thing every time he learned a new ability, but Cisco was already there for him... and he'll always be there for Cisco. They're all Cisco's family, and there will be there for him. Barry asks if Cisco is ready, and Cisco says that he is.
In the lab, Harry attaches the miniaturized enhancer to the Flash suit. Caitlin tells Barry that she can't face Jay after what happened, and explains that Jay's Earth one counterpart is Hunter Zoloman. Harry overhears them and says that Hunter Zoloman on his Earth is a convicted serial killer. He brings up the last public photo of Hunter and explains that when Hunter was 11, his father killed his mother in front of him. Hunter grew up in the foster system and years later, was convicted on 23 counts of murder. He was sent to the Saint Perez Mental Asylum for the Criminally Insane and given electroshock therapy. Harry's dark matter explosion combined with the electroshock gave Hunter superspeed. Barry points that Jay doesn't know who he really is, and he has an idea of how they can stop him.
Harry provides Joe, Iris, and Caitlin with weapons from the vault. Flash and Cisco go back to the hospital and Cisco opens another breach. Zoom comes through and Flash says that he's not going to let him terrorize another world. Flash runs off and Zoom chases him through Central City. Zoom slowly moves in and Flash arrives at S.T.A.R. Labs. Harry and Joe prepare to shoot.
Flash brakes and tells Zoom to catch him if he wants his speed. He speeds through the building and Flash lures his opponent into the room with the targets. One of them is Zoom's father, and Zoom stares at it in shock. Flash attacks him and Zoom goes after him, only to find a target of Ashley. His opponent shoots him with a boot, paralyzing him, and Barry removes Jay's mask. Barry tells Jay that he made the mistake of telling Caitlin who his counterpart was. He says that they would have done anything to save his life, but Jay insists that the cure was only temporary. There's only one thing that can cure him and he doesn't care how many people have to die so he can get it. Jay says that he and Barry aren't so different, and Barry says that he would never become like him.
Jay stands up and says that Barry was smart using his family against him. Now it's time for him to get what he came from, and says that they can't lock up the darkness. He vibrates and shatters the boot, and speeds off. Flash goes after him but his enemy escapes.
Later, Barry, Joe, and Iris return home. The interior has been trashed, and Barry searches the house at superspeed. He finds a message from Zoom: "Your speed for Wally."
In Zoom's lair, Wally is chained up in a cell. The iron-masked prisoner taps out a message, and Wally calls for help. Zoom speeds in and says that Flash is the only one who can help him. Wally says that Flash doesn't know who he is, and Zoom says that Flash cares about him.
At the West house, Iris assures Joe that they'll get Wally back. Harry warns the others that they don't have enough time or equipment to stop Zoom. Joe asks for a moment of quiet to consider his options, and Barry talks to him privately. His foster father admits that he doesn't know what to do, and Barry says that Wally is a part of his family. They do whatever they have to, to keep their loved ones safe. Barry says that it's his decision to give up his speed, not Joe's, and tells his foster father that it's his only way.
Later at S.T.A.R. Labs, Barry hands Cisco Jay's helmet and has him contact Zoom. Cisco sees Wally and tells the others that he's alive, and then sees Zoom. Zoom can sense him, and Cisco tells him that Barry will give up his speed. Zoom then speeds into S.T.A.R. Labs with Wally, and hands Wally over. Joe and Iris tell Cisco to get Wally out, and Zoom removes his mask. Harry gets out the device he used to take Barry's speed the first time. Once Barry runs, it will transfer his speed to Jay.
Harry goes to work calibrating it to Jay. Jay says that once the skies parted, he saw Flash and knew what he had to do. The others wonder how Jay survived, and he explains that he went back in time and met another version of himself, a time remnant. He knew that seeing him die would convince Barry to go faster. Barry asks who the man in the iron mask is, and Jay says that he would never believe him. Joe wonders why Jay posed as Flash on Earth Two, and Jay explains that he did it to strip people of their hope. Caitlin says that he's nothing but a monster, and Jay remembers Ashley telling James the same thing.
Harry finishes his work and Barry gets onto the treadmill. He starts running, transferring his speed into the device. Barry slows down as the Speed Force leaves his body, and he finally collapses in exhaustion. Harry gives the vial to Jay, who immediately injects himself with it. He laughs in triumph, grabs Barry, and slams him against the wall. Caitlin begs Jay to stop for the sake of what they shared, and Jay releases Barry before speeding off... with Caitlin.
Written by Gadfly on Apr 20, 2016