The Flash, 3.09 - "The Present"

Warning: SPOILERS IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED.

Since I'm on break, I'm finally starting up again with the reviews. I only recently got to watch The Flash's wild midseason finale, so let's get into it.


First of all, I would just to like to say that there were SO. MANY. Harry. Potter. References. In. This. The Flash writers are truly trying to milk all of Tom Felton's Harry Potter fame. From the Philosopher's Stone to Savitar's ominous predictions of the future, the episode couldn't go 5 minutes without alluding to a famous Potter theme.

Anyways, Team Flash are trying to research more about Savitar when Cisco discovers a research paper about him written by Julian himself. Barry goes to Julian to confront him, and Julian obviously lies to protect his identity. Honestly, it's amazing he hasn't figured out that Barry is the Flash already. We see in a series of flashbacks Julian's journey to India in an attempt to find the Philosopher's Stone that can supposedly create metahumans. That whole thing gave me Suicide Squad vibes, in which a (white) person too curious for their own good journeys to an "exotic" country (of color), foolishly opening an ominous-looking object without considering the fact that the amount of effort it took to even find it clearly increases its potential level of danger. They then unleash a monster onto the world, which possesses them without them knowing or controlling it.

Barry leaves, falling for Julian's lies, and decides that he can't do this alone (I just realized that was the catchphrase for the crossover as well) and heads to Earth 3, saving Jay Garrick from certain doom at the hands of Mark Hamill's Earth 3 version of the Trickster. I honestly thought he would be staying longer! I miss my space dad! The two battle with Savitar and Alchemy, which results in Barry discovering the man behind Alchemy's mask - Julian, as the viewers discovered two episodes ago.

Even while stuck in the pipeline, Julian continues to plead his innocence, and Barry realizes that there needs to be mutual trust. Taking off the mask, the secret behind the Flash is finally revealed to Julian. Julian reluctantly tells Barry that he started having visions of his dead sister, in which she asked him to find the Philosopher's Stone, thinking that it would bring her back. He then admits to blacking out, much like Ginny did when Tom Riddle's soul was controlling her. It's eerily similar to what Cisco's been experiencing this episode, seeing visions of Dante. The Savitar-induced hallucination manages to convince Cisco to open the box, unleashing Savitar once more, but Caitlin fortunately talks him out of it.

Cisco comes up with the idea of using Julian as a medium of communication, as a way to reach Savitar. Using Julian, Savitar threatens Barry and the team, foreshadowing some ominous fates in the near future. “I know your destinies," he gloats. "One shall betray you. One shall fall, [and] one will suffer a fate far worse than death." Again, cue the Harry Potter vibes. Despite the shoddy CGI, I was actually impressed with how effectively scary the scene was. It reminds me of how people criticized Arrow for becoming too dark beginning in season 3, and it looks like The Flash is bound to repeat the same thematic elements.

Barry and Jay decide it's best to throw the box into the Speed Force, where no one can unleash Savitar's wrath ever again. They succeed, but Barry runs a little too fast into the future five months from now, where he sees Savitar stabbing Iris and his future self unable to do anything about it. Distraught, Barry frets about the inevitability of his loved ones' deaths, and Jay reassures him that the future is never set in stone. There's still time for Barry to fix it, and not by running into the past whenever it's convenient. Jesus, it's kind of depressing to watch a show where it's literally the protagonist's fault that everything has gone to sh*t.

Meanwhile, HR has been secretly training Wally, who's actually pretty fast for his level. Of course, secrets can't stay secrets for long, and everyone finds out. Wally is still insistent upon using his powers to help people like Barry, and the Wests begrudgingly allow it, giving him a Kid Flash costume for Christmas. No offense, but that suit still looks dumb as hell.

Speaking of Christmas, a big party commences as the Wests'. Even Julian realizes being alone on Christmas isn't fun, and gift giving ensues. Joe and Cecil make it official (I think) and Wally and Iris are nothing but supportive. Barry and Iris celebrate their first Christmas together by moving in. (Well, Barry secretly signs a lease, and all Iris has to offer is a wallet. I kid, I kid.)

This episode was actually pretty interesting, considering how long I put it off for. Iris continues to sparkle, and Christmas!Iris is honestly ETHEREAL. We got a little bit of her journalism skills in the beginning, where she digs up some Savitar leads for Barry, and I demand more of it. Iris West is her own person with her own career outside the team, and deserves more than to be Barry's 24/7 cheerleader. I love Westallen and the fact that they're happy together, but damn, I just want to see Iris go off at her boyfriend. Just once? Please?

However, now the cards are in Barry's hands. Will he tell everyone what he saw? Will they ever get to relax? We'll find out January 24, 2017.

Rating: 8
Extras that didn't make it in: Joe and Cecil are cute. I still don't like Joe though, sorry. Do Wally and Iris know I would die for them?

*My next review will be of Arrow's midseason finale. See you then!