After last week’s episode of The Flash, we’ve been left in the lurch. We had no clue what was up with Earth 2’s Harrison Wells. He sure did spend a lot of time looking smug, though.
Well, we find out pretty early on that not only does Jay hold Harry (as Cisco starts calling him) responsible for the incident that gave rise to Earth 2’s metas, Harry’s kind of an ass. Where Earth 1 Wells was fatherly and patient (even if he was actually Eobard Thawne), Earth 2 Wells is pretty gruff and crusty about things. He pretty much profited off the metahuman situation on his home world by creating devices and apps that can detect whether someone is a metahuman or not. Needless to say, Harry and Jay don’t like each other, at one point taking swings at each other before Barry breaks it up.
They play with the whole Wells thing quite a bit in this one. He reads his Earth 1 autobiography, noting how odd it is to read an autobiography that you didn’t write about yourself, and how it’s practically another person. No one is easy around him; Joe actually tries to shoot him, because no one thought to give him a heads up. Barry is pretty much the only one remotely willing to work with him. He constantly has to repeat “I’m not him” to everyone Earth 1 Wells hurt, to the point it almost becomes a mantra.
But his finest bit of dickery comes at Cisco’s expense. For several episodes, Cisco’s been worried about anyone finding out about his powers. He’s been trying to figure out a way to tell everyone about them, but he’s worried because Earth 1 Wells essentially gave them to him. Harry flat out uses his metahuman detecting watch to out him. Not like he didn’t have any suspicions before – he’s not an idiot, and put two and two together on the lies Cisco told him. He then, very roughly, helps Cisco figure out how to use his powers to find the meathuman Zoom brought over this time.
Speaking of, I kept thinking Mega Man, because her name is Dr. Light. At one point she straight up flashes Barry (no, not like that), blinding him. She can generate stellar fire, but Jay says she’s not a killer. Even though that’s exactly what she’s pretty much set up to do one way or another. In an attempt to save herself, she decides to kill and replace her Earth 1 counterpart, thanks to Barry letting his recognition of her drop. When she goes to kill Earth 1 Lisa Park, she accidentally kills Iris and Lisa’s editor. So much for her not being a killer.
Harry plans to use her to draw Zoom into a confrontation with Barry, a plan which Jay is not a fan of. So they can’s fatally irradiate her, or turn her to glass or anything. So Barry uses kage bunshin no jutsu speed clones to confuse her and get close enough to knock her out. Making this one of the first times an Earth 2 meta wasn’t flat out killed.
Barry asks Patty out early in the episode, but he’s unfortunately blind by the time that date rolls around. So he has Cisco act as his eyes through some camera equipped glasses. honestly, this leads to most of the episode’s humor. Cisco can’t tell what color Patty’s wearing because the camera is black and white. Even with Cisco’s help, Barry awkwardly bumps into things and flails his arms while trying to get into his seat or accept a wine list. She of course figures out that he’s currently blind.
Cisco finally comes to grips with his abilities by the end of the episode, settling on his name from the comics. Barry actually suggests it, marking one of the few times where Cisco just accepts a name that he didn’t come up with as is. No word on if he’s going to adopt his costume, but given the series general tone, I’m guessing not.
Finally, we get a really good look a Zoom in this episode. He looks like some sort of crazy undead Flash, all in black. He also speaks here, voiced by Tony Todd. He’s apparently kidnapped Wells’ daughter as a contingency against any actions Wells might take. No real motivation on display here, but we’ll probably get that soon enough.
Final Thoughts:
- “Our Dr. Wells may have been evil, but you’re just a di~ick”
- Hey, at least Cisco got the digits of that new Barista.
- The actress playing Wells’ daughter is unusually attractive.
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