On Season 3 Episode 19 of The Flash, titled The Once and Future Flash, Barry Allen decides to head to the future to see if he can figure out who Savitar is, and how to stop him. Check out Josh’s recap on this week’s episode, and our thoughts on it below!
- His thoughts on The Once and Future Flash, Episode 319 of The Flash
- Her thoughts on The Flash, Season 3 Episode 19: The Once and Future Flash
Before Barry heads to the future, we see what is the trigger for him to make such a rash decision—Caitlin. She has awakened as Killer Frost after Julian had tried to save her life by removing her necklace that dampened her Killer Frost abilities/persona. She tears Star Labs apart, and Julian attempts to get the necklace put back onto Caitlin. Unfortunately, she uses her frost powers to destroy it. Cisco, Julian and H.R. are forced to flee, until Barry shows up. While this saves the trio from Killer Frost, Evil-Caitlin is able to make an escape.
Barry having stopped Caitlin feels it is as good a time as any to head to the future to see what secret sauce was used to stop Savitar. Getting Wally to assist with the propulsion to the future, Barry winds up in the year 2024—the year the time vault newspaper had been showing, and the destination Barry was hoping for. What Barry wasn’t hoping for was landing right in front of Mirror Master and Top, villains Barry has encountered in the past. These two villains are excited to see the Flash as they haven’t seen him a while. Barry gets pretty beat up by the duo, and has to escape.
In the very drab future, Barry eventually runs into an old friend—Cisco. He has a much calmer demeanor than his younger counterpart, but seems to have some of the same pep. It turns out that he had a bitter battle with Killer Frost at some point in his past—as he has lost his hands—leaving him unable to vibe any longer.
Barry asks Cisco how they can figure out the identity of Savitar, and where he can find the future version of himself. Cisco tells Barry that Future-Barry has disbanded the team after Iris’s death, and takes Barry to the now abandoned STAR labs. We meet Emo-Future-Barry, and he talks to Present-Barry about some of what has happened. Future-Barry tells Barry that he never discovered the identity of Savitar.
Barry, not liking what he is seeing, and feeling like he has wasted his time here, gets ready to head back to the present, but for some reason is unable to. Since he isn’t able to, he heads to visit Julian, who is watching over the imprisoned Killer Frost. Caitlin tells Barry she knows who Savitar is, but refuses to tell Barry anything about who he is.
Next on Barry’s reunion tour is Wally. Apparently Wally had been injured to the point of his spine being broken, so Wally just sits in a wheelchair in a catatonic state. Meanwhile, Joe is broken by his daughter being dead and Wally being disabled, leaving him with nothing to live for but sitting by Iris’s grave and tending to Wally.
Seeing all of this has made Barry frustrated with his future self, not understanding why Future-Barry would not keep the team together, or keep his promise to Iris to remain close with Joe. Also, Barry figures out that Cisco has been keeping him in the future. Cisco thinks this Barry can hopefully get the team back together. While wanting to get back to the present, Barry agrees to help get the team back together for the future.
So Barry gets the team literally back together. He zips in and grabs Julian from his constant watch of Caitlin, H.R., who seems to be the only person who is having a good time with his book readings in the future, and Joe. Barry then confronts Mirror Master and Top who make a notable observation—the fight is two against one. But Present-Barry has seemingly inspired Future-Barry, and joins the fight to help take the two villains down.
After the two villains are taken down, Future-Barry seems to be okay now, and getting the “band” back together. Future-Barry now decides he has some useful information to give to Present-Barry—the name of a scientist named Tracy Brand, who might be able to provide some sort of help. Apparently she is a physicist who developed the technology to trap Savitar, but it hasn’t been invented in the present. Future-Barry hopes that maybe using the information on a flash drive he gives to Present-Barry, Tracy Brand can reverse-engineer the technology. With the future in a better place, Present-Barry heads back to the present.
Meanwhile, back in the present, we see what Killer Frost has been up to. She has met up with Savitar. Savitar promises Caitlin that she will never return to her human self. Then Savitar reveals his identity to Caitlin, and Caitlyn seems to like what she sees. Unfortunately for us, the audience is still kept in the dark as to who the mystery villain is.
His Thoughts on The Flash, Season 3 Episode 19: The Once and Future Flash
When a TV show or movie goes to the future, it is always something that makes me hold my breath. By the very nature of going to the future, the time traveler has changed the course of events, so the future they go to is different than what would have happened if they hadn’t gone. But I guess it could be argued that the future always expected Barry to come, yadda-yadda-yadda. But if Barry manages to change what the future is, then it really begins to mess with my head because, if Barry is always expected to go to the future, why did the future end up changed after Barry comes back? Anyway, I should let that go, I guess.
I enjoyed seeing future Barry but again, it is strange that Present Barry can’t believe what Future-Barry did to the team, and that he won’t let it happen. I guess perhaps the death of Iris has a more profound effect on Barry than he thinks.
I have a feeling that Savitar will be stopped though, so this future will be completely wiped out. I can’t imagine the show actually letting this bleak future come to pass.
I am curious to see what happens with Caitlin though. Will she be saved? Why does she have to turn evil with her abilities? Can we get some explanation on this as well? It is really odd that her powers seem to alter her personality so severely.
Finally, who is Savitar? The show has been dangling this over the audience the entire season, and I hope that it is a good surprise, as I feel it is starting to get old. Based on the next episode’s name, I hope that we finally get the reveal as to who he is.
Her Thoughts on The Flash, Season 3 Episode 19: The Once and Future Flash
COMING SOON
Scenes from The Flash, Season 3 Episode 20: I Know Who You Are
Preview of Season 3 Episode 20 of The Flash
