After the events of last week's episode, Barry Allen no longer has his speed force powers. However, Central City still needs The Flash as a new villain with super-strength, Griffin Grey, is holding Harrison Wells captive. Grey needs Wells to stop his rapid aging before he dies.
Warning: There are some spoilers ahead, for episode 19, "Back to Normal."
Barry Adjusts to Life as a Normal Person
This is the first time in over a year where Barry hasn't had his powers. He's gotten used to being connected to the Speed Force, so there is a learning curve when it comes to doing everyday things. He's back to doing forensic work the old fashion way: lifting finger prints off a car. More importantly, without his powers, he and the STAR Labs team have to resort to trickery and technology when taking on other metahumans. It's truly a team effort in the field when Flash and company fight Griffin Grey.
Why Zoom is Keeping Caitlin Alive
On Earth-Two, Zoom has been keeping Caitlin alive. Why has he been doing this? Zoom explains to her it's because he loves her. Apparently, not everything Zoom did, while deceiving everyone on Earth-One, was a complete ruse. Zoom has true feelings for Caitlin, although he certainly has a funny way of showing it. Above everything else, Zoom will continue to keep Caitlin alive, while bringing her to other Earths, which he plans on conquering.
The Fall of Killer Frost
Caitlin comes face-to-face with her Earth-Two counterpart, Killer Frost. She's also a prisoner in Zoom's hideout. Frost wants Caitlin to help her escape, since Caitlin isn't handcuffed nor locked in a cage. Cailtin goes along with it since she wants to escape too. After figuring out a way to shatter the glass Frost is held in, Killer Frost walks out and turns on Caitlin, throwing a dagger-like icicle at her. Zoom rushes in, grabs the icicle and stabs Frost with it, killing her.
Harrison Calls His Daughter "Jesse Quick"
Harrison spent his time on the episode searching for his daughter, Jesse. Fans of the show and the comic book series have all know Jesse is based on Justice Society of America member, Jesse Quick. Jesse is another speedster from Earth-Two. At the end of the episode, when Harrison is reunited with his daughter, he calls her "Jesse Quick." Comic fans everywhere probably got chills down their spine during this fan service moment. Now, how is she going to get her powers?
How Flash Will Get His Powers Back
Jesse and maybe even Wally getting their powers may lie with Barry getting his powers back. Harrison Wells wants to create another particle accelerator to recreate the accident that turned Barry into the Flash in the first place. Apparently, that's going to be the central story of next week's episode. Let's see if they can do this without creating a whole slew of new metahumans who the Flash has to fight.
In an episode that feels like 90% filler, it's clear that having the second season of The Flash go over 20 episodes isn't working for them. This season could easily be tightened up and work well as with 13 episodes. The show tries to deliver a season-long storyline while trying to give a "villain of the week" story as well. They're adding so much to each episode, but at the same time, it feels like the past couple of episodes haven't delivered much.
Probably the most frustrating thing about this week's episode, aside from still trying to piece together the "time remnants" explanation from last week, is that the viewer knows nothing more about the man in the mask that Zoom has captive. The camera cuts to him a few times, but there's no new information. With how long this has been sitting out in the open, it's extremely frustrating to have nothing progress for that story.
There were some better moments of the episode though. Fans of the comic book may have been pretty excited to see Griffin Grey in the episode. He's a relatively new character in the world of Flash, debuting in 2006. It was a bit of a bummer to see the character appear dead at the end though, as his story in the comics could provide for a great episode.
As for Wells building another accelerator to give Barry his powers back, that seems extremely reckless. This is the same accident that created some of the Flash's worst villains, and they'll be recreating the disaster in order to save Caitlin: one person. We'll see how this all plays out next week, but it feels like the ends don't justify the means. For a show that embraces science, even if it's a science fiction show, this season has started to make a lot of bizarre leaps in logic.