The Flash – “Tricksters” – Blog Review

By Anna (@traveller15)

There is a copycat killer called “The Trickster” in Central City who is setting off bombs. Barry and Joe visit the original Trickster in prison for clues. Plus our flashbacks unfold the night Nora Allen was killed.
We begin this week’s episode with a flashback 15 years ago to the night Nora Allen was killed. Two speedsters are chasing each other. Nora is putting her son, Barry, to bed. The Flash chases Reverse Flash into the living room fighting each and circling Nora with their lightning flashes. Barry comes down to the living room to witness.
Back in the present Barry shows Joes his wall of evidence on Harrison Wells. They conclude that Wells wanted to train Barry, make him safe and give him speed. They need to figure out what Wells wants with Barry and be patience.
In a children’s playroom parachutes with a box attached float down exploding on impact. Barry looks out of his lab’s window to see smoke and takes off as the Flash. The Flash rescues a little boy about to touch one of the boxes before it explodes. Watching on a roof top is Axel Walker aka The Trickster (Devon Graye) recording the event saying he is back with his tricks.
At S.T.A.R Labs the Flash Team watches the video and Joe says 20 years ago the city was terrorized then by James Jesse aka The Trickster who is now in Iron Heights serving several life sentences. Wells notices that Barry is a little cranky.
Wells then flashes back when Henry Allen arrives home telling Barry to run. Barry runs outside and watches the two speedsters flash by. The Reverse Flash suddenly collapses in the street. Gidgeon is called and explains that the Reverse Flash lost a massive power loss on his latest time jump and has lost his speed force by depleting his super speed and time travel. Reverse Flash cannot go back to his timeline. He removes his mask and it is not Wells but Eobard Thawne (Matt Letscher).
Joe and Barry visit Jesse (Mark Hamill) (Mark Hamill played the original Trickster in the 1990s Flash TV show and is reprising his role) in prison who is isolated from the other prisoners to ask for some help on the copycat trickster. The parachute bombs have the same MO that Jesse used 20 years ago. Jesse is not impressed that there is someone being a copycat as there can only be one trickster. He won’t agree to help them.
Iris goes and sees Eddie at CCPP letting him know that no-one has seen or heard from Mason Bridge. Eddie promises to look into his disappearance once the copycat trickster is found.
Joe and Barry go to the warehouse which was the Trickster’s lair. They come across a locked door but when Barry forces it opened a bomb explodes. The copycat took everything of the Trickster. Joe and Barry then go back to Iron Heights. Barry passes by his father’s cell (John Wesley Shipp) and tells him that he is getting close to finding out who put him in prison. Back at the Trickster’s cell they tell him that his entire legacy was stolen. Apparently, he was keeping a bomb in storage which can destroy all of Central City. Carlos sends Barry a link from the copycat trickster about a new bomb.
At S.T.A.R Labs the team tries to find the location where the video was sent from but the copycat trickster is good at scrambling his tracks. Wells asks to privately speak with Barry. Wells says he knows what he is thinking about feelings of his father, seeing him in Iron Heights. Wells gives Barry his word that they will find his mother’s killer. Wells says he is always there for Barry.
Back in time Wells is sitting on the beach with his wife Tess Morgan discussing his dream to build a lab and to build the particle accelerator which will become known as Scientific and Technological Advance Research Laboratories, S.T.A.R Labs for short. Tess named this as Wells is the only star that she sees in him. Watching over them on the beach is Eobard Thawne.
Iris asks to meet the Flash at Jitters. She tells him that Mason is missing and would like him to look into his disappearance. Iris thinks the Flash has a heavy heart. They get interrupted by Carlos who says the copycat trickster is broadcasting. He has another bomb to trigger. The Flash tries to locate the bomb and locates an empty crate which was just a trick. Meanwhile, the copycat trickster breaks in to Iron Heights and frees Jesse taking a hostage with them which is Henry Allen as a bargaining chip.
Jesse has been planning the perfect trick for over the 20 years while in prison. Jesse tracked Axle Walker down to take his place as he tells him “I am your father”. (We heard those immortal words in Star Wars). They both have been emailing each other over the decade.
Back in the past, Wells and Tess are driving home when their car hits a spike of nails and flips the car. From out of the woods steps Eobard Thawne who tells Wells that Tess has been dead for centuries. Wells screams for help.
Barry is having trouble wanting to know why Wells wants to help when he thinks he killed his mother. Barry is upset that he may lose his father.
Iris attends Anthony Bellows reelection campaign to report on the event but the Tricksters have come to rob every one of their money. They have also been poisoned with their champagne and only have one hour for the antidote. Once The Tricksters are rich the antidote will be handed over. Iris phones Joe where they hear Jesse talking and find the location of the gala event. The Flash arrives but Axle places a bomb on his arm which is like from the movie “Speed” where he cannot speed below 600mph. So the Flash has to run and keep up a speed so not to explode. Flash cannot run forever. Wells wants him to run through a wall to vibrate at the right frequency passing through it which will make the bomb fall off at speed force. It worked. Back at the gala event the Flash rushes through giving an antidote to everyone. The Tricksters are caught.
Barry is given the location of Henry Allen. He rescues his father as the Flash. He father’s says he “always did look good in red”. Barry takes his father back to S.T.A.R Labs to show him around. Henry thanks Wells for looking after Barry and Wells says he will do everything in his power to ensure his future. Barry and his father have an emotional hug goodbye and then Joe takes him back to Iron Heights. Barry doesn’t trust Wells but says to him that he is lucky to have him in his life only because he helped him to phase through matter.
We go back to the car accident when Wells manages to free himself from the car. Eobard Thawne knows Wells and Tess built the particle accelerator in 2020 but he needs it built sooner so he can get home. Eobard Thawne attaches a device to Well’s body transferring his physical appearance and essence into his own. Wells body is dead and disappears. So Harrison Wells as we think we know him is actually Eobard Thawne, the Reverse Flash who is trying to kill the Flash.
Joe asks to see Eddie at the police station and tells him that Iris is looking into Mason Bridge’s disappearance. The Flash arrives and shows his identity to Eddie. Eddie has a look of surprise. Eddie then goes to see Iris and tells her that Mason went to Brazil to be with a girl and write his memoires. Eddie tells Joe and Barry that Iris bought the story. As Wells described how speeding feels, Barry now knows that Wells is the man in yellow, the Reverse Flash.
We end at the car accident with the police arriving and Eobard Thawne introduces himself to the police as Harrison Wells.

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