The Flash S2 E9 “Running to Stand Still”

It’s December and that only means one thing: Mid season finale time!!! My fellow Flash fans, I didn’t set any expectations for the mid season finale which usually works to my advantage. However, I was left underwhelmed. And that is quite the feat when you had no expectations to begin with. Tonight’s Flash theme was Christmas and The Fathers that left us. Lets get this over with:

I normally have sections for certain plots and characters, but tonight’s episode was a bit all over the place. So here are my overall thoughts/musings instead.

Thoughts/Musings:

• In case you didn’t know it, it’s Christmas!!! Seriously though, how many Christmas references needed to be dropped? There was Christmas music, ugly Xmas sweaters, talk about presents, stockings by the fireplace, mistletoe, and a Christmas party at the Wests. Death threats via tiny Christmas toys. Santa aka the Trickster even gave out free small explosives to 100 random children. How was there no joke about being on the naughty list? Even Zoom wished Harrison Wells a “Merry Christmas”, albeit in a threatening manner. In case you were confused as to the timeline, it is Christmas time. I will give Jay Garrick points for fooling Caitlin into thinking Christmas doesn’t exist on Earth 2.
• Welcome back Iris West. After spending some confounding weeks in the background, and to serve no other purpose but provide Barry his weekly advice, Iris has been absent. Finally Iris gains some of her agency back, and Candice Patton took advantage of every scene and killed it. Unlike Joe and Barry, Iris can’t hold on to her secret regarding her brother. She has to talk to someone about it, and she finally confides in Barry. Placing the love story aside, Barry and Iris are first foremost best friends. All season long and season 1, we have seen Barry continually leaning on Iris for support. And she has always been there. Thinking about the series as a whole, I can’t really say the reverse is true; exception was when Iris’s mother reappeared. Iris lost Eddie, her fiancee, and I can’t recall observing Barry console her. In fact, Barry was in own funk regarding his role in Eddie’s death, and Iris was the one to help snap him out of it. Sometimes Barry frustrates me. Iris confides in Barry about her brother, how she has kept that from Joe, and the guilt is overwhelming her. Barry being the supportive friend he is accompanies her when she breaks it to Joe. I have to give another kudos to Candice Patton for her performance. It was raw, emotional, and poignant. I also believe that acting opposite Jesse Martin brings out the best in any actor. One final note, I appreciate Iris’s support of Barry and Patty’s relationship. It’s refreshing that Iris isn’t being played as a jealous woman. She is still mourning Eddie’s loss, dealing with her mom’s and new brother’s reappearance. She’s a confident woman who just needs her best friend and nothing more. What a concept.
  • Actual final note: Iris’s sass is awesome. She doesn’t care about Snart’s family issues or that he is a super villain. She looks him straight in the face, and tells him to get over it. The writers need to write for Iris and Candice more this season. She is on point and delivering.
• Tonight’s other theme was all about Fathers who left loved ones behind. In particular Patty and Joe West. I’ll break them down separately.
  • Joe is reeling from the knowledge of having an adult son he never knew about or had the opportunity to raise. What makes Joe West a great character is his rationality. He could have easily taken his anger and frustration out on Iris for keeping such a big secret from him. Instead, and in the scene that broke my heart, he pontificates on all the missed opportunities with his son. From teaching him how to ride a bike, playing sports, girls, and so on ( he didn’t say all these things but its implied). All Joe has ever wanted is to be the best man and father he could be. And he blames himself for not trying harder with Francine. That if he had put a little more effort finding her or their relationship, he may have known his son. Of course it isn’t his fault, but that isn’t who Joe is. He is a rational person who will hold himself accountable first, and in his mind he just wasn’t there for his son. Also, by no means does that mean Joe doesn’t consider Barry his son equally. I love that Joe was able to lean on Barry, and there was no insecurity on Barry’s part. However, just for added security, Joe gives Barry a gift that he always wanted to give his son. Because that is what Barry is to him. And what Wally will eventually be to him also. Jesse Martin messes with my emotions every episode. He is #FatherGoals
  • Patty Spivot has her own father issues. Quick recap: Patty’s father was murdered 4 years ago by the Weather Wizard, Mark Madron. With Mark Madron back in Central City, she wants her revenge.It’s consuming her so much, she barely speaks to Barry. At this point, Patty doesn’t know that her boyfriend Barry is The Flash. After a near death by some small toys, Patty confides in The Flash about what really happened with her father. Patty used to work with her dad, but she decided to sitch work one day to hang out with her friends, so her dad had to take the money to the bank instead. She blames herself because if she wasn’t so selfish, her father may still be alive. I saw some people on Twitter questioning why confide in The Flash and not Barry? It makes sense really. Sometimes it’s easier to unload on someone who doesn’t know your or have any expectations of you. You can just vent with no repercussions. Barry is in a precarious situation because he wants to help her and talk to her, but then she would know his secret. Patty is still agitated and when confronted with Madron, almost kills him. I have to admit, I was a bit nervous that she was going to pull the trigger. Patty has been a rather cheerful character up until this point, but Barry said it best “there is a lot of pain under that smile”. It’s true what they say, we never know what truly lies behind anyone’s smile. Everyone has their own story. The Flash/Barry talks her down, and she ultimately arrests him, and her soul is saved. I like Barry and Patty as couple. They are cute, and I’m glad she decides to open up to him more. I’m still not sure of long term status for this couple though.
• We got triple threat tonight with Leonard Snart, Weather Wizard, and the Trickster. I was looking forward to this triple threat, but the trio fell flat. I would hardly call it a trio seeing as Leonard Snart’s tiny bit of humanity warned Barry of the imminent threat, and hightailed it out to “Legends of Tomrrow”. Personally speaking, I would have been satisfied with the Trickster being the lone villain in this episode. Mark Hamill plays the Trickster creepy enough without making him a caricature. Some of the lines were still cheesy, but I will blame that on the writers. I will also blame the writers for under utilizing Mark Hamill. He is Luke Skywalker after all. I understand we needed the Weather Wizard in context of Patty’s story, but overall the connection between the 3 villains was lacking.
  • The Trickster and Weather Wizard have one goal in mind, and that is to kill The Flash. The Trickster dressed as Santa gives away 100 presents to random children, all of which contain an explosive. Both villains know The Flash’s 1st instinct is to protect the people, but how can he save 100 children at once? I’m surprised that at this point, most of the bad guys haven’t figured out that The Flash works with the team. Let’s be real, Barry’s speed can only do so much. Without the brains that is Cisco, Caitlin, and Harrison Wells, he would just be running in circles. Cisco, Harry Wells, and Jay Garrick all work together to create a mega magnet which required only one explosive to help magnetize the other 99. I get lost in the scientific talk, but It was a pretty cool to see the 3 scientists  putting their minds together and coming up with a solution. Also, to give Jay something else to do besides drool over Caitlin.
• Zoom presence is still  prevalent throughout the episode. He still has Harry Well’s daughter captive and blackmailing Harry into helping him. In the final tag, we discover Zoom’s purpose is to make Barry stronger so once he absorbs Barry’s powers he will be powerful. Harry’s at Zoom’s mercy because of his daughter and agrees to help Zoom. Basically in every Earth timeline, Harrison Wells betrays The Flash in someway.
• Caitlin and Jay flirt a lot. I echo Cisco’s sentiment that it is painful to watch. Caitlin has every right to move on from Ronnie, but there is no chemistry with Jay. Also, Danielle Panabaker makes the same moon eyes at Barry that she does Jay like she did Ronnie. So I am confused.
• Cisco, my love, references Breaking Bad “Magnets bitches”
• Wally West makes his appearances and the West family feels are real!!! 
• Enough shade towards Oliver Queen. If you can’t be nice don’t mention him at all. 

Overall, extremely underwhelmed with this winter finale. I played a couple rounds of Candy Crush before I felt inspired to to type up anything. Season 2 overall has been a mixed bag. The Flash is trying to do much at one time. It is okay not to live up to your show title, and slow the heck down a bit. Sound of below on what you think.