The Flash 5x18 : Godspeed review

Be warned there will be *SPOILERS* involved in this review. With that being said let's get into it.

The Flash returns from it's break with one heck of an episode. Beginning where it ended the last time where after just telling everyone that she had been working with Eobard Thawne this entire time Barry places his daughter into a cell in the pipeline. Up above everyone wonders just why Nora would do such a thing and it's Sherloque who gets the short end of the stick. As he suspected Nora from the beginning of the season and said nothing to anybody. Of course he defends himself but nobody really believes him enough to truly care. Ralph says there is only one way to find out why Nora did what she did and picks up her journal. And it's from here where we are sent into the future to be told of Nora's on goings before she came back to the past. Right away I get season 1 flashbacks to Barry as Nora clumsily tries to make her way to work as a CSI just like her dad. Upon arrival she notes that a certain chemical has been stolen that could be treated for anything from head lice to any other number of ailments. She also finds another chemical and after going back to her office she decides to investigate further. It's here where we're introduced to her friend Leah. The Cisco you could say of this time period. She's quirky, quick witted and is great friends with Nora. She gets a tip from a professor who says the two chemicals stolen are used to form a sort of matrix. He doesn't have much else to say really, but as Nora and Leah prepare to leave a white bolt of lightning flashes past them. Inside we see the professor on the ground and a man dressed in a gold / white suit. He has white lightning pulses throughout him and says he is the ''God of Speed'' Leah gets out of dodge but Nora ends up getting hit with a bolt of white lightning that God Speed throws at her. Knocked out and on the floor Leah rushes to her friend who we see has little bits of purple lightning floating around her body now. 

At the hospital and after calling her mom Leah says the doctors found a piece of metal that seemingly got stuck in Nora after she got knocked. Keen eyed viewers would notice this right away however as it is the power dampening chip that Iris had placed in Nora to protect her from the world. Nora even confronts her mom later in the episode as she sets out find out just who and what her true purpose really is. Both Nora and Leah have another run in with God Speed later in the episode but it doesn't end well at all as Nora showcases her speed Godspeed overwhelms her and ends up killing Leah. Much like Reverse Flash he puts his hand through her chest before she slumps to the ground. Nora runs to her side but she practically dies in her arms. All of this is happening as everyone in present day continues to read Nora's journal. Back in the future however Nora is back at her office and learns the identity of God Speed thanks to her boss gathering some intel. His name is August Heart who Nora had seen earlier in The Flash Museum only now figuring out his identity it completely flips her out. Nora comes up with a solution. If she wants to be an evil speedster she must become one / talk to one. And this is where Eobard Thawne, the Reverse Flash comes into play. Nora visits him in prison where he is serving out the remainder of his days for his crimes. At first he is hesitant to help young Nora but he is ultimately swayed by her and the two begin a working relationship that sees Nora figure out that Godspeed has been using Velocity-9 to gain his speed. She noticed earlier that his lightning turned blue for a split second much like Zoom's did in season 2 and Trajectory also. Godspeed has yet to fully stabilise Velocity-9 which could prove his downfall. And she is correct as with help from Eobard Thawne and some pretty cool scenes where she is being chased throughout the city by Godspeed Nora beats the speedster with the help of various satellite's around the city. They reboot every hour which just so happens to be ending so Nora uses the micro fibers to her advantage. Godspeed is defeated though I am more than sure he will return at some point in the future. Be it this season or in season 6. Nora after getting some advice from Eobard heads back to Star Labs where with the help of a Flash ring finds the time vault and all that lie inside it. She activates Gideon who welcomes her and says that she is the daughter of Iris West and Barry Allen aka The Flash. Nora can't believe what she is hearing but not seconds later a video message gets played and it's Barry as The Flash who is saying his goodbyes. It looks like this is from the Crisis event that will be happening at the end of the year as various guns and voices are heard in the background. He says that although he wasn't there for her he wants her to know how much he loves him and how amazing she is. And this is why Nora decides to go to the future. To see her dad. Which as far as time travelling goes is as good a reason as any I guess.

The episode draws to a close back at Star Labs where Nora who after being let out of the pipeline by Iris finishes telling her story. She says she is sorry for what she has done in working with the Reverse Flash but insists that she had no other choice. Barry agrees with her but then says that what hurts the most is that she kept going back to him. Even during her time spent with her parents throughout this season. She could've gone to Barry for help but instead she went to the one person who Barry can't stand in the entire universe..Eobard Thawne. Barry then says that he can't have anyone on the team that he doesn't trust and brings Nora back to her original time in the future. Sending her off with a warning that if she tries to come back in time he will sense it in the speedforce and stop her. It all truly ends however with Barry coming face-face with Eobard who says he will pay for his crimes soon enough as the clock outside of his cell now ticks below 10 minutes. And that was that. A truly fantastic episode in every aspect that had so much going for it. The introduction of Godspeed, the story of why Nora decided to travel to the past and just why she began working with the Reverse Flash. This episode had everything. It is easily one of the best episodes this season and just shows that when done right this show like I've said in the past has the ability to blow all the others out of the water. Brilliant job Team Flash!

★★★★★