The Flash 6x2 : A Flash of the Lightning review

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

The second episode of The Flash's sixth season begins where last week's ended. Moments after The Monitor leaves we see Barry and Iris discussing what they have just learned. On December 10th The Flash must die to save millions of lives. It's pretty grim stuff but Barry seems willing to accept his fate at first. Iris on the other hand is strongly against Barry dying and vows that they will come up with something. All of this leads to Barry coming up with a plan, to go to the future, go to December 11th which is the day after he is supposed to die. What follows is Barry travelling through the speedforce as normal but he gets stopped by a giant barrier of anti matter. Sent back to where he left Iris he is badly hurt and if he wasn't a speedster that would have vaporized him almost immediately. This leaves him with no choice but to go see Jay Garrick on Earth-3. Jay is an expert when it comes to Anti-Matter and upon arrival we see how much being a speedster has impacted him. He has to use a cane to help himself get around. But he's not alone he's joined by a woman named Joan Williams who is identical to Barry's mom. Barry immediately gets thrown by this as he agrees to let Jay transfer his mind across the anti matter barrier as his body wouldn't be able to handle the trip as we previously saw. So Jay and Joan get to work and with the help of Jay's old helmet Barry's mind is brought over the anti matter barrier and he sees what is coming. And what is coming is destruction far and wide as Barry sees billions of possible outcomes with an ungodly amount of death. He does see one good outcome but that is where he dies and saves millions of lives just like The Monitor said. In this outcome Barry runs and runs but gets destroyed and pulled apart from the anti matter that has taken over the city. He ends up having to be pulled from the machine as it is too taxing on his mind. He soon wakes up however and is in some serious pain. 10 times the amount anyone can handle but his speed healing should have him right as rain in a day or so. Barry requests to go home to Iris and is brought back by Jay and Joan. 

While Barry is dealing with his own problems of what is to come the here and now also gets addressed as a new meta is on the loose in Central City. Being put in front of a judge Cecil uses her mind powers and learns that the meta involved who is named Allegra Garcia. Turns out she was in Central City the night of the Particle Accelerator explosion and developed powers to control any form of waves. UV, Radio, Gamma the list goes on. But while she's in front of a judge Cecil reads her mind and is concerned after learning that she didn't commit the crime she is being held for. To put it all simply Allegra didn't commit the crime her cousin dead. Presumed dead she shows up at the CCPD precinct and uses her similar powers to turn the entire building dark. Now named Ultraviolet she is here to end Allegra who she feels like abandoned her on the night of the Particle Accelerator explosion. As her assault on the CCPD precinct continues Iris calls Barry who is at home still recovering from his ordeal earlier. Without hesitation he ups and rushes to the rescue and after saving people inside he confronts Ultraviolet. The Flash really isn't having a great day as while he does end up stopping Ultraviolet he forces himself through some of her UV waves and punches her taking her out in the process. He stops her but his face gets almost burned in the process. This really wasn't The Flash's greatest day but boy did he really show his strength throughout. 

The episode draws to a close as Barry and Iris discuss what Barry saw behind the anti matter barrier and what they can do to stop it. Barry seems to submit to his fate which is to save millions of lives and he says maybe it's time to start preparing for a world without The Flash around. Allegra's story didn't end at the precinct it ends at Iris's office as she applies to work for Iris's news paper. Iris welcomes her aboard which is interesting. At the beginning I wasn't a fan of her character but by the time the episode ended I wouldn't mind at all if we see her again throughout the season. We do see one more thing before the episode truly ends and that is Ramsey Rosso who for the most part was neglected in this episode. We find out that he has started human trials to test his cure and it certainly goes to plan but not in the way he thought as his victim rises from the dead literally in his lab. Freaked out by this the episode cuts to black just as he is about to get attacked and that was that. So just how was this episode? I loved it. Seeing what is to come in the impending Crisis was surreal. Barry's reaction to it all was genuine and boy did he take a beating in this episode both mentally and physically. Jay Garrick helping him was also a really nice touch. 2 episodes in and The Flash is already looking like it has the potential to be really great this season. Long may it continue!

★★★★