Maybe it’s because I haven’t watched the episode with King Shark’s first appearance or because to this day I still can’t watch Jaws without feeling slightly anxious but this episode of The Flash felt very off to me. Though the appearance of Lyla and Diggle and Caitlin and Cisco’s everything definitely helped, I can’t say this episode did anything in terms of the plot or general enjoyment. Well, until the last five minutes or so.
Picking up right after Zoom takes Jay back to the other side, Caitlin is in shock at Jay’s disappearance and in disbelief that this (read: the death of her latest love) is happening to her again. While Cisco takes her away to comfort her, Wells breaks the news to Barry, Joe, and Jessie that they’re not going to be able to reopen the breaches. Barry’s not determined to let that stand.
On the list of those not taking it well is Wells’ daughter. After she’s fallen asleep under Cisco’s watch, Wells begs Cisco and Barry to not tell anyone about their experiences on Earth-2. Trying to adjust to life after Earth-2, the team makes do, each going into extreme focus on their work to take their minds off the events of the last episode.
Also facing their newest reality are Diggle and Lyla. After Waller’s death, Lyla is the new head of A.R.G.U.S. and is finding out just how many secrets Waller was keeping. Turns out they’ve been keeping King Shark in “The Aquarium” despite Team Flash’s belief he was dead. He tricks the guards into thinking he’s dead, allowing them to let down their defenses, both literal and otherwise, before jumping out and escaping.
Back at home, the Wests, Wally included, are having a family game night while Barry sits in the corner quietly. They notice he’s being weird but pretend to buy his excuse for Barry’s benefit. However, the detective and investigative journalist are on the case, convinced something happened on Earth-2 that he’s not telling them.
Meanwhile, Cisco is trying to help Caitlin cope with Jay’s death. Though he’s trying to comfort her, she snaps at him and storms off. Barry walks in at the tail end of it and Cisco shares his worries that this could be the trigger for Caitlin’s transformation into Killer Frost. Barry shrugs his worries off when Diggle and Lyla come sauntering in, revealing King Shark’s not only still alive but has escaped A.R.G.U.S. custody. They’re convinced he’s coming for Barry on Zoom’s command. They try to convince Barry to let A.R.G.U.S. handle it but Barry’s annoyed at having been a “sitting duck” for Zoom and his cronies all year.
The team splits up, with Cisco and Caitlin heading to track down the wife of the Earth-1 version of King Shark. She’s less than thrilled with them showing up, blaming the explosion of the particle accelerator having accelerated his cancer, causing his death on this earth. Eventually, she agrees to give them copies of her research before leaving them. When Cisco tries to berate Caitlin for her cold attitude, she criticizes him about him treating her differently since their return from Earth-2.
Taking the chance at getting a distraction, Barry helps A.R.G.U.S. do a perimeter search of the oceanfront to find King Shark. Finding nothing, Diggle and Barry get a chance to talk about the events in Star City before Digg eventually confronts Barry for pulling an Oliver and trying to carry the world on his shoulders. They’re interrupted, however, by an A.R.G.U.S. agent’s run-in with King Shark. They arrive at the scene too late and Lyla is upset at having lost the element of surprise.
Barry leaves, making his way to Joe’s to help Wally with his application for Central City University. While they start off on the wrong foot when Barry starts giving him criticisms, they try to make it work for Joe and Iris’ sake but Wally’s still not ready to fully accept Barry. He resents Barry for having taken his spot in the family, for being the “perfect” son Joe didn’t have. As he’s getting ready to leave, King Shark tears through the house, demanding the Flash’s location. Joe tries to fend him off, giving Barry the chance to distract him from the house.
Though King Shark is still on Zoom’s side, Barry announces that all the portals have closed and Zoom can no longer get to them. King Shark takes Barry out, though, and challenges him to come find him in the water, fleeing as A.R.G.U.S. shows up.
In the house, the Wests are cleaning up, Wally annoyed at Barry not being there. When Barry makes his way back downstairs, they get into an argument and after he leaves, Joe and Iris confront Barry about what happened on Earth-2. He finally gets the chance to tell them about meeting their doppelgangers and shares about Joe 2’s death and how he still has that on his conscious.
At S.T.A.R. Labs, tensions are still running high between Caitlin and Cisco. He accidentally slips and reveals he met her doppelganger. Cisco tells her about Killer Frost and she admits that she has to be cold right now or the emotions of having lost Jay right after finally getting to feel normal after losing Ronnie. I’ve got to say, there have been a lot of theories floating around regarding Caitlin this season and my favorite has to be that this could be the start of her “villain” story -- this coldness and desire to not feel anything tends to do nothing but bring darkness (a la Sara Lance). What if this is finally the trigger for her turn as Killer Frost on Earth-1?
The team regroups and tries to get a location on King Shark. Turns out that he’s been tracking Barry by sensing Barry’s electromagnetic waves and they’re going to flip the switch on him to use that sense against him, making him the prey, not the predator. Wells, Jessie, and Cisco stay behind while the rest of the team makes their way to the bay. When he doesn’t fall for the bait, Barry takes him out on the water, creating a real life sharknado. Or, according to Wells, he’s electrifying the water, using the technique of shooting lightning Jay taught him to electrocute and temporarily sedate the giant shark.
Feeling slightly better now that King Shark is down, Digg and Barry finally finish that talk. If anyone knows about loss, it’s definitely Diggle and he gives him some good advice on how to cope with it.
While Joe and Wally are at Jitters going over his application, Joe admits they took Barry in after his mother was murdered and his father was wrongfully imprisoned, causing them to be proud of him like a son, because he is. But, just like Barry is his son, so is Wally.
Back at S.T.A.R. Labs, Caitlin plays a small prank on Cisco before getting serious and asking him to stop worrying as she’s not going to become Killer Frost (which would be a true shame). They regroup with the team upstairs. Barry announces he’s not going to stop trying to take down Zoom. “Jay’s death was not in vain and the next time I meet him, I’m going to take him down.”
Speaking of Jay and Earth-2, he’s taken back to the prison Barry was just broken out of. The man in the mask looks on, terrified, as Zoom removes his mask, revealing...Jay? “This could be a problem,” Zoom tells his unconscious doppelganger.
Look, I’m not going to say that I called Jay being Zoom and all but...the evidence was there. Of course, with two Jays, you’re left wondering if one of them is the Earth-1 Jay or if one of them is simply parading around with his face, much like the Reverse Flash who stole Wells’ identity in season one. If that’s the case, which one is the real Jay? Even with this ridiculous meta this week, I can’t lie: I’m very excited about this villain knowing his identity now.
The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW.
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