Warning: Spoiler Alert
Barry monologues as we are used to in the beginning of this episode. As he does the camera passes a billboard that welcomes visitors to Coast City “Home of Ferris Airlines” a precursor to something that will make me squeal like a fangirl if it ever comes to fruition. All for a pizza run it would seem. Still, the nod to another Justice League member is worth noting.
A shape shifter has assumed the identity of a bank employee in order to steal items from safety deposit boxes. The surveillance footage seems undeniable, but the woman is emotionally steadfast that the image on the screen isn’t her.
Eddie follows a lead on the diamond thief attempting to sell stolen diamonds. Eddie tries to take the guy down and is unsuccessful. Barry arrives too late to assist but on time enough to find out definitively that this meta-human is indeed a shape shifter.
These crossovers are teetering on just becoming the way and not a must see television event. Joe and Cisco travel to Starling City to trace back all the way to the car accident that took Tess’ life and as we the viewers know, is where and when Eobard Thawne literally assumed the identity of the scientist known as Harrison Wells. They are seeking assistance from Captain Quentin Lance and at some point, I’m sure, Laurel Lance (the Black Canary). Right on cue, Laurel asks to speak with Cisco privately where she very quickly divulges that she knows that Barry is the Flash, Oliver Queen is the Arrow and she is the Black Canary. Then Cisco completely nerds out before confessing his sudden love for her, in a joking way. The Canary is looking for a little tech help in her own pursuits.
Caitlin follows Wells home and rings his doorbell, the moment before Wells opens the door Barry whisks her away preventing (one would infer) a horrendous misstep on Caitlin’s part.
Eddie and Barry visit the living grandmother of their prime suspect for the shape shifter. Granny really wants to get them something and excuses herself to get some coffee. Seconds later, she is nowhere to be found. This Hannibal grandson character, I’m certain at some point killed or at least stashed his own Grandmother. Eddie runs out the back door just in time to see the shifter shift. He gives chase. Barry calls it in to Star Labs. Wells and Caitlin reiterate not to get touched or reveal his speed to this meta-human.
Barry: Well how am I supposed to catch him?
Wells: The old-fashioned way. Run like a normal person.
Eddie continues to give chase when a squad car pulls up. At this point, I’m wondering why Eddie didn’t just shoot the shape shifter in his/her leg. Then Eddie shoots both officers. Clearly Eddie is not Eddie. With the footage from the dash-cam, Eddie is going to be spending some time in Iron Heights until Barry can prove the image shooting cops wasn’t really Eddie.
Captain Lance begrudgingly takes Joe and Cisco out to the scene of the accident. Cisco pulls out what looks like a metal detector. We all know better, it’s for detecting but not metal. The Chief and Joe chew the fat about daughters and secrets when Cisco yells out that he’s found something. Tachyons. The same used for time travel. Just as Joe asks if he’s sure, the coffee in Lance’s cup begins to levitate.
Barry brings lab results to the District Attorney in what he believes should at the very least get Eddie released. The DA does not see it that way. When she leaves, Eddie looks at Barry and says, “It’s hard to argue with her. The video is pretty damning. They’re going to put me away.” Then Barry pulls the only card left in the deck at this point. He grabs Eddie and runs the heck out of there. Eddie convinces Barry to return him and clear his name the proper way. By finding Hannibal Bates.
While at home to change quickly, there is a knock at the door. That should have been red flag #1. Barry turns his back for a moment and “Eddie” pulls out his gun and knocks Barry out with it. Then the one thing that can’t happen does. Bates touches him and morphs into Barry Allen. Then Caitlin shows up spouting to “Not Barry” that she may have found a way to prevent the shape shifter from shifting. Then like the dunce she’s being, invites him to join her back at Star Labs.
On the side of the road somewhere in Starling City, under the tachyon readings, Joe unearths the corpse of a dead man.
The shape shifter is picking up the wrong signals from Caitlin. So, at the very worst we get to see what it would look like if Barry Allen abruptly pursued Caitlin with the style and creep factor of Tobey Maguire in Spider-Man 3. Now Iris has joined the party. Just as Iris lays out the inconsistency in the dash-cam and how Eddie is not left-handed, Wells tases “Not Barry” for the same reason.
Iris just had to insist on taking the shape shifter in. At a stop light the shifter wakes and shifts into little girl screaming. Naturally, there just so happens to be a group of construction workers doing nothing to come to the little girl’s aid.
With a little work, Wells has discovered that Mr. Bates’ cells will only replicate visually. No risk of replicating powers. So hands back on the Meta-human. Barry finds Bates trying to pass off as an old lady in airport security. Barry is made instantly. Bates, now as a TSA agent, takes off running. Barry has him cornered when Bates shifts into Caitlin causing a momentary hesitation on Barry’s part and causing me to yell “COME ON!” at my television. And now he’s fighting Iris. And now Eddie. And eventually The Flash.
Looks like Wells was wrong. When Bates shifted into the Flash, he was the Flash. Speed and all. Difference being, the real Barry has been training to improve his speed. The real Barry is just faster. He gains the upper hand and injects the serum that is supposed to halt the metamorphosis. It runs him through all the identities he’s shifted into and stops on Iris.
Back at the precinct, Barry shows Singh and the DA surveillance video from the airport. As incontrovertible as the dash-cam footage seemed, this is even more convincing. Eddie has been released and now the Chief of Police and the DA now know they are up against an enemy they are not equipped to handle. Luckily there is the Flash.
With Bates locked up at Star Labs, there is one more very significant piece of information Barry needs to show Caitlin. Joe and Cisco have brought he remains of what once was Harrison Wells back to the lab. Cisco’s run the DNA, it is a perfect match. This corpse in Harrison Wells.
Wells shows up at the precinct to give his regards to Detective Thawne and starts a conversation with Joe. About the memories of Tess in Starling City and the sense of loss, specifically pertaining to Tess and Iris’ mother. Joe gives up literally zero about Iris’ mother, but Wells finds a way to relate the two men as part of a small club. Endearing himself on some temporary level.
At Star Labs, Cisco is running a test of the 3D model of the building, looking for anywhere to hide something. Cisco grabs his tachyon metal detector and picks up activity along the wall they suspect has a secret room (THE BRAILLE ROOM). In short order they not only find the wall but Barry is able to open it. Inside the first thing that illuminates is the Reverse Flash suit. Then Barry turns to find the futuristic news paper hologram.
“Flash Missing Vanishes In Crisis”.
