What I’m Watching: The Flash

The Flash: Season 2, Episode 18 “Versus Zoom” (B+)

I think it’s always most effective to fill in the backstory of a villain by showing his or her backstory as it corresponds to or deviates from a familiar story that led to heroism instead. Starting with Hunter waking up years ago to a similar scene that Barry experienced as a child but which ended in his father killing his mother in front of him and then him not being taken in the same way that Barry was by Joe made a lot of sense for why he went the way he did. Harry recognizing Hunter’s name as a well-known serial killer suggested a much different path, and his sudden attainment of powers while in a mental institution sent him over the edge in terms of incredible power. The explanation by Jay of what was going on and how he and Hunter both existed was helpful since I’ll admit that was very much confusing me, even if I don’t totally get the idea of time remnants and all that. It did destroy the entire myth of Jay as a good person, which is a shame, but it will be helpful for Caitlin getting over him. I like that there’s a certain correlation to powers between worlds, and that Cisco was able to become more like his other self by knowing what powers he could potentially have, which permitted him to locate Zoom. A Barry without powers is going to take some getting used to, and I’d assume that with four episodes left, he’ll be able to steal them back before the end of the season.