Barry's unrequited crush on Iris gets a lot of work in this episode. There is so much focus on it that it made me wonder if the writers have some kind of long-term plan for the two lovebirds. It's almost as if Detective Pretty Boy doesn't exist, which is true with most of his time on the show. The writers are admirably trying to address the complaints from fans that Iris is largely a one-note character who is either championing Barry or obsessed with the Streak.




All of that is still true, although there is good development here that both deepens and complicates the relationship between her and Barry. It would be sensible for the men in Iris' life to worry about danger coming her way due to attaching her name to Streak blog posts. Until that danger actually does come about to affect the characters in question, Iris will continue to post about the Streak. This is a good start for her character.


The episode's main story kicks off with a call to investigate an building explosion which allows Barry to be able to defy gravity by speeding up the side of a building to rescue someone in peril. That's not a nominally important factor so much as the series ignoring reality to show off its impressive special effects. The explosion was caused by Bette Sans Souci, a meta-human who can make things explode by simply touching them. On the other end, Iris gets her first physical encounter with the Streak. The meeting inspires her to post more information on her blog, eventually graduating from anonymous post to one with a name. Since she is in rather hypothetical danger from meta-humans we haven't yet seen, it prompts action from Joe and Barry. Joe practically orders Barry to tell Iris the truth. Barry tries to get Iris off his scent in a scene inspired by Lois Lane's apartment "interview" with Superman in the 1978 Superman movie.


Sure, Barry vibrating his vocal chords to disguise his voice is cool, but their conversation is easily the most in-depth one they've had to date. Iris is posting about the Streak not only to give hope to the citizenry of Central City, but for belief in Barry and the possibility that he will find out what happened to his mother. It's enough to keep both Barry and Joe off of Iris' case, and also a catalyst for addressing Joe's knowledge of Barry's obvious, long-time crush on his daughter.


Joe is not entirely wrong in suggesting that Barry tell her the whole truth. Maybe not about his secret superhero identity, but at least be more honest about his "love" for her. There wouldn't be too much harm in telling her about the crush. Barry still won't tell Iris all of his secrets because the writers seem intent on playing around with it more as they develop the series, but there is legitimate reason for keeping the secrets now. Moreso than earlier in the series.




As for the plot of dealing with Bette Sans Souci, a.k.a. "Plastique", the small change is making her a meta-human who doesn't want to destroy Central City. It's a genre trope, but one that suggests that the series is slowly evolving. Dr. Wells and company carry a lot of guilt around with them in the wake of the particle accelerator explosion. That connects them with Bette. She obviously doesn't want the power to make things explode, and it's something of a gut shot when the team reveals that her condition can't be reversed. It's a hopeless situation for her, which probably explains why Dr. Wells practically orders her to murder General Eiling. 



Eiling and the military represent a significant threat, one that won't stop coming, so Wells has to get rid of it somehow. The fact that she doesn't question Wells on simple murder is the most disturbing aspect of the plot. Once she was on her way to Eiling, she wasn't long for this world. Eiling shooting Bette occurs a bit too quickly, but that takes a backseat to the spectacular sequence that follows: Barry running on water, dropping a dying Bette in the bay, and then outrunning the resulting shockwave.



Dr. Wells is given some great shading in the episode, with hints dropped of a larger and more complicated history with General Eiling. They apparently conducted illicit experiments five years prior. Wells ended the experiments which fractured their relationship. The experimentation was on Grodd, last seen as a background Easter egg in the pilot episode with his cage broken. This portends a future appearance by the super-intelligent gorilla who has been a long-time staple of the Flash comics.




While Wells' ambiguous good and evil routine may feel worn out by now, there's no denying that it is effective in coloring his actions in some scenes. Some characters function very well in these moral gray areas. Big things are coming for the future of this show. This episode shows what it certainly can be capable of doing. It just needs time to settle into a groove.