Previously on The Flash
In the previous two episodes, we know that Doctor Alchemy, Season 3’s main plot villain, is “preparing” Earth-1 for some future event by turning people into their meta counterparts from the Flashpoint timeline. Barry has accepted that he cannot rely on time traveling to fix problems, but that he must continue to move forward otherwise, he will continue to fracture the timeline. Julian Albert is sharp and keen to detail with the meta cases he’s given so it’s only a matter of time before he discovers that Barry is The Flash. Both episodes centered around the Rival so it’s time to introduce a new meta in Episode 3–Magenta!
Magenta
Magenta focuses on the return of Dr. Harrison Wells and Jesse Quick and a metahuman called Magenta, hence the episode’s title. Plot is hardly driven in this episode, but instead is a fun, ‘filler’ episode that can lead to a few predictions for the season. I wish there was more to discuss of the metahuman, Magenta, but her role was mainly to illustrate Doctor Alchemy’s agenda on Earth-1. Triggered by negative comments, Magenta uses her magnetic powers to attack those who have emotionally hurt her. When Magenta wasn’t on screen, the episode was divided into two portions: Barry’s dates with Iris and Jesse’s speedster training.
Since we last saw in Season 1, it has been destiny that Iris and Barry will ultimately wed. After the loss of Eddie and Barry’s failed relationship with Patty, both Iris and Barry feel that they should give each other a chance and see where the relationship goes. Iris is fixated on the newspaper from the future and believes that she and Barry are meant to be, but as Barry knows all too well, anything can happen to affect the future. Barry always loved Iris and is ready to let all the risks associated with being The Flash to give a relationship with her a chance. I’m hoping that for this season, the relationship will have a positive effect on Barry, similar to Season 1 when he gained more speed after kissing Iris for the first time. With the direction of the show focusing on help from other speedsters, it’s likely that Barry will not become extremely powerful anytime soon.
Jesse
Both Jesse Quick and Wally West are speedsters in the comics, so after the particle accelerator exploded a second time in Season 2, we were all waiting for the moment when Jesse and Wally become speedsters. We saw Wally as Kid Flash, but only in the Flashpoint time, and now Jesse’s dormant speedster abilities are in full effect in the normal timeline. Dr. Wells and Jesse return to Earth-1 to utilize S.T.A.R. Labs’ training track and equipment. Jesse is under the impression that she is being tested and trained so that she can help Barry, when actually her father is stalling to find a way to get Jesse to quit the superhero act. Eventually, Dr. Wells sees the positives in Jesse helping Barry. In order to fight next to Barry, Jesse is given her very own costume.
Similar to Jesse Quick in the comics, Jesse’s costumes have had several incarnations. For the show’s sake, the costume is very similar to that of Trajectory’s from Season 2, because it actually was Trajectory’s costume. After gaining a tremendous amount of speed from self-injecting Velocity 9, Trajectory perished from running too fast only leaving her outfit behind. As much as I would have liked to have seen Jesse in one of her iconic costumes, it makes sense to reuse a costume already established in the show.
Wally
We know in the Flashpoint timeline that Wally is Kid Flash, but in the fractured timeline after Flashpoint, Wally still does not have any speedster abilities. Rather, he’s crestfallen when he finds out that Jesse has speedster abilities. Fans of the comics know that Wally is destined to become Kid Flash so it’s not just a matter of when that’ll occur, but mostly how. In Magenta, Wally is desperately trying to “activate” the speed power he believes is dormant within him, but fails. There is one possibility on how Wally will get his speed powers, but it involves Doctor Alchemy. If Doctor Alchemy is granting people their metahuman abilities from the Flashpoint timeline, then it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Wally reach out to Doctor Alchemy for the chance at being Kid Flash. The only problem that could arise from a plot such as this is that there must be some kind of payoff that Wally will deem as worthy enough for his powers. I’m hoping that he won’t be this power hungry to go as far as reaching for Doctor Alchemy for help.
Conclusion
Overall, the episode was great because it was mostly devoted to character development and was not entirely plot driven. Although the episode delved into Barry and Iris’ dating life, it was nice to see a different side to Jesse, Wally, and Caitlin. In Season 2, Jesse felt trapped during her stay in Earth-1. She wanted nothing more than to be able to return home and live her life. Now that Jesse has speedster abilities, she isn’t afraid of her powers and is eager to help Barry fight metahumans. Dr. Wells continues to be an overbearing father, yet Jesse understands her father’s concern and instead of running away like in Season 2, she makes him realize that she cannot continue to be sheltered forever.
Wally continues to struggle to find his place in the West family, but for once would feel included if he had any meta abilities to help Barry. When Barry offered his speed to Zoom, Wally realized the enormous sacrifice Barry did just to save him. It’s this debt that Wally feels he must help in any way he can. In a world with so several metahumans, Wally may become depressed by the lack of powers or desperate to find a way to get them.
Lastly, Caitlin is in a bind by keeping her cryokinetic abilities secret from her friends. In Season 2, Cisco was also hesitant to tell his friends about his abilities but had no way of knowing the potential of his powers until much later, whereas Caitlin had already seen Killer Frost’s power on Earth-2. Fearing that her abilities may lead her down Killer Frost’s path, Caitlin acts extremely awkward whenever she was asked by Dr. Wells to talk to his daughter about having meta abilities. Truthfully, Caitlin’s awkwardness was perhaps my favorite moments in this episode.
The New Rogues
On the next episode, The New Rogues, a long-awaited villain, Mirror Master, will be introduced! Also, Jesse quick with don her new costume and aid Barry as they tackle the new rogues! The Flash airs on The CW every Tuesdays at 8/7 Central. You can also watch The Flash on the CW app or website a day after the show airs for free!
