15 Best Episodes Of The Flash, Ranked – SlashFilm

It is genuinely tragic how briskly “The Flash” went from the perfect superhero present on TV to a complete catastrophe. By the point it ran the Arrowverse into the bottom with a stumbling sequence finale stuffed with unsatisfying conclusions to a wide range of storylines (punctuated by a last showdown that sees the sequence’ beloved rogues gallery exit like a bunch of punks), former followers had already begun processing its legacy as a as soon as-nice present that had slowed to a crawl way back.

It is simple to neglect that all through all the sequence (although particularly in its earlier seasons) “The Flash” spent most of its run telling among the greatest small-display screen superhero tales of the 2010s. When you want an excuse to rewatch it on streaming, we have taken a dash down reminiscence lane to deliver our favourite moments from the sequence’ previous again to the longer term. 

From climactic showdowns and terrifying villain introductions to crossovers and musical numbers, these are our 15 favourite episodes of “The Flash.”

For all of the faults of the later seasons of “The Flash,” the sequence might nonetheless be fairly enjoyable when it embraced its innate pulpy sci-fi power. “Armageddon — Half 4” is a main instance of this.

Dipping again into the previous “Elseworld” properly to nice impact, it sees Barry emerge in a future the place Eobard Thawne (Tom Cavanagh) had manipulated the timeline to successfully steal Barry’s life. Whereas he is the hero of Central Metropolis, celebrated by Group Flash and making ready to marry Iris West (Candice Patton), Barry discovers that he’s now the reviled Reverse Flash. With no mates left to show to and solely a handful of hours earlier than Thawne’s grasp plan erases him from historical past, Barry is pressured to staff up with bygone Arrowverse foe Damien Darhk (Neal McDonough).

Even retreading a number of emotional beats right here and there, “Armageddon — Half 4” is thrilling sufficient to be worthy of a spot on this checklist. Tom Cavanagh and visitor star Neal McDonough deserve the majority of the reward, proving that the Arrowverse can be nothing with out its most cherished villains.

Although not as flashy (no pun supposed) as different Arrowverse crossovers by way of narrative scope or solid dimension, “Elseworlds” arguably advantages from the main focus. It kicks off with the eponymous season 5 episode of “The Flash,” which itself begins with a correct introduction to the Monitor Mar Novu (LaMonica Garrett). After he items the E-book of Future to an unstable psychiatrist (Jeremy Davies’ John Deegan), Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) and Barry Allen get up dwelling every others’ lives.

The episode will get a whole lot of mileage out of the 2 heroes having to show the opposite the best way to use their new powers. Whereas Oliver struggles to get the grasp of the Flash’s tremendous pace and Barry learns the complete extent of what the Arrow realized on Lian Yu, they retreat to “Supergirl’s” Earth-38. Then-newcomer Tyler Hoechlin practically steals the present by bringing the Man of Metal into the fold, however a brand new spin on the dependable, unbeatable dynamic between Oliver and Barry elevates all the episode.

Whereas the Arrowverse had already produced two crossover occasions by the third season of “The Flash,” “Invasion!” was the primary to showcase the potential of this expansive shared universe. It begins in earnest in “The Flash” season 3, episode 8, with an alien spaceship belonging to the Dominators touchdown in Central Metropolis. Although Lyla Michaels (Audrey Marie Anderson) and A.R.G.U.S. organize them to face down, Barry and Group Flash take it upon themselves to assemble their tremendous mates.

The episode is stuffed with nice character moments, however what earns it a spot on this checklist is the stunning quantity of house afforded to the aftermath of the Flashpoint. After Professor Stein (Victor Garber) presents Barry and Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) with a recording revealing Barry’s time-touring transgression, the Scarlet Speedster is lastly pressured to return clear to all the Arrowverse. It is a narrative anchor that makes “Invasion!” an awesome standalone episode in addition to a strong crossover piece, ending completely with a climactic battle between Ollie, Barry, and the remainder of the ensemble.

“The Pace of Thought” is a deceptively darkish episode, exploring what Barry can be like if he had been robbed of his humanity. The synthetic pace drive has granted him the novel present of “pace considering,” permitting him to make use of, refine, and increase his already spectacular mind at a tempo that basically quantities to precognition. The value, nevertheless, is that Barry spends the episode considering sooner than his feelings, main him to place his family members in jeopardy if it serves his chilly tactical calculus.

“The Pace of Thought” additionally works properly as an exploration of grief. Barry’s embrace of this optimized, impassive state within the aftermath of the demise of one in every of his closest mates mirrors how some individuals shut down emotionally to keep away from processing a painful loss. His pace considering is a refined allegory for coping mechanisms that seem useful at first however are in the end damaging.

Heading again to the golden period of “The Flash,” our subsequent entry is “Enter Zoom” — or, “In Which Hunter Zolomon Beats the Brakes Off of Barry Allen.”

Whether or not or not the writers had been acutely aware of how shut the Zoom storyline was to the Reverse Flash storyline from season 1, they clearly understood that they’d should go to nice lengths to make him a convincingly superior menace to Eobard Thawne. A lot of this tense, tightly written episode revolves round Group Flash making an attempt to attract Zoom (Teddy Sears) to their Earth in order that they’ll drain his pace. They in the end choose utilizing Linda Park — a doppelganger for Zoom’s henchman Physician Mild (Malese Jow) — as bait.

Of course, Zoom in the end sees by means of their ruse and turns Linda into bait of his personal. When Barry arrives to avoid wasting her, he is defeated so decisively, so savagely, that the remainder of Group Flash can not help however query if Zoom is even human. Sure, he is nonetheless simply one other speedster with a foot inside S.T.A.R. Labs, however “Enter Zoom” does a valiant job constructing him up as a menace extra terrifying than something followers have seen by that time within the sequence.

In contrast to the opposite crossover episodes included on this checklist, “The Flash’s” installment of “Disaster on Infinite Earths” is a bit onerous to course of by itself. The episode picks up and interweaves a number of plot threads, together with a number of from earlier episodes — it could really feel convoluted if every of them weren’t so momentous.

To unite the Paragons of the Multiverse, Ralph Dibney (Hartley Sawyer), Iris, and Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh) should recruit the scientist Ryan Choi (Osric Chau); Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) and Batwoman (Ruby Rose) do some basic World’s Best bickering over the best way to deal with the captive Lex Luthor (Jon Cryer). Plus, Diggle (David Ramsey) and Mia Queen (Katherine McNamara) staff up with John Constantine (Matt Ryan) and the satan himself (“Lucifer” star Tom Ellis) to rescue Oliver from purgatory — just for Oliver to decide on to grow to be the Spectre as an alternative.

If all that is not sufficient pleasure for one hour of tv, “The Flash” spends nearly all of the episode specializing in Barry lastly coming face-to-face with the destiny that has chased him for the reason that 1st season. With the “Disaster” absolutely underway, he is aware of the Flash should sacrifice himself to avoid wasting the universe, however the prophetic information clipping by no means specified which Flash (enter Flash-90, performed by John Wesley Shipp). The episode is one breathtakingly excessive-stakes sequence after one other, every plotline carrying huge ramifications for the Arrowverse whereas organising the ultimate episodes of the “Disaster” occasion. It is pure blockbuster TV spectacle in the absolute best manner.

Presumably, the writing course of for “Duet” began with somebody taking a look on the Arrowverse roster and realizing they’d far too many Broadway legends on the payroll to deprive followers of a musical episode. However “Duet” is not distinctive merely for its vocal performances.

Musical episodes are a beloved and acceptably schlocky tv trope that usually use the gimmick in an try and distract the viewers from the truth that the present most likely ran out of steam a season or two in the past. Right here, nevertheless, “The Flash” truly makes use of this weird trial (orchestrated by a wonderfully-solid Darren Criss because the Music Meister) as a pivotal notice in Barry and Iris’ improvement as a pair. In a season that’s in any other case a reasonably miserable meditation on worry, guilt, and loss, “Duet” is refreshingly hopeful and healthful.

Main as much as the “Disaster on Infinite Earths” crossover occasion, “The Flash” paired its titular character with a giant-dangerous that pressured him to confront his will to dwell. Ramsey Rosso (aka Bloodwork, performed by Sendhil Ramamurthy) is not a fan favourite by any means — with the intention to forestall his demise from a uncommon illness, Ramsey had embraced a grotesque energy that allowed him to extend his life by terrorizing individuals. The connection between him and Barry is not apparent at first, however it comes into focus for “The Final Temptation of Barry Allen.”

The episode takes place largely in a dream state, the place Barry is ready to commune with the Pace Pressure (manifested within the type of his late mom) and Ramsey. The latter provides him the possibility to outlive his “Disaster” destiny at the price of his soul. This ethical dilemma interrogates the core of Barry’s character and provides Grant Gustin an opportunity to showcase the form of performing he does greatest. It is onerous to think about a greater manner for “The Flash” to organize its title character for a second all the sequence had been resulting in.

As nice as “Enter Zoom” could be, it’s nonetheless one more instance of season 2 being a barely weaker redux of season 1. Its counterpart within the present’s first outing is “The Man within the Yellow Go well with,” a midseason finale through which, you guessed it, “Eobard Thawne Beats the Brakes Off of Barry Allen.”

After a witness to a laboratory theft offers the Central Metropolis Police Division an outline that matches the inexplicable phenomenon that Barry noticed the night time his mom was murdered, he turns into satisfied that the killer has lastly resurfaced. His worst fears are confirmed in an preliminary confrontation that performs out like a violent, one-sided taunting reasonably than an actual struggle. Barry is thereafter sidelined by Harrison and Joe, who staff up with the police to seize this mysterious speedster whereas Barry is pressured to reconcile together with his emotions for Iris.

“The Man within the Yellow Go well with” does every little thing a midseason finale ought to. It raises the stakes in a number of key subplots (together with Caitlin’s seek for her presumed-to-be-lifeless fiancee), brings our hero to his most susceptible state but, and introduces the seasonal large-dangerous in memorable trend. To cap all of it off, it delivers the mindbending — but not whole — reveal of the Reverse Flash’s true id, leaving audiences to surprise over the vacations about how Harrison Wells might probably be the Man within the Yellow Go well with.

Season 9 of “The Flash” was a low level for the sequence, which is very disappointing since that is how this decade-lengthy journey selected to break down on the end line. However there have been definitely flashes of brilliance alongside the way in which, together with the distinctive “Reunions.”

The first installment of the last word “A New World” story arc, “Reunions” brings Barry Allen again to the day his mom (Michelle Harrison) was murdered one final time. Whereas he initially embarks on the standard, anticipated journey of discovering allies prior to now to return to his current, he’s unexpectedly pressured to remain in place resulting from an opportunity encounter together with his mother and father. He’s unable to inform them who he’s, however the catharsis of seeing them collectively one final time is highly effective.

So highly effective, in actual fact, that Barry returns to the scene of the crime to not save himself or his household however to avoid wasting Eobard Thawne (Matt Letscher) from himself. When Thawne goes by means of together with his plan, stranding himself prior to now and initiating the occasions of the sequence correct, Barry expresses profound gratitude to Thawne for unwittingly serving to him discover peace from this core trauma. When you take away the Cobalt Blue subplot, “Reunions” has the bones of a much better sequence finale for “The Flash.” At current, it is a largely definitive chapter in Barry’s story that additionally serves as a becoming ship-off for Nora and Henry Allen, in addition to Letscher’s model of Thawne.

If there may be an episode of “The Flash” that we most want we might return and expertise for the primary time, it is “Out of Time.” It begins usually sufficient: a clumsy double date with Barry, Iris, and their respective companions, in addition to the reemergence of a vengeful Mark Mardon / Climate Wizard. However because the episode continues, it quickly turns into essentially the most consequential installment of the sequence to this point.

Whereas Barry and Iris are lastly pressured to confront their emotions for each other, Cisco (Carlos Valdes) is murdered by Harrison Wells after discovering proof that he’s, in actual fact, the Reverse Flash. Simply because the sequence’ establishment appears irreparably altered, it brilliantly introduces one in every of its last core narrative instruments: time journey. Twisty, suspenseful, and sport-altering even regardless of the rewind, “Out of Time” was the episode that proved “The Flash” had the potential to be the perfect CW superhero sequence but.

With slightly below a day left earlier than the prophesied demise of Iris West, Group Flash will get some a lot-wanted excellent news. By spying on their previous pal Lyla Michaels, Cisco discovers that A.R.G.U.S. has harvested a chunk of Dominator tech able to stopping Savitar earlier than he can cement the paradox of his existence. However when Lyla refuses to assist (nonetheless bent out of practice from “Invasion!”), Barry groups up with none aside from Leonard Snart to steal Iris’ solely hope at survival.

“Infantino Road” is a strain cooker of an episode. The viewers at this level was pretty comfy within the data that Barry would discover some option to save Iris, making the episode’s twist ending all of the extra jaw-dropping. And whereas the last word sacrifice is not what it seems, this story stays a significant element of season 3’s formidable redemption arc for Barry.

By season 4, “The Flash” started displaying indicators of exhaustion. The introduction of Clifford DeVoe (Neil Sandilands) because the sequence’ first non-speedster seasonal villain was a optimistic indicator, however the spark of the primary three seasons felt prefer it was fading. For a second, nevertheless, “Enter Flashtime” gave us hope.

The bulk of the episode takes place within the titular temporal state, through which time strikes so slowly that solely Barry and his speedster companions are in a position to maneuver freely. It is an ingenious and ingenious subversion of the present’s components that permits Barry’s powers to be explored at their most excessive (which the sequence nearly by no means did). Greater than that, “Enter Flashtime” is the sort of story that solely “The Flash” might inform.

It is secure to say that, as completely satisfied as followers had been to see Tom Cavanagh return for season 2 as Harrison Wells, they sorely missed his portrayal of Eobard Thawne. It is the principle motive “Flash Again” is so satisfying.

Mild on speedster mates and determined to outpace Hunter Zolomon, Barry realizes he must reunite with Thawne prior to now to realize the reply to an equation that may assist him run sooner. This race to the previous results in equally entertaining “Groundhog Day” story beats because the sequel to “Out of Time,” however it has the added thrill of Barry being in charge of the story. His confrontation with Wells / Thawne reveals how a lot he is grown as a personality for the reason that 1st season, assured sufficient to bluff his manner right into a partnership together with his worst enemy.

Swapping a CGI beatdown for a psychological showdown won’t be essentially the most pure manner for “The Flash” to finish its 1st season, however it’s surprisingly compelling tv. The climax of the earlier episode noticed Barry staff up with the Inexperienced Arrow and Firestorm (Stephen Amell) to take down Eobard Thawne, well preserving the mystique of his pace drive dominance whereas shifting him right into a susceptible place for this tense finale.

Now imprisoned, Thawne lays his playing cards on the desk: He wants Barry to run quick sufficient to open a temporal portal to his personal time. If he does so, Barry may also have unlocked the flexibility to journey again in time and save his mom. The ethical dilemma of letting Thawne go to resolve the ache that has pushed the sequence up to now offers “The Flash” the chance to outline what sort of hero Barry Allen goes to be now that he is on his personal.

Thus, his victory is just not outrunning Thawne, however rejecting his enemy’s view that life is to be bent to the desire of the highly effective as an alternative of embraced in its imperfections by even essentially the most common of individuals — like, for instance, Eddie Thawne, whose disappointingly unextraordinary life (in Eobard’s view) finally ends up being the one factor that may cease the Reverse Flash. It is a good, insightful wrap-as much as the sequence’ greatest season by far and an instance of why “The Flash” as soon as carried the hope of all the Arrowverse with its gold-clad boots.