The Flash Episode 9: Reverse Flash Theory

Comic book tv shows

By Nav K on December 11, 2014 • ( 13 Comments )

The Flash episode 9 gave us some big Reverse Flash reveals, but what exactly did that ending mean? Time travel mumbo jumbo is always confusing, but from what we saw in episode 9 (which was a great episode by the way), let’s try to piece together a Reverse Flash theory, that may or may not involve not one but two Reverse Flashes! So let’s discuss The Flash Episode 9.

Overall thoughts on The Flash episode 9 first: it was great! Quite the emotional episode as well, with great scenes between Barry and his father and Caitlin and her ex-fiance that’s now kinda back from the dead. But it was the Reverse Flash story arc that really made the episode. And with the time travel nature of The Flash character in the comics, I should have known this whole Reverse Flash thing wouldn’t be so simple.

So here’s my working theory right now: there’s two Reverse Flashes. Harrison Wells is one, and Eddie Thawne is another. In the comics, there have been many different characters that have taken up the Reverse Flash mantle. The main one is Eobard Thawne aka Professor Zoom. In the comics Eobard is obsessed with Barry, I don’t want to get into the whole storyline because it’s very confusing and involves secret twins and plastic surgery (yep) but basically Eobard grows to despise Barry and goes back to the past to murder his mother, because well he’s a little crazy. I believe that Eddie Thawne is Eobard Thawne’s character from the comics.

Then there’s the Hunter Zolomon Reverse Flash who is actually the other Flash’s, Wally West’s, Reverse Flash. Zolomon was paralyzed after an incident with Gorilla Grodd and asked Wally to go back in time to stop that from happening. Wally said no, so Zolomon tried to use the cosmic treadmill (the machine that allows them to time travel) himself, things went wrong and he eventually got powers that allowed him to go back in time himself. He believed that Wally wasn’t the best hero he could be because he had never experienced real tragedy before, so in true villain form, Zolomon decides to go back in time to create some good old tragedy for Wally.

Okay so these are the two main Reverse Flashes, and the two I believe the show are going to be using. Seems like Eddie Thawne (his future self) will be Professor Zoom, whilst Harrison Wells is Hunter Zolomon. The question is which Reverse Flash did we see in The Flash episode 9? Would Wells beat himself up? And it was pointed out that the Reverse Flash didn’t hurt Eddie, so perhaps tonight’s Reverse Flash was Eddie Thawne from the future. But then at the end of the episode we see that Wells has the tachyon particle device that was stolen in tonight’s episode. So maybe the two Reverse Flashes are working together. Orrr they are working against each other.

Stick with me here. In the comics, Eobard Thawne is Reverse Flash before Zolomon. So perhaps in the future Harrison Wells has somehow lost his powers, and has come back to the past to regain them. In the post credit scene, you will notice that once Wells places the device on the suit, he starts healing quickly. Meaning he didn’t have his powers until the device was put on the suit, furthering the point that he has lost his powers at one point in time. The Reverse Flash also says to Wells, “we meet at last”, making it seem like they are in fact different people.  He also just stares at Eddie, suggesting that connection between Reverse Flash and Eddie. So either they are working together (whilst Wells probably has his own little plan on the side) or Wells is trying to become the only Reverse Flash whilst trying to regain his powers.

Look honestly my brain is spinning with possibilities, but my main theory is that from what we saw in The Flash episode 9 there are two different Reverse Flashes. One is Harrison Wells and the other is Eddie Thawne. Eddie could easily venture onto the villain’s path with this whole Iris, Barry and his love triangle. Maybe he’s mad Barry stole his girl in the future, who knows! But that’s what I’m thinking. Others are suggesting that the Reverse Flash in tonight’s episode was just Wells from the past or future, somewhere in the timeline. Could be. Right now we just have to wait until The Flash makes more reveals about the character until we know something concrete. Time travel stuff always deeply messes with my head, so I will be thinking about this for a while.

Anyways after watching The Flash episode 9, what are your Reverse Flash theories? Let me know!

Categories: Comic book tv shows

Tagged as: dc comics, episode review, reverse flash, the flash, tv