“Into the Speed Force” is episode sixteen of season three of The Flash.
In the previous episode, “The Wrath of Savitar”, Barry realised that Future Barry had imprisoned Savitar in the Speed Force. Which meant that, when Jay Garrett and Barry sent the Philosopher’s Stone into the Speed Force in “The Present”, they had actually sent it to Savitar. Caitlin hadn’t betrayed everyone by keeping a piece; she’d stopped Savitar from escaping. Unfortunately, Savitar wound Wally up enough – by continually taunting him that he couldn’t do it – that Wally opened up a portal to the Speed Force and sent the stone fragment through. Which meant that Savitar was able to escape and Wally was imprisoned in his place. Savitar returned Wally’s powers in order for him to be able to do that very thing. A rather cunning, and convoluted, piece of manipulation and planning.
The episode opens with Barry musing that Savitar was right. Everything has happened is because of Barry’s weakness, because of “Flashpoint”. Everyone’s lives have changed, everyone is suffering. It has to stop. He can’t, won’t, let it hurt anyone else. He asks Cisco to get the breach room ready, as he is going to save Wally. Julian asks how. By going back into the Speed Force. There are problems with that idea, but it’s probably the only way to save Wally.
H.R. states that he doesn’t understand the Speed Force – but there are plenty in the room who do. They could use their knowledge to create a safety precaution for Barry so he doesn’t get lost. Cisco starts saying, rather sarcastically, that he could whip up an interdimensional tether to anchor Barry to the universe. H.R. agrees and Cisco realises that’s exactly what he can do. Julian suggests adding a biological component so they can measure Barry’s vitals and Caitlin continues, saying they could pull Barry out if something goes wrong.
Jesse wants to go too. This leads to a digression between H.R. and Cisco about Super Mario Bros. Jesse thinks Barry needs help, but he wants her to remain and keep the city safe. And he has to do this on her own. Barry also speaks to Iris afterwards, and notices she isn’t wearing the engagement ring. Because she discovered one reason why Barry asked Iris to marry him was to change the future. Barry tells Joe he’s concerned that he changed things one too many times.
Cisco is telling Julian that they are going to modify what they used to get Barry out of the Speed Force the first time. Caitlin points out that Julian wasn’t part of the team then. Cisco explains it’s the electrode halo – the thing they use to talk to Savitar. That is something that Julian is familiar with.
Cisco has no idea where Barry will end up in the Speed Force. The first place is Barry’s lab at CCPD during a storm. He goes looking for Wally, but finds Eddie Thawne; in “The Runaway Dinosaur” the Speed Force manifested itself as people Barry knew. Barry says that he’s here to save Wally. Wally is apparently in a prison Future Barry created. The Speed Force is also not happy with Barry. Last time, they returned his speed because Barry said he had come to terms with his mother’s death. Then he altered the past. Barry replies that his father had just been killed. The Speed Force knows and understands that; that’s why he was allowed to do it. Choices have consequences, though. Just like Barry, Wally made a choice and has to live with the consequences.
Jesse wants to use the blade Barry severed from Savitar to track down Savitar’s location. Cisco says that is possible, but doesn’t think that Jesse going after Savitar is a terribly good idea. Iris tells her father she is worried she might have made the wrong decision. He tells her to look into her heart for the answer.
Speed Force Eddie talks about what Real Eddie’s life could have been like. If Barry wants to save Wally, he first needs to outrun a Time Wraith. This then leads to S.T.A.R. Labs, where Caitlin is holding a baby. It would have been her and Ronnie’s daughter, and Ronnie is there too.
After studying Savitar’s blade for hours, and getting side-tracked into a discussion on Schroder’s Cat and Peanuts, Jesse loses it with the others and demands to know if they can track Savitar with it. The blade is being affected by an external force. Which, Jesse says, has to be Savitar. It is trying to connect with him. Jesse still wants to go after Savitar, even when it’s pointed out that this is just what got Wally in trouble. H.R. has a private chat to Jesse which could have gone better.
Speed Force Ronnie tells Barry he is being shown people who sacrificed for him. Barry replies that W3ally was tricked; he didn’t sacrifice himself. Barry will take his place instead. Ronnie tells him they can’t allow that. Barry is not leaving. Ronnie says he was warned. Then something attacks Barry, another speedster. Barry recognises it as Hunter Zolomon – Zoom – who, in “The Race of His Life” – got parts of his face ripped away. Now, what remains looks, and sounds, rather like what was seen hunting Eobard Thawne in “The Legion of Doom”. In order to stop the thing, Barry has to dump his tether.
Jesse does go after Savitar, who was expecting her. It’s not good when the villain expects you to show up. There are more suggestions that Savitar may be someone known. Despite Jesse’s foolishness, something useful is learned.