“The Reverse-Flash Returns” is episode eleven of season two of The Flash.
The episode opens with Barry running and talking about running. He says that people often run to avoid what’s in front of them, such as decisions and dilemmas. Barry asks if there’s anything else and Cisco tells him to take a break. Wells, who is with Cisco, says that they can’t waste any more time. That Barry needs to become better, stronger, faster in order to prepare to face Zoom. Although Wells may actually be planning to feed a faster Barry to Zoom.
Cisco tells Barry that there’s a runaway chemical transport truck. Barry runs after it and finds out that there is no-one inside. The steering has been fixed and the steering wheel locked. Cisco tells Barry that if the truck crashes, it will take out an entire city block. And there’s a dead end coming up. Which is a potentially apt name. Barry manages to take off all the truck’s wheels, bringing it to a scraping stop just before it hits a wall.
Back at S.T.A.R. Labs Cisco is telling Wells not to worry. They have the Turtle in the pipeline and they will be able to figure out how to use his powers against Zoom. Then Caitlin and Jay enter and say that’s not the case, because the Turtle is dead. In the previous episode, “Potential Energy”, Wells had killed the Turtle after he was captured. Wells might prefer to stop Zoom, but he would rather not take any risks that could endanger his daughter. So he’s instead sabotaging the effort against Zoom.
Cisco tells Barry to return and he does. Eobard Thawne was watching what happened; it looks like he set up the accident in the first place. At the end of the previous episode Thawne had appeared, presumably from the future, although he didn’t know where he was. Gideon asks Thawne if his trip was a success and he says yes, he has finally figured out what time period the Flash is from. Now he just needs to figure out how to get home. At S.T.A.R. Labs Jay still doesn’t trust Wells. He’s certainly justified in this case. Barry says that they need to think outside the box, as they haven’t even figured out how to seal the breaches yet.
Back at the precinct Patty brings the files on the ethanol transport truck that Barry stopped to Barry. She had told Barry that she had been accepted into the criminal science programme at Midway City University and wants to talk to Barry before she leaves. Barry isn’t really in the mood for talking though. After Patty leaves, Iris arrives, having caught the end of the conversation, and tells Barry that he doesn’t have to let Patty leave. Then Joe arrives; Francine doesn’t have much time left. He’s already said his goodbyes and he suggests that Iris do the same.
At S.T.A.R. Labs Cisco tells Wells that he wants to figure out how to control his powers. Wells says that’s a good idea. Cisco replies that he needs help. Wells says he just needs to find out what causes him to vibe. Cause and effect. Simple enough. Wells is not being cooperative. Cisco says that with Docto0r Light and Wells it took a while before he was able to vibe them. This evidently gives Wells an idea and he tells Cisco to meet him at the time vault.
When Cisco arrives, the vault is dark. Then Wells appears behind him wearing the Reverse-Flash’s yellow suit. Cisco shrieks at this. Wells tells Cisco that it is the rush of adrenaline that causes Cisco to vibe – then grabs hold of him. And Cisco sees a vision of Eobard Thawne.
Thawne is at Mercury Labs and he is after Dr McGee. Barry arrives and greets Thawne by name. The Reverse-Flash is surprised that Barry knows his name. Barry tells Thawne that he died; he says that’s good to know. And, now that he knows the time period the Flash is from, he will die as well. Thawne knocks Barry down and abducts McGee.
Back at S.T.A.R. Labs Joe says that he thought Eobard Thawne was erased from history when Eddie killed himself in “Fast Enough”. Wells says not necessarily. Thawne could have been in the Speed Force, which would be protecting him, and this is a timeline remnant. This Thawne is from the future, but he also hasn’t travelled back to the past yet to kill Barry’s mother. That’s why Thawne didn’t know Barry’s name – because, in Thawne’s timeline, that meeting is in the future.
Wells builds an experimental device to help improve Cisco’s ability to vibe. He’s interested to know what will happen when Cisco uses it. Not the most reassuring statement ever. Barry wants to stop this Thawne as well. However, both Thawne, as Dr Wells, and Dr Wells himself have previously stated that messing with the timeline can cause problems. And it does.
Jay is sick and getting worse ever since Zoom stole his speed. Caitlin thinks that, if they can find Jay’s doppelganger from this universe, they can use identical healthy cells to heal Jay. Patty has figured out that Barry is the Flash. Barry doesn’t want anyone else put at risk from the Reverse-Flash, Zoom or anyone else. And would rather let her go than confirm this.