“The Wrath of Savitar” is episode fifteen of season three of The Flash.
At the end of the previous episode, “Attack on Central City”, Wally was speeding to get Big Belly Burger for Jesse when he saw Savitar.
This episode opens with a man adding ‘and Kid Flash’ to the Welcome to Central City billboard, which already says home of the Flash when three blurs speed past, Jesse, Wally and Barry. Cisco, Caitlin and H.R. are monitoring from the lab; Wally has already beaten his personal best. To the comment that Barry is really putting Wally to the test, H.R. suggests that it’s Wally’s genius coach – H.R. – who’s responsible. Caitlin suggests that it could also be Jesse; Wally may not want to be beaten by his girlfriend. Barry and Jesse arrive at the final mark and Wally races to them. Two devices measure how fast he does the last bit, and it’s .21 seconds. Just fast enough to save Iris. Then Wally briefly sees Savitar again.
Julian has just arrived at the lab from the airport and Caitlin greets him. They don’t seem to know whether to shake hands, hug or what. Barry apparently has something he wants to tell everyone. Nobody knows what’s going on, then Barry and Iris arrive. In the previous episode, Barry proposed to Iris. And Iris holds up a finger, displaying an engagement ring. She said yes. Everyone is happy, although Joe looks a little shell-shocked. Afterwards, Joe speaks to Barry, about how many times he told the story about asking permission to marry Francine. Joe would like for Barry to have asked him for permission. Not that he would have said no. Barry claims it was all spontaneous.
They get informed that there is a fire in progress. Jesse is still; cooing over the ring, so Barry and Wally head out. On the way, Wally gets down by something that turns out to be Savitar. Who then attacks Wally. Barry doesn’t see Savitar, and Wally asks where Savitar went.
Back at the lab, Caitlin examines Wally. Wally admits he’s been seeing Savitar for about a week, but didn’t mention it because he thought it was in his head. Barry is upset and tells Wally, not as tactfully as he could, that he can’t keep stuff like that secret. Iris’ life depends on it. Caitlin wants to run a brain scan on Wally, in case Savitar is messing with Wally’s mind. Julian has been there. He doesn’t recommend it. Barry doesn’t want Wally there, in case Savitar is watching through Wally. Also not very tactfully handled. Barry wants to talk to Savitar again. Through Julian. Which Cisco believes they can do without the Philosopher’s Stone. Julian doesn’t like that.
Julian is afraid that, if Caitlin hears Savitar’s voice come from him, she won’t look at him the same way. Caitlin points out that he saw exactly the same thing happen to her, and didn’t have that problem. So, Julian gets wired up. Savitar comes out with the usual ‘bow before me’ nonsense, but Barry says he’s simply a man like him. Savitar replies he’s nothing like Barry – because Barry is cruel and selfish. From Savitar’s point of view, Barry is the big bad. Barry wants to know where Future Barry trapped Savitar. The only place that can hold him apparently. Savitar lost his mind several times but only his will kept his sanity.
Savitar claims that it is he who has always been Barry’s biggest foe. Barry took everything from him; Savitar never asked for any of this. He is this way because of Barry. Because of all of them. It is not long now for when Savitar will becomes who he is. He created himself. Barry says that they got rid of the stone – in “The Present” – but Savitar casts doubt on this. Barry’s attempts to change the future will fail, because Savitar is the future.
Which leads to the question as to whether they did get rid of the stone. Perhaps there is a second stone, or another piece. Savitar’s acolytes might now, and Barry crashes a meeting of them on a mountain. Where they have a box, like the one that held the stone. Only it is empty. The box, when analysed, is identical to the last one. The one they sent into the Speed Force. Julian has never come across a reference to a second stone, and believes that this is the same box.
Wally is training in the speed lab, but is struggling. He tells H.R. that it would help if he knew exactly how the night went down. They look at each other, and head to find Cisco. Cisco agrees, after warning Wally, to vibe him the future. Wally sees Savitar kill Iris, which is upsetting, but he also notices that Iris isn’t wearing an engagement ring. So, Wally goes and confronts Barry, suggesting that Barry asked Iris to marry him to alter the future. Which appears to be the case. Wally could have handled that better, but he was still angry with how Barry had treated him.
Julian is concerned that he will betray the team, but Caitlin tells him no – she is the one. Because she kept part of the stone, in the hopes of getting rid of her powers.
Lots of interpersonal problems in this episode, with people not thinking clearly thanks to Iris’ upcoming death, and Savitar, whatever else he is, is a genius at manipulating people. Everyone is being manipulated to help free Savitar. There’s also a feeling, going by some of what Savitar says, that he may be, under his armour, someone they already know.