# The Flash S03E01: Flashpoint **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 4, 2016, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e01-flashpoint/767627 "2016-10-04T12:24:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2016, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e01-flashpoint/767627/1 "2016-10-04T12:24:41Z")
Don’t forget, Flash fans, Season 3 premieres tonight. Flashpoint is upon us! The Comic Con trailer for Season 3: [- YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BTGpKJ2VR4) The extended trailer for the episode: [- YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzq5H2qAyh8) “Now who’s the villain, Flash? Now who’s the villain?” ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e01-flashpoint/767627/3 "2016-10-05T05:51:32Z")
So, back to the timey-wimey changes when messing with the past. Thank god this episode, while fun, was a one-off in such a drastic change. But, it looks like Barry has screwed up the timeline again by trying to fix it… again. I just hope the adjustment to the new character interactions won’t be a drag. It’s tedious to get used to yet another reset of the same cast, but with different chemistry or other ways they interact. Speaking of chemistry: What’s with the end-episode teaser for Alchemy? I’m not into the comics, so what should I expect? And does this mean we’ll finally get to see the actual Dr. Wells from this Earth (not Earth 2)? Or will he be back as the original season 1 Thawne-disguised-as-Wells? Or will he be in this timeline at all? ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e01-flashpoint/767627/4 "2016-10-05T08:14:20Z")
Oh, Barry. Even when you’re trying make make things right you still manage to frak up the timeline. I think most things we’re used to are going to be the same, except for the few things that will be - well - different. I normally have little patience with weepy characters, but Grant Gustin sells it so well that I really don’t mind his weepy Barry Allen. I also previously couldn’t quite accept Matt Letscher playing Eobard Thawne, as I had gotten used to Tom Cavanaugh. This episode has cemented Matt in my mind as the deliciously demented Reverse Flash. One little easter egg: Apparently Iris and Barry’s elementary school teacher was Mr. Hinkley (the Greatest American Hero). ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e01-flashpoint/767627/5 "2016-10-05T15:14:35Z")
Uggh. What a wasted opportunity. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e01-flashpoint/767627/6 "2016-10-05T15:29:29Z")
The guy that played Reverse Flash in the Season 3 opener … that was the same actor that had played Eobard Thawne back in Season 1? I didn’t remember him at all – spent a lot of last night’s episode trying to figure out who that guy was. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e01-flashpoint/767627/7 "2016-10-05T15:47:02Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > The guy that played Reverse Flash in the Season 3 opener … that was the same actor that had played Eobard Thawne back in Season 1? I didn’t remember him at all – spent a lot of last night’s episode trying to figure out who that guy was. Never mind … [IMDB says it’s the same actor](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5540400/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm): Matt Letscher. Guess I just forgot what he looked like :smack: ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e01-flashpoint/767627/8 "2016-10-05T15:57:50Z")
Wait… So was the dude who woke up to voices at the end, the same guy who was The Rival in Barry’s “Mom Lives” timeline? ETA: I will say that watching Cisco as a billionaire in the alt-timeline was delicious fun. And Snow as a pediatric optometrist. Heh. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e01-flashpoint/767627/9 "2016-10-05T16:17:19Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Wait… > > So was the dude who woke up to voices at the end, the same guy who was The Rival in Barry’s “Mom Lives” timeline? Yep. Was The Rival anyone of note in the comics? (I ask before Googling 😃 ) EDIT: [Apparently, he was](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse-Flash#Edward_Clariss). . ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e01-flashpoint/767627/10 "2016-10-05T18:20:42Z")
How did billionaire Cisco know about the vibrating hand thing? A speedster could kill a normal human in any number of ways. My favorite line: “My money needs me.” ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e01-flashpoint/767627/11 "2016-10-05T18:47:35Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > How did billionaire Cisco know about the vibrating hand thing? A speedster could kill a normal human in any number of ways. > > My favorite line: “My money needs me.” Cisco and Kid Flash had prior dealings - perhaps the vibrating hand thing came up during one of those… ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e01-flashpoint/767627/12 "2016-10-05T19:05:09Z")
I just hope this season tones down the pointless drama with Joe, Iris and Wally. Seriously, I was starting to feel more anti-West than a cold war commissar. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e01-flashpoint/767627/13 "2016-10-05T19:19:38Z")
So Barry selfishly changed the Universe to bring his parents back and then selfishly changed it back when it turned out he regretted the decision. He didn’t seem to care he would change everyone’s life history when he changed it and when it wasn’t exactly what he wanted he changed it back even though I suspect some of them (most?) were happier in the new one. ---
**Author:** ![Nauplius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nauplius/32/51_2.png) [@Nauplius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nauplius)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e01-flashpoint/767627/14 "2016-10-05T20:43:28Z")
So what happened to alternate timeline Barry? Did real Barry somehow kill him and take his place? ---
**Author:** ![akrako1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@akrako1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akrako1)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e01-flashpoint/767627/15 "2016-10-05T21:19:48Z")
So is Reverse Flash now alive and well? What happened to the whole season where they were hunting him? Did that not happen? And how did he change other stuff in the past (seemingly to screw with Barry), since they seemed to come straight to the present after he killed his mum? Confused. and a little underwhelmed. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e01-flashpoint/767627/16 "2016-10-05T23:08:44Z")
> [@Nauplius](#): > > So what happened to alternate timeline Barry? Did real Barry somehow kill him and take his place? There is no separate Barry. Half the plot of the episode were his original-timeline memories getting overwritten with the memories from this timeline. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e01-flashpoint/767627/17 "2016-10-06T00:03:08Z")
> [@akrako1](#): > > So is Reverse Flash now alive and well? What happened to the whole season where they were hunting him? Did that not happen? And how did he change other stuff in the past (seemingly to screw with Barry), since they seemed to come straight to the present after he killed his mum? Confused. and a little underwhelmed. Reverse Flash is actually a time remnant. Even though Eobard Thawne no longer exists, he traveled in time so much that there’s probably enough of him to keep hounding the Flash for the whole series. Barry could probably explain it better by drawing lines and circles on a whiteboard. RF brought Barry back with him to the day Nora Allen was killed, then brought him forward again, so that Barry is the Barry. If he hadn’t, then the Barry in the original timeline would now be our Barry, unaware that anything has changed. Eobard probably isn’t aware of what’s changed, but he’s had a lot more experience with time travel so he knows there’ve been changes and is teasing them to mess with Barry’s head. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e01-flashpoint/767627/18 "2016-10-06T00:07:33Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > There is no separate Barry. Half the plot of the episode were his original-timeline memories getting overwritten with the memories from this timeline. And if the episode had shown exactly what the loss of his memories meant to Barry, it would have been a better story. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e01-flashpoint/767627/19 "2016-10-06T17:59:12Z")
I enjoyed it, but at the same time, I am SO! SICK! of Barry fighting speedsters. E-freakin’-nough already. Gimme Abra-Kadabra who could be creepy as hell. Neron and tie him into Lucifer (if they can get the rights for a crossover). Bring back the Rogues. And they sent Grodd off to (the mis-named) Earth-2 (If Jay is a bad-guy there, it’s Earth 3 or something). Let him come back but eee-vil-er. Hell, bring in Mopee and Colonel Computron if they must, but good lord–how _many_ speed types can there be? There’s Reverse Flash (Thawn), there’s Zoom (Jay), There’s Kid Flash. Jesse Quick. The Black Flash. The Rival. I read one rumor somewhere that the new guy from the comics (Godspeed) will be showing up. Someone mentioned Savatar. So far, Johnny Quick, XS, Lady Flash (or Lady Savitar or whatever her name is this week) and Impulse are the only regular DC Speedsters that _haven’t_ shown up. And yeah, get rid of all the stupid West drama. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e01-flashpoint/767627/20 "2016-10-06T18:27:47Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I just hope this season tones down the pointless drama with Joe, Iris and Wally. > > Seriously, I was starting to feel more anti-West than a cold war commissar. Well, with the kicker that made Barry realize he isn’t quite back in Kansas yet being that Iris and Joe aren’t speaking (the horror! Seriously, I thought she’d at least be dead, or maybe a deranged supervillainess, or something), I think that we’re about to get a whole new season of news updates from the Western front. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e01-flashpoint/767627/21 "2016-10-06T19:14:37Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > One little easter egg: Apparently Iris and Barry’s elementary school teacher was Mr. Hinkley (the Greatest American Hero). Caught that. Laughed. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e01-flashpoint/767627.md?page=2)