TV - The Flash Season 1, Episode 6
The age old bullying storyline takes a slightly more superhero edge this week as Barry finds himself up against an old foe in The Flash is Born. Tony Woodward made Barry's life hell as a child. The bullying was relentless and Barry always lost. Even boxing lessons, from Detective West and Iris when he was a child, didn't work and the punch bag as an adult with Eddie doesn't help much either. Tony had been thrown into a smelter's pot by his criminal friends ten months before, the night the reactor blew up, leaving Tony with the ability to turn to metal. Cisco comes up with a great plan to defeat this monster which involves Barry running five miles at Mach 1 or above before punching a man made of metal.
Detective West is secretly working on the case involving the murder of Barry's mother. Now a true believer in meta humans, West asks Dr Harrison Wells if the powers he sees in Barry today were possible fourteen years previously. During the discussion, Wells feels he himself is being investigated and tells West to do his research into why Wells couldn't have been involved in anything like a meta human murder all those years ago. West does the research and apologises to Wells for even thinking that he may have been involved but informs him he won't stop trying to clear the name of Barry's father.
Tony kidnaps Iris and takes her back to their old high school which angers Barry who turns up to rescue her. After losing the first fight, Barry flees but, unbeknownst to Tony, he hasn't actually run away. Instead he has gone the correct amount of miles to break the sound barrier and starts the run up before unleashing a supersonic punch which takes Tony by surprise. Iris gets a punch of her own in and Tony is locked in the special prison underneath S.T.A.R. Labs. The whole event brings Barry and Iris close again with both rekindling their friendship.
At the West house a fast ball of red and yellow lightning surrounds Detective West and, after it's gone, there is a warning on his wall that Iris will be killed if West doesn't back off his investigation.
To see a traumatised person confront and beat their bully will always appeal to me and the moral behind the entire episode was pleasing to see and delicately handled. I wouldn't suggest a supersonic punch though as it looks really painful. West and his investigation has turned the spotlight on Wells, who we suspect of wrongdoings, and to see this storyline unfold in coming weeks will be good viewing. The Flash has the advantage of coming after Arrow so the mistakes made in season 1 of the hood show aren't so prevalent in Flash, leading to some great episodes. Another monster of the week episode that involved a bullying storyline and set up some fascinating future shocks.
Image - CW.
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