Originally Aired: April 28th 2015
It takes a very unique network television show to make previous story threads both big and small better as a season unfolds, but that is exactly what “The Trap” does. A week ago the episode “Every Man” appeared to be nothing but a villain of the week episode involving a generic shapeshifter, this week it provides a pivotal moment that sets our characters on a race for the season finale. Even better it further establishes the menace of the Reverse Flash, as he makes the entire DC/CW universe ponds in his grand scheme. As scheme that feels bigger in scope than we have had in previous superhero shows. Sure Daredevil’s recent Netflix exclusive showdown with Kingpin or Arrow’s showdown with Death Stroke felt important in season two of Arrow but here the fate of the entire universe feels at stake, and it’s done just as much through character moments as it is action.
Just when you think The Flash show-runners have nothing else to throw at you in the form of emotion and surprises, they deliver seamlessly. Moving from an emotional scene between Captain Singh and his Fiancee one moment to the reveal that the Eobard Thawne is more than likely Eddie’s father by the end of the show. Thus representing the shows natural balance of emotion and suspense.
Emotion that as any good Flash story does comes back to Barry and Iris, as this episode’s central stroyline focuses on Joe’s refusal to give Eddie the permission to propose to Iris. Why? because he knows Barry’s the one for his daughter, made all the more interesting by that fact that Allen just had that confirmed from a futuristic newspaper written by Iris West-Allen. The decision to go back to a central spark between Iris and Barry that was wiped clean by time travel earlier in the season again go to prove that The Flash is a show that will run free of common tropes rather than remained trapped by them.