The Flash - Recap: Man of Steel

This is thanks, in large part, to the Case of the Week, which is far more character driven than in weeks past. Tony Woodward (Greg Finley) is a metahuman who can turn his body into girded steel, making himself virtually indestructible. Nevermind the absurdity of his creation (falling into a vat of molten scrap metal at the same time the Particle Accelerator exploded), his threat is very much a real one, and it presents Barry (Grant Gustin) with the greatest challenge of his brief tenure as a superhero so far. This is because it's not just a physical challenge in taking down Tony, but a psychological one as well, since Tony is the childhood bully who made his life a living hell. He's gone from being bullied as a child to being bullied as an adult, and the addition of super speed doesn't mean he's any less powerless to stop Tony now than he was as a kid. And so Barry has to confront the trauma of his past and overcome it once and for all, using ingenuity and brute force. It's a hell of a story, and is exactly how the show should be using the Case of the Week structure. Barry Allen isn't a brawler nor is he a jack-of-all-trades combat specialist, so it's telling that he often has to use his resourcefulness, smarts, and bravery to get the job done. In using a Sonic Boom punch to take Tony down, Barry risked shattering every bone in his body, but it's that risk that tells us everything we need to know about Barry. He'll sacrifice everything to protect the people he cares about, risking his life to prevent Tony from harming Iris (Candice Patton).

Credit: The CW

In telling this story, however, the show also expands on the risk involved in doing what's right. In addition to Barry risking his own death if he miscalculates on the Sonic Boom punch, Iris risks putting herself in harm's way by continuing to blog about "The Streak". But she doesn't care about her own well-being, asserting that she can take care of herself. So it's no surprise when she's inevitably abducted by Tony, who's had a crush on her all these years. It was inevitable that the show would use Iris as its damsel-in-distress, and I expect it's going to happen a lot more now that she's actively seeking out other metahumans, and metahumans seem to be seeking her out due to a perceived connection with "The Streak". But hopefully, the show doesn't do it too often, otherwise it could get really grating in much the same way Mary Jane Watson being the damsel in all three of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films was grating. But back to the episode. Much like with Barry's risk, Iris's tells us everything we need to know about her as well. In trying to do the right thing -- i.e., provide hope to a populace that is running low on it -- Iris puts her own life at risk. Both Barry and Iris are two people who aspire to something larger than themselves, an idea of goodness and heroism that can inspire others. Iris isn't the best character in the show, but she's slowly starting to become independently interesting in her own right, since she has a will of her own that can't be suppressed by the men in her life.

Credit: The CW

The only drawback is that the show continues to use her as a blackmailing point for its heroes. Case in point, Joe (Jesse L. Martin) spends the episode subtly investigating Wells (Tom Cavanagh) for the murder of Nora Allen, believing that the red-and-yellow streak that Barry saw on the night of his mother's murder had to have been tied to Wells's technology somehow. But when Joe learns of Wells's backstory, and how he tragically lost his wife/colleague Tess, Joe backs off of his accusations. Yet, by the end of the night, he finds his house invaded by the red-and-yellow streak, who steals all his files on the case and leaves behind a warning against continuing in the investigation, lest Iris find herself with a knife through the heart. Jesse L. Martin sells the moment with sufficient terror, and I'll be shocked if Wells isn't behind all this somehow, but I feel like the show uses Iris as a weak spot too often already. Then again, part of what defines the heroes as heroes is that they have things worth caring about, people worth protecting whom they fear to lose. It's not that villains don't have anything worth protecting, but villains aren't always so easily compromised. At least not on shows like this. But then, I've been proven wrong before, and expect I will be in the future. The Flash might not reinvent the wheel, but it does a damn good job of taking well-worn tropes and elaborating upon them. Sure, the show could have Iris imperiled every week, but it's just as likely the show will continue to illustrate how Barry attempts to juggle his new life with the personal connections of his normal life. And that's just as compelling.

Credit: The CW

Ultimately, "The Flash Is Born" is a fun episode, but also substantive. Barry is still learning the ropes as a hero, and while he has his successes, he also has his failures. It feels like we're seeing a real development take place here, not just in Barry finally receiving the name "The Flash" from Iris (at Barry's own suggestion!), but in how he's gradually growing into that role and its responsibilities. The Flash may not be as gritty or as substantive as Arrow, and yeah, the CG on the big end fight scene wasn't exactly a shining moment for the show, but this is still a series with tons of heart, and plenty of interest among these characters to compel interest from one week to the next.