Violet recaps the midseason finale of The Flash, Season 3 Episode 9, titled The Present, where the Flash team tries to figure out how to stop Savitar. Following the recap, both Violet and Josh share their thoughts about the episode.
- His thoughts on The Present, Episode 309 of The Flash
- Her thoughts on The Flash, Season 3 Episode 9: The Present
In a flashback to the Indus Valley 4 years ago, we see Julian on a quest for something. He and a few colleagues go into a cave to retrieve it. When he opens the box, a glowing light comes out of it, and Julian screams.
Cut to present day at STAR Labs, where H.R. has put up Christmas decorations around the place. Cisco thinks that he sees his brother in the hallway, but doesn’t say anything. He then does some research and finds a paper that Julian wrote about the myth of a legendary artifact with the power to create metahumans.
Barry goes over to the lab and asks about the stone that Alchemy uses. Julian explains about the “Philosopher’s Stone,” which Julian became obsessed with trying to find — though he says he never found it. Barry asks about the name “Savitar” but Julian says that all he knows is that Savitar was the first meta with speed. He goes on to tell Barry not to waste his time on this. After Barry leaves, Julian hears the voice of Savitar call his name, and he goes to the drawer where he keeps his Alchemy outfit.
Meanwhile, Joe invites Cecile to Christmas at his house.
Over on Earth 3, their Flash, Jay Garrick (the one who looks like Barry’s dad), is facing off against the Trickster. Barry shows up just in time to help out. He then asks about Savitar, and bring Jay back to Earth with him. Jay says that Barry is the first speedster he’s heard of that has seen Savitar. Jay advises Barry that Savitar is preparing a battle with him, and that when Savitar comes back, they’ll be ready.
H.R. continues training Wally, who is faster than Barry was at this point in his training. H.R. insists on keeping Wally’s training a secret.
Back at STAR Labs, Barry is frustrated that he isn’t having any luck finding anything out about Savitar in the many books he has speed read. Jay encourages him to take the opportunity to spend time with Iris.
Cisco keeps seeing his brother. Caitlin tries to comfort him as he recalls a Christmas memory about Dante.
Barry comes home and talks to Iris, who has done some research and discovered information about an archaeological dig in India where 4 people died and for which Julian was the point person. Barry runs over to STAR Labs to tell the others that Julian lied about the Philosopher’s Stone, that he thinks he found it on the archaeological dig. Joe tries to call Julian, but he doesn’t answer. Just then, Cisco detects energy from Schulz Tower, and they figure it must be the Philosopher’s Stone. Barry is about to head over, but before he does, Wally tries to get to come along too, and reveals that he has been training with H.R. Barry goes off by himself.
Alchemy is at the top of the tower using the stone to restore the metas from Flashpoint, who will become the servants of Savitar. The Flash and Jay show up right then and interrupt him. Savitar shows up as well, and Barry confirms that Jay can see him. Jay says he’ll cover Savitar while Barry gets the stone. Barry is able to knock the stone from Alchemy’s hand and knock Alchemy out, while Savitar throws Jay around like a rag doll off of a building and in an alley. Savitar is just about to land a killing blow, but when Barry places the stone back into its box, Savitar disappears. Barry removes the mask from Alchemy and sees that it is Julian.
When Julian awakens, he is in a cell in the Pipeline. The Flash is there to greet him. Julian denies that he is Alchemy and claims that The Flash is trying to set him up. Barry locks Julian away, then goes to check on Jay.
When Barry talks to Cisco about his thoughts about the stone’s box, Cisco reports that he has run all sorts of tests on it, but it’s like the box doesn’t even exist. Joe berates Wally for training against his wishes and H.R. for training Wally.
Barry goes to talk to Julian again and asks if he’s been blacking out or losing time, but he says he hasn’t. He realizes that the only way to get Julian to trust him is to reveal his identity, so he takes the mask off. Julian then admits that he has been blacking out ever since he found the stone in India. His blackouts always start with him hearing the voice.
While Cisco is working on the box, he hears Dante’s voice, then sees Dante in front of him. Dante tells Cisco that the stone is the key to everything, and that if he opens the box, he can be reborn again, and they can be together. Cisco opens the box, but when he looks up, Dante is gone, and Savitar appears.
Caitlin calls Barry down to Cisco’s workshop, as she has seen on the monitor that he opened the box. Savitar attacks Barry, but Jay is still too weak to help, so Wally takes it upon himself to go help. He gets thrown around just like Barry. Meanwhile, Caitlin tries to talk Cisco into closing the box. He resists at first, not wanting to lose his brother again, but she finally convinces him to close it just before Savitar is going to kill Barry and Wally, which causes Savitar to disappear.
Cisco comes up with a plan based on Caitlin’s theory that the stone messes with brain waives. H.R. explains to Joe that he helps Wally because his powers are extraordinary and shouldn’t be denied his potential.
Barry gets Julian out of the cell and tells him that he thinks Alchemy is actually Savitar speaking through him. Caitlin says that they’ve come up with a way to sync Julian’s brain to the stone, which will allow them to speak to Savitar. Julian reluctantly agrees to do it. It works, and Savitar speaks through Julian. Savitar warns them that one of them will betray them, one shall fall, one will suffer a fate worse than death. He also says that he is the future Flash, and that he wants everything Barry took from him, then he will destroy him. Savitar also says that Barry’s future self did this to him. When he begins to talk about his wrath, Barry takes the sensors off of Julian’s head, thus ending their conversation with Savitar.
Later, they consider how to stop Savitar, and agree that the stone is the key. They discuss how they can get rid of the box forever, and Jay suggests throwing it into the Speed Force. Jay and Barry work together to do this. Jay runs a bit ahead of Barry in the Pipeline while Barry siphons off some of Jay’s speed. Jay then tosses the box to Barry, as Barry uses the extra speed to throw it into the Speed Force.
Suddenly, Barry finds himself in an alley. He then sees himself begging Savitar not to hurt Iris, but Savitar kills her. Just then, Jay grabs Barry and pulls him back to STAR Labs, and tells Barry that he was in the future.
Barry tells Jay what he saw, which happens 5 months from now. Jay explains that what Barry saw was just one possibility of a future, which has infinite possibilities. Barry vows not to let Iris die. Jay tells Barry to focus on the present and live his life.
Jay goes back to Earth 3 and Barry tells the others the the stone is gone. They all decide to have a Christmas get together. Caitlin invites Julian, but he says he prefers to be alone.
At the West house, Joe and Cecile kiss for the first time. They all give Wally a present — his own Kid Flash speedster suit. Julian decides to show up after all. He tells Barry that he spoke to Captain Singh before his resignation went through, and invites Barry to share lab space again. They all enjoy the carolers, who are singing in the rain. Caitlin decides to use her powers to turn it into a White Christmas.
Barry shows Iris her Christmas present — an apartment that he has leased for the two of them. He tells her he wants to spend every moment he can with her. They kiss, and tell each other that they love each other.
Her Thoughts on The Flash, Season 3 Episode 9: The Present
Ah yes, the classic story of Draco Malfoy and the Philosopher’s Stone. Wait, no. I meant Indiana Jones and the Philosopher’s Stone. Actually, neither of those are quite right. Anyway, I commend the writers for the double entendre of the title of this episode, “The Present.” Because it could refer to “the present” in a time sense, since admittedly there was a great emphasis placed on enjoying the present, rather than worrying about the future, during this episode. Or it could refer to “the present” in the sense of a gift, such as the Kid Flash suit that Wally received, or the apartment that Barry leased for him and Iris. Bravo.
It did seem just a little too easy for Barry to get the Philosopher’s Stone from Alchemy, though. But I guess it’s not like Julian himself had any special powers anyway, so with Savitar distracted by Jay, I suppose Julian couldn’t have really done anything. Even though Julian wasn’t even aware of what he was doing. Blackouts are a bit convenient and cliche of an explanation, but at least it makes Julian’s attitude make sense. It also explains why Alchemy’s voice doesn’t have a British accent — because it’s actually Savitar’s voice. So now my qualms with Julian being Alchemy have been taken care of.
The next half of the season looks like it should be pretty interesting, with Barry having traveled to the future for the first time, and the team trying to change things to prevent Iris’s death, as well as figure out how Savitar could even be around in the first place. Plus, it appears that everyone has accepted Wally as a speedster, so we’ll get to see him and Barry team up, so that’ll be cool. It’s going to be a long break before we get to that, though. January 24 cannot come soon enough!
His Thoughts on The Flash, Season 3 Episode 9: The Present
COMING SOON
Scenes from The Flash, Season 3 Episode 10: Borrowing Problems From the Future
Preview of Season 3 Episode 10 of The Flash
