You know what we need three episodes before the finale? FILLER. I mean what the actual hell was the point of this episode because aside from pointing out that Barry is a dour fuck these days and kicking off the HR/Brand, what exactly was accomplished?

The opening fight between Savitar-Barry and regular Barry was an impressive effect, sort of building on the Sara/Sara fight in Legends of Tomorrow, but I can understand why it was so short. The suit being independent or thought controlled was cool at least but again, it’s a stalling tactic, giving the audience just enough to keep them hooked.

The exploration of Barry, or Bart, is somewhat interesting (if shown at the wrong point in the series) as we get a look at what The Flash would be like without baggage. A much more excitable speedster with joy in his heart. Y’know, like Wally. Who we’ve all but ignored this season because Barry is the focus and everyone else gets side-lined. Like Jesse. Fuck, this show would be so much better without it’s lead protagonist in it. Like Arrow.

Honestly, I don’t know if I’ll be continuing to review this show once this season is done. It’s Cause and Effect in practice. Write a crap show and I will drop it because, honestly, I’ve got better things to watch and I’ve dropped both Doctor Who and Arrow for having god awful story arcs and I can’t honestly think of this showing pulling anything off in the next episode to keep me inves-

Fuck it, I’m back in! Come back next week for a hopefully fun-filled caper as caper as King Shark and Leonard Snart return in Infantino Street!

Someone answer that phone because I called it! Now, before we go fully into how right and handsome I am, let’s talk about some of the other aspects of I Know Who You Are.

First up, did Joe take a leaf out of the Oliver Queen guide to being in love because he’s stone-cold stupid this episode. I know they need to give him something to do and while I’m always an advocate for Joe crying, there has to be an easier way… However, unlike every other “I love you but I have to lie to you” conflict in the CW-verse, this is mercifully wrapped up within the same episode. Although I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or just annoys me more because it was ultimately futile.

I love the effect for Killer Frost’s ice-slide, which is something it took the X-Men movies a long time to get to but is executed fairly well here.

I also really like the emotional effect that Caitlin’s heel turn is having on Cisco, who is terrified of hurting his friend. It’s good to see their friendship stretched to this extent and that it’s Albert who has to convince him to do what’s needed to be done. This dynamic going to be fun/heartbreaking to see play out.

There’s also a subplot about recruiting grad student Tracy Brand (not a comic character as far as I know) and getting her to create her speed force trap several years earlier. Also HR is smitten with her. It’s not all that interesting to me, since it’s just a variation of the plans of previous seasons but with a HR romance that’s kind of grating.

Finally, we come to the big reveal and it’s exactly what I said it was! Barry, while having the prerequisite warm and fuzzy moment with the family, goes full Joey Tribianni as he realises who Savitar is, finally putting everything together.

They meet on some deserted road Barry happened to pick for this showdown (don’t think about it, it makes no sense) and Barry monologues before Savitar does the cool armour-opening sequence again and a scarred, maniacal Barry Allen steps out of it, declaring that he is the Future Flash.

What an awesome reveal, just a shame I saw it coming. It raises a lot of questions, especially since we’ve already seen the future and left on good terms so unless this is some multiverse theory BS, this show has some ‘splainin’ to do! This was a mostly interesting episode and we’ll have to wait until next week to get answers as we examine the Cause and Effect.

Oh my sweet and merciful maker, what the hell is wrong with everyone? Why are they this stupid?

Narrative convenience mostly, but still! Caitlin hiding a shard of the Philosopher’s Stone, Wally keeping his visions secret, everything Barry has done ever… Which is a theme of this episode, really. While everyone has fucked up, and boy do they fuck up, Barry fucks up harder.

This Machiavellian scheme he’s put into play to save Iris is coming back to bite him in the arse before it’s even left his head! The idea that Barry can do no wrong has fully inverted itself as he, seemingly, tries to emulate Harrison Wells (the Thawne one) in his quest to save the damsel and it goes wrong with every step.

Even the proposal to Iris is executed poorly when a Joe pulls him aside to call him out on not asking permission, something that Joe has drilled into Barry’s head before. Again, Jesse L Martin tearing up (and he does it a lot in this episode) cuts me to the core.

Wally… Poor, stupid Wally… He got it bad this episode and that sucks. It’s like the stinger to the season 2 finale of Agents of SHIELD but worse because BARRY COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING. I’ve really got nothing else to say about it just… Damn.

With Savitar’s release, and even leading up to it, we get some very interesting lines. It almost seems like foreshadowing so stay with me here because it’s speculation time. Savitar is Barry. Repeatedly in this episode, we get lines like “You created me”, “I created myself” and perhaps the most important one; “I’m the future, Flash.”

Now, what if, and I’m stretching here but what if; while it’s spoken like it’s written above, the devil is in the details and the line is actually “I’m the future Flash.” Dropping that comma completely changes the context and could definitely point to Savitar’s true identity, especially considering the reversed lightning bolt on Savitar’s chest. Also, isn’t the physical suit super-neat? It reminds me of the kind of practical suit effects you see in tokusatsu.

This episode was pretty heavy, despite the laughably stupid actions of the characters involved, and it only promises to get heavier as the ghosts of Barry’s past come back to haunt him when we venture back Into the Speed Force.