After months of build up, we finally get to Infantino Street and we see the results of Team Flash’s efforts…

Wah-wah-wah-waaaaaaaah~! Yup, Iris is dead! For real-real, not for play-play. For now and let’s face it, we’re all thinking it. That longing look HR gave to the Savitar splinter was dripping with foreshadowing. Hell, his absence from the event (Joe taking his place), as well as the Plunder news report changing should tell you that while events have played out much like we’ve seen, there’s still room for changes in the timeline.

Speaking of… Leonard Snart brings his trademark cool demeanour back to the series for all too brief a period. Plucked from the first season of Legends of Tomorrow, Snart takes part in a pretty fun caper that allows for Captain Cold, of all people, to remind Barry that The Flash should always be a hero. The irony is delicious.

Meanwhile, the other premonition kicks off as Cisco heads off to face Killer Frost in the woods. Isn’t this where she took his arms in the future timeline? But, considering her villainous personality faltering, as well as Killer Frost in the comics being a member of the Justice League, I’m expecting a face-turn for Caitlin and Cisco is the one to do it.

For the penultimate episode of the season, it’s a pretty mixed bag; elevated by the guest appearances and dragged down by the (hopefully) final showing of Iris’s death. Come back next week when Season 3 of The Flash ends and we cross the Finish Line.

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.

Seriously, why call this episode Shade when the titular character isn’t even the focus? Hell, he doesn’t get a civilian name, his motivation isn’t explained or if he’s even related to the Alchemy case. For fuck’s sake, writers… The primary focus is on Wally and Caitlin, both of whom are struggling with their emerging powers.

It’s good to see Caitlin finally confide in the team, even if it’s not exactly how she wanted to do it. Super-cool to see the future vibe with Cisco and Caitlin duking it out in full costume, even if it means Caitlin will be turning to the dark side. Interestingly, it’s not the powers or even the knowledge that she was evil on Earth-2 but Barry taking her aside and confessing that Pre-Flashpoint Caitlin never had powers. Nice one, Barry, you played yourself.

Meanwhile, Wally is getting his ass knocked out by Iris! Kapow! I loved that sequence but it really highlights how much power Alchemy has over the Flashpointers (because the show hasn’t given me a catchier name to work with). Even when Wally seems to have regained his senses, he jumps at the chance to become a speedster when Alchemy’s philospher’s stone calls out to him.

Notable by his absence is Julian Albert, who disappears at a crucial moment. It’s established earlier in the episode that he’s got a date with his girlfriend and I hope that leads to a comical reveal rather than what we’re lead to believe; that Julian is either Alchemy or…

This gorgeous Bayformer-looking badass; Savitar. Damn, what an incredible introduction to a new villain. Savitar is so fast that only Barry can see him, barely catching glimpses of his whitish-blue lightning before being bodied hardcore by the self-titled God of Speed.

Flash Fact: Savitar takes his name from Savitr, the Hindu god of motion.

While the episode is light on action, it’s steeped in character development and introduces, arguably, The Flash’s greatest nemesis. Candice Patton does a fantastic job but her coming to terms with her secret doesn’t really have the impact of, say, Alex Danvers in Supergirl this week. Still, a good episode and we’ll see Caitlin truly step out into the cold next week in Killer Frost.