Enlightenment is upon us and Team Flash are powerless to stop it. Thankfully, Marlize DeVoe has a plan…

It’s a very odd, pure experience watching ‘We Are The Flash’ in such close proximity to ‘Life Sentence’. The Arrow finale is intimate, character specific and funereal. What’s resolved is Oliver’s loss of liberty and family. What’s not is the situation with Diaz or who will wear the cowl next.

Here, what’s resolved is, well, everything. And the intimacy comes not from sitting inside one man’s mind (although most of the episode is set in DeVoe’s mind) but in the combined strength of a group of people. A family.

It’s notable too that much of this episode is concerned with trying to save DeVoe’s life even after everything he’s done. Marlize’s stalwart belief in him is revealed, ultimately, to not be backed up by DeVoe’s belief in himself. He believes he’s a villain so he becomes one. He becomes so disgusted with humanity that he’s prepared to lobotomise us all to ‘save’ us.

Which is one of the reasons the episode is so moving. Because what defeats DeVoe is not some grand plan or scheme. It’s a series of small sacrifices and personal gestures. Marlize crossing over to the other side, Cisco letting Harry wear the thinking cap one last time, Cecile putting her pregnancy on hold to act as the laptop Barry is hacking DeVoe’s mind with. Much like the original JJ Abrams Star Trek, this is an ensemble piece through and through. Everyone is the hero. We Are The Flash.

The rest of the poignancy comes from the fact this is a show whose heart is stapled to its sleeve. Ralph’s return especially is a punch the air moment. It’s a credit to the show that they sold his death so well, another credit that they come up with a good reason for rolling it back and a third still for the entire Barry and Ralph vs Legion of DeVoes being an extended, and deserved, piece of shade throwing at the Matrix sequels. Ralph isn’t the best of them, but he’s the most sincere and having him back on the team is so great to see.

But that moment isn’t alone. Joe resisting DeVoe’s powers to defend his family. Cisco yelling ‘FORCEFIELD, SUCKAH!’, Caitlin taking an early delivery of season 5 arc plot, Cecile saving the day. Everyone gets their moment.

Oh and Barry dies.

OR DOES HE?

In one of the season’s best effect sequences, Barry winds up to throw a sonic punch at a falling satellite (HOW FREAKING GREAT IS THAT TO BE ABLE TO WRITE?!) knowing full well it may kill him.

Then, time reverses. We see Barry back at the start of his run, hurtling up a building, chambering the punch and then… the camera pulls back. And a familiar, two-tone lightning covered fist lands the same shot at the same time. And everything’s fine.

This is of course, Nora Allen. Barry and Iris’ kid from the future who has appeared throughout the season. She’s here to visit her folks and she’s worried she may have really messed up…Given Dad’s timeline issues, and the fact some of Barry and Iris’ best friends broke time not long ago, we’re not entirely surprised either. And we can’t wait for season 5.

Verdict: This is about as perfect a sign off for a year as you can get. Completely sweet, utterly sincere and cheerfully weird it’s The Flash in a nutshell. or perhaps more appropriately, lightning in a bottle. A great season capstone and a great opener for next year too. Good work, everyone. 10/10

Alasdair Stuart