The Flash, “Running to Stand Still”, Review!

Jondee here at the Breach,

A vision of Wells running with Zoom behind him, he fires an energy rifle, but Zoom has him by the throat. The villain rasps, “Merry Christmas.” At CC Jitters, Iris has gotten Barry a Flash action figure, the same figure from DC Collectibles. Joe worries about a present for Barry. At the lab, Barry and Patty are kissing. She worries about getting interrupted and Iris walks in. She begins to cry about her mother, Francine, and talks about her brother, Wally, Wally West, Kid Flash! Wally first appeared in The Flash #110 (1959) and when the Flash was lost in the Crisis, became the Flash. Iris worries about telling her father, Barry says he will be with her, and snow begins to fall. At STAR Labs, Jay works out how to stop Zoom with Caitlin. Cisco tells them, “Just kiss her already.” Caitlin awkwardly attempts to invite Jay to Joe’s Christmas party. Cisco is about to walk in and runs into Harry (Earth-2 Wells). The snow blasts into the police department. Officers are hit by Weather Wizard who knocks open the cell of Captain Cold. They head over to the Trickster, James Jesse (played by Mark Hammill), in his cell with Flash pictures. Joe is with Barry at the station, he explains about the Mardon releasing Jesse and Snark. Patty sees the snow and Barry tries to talk to her, but she is after the Weather Wizard. At a toy shop, the Trickster sings his Christmas song about “body parts from a girl named Holly”, Weather Wizard wants Flash dead. He knows that Zoom took down Flash.

Captain Cold faces off with Weather Wizard, but Trickster settles them down. Cisco looks at the list of escaped super villains. He comes up with a plan to shut down power in the city and locate Mardon. Barry tells him to re-create the wand he created in the alternate timeline with Jay helping him. At the police station, Iris is there as Joe walks in. Iris tells her father about the pregnancy. Joe is struck with worry. At Joe’s house, Iris and Barry talk, Snart is sitting in the living room. Barry Flashes to throw back Snart who threatens Iris’ life with his cold gun. Barry wants Cold’s help to stop the others for saving his sister’s life. At the Pipeline, Joe talks with Barry. Patty gets angry at the captain when the Trickster breaks into all channels with his message. Jay points out a reflection in the video. They see a toy and Cisco locates Okamura Toys. Patty is there with her gun, the Flash runs in, a doll sings a Hanukkah song, as cubes roll towards them. Flash uses his hurricane arms to take them out of the warehouse before it explodes. Patty tells him that her father went to the bank and was killed when she was out with her friends. The next day, Barry tries to call Patty. Jay has finished the wand. At a snow rink, the Santa is very tricky giving away presents. At the Zoom appears and talks with Wells to see if he has decided.

They have detected Mardon at the Central City tree lighting ceremony. The Flash has the wand seeing Weather Wizard on the rooftop. He floats down and Flash races after him. The Flash knocks down Weather Wizard, a present slides over to him, a bomb which was given by Santa Trickster. He wants to kill Flash in exchange for stopping the bombs. Mardon throws a cold blast that knocks down Flash. Wells is going to use the breach to find a bomb. Weather Wizard is bashing around Flash as the team races in a van. In the street, Weather Wizard uses the wand to strike Flash with lightning. Wells explains that magnetism will draw the other bombs to the breach. The Trickster walks over to Flash and draws a knife. The bomb is sucked into the breach and then the presents fly into it. Flash ties up Trickster with Christmas lights and hits Weather Wizard. Patty walks out with a rifle that pins down Flash. She draws a gun on Mardon. Flash convinces Patty that if she kills Mardon she will be arrested. She cuffs Mardon and Trickster cries, “That was beautiful.”

Joe is happy now that there is room for another West. He gives Barry his watch. Barry puts on the watch and sees Wells working in the next room. He says to the first Wells that he can’t hate him and forgives him. Wells talks to Barry on the intercom and says he can’t celebrate without his daughter. At Joe’s house, Iris puts a lightning bolt ornament on the tree. Caitlin puts up mistletoe and Jay kisses her. Patty arrives with Christmas sweater and gives Barry her gift, a matching sweater. She tells Joe that she’s Barry’s girlfriend. Joe opens the door to his son, Wally! Iris walks up stunned. Joe invites his son in. Wells meets with Zoom. He says that the villains were sent by Zoom for the Flash to get faster. Zoom wants to take the Flash’s power. He brings his daughter, Jesse, for a brief reunion. Wells agrees to steal the Flash’s speed! I’m beginning to suspect with the emotional journey for Iris that Zoom will be the return of Eddie Thawne.  Five Flash rings out of Five!