"My name is Barry Allen, and I am the fastest man alive." "When I was a child, I saw my mother killed by something impossible." "Run, Barry, run!" "(Barry) My father went to prison for her murder." "Then an accident made me the impossible." "To the outside world, I'm an ordinary forensic scientist, but secretly, I use my speed to fight crime and find others like me." "And one day, I'll find who killed my mother..." "Mom!" "(Barry) And get justice for my father." "I am The Flash." "(Cisco) Previously on The Flash... (Iris) If you love me, you'll tell me what is going on with you." "Keeping her in the dark keeps her safe." "I don't agree." "Harrison Wells is the Reverse-Flash." "15 years ago, Harrison and I were thick as thieves." "We were promising young scientists, and then everything changed after Tess died." " Who are you?" " My name is Eobard Thawne." "In the year 2020, you and your wife successfully launched a particle accelerator that changed the course of history." "I need it to happen a bit sooner if I'm going to get back." "(Tina) After that day," "Harrison Wells became a completely different person." "(Barry) I'm getting faster, faster than I've ever been, and I wonder if it's because lately something's chasing me." "I know what it is that's stalking me." "It's my past." "It's getting closer, and as fast as I am," "I can't help but feel like my past has almost caught up with me." " Where's Barry?" " He should be here any second." "I sent him out for..." "Pizza!" " What?" " From Coast City?" "Supposedly the best in the west." "Why did I not think of this before?" "Come to papa." "Caitlin?" "I'm not hungry." "Okay, six months of investigating Harrison Wells has led us nowhere, so we're going back to the beginning to see what we can find out." "What does that mean?" "Road trip, baby." "Joe and Cisco are going to go to Starling City." "Starling City?" "What for?" "To investigate the car accident that Dr. Wells was in with Tess Morgan 15 years ago." "I..." "I don't understand." "Why?" "Dr. McGee said that after Wells's accident, he became like a complete stranger." "Just a different person entirely." "Because the love of his life died?" "You of all people can understand how grief can change a person." "Caitlin, we believe that Dr. Wells is the Reverse-Flash and killed Barry's mother, and he may have done the same thing to Tess Morgan." "We have to learn everything we can about that night." "See where it leads us." "Oh, um, can you cover for me with Dr. Wells?" "You mean lie?" "Yeah." "I need some air." "Whoa... hey, Caitlin..." "Doesn't look like Caitlin's with us." "No, she's with us." "I'll talk to her." "What do you want us to do here?" "Business as usual while we're gone." "Copy that." "Well, I want to wish you good luck over there, but I'm also scared of what you might find." "Scared is a good thing." "Scared keeps us alive." "Can you get the door, Nina?" " Nina?" " Oh." "Sorry." "Wrapped up in my own little world." "Late night?" "Just one more thing to do before I make my escape." " See you tomorrow." " Night." "[suspenseful music]" "(Thawne) So let's go over this again." "This is you on the surveillance footage, correct?" "It looks like me." "But it's not me." "I left work early yesterday." "Ask my husband." "Footage doesn't lie." "Your husband might." "(Nina) That's not me." "No priors, no arrests, not even a speeding ticket." "And everyone who knows this woman, coworkers, neighbors, say she's the kindest, nicest, most honest woman they've ever met." "So, unless she woke up this morning and out of nowhere decided to become a criminal..." "Maybe we should be looking for a meta-human." "Yeah." "One that can control people's minds." "Coerce them into becoming thieves." "Is that possible?" "Is that a real question?" "Hi, Barry." "Hey." "Have you, um, seen my dad?" "Captain Singh says he took a couple of days off, and he hasn't been home." "I didn't ask." "Apparently he's taking a couple of personal days." "Like father, like daughter I guess." "I'm sorry." "When are you coming home?" "When it starts to feel like a home again." "You better pray Joe and Cisco find something on Wells at that accident site, Barry, because I am just about done lying to Iris." "About all of this." "Yeah." "I recently inherited the entire collection." "Beautiful." "Let me grab my microscope." "Of course." "(female operator) 9-1-1." "Emergency." "This is Dominic over at Abbott Jewelers." "I've got a guy in here trying to sell stolen diamonds." " Good morning." " Hey." "Hey, look, uh..." "can we talk about last night?" "There's nothing to talk about." "Yeah, there is actually." "Caitlin, look," "I know after everything Dr. Wells has done for all of us, it's hard to wrap your head around this, but I need you to see the truth." "The truth?" "The truth is that he saved your life multiple times." "Look, I know." "But if I'm right about this..." "If, Barry, if." "And before I can believe any of this," "I'm gonna need to see some proof." "Proof?" "Proof of what?" "W... we may have another meta-human case on our hands." "Ah." "We are always happy to help, Barry, as you know." "Have you heard from Cisco?" "He hasn't arrived yet." "Uh, he has to help Dante, his brother." "He might need a few days off." "Ah, well." "[phone vibrating]" "All right." "Eddie." "Hey, I got a call about a guy selling some of the jewelry stolen from the bank last night." "Could be the teller's partner." "I think he's made me." "I could use The Flash's help." "Be right there." "[suspenseful music]" "[both grunting]" "Oh!" "[grunting]" "You can't outrun me." "I won't have to." "Well, that was new." "A shape-shifter?" "Yeah, I literally saw a grown man, like, m... morph into a teenage girl." "That's fascinating." "Today's physicists have always regarded programmable matter as nothing more than a theory, but I guess your shape-shifter proves it can be done." "Wait, so he, or she, or I... whatever." "This person can actually transform into anyone they touch?" "Yes, it appears so." "That includes you, Mr. Allen." "Dr. Wells is right." "If you are touched while you're the Flash, and he transforms into you, we run the risk of him exposing that Barry Allen is the man behind the mask." "Because at this point we don't know if the shape-shifter is capable of absorbing more that just your physical characteristics." "Like he might be able to copy my speed?" "That would be bad." "Got it." "Hands off the meta-human." "Hands off the meta-human." "So how do we find someone who can transform into anyone?" "(Wells) We, I guess like any problem, you just go back to the beginning." "In this case, that would mean finding the first person the shape-shifter morphed into when they discovered their powers." "Yeah, can you pull up the CCPD records of cases where the perpetrator plead innocent, even thought they were caught on camera committing the crime?" "You're good, Barry Allen." "You're very good." "[tense music]" "Look at this." "Multiple crimes of this manner all dating back to a month after the particle accelerator explosion." "And the first one was?" "Jacob Fisher." "A teller at the Federal Credit Union." "Claims he was innocent, and was framed by his best friend, a Hannibal Bates." "I'll pass this along to the CCPD, see if they can track him down." " Good." " Thank you, Dr. Wells." "Always here to help, Barry." "[dramatic music]" "There it is." "This is all you have?" "Well, it's a pretty cut and dry case, Detective." "Harrison Wells, Tess Morgan are out on a Sunday drive, the tires blow, Wells loses control, and, uh... sadly Tess dies on the scene." "Couldn't imagine carrying that kind of guilt around." "So, uh... what are you two hoping to find?" "We're not exactly sure yet." "You come all the way from Central City, you don't know what you're looking for?" "Just following a hunch." "Uh, can you take us to the accident site?" "It's been 15 years." "I think the pictures will serve you better." "Still, we'd appreciate a look." "Whatever you need." "Captain, I need those witness statements for the Joshua Brown trial." "Um, yeah, well, like I told you, end of day." "Sorry, uh, Detective West, Cisco Ramon, this is A.D.A. Laurel Lance." "Related?" "Daughter." " Hi." "Hi." " Hey there." "You work at S.T.A.R. Labs with Barry Allen, right?" "Uh, yeah." "Can I talk to you privately for a minute?" "Sure." "[playful music]" "So, uh... how is Allen?" "Not too messed up from getting hit by that lightning, I hope." "No, no." "How do you know Barry?" "Are you guys, like, friends or something?" "Not really." "We met last time he was in Starling City visiting my friends." "John Diggle, Felicity Smoak, and Oliver Queen." "Three people who have absolutely nothing in common." "As far as I know." "Cisco, I know Barry's The Flash, and Oliver's The Arrow." "[chuckles]" "How do you know that?" "Because I'm the Black Canary." " Stop playing." " It's true." "You stop it right now." "No. [laughing]" "Okay, okay." "Calm down." "I love you." "I mean, I love the way that you beat up criminals." "[chuckles]" "Wait." "Why are you telling me this?" "Because I need some technical expertise." "I've been using my sister's sonic device." "I was hoping you could help... modify it." "Yeah." "I think I've got some ideas." "Great." "[dramatic music]" "[sighs] [classical music playing]" "[doorbell rings]" "[suspenseful music]" "[classical music playing]" "What... are you spying on me now?" "Caitlin, what were you doing at Wells's house?" "I was gonna talk to him and get some answers of my own." "You can't." "You cannot talk to him." "Oh, so I'm just supposed to stand by and watch all of you ruin this man's life?" "Ruin my life?" "What are you talking about "your life?"" "Those nine months that you were in a coma were the worst of my life." "I lost my reputation, my fiance, and through all of that, Harrison Wells stood by my side." "He told me everything was going to be okay." "If Dr. Wells is who you say he is, everything I've done since the minute" "I stepped foot in S.T.A.R. Labs has been a lie." "Caitlin." "If I am right about all of this, and you tell him what's been going on," "I'll never be able to get my dad out of prison." "Barry." "If not for me, just do it for him." "I can't believe you're pulling the dad card." "That's dirty pool, Barry." "Just until Joe and Cisco get back." "Please." "[dog barking]" "Turns out Hannibal Bates hasn't been seen in well over a year." "Only remaining relative is his grandmother." "She took out a missing person's report a couple of days after the Jacob Fisher arrest." "Figure we could ask her a few questions." "Like why anyone in their family thought that naming a kid Hannibal wouldn't mean he'd grow up to become a criminal?" "[chuckles]" "Have you heard from your grandson, Hannibal, recently," "Mrs. Bates?" " Recently?" " Uh-huh." "No." "Why do you ask?" "Oh, please." "Um... because you filed a missing person's report over a year ago." "Oh, yes, I certainly did." "You'll have to forgive me, Detective." "My memory is not quite as it used to be." "Of course." "Uh, neither apparently are my manners." "May I get you two something?" "Coffee, tea?" "Uh, no thank you, ma'am." "We're fine." "Oh, please." "It'll only take a minute." "It's nice to have visitors." "Coffee'd be nice." "(Thawne) Thanks." "[clock ticking]" "Ma'am, would you happen to have a recent photograph of Hannibal?" "[clock chiming]" "Ma'am?" "[dramatic music]" "She's gone." "I'll take the front." "[suspenseful music]" "Hey, we located Bates." "He was impersonating his grandma." "Barry, do not let him touch you." "Or let him see you use your super speed." "Well, how am I supposed to catch him?" "(Wells) The old-fashioned way." "Run like a normal person." "Okay, all right." "Oh, man." "[crashing]" "[siren wailing]" "What do you want us to do, Thawne?" "Die." "[both screaming]" "Barry, call 911." "[siren wailing]" "What do you want us to do, Thawne?" " Die." " [gunfire]" "I know what this looks like, Cecile." "It looks like one of your detectives shot two of your cops, both of whom are now fighting for their lives." "That's not what happened." "David, I am the district attorney." "I can't ignore what I just watched because you want me to." "We both know there are things going on in this city that can't be explained." "Come on, David." "Until you show me something incontrovertible, the best that I can do is promise to keep him out of gen pop at Iron Heights." "[indistinct chatter]" "Do you have any way to explain this, Allen?" "I'm working on it." "[dramatic music]" " Barry." " Iris." "What is going on?" "Everyone at CCPN is saying that Eddie shot two cops." "How is that even possible?" "We're not sure yet." "You don't think he did this, do you?" " No, of course not." " I need to see him." "You can't... you can't see him, all right?" "They're not gonna let you." "Look..." "I'm gonna do everything I can to help him." " Okay." " Okay?" "Okay, I'm so sorry." "[crying]" "It's gonna be okay." " Okay." " I promise." "All right?" "[panting]" "(West) This is definitely the place." "Cisco, let's see what we can find." "What is that?" "A, uh, metal detector?" "Uh, essentially." "Only instead of listening for metal objects," "I'm listening for anything that emits a abnormal sound wave." " [clicks tongue]" " Right." " [chuckles]" " Where'd you find this kid?" "It's a long story." "So, it must be interesting having a daughter who is also the D.A." "[chuckles] Yeah, interesting's the word." " I have a daughter of my own." " Same line of work?" "No, I wouldn't let her anywhere near this nonsense." "[chuckles] Smart guy." "Overprotective." "You two get along?" "We don't always see eye to eye, but no matter how mad she gets at me or how mad I get at her, there's a strong bond." "Why?" "You two have a bit of a rough patch?" "Yeah, she, uh... she kept something from me, you know, something important." "Lied to me about it for months." "Hard to come back from something like that." "Mm." "She give a reason?" "Not one I could accept." "Ah." "Well, sometimes we lie for love." "Especially when it comes to family, right?" "[beeping]" " Joe!" " Yeah?" "I think we got something." "Tachyons." "Little bits of time travel." "You sure?" "Pretty sure, yeah." "I didn't shoot those officers." "Yeah, the Captain certainly plead your case." "The results of the GSR swab." "(Barry) Detective Thawne's hands are completely free of lead, barium, and antimony." "Yet no one can seem to explain how the surveillance video clearly shows" "Thawne firing his weapon." "It only looked like Detective Thawne." "Mr. Allen, no." "Aren't you supposed to be the scientist around here?" "It's hard to blame her." "That video is pretty damning." "No." "No, we just have to convince her." "Seeing is believing, Barry." "They're gonna put me away." "Okay, look, you get to S.T.A.R. Labs." "They'll set you up with a burner phone." " I'll contact..." " No." "I run now, that surveillance video is the least of my problems." "No way I don't smell guilty." "No way they'll let me stay on the force." "Look, you said it yourself, if we don't find Hannibal Bates, you go to prison." "For a crime you didn't commit." "I'm not gonna let that happen." "Not again." "This isn't like your dad, Barry." "Eddie, look." "When you dad was put away, you were a kid." "There wasn't anything you could do." "But you're not a kid anymore." "You're a scientist." "Hell, you're The Flash." "You are going to find Bates, and you are going to clear me." "So go do it." "[rousing music]" "All right." "Get me out of here the right way." "(Barry) I promise, Iris." "Now, I'm just here to shower and change, and then I'm going right back to my lab." "I swear I'm going to get Eddie out of this, okay?" "[knocking]" "I'll call you later, all right?" "Eddie?" "What in the world?" "How did you get out?" "Captain Singh called in a favor." "Got a judge to sign my release." "I was just on the phone with Iris." "Why haven't you called her?" "Hold on." "[grunting]" "I have no idea who she is." "[dramatic music]" "[chuckles] [doorbell ringing]" "Barry, it's me." "Hello... you." "I think I figured out a way to stop our shapeshifter from morphing into other people." "Oh, really?" "What if I create a serum that will terminate the polymerization reaction, essentially forcing the bonds to revert to their original form stopping him from being able to control his power." "You can do that?" " Yeah, I think so." " Okay." "What's wrong with you?" "Nothing." "Look, about last night," "I can't imagine how hard this must be for you." "I mean, I know how desperate you are to solve your mom's murder." "But let's just bury the hatchet, and we'll go back to S.T.A.R. Labs." "Figure out how to catch this everyman." ""Everyman?"" "Bad nickname?" "No." "No, I kinda like it." "Okay, good." "Me, too." "Wait, hold up, Cisco." "Please tell me that's not what I think it is." "Okay, that is definitely a hand." "Okay, see, I thought it was a foot, but a hand is just as bad." "That is freaky." "That is proof, Cisco." "I'll need to test it to be certain." "I'm gonna grab my kit." "Okay, I'm gonna have to call this one in." "I can't let you do that." "Now I'm asking you, cop to cop, keep this under wraps." "Forget you ever saw it." " West, I can't do that." " Listen, Lance, if this is who I think it is, anybody that knows about this is in a hell of a lot of danger, including my daughter." "As mad as you are at Laurel," "I can't imagine you wouldn't do anything to protect her." "[suspenseful music] [sighs]" "[sprightly music]" "Hey." "Good to go." "Just need to give it a little spin." "Oh." "Right." "Yes." "A spin." "So this, uh... serum that you're making, is it a temporary fix, or will it take away his power permanently?" "Not permanently." "Just long enough so we can stop him." "And how long is it going to take?" "Not long." "We just need..." "What are you doing?" "Something I think I should have done... a long time ago." "Mm." "Barry, uh... [beeping]" "Oh, my God." "Look who's here." "Yes." "Her." "Hi, I have been looking for you everywhere." "Here I am." "What's up?" "Look, whoever is framing Eddie, I got to thinking." "What if they've done something like this before?" "I went through CCPN's crime archives, and in the last 11 months, there have been six crimes committed by people who later swore that they were innocent." "None of them had priors, all of them had rock-solid alibis." " All right." " So..." "I hacked into my dad's CCPD account, and went through the footage of Eddie shooting those cops." "[computer beeping] Look." "What do you want us to do, Thawne?" " Die - [gunfire]" "What's wrong with you?" "Huh?" "Nothing." "I didn't do anything." "I don't know." "Seems pretty convincing to me." " Look again." " [computer beeping]" "Eddie is not left-handed." "Look, Eddie is being framed, and we need to figure out who is behind this." "And believe me, when I get my hands on them, they are going to be... [buzzing] [grunting]" "Oh, my God." "What did you do?" "Your observations about the shooter were spot on, Miss West." "He was indeed left-handed." "As is this man." "Our Barry... is right-handed." "Oh, I knew it." " Never mind." " Then this is him." "It is indeed." "I need to take him in to the police." "(Iris) If they can see what he can do, then maybe they'll let Eddie go." "Perhaps it might be best if Dr. Snow and I handle this." "Mm." "What are you two going to do?" "No." "No, no, no." "I'm taking him in." "Of course." "Well, at least let me help you." "There is a reporter at work who kept a file of these sorts of things." "You know, all of the unexplained events in the city." "This guy... definitely belongs in that file." "That's gonna be a pretty big file." "[construction clattering] [indistinct chatter]" "You know who else is in that file?" "The Burning Man." "Oh, really?" "What about him?" "I thought he was just some urban legend." "Help me!" "Help me, help me, help me!" " Oh, no." " Someone, please, help me!" "Help!" "Help!" "These bad ladies have kidnapped me!" " What's going on here?" " I need help!" "I need help!" "These bad ladies kidnapped me!" "We did not kidnap her." " No." " Iris, drive." " I can't." " Call the police." "No." "No, no, no." "She's dangerous." "Hey!" "She's dangerous." "No!" "Hey!" "Where are you going?" "[suspenseful music]" "Oh, Barry." "[muffled groan]" "Aah!" "For real?" " Why did you slap me?" " Because you were unconscious." "Smelling salts work just as well." "Sorry." "You okay?" "I think so, yeah." "Wait, Caitlin." "Bates, he was here." " Uh, yes, I know." " Okay, let's go." "You sure there's nothing else I can do for you, Detective?" "You have done more than enough." "Thank you for everything, Captain." "Listen, I should be thanking you for getting me out of the office for a day." "Pushing papers, reviewing budgets public all over my ass." "It's been a nice change." "I'd still be detective if I could, but, you know, body just can't take it anymore." "What you gonna do when you got a bad heart?" "I can think of something that might make things better." "Cisco." "Laurel, hey." "Uh..." "We're just about to head back to Central City." "Were you able to make that item?" "I think this will do the trick." "[lively music]" "I bumped up the specs." "Quadrupled the range, tripled the resonance." "You should be able to do some serious damage with this thing." "I can't believe you were able to make it so quickly." "Eh." "I've had some practice with sound waves recently." "I think you should call it "The Canary Cry."" "I like it." "Thank you." "As promised." "Hey, you show this to anyone, I'll kill you." "[chuckles] That's just an expression, right?" "Nope." "[indistinct chatter] [playful music]" "Cisco?" "You good?" "Oh, I'm good." "So this Hannibal Bates has turned into quite the meta-human." "Take a look." "His cells have the ability to transmogrify at quite the rate." " Which is how he can become anyone." " Which is how he can look like anyone." "Because he cannot appropriate your memory or your powers." "Got it." "Hands on the meta-human." "Hands on the meta-human." "And to help you do that," "Dr. Snow has concocted a solution we believe will stop him." "Yes." "I've made a serum that will create a cortical reaction around his cells." "Deprive those cells of their electrical charge, his shape-shifting days are over." "Wow, that's great work." "[gasps] Thank you." "Um... no need for a hug or anything like that." "Okay." "[beeping]" "Oh, Barry." "We got a ping from your cell phone." "Looks like Hannibal Bates is at the airport." "Payback time." "[heroic music]" "Guys, are we sure he's at the airport?" "According to the GPS on your phone, he's there." "Yeah, but... he could be any of these people." "I'm not seeing him." "[beeping]" "Gotcha." "[people exclaiming] [suspenseful music]" "Hannibal Bates." "I think you've mistaken me for someone else." "Wait." "It's me." "Please don't hurt me." "[grunting]" "[grunting]" "Not so hero-like." "Treat all your women like that?" "[grunting]" "Well, look at that." "I'm The Flash." "[rousing music]" "You may look like me... but you're not as fast." "[grunting]" "You're done imitating innocent people." "[grunting]" "Aah!" " Barry?" " Yeah." "The one and only." "Detective Thawne has been released." "(Cecile) I have to admit this is new territory for me." "This is new territory for all of us." "I certainly don't think the law is prepared to deal with this kind of criminal." "Hopefully we can catch up fast." "It's hard to believe we live in a world where this kind of impossible even exists." "Luckily it's also a world where The Flash exists." "Uh, speaking of... he left this list of all the robberies that Hannibal Bates was involved in." "That's a long list." "With just as many innocent people whose names need to be cleared." "You know, I saw The Flash once." " Oh, yeah?" " Yeah." "I was on my way to the courthouse." "He blew past me." "It was... it was just a blur of red and a gust of wind." "But it was pretty damn cool." "[chuckles]" "Iris." "[exhales]" "Oh." "(Thawne) All charges have been dropped." "I'm clear to go." "Oh, thank God." "Iris..." "I need to tell you something." "You know what?" "It can wait until we get home." "You were right." "(Thawne) I was hiding something from you, and you deserve to know the truth." "The reason I've been so distant lately..." "I've been working with The Flash." "[poignant music]" "Let me out of here!" "Hey, cutie." "Want to let me out of here?" "Like anyone would be dumb enough to fall for that." "[sighs]" "Seen a lot of things that you can become, but who are you, Hannibal Bates?" "I, uh... [chuckles]" "I can't remember." "I can't remember." "Well, let's lock up shop." "Good night, everyone." "What about Dr. Wells?" "Come here." "I need to show you something." "This isn't possible." "Caitlin, I ran the DNA test twice." "It's a perfect match." "This body is the real Harrison Wells." "If this is Dr. Wells, then who have we been working for this whole time?" "(Barry) Dr. McGee said that after the accident," "Wells became a completely different person." "It's because he is a different person." "[suspenseful music]" "Dr. Wells." "You here on business?" "Business, no." "I came to give my regards to Detective Thawne." "Glad it all worked out." "Yeah." "Crazy day for him." "Yeah." "Crazy day for us all." "Oh." "Detective, did you enjoy your time in Starling City?" "Not much time for sightseeing." "I was working on a case." " Oh." " You used to live there." "I did." "You ever go back?" "No." "Too many memories of Tess." "That's right." "Sorry." "You, Detective, are one of the few people I know that truly understands that kind of loss." "[poignant music]" "Iris's mother, you never talk about her, do you?" "No." "I don't." "No?" "You and I, Detective, are members of a rather exclusive club, I suppose." "One who's membership is too expensive." "Maybe we should have another drink sometime." "Talk about it." "Yeah." "Yeah, we should do that." "[elevator dings]" "What are you doing?" "After the accelerator exploded," "I built a 3-D model of S.T.A.R. Labs so that I could pinpoint exactly what caused the malfunction." "(Barry) And you never ran this test?" "Of course I did." "I just never had any reason to look at any areas outside of the pipeline or the cortex." "It's a big building." "Lots of places for Wells to hide something." "[beeping]" "What is that?" "That shouldn't be there." "I'm picking up more activity around here." "[beeping]" "Tachyons." "[beeping intensifies] [silences]" "There." "[dramatic music]" "Oh, my God." "(Barry) Guys." "What the frak?"