Flashback: Flash – Fast Lane (S02-E12)

When it comes to speed, you can either run as fast as the Flash, or as slow as tar, but when family is involved, it’s not a matter of black or white.

FAST LANE
Barry tries to team up with Dr. Harrison but finds out Harrison prefers working alone. The Flash fights a new meta-human. Iris researches her brother’s drag racing. Dr. Harrison starts stealing Barry’s speed.

IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME

If this is your first time checking out Flashback, welcome! Keep in mind that this article is not meant to be a review or summary of this week’s episode. Instead Flashback takes a look at characters, elements, themes, and locations and puts them in context to the source material. Think of it as a fantastic companion piece to the television show.

The Villains

Tar Pit (a.k.a. Joey Monteleone)

Tar Pit first appeared in Flash #174 in July 2001. In his origin story, we learn that Joey was a drug trafficker in Keystone City, but landed in Iron Heights Penitentiary when he got busted.  While wasting away in a jail cell, Joey discovered he had the ability to project his astral form into inanimate objects. Unfortunately, one of his astral projection excursions caused him to get trapped in a vat of tar. While his body remains motionless in Iron Heights, Tar Pit runs around causing havoc for everyone.

As far as adapting the character to television, the creative team pretty much nailed the live action version.

Tar Pit was created by…. wait for it… Geoff Johns and Scott Kollins.

Clark Bronwen

While Clark Bronwen may not be a character in the DC Universe, Bronwen Clark is an assistant to the Executive Producer of the show. This week’ the co-executive producers are Aaron and Todd Helbing, so I’m guessing Bronwen is working for one of them.

Clay Stanley

In real life, Clayton Stanley is an American volleyball player, so unless you know something I don’t, there is no other connection to the DCU with this name. By the way, if you do see something I missed, use the comment section below to share with everyone.

Scramjet

No, you didn’t see Scarmjet in this episode, but Wally did mention to Joe and Iris that scramjets makes things go faster. Scramjet is a member of the Coalition of Crime, and an enemy of Vulcan. Scramjet first appeared in Son of Vulcan #4 in November 2005. Scramjet was created by Scott Beatly and Keron Grant.

The Heroes

This week featured a few appearances by other heroes that may have slipped by if you weren’t paying attention.

Arrow

Just before Daniel Burge is killed, we see him watching News 52 which is sharing updates on the Mayoral race in Star City. Oliver Queen is name dropped because you can’t have The Flash without Arrow. Also, Central City, which is located in Missouri, is extremely interested on the goings on of a city located in California, just north of Coast City.

Felicity Smoak also gets name checked this week as the greatest hacker in the world… or at least on Earth-2.  And no, just because she’s in a wheelchair does not make her Oracle.

Green Lantern

Once again we see Coast City pizza appear in the show. The restaurant claims to be the “best in the west”. Coast City also happens to be the home of Green Lantern Hal Jordon, if you believe in that kind of thing… According to the Atlas of the DC Universe, Coast City is located north of San Francisco.

Minutiae

Diamond Detailing

While there isn’t a business in the DCU that makes sure your car shines, the diamond in the company’s logo reminded me a great deal of Diamond Comic Distributors’s logo.

Bank Account Number 5463728

Bank account numbers do not have seven numbers. ABA routing numbers are 9 digits long, the NACHA standard defines account numbers as 17 digits long. So there is probably something deeper going on with this number combo besides just jumping back and forth.

Could it be Flash #54? There the Flash must save a woman who was sucked out of a plane.
Flash #63? It’s the issue where Kid Flash receives his costume.
Flash #72? It’s one where the Flash is fighting Alchemist.

Of course the numbers could be referring to Volume 1 on the Flash, featuring Jay Garrick. In those specific issues, the supporting cast include The Three Dimwits, Winky Moylan, Blinky Boylan, and Noddy Toylan.

Despite being rather unintelligent they would often stumble on scientific discoveries that would leave geniuses like Garrick amazed. They’ve created things like a time machine, a space-warp lever, a robot, and more.

Now more interesting is that Flash Comics had anywhere between two and three stories in each issue. In each of the three issues above, the third story featured Johnny Thunder and Thunderbolt.

It’s certainly an interesting coincidence, but the last digit had no real connection with the others.

Two percent slower

Maybe I’m not doing my math correctly, but I could have sworn that Cisco told Barry that his top speed was 1500 MPH. If Harry Wells took away 2% of his speed, that would mean Barry is running at 1470 MPH and not 1415 or 1450 as the two discussed in the hallway of Star Labs.

Flash Powers

This week the powers aren’t speed related. Instead Barry shows off his love for Ingrid Michaelson as he quotes his favorite musical line “All the broken hearts in the world still beat” that comes from Michaelson’s “Girls Chase Boys.”

Ingrid Michaelson – Girls Chase Boys (Lyrics HD)

Full Lyrics:All the broken hearts in the world still beatLets not make it harder than it has to beOoooooh it’s all the same thingGirls chase boys chase girls…

IT’S CALLED A SECRET IDENTITY FOR A REASON!

No new reveals this week, so the list remains unchanged.

• Dr. Harrison Wells (deceased)
• Eobard Thawne (as Dr. Harrison Wells)
• Dr. Harry Wells (Earth-2)
• Dr. Caitlin Snow
• Dr. Cisco Ramon
• Detective Joe West
• Ronnie Raymond (deceased)
• Dr. Martin Stein
• Mrs. Clarissa Stein
• Hartley Rathaway (Pied Piper)
• Felicity Smoak
• General Wade Eiling
• Oliver Queen (Green Arrow)
• John Diggle
• Bette Sans Souci (deceased)
• Dr. Henry Allen (out of prison)
• Iris West (in another timeline)
• Iris West-Allen (in the future)
• Iris West (via spark touch)
• Leonard Snart (Captain Cold)
• Detective Eddie Thawne (deceased)
• Ray Palmer (The Atom)
• Brie Larvan
• Laurel Lance (Black Canary)
• Hannibal Bates (Everyman) (deceased)
• Gorilla Grodd
• Lyla Diggle (Harbinger)
• Jay Garrick (The Flash of Earth-2)
• Dr. Henry Hewitt
• Jefferson Jackson (Firestorm)
• Linda Park
• Malcolm Merlin/Al Sa-Her/Ra’s al Ghul
• Vandal Savage
• Kendra Saunders (Hawkgirl)
• Cater Hall (Hawkman)
• Thea Queen (Speedy)
• Patty Spivot

And that should be everything! What did I miss? What did you catch? Use the comment section below to share your thoughts on this episode, and until next week – RUN, BARRY! RUN!

Next week, we’re going to Earth-2!

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FLASHBACK: THE PODCAST

Want to hear Matthew Peterson and I sit down to discuss this episode in detail? If you are a Major Spoilers VIP, look for the Flashback Podcast hitting the VIP site very soon!