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ultrahpfan5blog · 1 year

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The Flash Season 3 - Retrospective Review

I finally finished up season 3 in my retrospective rewatch. I remember season 3 was largely considered a step down after the well received first two seasons and I remember I felt similarly at the time. But having rewatched season 3, I was honestly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. It definitely has its problems without a doubt, but I would say that its back half is actually really strong. I think its overall impact is right up there with season 2.

Like I mentioned, there are problems with season 3 for sure. I think the show royally squandered the potential of Flashpoint. I get that the show doesn't quite have the budget to do the Flashpoint from the comics, but this adaptation was so far removed comics that it barely even feels like it is taking anything from the comics. Problem also was that Flashpoint in the comics had happened only 5 years prior and had been a very popular run which then led the new 52 for DC. Not to mention, The Flashpoint Paradox movie had done a very effective adaptation of the story a few years prior as well. Flashpoint honestly should have been a crossover storyline that kicked off the respective seasons of all the shows in question. I get why it was difficult to do so, but the end result was disappointing even though there were charming elements to the alternate timeline scenes, and the scenes with Matt Lescher Thawne with Barry, were a treat. The Flashpoint episode is also the first time I honestly was sold on the idea of Barry and Iris as a couple. Because Flashpoint removed the baggage of their shared past growing up, I feel the episode did show the chemistry between the two.

I think the initial run of episodes of season 3 are rocky. There are multiple reasons for it. For one, the show's decision to make the consequences of Flashpoint almost universally negative makes the season quite downbeat in tone. Its an issue the season is never able to fully shrug off. But we essentially get nothing but negative consequences, for the West family, for Cisco, and for Caitlin. It just gets a little much, especially with Cisco, who was our primary source of humor in previous seasons. Not to mention, the villains born out of Flashpoint are quite mediocre. The show tried to promise a non speedster villain in Alchemy, but he ended up being a lot of nothing. Savitar himself is a bit of a mixed bag as a villain. Initially, he just pales in comparison to Zoom and Thawne, and his suit design feels like a Transformer design. But he definitely improves as the season goes on and certainly when the identity of Savitar is revealed, he becomes quite interesting. Certainly Savitar and Killer Frost make for a lot of fun because they are more personal as villains. There is still a sense of lost potential because an evil Barry could have been even cooler but the show doesn't really give enough time for a proper explanation to why time remnant Barry became evil. There is an explanation, but it isn't very convincing.

However, I will say that the back half of season 3 is really strong. I would argue that the final run of episodes are stronger than season 2. The first half has some strong episodes like 'Killer Frost', which gives a focus on Barry, Cisco, and Caitlin. But the show really takes off with the Grodd two parter. All the episodes following that are pretty good and the finale is certainly the most action packed finale till that point. There are some genuinely great episodes towards the end. The entire run from 'The Once and Future Flash' to 'Finish Line' is pretty great. As I mentioned before, once Caitlin turns into Killer Frost, then the entire conflict feels a lot more personal because it is essentially a future version of Barry and an evil version of Caitlin.

The season also has some cool crossovers. 'Invasion' is pretty awesome and it was the biggest crossover till date, bringing in Legends and Supergirl and was a huge ratings smash. Its also incredibly entertaining. I liked that the show acknowledged the connections between characters across shows. Like between Caitlin and Martin Stein for example. It makes the whole thing feel like a universe. The action sequences, particularly in The Flash episode, are awesome. Barry going up against the powered heroes while Oliver goes up against the non powered ones, and then the face off between Flash and Supergirl. There is also the musical crossover, which is just super fun. Grant and Melissa were clearly having a blast. The musical talents of the Arrowverse were on display.

This season also introduced a few new characters to team Flash. One of which was Tom Cavanaugh's third iteration of Wells. I remember how it took some time to warm up to HR since he doesn't quite have the same utility to team Flash as previous Wells, but on rewatch he is really such an important cog. HR really acts as much needed comic relief in season 3 because the remaining characters are going through such dramatic character arcs. Also, the character is very likable and you really care for him and his death is one of the more impactful deaths on the show. The second major character introduced is Julian. Initially, the character is a little too antagonistic but you do warm up to him towards mid season when he joins team Flash. Plus, his acerbic nature adds a different quality to the team dynamic. I wasn't a big fan of making him another Caitlin love interest but the character was enjoyable and its a pity we never got more of him after season 3. Additionally, while not a new character, this is definitely the most prominent season for Wally. His development as Kid Flash is pretty central to a huge chunk of the season. He does get a little sidelined in the last run of episodes, but he does have a good arc overall. The season brings back Harry and Jesse to good effect, with Jesse becoming Jesse Quick. The Wally and Jesse romance is cute, if not fully realized and it is quite fun to have Tom Cavanaugh play both Harry and HR at the same time.

The cast is all on their A game throughout the season. This season is heavier on the drama for all the characters and it definitely causes all the actors to step up their game. As always, Grant Gustin is excellent. His role definitely is a lot more angsty and dealing with guilt and internal conflict, but he pulls it off. He does seem to be having fun playing Savitar and it was honestly a mistake that the reveal wasn't made some episodes before. The show ran the mystery for too long, and a really cool reveal became pretty obvious. Candice Patton gets to flex her dramatic chops. I admit that she very much is handcuffed into the girl who has to be saved role but he gets a lot of emotional scenes and she's great in it. This was definitely Danielle Panabaker's strongest season. She has a very central arc in this season. She's great as Caitlin and as Killer Frost. While E2 KF was a bit hammy, keeping in tone with E2, E1 KF has a bit more grounded nature to the performance. She definitely seems to have enjoyed playing evil, though the show never gave us an understanding as to why KF is evil by default. Carlos Valdez as always is excellent. His character is initially a bit too miserable, but everything takes a turn for the better from the crossover onwards. His romance with Gypsy was fun to see. The season gets to see him became Vibe and be out and about as a hero, which is pretty awesome. Jesse L. Martin continues to shine in all the emotional moments, and he gets to have plenty of those with Iris, Barry, and Wally all being in danger at some point or another. Tom Cavanaugh has a blast as HR. Its probably the character that is closest to his actual personality. He gets to play Harry and HR at several points in the season. Tom Felton brings his Draco Malfoy energy to good effect. He has a fun dynamic with Grant Gustin. Keynan Lonsdale is similarly excellent, playing Wally with arrogance and likability.

All in all, I think season 3 is a lot better than people give it credit for. I think a lot of the initial rough assessment is due to season 3 not introducing as many new elements like the first 2 seasons did. But in terms of enjoyment, I did have a lot of fun rewatching it. Hopefully the same holds true for season 4, which was one of my least favorite seasons overall for the show. This season is a solid 8/10.

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ourautumn86 · 7 months

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catch me if you can

street racer! ellie williams x fem! reader

summary; heat rises on the streets, blood pumps with adrenaline in the race, and bad memories come up to the surface with a swing of the steering wheel.

cw; tension, swearing, mentions of death and death of a fictional character, anxiety… in the future there would be +18 content!

special thanks to @winfleurs and @atomicami for inspiring me i luv u! 🎀

“dina! wait up!” you screamed, your heels making it not quite easy to run after your best friend.

your ears were buzzing with the roaring of the audience and the car’s engines. it was a fresh saturday night, and the city seemed as bright as a constellation. adrenaline was pumping through your veins, you shouldn’t be out today. in fact, you’d sneaked out of your house. but you couldn’t help it if your friend asked for it so badly. her boyfriend, jesse, was supposed to be racing today. there was a lot of money on the line. probably about 500k. and dina had to be there. you know, the ‘good luck’ kiss and all that.

the cars looks amazing, modified with the newest technology. you could see the NOS tubes peeking though, ready to push though the chambers of the cars and burn the tires in the asphalt.

shit, you were getting excited.

you followed your friend through the crowd, trying to not lose her black wavy hair out of sight.

“jesse!” she screamed, a huge smile on her features as she ran towards the cars and her boyfriend, jumping onto his arms.

“hi beautiful.” he smiled, giving her a kiss as he held her. you made a gagging sound that made them laugh and pull apart.

“nice to see you too, jesse.” you said as you met up with the two of them. jesse chuckled.

“hey trouble maker, what are you doing here?”

“oh, you know… being a good best friend and all that.” you rolled your eyes, a playful smile on your lips.

“of course.” he hummed, squinting his eyes.

“although i really wanted to see you lose too.” you added and he laughed.

“there it is. i could see it coming.” you winked at him.

“i see you’ve got competition.” you looked around to the cars placed for the race. and you whistled. “a 2015 Lykan HyperSport? that’s gonna be hard to beat.” jesse frowned. “but of course yours is not that bad…” you placed your hand on its surface. “Nissan Skyline GT-R R34… 1999 right?” you inquired and he nodded.

dina seemed just as surprised as him.

“yeah… how do you know all this stuff about cars?” you froze. shit.

“uhh…” you shrugged. “my father. he’s a fanatic.” you quickly spurted out, and the two of them nodded, letting it slide. ‘cause they couldn’t think anything else about it, of course. you were no longer in LA, you were safe.

you sighed. almost fucked it up.

“hey, jess!” the three of you turned around at the sound of a low and sultry voice. your eyes met a pair of evergreen ones, silky auburn hair —tied half and half on a messy bun— and freckled cheeks. she was seating on the hood of her car, girls with tiny skirts and exposed cleavages surrounding her. her legs were spread, a black tank top hugging her chest and toned abdomen, leaving her strong arms exposed.

she was hot. really hot.

“yo williams.” jesse smirked. “ready to eat dirt?” she scoffed, showing off a confident smirk.

“you talk too much for someone who hasn’t beaten me once.” people around you hollered.

“and you talk too much to have that shit of a car.” you huff, and she arched her eyebrows. “Subaru WRX. year 2008.” you pointed out, your heels clicking as you got closer. “i’m sorry for your wallet. the engine and drivetrain must have given you a lot of problems.” you saw the way her jaw ticked and you smiled. “uuuh, seems like a touched a tender spot, didn’t i? i mean subarus are impressive. but not even an STI? come on. you hurt me.” you pouted and she chuckled.

“well, look at that. here i thought your pretty face would be the most interesting thing about you. but you’ve got brains.” she said, jumping off of the hood of her car, getting closer to you as she eyed you up and down.

“not like your kitties here.” you nodded at the girls and they all stared dirtily at you, what made you smirk.

“careful doll, they might scratch you all up.” she warned, playfully, so close to you you could smell her perfume. “and we wouldn’t want that beautiful face of yours to go to waste, do we?” you smirked.

“i would like to see them try.” you muttered, leaning until your faces were mere inches away. she pursed her lips and took a look at you, at your exposed legs and cleavage, beautiful hair and glossy red lips. you had gone for a simple tight tube leather dress that pushed up your tits a little bit too well, and a pair of red thin high heels. a red pendant hanging from your necklace.

“see something you like, ‘williams’?” you inquired, sultry, teasingly and she smirked.

“maybe.” she tilted her head slightly backwards. “what about you? you see something you like?”

“i do…” you nodded, droopy eyes on her own green ones and she smiled. “your car.” she let out a sarcastic laughter, shaking her head.

“but weren’t you just saying how much of a shit it was?” she inquired, eyebrows arched in disbelief.

“now it is. it won’t be once i’ve got my hands on it and touch her all up.” you said as you stared at the cherry red car. the people surrounding you let out ‘uuu’s that made you smile. “you know… a short throw shifter, maybe a new intercoolers…”

“and how are you gonna do that, princess?”

“with a race.” the crowd roared and your friends frowned. dina approached you.

“are you crazy?! do you even know how to race?” you looked at her, and took one of her hands.

“dina… i’ll explain later, okay? but now i need you to trust me on this one, alright?” jesse and dina looked at you, into your eyes, and saw your determination. silently, he handed you his keys.

“if you’re gonna race, you’ll need a car.” you looked at him, and he smiled. you returned it, taking the keys. “if you lose i’ll kill you.” he warned though, and you laughed.

“i never lose.” you promised.

“what do i win if you do?” ellie stepped into the conversation, eyebrows raised. “need to hook me in, gorgeous, i’m betting my car after all.”

“i’ll tell you what.” you smirked, turning towards her. “since it’s not gonna happen. i’ll bet you anything you want.”

“anything i want?” she inquired and you nodded. “don’t pull back later on your promise, princess.”

“i won’t.”

you could feel the adrenaline pumping through your veins, the tingling of your hands. you pressed on the gas, hearing the engine roar, and your heart stammered. shit. it’s been so long.

you had promised yourself you wouldn’t do it ever again. but how could you get away from all of this? from the only thing that made you feel something? that made you weak on your knees and your heart race? it was like a drug. every time you took it you’d find yourself begging for more. you needed it on your system.

you had learned how to race since a very early age, even before you had enough age to get your license —yeah, you got in trouble with the police more than once, but they could never catch you—. and even if you loved it, you’d left it all after your best friend had died while racing, in the hands of a crazy dick who made him crash against a building, making the NOS tanks blow up and burning him alive.

you still could remember your screams, how your friends had grabbed at you so you wouldn’t get closer. ‘let me go! let me fucking go!’

you’d watched the only person that got you and unconditionally loved you die in front of your eyes.

after that you’d used the millions of dollars your family name had to drown your sorrows in alcohol and drugs, getting away from the city that had taken away your everything from you and building a brand new life where nobody could know you.

you’d been hard to get to know, always having everybody at an arm’s length until dina had come along, with her stupid smile and warm personality bringing you back to life. you’d forever be grateful to and for her. but her past was something you’d never talked about, and she didn’t want to force you into it.

“i see you shaking there, princess. scared?” williams screams from her car, who just had positioned itself to your right. you scoffed.

“oh yeah, terrified.” you sarcastically said, and she smirked.

“don’t worry babe, you can always sit on my lap later, i have something that will calm you down.” she winked and you rolled your eyes.

“no thank you, once i’m done i’ll be sitting on your car and driving back to my house.” you winked back, and she chuckled, mouthing something to herself that you couldn’t figure out.

“you guys readyyyyyy?!” a girl in a mini skirt came in between the two cars, a gun in hand. the audience roared, and so did your car. there were phones everywhere, recording the impending race —and your victory—.

you bit down on your lip. you were gonna make win that pretty girl, in heels.

“set!” another girl to your right yelled, and your engine roared again, the tires burning.

“ready!” another to your left, one more roar.

“go!” the girl with the gun shot up to the sky, and before you knew you were flying. the world stopped. there was no future. no past. just the present. just that moment.

ellie took the lead, and she smirked to herself, looking at your car through her mirrors. but she just had to take her eyes away from you for two seconds to lose you. “what the-“

she took the curve, and with a honk, you drifted right beside her, in a swift motion getting in front of her backwards to the road, facing her car. you smiled at her, and send her a kiss with one of your hands before harshly spinning the wheel and drifting once again to face forwards, using the NOS to catapult yourself through the asphalt. you relished on the shock of her face. god you could never get used to it. it never got old.

ellie cursed, following right behind you, adrenaline pumping through her body.

“i’ve finally got you.” she smiled, changing gears and speeding up. another closed curve came into your view and you sped up, in a quick movement changing gears and pulling on the break as you harshly manhandled the steering wheel. you could almost see everything on slow motion, the people outside of the car roaring as you perfectly drifted in an U shape.

you screamed, euphoria in the pit of your stomach. ellie used the inertia to pull up by your side, lowering her window. you did the same. you two were on the final straight line. “you ready to lose princess?” she inquired, and you scoffed.

“catch me if you can, williams!” you screamed, and changed gears before pressing the gas. you press the NOS button, the strength making your back press tightly against your sit. you flew through the straight line, ellie copying you and keeping up with you. you could see the finish line getting closer and closer, and the speedometer getting higher.

you knew you couldn’t over do it, the crowd was waiting for the winner there, you couldn’t hurt them, you wouldn’t.

100mph, 125mph, 150mph, 165mph.

“3…2…1…” and just as you crossed the finish line, mere inches ahead from ellie, you harshly rotated the wheel, drifting as you stepped and pulled on both breaks, the tires burning against the asphalt and leaving marks as you finally stopped the car. the crowd roared and quickly approached you. dina and jesse were hollering.

you stepped out of the car with a smile on your face, your best friend jumping to hug you and jump into your arms, making you laugh.

“what?! i mean- what?!? that was amazing!!! since when could you race?!!?? oh my god!!!” you chuckled, trying to calm her down.

“i’ll tell you everything about it later, alright?” she nodded. jesse tried to say something but he was out of words. “it’s okay big boy, don’t waste your breath.” you tapped her shoulder, and he scoffed. “and now…” you turned around, watching ellie as she stepped out of her car. “i’ll be taking my prize.” you smirked, spreading out your arm and showing her your palm. she tilted her head to the side, a playful smile playing on her lips.

“sure. but first aren’t you going to introduce yourself for me, princess?” she inquired. “or should i do it… viper?” your blood froze, as well as the whole crowd. ellie smirked. “you really thought i wouldn’t recognize those drifts?” you quickly got closer to her, your breaths mingling.

those surrounding you started mumbling. your breath was shaky and your body, still filled with adrenaline, slowly filled with anxiety and bad memories.

“viper the street racer?”

“no way!”

“she disappeared years ago, is it really her?”

“i would shut up if i were you.” you hissed, and she leaned in, the smirk on her lips growing. your lips were almost brushing, and with the hand in which she had her keys, she cupped your chin.

“why don’t you make me?”

you needed to get out of here.

why… why now? why after all this years was your past catching up to you?

you quickly took her —your— keys, watching her smile as you got into your new car and started it. the crowd was unraveling and you knew soon they’d start either jumping at you or taking pictures to expose you.

“see you soon, princess!” she screamed as you drove out of there, groaning at the buzzing of your phone. “i caught you.”

a/n; ty’all for 7k! i’m so happy that such a large number of people enjoys my work :(🎀 i love u!! also hope you liked this fic! would you like a part 2? let me know!

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