The Flash The Flash Season 1 Episode 21: Grodd Lives

[Lencho01]

I didn't really see any problems with how Iris was handled in this episode.

 

[HanShotFirst]

Every non-costumed female character in Flash(and Arrow) needs to be written off the show. Their only purpose is to fuel that mandatory CW drama crapfest.

Anyways, Grodd was awesome! I'm glad Flash is no match for him yet.

 

[Tempest]

Am I the only one who loved Thawne this episode? I love that we see him kind of unhinged.

 

[The Shape]

Am I the only one who loved Thawne this episode? I love that we see him kind of unhinged.

Notice he now has subtle black eyeliner around his eyes, to convey to difference between "Wells" and the evil Thawne.

 

[Cain]

They teased it last week by having her literally absorb Barry's lightning but this week it's official. The long standing Flash comic book trope of Iris being Barry's lightning rod has now been officially implemented in the show.

 

[Tempest]

Notice he now has subtle black eyeliner around his eyes, to convey to difference between "Wells" and the evil Thawne.

Was it subtle? Because I found it to be really obvious. I wonder if he borrowed it from the Trickster.

If being evil doesn't work out for him, I think Eobbard has a real shot at becoming a makeup artist.

 

[Tempest]

They teased it last week by having her literally absorb Barry's lightning but this week it's official. The long standing Flash comic book trope of Iris being Barry's lightning rod has now been officially implemented in the show.

I'm glad to see WestAllen is as unhealthy in the comics as it is on the show.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

I'm glad to see WestAllen is as unhealthy in the comics as it is on the show.

What's so unhealthy about it?
That's a strong admirable bond.

 

[Cain]

Seriously. It's one of the most endearing & believable relationships in all of comics. Don't be hating and assuming just because the show has botched it up for the most part so far. Adaptations are not direct translations.

 

[Tempest]

What's so unhealthy about it?
That's a strong admirable bond.

It's kind of co-dependent. And creepy. And I hate when one character ties everything they are into another person. It makes them less of a person, and in real life, is a dangerous practice. It's not something I condone being waved around as a healthy way to live or love.

 

[lanesrader]

They teased it last week by having her literally absorb Barry's lightning but this week it's official. The long standing Flash comic book trope of Iris being Barry's lightning rod has now been officially implemented in the show.

Iris there looks like Caitlin

 

[Cain]

Iris there looks like Caitlin

What makes it funnier is that the dynamic and chemistry between Caitlin and Barry is a lot more similar to Barry/Iris from the comic books than the actual Barry/Iris from the show.

 

[Cain]

It's kind of co-dependent. And creepy. And I hate when one character ties everything they are into another person. It makes them less of a person, and in real life, is a dangerous practice. It's not something I condone being waved around as a healthy way to live or love.

Context is key. It's his wife who he has been married to for years. There's nothing creepy about the thought of his wife, the mother of his children at that being his anchor.

 

[Frodo]

Well aside from the endless pro and anti Iris debate, is the Eddie Thawne character someone from the comics?

I thought I read something about a character like him in the comics actually being Barry's half brother.

 

[Tempest]

Context is key. It's his wife who he has been married to for years. There's nothing creepy about the thought of his wife, the mother of his children at that being his anchor.

Maybe? It's still a little much for me. And then there's the dumb time travel stuff that I found kind of weird too, where he goes to the future because she was secretly from the future or something. I'm still reading some Flash stuff to familiarize myself with it more.

 

[Tempest]

Well aside from the endless pro and anti Iris debate, is the Eddie Thawne character someone from the comics?

I thought I read something about a character like him in the comics actually being Barry's half brother.

Was that Cobalt Blue? And that is weird. Is everything in Flash's world dysfunctional and weird? I thought he was supposed to be one of the happier super heroes.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

Maybe? It's still a little much for me. And then there's the dumb time travel stuff that I found kind of weird too, where he goes to the future because she was secretly from the future or something. I'm still reading some Flash stuff to familiarize myself with it more.

You talking about Flash 203: Iris West the Two Timer?

 

[Tempest]

You talking about Flash 203: Iris West the Two Timer?

Maybe? My friend told me about it, so I don't know. Like I said, I'm still catching up.

I feel that more than Barry and Iris and their icky relationship, we need to discuss the eyeliner a little more. Is it in a Bad Guy Handbook? I'm just wondering, because sometimes I think Merlyn on Arrow looks a little over-done. Maybe they can do a crossover episode where Thawne does makeovers.

 

[dhandler01]

I understand, but I really don't think it's as bad as all that. Besides, I'm seeing this same anti-romance attitude in other CB shows like Gotham and Arrow. It's like every female that gets with the male lead in these shows automatically generates hate.

Yep it is like clockwork...they hate the female because (insert reason to be reversed when they get what they want). It would be one thing if it was just on one show or was one character but in reality the only female anyone likes that has been in any sort of romantic entanglement with the hero of the series is Leslie Thompkins and that will flip in season 2 because of how the Barbara storyline will go it is a guarantee. The fans will turn on her just like they did on Felicity...

People seem to forget that humans act irrationally especially about love. You will say things that make no sense, act in ways you dont even realize and make mistakes all over the place. There is no real arc, life is stupid and filled with plotholes especially when you are young.

Iris and Barry arent going to just fall in love and live happily ever after, they have to grow to that point. They are young and foolish, acting on impulse and have no idea what is developing or why. They arent the characters from the comics most of us read where they have years of time to make their relationship work, this is Year 1! Same with Oliver and (insert whoever you ship for here) he is stuck between his mission and who he loves. We accept that in Batman movies and comics (seriously the crap with Selina or Talia in the comics is 10 times worse than Olicity) but on a show that is aimed at young adults it makes no sense?

 

[Cain]

Again you have to actually read it in order to see it work and it does work.

Frodo Eddie Thawne was a completely new creation for this TV series. Some are just assuming that he will play the Cobalt Blue (Barry's evil twin who was raised a Thawne) role in the show. Personally I still think he's going to get a very loose adaptation of the third Reverse Flash's (Hunter Zolomon) story. We'll see where they go with him.

 

[dhandler01]

They teased it last week by having her literally absorb Barry's lightning but this week it's official. The long standing Flash comic book trope of Iris being Barry's lightning rod has now been officially implemented in the show.

But but but...the CW drama is stupid!!1!1

(I geeked out hard to that because it wasnt just part of Barry/Iris but Wally/Linda as well)

 

[Cain]

But but but...the CW drama is stupid!!1!1

(I geeked out hard to that because it wasnt just part of Barry/Iris but Wally/Linda as well)

Yes

It's a constant Flash fact. A speedster's best friend/significant other/soul mate is what grounds them.

 

[The Caped Knight]

Loved this episode, mind ya Iris is still annoying even now that she knows the truth. It's like she's the lana lang of this series.

 

[Tempest]

Loved this episode, mind ya Iris is still annoying even now that she knows the truth. It's like she's the lana lang of this series.

I'd equate her more with a Danny Messer. Irritating, self-righteous, with a hint of hypocrisy and general disdain for the feelings of others. I don't remember Lana being quite like that. Although I lost patience with Smallville early on, so I might have missed something.

 

[Frodo]

Yep it is like clockwork...they hate the female because (insert reason to be reversed when they get what they want). It would be one thing if it was just on one show or was one character but in reality the only female anyone likes that has been in any sort of romantic entanglement with the hero of the series is Leslie Thompkins and that will flip in season 2 because of how the Barbara storyline will go it is a guarantee. The fans will turn on her just like they did on Felicity...

People seem to forget that humans act irrationally especially about love. You wioll say things that make no sense, act in ways you dont even realize and make mistakes all over the place. There is no real arc, life is stupid and filled with plotholes especially when you are young.

Iris and Barry arent going to just fall in love and live happily ever after, they have to grow to that point. They are young and foolish, acting on impulse and have no idea what is developing or why. They arent the characters from the comics most of us read where they have years of time to make their relationship work, this is Year 1! Same with Oliver and (insert whoever you ship for here) he is stuck between his mission and who he loves. We accept that in Batman movies and comics (seriously the crap with Selina or Talia in the comics is 10 times worse than Olicity) but on a show that is aimed at young adults it makes no sense?

While Do agree there is alot of fanboy hate for shipping and female characters, the real problem is that the writers in comicbook films and tv shows can't write female characters and mature relationships period. They aren't writing strong female characters are even presenting females in all that positive a light beyond just being the love interest and a pretty common one at that. What they're doing with Iris is in no way unique to her or groundbreaking to the genre. If anything she's the standard , which is what's problematic about the genre.

The fact that we can only defend or bash the Iris character in the context of a relationship is what the problem is . The fact that she is defined by the men in her life is the problem, and is why the writers shouldn't be lauded for how they're handling her character and her relationship with Barry.

At least Whedon was trying to define the Black Widow character beyond just being the love interest, even though he's gotten himself in trouble as of late for how he portrayed Black Widow.

Yes, fans are intolerant , but when you have shows and films which reduce the female characters to being defined only by their spouses and not by their character, their ambitions, and they're hopes and dreams, is far more problematic to the genre long term than are shipper haters.