The Flash season 7, episode 17 review: Heart of the Matter, Part 1

“Watch your head. Doctor’s orders.” Spoilers for The Flash season 7, episode 17 follow.

In desperate need of help against the Godspeeds, Team Flash gets help from the two whom they never thought would be able to help, Nora and Bart West-Allen, in The Flash‘s 150th episode.

However, with both of the West-Allen children in the present, dark secrets come out about the future.

Here’s what went down in The Flash season 7, episode 17 “Heart of the Matter, Part 1”.

Children of the future

So, after nearly two seasons of a Nora-less show, she’s back! At least for a couple of episodes. Nora West-Allen was the absolute highlight of the show throughout the fifth season simply because of Jessica Parker Kennedy’s absolutely infectious charisma and thankfully, that hasn’t changed here. She steals almost every scene she’s in, whether she’s trying to or not. Honestly, if the show killed off every single character currently in the show and season 8 rebooted with Nora at the helm, this writer would be perfectly fine with that. That’s how great Nora is.

Other than Nora though, Bart, aka Impulse, makes his first appearance on the show and, even though this writer has never really been a fan of the character in any previous incarnation, Jordan Fisher does a great job as the hero here. He looks great in the suit, which is really nice considering how divisive that infamous first promo poster was, and captures the hyperactive energy of the character very well. He’s never annoying, when he very much could have been, but because Fisher is very charming, Bart’s hyperactivity also comes across as quite charming.

But why is Godspeed Bart’s “Thawne?” Why not Nora’s? He was connected to Nora previously and it just feels like this new connection was to make Bart more important due to his introduction despite not making sense within the world previously established, even if said world has been changed because of Crisis.

And Uncle Jay? It’s clear to see what the show is attempting to do here, especially as Godspeed does kidnap Jay Garrick in this episode, but as we’ve never seen them interact, Bart’s monologue about their connection is undermined. Fisher gives a good performance, but it’s hard to actually feel as much as we’re supposed to during it for that reason. But, just based on everything that was said, Godspeed absolutely isn’t Bart’s “Thawne.” Godspeed would have to do something interesting within the show to become that. Seriously, if you want to see an actual good, terrifying Godspeed, read Joshua Williamson’s run of The Flash.

Also, the CG is bad in this episode. It’s never been the greatest CGI ever, but it’s much more noticeable during daytime scenes here. With no real big, complex action sequences over the past several episodes, it once felt like they were saving the budget for this finale, but now? It feels like they just ran out of budget entirely. And, yet again, there has yet to be a real interesting fight with all of the Godspeed clones and other speedsters. Hopefully, given that this is a two-part finale, this is rectified in the final episode of the season.

Hidden anger

Allegra refuses to talk to anyone and just takes her anger about Esperanza’s death out on Chester. This subplot is just beyond uninteresting now as everything that was built was thrown away in the previous episode with Esperanza’s death so the aftermath feels like nothing worth investing in.

Changes in powers? Don’t care. Chester tries to comfort Allegra despite not fulling know why she is angry? Don’t care. Everything about Allegra’s story right now is full of wasted potential because of the utterly rushed nature of the storyline. There was no reason why it had to play out as quickly as it did, but because of that, every bit of impact it might have was lost. It also feels like a retread of Allegra’s character arc with Nash Wells, except much worse.

On the hunt in The Flash season 7

As for Joe and Kramer, they are still on the hunt for Kramer’s traitor, but in reality, Kramer’s actually dead? There are so many questions and so much possibility, but it means absolutely nothing because there’s been absolutely no focus beyond a couple minutes here and there for several episodes.

Just like Allegra’s storyline, this arc has grown uninteresting at this point as well. There’s been no forward momentum almost at all since this story started and it feels like a real afterthought. Not even an afterthought, barely a thought.

This season of The Flash has had so much potential with many of its ideas and so much of it has been utterly wasted, and sadly, this didn’t change with this penultimate episode of the season.

What did you think of The Flash season 7’s penultimate episode? Let us know in the comments below!