The Flash season 9, episode 13 (series finale) review: A New World, Part Four

“Run, Barry, run.” Spoilers for The Flash season 9, episode 13.

Cobalt Blue assembles almost every evil speedster that The Flash has fought for one final battle between the two Speed Forces in the series finale of The Flash.

Is this Barry’s final battle or will he prevail once again?

Here’s everything that happened in The Flash season 9, episode 13, a.k.a. the final episode of the Arrowverse series.

The Flash season 9 episode 13 review

All Speedsters go to Hell

The Negative Speed Force pulls every evil speedster from the timeline in order to take down The Flash, which only does one thing: It shows how Tom Cavanagh really makes every single other villain on the show pale in comparison to the Reverse-Flash when they’re all in the same room together. Why did it take until THE FIRST SCENE OF THE FINALE FOR THIS SCENE TO HAPPEN. IT SHOULD’VE HAPPENED TWO EPISODES AGO?

Also, why does Eddie’s Cobalt Blue suit look like a knock-off version of the Green Ranger suit from Power Rangers? And his lightning isn’t even blue, which might be one of the most ridiculous oversights for a character named Cobalt Blue. Sure, every evil speedster’s lightning is red for this, but why? Because they’re powered by the Negative Speed Force? It’s just a useless change to their designs for the most part.

Fast-paced

Everything is so ridiculously fast-paced because they’re trying to do everything that they needed to do over the past two episodes within the first 20 minutes. There is nothing in this series finale that has time to breathe, other than the things the shouldn’t have that time. The lack of build-up basically destroys this episode. Oh, and the terrible plot and ending. That too.

This speedy pacing really comes to a head as every evil speedster besides Cobalt Blue are defeated immediately and easily. It’s basically one punch that takes them all out. What’s the point of bringing any of them back if it just ends this easily? If these four “A New World” episodes had been paced well, at all, there would’ve been ample time for each fight that gave them a good amount of screen-time, but those episodes weren’t paced well. At all.

HOW CAN KHIONE GET BARRY INTO THE NEGATIVE SPEED FORCE THOUGH? WHEN DID SHE GET THIS ABILITY? Do they show her doing this? Nope. She just does it. Utterly ridiculous, baffling, and it actively pulls you out of the episode. But this is not even the most ridiculous part of Barry entering the Negative Speed Force, it’s Barry talking Eddie down from villainy by giving him basically the same speech he gave last episode? It’s just…there’s nothing to really say at this point, especially given that the Negative Speed Force doesn’t immediately destroy Eddie for betraying it. There is no logic to this finale at all and this robs us of whatever potentially, kind of satisfying, way the show could end.

Getting back to the ending though, it broke me. It’s so utterly stupid, non-sensical, and infuriating. The final scene involves Barry running through Central City (as it should) and then he runs to the Ferris Air strip from the pilot, which isn’t a shock. What he does there though is the shocking part. He winds up, throws a lightning bolt in the air, it splits into three, and HE GIVES POWERS TO THREE RANDOM PEOPLE (well, not entirely random if you read comics as they’re Avery Ho, Max Mercury, and Jess Chambers). How, how, how is this the ending that was decided on? It’s baffling in every sense of the word. This was not the way to end this series.

Wasting our time

There’s a 30 second shot of Allegra and Chester kissing after the latter wakes up from being electrocuted by Reverse-Flash (after which he should be dead). Why? Why? Why? There’s basically no time devoted to anyone that we actually care about, and then this happens? It’s indicative of the the show’s tendency to focus on all the wrong things.

This also applies to Khione literally bending lightning and shooting it back at Zolomon. Literally what powers doesn’t she have? At this point, who cares. The show’s over. It doesn’t matter. But it’s frustrating while watching it. But not as frustrating as listening to Khione give an utterly asinine pep talk to Barry. But that’s not even the most baffling thing with Khione this episode. It’s when a Wells shows up (Timeless Wells) and tells her that it’s time for her to ascend. There has been no explanation to anything this entire season and it’s baffling how this was approved, especially with it ending WITH HER BRINGING CAITLIN BACK TO LIFE. WHAT IS THIS?!

The Flash ends its final season a far cry from the great show that it was in the first several seasons.

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