The Flash Season 7 Episode 1 Review: All's Wells That Ends Wells
Sarah Little
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Is it strange that The Flash Season 7 Episode 1 felt like a season finale, a season premiere, and a regular episode all at once?
I guess that's what you get after what the television industry has gone through this past year. But, in any case, The Flash is back and has set itself up for a promising run.
One moment you were dying from laughter, and the next, you were crying. The Flash perfectly weaved the serious moments with the lighthearted ones, resulting in a memorable and shocking hour of television.
Is Nash Wells, along with all the other Wells in the multiverse, gone?
There is no way around it, no matter how heartbreaking the truth is. Every single version of Wells has been an integral part of the show since The Flash Season 1, and now, they are no more.
From Harry to H.R., the Wells have meant so much to Barry Allen and the rest of Team Flash. I don't know what they will do without any version of Wells, but they will try.
Barry: They were all in my mind. I could feel their spirits. I could feel how much they loved me. They gave themselves up for me. How am I supposed to live with that?
Chester: Uh, I think that's the point. You know, they put themselves in the ASF so that you could live. And thrive.
Allegra: And now, whenever you run, it'll kind of be like they're running with you.
Tom Cavanagh is one of the show's shining stars, and he will be greatly missed. But who knows? He might pop up again as a completely different character.
Since Hartley Sawyer is no longer playing Ralph, maybe Cavanagh can take on that role. He has shown he has the range for it.
Even though Cavanagh can probably find a way to stay on the show, Wells' death is still quite tragic for Barry, Cisco, Caitlin, and the rest of the team.
If only all of them got to say goodbye. It didn't feel right that Cisco and Caitlin weren't there for his demise since Wells meant a lot to them, too.
But Barry's goodbye still felt poignant, and it will probably go down as one of the show's most emotional scenes. Grant Gustin and Cavanagh are electric together, and we are going to miss their natural chemistry as Barry and Wells.
Barry: Nash, please, I can't let anyone else die for me. I've already lost so many people.
Nash: Do you know what I feel right now? Pride. Honor. And it's been so long since I felt those things. And it's not just me, the council feels it, too. And we've made a decision, we're doing this, Allen. Is it charging?
Chester: Uh, yeah, the fusion sphere is charging.
Barry: How can I be the Flash without a Wells on this team?
Nash: You've always been the Flash. You always will be, with or without me.
It's a testament to both actors and their characters' development that the emotional aspect of the last scene between Barry and Wells kept on growing as Cavanagh masterfully switched between all the Wells.
As an individual, Gustin can make you cry in the blink of an eye, and his performance on "All's Wells That Ends Wells" was a highlight of the hour.
We all know that Gustin is fantastic at playing up Barry Allen's brokenness, but this episode allowed him to show off his comedic side as well.
Infecting Barry with Wells' brainwaves was genius and gave us a couple of the series' biggest laughs.
Who knew Gustin could switch between characters as well as Cavanagh can?
From trying to get Nash, Chester, and Allegra to pronounce Sherloque right to the introduction of wizard Wells, the whole bit was hilarious and a bright spot on a rather dark episode.
The image of Barry, as Wells the Gray, showing Chester how to use a "wand" will stay in our minds for weeks to come.
While Cisco and Caitlin were away, Chester and Allegra, AKA the JV Squad, made the best of their extended screentime and proved why they deserve their rightful place on Team Flash.
Brandon McKnight and Kayla Compton are series regulars now, and if this episode was a taste of what's to come for their characters, we couldn't be happier or more excited.
Chester and Barry's dynamic is refreshing and hilarious. Chester looks up to Barry in a way that's not reminiscent of idol worshipping or blind faith.
Barry: Do you hear the drums? They are coming! It is I, Wells the Gray.
Nash: Oh, Wells the Gray.
Chester: There's a wizard Wells?
Allegra: Ugh, this is all my fault.
Chester: Oh my god, do you know Gandalf?
They both respect one another as human beings and as metahumans. Plus, Chester's character is full of the lightheartedness that is the backbone of the show.
A lot of the time spent with Allegra's character on previous episodes was her relationship with Nash, and now that he's gone, there's room for her to grow as an individual and as a journalist.
Over in the Mirrorverse, we discovered what happened to Iris after she disappeared on The Flash Season 6 Episode 19, and, to be honest, it was a bit of a letdown.
Iris was haunted by past and future versions of herself, sent there by Eva. So, Iris didn't actually go anywhere. Everything that happened to her was because Eva was tricking her into believing she was losing her mind.
It was heartbreaking to watch Iris confront the different Iris', but it was all the more empowering to see her figure out what Eva was doing and stand up for herself.
For the Flash to run again, Nash Wells must die.
Harry
Since the Mirrorverse isn't the only thing trying to drive her insane, the odds aren't in Iris' favor. But it's only a matter of time before she escapes. Please, let that be sooner rather than later.
Now that Barry has his speed back, there's not much stopping him from saving his wife. We need to see a WestAllen reunion as soon as possible.
Well, there is one thing stopping Barry, and that's Eva. Or Eva's mirror duplicate.
Yes, that's right, the Eva McCulloch we first saw on The Flash Season 6 is not the real Eva. That Eva died six years ago on the night of the STAR Labs particle accelerator explosion.
Eva: Why do you keep interrupting my mission, Flash? I told you, we're on the same side.
Barry: If we're on the same side, then give me back my wife!
It's a twist that we didn't see coming. My only question is, couldn't Carver have proven to Team Flash or Mirror Eva herself that she was a fraud with this found footage before he died?
Oh well, we will just pretend it makes sense.
But now that Mirror Eva knows the truth about her identity, will she spiral out of control, or will she wave a white flag in Barry's face? The former is more likely.
It wouldn't be a season premiere if one of the heroes didn't receive new powers, and this time, it was Cecile.
Thanks to Rosa, Cecile's empath powers have expanded to the point where she can transfer emotions into another person. Now, she and Top have similar abilities.
It's cool to see the juxtaposition between two people who have the same powers and use them in two completely different ways.
There's no doubt that Cecile is one of the kindest, most pure characters on The Flash. We're excited to see where this new storyline takes her.
Hopefully, she'll be involved in more of the action that Team Flash faces.
What did you think, The Flash Fanatics?
Will you miss the Wells character? Were you shocked by the Eva reveal? How cool was Barry's new cowl? Did anyone catch Barry namedropping Clark from Superman & Lois?
Who else wishes we got a full season of Harrison Orson Welles? And how ready are you for Iris to be saved from the Mirrorverse?
Let me know in the comments, and do not forget that you can watch The Flash online right here via TV Fanatic!
The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW.
Sarah Little was a staff writer for TV Fanatic.She retired in September 2021.
