SPOILER ALERT: This post contains spoilers from The Flash episode “The Trial of The Flash.” Proceed with caution.
Barry Allen’s trial began and ended last on The Flash and the final verdict was not good. With no one to defend him and circumstantial evidence pointing to Barry’s guilt, Barry was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Barry was shuffled into Iron Heights Prison, into the exact cell where his father spent nearly 14 years of his life. The irony was not lost on Barry and for the time being, he is stuck there.
Like Father, Like Son
When Henry Allen was incarcerated in the year 2000, it was for his wife Nora‘s death. He was found by the police standing over her dead body. With no evidence to prove that a speedster from the future killed her, Henry was found guilty and sent to prison. It was this tragic event that sent Barry to live with the West family. Out of something terrible rose something good. Henry was cleared of Nora’s murder in the first season of The Flash when a confession was recorded by the Reverse Flash.
So what does it mean that Barry is now living his father’s life? One thing is for sure: Barry will be acquitted. We all know that you can’t have a show called The Flash without its title character. That doesn’t mean, however, that Barry won’t learn something while he’s in prison or that he won’t be able to do some good. Putting a detective in prison presents some interesting storytelling opportunities. Perhaps he’ll run into someone who was wrongly imprisoned like his father and himself.
Future Flash
The real question is, how long will he be in Iron Heights? In the comic book storyline “The Trial of The Flash,” The Flash was acquitted of all charges and was never sent to prison. Team Flash is going to have to prove that Clifford DeVoe‘s body was planted in Barry’s apartment and killed by someone else. Since Dibny‘s is a private detective, his skills could help Team Flash immensely this season. Barry and the Team will truly have to out think The Thinker — especially since they still don’t know DeVoe’s end game.
The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8PM on The CW.
