The Flash Season 8 Episode 20 Review: Negative Part Two
The Flash Season 8 Episode 20, “Negative Part Two,” leaves us with a satisfying conclusion that is much more comprehensive than the first half. Team Flash uses their family-like bonds to overcome the Negative Forces and a super-charged Thawne. We are left with a fairly well-tied bow, only leaving a few threads hanging in the wind.
As the last episode ended, it appeared as though Iris had been killed, and Barry is rightfully enraged by the idea. This arises a blood thirst within him, unlike anything we’ve ever seen. Arrow’s Oliver Queen has nothing on Barry’s appetite for vengeance against his ultimate nemesis.
Gathering all the strength he can muster, Barry unleashes a fury of lightning that rivals any light show you will see this fourth of July. One can hardly blame Barry for his reaction. All the pain accumulated at the hands of Thawne has led up to this very moment — the moment where Barry can finally put him to rest.
At least once in our lives, we will encounter a similar situation. We will have the opportunity to crush our opponent in the palm of our hand and discard them like a piece of trash. But just because we can, doesn’t mean we necessarily should.
It will feel good in the moment, letting their fate hang in the balance while we play judge, jury, and executioner. That is why it is always good to have someone in your corner to talk you back into reality.
Bart and Nora help their father regain focus. If they are still alive, then not everything may be as it seems.
While their words do not completely extinguish the flame of Barry’s rage, they give him enough food for thought to keep him from acting out of character. A Barry with blood on his hands is a Barry no one wants to see.
With Barry partially back in his right mind, he joins with the rest of Team Flash to formulate a plot to track down the now-missing villain. The most reasonable deduction is that Thawne is hiding within the Negative Speedforce. Barry quickly decides he must go there — no matter the dangers that await him.
Bart: Who is his new tailor? Satan?
For completely understandable reasons, Team Flash tries to squash the idea. Barry remains moody and unbalanced, if he goes into the Negative Speedforce under these conditions, there will be no telling what could unfold.
If we go to confront our enemy while still in a negative attitude, they already have the upper hand. They can use our anger against us, setting us up for the fall. I’ve seen this many times in my short time on this earth, and it rarely ends pretty.
The good guy ends up looking like a jackass, even though he is totally in the right.
Barry’s team does what they can to prevent this, but he is determined to go with or without their blessings. Through well-thought-through counterarguments, Barry finally agrees that he shouldn’t go alone.
Once again, his children step in to be his ally and advocate. If they can’t stop him, they can at a minimum accompany him when things go sour. This shows a true bond between them, we would be wise to make friends similar to them.
Although the first leg of the plan falls to pieces quickly, Team Flash rallies behind each other, showing support to each other during their weakest moments.
Meanwhile, Cecile and Allegra do what they can to bring back the Positive Forces. With Cecile’s newly discovered abilities, she can communicate with Bashir who is still trapped with the others. Even though they are working behind the scenes, they do what is right for their friends.
True friends are out to help you, even when you are not around. They still hope for your best, even when you’re not in the right frame of mind.
Cecile sacrifices parts of herself for the greater good. She can achieve more by helping others than by helping herself. There is so much truth in her motives and a lesson well-worth learning.
If we live only for our benefit, we will only achieve so much. But if we live to better others, there is no limit to what we can do.
Iris’ side of the episode, on the other hand, remains a bit convoluted. Her foray with the redeemed Damien Darhk inside the Time Stone feels like a sloppy ending that remains, at least partially, on the cutting room floor.
Damien gives her words of wisdom and tidbits of information to help her breakthrough back into the real world. Sounding more like a fortune cookie than an actual human being, Damien’s words still ring true. There is a reason we survive the things we do, we are meant for something better.
Every hard time we make it through results in the same thing — strength. Difficulties give us powers that we would never be able to achieve during times of positivity. We can’t truly enjoy the feast without the famine.
In the end, these three parts of the puzzle intertwine to form a satisfying season finale. Although the season wasn’t great by any measure, the number of decent episodes outweighs the bad. Honestly, that is saying a lot for an eighth season.
How often do we even get a fairly good season after five years? The answer is nearly never. At this point, we are typically hanging on because of our connection to the characters. Luckily, the writers seem to have a few good scripts left in them — at least up to this point.
What did you think of this episode of The Flash? What do you hope to see in Season 9? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The Flash airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.
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Charles E Henning
Charles E. Henning lives in a quaint town of Illinois with his ever-loving wife since 1998. He is new to writing reviews, but has over thirty years of fictitious writing for his own personal fulfillment. His interests range from science fiction to character-based dramas, but he is a sucker for anyone in a cape.