The Flash, Season 2 Episode 21, "Runaway Dinosaur": Where's Barry?

With Barry (Grant Gustin) gone, the team must figure out a way to handle the return of an old enemy.

"The Flash", Episode 20 "Rupture" Recap.

In the most recent episode of "The Flash", Episode 20 "Rupture", saw the villainous Rupture/Dante Ramon of Earth-2 making his debut on the scene of Earth-1. As well as Harrison Wells finally convincing Barry Allen to put himself in harm's way, by recreating the Particle Accelerator explosion which gave Barry his speed the first time. During the episode, Harrison Wells makes the attempt to recreate the event but it fails to a disastrous end. The Particle Accelerator begins to function but it malfunctions once again, just as it did when the Earth-1 Harrison Wells attempted it. Apart from their failure in the experiment, Barry Allen was literally disintegrated into nothing; the only thing left was a piece of Barry's Flash costume. The conclusion of Episode 20 "Rupture" appeared to show Barry Allen dying, but the promo for Episode 21 "Runaway Dinosaur" proves otherwise. Episode 21 "Runaway Dinosaur" was directed by Kevin Smith. In a report by IGN, Kevin Smith is also being brought back to direct more episodes of "The Flash" in Season 3 before his directorial debut on "The Flash" in Episode 21 "Runaway Dinosaur". Smith is the mind behind some of the hilarious comedies like Mallrats (1995) and Clerks (1994). Here's the promo Episode 21 "Runaway Dinosaur" of "The Flash".

After viewing the promo, it's not clear if Barry Allen is dead or not. Cisco could just have sensed a vibe of another Barry Allen, when the Barry Allen he knows could be gone altogether. Though it is unlikely that the established, Earth-1 Barry Allen will be abandoned for an alternate-earth Barry Allen on the series. However, the promo for Episode 21 "Runaway Dinosaur" could have opened up an interesting plot device in "The Flash".

The aftermath of Episode 20 "Rupture". And how Barry Allen will return to Earth-1.

Currently on the television series "The Flash", we know that multiple earths exist side-by-side with one another. Barry Allen has only ventured to Earth-2 and back to his homeworld, but he may be traveling to more worlds after Episode 21 "Runaway Dinosaur". In the promo for the next episode, we can see what is left of Barry Allen talking to an alternate version of Joe West; which could be seen as proof of Barry Allen on another alternate earth, but that theory can wait. In Joe's dialogue to Barry, he mentions that there is no going back for Barry. Implying that Barry Allen has crossed a threshold of no return. All those comments are saying is how Barry Allen truly died on Earth-1, but his existence hasn't been erased from the universe. Barry Allen still exists on another Earth, but this earth is likely to be a graveyard for time-travelers whom are stuck between the world of the living and the dead. Those ideas are all speculative, but if Barry Allen did indeed end up on another Earth, it's plausible that his death inevitably sent him to the Earth he's currently on; a Dead Earth. And to get back, Barry Allen is going to have to figure out how to regain his speed, all the while, waiting for Cisco Ramon/Vibe open a breach to the Earth that Barry is on.

New Speedsters on the block.

It'll be interesting to see how Barry Allen recovers from his last setback, but there was an even more important development on tonight's episode of "The Flash". In episode 20 "Rupture", Jesse Quick and Wally West were both locked in the Time-Vault for their protection during the Particle Accelerator experiment. However, the two manage to escape just as the event is recreated. And both Jesse and Wally can be seen affected by the wave of energy, produced from the Particle Accelerator. We don't get to see what inert effect the event had on their physiology but there's likely a purpose for why they escaped from the time-vault just as the Particle Accelerator explosion went off. Along with that, Jesse Quick and Wally West both have comic-book counterparts whom become meta-human speedsters after being affected by the Particle Accelerator explosion. Was that scene the instance of transformation for Jesse Quick into her speedster alter-ego, and will Wally West now take upon the moniker of "The Flash" while Barry Allen is trying to figure a way to get home? That is if Jesse and Wally inherited speedster abilities from the Particle Accelerator event.

The synopsis for the episode is below; provided via Comicbook.com.

Synopsis for Episode 21 "Runaway Dinosaur".

KEVIN SMITH DIRECTS – With Barry (Grant Gustin) gone, the team must figure out a way to handle the return of an old enemy – Girder (guest star Greg Finley). Realizing Girder is retracing his steps from his last attack, Iris (Candice Patton) volunteers to act as bait to trap him in S.T.A.R. Labs. Meanwhile, Barry fights to return to his old life.