The Flash Recap With Spoilers: Rogue Time

“Rogue Time” opens with The Flash transported a day into the past. Cisco, from in the past, patches through to Barry’s radio and tells him to get to the Central City Morgue.

At the morgue, Barry performs the same autopsy he performed yesterday. At the scene, Joe and Eddie dont’ know that this Flash is from the future.

At STAR Labs, Cisco and and Caitlin talk about Cisco’s family problems. They meet with Harrison Wells and Barry (from the future). Wells immediately notices this Barry traveled to the past from the future, and explains that time is extremely fragile. He tells Barry not to disrupt future events, and to repeat his steps verbatim. Otherwise, the time stream will be disrupted.

Wells visits his secret chamber and consults his files. With the same “Crisis/Flash MIA” headline from the series pilot still in the time stream, Wells knows that the future is still secure for now.

Barry goes to the Central City Police Department, where he meets briefly with Joe. But recalling his future knowledge, and how Joe should be going to Weather Wizard’s hideout where he’ll meet a tragic fate, he rushes off to grand Wizard himself. With his future knowledge of the hideout, he ambushes Weather Wizard and imprisons him at STAR Labs. By doing so, he saves Joe and Eddie from their tragic confrontation with Weather Wizard. Harrison scolds Barry for disrupting the time stream, and warns him not to do it again.

Across the city, Heat Wave and Captain Cold hold a meeting with a mob boss. They tell the boss that he better leave town, because they’re taking it over. Heat Wave and Cold then kill the boss’ men, and tell the boss to warn the rest of his crime family: Central City now belongs to Captain Cold.

That night, Cisco and Caitlin visit Cisco’s home, where his family celebrates his brother’s birthday party. Cisco has some hangups about his brother, Dante, whom his parents clearly favor. Dante is a piano maestro, and tries wooing Caitlin. He asks Cisco why he’s still working at STAR Labs, but Caitlin defends her friend. Caitlin is unimpressed by Dante’s attitude.

Over at STAR Labs, Barry runs on his treadmill, trying to hit the speed level that will let him travel through time, and back to his future. He fails to, though. Then, Joe enters the room and asks Barry why he apprehended Weather Wizard by himself, without Joe’s consultation. Barry doesn’t say why, and neither does Wells. Barry then runs off to meet Linda for a date. At the date, Linda asks Barry why he’s been acting different lately. She asks what’s wrong, questioning Barry’s devotion to their relationship. Barry admits that his feelings aren’t as strong for Linda as they are for someone else—namely, Iris—and breaks up with her.

Speaking of Iris, the show cuts to Iris working at her office. Her fellow reporter continues to walker her through his investigation into Harrison Wells, but Barry shows up and asks to speak with her in private. He tell Iris that he broke up with Linda, and asks if they could have a longer chat over coffee the next day (remember, Iris and Barry kissed and admitted their love in the future). He also tells Iris that her suspicions of Harrison Wells are wrong.

Barry then meets Cisco at a bar, where Barry tells Cisco that he’s going to move forward romantically with someone “really special.” Then, an attractive blonde walks to Cisco and Barry and asks Cisco if she can buy him a drink. Cisco happily takes her offer. Her name is Lisa, and she says that she’s an engineer from Mercury Labs. Cisco is impressed as they flirt. Lisa then kisses Cisco, and takes him back to her apartment. But, the apartment is a trap set by Captain Cold. Lisa is Cold’s sister, and a fellow rogue known as The Golden Glider. Cold demands that he build more weapons (remember, Cisco built the cold gun that Snart stole) for the Rogues. With his brother Dante held hostage as well, Cisco agrees to build a new heat gun for Heatwave and cold gun for Captain Cold. But Cold wants a weapon for Lisa too—something “pretty, like gold.”

Across town, Barry and Iris meet for that special chat over coffee. Barry tell Iris that he has romantic feelings for her, and that he knows she does too. But, Iris says nothing as changed for her. She wants to remain friends, and tell Barry that she loves Eddie. But, this doesn’t add up with the Iris from Barry’s future in last week’s episode. Confused, Barry leaves the upset Iris. He heads back to STAR Labs. There, Caitlin asks if he’s seen Cisco. She’s worried about him.Joe then calls Barry, and informs him that Captain Cold is back in town and in control of the city’s mob.

That night, the three Rogues rob the mob boss’ casino. The Flash shows up, and grabs Lisa. But, Cold tells Flash that they have Cisco hostage. Cold says that if Flash doesn’t release his sister, they’ll kill Cisco. Flash has no choice but to let them escape. When Joe shows up, Barry tells Joe that Cold has Cisco hostage. When Eddie enters the room, he punches Barry in the face and tells him to leave Iris alone. Apparently, Iris told Eddie about their coffee shop chat.

Barry returns to STAR Labs, where he tells Harrison Wells how in the future, Captain Singh is in critical danger, and that Iris admits her love to him. Al Wells says that the traumatic events from the future must have spurred Iris into admitting her love. Wells then warns Barry from ever tampering with the past again, especially with his mother’s murder. He tells Barry that if he goes to the past to save his mom, he could inadvertently damn countless lives.

Over at Cold’s hideout, the captive Cisco and Dante talk. Dante admits that he’s jealous of Cisco’s life, and wishes that he had Cisco’s passion and bravery. Inspired by his brother, Dante then breaks free of his ropes and attacks Heatwave. Cisco tries fighting Heatwave too, but they are subdued. Cold then enters the room and has an offer: If Cisco tells Cold who the Flash really is, Cold will let him escape. Cisco lies, saying he doesn’t know. Cold shoots Dante with his Cold gun, giving him frostbite. He warns Cisco that if he lies to him again, he’ll kill Dante.

At Star Labs, Cisco returns to STAR Labs. The team asks how Cisco escaped, and Cisco admits that he told Cold the Flash’s secret identity. Cisco says he spilled the beans to save his brother’s life, and begs for Barry’s forgiveness. Barry understands, and says that he should be sorry. Guilt-ridden, Cisco quits the team.

At Iris’ office, Joe visits his daughter. Joe tells Iris that Eddie punched Barry, and then asks Iris who she really loves, and she says it’s Eddie. Joe accepts this truth, but tells her to clear things up with Barry and Eddie—for everyone’s sake.

At STAR Labs, Harrison interrupts Cisco’s departure by asking him if he can show him something in private. Harrison leads Cisco into a room in STAR Labs, and tell Cisco that he’s only human. Wells tells Cisco that the team loves him, and says he looks at Cisco like a son. Caitlin then calls the two back to the main room. Caitlin has found a lead on where the Rogues will strike next.

Across town, the Rogues pull a heist on the mob boss’ drug shipment. But, Flash shows up and carries Captain Cold miles away to a secluded area. “It’s nice to see you…Barry,” Cold taunts. Flash then unmasks in front of Cold. Cold says that he has a private uplink with a video announcing Flash’s identity, and will activate if Flash ever tries stopping him in the future. Flash tries negotiating with Cold, but Cold refuses to stop committing crimes in Central City. Barry at least convinces Cold to stop killing people, and warns him: If Cold ever hurts Barry’s friends or family, then Barry will take Cold down. Hard. With these conditions, the Flash leaves Cold to continue his activities with the Rogues.

Barry then meets Eddie, Iris, and Caitlin at a restaurant. Eddie apologies for punching Barry. Caitlin creates a cover for Barry’s behavior though, saying that Barry’s “irrational” proclamation of love for Iris was a scientific side affect of being struck by lightning. Everyone seems relieved, but in private, Iris is clearly upset by this false news

Across town, Iris’ fellow reporter, who’s investigating Harrison Wells, is ambushed by Reverse Flash. Reverse Flash asks the reporter what he knows about Harrison Wells, and the reporter gives Reverse Flash all of his files on his investigation. Reverse Flash then kills the reporter, wipes his digital files, and takes the body.

Over at STAR Labs, Barry sees the headline that the reporter is missing and presumed dead. Barry is now feeling pretty suspicious about Wells. He goes to his private lab at Central City Police Department, and meets with Joe. Barry tells Joe that he finally believes Joe’s suspicions of Harrison Wells, and is ready to take a closer look at the mysterious scientist.