‘The Flash’ Season 1 Episode 16 Recap: “Rogue Time”

The Flash Season 1 Episode 16 Recap Rogue Time
Carlos Valdes as Cisco Ramon and Grant Gustin as Barry Allen in ‘The Flash’ (Photo: Dean Buscher © 2015 The CW Network, LLC)

Did you take notes during the March 24, 2015 episode of The Flash? There was a lot to keep up with in season one’s 16th episode and in case you missed out on anything, here’s a detailed recap of the events that took place in “Rogue Time.”

The episode begins where last week’s left off… and began. The Flash (Grant Gustin) is running so fast that he breaks through time and winds up in the day before. On the headset, Cisco (Carlos Valdes) urges him to get to the morgue. There, Barry is weirded out because he is repeating his day and he knows what’s going to happen and what everyone’s going to say. He already knows the coroner was killed by Mark Mardon / Weather Wizard (Liam McIntyre).

At the lab, Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) offers to go with Cisco to a family party that he’s dreading.

Dr. Wells (Tom Cavanagh) and the team are breaking down what happened at the morgue, but Barry, still confused, continues to predict what people are going to say. Dr. Wells pulls Barry aside and guesses that Barry has broken through the time continuum. When Barry confirms it, Dr. Wells commands Barry to do everything he did before, without changing anything and without telling anyone, otherwise he will damage the timeline.

Dr. Wells pops into his futuristic chamber and makes sure that the future hasn’t changed. (Whew!)

At the station, Joe (Jesse L. Martin) questions Barry about why he’s acting so strangely. Barry dodges his questions, all the while remembering what’s going to happen to the Captain and to Joe when Mardon comes after Joe. He seems to make a decision and leaves.

The Flash races through the city. He winds up at Mark Mardon’s apartment; he knows where Mardon’s holed up because of the future. He grabs him and takes off for S.T.A.R. Labs. Mardon gets imprisoned in the Vault. When Cisco and Caitlin question Barry about how he knew Mardon was responsible for the coroner’s death, he avoids their questions. Dr. Wells waits until they’re alone, and tells Barry that no matter what tragedy he thinks he’s avoided, time will find a way to replace it. He warns Barry that what happens might be even worse than whatever would have happened.

In mob boss Don Santini’s office, his thugs bring in Leonard Snart / Captain Cold (Wentworth Miller) and Mick Rory / Heat Wave (Dominic Purcell). He asks them why they came back to Central City after he told them to stay out. He also asks them how they think they’re any kind of threat without their weapons. Snart and Rory jump up, fighting, and take out everyone except one guy. They tell him they’re the new bosses in town.

Caitlin and Cisco arrive at his brother Dante’s lavish birthday party. Dante introduces himself to Caitlin. He’s polite but aloof to Cisco.

At the lab, Barry is trying to recreate his time jump, but he can’t. Dr. Wells tells him that any number of factors could be involved. Joe arrives and wonders why Barry didn’t tell him that he had snagged Mardon. Barry says he just hasn’t had a chance. Joe asks him again what’s going on, but Barry tells him there are some things that just need to remain secret. Barry takes off for his lunch date with Linda. Joe looks to Dr. Wells for answers, but gets shut out again.

At Dante’s (Nicholas Gonzalez) birthday party, Dante comes on to Caitlin but insults Cisco. Cisco leaves the party and Caitlin follows.

At the newspaper, Linda (Malese Jow) tells Barry that she knows something’s up with him. She realizes that Barry isn’t falling for her. She lets him go, encouraging him to go after Iris, (Candice Patton) who he’s clearly in love with. Just as Mason Bridge (Roger Howarth) is starting to fill in Iris on his theory that Dr. Wells killed Simon Stagg, Barry pops up and pulls her aside. He tells her that it’s over with Linda, and asks if they can get coffee tomorrow night. She’s confused, but she agrees. (I can already see where this is going! Jealousy is a powerful tool. Iris only realized her feelings because she was jealous of Linda. Without Linda in the picture, there won’t be a catalyst for her to confess her feelings to Barry!) On his way out of the newspaper, Barry tells Bridge his theory about Simon Stagg is wrong, and he leaves Bridge looking bemused.

Barry meets Cisco at a bar. Barry tells Cisco he had a great day, and that he broke up with Linda. Just as he’s about to explain more, a gorgeous blonde offers to buy Cisco a drink. They wind up at her place, kissing, until she takes off her wig and reveals she’s Lisa Snart (Peyton List). Leonard Snart appears and tells Cisco that he needs replacements for the weapons they lost. When Cisco refuses to agree to make more weapons, Rory drags in Dante, who is gagged and beaten.

Cisco is working on the new weapons. Dante starts to taunt him, but Snart and his partners come in to check on the weapons. Snart notices that Cisco has tried to sabotage the weapon and makes him fix it. Lisa Snart asks for a gun, too. Something to do with gold. (Golden Glider!)

Iris meets Barry at Jitters. Barry takes her hand and starts talking about their feelings for each other, but Iris pulls away, telling Barry that she loves Eddie. When he tells her that he knows her feelings have changed, she shuts him down and walks out. (I knew it! Barry, you fool! You sweet fool!)

At the lab, Barry strolls in. Caitlin asks him “why no whoosh,” and he tells her and Dr. Wells it has something to do with Linda and Iris. Caitlin asks Barry if he’s heard from Cisco because she is worried about him because she can’t get him on the phone. Barry tells her that she doesn’t need to worry about Cisco, thinking he got lucky the night before. Barry gets a call from Joe, telling him that Snart is back and that a mob war is brewing. Dr. Wells says, pointedly, that their day just keeps getting better and better.

At the Santini casino, Snart and his sister start shooting their new weapons. The Flash arrives and removes the guards who are shooting back. He grabs Lisa and holds her gun to her head. He tells Captain Cold to drop his weapon. But Captain Cold tells The Flash to let her go because they kidnapped Cisco. When Barry asks him to let Cisco go, Cold says he’ll think about it. He and his sister leave.

Later at the casino, Joe and the police are going over the crime scene. Joe asks why The Flash let Captain Cold go. Barry tells Joe it was because they have Cisco. Just then, Eddie (Rick Cosnett) punches Barry, saying that Barry should stay away from Iris, and that he thought they were friends.

At the lab, Barry begs Dr. Wells to let him talk about what’s happening to him, regardless of what may happen to the timeline, because he needs to talk to someone. Dr. Wells listens and tells Barry that the tragedy he averted (the tsunami) was the catalyst that brought Iris’s feelings out and prompted her to confess them to Barry. Without the catalyst, she doesn’t have those feelings.

At Snart’s house, Dante and Cisco are tied up. Dante tells Cisco how jealous he’s always been of Cisco. He breaks free and tries to take out Rory, but he’s no match for the psychopath. Snart and his sister arrive. Snart tells Cisco that he will let them both go if Cisco just gives them the real name of The Flash. When Cisco hesitates, Snart freezes Dante’s hands, causing first-degree frostbite, which may require amputation. He asks Cisco for the name again.

Later at the lab, Cisco walks in. When they ask him how he escaped, he tells them, through tears, that he gave up Barry’s real name because Snart was torturing his brother. Barry hugs him and tells Cisco that it’s not his fault, it’s Barry’s. Cisco is still regretful and decides that he’s leaving S.T.A.R. Labs.

At the newspaper, Joe arrives and tells Iris about Eddie punching Barry. He asks her who she really loves. She tells him that she loves Eddie, and he tells her that she had better make both Eddie and Barry believe it because right now, neither of them do. He leaves, while Iris is thoughtful.

At the lab, Dr. Wells takes Cisco to the room that contains the chamber where they tried to trap the Reverse-Flash. This time, instead of killing Cisco, he encourages him to stick around. Dr. Wells tells Cisco that he’s like a son. (What a different scene THIS is! Whew!) Caitlin calls them back to the main office. They’ve discovered Snart’s plan. Snart knew the casino’s cash would be moved if it came under attack.

At night on the road, the casino’s money is being moved in a truck. Captain Cold and his team pull out to follow the truck. The mob guards open fire, but the Golden Glider and Heat Wave put their weapons to work. Suddenly The Flash whisks Captain Cold away. Golden Glider tries to take the wheel of the motorcycle, but she and Heat Wave crash.

Out in the woods, Snart confronts The Flash with his real name. Barry asks Snart to stop committing these crimes; Snart says no. Barry asks Snart to leave Central City and go commit crimes somewhere else; he says no. When Barry threatens to put him away for good, Snart tells him that there’s a video with The Flash’s real name ready to upload unless he’s there to stop it. Then Barry suggests that Snart doesn’t have to kill anyone if all he wants to do is steal. Snart agrees. Barry tells Snart that Captain Cold and his “rogues gallery” had better stay away from his family and friends, or he’ll put Snart away, no matter who finds out his real identity. Then he leaves Snart in the woods.

Barry arrives at Jitters only to be embraced by Eddie. Iris, too, is showing sympathy. When a confused Barry asks what’s going on, Caitlin explains that she just informed Eddie and Iris of Barry’s “lightning psychosis,” which can cause mood swings and sudden outbursts of affection. They buy it, and Barry’s off the hook.

At the newspaper, Bridge is working on his big story about Dr. Wells and Simon Stagg. But the Reverse Flash shows up and kills Bridge, then takes any evidence the reporter had on Dr. Wells. (See? Time killed Bridge instead of Cisco! It’s just like Dr. Wells said.)

At the lab, Barry and Dr. Wells are thankful that everything seems to be back to normal. Just as Barry is about to ask Dr. Wells about Simon Stagg, a news bulletin pops up saying that Bridge is missing. Barry drops the question and leaves, looking spooked.

At the forensics lab, Joe meets up with Barry, asking why they’re meeting so late. Barry tells Joe that he thinks Joe was right about Dr. Wells.

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