TV Review: The Flash – Season 2 Episode 16 “Trajectory”

Last Updated on July 31, 2021

EPISODE 16: "Trajectory"

SYNOPSIS: Having arrived in town intent on creating maximum chaos, Trajectory’s antics are misinterpreted as having been perpetrated by the Flash himself. Barry thus must quickly uncover the mystery of who is the girl under the mask — as well as what is driving her mad desire for speed and destruction.

REVIEW: It has been several weeks since the big reveal that Zoom is actually Jay Garrick. Many of us have been left wondering if it was a parallel version of Garrick or if he somehow sped to have himself in two places at once. Either way, we have all been hoping that the heroic alternate version of The Flash from Earth-2 would not end up as the bad guy. Tonight's episode does return to the Zoom storyline after dealing with a plot involving a new speedster in Central City, one whose powers do not come from the particle accelerator explosion or Earth-2 but rather from the drug, Velocity-9.

After failing to gather enough speed to jump a massive ravine, Barry and friends head out to a nightclub where they are all robbed by a speedster in a red costume. Barry is unable to match the new speedster and eventually finds that it is a she. Dr. Wells and Caitlyn share with Barry that they helped Jay with Velocity-9 while Barry was on Earth-2. Barry is tempted to use the drug himself but Caitlyn outlines how the drug was killing Jay. Caitlyn and Joe head to Mercury Labs to speak with Eliza Harmon, Caitlyn's friend who helped work on some of the formula. Eliza denies knowing anything about Velocity-9, but we soon see that she is suffering from split personality due to taking the drug.

At STAR Labs, Barry is tempted to use the Velocity-9 but Wells talks him out of it. They all realize the importance of beating Zoom, but Wells doesn't want Barry to harm himself in the process. Barry breaks the final vial of the drug when Eliza, calling herself Trajectory, breaks in and locks him in a containment cell. Holding Jesse at gunpoint, Trajectory demands that they make her more of the drug. Wells obliges and when they return with the vials, Trajectory injects Jesse to ensure it isn't poisoned. Foaming at the mouth, Wells gives his daughter a blood transfusion (she is the rare, Earth-2 blood type of PZ negative). Father and daughter discuss their life on Earth-1 but Jesse is still torn after realizing her father cannot always protect her from everything.

Trajectory begins to wreak havoc in the city by running back and forth over a bridge. The friction begins to cause the bridge to collapse and Barry arrives to get as many civilians to safety as he can. After the bridge collapses, Barry decides to try and jump it, gaining more speed than he ever has and knocks Trajectory out. She is clearly suffering from the drug and Barry pleads with her not to inject herself again. She doesn't listen and takes a dose of the drug. When she begins running, her speed lightning begins to turn blue, like Zoom. But, the speed is too much and the cell degeneration caused by the Velocity-9 results in her body disintegrating to dust.

Back at the lab, Barry reveals that he saw Trajectory's blue lightning. That, coupled with the fact that the drug caused it as well as the degeneration of Eliza's cells, leads Barry to deduce that Zoom is actually Jay, who was also dying because of the drug. Cisco reveals that he has been vibing images of Zoom and each time he has been close to Jay's helmet. Barry hands it to CIsco who vibes the confirmation that their friend, Jay Garrick, is in fact Zoom. The reveal is too much for everyone and Barry leaves, heading to the ravine to scream at the top of his lungs. This episode also featured the departure of Jesse Quick as she heads to Opal City to try and make a life for herself without her father's protection looming over her. Iris also buts heads with her anti-Flash editor who also reveals his romantic interest in her. While originally offput, by episode's end Iris is considering him a bit more.

Overall, not one of the stronger episodes of The Flash that we have had. This hour would likely have resonated more had it aired the week following the Zoom reveal and then providing a brief hiatus to soak it all in. Barry's reaction to the news seemed a bit overwrought and carried with it a bit of deja vu. Both Reverse-Flash and Zoom have turned out to be mentors and friends to Barry who end up being supervllians. If he doesn't have massive trust issues next season I would be shocked. Next week brings both the big Supergirl crossover episode as well as another time travel outing for Barry which should shake things up a bit more. Hopefully both episodes will be a bit fresher than this one.

FINAL VERDICT:

NEXT ON THE FLASH: "Flash Back" airs March 29th – After the shocking revelation that Zoom is Jay Garrick, Barry is more determined than ever to get back to Earth-2 to stop Zoom forever. Desperate to find a way to increase his speed, Barry decides to travel back in time and masquerade as his earlier self in order to get his arch-nemesis, Dr. Harrison Wells/Eobard Thawne, to teach him how to run faster. However, things don't go as planned and Barry is stunned to face familiar foe Hartley Rathaway, as well as old friend Eddie Thawne. Iris makes peace with her past in order to embrace her future.