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‘The Flash’ Recap ‘Therefore I Am’

The Flash Recap ‘Therefore I Am’

The Council of Wells led Team Flash to the home of Clifford DeVoe, but after a brief meeting in which Barry quizzes him over the recent happenings in Central City, everyone but Barry is convinced that DeVoe is not the man pulling the strings. He has a seemingly perfect life as a professor with a wife who adores him. After their first meeting, Team Flash investigates different aspects of DeVoe’s life and find absolutely nothing wrong with him. They all believe that the Council of Wells pegged the wrong guy. Barry thinks that it’s all a little too perfect and continues to look into DeVoe, despite the misgivings of the rest of the team.

'The Flash' Recap 'Therefore I Am'
Image: The CW

Meanwhile, a series of flashbacks give us some insight into how DeVoe  came to be the most brilliant mind on the planet. He was a professor who just couldn’t get through to his class. Along with his wife, Mechanic, DeVoe created a helmet that would help him tap into the knowledge of the universe. Unfortunately, there isn’t a source powerful enough to active the helmet. That is, until they get word of S.T.A.R. Labs’ particle accelerator. DeVoe is standing outside the building when the explosion occurs. He puts on the helmet and is struck by lightning, which almost kills him. The helmet was a success and the knowledge of the universe is at his fingertips. But, the immense power of his brain, has started to suck the strength out of the rest of his body. Cellular degeneration has taken place and it will soon kill him. That’s when Mechanic comes up with the idea for Thinker’s chair. She creates it and he is once more saved, but it can only last for so long. DeVoe believes that there’s enough time left to see his plan to the end.

Barry continues to investigate DeVoe, which gets him into trouble with Singh. Barry breaks into the DeVoe house and is caught on camera and a restraining order is filed against him. Singh suspends Barry for two weeks. The team tries to get Barry to stop, but he firmly believes that he’s right. They even has Cisco vibe DeVoe and he doesn’t see anything unusual about the couple.

Barry goes to DeVoe once more, and to his surprise, DeVoe admits everything. He asks Barry if he has come as Barry Allen or as Flash. Barry works out that DeVoe’s intellect was heightened during the particle accelerator explosion. DeVoe doesn’t deny anything. Their conversation is interrupt as DeVoe’s next class files into the auditorium. DeVoe wishes Barry the best of luck in getting married and says that he’ll be thinking of him.

Barry tells the rest of the team and they apologize for not believing him. Cisco christens DeVoe the Thinker and they start trying to figure out where to go from here. That’s when Wally returns, ready to help.

'The Flash' Recap 'Therefore I Am'
Image: The CW

DeVoe and Mechanic are down in their lab when he starts having a seizure from being out of his special chair for so long. Mechanic pulls off DeVoe’s hairpiece, exposing his brain, while the special chair sends cables to connect into his brain. In his chair once more, he and Mechanic examine a video feed of Barry and Iris together. Mechanic is surprised that DeVoe is going to allow the two of them to get together. He says that what is knowledge without love? Plus, I’m sure he knows about what’s going to go down next week and would rather not interfere, and probably has his own plan in motion for them down the line.

I’m interested to see what the endgame is here. DeVoe talked this episode about being the ultimate educator, so why is he fixated on Barry? What does he have to teach him? Even going so far as to drag him out of the Speed Force in order to do it. Everyone has warned Barry of DeVoe, but of course no one gave any insight into what happened. Even Harrison Wells (aka Eobard Thawne) during the flashback knew who DeVoe was. He didn’t necessarily seem scared to see him in the crowd, but maybe a little apprehensive. All we know so far is that DeVoe has carefully calculated every step along the way. It’s going to take quite a lot to defeat him.

I’m a little surprised how quick everyone on the team was ready to believe that DeVoe wasn’t a bad guy. Some of their points about not jumping to conclusions and not believing every person is a villain are accurate, but nobody stood by Barry and thought that maybe he was onto something. Barry did take things a little too far by breaking into the house, but maybe it wouldn’t have come to that if someone had been like, “You might be right. Let’s go about this a different way.”

The main story will take a break next week as it’s time for the ‘Crisis on Earth-X’ crossover event. Barry and Iris will finally tie the knot, but not without a little bit of danger.

Next week’s episode is entitled, ‘Crisis on Earth-X, Part 3.’

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