Results 1 to 3 of 3
  1. #1
    Second Lieutenant Peterking72's Avatar
    Member Since
    Aug 2012
    Traveling in my Tardis :)

    Default Barry's speed--Inconsistency--Plot device etc.SPOILERS S2

    I was always wondering and it always bothered me that the writers would use it as a plot device, but with the last Flash episode (2.08.) now the cup is filled. In fact it has spilled all over by now.

    So yet again Barry is trying, hopelessly to get faster to be able to fight the big bad of the season, Zoom.
    Why does he bother? It didn't worked wit RF. The dude was all over the place. Turns out he was using his wheelchair as a Super Energizer (Bunny) charger.

    Yet instead the team figuring out how to use the chair with the newfound genius of Erth#2 H.(G.)Wells, they fool around with chemicals. Don't misunderstood me, I was waiting when the Velocity 9 would make it's debut, but not in this manner. Plus they not even calling it Velocity 9, they (re)named it to Velocity 6. Or is it just a prototype serum?

    Now to the real reason of this thread.

    In the lateast episode they talked about Barry's speed and Cisco told Wells#2 that the fastest Barry ever achieved was Mach 2. WHAT?
    I know that they don't want Barry to reach his full potential, faster than light speed too early, but come on, Mach 2. He moves way faster than that, like just in the Arrow crossower he got that meteorite fragment in like 2 seconds from Keystone! I don't know about other's, but that would require FTL speeds for sure.
    Yeah, and don't give me that it was actually longer than that, but they didn't want to extend the show runtime for that. That's BS.
    Barry appeared to be way faster on many occasion than Mach 2. He stopped an F***inf cunami by running so fast that he created a "force-wind" barrier. I don't think Mach 2 could do that.
    So unless he forgot to tell that to Cisco, which I doubt, then Cisco must have suffering from partial temporal amnesia. Possibly brought on by OHMYGAWD I nearly got killed by Reverse Flash-syndrome.

    Other side effects include: instantenous plot devices appearing on command and/or in near proximity (like Barry's speed increasing to laughable insane levels), enhanced Vibing capability (I know he is a meta, but his abilities are certainly developed much faster after that alternate timeline incident with RF) etc.

    I welcome all opinions, even BS ones AND I know that TV shows must follow rules set by the media and they can't jam everything into 42 minutes, but I also know bad writing and not being able to refrain from creating things that doomed to be retconned or completely forgotten later. I also know that the existence of plot devices is a must in some cases, but I can only can suspend my disbelief for so long.
    Hallowed are the Ori.

  2. #2
    Colonel Spimman's Avatar
    Member Since
    Jul 2004
    Chasing 8 little feet

    Default Re: Barry's speed--Inconsistency--Plot device etc.SPOILERS S2

    I agree Mach 2 is a bit on the slow side for what we're seeing, as depending on various environmental variables Mach 4 is slightly less than 1 mile\second and Barry can clearly get places fast than that or at least that fast.

    Mach 2 is roughly .5 miles\second
    Light speed is 186,282 miles\second

    So even if current Barry hit 18,682 miles\second (1/10 light speed) he'd be far from full potential.

  3. #3
    Second Lieutenant Peterking72's Avatar
    Member Since
    Aug 2012
    Traveling in my Tardis :)


    No, you misunderstood me, I think.
    I didn't imply that he was at full potential when these "superspeed incidents" happened. That would make the show almost pointless and Zoom's threat a joke.
    Making Barry and most of the characters "dumb" and totally lacking of common sense occasionally is the only thing the writers can do to keep the show from becoming tiresome to watch because of Barry's speed and how fast he could've solved past things if he acted like a smart person of average IQ (100). Although I think Barry's IQ is at least 120 despite of appearances.
    It's funny that the show's main attraction, Barry's speed is also the Achilles heel of it. So as long as the writers can balance this right the show can be at a safe place.

    I still think that mach 4 or 5 would've been a better choice and also mention that in times of great importance it could ramp up to mach 10.
    Especially since I hope that by season 10, (if the show ever reaches that magic barrier and still be fun to watch) Barry would reach FTL speeds.
    Light speed is 874030 Mach, and Barry is only Mach 2 now. So unless his speed doesn't grow exponentially he will never reach full potential.
    His FTL speed was his full potential in the comics, so unless his TV show full potential is far below that the writers have a lot to do.
    Hallowed are the Ori.

Similar Threads

  1. Worm Hole drive complaint (NOT AS PLOT DEVICE)
    By ph30nix in forum Enemy At the Gate
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: January 29th, 2009, 10:39 AM
  2. "Pegasus Project" plot device question (Spoilers)
    By Gilder in forum SG-1 Season 10
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: August 2nd, 2006, 02:45 AM
  3. Stargate Plot device= X
    By !Dorentus! in forum General Stargate Discussion
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: September 27th, 2005, 08:32 AM
  4. Go against the grain: a new plot device
    By LordAnubis in forum Sci-Fi & Fantasy Television
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: September 2nd, 2004, 06:15 AM
  5. Well written plot device.
    By somme in forum Stargate Atlantis
    Replies: 34
    Last Post: July 21st, 2004, 11:34 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts