I'm far from the type of wus or little bitch that cries over TV shows, I never do. But my god! This episode was incredible! All the characters were so damaged and lost so much. SO well done, I couldn't stop crying through the entire episode! To see how it all worked out was incredible! The acting was awesome. I hope this series just keeps going strong, like Supernatural!
17 Reviews
The Flash is the real hero my favorite and the best episode in Season 3
ivo-cobra811 March 2018
The Once and Future Flash of Season 3 is absolutely brilliant and clever episode I absolutely love it. The Flash is the real hero in this episode. It was brilliantly directed by Tom Cavanagh who plays H.R. Wells. I love the actor and I love his character so much. This episode is the best in the third season I love it. Season 1 and 2 are the best cause I have enjoyed the first two seasons more than this season. Some episodes this season were really stressed, melodramatic and too complicated. This episode showed me The Flash / Barry Allen is the real hero. Grant Gustin I must say bravo he completely stole this show and the episode I enjoyed his performance as Barry Allen / The Flash I love him in here.
To stop the Savitar and finding out who is behind the mask our hero The Flash travels in to the future the year 2024, 7 years from the year 2017 (this season is set in the present, not the past) now to find information about The Savitar, but instead he finds a dark future. He find's out he couldn't prevent Iris West death. The Future Flash doesn't exist and he abandoned the Team. Now The Past Flash must bring his team of friends and family back together and stop the criminals.
The Flash has to fight now two criminals in the future Sam Scudder / Mirror Master and Rosalind Dillon / Top from Episode 4 The New Rogues, Season 3. Also we se the future Caitlin / Killer Frost now in which she reteams with Savitar and becomes one of the worst enemies of The Flash.
Since everyone has gaving up on The Flash TV show I will not do that. Because they are really some good episodes in here that are not a disappointment. The New Rogues and The Once and Future Flash are my favorite Episodes in Season 3 so far. 10/10 I love this show.
To stop the Savitar and finding out who is behind the mask our hero The Flash travels in to the future the year 2024, 7 years from the year 2017 (this season is set in the present, not the past) now to find information about The Savitar, but instead he finds a dark future. He find's out he couldn't prevent Iris West death. The Future Flash doesn't exist and he abandoned the Team. Now The Past Flash must bring his team of friends and family back together and stop the criminals.
The Flash has to fight now two criminals in the future Sam Scudder / Mirror Master and Rosalind Dillon / Top from Episode 4 The New Rogues, Season 3. Also we se the future Caitlin / Killer Frost now in which she reteams with Savitar and becomes one of the worst enemies of The Flash.
Since everyone has gaving up on The Flash TV show I will not do that. Because they are really some good episodes in here that are not a disappointment. The New Rogues and The Once and Future Flash are my favorite Episodes in Season 3 so far. 10/10 I love this show.
The Flash - S03E19 The Once and Future Flash
j_forbesy26 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I feel like I say this every week but The Flash is one of my favourite shows. I like the cheesiness and the made up science and the fast people and the metahumans and the time travel. It's what I like in a show that has 22 episodes a season because they are the elements that keep me entertained.
My concern coming into this episode after such a break was that it was going to miss a few steps and set a bad tone for this run home. While I know chances are this episode wasn't filmed 4 weeks after the previous one, it was still important to me that this episode hit this final part of the season off to a flyer. Luckily it did.
I put this episode up there with The Runaway Dinosaur. This episode was this episodes The Runaway Dinosaur. As I said before I do like when Flash learns into the time travel aspect of the show so going to the future was something that I was really excited for and they didn't disappoint. What I really liked about this episode, which was a change from what they have done in previous episodes where Flash is in another time or on another Earth, is that we stuck with Barry the whole time. There was just jumping between what Barry is doing and what the rest of the team is doing. I know a lot of this is because it is time travel and he can return to the exact moment he left, but just from an audience point of view it was nice to have Barry always as the main focus.
I really liked seeing how ruined everyone's lives had become in the future. While I don't necessarily like seeing our main characters in a bad state, for me it set some stakes as to what they are up against. If Savitar wins, not only does he take Iris but he ruins the lives of so many.
Barry went to the future to find out who Savitar really is, and I wasn't sure if they were going to reveal that information this episode and in hindsight, I'm glad we are getting it kept for next week. I've liked the slow build up to the reveal because at this point we still don't have any idea who it is. In past seasons we have usually had a short list of who it could be but at this point I am personally lost. Before this episode I was on the HR train but after seeing him in the future, I don't know if that rules him out or Savitar is from further in the future.
There was a few things I want to touch on. The first is the return of Mirror Master and Top. I enjoyed them first time around in the present day so I thought it was great that they got second uses from them in the future. Of course, seeing two Barrys is was great. I've really enjoyed seeing speedsters work together and although it wasn't too much of a team up, seeing two Flashs together was something really nice.
Overall, I really enjoyed this episode. It was really well written, looked great, there were great performances as always. For me this episode didn't have a misstep. While overall, not a lot happened, this episode has pushed this season forward and has set us up perfectly for a big ending.
10/10
My concern coming into this episode after such a break was that it was going to miss a few steps and set a bad tone for this run home. While I know chances are this episode wasn't filmed 4 weeks after the previous one, it was still important to me that this episode hit this final part of the season off to a flyer. Luckily it did.
I put this episode up there with The Runaway Dinosaur. This episode was this episodes The Runaway Dinosaur. As I said before I do like when Flash learns into the time travel aspect of the show so going to the future was something that I was really excited for and they didn't disappoint. What I really liked about this episode, which was a change from what they have done in previous episodes where Flash is in another time or on another Earth, is that we stuck with Barry the whole time. There was just jumping between what Barry is doing and what the rest of the team is doing. I know a lot of this is because it is time travel and he can return to the exact moment he left, but just from an audience point of view it was nice to have Barry always as the main focus.
I really liked seeing how ruined everyone's lives had become in the future. While I don't necessarily like seeing our main characters in a bad state, for me it set some stakes as to what they are up against. If Savitar wins, not only does he take Iris but he ruins the lives of so many.
Barry went to the future to find out who Savitar really is, and I wasn't sure if they were going to reveal that information this episode and in hindsight, I'm glad we are getting it kept for next week. I've liked the slow build up to the reveal because at this point we still don't have any idea who it is. In past seasons we have usually had a short list of who it could be but at this point I am personally lost. Before this episode I was on the HR train but after seeing him in the future, I don't know if that rules him out or Savitar is from further in the future.
There was a few things I want to touch on. The first is the return of Mirror Master and Top. I enjoyed them first time around in the present day so I thought it was great that they got second uses from them in the future. Of course, seeing two Barrys is was great. I've really enjoyed seeing speedsters work together and although it wasn't too much of a team up, seeing two Flashs together was something really nice.
Overall, I really enjoyed this episode. It was really well written, looked great, there were great performances as always. For me this episode didn't have a misstep. While overall, not a lot happened, this episode has pushed this season forward and has set us up perfectly for a big ending.
10/10
A Future Without Hope
cobi-8062027 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Last season when Barry needed a way to defeat Zoom he decided to go back in time one year to ask Eobard Wells for assistance. That was one of my favourite episodes of season 2, so it stands to no surprise that in this episode where Barry decides to go seven years in to the future to ask for help turns out to be one of my favourites of season 3.
Using time travel once again obviously doesn't sound like a good choice. Especially not when it's the cause of the issue you're trying to solve. I like when time travel is used to show us something new or exciting and while we didn't get much of excitement we did get to see the future version of the Flash suit and that was cool. While it didn't have that much excitement beyond the future suit I found this episode having a lot of heart that made up for that. We get to meet future version of Team Flash and they are mostly dull and have a lack of spirit, except for maybe Cisco who does motivate 2017-Barry to bring back hope in to Team Flash. That is the story of this episode, bringing back hope. All hope was lost when the team failed to save Iris, Cisco lost his hands, Wally lost his legs and everybody lost connection with each other. With the help of 2017-Barry, Cisco is able to bring everyone they could back together and that was nice to see.
Returning in this episode we had Mirror Master and Top who have learned how to combine their powers and I think they're the first meta-humans to do so. The effects for the powers were once again good but I can't help but think that they could be moving while they are using their powers, perhaps kicking Barry while they're affecting him. I wish they weren't used for such small roles, they should be allowed to have a story of their own next time they appear.
Finally we got some movement in the Killer Frost storyline and she's out of STAR Labs and is now working with Savitar like we were told she would be. I was hoping we would get a reveal of Savitar's identity. I imagined we were going to and now that we didn't I'm having small doubt it will live up to the time we've had to speculate over the matter. I don't see the point in keeping it secret this late in the season. Thankfully they already revealed the secret identity of next season's villain, if indeed they go with DeVoe AKA The Thinker who is a Flash villain.
All in all, one of my favourite episodes this season and even if I was hoping for a Savitar identity reveal the heartwarming moments with our future characters and the future Flash suit in action made up for it. Next week's episode is titled "I Know Who You Are" so they better not tell me we won't get to know it as well!
Using time travel once again obviously doesn't sound like a good choice. Especially not when it's the cause of the issue you're trying to solve. I like when time travel is used to show us something new or exciting and while we didn't get much of excitement we did get to see the future version of the Flash suit and that was cool. While it didn't have that much excitement beyond the future suit I found this episode having a lot of heart that made up for that. We get to meet future version of Team Flash and they are mostly dull and have a lack of spirit, except for maybe Cisco who does motivate 2017-Barry to bring back hope in to Team Flash. That is the story of this episode, bringing back hope. All hope was lost when the team failed to save Iris, Cisco lost his hands, Wally lost his legs and everybody lost connection with each other. With the help of 2017-Barry, Cisco is able to bring everyone they could back together and that was nice to see.
Returning in this episode we had Mirror Master and Top who have learned how to combine their powers and I think they're the first meta-humans to do so. The effects for the powers were once again good but I can't help but think that they could be moving while they are using their powers, perhaps kicking Barry while they're affecting him. I wish they weren't used for such small roles, they should be allowed to have a story of their own next time they appear.
Finally we got some movement in the Killer Frost storyline and she's out of STAR Labs and is now working with Savitar like we were told she would be. I was hoping we would get a reveal of Savitar's identity. I imagined we were going to and now that we didn't I'm having small doubt it will live up to the time we've had to speculate over the matter. I don't see the point in keeping it secret this late in the season. Thankfully they already revealed the secret identity of next season's villain, if indeed they go with DeVoe AKA The Thinker who is a Flash villain.
All in all, one of my favourite episodes this season and even if I was hoping for a Savitar identity reveal the heartwarming moments with our future characters and the future Flash suit in action made up for it. Next week's episode is titled "I Know Who You Are" so they better not tell me we won't get to know it as well!
If you're going to fake out your viewers/spin your wheels, this is the way to do it.
imakk200125 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I'm pretty sure the misleading hype about this ep being an Iris-centric ep in an Iris-centric season + another fake out about Savitar's ID will lead to a few disappointed viewers. Thankfully, I'm not one of them.
Awesome: KF's escape, Wally helping Barry jump to the future, Top and MM's whammying Barry, and reformed future team flash. I complain a lot about team flash, but I have to say, I like future team flash so much more than current team flash already. What's not to like: only 4 members and Julian is of them!, and no shoehorned LI standing around. (After Felton and Gustin's fun panel at SVCC, the show really needs to bring Felton back for next season.)
Saint of DCCWverse: Cisco Ramon. First futureBarry abandons him/the team. Now presentBarry does the same thing. Barry Allen From Any Time = The WORST. Yet still, not a word of anger or hate when Barry deserved both. Where are Top and MM to give Barry another deserved can of whoop@ss?! And Cisco's hands?!
Surprise #1: present and future Barry convo in the time vault was...oddly compelling. It conveyed just how much of a weak, spineless, selfish person Barry is/will be, something that CAN NOT be overstated enough. Yes! Also, good job by Gustin/editing department making that scene seamless.
Surprise #2: Cisco's follow up lesson that yo, Bare! You have family/friends who need you/deserve your help. Just because you lost the "love of your life" doesn't negate your responsibility to them. YES!
This was amazingly good, because for the first time, we see what happens to Cisco, Caitlin, Wally, Joe and Julian when he turns his back on them. They're no longer just pieces to be moved around in Barry's Quest To Save Iris West; they're Barry's family/friends and they MATTER, too.
Savitar: still don't care who he is, so I wasn't disappointed by the unreveal. But it looks like it might be Ronnie or Eddie.
Great character ep with a much needed critical look at the downside of Barry's obsession with saving Iris at the expense of his family/friends/team flash/Central City. Still not feeling the futuresuit, though. Score: 8.5
Awesome: KF's escape, Wally helping Barry jump to the future, Top and MM's whammying Barry, and reformed future team flash. I complain a lot about team flash, but I have to say, I like future team flash so much more than current team flash already. What's not to like: only 4 members and Julian is of them!, and no shoehorned LI standing around. (After Felton and Gustin's fun panel at SVCC, the show really needs to bring Felton back for next season.)
Saint of DCCWverse: Cisco Ramon. First futureBarry abandons him/the team. Now presentBarry does the same thing. Barry Allen From Any Time = The WORST. Yet still, not a word of anger or hate when Barry deserved both. Where are Top and MM to give Barry another deserved can of whoop@ss?! And Cisco's hands?!
Surprise #1: present and future Barry convo in the time vault was...oddly compelling. It conveyed just how much of a weak, spineless, selfish person Barry is/will be, something that CAN NOT be overstated enough. Yes! Also, good job by Gustin/editing department making that scene seamless.
Surprise #2: Cisco's follow up lesson that yo, Bare! You have family/friends who need you/deserve your help. Just because you lost the "love of your life" doesn't negate your responsibility to them. YES!
This was amazingly good, because for the first time, we see what happens to Cisco, Caitlin, Wally, Joe and Julian when he turns his back on them. They're no longer just pieces to be moved around in Barry's Quest To Save Iris West; they're Barry's family/friends and they MATTER, too.
Savitar: still don't care who he is, so I wasn't disappointed by the unreveal. But it looks like it might be Ronnie or Eddie.
Great character ep with a much needed critical look at the downside of Barry's obsession with saving Iris at the expense of his family/friends/team flash/Central City. Still not feeling the futuresuit, though. Score: 8.5
A hopeless future
marveller-6617 January 2021
I loved how they made this. They pushed us to a brink of cliff by the depth, execution, Tom Cavanagh's direction, the vision, the score, performances. And everything is handled perfectly. One of my favorite episode of the series and one among my top 5 of season 3.
Best Episode From Season 3
yourikruize30 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
This Episode Was So Good! In The First Part Goes Barry Allan To Find The Identity From Salvatar And Discovers That Team Flash Is In Great Dispair And It Gives Me A Little Bit A Depresed Feeling But Than On The Good Way. It Is So Sad The First Part And In The Second Part Of The Episode, He get's The Team Back And His Future Him Is No More Sad And Ready To Help The City And That's Why It's Gets A Bit More Optimistic. One Word For Describing This Episode: Different Feelings. And That's Best Good For A TV Show And That's The Reason Why I Find The DC Series Better Than The Awful Dc Movies. But That's My Opinion.
Fantastic
gosiacheck9 December 2020
2024
ThomasDrufke25 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
As if we haven't already waited long enough to know Savitar's identity, I guess we'll have to wait one more week. Even so, tonight's episode reinvigorated my interest in this season as a whole, albeit not as much as I hoped it would.
So Barry decided it was time to travel to the future to see if he could find out Savitar's identity and more about his agenda. Putting aside what we didn't get in the episode, I thoroughly enjoyed the episode. Of course, the future is a darker and more cynical view on the universe (what film or TV show doesn't take that approach?), but I thought the show earned that view on this world. Caitlin is full-blown Killer Frost, Iris is dead, Wally is paralyzed, H.R. is merely an author, Joe is still in pieces from Iris' death, and Cisco has lost his hands and powers. The future isn't bright, and Barry is forced to help out his future friends.
It was an interesting premise to tackle, and I had fun watching everything develop. However, the problem is that it doesn't ultimately matter what Barry changes in the future timeline. What matters is how he goes back and changes his self after seeing the future. Sure, it's cool to see him re-establish hope in the future versions of Team Flash, but it's hard to feel like there's any sort of importance to this.
Aside from that, there wasn't a ton to address here. The one big piece of news we got was that Barry gets help from a female physicist who plays a part in putting Savitar in the speed-force for good. Caitlin has aligned herself with Savitar, and apparently will agree to do whatever he says based on who he is. So in all, it wasn't the most eventful episode (although it was marketed like it was), but it was a very well-directed episode from first time Flash director, our very own Tom Cavanagh. Count it as a win in my books.
+Cool to see future timeline
+Adds stakes to the past
+Well-directed
-No real point to what happens in the future, when Barry can still change the present
8.6/10
So Barry decided it was time to travel to the future to see if he could find out Savitar's identity and more about his agenda. Putting aside what we didn't get in the episode, I thoroughly enjoyed the episode. Of course, the future is a darker and more cynical view on the universe (what film or TV show doesn't take that approach?), but I thought the show earned that view on this world. Caitlin is full-blown Killer Frost, Iris is dead, Wally is paralyzed, H.R. is merely an author, Joe is still in pieces from Iris' death, and Cisco has lost his hands and powers. The future isn't bright, and Barry is forced to help out his future friends.
It was an interesting premise to tackle, and I had fun watching everything develop. However, the problem is that it doesn't ultimately matter what Barry changes in the future timeline. What matters is how he goes back and changes his self after seeing the future. Sure, it's cool to see him re-establish hope in the future versions of Team Flash, but it's hard to feel like there's any sort of importance to this.
Aside from that, there wasn't a ton to address here. The one big piece of news we got was that Barry gets help from a female physicist who plays a part in putting Savitar in the speed-force for good. Caitlin has aligned herself with Savitar, and apparently will agree to do whatever he says based on who he is. So in all, it wasn't the most eventful episode (although it was marketed like it was), but it was a very well-directed episode from first time Flash director, our very own Tom Cavanagh. Count it as a win in my books.
+Cool to see future timeline
+Adds stakes to the past
+Well-directed
-No real point to what happens in the future, when Barry can still change the present
8.6/10
great episode but note
glenn-whitelaw10 May 2017
First off did Barry travel to 2025. He speaks to future Barry and they both confirm the speedforce device was made four years after the death of iris. 2021 then mention another 4 years space between them. Anyhoo great episode. And just a note I haven't watched next episode so just gonna say remember the episode where Ronnie disappears at the end of season 1 that's why I think at this time that Ronnie is savitar.
Flash-Back to the Future II
semaj196811 May 2017
Warning: Spoilers
My son and I watch Flash and enjoy it more than the other DC shows, this wasn't a bad episode and I can't profess to be an expert on The Flash or have read any of the comics but surely if he jumps out of the time line how can he see himself in the future ala Marty and Jennifer BTTF2? I'm guessing he must have went to an alt timeline. As good as the episode was, the usual things leave you shaking your head, when he jumps into the lane right when Mirror Master and Top are there hot off their latest crime spree, why would he stop and have a chat with them. He's dealt with them before surely he knows what to expect.
So again he allows them to use their powers on him sending him bandy and again later in the episode, I swear Monkeys learn quicker than Barry. Later when Killer Frost breaks out and does a runner how quick does Barry give up, I mean she just literally ran out the door and Barry was like she's gone (is he just getting lazy), my son burst out laughing at that bit. But like I say it's better than the other DC shows and we stick with it
So again he allows them to use their powers on him sending him bandy and again later in the episode, I swear Monkeys learn quicker than Barry. Later when Killer Frost breaks out and does a runner how quick does Barry give up, I mean she just literally ran out the door and Barry was like she's gone (is he just getting lazy), my son burst out laughing at that bit. But like I say it's better than the other DC shows and we stick with it
Clever writing from the director. And the director was Tom Cavanagh!
asb_deutsch19 August 2017
I have seen so much of Flash but this strikes gold in terms of sentiment. The gloomy cloud setup, Cisco embracing Barry in 2024, future flash being heart broken and abandoning the team marks this episode one of the best and will be remembered for a long time.
Hats off to Greg Berlanti for creating such an episode. He chooses emotions over action. The acting was awesome. I almost cried :P
Hats off to Greg Berlanti for creating such an episode. He chooses emotions over action. The acting was awesome. I almost cried :P
An over Exaggerated Future
OnjiMooteDaMarle8 March 2018
My first review for any of the Flash episodes.
Everything is over exaggerated in the future of flash.
Everything is sad on purpose.
It is common sense that this won't be the future no matter how much they show us and force us that this is it.
Ranking/Reviewing every Flash episode: Once and Future Flash
lbramson11 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Barry goes to a dark, dystopian future after Iris is killed by Savitar. Episode 19 is another really dark episode. It has teases to Season 4 as well, featuring the future Flash Season 4 suit which is awesome! A problem with many futuristic episodes, even a future episode in Season 9 is that you have to make it believable and the characters have to age if it won't work. This episode doesn't suffer from this, everything happens for a reason and the characters feel like older versions of themselves. This is a great episode with an awesome troll ending. This is also the episode that has the infamous meme: Emo Barry. What an honor! The Once and Future Flash is the quintessential Season 3 episode, dark, depressing, shocking, and very future sentric. Although, I must say, despite being mentioned, Savitar still only appears for a few seconds in this episode.
9.2/10-Great!👍👍
9.2/10-Great!👍👍
Solid episode
solarpanelshydroelectric28 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Well, that's more like it! "The Once and Future Flash" was a well rounded and strongly written episode of The Flash, atypical of the season. The only problem I have with this episode is that it dragged out the Savitar reveal yet again. I'm not sure I have much investment in it anymore, as the writers haven't given us much of a reason, besides "well, he's the big bad". There's only four episodes left, so there's probably not much depth to him. Unlike Prometheus on Arrow, or the Legion of Doom on Legends of Tomorrow, it seems like the writers barely even cared about making Savitar interesting. Anyway, the future setting was a nice way of adding stakes to the end of the season. It was a bit shocking to see the main cast so thoroughly broken. It went a little too far into darkness at times, but made up for it at the end of the episode with a genuinely fun and emotionally resonant climax. Caitlin finally has something to, but I hope they dial back the cheesiness of her lines. Her powers also don't make sense at all. Why would gaining frost powers be enough to make her evil? Instead of making Caitlin a complex character with flaws that are exemplified by the frost powers, (because that would be taking chances, something the creative team are clearly against, considering all 3 seasons have the same formula) the writers cheat by magically making her evil. That's bad writing. On the whole though, I enjoyed "The Once and Future Flash".
+Future setting
+Caitlin has something interesting to do...
+Raises stakes
+HR in the future
+Great climax
-Savitar continues to suck
-...but they wimped out by making her evil
-Emo Barry
-Future Suit looks ridiculous. Why can't we just get the comic book suit?
8/10
+Future setting
+Caitlin has something interesting to do...
+Raises stakes
+HR in the future
+Great climax
-Savitar continues to suck
-...but they wimped out by making her evil
-Emo Barry
-Future Suit looks ridiculous. Why can't we just get the comic book suit?
8/10
Supergirl staff must be working here too. GROW UP!!!
co-gorman29 June 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Just one example of stupid writing is all I'll say, which also describes most of this season. In this episode Barry of the past finally decides to stay so he can reunite Team Flash. He goes to stop the bad guys. And what does he do? He confronts them and just stands there talking all tough, DOING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. He knows what she can do just by looking at him. AND HE JUST STANDS THERE!!! Anyone working on this show, GROW UP!!! Absolutely ridiculous.
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