When does 'The Flash' season 3 return? Midseason premiere date announced
After a brief winter hiatus, season three of The Flash will return with episode 10 on Jan. 24. Unfortunately, there is no synopsis available for the episode quite yet, but after Tuesday's midseason finale, there are a lot of questions needing answers. The new year cannot get here soon enough.
The Flash aired its midseason finale Tuesday night, and boy was it a big one. After the explosive four-part crossover that delivered the CW its most-watched week in six years, it was back to business on The Flash, and that business was defeating Doctor Alchemy and Savitar.
As was teased in the promos leading up to Tuesday night's episode, Barry Allen traveled to Earth-3 to enlist the help of fellow speedster Jay Garrick. There, Barry helped Jay dispose of the Earth-3 version of The Trickster, played by guest star Mark Hamill. The biggest disappointment in an otherwise stellar episode was the brevity of Hamill's appearance. You can never have too much Mark Hamill!
Back on Earth-1, we finally learn the circumstances that led Julian Albert to become Alchemy. As it turns out, the Philosopher's Stone (not that one), which he is manipulated into retrieving by an illusion of his dead sister, allows Savitar to channel himself through Julian.
Fortunately, with the help of (well, more like the distraction of) Jay, Barry is able to incapacitate Savitar and close off the Philosopher's Stone, leading to Savitar being banished. Barry then discovers what fans have known for two weeks, that Alchemy and Julian are one in the same.
After banishing him, Team Flash is ultimately able to safely speak to Savitar through Julian — who we discover is an unwitting participant to Savitar's plans — and we learn that the self-proclaimed "God of Motion" is eventually defeated by Barry in the future. Savitar also delivers some news of the future to the team: One will betray them, one will die, as well as other ominous things.
Episode nine ended with Barry and Jay tossing the Philosopher's Stone into the Speed Force, but in doing so, they inadvertently sent Barry into the future — five months into the future, to be exact. There, Barry witnesses Savitar killing his girlfriend, Iris. So, what does this all mean when The Flash returns in a little over a month? It is still unclear.
Clearly, Savitar is not gone. Despite throwing the stone into the Speed Force, Barry witnesses Savitar in the future, albeit a "possible" future, as Jay explains. At some point in the next few episodes, Savitar will likely be freed from wherever he's been banished. But how?
If the the stone is truly the only way to free him — and we do not know that to be true — Savitar will need a speedster's help. It has already been shown that he can manipulate Cisco and Julian through visions of dead loved ones. Perhaps he will do the same to Jay or Barry? It is possible, but seems unlikely.
Another option, though this is pure conjecture, is that a former antagonist of The Flash frees Savitar. There are two big ones that come to mind: Reverse-Flash and Zoom. Reverse-Flash is running through time on Legends of Tomorrow, so it is conceivable he could run into the Speed Force and free Savitar. Though, to be fair, it seems unlikely he would want to free a being so powerful.
How about Zoom? Fans may recall — and if not, they are reminded during the opening credits — that Barry defeated Zoom in season two. But Hunter Zolomon was not killed, but dragged into the Speed Force. There was speculation towards the end of season two that Zoom could return this year as Black Flash. Just a thought and pure speculation, so don't take it to the bank.
No matter how Savitar returns — and he will — the winter finale of The Flash set up a latter part of the season that will be jam-packed with high stakes and, quite possibly, grave loss.
Set your DVRs for Jan. 24 at 8 p.m. Eastern, because you won't want to miss a thing.
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