Catching Up: The Flash Episode 214, "Escape From Earth-2"

On Earth-2, Zoom is aware that Harrison Wells has returned -- and he's tearing up the city leaving flaming messages demanding he be turned over. (It's all being covered on Channel 52!) And with Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) captured by Zoom, things aren't looking well for the team of Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanagh) and Cisco Ramon (Carlos Valdes). Cisco just witnessed Zoom kill Ronnie "Deathstorm" Raymond (Robbie Amell) and Cisco's doppelganger, Reverb, and lets Wells in on the bad news. But they have other things to deal with as well -- Barry's doppelganger, Bartholomew, whom they also captured, is waking up.

Bartholomew takes some getting used to. He's very much a live-action Ned Flanders who whines a lot and makes hollow threats about giving people a piece of his mind.

In Zoom's prison, we see Flash, Jesse Wells (Violett Beane) and a man in an Iron Mask who incessantly taps on his glass walls. Now, Jesse is behind iron bars, while Barry is behind a clear glass wall. The fact the Man in the Iron Mask is also behind a glass wall is a good indication that he must require a special cell like Barry's. More on him later.

Bartholomew reunites with his police captain wife, Iris (Candice Patton), and explains to her his absence, bringing her into the hunt for the captive Barry. Cisco proposes that they have one lead that might bring them to Zoom's lair -- Killer Frost, this Earth's Caitlin Snow (Danielle Panabaker), who just saw him kill her lover, Deathstorm. She's been loyal to Zoom, but this might be enough to turn her.

On Earth 1, Geomancer (Adam Stafford) continues to threaten the city, calling out for the Flash with the Shiny Helmet. But Jay Garrick (Teddy Sears) use of Velocity 7 damaged his cells even further, and Caitlin is working on a new Velocity 8 that might counter that effect. When Geomancer is about to topple a building, Jay takes the new Velocity 9 formula, saves everyone, and returns to STAR Labs in time to collapse. Unfortunately, Geomancer has followed him there. (Seriously, lock the damned door, people, the joke has gone on too long!)

Back at Casa de la Zoom, Barry and Jesse crack the tap-code the Man in the Iron Mask has been using, and begin to decipher his message. But after his one word, Zoom appears, warns him to stop talking to them, then phases through the walls of Barry's cell to kick him around at super-speed -- and inadvertently gives Barry the key to his escape.

On Earth 1, the battle with Geomancer has damaged the Speed Cannon at STAR Labs. Now it has to be rebooted and the breach stabilized, or Barry and his crew will be permanently stranded on Earth 2. Jay sets to work on that with the help of Joe West (Jesse L. Martin). Simultaneously, the rescue team, with Killer Frost's help, arrives to release Jesse and Barry -- but they don't have time to rescue the Iron Mask as Killer Frost holds Zoom at bay. Barry promises that he will return to rescue the man when this is all over, but how he will do that is up in the air. Apparently there will have to be a "Return to Earth 2" in the future, even if the breaches are closed (possibly Barry and the team will try to recreate the breaches, under controlled circumstances, resulting in Barry's appearance in National City next month to meet Supergirl?)

In a harrowing last-minute race, the team -- with Jesse -- come back to Earth 1 (Mr. and Mrs. Allen opting to hide out with family in Atlantis on Earth 2), but at a cost. The kicker scene: as the breach closes, Zoom's hand reaches through the breach -- and through Jay Garrick's chest, yanking him back through the breach as it closes.

Now, the rest of this is pure speculation, and I look forward to seeing your thoughts, dear reader, in the Disqus comments below. But I believe that the Man in the Iron Mask is Jay Garrick, and the man we know as Jay Garrick is Hunter Zolomon of Earth 2. The reason for this: the message the Man in the Iron Mask tapped out was J-A-Y. When Barry tries to explain that Jay Garrick is all right on Earth 1, this agitates the prisoner and he starts shaking his head, but Zoom arrives too quickly to get more information. Jay Garrick is really a prisoner of Zoom -- and Hunter Zolomon, Zoom's agent, now has exactly what Zoom needs: a working formula for Velocity 9!

See you next week, speed freaks!