After a difficult encounter with a childhood nemesis, "The Flash is Born."

Utilizing a childhood friend with connections to both Barry and Iris as baddie Tony Woodward not only mends their friendship, but serves as a catalyst to get Iris a little more involved in the action without overly compromising her.

Barry having to face an old enemy also allows insight into how a metahuman gets its power. In Barry's eyes, it's a choice to embrace the light or darkness once you're given that gift.

Tony: Who the hell do you think you are?
Barry: You know who I am.
Tony: Allen?
Barry: The thing that happened to you, Tony, happened to me too. But it didn't just give us abilities, it made us more of who we are. You got strong, I got fast. Fast enough to beat you. You used your gift to hurt people. Not anymore.

• Permalink: The thing that happened to you, Tony, happened to me too. But it didn't just give us...

On The Flash Season 1 Episode 6, Barry grows from his experience with Woodward and his moniker is changed thanks to a little nudge with Iris for her blog.

The Flash Photos from "The Flash is Born"

Start Gallery

It's pretty apparent Iris is going to get the gig at Central City Picture News because of her work regarding The Flash and the other metahumans on the blog, so I'm glad she's not giving up the fight. A little investigative journalism rarely hurts anyone, but she's still under attack.

The Reverse Flash paying Joe a visit, stealing the paperwork relating to Henry's case and tacking Iris' photo to the wall by way of intimidation isn't what I expected after the final conversation between Joe and Harrison.

Hopefully it will not sway Joe's opinion of the scientist. We know Harrison isn't exactly who he says he is. He can see the future and he isn't bound to a wheelchair, at least not in his special room. It's easy to get on board with the theory Joe suggests – Harrison has played in the particle accelerator business before and might be responsible for Nora's death in some fashion.

It's easy until the Reverse Flash steals evidence and uses Iris as an emotional weapon against Joe. 

The saying, "Keep your enemies closer," keeps picking away at me. Who claims to love and protect Iris? Eddie Thawne. There's that pesky name again – Thawne. Edobard Thawne is the Reverse Flash in the comics. Yes, I know this is not a direct adaptation of the comics, so hear me out.

Eddie suddenly has a keen interest in Barry's friendship with Iris, even admitting some jealousy. He's helping Barry work out. Is he digging for information? The look on his face when Barry arrives in the alley before him while chasing Woodward's cohort isn't worthy of a simple "how did you get here first" type of comment.

Let's assume Eddie is the Reverse Flash. He's keeping Iris close because he knows about Barry not only from his childhood but of his later abilities. Pretending to love her to keep Joe and Barry from discovering who he is makes sense. Iris' obsession with the 'red streak' probably makes him feel about the same as Woodward – if she likes that guy, wait until she gets a look at me in action!

It also seems sound to think Harrison dabbled in experiments before, perhaps one resulting in the death of his partner and love, Tess Morgan. It's just too convenient for her to die just before Nora Allen and for his research to pick up a month later. That dabbling could have been beyond his understanding, creating the Reverse Flash, or he could come from another time. I'm open.

But I still have nothing concrete on who Harrison is. His interest in Barry, desire to see him become The Flash and genuine conversation with Joe, however, do not point to an outright evil man, even in spite of killing Stagg.

Random thoughts:

• Cisco was on fire with the wit. Check out The Flash quotes for some specifics. He's really grown on me.
• Barry can stop whooshing Iris around now. It's too reminiscent of every other superhero/girlfriend out there. Superman and Lois, Spiderman and Mary Jane. 
• The biggest danger to Iris is probably the man Joe and Barry think protects her when they're not looking. Whoops!
• We haven't had a visit to Henry in prison for a while now. That just does not work for me.
• Hallelujah! Joe laughed again. Even though it might have supposed to have been (huh?) forced as he was actively digging for dirt on Harrison, the sound was just as sweet.
• Iris needs to start working at the paper soon – she desperately needs a female friend to pal around with, don't you think?
• Since Woodward received a lecture about his gift and lived to see another day, do you suppose there's a chance he could be like one of the Suicide Squad and be used in the future if he's a good boy?
• My dad actually witnessed a guy fall into a vat of molten steel. He was not resurrected as a metahuman, sadly.
• The Flash versus The Man of Steel. Yep, that happened.

Alright folks. Your turn. What did you think? Do you have any thoughts on exactly who will be the Reverse Flash? What will Joe do after that threat and with no evidence to help save Henry? Hit the comments!

Don't forget, you can watch The Flash online any time via TV Fanatic if you're just joining us or want to experience it all again.

Here is your first look at The Flash Season 1 Episode 7, "Power Outage."

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.