I think as fans we want some balance. Yes, we don't want to see Barry beat himself up for fallout that shouldn't be on him. On the flip side, they shouldn't gloss over his more cataclysmic screw ups just because he had good intentions and didn't mean to mess up other people's lives as a result. Maybe he's done his penance re: Cisco (it may speak more to Cisco's willingness not to hold a bitter grudge), but with Flashpoint it looks like he'll "get away with it" now that we've learned the Speed Force said they allowed it. Taking this out of the equation it still begs the question: Who is Barry to think he can and should alter time, when it so obviously has consequences that he may not know of and may not be able to repair.
Realistically, the show can't have a hero that is completely broken and beyond redemption. But they also can't have a hero who gets a pass on even questionable or repugnant deeds because, well, he is the hero. I'm not convinced they have achieved the balance with Barry. The idea of him getting off relatively scot-free for Flashpoint doesn't sit well with me, and now the Speed Force has largely cleared the decks for him to be well on his way to doing that. The SF taking some ownership still doesn't erase the fact that Barry knew better and still did it. It's not that we want Barry to be punished forever, it's that we want a hero to own up to his mistakes and act accordingly not to repeat them. They're pitching that he is owning up to them, I'm not sure I'm sold on that yet.
As for his changing or improving his behaviour as a result, I'm definitely not seeing much evidence of it. Maybe Barry going on a break with Iris is a sign of Flashpoint and Savitar fallout coming home to roost, maybe not.
His willingness to defy the Speed Force one day to rescue Jay from paying for his and Wally's mistakes doesn't sound like someone who has learned his lesson, never mind modifying his behaviour as a result.
Realistically, the show can't have a hero that is completely broken and beyond redemption. But they also can't have a hero who gets a pass on even questionable or repugnant deeds because, well, he is the hero. I'm not convinced they have achieved the balance with Barry. The idea of him getting off relatively scot-free for Flashpoint doesn't sit well with me, and now the Speed Force has largely cleared the decks for him to be well on his way to doing that. The SF taking some ownership still doesn't erase the fact that Barry knew better and still did it. It's not that we want Barry to be punished forever, it's that we want a hero to own up to his mistakes and act accordingly not to repeat them. They're pitching that he is owning up to them, I'm not sure I'm sold on that yet.
As for his changing or improving his behaviour as a result, I'm definitely not seeing much evidence of it. Maybe Barry going on a break with Iris is a sign of Flashpoint and Savitar fallout coming home to roost, maybe not.
His willingness to defy the Speed Force one day to rescue Jay from paying for his and Wally's mistakes doesn't sound like someone who has learned his lesson, never mind modifying his behaviour as a result.
Comment