TV Korner: The Flash 2.16 – “Trajectory”

Trajectory is a powerful episode of the Flash that is all about Speedsters.

It takes a bit to really take off, but once Trajectory finds its footing, it’s full of thematic significance and context that’s exclusively relevant to the unique world of the Flash. At this point, fans expect an episode of the Flash to open with Barry struggling against a self-imposed barrier as he is constantly trying to better his abilities as a speedster. Trajectory mixes this plotline with themes of drug-use, in particular a not so subtle nod to performance enhancers, to give Flash a real world anchor despite fantastical scenarios. The melding works well, but it’s hard to tell if this is just because of the incredible resolution that comes from Barry’s showdown with Trajectory. The episode itself doesn’t come close to the far reaching ramifications of its ending. There’s a massive reference to Barry’s legendary part in the Crisis on Infinite Earth, as well as a possible foreshadowing to Barry’s fate as a speedster. It adds weight to a story that feels small compared to other episodes, and creates a springboard for Barry’s battle against Zoom.

Final Word: Now that another speedster without the Flash hangup has been revealed, the world has been opened up just a little bit more. More importantly though, some of the speedster rules have been clarified, with more information about Zoom coming to light in the process. It’s enough to reveal this information, but Trajectory goes one step further by emphasizing Barry’s frustration with his slow progress in his fight against Zoom, as well as the devastation at Barry’s realization of the price of unmatched speed. Sadly, this is all shoehorned in to the last 10 minutes, the episode itself isn’t quite that transcendental.

“Trajectory” gets a 8.0/10: Undoubtedly solid, with some unsettling “drug-movie” style direction that creates the right atmosphere for the themes. The revelations and their reactions are what really make Trajectory work.