Power Outage

"Good day, Dr. Wells."
"Yes, it is, Gideon. Bring up my log, please, new entry. It has now been 312 days since lightning struck. In the past 24 hours, subject has taken a great leap forward, causing me to revise my initial thesis. I thought... well, I thought his attachment to people was a distraction slowing down his progress. Now I realize the opposite is true. Barry's attachment to people, the people he cares about, is actually the key to getting him up to speed. In the meantime, good news. The future remains intact."

—Gideon and Harrison Wells

"Power Outage" is the seventh episode of the first season of The Flash, and the seventh episode overall. It aired on November 25, 2014.

Synopsis[]

The Flash goes up against Farooq aka Blackout, a meta-human who can harness electricity. During their battle, Farooq zaps The Flash and siphons all his electricity, leaving The Flash without his speed. Dr. Wells, Caitlin and Cisco work to reverse the effects on Barry, but their efforts are disrupted when Farooq comes banging on S.T.A.R. Labs' doors in search of Wells, who he blames for his accident. Without Barry's powers to protect them, the group must figure out a way to save themselves from the meta-human. Meanwhile, Tockman manages a coup inside the Central City Police Department and takes several people hostage, including Joe and Iris. While Iris is sure The Flash will save them, Eddie has a trick up his sleeve.^[src]

Cast[]

Starring[]

Guest starring[]

Greg Finley as Tony Woodward/Girder
Robert Knepper as William Tockman/Clock King
Michael Reventar as Farooq Gibran/Blackout
Patrick Sabongui as Captain David Singh

Co-starring[]

Uncredited[]

Morena Baccarin as Gideon (voice)

Plot[]

10 months prior, Farooq is on top of an electricity tower when S.T.A.R. Labs had its explosion. It resulted in him freaking out and trying to get down, but instead was hit by lightning and falling off.

In the present, Harrison Wells is going to his secret room and opens his computer named Gideon. He talks about how Barry uses his speed to solve his ordinary tasks: including getting ready when running late, making coffee for a long line, and stopping himself from being robbed. He then mentions how the future is still intact though.

After finishing up, he leaves and meets up with Caitlin and Cisco, and wonders where Barry is. Once Barry shows up late, Harrison asks to speak to him alone. Harrison tells him to kick up his speed and Barry receives a message from his job to head out. He came across a gross blown up body.

Barry approaches Cisco for use of his software to figure out the identity of the man. Upon learning that someone used the guy's name, he speeds off and meets Farooq who drains him of his speed. Barry tries to speed away as the man decides he wants more. He proceeds to take all of the speed from Barry and has an overload. Barry however has an issue getting out and can't run away as his speed is gone.

Returning to S.T.A.R. Labs after taking a cab, Caitlin, Harrison, and Cisco run some tests. This includes him running on a treadmill. Barry is upset and heads off to warn Joe.

Joe just looks at Barry after he filled him in. Joe then destroys Barry's mug. Iris shows up and begins talking about the Flash. It makes Barry uncomfortable. He begins to head out when the Tockman is brought up and notices Barry's watch. They converse and then Barry leaves.

Harrison heads to his room and learns that the future has changed, upsetting him.

Barry is back at S.T.A.R. Labs, upset about losing his speed. He talks to Caitlin about not being able to survive without his speed which had been a part of him. Cisco enters with a name.

After they learned his name, they learn that Farooq is outside the lab, wanting to talk to Harrison.

Iris and Joe are in the office when Singh puts Joe in charge of the prison transfer of William Tockman as it is about to be a shift change.

Farooq takes more electricity, allowing Tockman to steal a gun and hold the police hostage. Barry soon realizes that Farooq is inside.

Singh returns and calls his boss and learns that there was a hostage situation at the police station and how he needs his powers back.

Harrison tells him that he needs a jumpstart to his system. Barry decides to try talking to the man before focusing on his powers. Harrison tells him that he is being stupid but Barry heads off anyway.

In the hostage situation, Eddie is hiding with a gun pointed at Tockman.

Barry talks to Farooq at first and learns that he was upset due to his friends death and killing those trying to save him back then. Farooq blames Wells and shoots the electricity at Barry. They then close a door and Harrison tells them that Barry needs to get a charge and he won't follow.

In the police station, Joe is trying to reason with Tockman but he is upset due to losing out on time with his sister. Joe had noticed Eddie who shoots Tockman who reveals to wear a bulletproof vest under his clothes after he shot Eddie.

Caitlin and Barry are in a room together that is entered by Farooq. However they hide before he could spot them. Harrison heads to the prison that is holding Tony. He promises him his freedom if he kills Farooq. Meanwhile, Farog is close to the hiding spot of Barry and Caitlin whilst Cisco goes to turn on the generator. When he does, Farooq leaves allowing, Barry to go on the treadmill. In a hallway, Tony punches Farooq and Tony just turns to steal. Barry talks to Caitlin who is hesitant about turning on the treadmill. Barry gets the jolt and is flown off the treadmill. He receives some speed but not enough.

Iris asks Tockman for them to get help for Eddie. Whenever Tockman mentions different quotes about time, Joe recites who said them. Tockman then tries to save Eddie but Iris mentions the Flash.

Meanwhile, Tony is killed by Farooq and is found by Barry. In another part of the lab, Barry learns that Harrison let Tony out to distract Farooq. Barry is upset about Tony dying due to Harrison's plan. Harrison believes that it is all in Barry's mind to have lost his speed as his cells are re-generating.

In the station, Tockman grabs Iris and Joe asks him to let Iris say goodbye to her boyfriend. Tockman agrees when Joe appeals to his love for his sister. She tells him that he has to hang on and kisses him. He whispers something to her and she goes to kiss him again when she is grabbed by Tockman.

Making their way to the garage, Barry learns that Farooq is now in the garage when the door stops.

Iris remembers when Eddie gave her his gun when they said goodbye and points it at Tockman. Joe hears a gunshot.

Barry, Caitlin and Cisco huddle together when Harrison approaches Farooq. He then lists the names of those who died and begs the villain to let Barry and the others live. Farooq then shoots at Harrison, causing Barry to receive his powers where he saves Harrison from being hit. He speeds off to change and returns to fight. Soon Farooq stops and falls down as Barry breathes fast. He then heads off to find Iris and learns that the station hostage is over: Tockman is arrested and Eddie is taken away. He spots Iris and Joe, both alive.

Back at the lab, Caitlin zips up Farooq in a body bag and she tells Barry that he kicked up his powers and the villain had choked on his power. Barry then apologizes to Harrison about what he had said about him not caring.

Barry heads to the hospital to see Eddie and learns that he was drugged up completely. Joe then to test Barry, knocks down the vase, forgetting that Eddie was there. However, since Eddie was high, it was able to be unbelieved. Iris is annoyed when the Flash shows up to apologize.

Harrison then heads back to his secret room and writes another entry. He then learns that the future is fixed.

Barry is early to the lab and asks them to push him farther and faster.

In the room with Farooq, Harrison walks in and unzips the guy. He then takes a sample of the guy so as to learn how he stole the powers from Barry.

Trivia[]

Dr. Wells checks the newspaper from the future, which says "Red Skies Threaten", suggesting that without Barry as The Flash, the Crisis was unfolding significantly slower.
In a flashback scene at the beginning of the episode, the explosion of the particle accelerator was shown from a distance, witnessed by Farooq and his friends. One clearly see the airplane of the Mardon brothers being hit by the shockwave.
When a criminal attempts to rob Barry outside CC Jitters, several posters can be seen, including the close-ups of the previously shown Blue Devil II: Hell to Pay and The Rita Farr Story, and another movie poster with a stylized title, NIGHTHAWK & Cinnamon.
- In DC Comics, Nighthawk (Hannibal Hawkes) and Cinnamon (Kate Manser) were legendary bounty hunter partners in the American west during the 19th Century, the reincarnated forms of Prince Khufu and Princess Chay-Ara. Their spirits would eventually become Hawkman and Hawkgirl.
The names Dr. Wells recounts during the confrontation with Farooq are respectively as below; most of them share names with existing DC comic book characters. The descriptions are for what the characters are like "in the DC comics", for the sake of keeping the list concise, the same line is not written repetitively but still applies:
- Jake Davenport and Daria Kim
  - Farooq's friends and the only ones on this list without DC comic book counterparts.
- Ralph Dibny
  - In the comics, Ralph is Elongated Man, one of the world's greatest detectives with the ability to stretch his body great lengths, the only character on this list to debut in a Flash title (Flash Vol 1 #112).
    - In Season 4, Ralph is revealed to be alive in the new post-Flashpoint timeline and is also a meta-human who received his powers whilst riding a bus that was exposed to dark matter after Barry escaped from the Speed Force. It takes a little while, but Ralph finds himself ready to protect the city as a part of Team Flash.
    - In Season 5, Thawne directly mentions that Ralph Dibny is supposed to be dead upon seeing him.
- Al Rothstein
  - Albert "Al" Julian Rothstein is Nuklon/Atom Smasher and the godson of Al Pratt, the original Atom, having super-strength and the ability to grow in size.
    - However, in the Season 2 premiere "The Man Who Saved Central City", Al Rothstein is killed by his Earth-2 counterpart.
- Grant Emerson
  - In the comics, he is Damage, a superhero/vigilante with great destructive energy powers and the biological son of Al Pratt; though due to "Project: Telemachus", Grant supposedly also shares DNA with several other DC comic book characters, including Wildcat (Ted Grant), the Flash (Barry Allen), Black Canary (Dinah Laurel Lance), Atom (Ray Palmer), and more.
- Will Everett
  - William "Wil" Blake Everett is the original Amazing Man, whose powers allow him to mimic whatever elements he touches. His grandson, (Will Everett III), also takes the title of Amazing Man.
- Bea da Costa
  - Beatriz "Bea" Bonilla da Costa is Fire, a Brazilian supermodel turned government agent turned superhero with the ability to generate green flames.
- Ronnie Raymond
  - Ronald "Ronnie" Raymond is one-half of Firestorm. Unlike the rest on this list he returns a few episodes later in his comic book superhero identity.
Related to the above, note that during "Pilot", Dr. Wells has specifically said 17 people died because of the malfunctioned accelerator. Hence, if keeping with the continuity, those listed above aren't all the supposed casualties he knows of.
When Barry states, "Someone once told me I was struck by that lightning for a reason.", he is referencing what Oliver told him in "Pilot".
Christiaan Westerveld, who played the Mugger, will go on to appear as King Louis XIII in DC's Legends of Tomorrow
This episode introduced Wells' Artificial Intelligence, Gideon. Gideon is also the AI of the Waverider in DC's Legends of Tomorrow.
There are a number of references to The New 52 in this episode:
- Wells' journal entries, as stored by Gideon, are listed as "Entry 52".
- When Wells' repeatedly asks Gideon to search for references to Barry Allen in the future, Gideon states that she's cross checked 3452 times, the last two digits being 52.
- William Tockman gives the police 52 minutes and 27 seconds to prepare for his demands.
Wells states that it's been 312 days since Barry was struck by lightning (which occured on December 11, 2013). That places the events of this episode on October 19, 2014.

Gallery[]

Videos[]

The Flash 1x07 Promo "Power Outage" (HD)

The Flash 1x07 Extended Promo "Power Outage" (HD)

References[]

The Flash season 1
"Pilot" • "Fastest Man Alive" • "Things You Can't Outrun" • "Going Rogue" • "Plastique" • "The Flash is Born" • "Power Outage" • "Flash vs. Arrow" • "The Man in the Yellow Suit" • "Revenge of the Rogues" • "The Sound and the Fury" • "Crazy for You" • "The Nuclear Man" • "Fallout" • "Out of Time" • "Rogue Time" • "Tricksters" • "All Star Team Up" • "Who is Harrison Wells?" • "The Trap" • "Grodd Lives" • "Rogue Air" • "Fast Enough"