Continuity, Nitpicks, and Science FAILs

[bluebonnet]

Yeah, that selfie was so fail for me.  No phone camera in the world takes a picture that fast.  Thankfully, the picture was worth a mental "awww" so I didn't hate it too much.  

[arc]

It would be very tricky to get the cars to play a counter-wave loud enough to cancel out the effect at Barry's position, given that Hartley's sonic blasters could lift cars up and over the dam and car speakers generally don't have that oomph.  It would be even more difficult to arrange the sound correctly given that a bunch of different speakers would need to be phase-shifted so they lined up properly.  And most of all, once the original sonic blasters were destroyed, since Prof Wells didn't shut the counter-signal down right away, it would actually have had exactly the same effect on Barry as the original signal.

 

Also, I kinda doubt people have a single resonant frequency, because we're made of meat and bones, not solid crystal structures.  And assuming Barry is mostly human aside from being able to run really fast, the sonic attack probably would have killed Hartley too.

[Trini]

A few from "Crazy for You" :

 • How exactly did Barry get that guy out of prison? How does super speed get you through several gates/layers of security?

 • Iris' magical phone camera that can take a non-blurry photo of the Flash in motion.

 • Cisco and Rathaway being able to just walk in and use the police computers.

[Actionmage]

• How exactly did Barry get that guy out of prison? How does super speed get you through several gates/layers of security?

 

IIRC, Comics!Barry could vibrate at superspeed and, in essence, phase through walls/doors/etc., like when he takes off door knobs. He just vibrates really fast. Others  can explain it clearer, I'm sure.

 

As for the rest? I got nuthin'.

[Trini]

But they haven't shown him develop that ability yet. And a simple doorknob is one thing, it's supposed to be a maximum security prison.

[Raja]

But they haven't shown him develop that ability yet. And a simple doorknob is one thing, it's supposed to be a maximum security prison.

He does what is needed for the plot. One moment he moves so fast that people can't see a person pass. The next it is a big deal to just to reach the speed of sound.

[bluebonnet]

Shawna's boyfriend disappearing into thin air and the audience getting no explanation.  

[1TrackMind]

 

Shawna's boyfriend disappearing into thin air and the audience getting no explanation

YES. I had no idea what happened there! She BAMFS back into the car and is all 'He left me.' I had to ask the other people watching what just happened and they didn't know either.

[Xander]

The show sure is taking too many liberties these days, isn't it? LOL

[KirkB]

I'm not sure I'm remembering the scene correctly, but she 'ports out of the car and starts messing with Barry. We don't really get a shot of the car or the boyfriend again until she 'ports back in, so while we never SAW him leave I think he had time to get out and get away while we were watching her and Barry. That or it was just lazy editing.

[bluebonnet]

She's porting around fighting Barry, then her boyfriend steps on the gas and starts going and she ports back in the car.  So he's driving and then Barry flashes across the ceiling to put out the lights, car is still driving and Barry flashes to the car to put out the headlights, car stops, Barry immediately opens passenger door, boyfriend has escaped somewhere in those two seconds.  Really lazy editing.  Unless the boyfriend now has super powers.  

[MarkHB]

Or unless Something Happened.  It's possible (at least in my mind) that e.g. Reverse Flash took him out too quickly for anyone to see for some as-yet-unknown reason, and they showed us the event from Peekaboo's POV to hide the fact.

[bluebonnet]

Reverse Flash could be one of the more plausible explanations.  Though it leaves us with still asking why no one was at all curious about how the boyfriend disappeared from the scene.  The boyfriend was an escaped criminal, too.  

[driedfruit]

Reverse Flash could be one of the more plausible explanations.  Though it leaves us with still asking why no one was at all curious about how the boyfriend disappeared from the scene.  The boyfriend was an escaped criminal, too.  

 

Flash asked Iris to help find him, so the guy isn't completely forgotten. 

[Chicago Redshirt]

Anybody scientifically inclined out there know if Cisco's claim about whatever-chemical that shows up more in adults than in kids is true?

 

Also, the silver nitrate capturing stuff like a photo seems...far-fetched.

 

Finally, isn't it a little gross that someone just left blood on the walls and papered over it? I mean, Henry was arrested shortly after, but one would think Barry would have some adult relative or Joe or someone would have cleaned that shiznit up. 

[bluebonnet]

The P16 thing apparently isn't utter bullshit.

 

I think the blood on the walls is easy to accept when we know the police didn't properly investigate.  I'm guessing Barry didn't have other relatives and Joe probably wouldn't have dealt with the house.  The cleaning of the house to put it on the market likely would have been contracted out.  The third party wouldn't have a reason to investigate what evidence the police gathered for a murder scene.  Third party was cleaning up a murder scene, so blood on the wall was no different than blood on the floor.  

Edited February 12, 2015 by bluebonnet

[arc]

(I'm a bit over a week behind but) Linda kissed Barry right after he told her he had a mouthful of ghost pepper burning his mouth?

[MarkHB]

(I'm a bit over a week behind but) Linda kissed Barry right after he told her he had a mouthful of ghost pepper burning his mouth?

 

I suppose that's one way to keep the spice in their relationship....

[Trini]

So the general thought the best way to grab Ronnie was to shoot up a coffee shop? And yet he let the STAR Labs van go without riddling it with bullets.

[wayne67]

So the general thought the best way to grab Ronnie was to shoot up a coffee shop? And yet he let the STAR Labs van go without riddling it with bullets.

 

I'm still trying to figure out why they tranq'ed the waiter instead of just waiting for Ronnie and Caitlin to leave the restaurant/coffee shop and bag them outside in a discreet tranq and bag situation. Then again why a General would only have 5 soldiers escorting him about seems odd too. I'm still left wondering if running super fast will be the solution to every Flash fail.

[arc]

Weather Wizard, having successfully lured Iris to the waterfront, throws the binoculars to Joe, who's handcuffed to a railing and seated on the deck of the boat they're on.  Joe then raises the binoculars to his eyes.  There are boxes and wire spools on the deck, all at least tall enough to come up to Joe's eye line. Why would he even bother with the binoculars?

 

ETA: I have a science nitpick too.  Even if we accept that a sufficient wall of wind -- moving perpendicular to the tsunami wave, even -- could block or disrupt the tsunami, wouldn't that be hurricane-force winds going up and down what's clearly a touristy park along the waterfront?  How is this wind supposed to be strong enough to hold back vast quantities of water, but not itself destroy the waterfront?

Edited March 19, 2015 by arc

[Oscirus]

How did Barry know not call his go to guy, Cisco at the end about the tidal wave?

[Sakura12]

How did Barry know not call his go to guy, Cisco at the end about the tidal wave?

 

First of all Barry was busy having his feelings talk with Iris and making out with her, then when the wave stopped taking a break for them and became an actual threat again, Caitlin called him to tell him about Wells. That's when he asked what to do. When the answer on this show is always, "Run, Forest Run"

 

I know people love the Flash in the comics, but his powers are really not that impressive to see on screen. He doesn't have laser vision or super strength or fun gadgets. It's just running really fast. Which gets old and repetitive to see the same thing every week. 

[Oscirus]

First of all Barry was busy having his feelings talk with Iris and making out with her, then when the wave stopped taking a break for them and became an actual threat again, Caitlin called him to tell him about Wells

 

Nope, the order of events was he kissed Iris, saw the tidal wave then called Caitlin.

[kikaha]

How fast would a person have to run to be invisible to the naked eye? 

 

How fast for others to see you as a blur? 

 

To not hit things, Flash would have to be incredibly nimible, plus have fantastic vision.  Has the show dealt with either of these issues? 

[arc]

Kinda but not really. There was that ep early on where Barry poured his heart out to Iris at superspeed, meaning she looked like she was frozen in time. Superspeed running could work like that, but that would mean Barry lives thousands to millions of years in perceived time.

[driedfruit]

Superspeed running could work like that, but that would mean Barry lives thousands to millions of years in perceived time.

 

Not continuously, but only when his heart races and he's channeling the speed force. 

 

How fast would a person have to run to be invisible to the naked eye?

How fast for others to see you as a blur?

To not hit things, Flash would have to be incredibly nimible, plus have fantastic vision.  Has the show dealt with either of these issues?

 

 

Not really. When you're functioning at Barry's speed, time slows down for you. So Barry's vision/nimbleness don't have to be any different since the world around him just stops/slows.

Edited March 21, 2015 by driedfruit

[Trini]

I call shenanigans* on Cisco building those weapons overnight. I mean, even if Snart had most(90%?) of the materials ready for him, at least some of the tech and equipment necessary had to be only available at STAR Labs.

 

Also, I thought the gold gun was really stupid on several levels.

 

 

*Well, more shenanigans than usual...

[MarkHB]

I have a hunch that CGI gold leaf fit the budget better than skates that create their own levitating ice... but I'd love to know if Peyton List can skate.

[Trini]

I have a hunch that CGI gold leaf fit the budget better than skates that create their own levitating ice... but I'd love to know if Peyton List can skate.

Well, yeah; but I thought she'd get a cold gun with maybe slightly different powers/effects. But a gun that turns things into gold statues? Ummmm....

[Oscirus]

Also, how are these guns reloaded? I imagine that they start to run out after being used for a while.

[rtms77]

So if Lisa's gun shoots out molten gold, why are they knocking over banks etc when they literly have a gold mine in a gun?

[Perfect Xero]

Maybe it's a Pyrite gun ...

[Oscirus]

Cold stated the reason. They're not robbing for money anymore they're just doing it for the adrenaline rush. Hell, the last time they were on, Heatwave burned up a priceless painting just for laughs.

 

Ok, I have one that I'm more interested in hearing theories on then actually presenting as a nitpick.

 

So last night on Arrow, we saw Atom identify Arrow through a wall under his hood using Felicity's facial recognition, so why isn't team Flash able to do the same with Reverse Flash since he was caught on camera and Felicity installed the same facial recognition software onto their computers?

 

 

[Perfect Xero]

Isn't Reverse Flash constantly in vibration mode? Can't run facial recognition on a blur.

[bettername2come]

If Barry really did have "lightning psychosis," Caitlin telling it to Iris and Eddie without his permission is a total breach of confidentiality.

[quarks]

Why did vibrating through the walls only remove the wrist bomb, and not Barry's costume? 

[KirkB]

Why did vibrating through the walls only remove the wrist bomb, and not Barry's costume?

 

 

Well, since we're dealing with comic book physics here, I'd say Barry vibrated his body and the uniform where it touched his skin, making himself and it intangible, but not the bomb.

[Lovecat]

Why did vibrating through the walls only remove the wrist bomb, and not Barry's costume? 

Because god hates us and doesn't want us to see Grant Gustin naked.  :)

[Chicago Redshirt]

Why did vibrating through the walls only remove the wrist bomb, and not Barry's costume? 

 

Or for that matter, why didn't he end up running into the ground once he became intangible? Answer: because Speed Force.

 

My continuity fail is that when Joe was originally suspicious of Harrison Wells, he said that there were no records of him basically prior to the time when Barry's mom was murdered. That made sense if RF came back in time and whimsically set himself up in the fake "Harrison Wells" identity in order to create the particle accelerator and create the Flash. 

 

However, we've now learned that there was a real Harrison Wells who RF apparently killed and took the identity of. So the real Wells should have all the normal background of a regular person. I suppose Joe could just be a really terrible investigator, or RF for some reason might have destroyed the records of real Wells, but still...

[Trini]

My continuity fail is that when Joe was originally suspicious of Harrison Wells, he said that there were no records of him basically prior to the time when Barry's mom was murdered. That made sense if RF came back in time and whimsically set himself up in the fake "Harrison Wells" identity in order to create the particle accelerator and create the Flash. 

 

However, we've now learned that there was a real Harrison Wells who RF apparently killed and took the identity of. So the real Wells should have all the normal background of a regular person. I suppose Joe could just be a really terrible investigator, or RF for some reason might have destroyed the records of real Wells, but still...

 

Yep; and the producers actually admitted they only came up with the identity theft about halfway through the season. Like, really??

[Perfect Xero]

When they realized they were getting a Season 2 they rewrote things so they can have a way to keep Cavanagh/Wells around after the Reverse Flash arc is over.

[Trini]

As noted by driedfruit, Barry's STAR Labs selfie is posted on his conspiracy wall AT WORK.

 

 

Because god hates us and doesn't want us to see Grant Gustin naked.  :)

 

Heh. Barry "streaking" across the city is a scene that must happen, and I'm patiently waiting for it.  :-)

[bettername2come]

In "Out of Time" Wells acts like Cisco is missing his brother's dinner to watch Buster Keaton. In "Rogue Time," the dinner is the next night.

[pookat]

It was just a guest appearance, but they didn't think far enough ahead to make Ray's ATOM suit waterproof? What if it rained?

[Trini]

Woo! A list! So, how many people do know about Barry's "secret" identity?

 

Family/Friends:

Joe West,

Henry Allen,

Felicity Smoak,

Oliver Queen

 

Co-workers/Partners in Crimefighting:

Harrison Wells (Eobard Thawne)

Cisco Ramon

Caitlyn Snow

Eddie Thawne

John Diggle

Roy

Ray Palmer

 

Friends of Friends:

Lyla Diggle

Ronnie Raymond

Martin Stein

Clarrissa Stein

Laurel Lance, according to previews

 

Villains:

Girder/Tony Woodward [dead]

Pied Piper/Hartley Rathaway

Capt. Cold/Leonard Snart

Plastique/Bette Sans Souci [dead]

Blackout/Farooq Gibran [dead]

Gen. Wade Eiling

 

Other Random People:

That Dude that Tried to Mug Barry in Episode 7

 

Unconfirmed, but more than likely:

Heatwave/Mick Rory

Lisa Snart

 

22 we know about, but 3 are dead. Any I missed?

 

 

[Sakura12]

I wasn't going to list the dead characters, because well, they are dead. Is Gen. Wade still alive. I thought Grodd got his hands on him? 

 

You forgot Shawna aka Peek-a-boo. That poor woman thief who is locked up with murderers. 

[Actionmage]

Because god hates us and doesn't want us to see Grant Gustin naked.  :)

 

God (or Higher Power you choose) loves us. It's the Standards and Practices folks being haters! :)

 

So, as per the list, folks who don't know/ haven't been shown to know Barry - The Flash:

 

Iris West

Linda Park

Captain Singh

Capt. Singh's fiancé

Baby Sara Michaels-Diggle (unless we're still going with the "who's she gonna tell" protocol ;p)

Edited April 17, 2015 by Actionmage

[Trini]

 

You forgot Shawna aka Peek-a-boo. That poor woman thief who is locked up with murderers.

 

I don't think she did; as far as I can recall.

[cynic]

I don't normally watch Arrow, but I happened to catch the end of the last episode. It had a credits scene with Ray and Cisco at Star Labs. Ray asks how the prisoners get fed and use the bathroom. The scene ends before he gets an answer. First off, all the impracticalities (not to mention the moral/legal implications) concerning the prison still bug despite the "humorous" lampshading. Second, I was irrationally annoyed that TPTB decided to do the lampshading on Arrow instead of on the Flash. I don't care how many crossovers they do or how much information I miss, I'm not watching Arrow.