Warning! The following contains spoilers for The Flash episode "Heart of the Matter, Part 1." Read at your own risk!
The Flash celebrated 150 episodes on The CW in its latest episode, and while that was something for fans to be excited about, the way the August Heart arc could conclude may not. Part 1 of the two-part finale event ended in a way that teased Barry Allen may save the day the same way he has with every other major encounter in Season 7: by using his feelings.
The Flash's 150th episode started pretty action-heavy with Barry, Nora, Bart, Jay Garrick, Killer Frost, and even Cisco returning to take down the Godspeed clones, and even then, it only slowed them down momentarily. It was time for Plan B, which meant Barry (with Cecile's help) entered the mind of the original August Heart, who had lost his memory. To that point, Heart seemed like an unassuming and slightly skittish guy, and certainly not someone capable of evil. That Heart was trapped dormant in the man's mind, which Barry learned shortly after he arrived.
The end of the episode sets the stage for The Flash to set up another battle between Barry and a villain in which he'll seemingly need to appeal to their better side. After all, the August Heart pre-mind invasion seemed like a nice guy, although that could totally be an act. If Barry could defeat the evil Heart in his mind, it's possible he could eradicate all the events which resulted in the clone Godspeeds and save the day. You know, like what Team Flash did with Mirror Master and again with the Speed Force when she went rogue.
Once again, The Flash is seemingly setting up Barry defeating a bad guy without actually defeating them in some decisive fight. The move was great as a one-off subversion of expectations with Mirror Master. When it happened again with the Speed Force, I definitely felt the schtick got old. Now there's seemingly a chance of it happening again with August Heart with this upcoming mind battle, and it may just send me over the edge if it happens again.
Of course, there's also a chance I'm completely wrong, and The Flash ends Season 7 with an all-out superhero brawl and Barry beating the snot out of August Heart for trying to kill his children. Ultimately, that's what I'm hoping for because I'm not sure anyone wants to see Barry inspire or guilt another villain into apologizing and riding off into the sunset a changed person. Sometimes villains can't be changed and need to be destroyed as a result.
The Flash Season 7 finale airs on The CW Tuesday, July 20th at 8:00 p.m. ET. Do you think Season 7 will end with another villain in their feelings? Sound off in our poll below.
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