The Final Lap Issue #7: Beware The Curator

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The Flash is back on air at The CW and it looks like Season 5 has the potential to be one of its strongest yet. With plenty of mystery, intrigue and light-hearted humor; I can safely say that I am excited to see where they take our favorite hero this season. Oh, and…. THEY DID THE FLASH RING!! AND IT WAS AMAZING!! I COMPLETELY LOST IT!!!

Ok.. I’m done. Lol.

But to those that have honored me by running a lap with me throughout this series, I know what you are here for. You come for the Flash facts. You come for the theories and, oh boy, do I have a one for you today.

So, without further ado, I give you Issue #7 of The Final Lap!

Beware of spoilers from all The Flash episodes up to this point and Geoff Johns run on The Flash, pre-New 52.

Issue #7: “Beware The Curator”

As I suspected and have theorized before, the Flash museum has become and it seems it will continue to be a key location for the duration of season 5. Though originally introduced as a fleeting vision in season 1’s finale, in episode 3 of season 5, we finally find ourselves inside the Flash museum through a forward-flashback with Nora (get it, it’s a flashback that hasn’t yet happened because Nora is from the future…I can go all day, people!). In this forward-flashback, Nora walks us through the “Hall of Villains” at the Flash Museum. This particular section of the museum features our hero’s rogues gallery. Narrated by present-day Nora, the clip shows her as a little girl exploring this room and arriving at the booth that highlights this season’s current threat, Cicada.

Its fascinating how through the eyes and experiences of Nora, Barry and Iris’ daughter from the future, we are able to step foot into one the most fascinating locations in all of The Flash’s mythos. Though impetuous at times, I have to admit that I love the dynamic that she brings to the group and her relationship with Barry and Iris respectively. It looks like the show will use her brilliantly to bring forth great drama and character moments.

But what if….. Nora is a Trojan horse?

In the end of ep.3, Sherloque Wells (this season’s version of Harrison Wells from the multiverse) asks Nora the following question: “That decision… did you come to it on your own?”. This inquiry, referring to why she assisted Barry in destroying the Thinker‘s satellite during season 4’s finale, suggest that Nora might be working or is being advise by someone. Her reaction suggest that Nora has a secret partner or friend that team Flash does not know about and I think I know who that person might be.

Let’s start by simply reviewing the concept of a Trojan horse. During the classic Greek text “The Iliad”, the Greeks gifted the city of Troy with a giant, artistically-crafted horse. Disguised as peace offering, the horse was big enough to house a garrison of carefully selected Greek warriors, that in turn, started the invasion that lead to the fall of Troy once the horse entered its walls. It was the gift that ended an empire.

Now, do I think that Nora is a villain? No, not a all. She is a genuine hero-in-training. But she has shown herself to be naïve and inexperienced. Though brilliant, we see the results of Nora being raised without role models and an estranged mother. We find her constantly searching for approval, acceptance and affection from those surrounding her, specifically Barry, the father she never grew up with. Simply put, Nora could be susceptible to the influence of those she admires or respects.

But who could this person be? I think a certain location can greatly narrow that down. What could that location be, you might ask?

It’s simple, The Flash Museum.

Let’s look at what we know about Nora. She loves and looks up to her father. Not only did she grow up without a father; she grew up knowing that her father was one of greatest heroes in history. But she doesn’t talk about The Flash as his daughter; she talks about him as a fan. She knows about all the great battles. The toys. The milestones. The team. Maybe even his favorite item at Big Belly Burger. She know all the nuances that only real fans care to know.

Though we still don’t know why, Nora seems unable to have a healthy relationship with her mother. These “problems at home” and being obsessed with who her father was could probably be what precipitated Nora into making the Flash museum her home away from home. It’s possible that due to Barry’s disappearance, Iris can’t bring herself to talk to Nora about her father and that’s what damages their relationship. At the Flash museum, is where Nora would feel the closest to her father and were she could talk about freely about The Flash with the one person that knows the most about her hero, the museum’s curator.

I know it sounds strange; but run with me on this.

As a fan of many things myself, I can safely say that there is nothing like having a deep conversation with someone that shares in with your fandom. There is a sense of kinship that is unique to that experience which would be necessary for a character like Nora to develop a close bond with this curator. This, in turn, would lead me to believe that the curator of the Flash Museum doesn’t just take care about the exhibits but is definitely a fan as well. It’s not just that the museum celebrates the Flash is that she might have find someone she can bond about the Flash with.
When we compile these hypotheticals with some Flash facts, there is one name that resonates with all of these clues.

One name and one name alone.

That name is…. EOBARD THAWNE

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If this name sounds familiar is because it should. Eobard Thawne is the alter-ego of The Flash’s greatest foe, The Reverse-Flash. Allow me to show you how he fits in to all these possibilities:

He was born in the 22nd Century and is master of time-travel that constantly travels across time to battle The Flash.
His relationship with The Flash started as a fan of his powers and heroics. He is or was a Flash Fan of the highest order.
His fandom lead him to become an expert in the Science of the Speed Force and The Flash which lands him the gig of CURATOR at the Flash Museum in the 22nd Century.
Wanting to be loved in his time like The Flash was in the past, with his expertise in science and all things Flash, he replicates the accident that gave Barry Allen his powers and succeeds.
During his travels through time and encounters with The Flash, his love morphs into hatred towards The Flash (the reasons vary in the various retellings of his origin, the current Rebirth version being my favorite so far) and thus, The Reverse-Flash is born.
As The Reverse-Flash, Thawne travels through time looking for different opportunities to make Barry’s life miserable because he can’t kill him. Partially because if Barry dies, he would lose his powers or never become The Reverse-Flash; but I like to think that its because he is still fan. Twisted, but still a fan.

As I run into the Speed Force, I can see Thawne travelling to young Nora‘s timeline and developing a bond her. An unassuming Nora could be convinced by her friend to make certain choices or actions that would further his plan to hurt Barry and hurt him hard. We know that he is patient. We know that he is brilliant. More importantly, we know that he doesn’t hesitate and removes all obstacles that may stand in his way. Without knowing it, Nora might be aiding the Man in the Yellow Suit make a comeback and I think that it is long overdue.

You might think, but isn’t Cicada the big bad this season? He is, but that doesn’t mean that this can’t play out as a crucial component of Nora‘s ark in the background and set up a future bout with Thawne. Another way it could work is if they used Cicada for only the first half of the season. First half, Cicada and the second half, The Reverse. It can work nicely. Remember, The Flash disappears in crisis while battling The Reverse-Flash, we dont know how many seasons this show is going to run for, but I do know they have plans to pay that series long MacGuffin off. Nora’s storyline might be the one that starts to set that up.

I’m excited with this theory because I really want to see The Reverse-Flash origin story in the show and I think this premise sets the stage for an episode on Thawne. Also, we are overdue some The Reverse-Flash v.s The Flash action. I will forever believe that The Reverse-Flash is one of the best villains that DC as a whole has to offer and he has been sitting on the bench for to long. The crossovers and his stint on DC’s Legends of Tomorrow don’t count. The Flash is more experience and mature as a hero and speedster at this point in the series which could lead to some epic showdowns. In other words, you could call this issue my pro-Thawne Manifesto!

What do you think? Is this theory farfetched or can you see the what I am seeing? Let me know what you think in the comment section below or on Twitter.

Till next time, fellow Speedsters and as always, see you at the finish line,

Brandon Alvarado,

The Scarlet Fan.