So, everything I said last week about this “event” feeling like it was never meant to be an event? Like it was just a regular Flash story that Despero and a bunch of crossovers got stapled onto? I am now 200% convinced of that.

You take Despero out of this story, and almost nothing would have to change. Same goes for almost all the guest star heroes. It was good seeing Mia again, but she served jack-all purpose in this episode.

The only crossover character who really worked was Ray back in the first ep. That’s because that was just a standalone story before the main event got going. So Ray could show up simply because he happened to be in town, have his own subplot in the episode, team up with Barry in the climax, then be on his way. But once the episodes become focused on this Reverse Flashpoint plot, the superfluousness of the guest stars is staggering.

(Damien Darhk managed to be relevant last episode, but this week joins the crowd of just-sort-of-there.)

As for what this episode specifically did … look, where our heroes will let Thawne die or try to save his life is, in theory, an interesting premise. It would have been more interesting if there was no Despero involved, and the climactic slugfest was actually Team Flash coming to blows with each other over this. But what would have made it really interesting would be if it felt like there was any doubt about the outcome.

They try and trick us, make it seem like Barry and Co. will let Thawne die, but … c’mon. This is The Flash. The only reason it ever suggests compromising your moral code or being less than idealistic is so it can reaffirm those codes and idealism harder than ever. If they had actually stood by and let Thawne fade away, even as he begs/cajoles/threatens them to help him … I kinda wish that had happened, ’cause it’d be maybe the most shocking things The Flash has ever done.

Plus, it’s all well and good to say that, as heroes, they can’t refuse to save someone, but surely Thawne’s not the only person in the world who needs saving? There must be some war zones or disaster areas you could superspeed to, right? Spend a few hours there, saving those people’s lives, and when you come back, Thawne will be gone.

I will end this on a positive note, though: I loved the scene between Thawne and Caitlin. Normally, Thawne’s appearances are always about him and Barry, and sometimes about him and Cisco or him and Nora. Until now, Caitlin’s never had a real chance to confront the man who betrayed her and wrecked her life just as much as he did Barry’s, and finally getting her perspective on it is one of the best character moments Caitlin’s been given in a long, long, long while.

Question of the Week: If all the Arrowverse heroes were polled, which ones would vote to let Thawne die, and which ones would vote to save the maniacal speedster?