The Flash season 8 episode 5 recap: Armageddon, Part 5

This article contains SPOILERS for The Flash season 8 episode 5

As the Armageddon event comes to a climactic conclusion, Barry Allen must deal with Thawne once and for all in this week’s episode of The Flash season 8.

Check out our recap of last week’s episode here!

The fifth episode of the Armageddon event starts with the other end of Barry’s heartwarming call with Joe before he runs over there in a second, and the two reconnect. This moment is broken when Damien Dahrk appears — but not to be villainous. Damien wants the time stone he and Barry used to fix the Reverse-Flash Point. Damien takes the artifact, while Barry continues his reunion with his friends and family. However, when Thawne is causing a scene at the Central City police station, Barry strolls over to save the day.

Before the fastest man alive can stop Thawne, the future Green Arrow (Katherine McNamara as Mia Queen) is there in 2021 looking for her brother, William. The Flash and Green Arrow disarm Thawne before the scarlet speedsters arch-enemy asks to be saved by Barry Allen so he does not disappear from the timeline. While Barry and Team Flash make the decision if they want to save Thawne or not, Mia Queen is offended by her fellow heroes for even considering saving the man who has caused them so much pain and would likely do again. Iris talks with Mia separately, and as the expert journalist talks with the expert markswoman, it comes out that William was taken away two years ago, and Mia has been searching that whole time.

The Flash Season 8 Episode 5: Team Flash is Divided

While hearing various opinions on the matter, Barry goes to the source and talks with Eobard Thawne regarding his life. Barry asks why Thawne doesn’t like Barry, and we all learn about how The Flash stole his moment two centuries from now and vowed to kill Barry Allen. After talking with Despero about Thawne, Team Flash is divided with Barry, Iris, and Caitlin voting to let their historic enemy die and Chester, Allegra, and Joe trying to save him, with the patriarch landing a substantial blow on his children. Despero, who wants Thawne to die for almost causing Armageddon, begins trying to coerce Mia Queen into doing his bidding.

Barry and Iris talk with their team and make the group decision, with agreements from Caitlin and Frost, and they decide they will take Eobard Thawne’s speed away like Jefferson Pierce was going to do to Barry and give him to Argus to hold onto. While they are going over this plan, Despero appears in STAR Labs and informs the heroes Mia will listen to him since Barry will not. Barry, understandably upset, tries to stop Despero, and the two fight around Central City. At STAR Labs, a mind-controlled Mia takes on Team Flash before Iris breaks through and reminds her to be strong and think of her brother. Mia repels Despero’s power and comes to the conclusion that he must be the hero the world deserves and not The Flash.

The Flash Season 8 Episode 5: Final battle versus Despero

Barry and his teammates regroup and figure out how they will stop Despero from following through with his Machiavellian “heroism.” The team comes up with a plan, but it is held up because of Barry’s speed being weak and needing to get Despero’s fire-like magic and power into the atmosphere and nowhere near Central City. Chuck steps up with a box and says he worked on something after Barry gave him Reverse-Flash Point-Chuck built to send Barry back to the prime timeline.

Inside this box, we find out it is the comic book accurate Golden Boots for The Flash. With these boots, Barry is able to put an end to Despero once and for all, truly stopping Armageddon. Within STAR Labs, Barry makes it back just in time to take away Eobard Thawne’s speed and save his worst enemy’s life. Thawne responds with Barry doing the thing he wanted by being upset since Thawne is a psychopath and believes his speed was his life.

The Flash Season 8 Episode 5: Team Flash celebrates their big win

The episode ends with a private, fancy, and swanky party, with Team Flash being the only ones invited. Damien Dahrk appears and is heartbroken knowing he is alive because that means his daughter Nora is not. Joe talks with him aside, and they bond over being great fathers. Damien says a magical prayer, hands the time stone to Joe, and fades away. In a bright room, Damien and Nora briefly interact before the former villains’ daughter appears at Team Flash’s party. Joe comforts Nora, who just lost her father again, and the two go somewhere private to talk. Barry closes out the Armageddon event with a  heartfelt and beautiful speech.

The final scene, however, sees some of the CCPD cops who Thawne attacked earlier walking around the station, where a station photo from 2014 is focused on. Familiar faces are Joe West and Eddie Thawne. That is until some familiar golden lightning flashes on the hanging picture. After this blip, Bart and Nora appear in the back row of the photo.

How did you enjoy the Armageddon event? Are you excited about the return of Rick Cosnett as Eddie Thawne? How much chaos will Bart and Nora cause in 2014? Let us know all your thoughts in the comments below!

Watch The Flash Season 8 with new episodes returning Tuesday, March 9, 2022 at 8 pm EST and catch up at CWTV.com or on The CW app