Ep 8. Blind As A Bat

After some thrilling episodes, the eighth episode of The Flash Season 1, “Blind as a Bat”, directed by Glen Winter was aired on November 25, 2014. This episode revolved around Dr. Wells' secret room, where he hidden a holographic information system which helped him to control the city in his own way, and Barry tried to find a way to access it.

The episode began with an intro where Barry found out that someone killed two thieves that were robbing a food truck with his company's name on it, though he's surprised when he realizes the killer is a guy named Kyle who has no previous criminal record. Barry and Joe think that the particle accelerator may have caused Kyle to be able to see well in the dark just like a bat, but he is blind in normal daylight. Barry manages to track down Kyle's friend, who reveals that he infiltrated a company by posing as a blind man who's since been caught, verifying Barry's hunch that Kyle was trying to do the same to get revenge.

The team decides that to understand what's going on and find out more about the company Kyle was trying to steal from, they need to hack into Dr. Wells' secret room. Although they have no idea about the code, Cisco and Barry find out that it is actually a biometric lock, which needs Dr. Wells' blood to unlock. In order to measure and analyse Dr. Wells' blood, Barry needs Cisco's help to obtain a blood sample from their mentor Dr. Wells and put it under their holographic microscope. Barry may have the quick reflexes to move things at just the right moment, but it's Cisco's brain power that makes it all happen.

On the other hand, Eddie and Iris go on their first date and it turned out hilariously disastrous. They both really like each other but are afraid of spoiling their friendship if things don't go well. On top of that, Eddie is now working with Joe on the apprehension of the reverse flash and things are becoming pretty heated.

As the team analyses the blood sample, they find out that it appears that Dr. Wells is suffering from advanced Sarcoptic Mange, the symptoms of which are consistent with his sometimes irrational behaviour and “looking like he's been dead for weeks”. Barry doesn't realize that Dr. Wells has overheard this conversation before going to bed.

The next day, Barry visits Dr. Wells' to help him but he refuses to tell him anything and attacks him. Meanwhile, Cisco and Caitlin find out the location of the company that Kyle was trying to steal from, they take him there and try to get some answers. But things quickly go south as they are both captured by the guards. Cisco is tortured and Caitlin is held captive until the team arrives to save them.

After they successfully saved them, they also find out that the company is actually a front for a black market weapons dealer. After obtaining the desired information, Barry confronts Kyle with the truth and learns that he was attempting to steal a prototype thermal imaging scope so that he could see in daylight. As Kyle is taken into custody, Barry confronts Dr. Wells with what he’s learned and demands to know why he didn’t tell the team about his condition. However, before he can get an answer, Dr. Wells stabs Barry with a serum that paralyzes him before revealing himself as Eobard Thawne, the man who killed Barry’s mother.

Overall, “Blind as a Bat” is a great episode in Season 1 of The Flash. It strikes a perfect balance between light-hearted moments such as Eddie and Iris's first date, and the intense and considerable moments of drama, action, and suspense as the team tries to get information about Wells’ hidden room. In the end, viewers were left shell-shocked after discovering the truth about Dr. Wells and learning about his real intentions. The episode effectively introduces a new villain twist and left fans waiting for the next episode with excitement and anticipation.