Armageddon, Part 1

—Cisco Ramon[src]

This episode is part of a larger crossover series, ***Armageddon***.

—Nora West-Allen and Cisco Ramon[src]

This article contains plot details about an upcoming episode.

"**Armageddon, Part 1**" is the upcoming first episode of the eighth season of *The Flash*, and the one-hundred-fifty-second episode overall. It will air on November 16, 2021.

The episode is the first part of the five-part crossover, *Armageddon*.

## Plot

The scene opens up in Central City 2031, with screaming and explosions for what's to come. Despero begins to explain how he's going to prevent The Flash from causing *Armageddon*.

Present day, Barry and Caitlin explains about Frost and Mark toxic relationship. After walking to Jitters, Caitlin decides she's going to start dating again after the death of her husband, Ronnie Raymond.

Meanwhile in Keystone City, two bullet trains on the Calvert railway are going to collide. Barry rescues everyone in twelve seconds before the collision. At CC Citizen Media, Iris interviews Kristen Kramer about how important it is being a meta-human and comes to terms about being one.

At the end of the day, Barry and Iris has a candlelit pizza dinner at their loft from their favorite place in Milan, Italy. Barry mentions Deon Owens still currently still finding a way to cure Iris temporal sickness with regular treatments. Ray Palmer crashes at Barry & Iris loft during their candlelit date. Meanwhile the next day, the Royal Flush Gang robs Mercury Labs getting their prize to "raise the stakes". Chester stops by at the loft with Ray and Chester meeting each other.

Allegra wants everyone to cover the robbery of Mercury Labs earlier, while everyone disagrees and believes their stories is believed that Iris would want to cover. At CCPD, Barry tries to discover the Royal Flush Gang's plan and how it may tie with the Calvert collision. Officers begins to travel to Iron Heights due to it losing power and every cell door unlocked and opened. Barry speeds to put every inmate back in their cell, while Royal Flush Gang levels up.

Meanwhile at Jitters, a dozen of CCTC people gets ready to pitch to Ray Palmer (planned by Chester). Ray informs Chester about not wanting to invest in another tech business, wanting to peruse a normal life. Chester cancels every CCTC person and lets Ray have his privacy. Iris and Allegra talks about the incident at CC Citizen Media and how Allegra isn't ready for her new position which Iris denies.

Team Flash tries to discover Royal Flush Gang's plan while Chester is feeling sad about Ray while Chester mentions Ray is just like dead to him in which Cecile reacts just like she experienced a death. Team Flash ends up discovering their plan and puts Haywood back in Iron Heights. Royal Flush decides to pick a card while Barry goes in flashtime to reshuffle the deck and puts them all in meta-cuffs.

Meanwhile at the Tech-Con, Chester webcasts about the con and decides to let Barry and Ray into their webcast just to cut Ray off after ending the webcast. Barry and Ray discuss the issue and Ray mentions once again how he doesn't want to fall in a trap starting another tech business, Barry also mentions how he leveled up and grew from first putting on his cowl and if something doesn't exist that he likes, Ray can invent it. At CCC Media, Allegra edits everyones articles and mentions how everyone is supposed to be interviewed and more just than providing facts and it has "something to say".

Back at Tech-Con, Iris interviews Ray and questions about investing in a tech business again, to which Ray plans to invest next year. Despero intrudes in everyone clapping for Ray and informs everyone to run while they still can. Despero mentions he came a long way to find the Flash and informs Flash, he's going to kill him now that he found Barry. Ray suits up as the Atom again informing Chester, he's still not a legend. Meanwhile, Barry speeds around Despero to which Despero punches the ground and Barry flies out the building. As Despero approaches outside, he mentions to Barry to surrender to which, Ray shows up in his Atom suit to join the fight and notices Barry has been working out. Both Barry & Ray throw lighting and Ray's energy blast at Despero to which, Iris yells out who are they firing at due to Despero being behind to everyone but The Flash and Atom. Despero then throws a taxi at the two, to Ray shrinks him and Barry to avoid being hit by the taxi. Barry mentions how Diggle fells about certain meta-human abilities they do on him. Barry then creates a speed mirage as Atom shrinks, while Barry is about to lightning punch Despero, he then punches Barry throwing him to the taxi car. Barry then asks to cover what happened that Despero becomes so eager to kill him, Despero provides Barry by showing what happens in 2031 that Barry creates destroying the planet. Atom then saves Barry from about to be killed by Despero and sends him to somewhere in time, defeating him.

At S.T.A.R. Labs, Team Flash along with Ray goes over about what happened during Ray & Barry against Despero. Cecile recovers how he (Despero) was telling the truth. Ray mentions he may be a type of alien to defeat him, thus Chester mentions Kryptonite and Caitlin mentions she's going to contact Alex Danvers. Meanwhile at CC Citizen Media, Iris decides to print the article Allegra edited from the other editors. Ray mentions at S.T.A.R. Labs, that he would like to create a non-profit organization to fund young scientists. Ray decides to titles it the "Quincy P. Runk Foundation" in honor of Chester's late father. Chester then proceeds to give Ray a hug and Ray mentions he can call Chester for any help with the organization, he also mentions to show Despero his true self like he does to his team.

At the Speed Lab, Barry encounters Despero yet again, mentioning to kill Barry once again to which Barry surrenders and Despero mentions they could've fought side by side and how Barry is the most dangerous kind of killer and how he hides in the body of a hero. Barry decides to let Despero scan his mind to decide if Barry is being truthful and having honor. However, Despero avoids the mind scan and doesn't want to risk millions of lives dying mentioning he came back to this time and trying to kill Barry. Barry then proceeds to take his cowl off and reveal himself to Despero. Despero proceeds to let Barry have seven extra days before ending his existence.

## Cast

### Starring

* Grant Gustin as Barry Allen/The Flash
* Candice Patton as Iris West-Allen
* Danielle Panabaker as Dr. Caitlin Snow
* Danielle Nicolet as Defense Attorney Cecile Horton
* Kayla Compton as Allegra Garcia
* Brandon McKnight as Chester P. Runk
* Jesse L. Martin (credit only)

### Special guest star

* Brandon Routh as Dr. Ray Palmer/The Atom

### Guest starring

* Carmen Moore as Captain Kristen Kramer
* Rachel Drance as Taylor Downs
* Lindy Booth as Vanya Davis
* Shayan Bayat as Aariz Mousa
* Agam Darshi as Queen
* Ryan Jefferson Booth as King
* Tony Curran as Despero

### Co-starring

* Stephanie Izsak as Officer Daisy Korber
* Megan Peta Hill as Ten
* Eston Fung as Jack
* Caitlin Diaz as Harriet-Z
* Shaun Omaid as Jered Haywood
* Meena Mann as News Anchor
* Emily Schoen as Nerdy Patron #1
* William Fielding as Nerdy Patron #2
* Kimberley Mercado as Nerdy Patron #3
* Keyosha Waugh as Nerdy Patron #4
* Malcolm Masters as Guard #3

## Trivia

* This is the first season premiere of *The Flash* not to feature Jesse L. Martin (Joe West). It is also the only episode of *Armageddon* where Joe does not appear in any way.
* Caitlin states Barry can run 4000 MPH.
* It's confirmed Season 7 ended during 2021, since Barry and Caitlin mentioned Frost being angry at Chillblaine all summer and fall.
* Nora Darhk's status as a fairy godmother and marriage to Ray is known to not just the Legends; Team Flash found out at an unspecified time.
* The way that Ray suits up as the Atom at the Tech Con is very similar to how Clark Kent suited up as Superman in "The Adventures of Supergirl".
	+ This also references Brandon Routh's previous role as Superman in *Superman Returns*.
* Atom shrinking Barry through the car Despero throws at them in slow-motion is similar to the opening of *Deadpool*.
	+ Barry got nauseous after being shrunk by Ray Palmer in a similar way that John Diggle got nauseous after being moved by Barry, with Barry stating that he now knows how Diggle feels.
* *The Central City Citizen* has evolved into Central City Citizen Media; thanks to Sue Dearbon buying a building for Team Citizen to work at and expands their membership.
* There is a new Royal Flush Gang consisting on a group of meta-humans. Previously there were two gangs: one that consisted on a family of regular robbers who operated in Star City before Oliver Queen stopped their criminal activities, and a second gang consisting of bikers who were arrested by the Flash.
	+ This new group lacks an Ace, the fifth member of the gang.
* From time to time, 'Royal Flush Gang' uses quotes from the song 'The Gambler' sung by Kenny Rogers, like when Queen says 'I Know How to Fold them.'
* Ray states that he hasn't met with Nate Heywood in a while due to the latter rarely being in the present day, which might be a reference to how the Legends are currently lost in time; unknown to everyone, the *Waverider* has been destroyed.
* The newspaper article about the Royal Flush Gang seen in Barry's flashback was written by Mason Bridge.

## References

 *Armageddon* | TBA **•** TBA **•** TBA **•** TBA **•** TBA