History Recap / TheFlash2014S5E22Legacy

* TimeyWimeyBall: Nora is erased from existence. Except afterwards Nora's journal continues to exist. Following the ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow'' rules of time, this means the timeline has not yet been permanently set. Cue Series/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths. Not to mention the SanDimasTime example above, which ''really'' strains how Thawne's plan even worked if the events around it are entirely rewritten. Though it should be noted that her diary was written entirely (as least as far as we're shown) in the "time language", which is supposed to be impervious to changes in the timeline. It's possible this extends even to its writer erasing herself from existence.

* TimeyWimeyBall: Nora is erased from existence. Except afterwards Nora's journal continues to exist. Following the ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow'' rules of time, this means the timeline has not yet been permanently set. Cue Series/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths. Not to mention the SanDimasTime example above, which ''really'' strains how Thawne's plan even worked if the events around it are entirely rewritten.

* TragicKeepsake: Nora's time journal. Iris breaks down in tears when she spots in the S.T.A.R. Labs Cortex, clutching the diary to her chest. Later on, when she's joined by Barry in the Time Vault, Iris remarks that despite the [[TemporalParadox]] that resulted in Nora being erased, [[TimeyWimeyBall the diary remains in tact]].

* CradleofLoneliness: Iris cradles Nora's time journal to her chest, as she weeps, after she loses Nora.

* PetTheDog: Thawne apologizes to Cisco once again, and also tells Nora that he honestly took a liking to her and offers her way to avoid being retgoned by using the reverse speed force (though she doesn't end up taking it).

* PetTheDog: Thawne apologizes to Cisco once again, and also tells Nora that he honestly took a liking to her.

* {{Bookends}}: Nora joined the action [[Recap/TheFlash2014S4E23WeAreTheFlash last year]] by joining Barry in a MegatonPunch to take down the satellite; in this episode, they use one against Thawne in the process of taking him down.

** Happens to Adult!Grace after Young!Grace agrees to take the cure, preventing her from ever growing up to become Cicada II.

* {{Bookends}}: Nora joined the action[[Recap/TheFlash2014S4E23WeAreTheFlash last year]] by joining Barry in a MegatonPunch to take down the satellite; in this episode, they use one against Thawne in the process of taking him down.

* TimeyWimeyBall: Nora is erased from existence. Except afterwards Nora's journal continues to exist. Following the Series/LegendsOfTomorrow rules of time, this means the timeline has not yet been permanently set. Cue Series/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths. Not to mention the SanDimasTime example above, which ''really'' strains how Thawne's plan even worked if the events around it are entirely rewritten.

* RealityEnsues: Once Team Flash is assembled in front of him and they are fully prepared, Thawne doesn't actually stand a chance. Their coordinated teamwork is enough to get the upper hand.

* AmbiguousSyntax: Exploited: when finally meeting Ralph face to face, Thawne remarks that he should be dead. That ''isn't'' [[PreemptiveDeclaration a preemptive death threat]]; prior to Flashpoint happening, Ralph ''was'' dead. As Thawne is also technically supposed to be dead/non-existent, it's unclear whether Ralph picks up on this [[DramaticIrony or not.]]

* CombinationAttack: The Team Flash members combining their techniques to attack Thawne.

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Thawne admits that he truly did grow to care about Nora during his manipulations, and hopes she can survive with the negative speed force.

** It's subtle, but Thawne's statement that the Negative Speed Force protects its users from changes to time explains how he survived Eddie killing himself and his appearance in ''Series/CrisisOnEarthX''. This has nothing to do with his time remnant from the second season of ''[[Series/LegendsOfTomorrow Legends of Tomorrow]]'', as that was created as a result of Flashpoint.

** It's subtle, but Thawne's statement that the Negative Speed Force protects its users from changes to time explains how he keeps coming back, his time remnant from the second season of Legends of Tomorrow notwithstanding.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: When confronted by Team Flash, Thawne mentioned that at the moment, events were happening that would ensure he escaped. That being Nora's CeassionOfExistence catching up to her.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: When confronted by Team Flash, Thawne mentioned that at the moment, events were happening that would ensure he escaped. That being Nora's CessionOfExistence

* IShallTauntYou: The Iron Heights warden decides to needlessly taunt Eobard, hanging his ring with the suit inside around his neck before attempting to execute him. If he hit the kill-switch earlier, Thawne might have died.

* SadisticChoice: Team Flash when they learn that destroying the dagger also means Thawne will escape. In the end, Barry destroys it when Cicada II is about to kill Nora.

* TimeyWimeyBall: Nora is erased from existence. Except afterwards Nora's journal continues to exist. Following the Series/LegendsOfTomorrow rules of time, this means the timeline has not yet been permanently set. Cue Series/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths2019. Not to mention the SanDimasTime example above, which ''really'' strains how Thawne's plan even worked if the events around it are entirely rewritten.

* VillainExitStageLeft: Thawne, as per usual.

* ForgottenPhlebotinum: Thawne tell Team Flash that the only reason to protect someone from timeline changes is through the Negative Speed Force. Except it isn't. Time changes don't propagate to other Earths, as established when post-Flashpoint didn't affect either Earth 2 (Harry and Jesse immediately noticing timeline changes on Earth 1) or Earth 38. It would have been super-easy for Cisco to send Nora to any other Earth to wait out the changes or maybe stay there permanently if her return was impossible.

* EurekaMoment: Sherloque has one on how to fix Ralph's condition, when Cisco mentions that he hasn't been this much of a mess since he first got his powers and that they used Muscle Memory to stabilize him. Sherloque then tells Cisco to blast him to achieve just that and it works.

* FaceDeathWithDignity: Of a sort: Thawne makes it clear that the only way to prevent Nora from being [[RetGone erased]] is to go into the Negative Speed Force. Nora can't bring herself to do it, as that would meaning having the Negative Speed Force be a part of her, and all of the anger that it implies. Owing to Barry's own lesson about consequences, Nora decides it would be for the best if she got erased instead.

* HalfwayPlotSwitch: Quite literally: the dagger is destroyed and Cicada II is erased at around the half point of the episode.

* HopeSpot: It seems like Nora can be saved by tapping into the Negative Speed Force...only for her to refuse doing so, not wanting to become a monster like Thawne.

* ItsAllAboutMe: Thawne knew that if Cicada's dagger was destroyed Nora would be rewritten, but as along as he lives that's all that matters. Although in fairness to Thawne he did factor a way for Nora to avoid that in his plan, she just chose not to use it.

* ItHasBeenAnHonor: Sherloque says as much to Barry, and implies it with Ralph, before he leaves for his Earth.

* MegatonPunch: Nora and Barry finish off Thawne with combined supersonic punch.

* PostFinalBoss: Thawne is the final enemy faced by the heroes this season, but at this point he's considerably less of a physical threat than Cicada II.

** It's subtle, but Thawne's statement that the Negative Speed Force protects its users from changes to time explains how he keeps coming back, his time remnant from the second season of Legends of Tomorrow not withstanding.

* StrangeSyntaxSpeaker: Ralphp's language center is a little messed up after getting stabilized.

* WhamShot: TheStinger sees the future newspaper detailing Flash's disappearance be altered due to a time flux: the date changes from 2024 to 2019.

** Nora succesfully appeals to Young!Grace's inner goodness.

* KarmaHoudini: Thawne gets away after Barry and Nora run into the negative speed force.

* AmbiguousSyntax: Exploited: when finally meeting Ralph face to face, Thawne remarks that he should be dead. That ''isn't'' [[PreemptiveDeclaration a preemptive death threat]]; prior to Flashpoint happening, Ralph ''was'' dead. [[DramaticIrony Ralph doesn't pick up on this.]]