So last night, despite myself I tuned into The season premiere. Despite my reservations, I did enjoy the episode. But it wasn't perfect and the biggest problem was Iris. This episode seems to have confirmed a theory I've had since the comic con promo: Iris has become the new Felicity. What this means is that Iris is now the characters the writers will prop up and make annoying and makes stupid decisions while facing no repercussions.
One of those decisions was to give herself up to the samurai on the very slim chance that it would break Barry out of his SF induced insanity. I know they were all happy that Barry was back, but seriously, no one said anything about what Iris had done? Not even Joe? If Barry or Wally had done something like this, Joe would rip them a new one. But not a word to Iris? Come on Joe, you are a better father than that!
So, this was born.
Star Labs
late afternoon
"Guys, could you give Iris and I the room?" Joe asked suddenly, interrupting the celebration.
At Joe's tone, everyone exchanged looks but followed his instructions. Barry and Wally recognized his 'dad' voice and Cisco and Caitlin knew something was up and didn't want to get in the middle of this. Whatever this was exactly.
"Yeah dad?" Iris asked confused.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Joe demanded angrily and Iris looked at him, still confused.
"What was I thinking when..." Iris trailed off.
"You put yourself in unnecessary danger!" Joe snapped and Iris' face tightened in determination.
"I did what I had to do to bring Barry out of the state he was in." Iris defended and Joe stared a her as though she had said something extremely stupid.
"Iris, you took an unnecessary risk. You had no idea if this would have worked or not. And what about Barry? If you ad died and he had come out of this, knowing you did this because of him, did you think at all about what that would've done to him? Or to Wally and me? No, you didn't think at all!" Joe shouted angrily and Iris cringed, feeling like a little girl who had done something Joe had asked her not to do all over again.
"Dad, I was just trying to help." Iris said and Joe sighed.
"I get that Iris, I do. We were all feeling desperate, but what if this hadn't worked? For god's sake Iris, you could've died! You were reckless and selfish Iris!" Joe shouted and Iris flushed, having no defense.
I'm sorry bad." Iris said in a meek voice and Joe sighed.
"Iris, I know your heart was in the right place, but you did not think for a single second how your actions would have affected the people around you. You're my whole world baby. And Barry loves you so much, if either of us or Wally ever lost you..." Joe took a deep breathed to calm himself as Iris' eyes filled with tears, realizing what she had almost caused. "If you ever do something like this again, I'll throw you down in that pipeline just like I did with Barry. You understand?"
"Yes dad." Iris said, feeling like a little girl with her hand caught in the cookie jar.
Joe nodded, looking far older then he was, and walked out, leaving Iris to her thoughts.
