Warning: this article contains spoilers from The Flash episode 211: “The Reverse-Flash Returns”
Many hypotheses have been thrown around as to who is Zoom. When Jay Garrick broke through the breach from Earth Two, he brought the villain with him. Harrison Wells also stepped over. Tom Cavanagh reprised his role, but essentially, he was a different character. In season one, a flashback told that Wells and his wife were killed by Eobard Thawne, the Reverse-Flash, in 2000. Thawne from the 22nd Century shape-shifted into Wells and took over his identity. Eventually, Eddie Thawne killed himself to stop the family name and negate the super-villain from existence.
On Earth Two, Eobard never killed Wells. So when he met the STAR Labs crew of Earth One, he was actually Harrison Wells. Before this “Harry” showed up, my first theory was that he was Zoom, since another name for Reverse-Flash is Professor Zoom. With him out of the equation, I wondered where Earth Two’s Eobard Thawne might be. I also wondered where the other Barry Allen was.
All this time trying to list doppelgangers from Earth Two, I never did think that Zoom could be from Earth One. Caitlin Snow, who’s been seeing Jay Garrick, started to notice that his cells were deteriorating – a side effect from losing his speed. Her hope was that DNA from his doppelganger could lead to a cure. After relentless searching, she was left empty-handed. Jay eventually told her that he already sought out his other self. He found that the Jay Garrick of Earth One was actually named Hunter Zolomon.
The DC Encyclopedia lists Zoom as “heir to the sinister legacy of Professor Zoom the Reverse-Flash, Hunter Zolomon was one of Flash III’s closest friends before a series of tragedies ruined his life.” It doesn’t mention Jay Garrick, the Flash of Earth Two aka the Golden Age Flash, though. But liberties have been taken with this, and other shows of the Arrowverse. I’d like to say that they were at least creative.
Flash III is Wally West, Iris’s nephew from the future. We already met Wally on the show. However, in this version, he’s Iris’s estranged brother. Could he be the key to finally stopping Zoom once and for all?