The Flash Season 2 picks back up next week with episode 18, “Versus Zoom.” With only a few episodes remaining before the season ends, we’re still waiting for the answer to one question in particular: Who is the masked man in Zoom’s lair? We’ll find out in the finale, revealed Zoom actor Teddy Sears during an exclusive with Entertainment Weekly .
“I can promise that it will be revealed and it will be quite satisfying,” Sears said.
We were first introduced to the ‘man with the iron mask’ in The Flash Season 2 “Escape From Earth-2.” Barry and Harrison Wells’ daughter Jesse were captured by Zoom on Earth-2. Barry notices the masked man in the adjacent cell may be trying to communicate by knocking on the glass. He and Jesse are able to identify the code and figure out he’s tapping out the letters J. A. Y. When Barry clarifies Jay Garrick is on Earth-1, the man becomes frustrated and Zoom interrupts.
This suggests the man behind the mask could be the ‘real’ Jay Garrick from Earth-1 or Earth-2 (is he dead?), or heck even Earth-3. The masked man wasn't trying to say Zoom is Jay, he was trying to say he was Jay. This also make sense because Earth-2 Jay Garrick, (before he got sucked into the breach by Zoom) couldn't find his own doppelganger on Earth-1, only Zoom’s doppleganger, Hunter Zolomon.
The second most logical guess based on what we know is that he could be another version of Hunter Zolomon, probably not the guy we saw in the park when ‘Jay’ showed Catlin his doppleganger. There is also the time element to consider--the man behind the mask could be the same man as Zoom just from an alternate timeline. So for example, Zoom is Earth-2 Jay Garrick from the future, making the man in the mask present Earth-2 Jay Garrick.
Since Barry and Team Flash have been heavy on time and multiverse travel, the man could be someone from another Earth we don't know about. Wally West would make for an intriguing twist continuing into Season 3. He may already have his speed powers on Earth-2. It's suspicous Zoom is seen holding a frightened Wally West hostage in the most recent set photo.
Other fan guesses include Henry Allen, or Eddie Thawne. It’s hard to believe Barry’s father just up and left Central City after he was released from jail simply to let Barry focus on superheroing with the West family, so something fishy could be going on. Eddie’s death pretty much saved the world, erasing modern-day Eobard Thawne from ever existing. We didn’t get any confirmation about what happened to his remains after he was sucked into the wormhole, so maybe they left his death open-ended for a reason.
Showrunner Andrew Kreisberg revealed during an interview with TV Line in February that we’ll get more clues before the finale episode, where the iron masked man’s identity is revealed. “The mystery of the Man in the Iron Mask will play out over the rest of the season with some clues being layered in along the way,” Kreisberg said. “I don’t think you can assume anything that Jay has said to the team or the audience is the full truth. It is a version of the truth,” the producer added.
There has to be some clues coming along with the next episode, “Versus Zoom,” where we will learn more about Zoom and Hunter Zolomon’s origins. It’s been made clear Barry and Cisco will travel back to Earth-2, and Cisco will learn more about his own powers, which could help Barry discover details about Zoom and the man behind the mask.
Teddy Sears also gave some insight into how there’s more to Zoom’s story than just wanting Barry’s speed. He reveals Hunter Zolomon’s past is similar to Barry’s when he was a child.
“What begins to happen, too, is something that you’ve alluded to that perhaps, like a truth sociopath would, Hunter would begin to enjoy the game; the game that one can play with another human being. If you’re in a sociopathic state, that’s one thing that you get a great kick out of; the hunt, the game, the chase. The seeds are planted for that when he gets there. It’s a two-hander, but we will get into the specifics of that as the rest of the season unfolds,” Sears adds.
Will Barry be able to defeat Zoom and free his mysterious prisoner? Find out more about Zoom and the man behind the iron mask when The Flash returns to the CW April 19.
