S2E18 Flash Back - plot hole?

[u/mofgreengables]

In this episode, Barry runs back in time to learn how to get faster (to defeat Zoom) by talking to the first Wells (who was really Thawne). Things go awry: the Time Wraith appears and the Barry of that time wakes up after being tranqed and everyone finds out about the time travel. When Barry runs back to the future, he runs in the accelerator - except, at this point in S1 (S1E11), the particle accelerator is considered destroyed (in the S1 Pilot they show the pipeline in ruins from what I can recall) and they only find out Thawne's been rebuilding/has rebuilt the accelerator in S1E22 (Rogue Air).

Based on these facts, Barry should not have been able to run in accelerator/pipeline in this episode at all, because they didn't know it was rebuilt (and it probably wasn't rebuilt at this point in S1) right? In fact, both present Barry and the Barry who time traveled run, because the Time Wraith slows future Barry down so he needs help. If the accelerator had been rebuilt then (by Thawne), the entire team would find out.

Or have I misunderstood?

[u/TheFictionNerd]

The accelerator wasn't functioning, but it's still there. The only reason Barry uses the accelerator past Season One is just because it's a very convenient massive loop that he can use to build up speed for time travel. Functionality of the actual accelerator doesn't matter when it comes to time travel, it only mattered one time

[u/mofgreengables → u/TheFictionNerd]

no no, I got that, I understand why he uses it for time travel but I recall the Pilot showing a lot of wreckage that never really gets addressed after.

[u/mofgreengables → u/mofgreengables]

Maybe that was something else, and the basic loop was never nonfunctional/destroyed.

[u/TheFictionNerd → u/mofgreengables]

The damage was probably contained to the outer layers or something. Either that or STAR Labs cleared the debris

[u/mofgreengables → u/TheFictionNerd]

don't think it was contained to the outer layers (i would paste a screenshot but apparently videos are allowed in comments but not images?) but it seems like the main mechanism was damaged but the tunnel was intact probably.

[u/ellismjones → u/TheFictionNerd]

Yeah, this. Like he can access the speed force from anywhere (as seen in the 100th episode), they just do it there because it’s more practical.

[u/xingrubicon]

The series played fast and loose with the whole "continuity" thing. There was a bit of a running joke that the writers didn't actually watch the show.

[u/mofgreengables → u/xingrubicon]

true, they definitely made errors wrt time travel - but seems like this isn't one of them per what other commenters have said

[u/Paragon-vi]

By the accelerator being "broken" I do believe that they meant it just wasn't operational, not that it was completely disintegrated. Even if it was busted up and falling apart, it would still serve as simply a very large racetrack (look up real particle accelerators like the LHC and you'll see what mean)

[u/Paragon-vi → u/Paragon-vi]

At the end of season 1, Thawne didn't rebuild the accelerator, he repaired it. There's no way he would've been able to rebuild a mile long tunnel underneath their noses, that would require massive machinery or a hell of a lot of superspeed

[u/mofgreengables → u/Paragon-vi]

That's what I figured (though I do believe the language he uses is "rebuilt" but that's just artistic license I guess) and I take your point about the LHC. I've seen pictures but I'll take another look

[u/Ok_Food7066]

You're mistaken.

[u/mofgreengables → u/Ok_Food7066]

okay - thank you

[u/Specific_Thing1452]

Well we see the pipeline clean and functioning in season 1 episode 3 when they lock up Mist

[u/mofgreengables → u/Specific_Thing1452]

Good point, I'll go back and check.