Ch - 53 Freedom?

The situation became critical after the spherical blast: it proved devastating for Tony, knocking him out. Swayam, who was also blasted a considerable distance away, lay on the cracked floor, pretending to be unconscious—not because he was injured, but because he sensed Caitlin, Cisco, Barry, and Harrison Wells approaching.

Swayam pretended to be unconscious to make Barry worry about his well-being, hoping that this would help Barry re-establish his connection with the Speed Force and regain his powers. And that's exactly what happened. When Barry saw Farooq, with bloodlust in his eyes, approaching the "unconscious" Swayam, Caitlin shouted, "Sam!" in panic. Cisco and Harrison Wells, also concerned, called out to Swayam.

Barry, who had already faced the traumatic loss of his mother and was now about to lose a dear friend because he couldn't act in time, felt his internal turmoil reach a breaking point. It was only when everything around him seemed to move in extreme slow motion that he realized he had regained his powers. The realization hit him, and he rushed to where Swayam lay "unconscious." Barry quickly carried him to safety, placing him near Caitlin, Cisco, and Harrison Wells.

After ensuring Swayam was safe, Barry confronted Farooq. Farooq, who had been about to extract and feed on the raw power from Swayam's body, was enraged. His anger intensified when Barry stopped him, and he immediately began siphoning energy from Barry to satiate his hunger and fury.

Things might have gone the same way as they did when Barry first confronted Farooq, but now, with a stronger connection to the Speed Force, Farooq couldn't drain Barry of his power. While Farooq was locked in a deadlock with Barry, Tony Woodward, who had been knocked out by the blast, regained consciousness. Seeing Barry and Farooq in a standoff, Tony encased himself in steel using his metahuman ability and charged at Farooq, aiming to deliver a sonic punch, similar to what Barry had done to him before.

However, since Tony was unaware of the precise calculations needed to execute such a punch, he couldn't replicate Barry's feat. Nonetheless, his punch, though not sonic, was still devastating. When it connected with Farooq's head, it knocked him unconscious. The impact rattled Farooq's brain, causing internal bleeding that ultimately led to his death.

As Barry was freed from the deadlock with Farooq, he gave Tony a quick glance before heading toward Caitlin, Cisco, and Harrison Wells, who were gathered around Swayam, inspecting him for injuries and trying to wake him up.

It was only when Barry arrived and asked if Swayam was alright that Swayam's eyelids fluttered, and he suddenly opened his eyes. He immediately looked around, pretending to assess his surroundings, making his unconscious act more believable. After seeing Barry standing nearby and Farooq lying on the floor, Swayam sighed in relief and finally relaxed.

While Barry, Cisco, Caitlin, and Harrison Wells were busy questioning Swayam about his well-being, Tony, who had just knocked out Farooq, approached them. Addressing Harrison Wells, Tony said, "Harrison Wells, I've fulfilled my part of the deal and helped you stop this metahuman, so I expect you to keep your end of the bargain."

When Barry, Cisco, Caitlin, and Swayam heard Tony's words, they all turned to Harrison Wells, waiting for an explanation. Harrison Wells didn't keep them waiting long. He explained, "I struck a deal with Tony that if he helped stop or detain Farooq, I would grant him his freedom."

Barry's expression became complicated upon hearing this, but only for a moment. His look then shifted to one of firm resolve. He turned to Tony, looked him in the eye, and said, "Tony, although I appreciate what you did for us and we'll grant you your freedom, don't think for a second that I won't stop or capture you if you ever harm an innocent person again. And if you ever come near Iris or try to hurt her, I won't rest until you're back in a cell."

Tony, who had always considered himself superior, had his differences with Barry. However, deep down, Tony wasn't truly a bad person—he had never taken a life. His behavior was a result of his upbringing and circumstances, and he bullied others because he believed it made him superior. When Barry, whom he had considered inferior, defeated him, Tony began to respect him. His time in captivity gave him a lot to reflect on, leading to his redemption. Despite this, Tony knew that his past actions made it hard for others to trust him. So, the only thing he could do was apologize for his past behavior and seek their forgiveness.

Barry, being soft-hearted, wanted to believe Tony. When he saw Tony apologizing, Barry agreed to grant him his freedom but made it clear that they would keep an eye on him. If Tony was ever seen causing chaos or harming innocents, they would immediately apprehend him.

After agreeing with Barry's terms, Tony left S.T.A.R. Labs. Swayam refrained from commenting on Tony's freedom, simply because he had remembered the ending of the episode and how Barry regains his speed but he didn't remember exactly what happens with Tony in the show.