Reviewers and viewers highlighting the emotional weight and thematic depth of the episode:
: Carlos Valdes delivers a standout performance as Cisco Ramon, who is reeling from the loss of friends like Harry Wells and Jesse Quick. His regret over taking the metahuman cure—believing he could have saved lives if he were still Vibe—adds a layer of tragic irony to his arc. The Rise of Black Hole [S6E10] Marathon
The episode excels at managing the somber aftereffects of the multiverse-shattering crossover. It avoids a jarring jump into lightheartedness, opting instead for a "glum exploration" of Team Flash's survivor's guilt and identity crises. Reviewers and viewers highlighting the emotional weight and
: Iris pursues the secret organization "Black Hole," which has been using metahumans as assassins. This storyline grounds the season’s second half in a more grounded, noir-inspired mystery. It avoids a jarring jump into lightheartedness, opting
"Marathon" effectively transitions Iris West-Allen from a supporting love interest back to her roots as a fearless investigative journalist.
: Barry receives a parting gift from Oliver Queen—Oliver’s original mask—which he obsessively treats as a clue to a final mission. His struggle to let go of the "hero's burden" reflects the episode's central theme: the difficulty of slowing down.
“"Marathon" deals with the fallout of Crisis while setting up the second half of the season... it manages to be more gripping and heartfelt than that boring, anticlimactic waste of a crossover was.” Geeks + Gamers · 6 years ago