The climax of Rupture is both visually and narratively shocking. Barry finally agrees to the experiment, hoping to become the Flash once more. As Wells triggers the explosion and Barry is struck by the lightning and chemicals, the process appears to go horribly wrong. Barry is seemingly disintegrated into a cloud of energy, leaving the team in a state of grief and shock. However, the energy wave released from the experiment strikes Wally West and Jesse Wells, a moment that fans of the comics recognized as a clear foreshadowing of their future roles as Kid Flash and Jesse Quick.
If you'd like to explore more about this season, tell me if you're interested in: The behind the Speed Force A character analysis of Zoom's motivations How this episode impacts the finale of Season 2 The_Flash_S02E20
Ultimately, Rupture is an episode about the consequences of desperation. It moves the season toward its finale by removing the protagonist from the board and hinting at a massive expansion of the "speedster" mythos. By ending on a cliffhanger where the hero is literally gone, the episode successfully ramps up the tension, forcing the supporting characters to step up in a world that no longer has its Fastest Man Alive. The climax of Rupture is both visually and