【Never Sleep Alone (1984)】

The Never Sleep Alone (1984)Flashkicks off its third season on Oct. 4, and considering the agonizing cliffhanger that ended Season 2, Tuesday's premiere can't come soon enough.

Perhaps you've been on the edge of your seat since May, wondering how Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) will handle his latest predicament (no spoilers!), or maybe you're a victim of the Peak TV era and found yourself falling behind on the Scarlet Speedster's adventures last season -- not everyone has the time management skills of the Fastest Man Alive, after all.

SEE ALSO: Cape appeal: the psychology of superhero fandom

If you want to jump on the Flashtrain starting with the Season 3 premiere, but don't have time to catch up with every episode from last year, you're in luck -- we've distilled a season's worth of twists, turns and time-travel shenanigans into a five episode must-watch list to help you keep track of the major reveals ahead of the new season.

If you have a little more time on your hands, we highly recommend watching Season 2 in its entirety (it debuts on Netflix Tuesday morning) to fully appreciate the rollercoaster ride of Barry's quest to defeat Zoom -- but in lieu of slowing time to facilitate a proper binge, our episode guide should start you off on the right foot.

1. Episode 202 - "Flash of Two Worlds"

While the season premiere begins with a bang (quite literally), it's the second episode of Season 2 that sets up a lot of the mythology for the new year, introducing the concept of the multiverse to the show (and thus to the larger "Arrowverse" -- the shared continuity that ties together Arrow, The Flash, DC's Legends of Tomorrowand now Supergirl). In the episode, Team Flash meets a mysterious man named Jay Garrick, recently arrived from a parallel world that the gang dubs "Earth-2." Jay reveals that another villainous speedster, known as Zoom, could pose a threat not just to our world, but to countless other Earths that exist in this interconnected universe -- and that's just the beginning...

2. Episode 209 - "Running to Stand Still"

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

In some ways, this episode is pure fan candy, since it involves three of The Flash's most iconic adversaries -- Weather Wizard, aka Mark Mardon (Liam McIntyre); Captain Cold, aka Leonard Snart (Wentworth Miller); and The Trickster, aka James Jesse (Mark Hamill) -- all operating at their scenery-chewing best. But the Christmas-themed hour also includes the introduction of another beloved DC Comics character, Wally West (Keiynan Lonsdale), who is Barry Allen's sidekick and eventual successor as The Flash in the comics, and a welcome addition to the show.

3. Episodes 213 and 214 - "Welcome to Earth-2" and "Escape from Earth-2"

Mashable Top Stories Stay connected with the hottest stories of the day and the latest entertainment news. Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

Okay, technicallythese are two separate episodes, but since they function as one gleefully engaging story, forgive the rule-breaking and make time to watch both. After seeing only brief glimpses of life on Earth-2 up to this point, we join Barry, Cisco (Carlos Valdes) and the Earth-2 iteration of Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanagh) on a rip-roaring trip to the alternate Earth, where they encounter doppelgängers, death traps and more DC Easter eggs than you can shake a Speedster at. It's a love letter to comic fans, but it's also wildly satisfying to see the funhouse mirror twists on some of our most beloved characters in their Earth-2 forms.

4. Episode 218 - "Versus Zoom"

The villain's twisted backstory is revealed, and that's all you need to know before watching.

5. Episode 221 - "The Runaway Dinosaur"

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

The Flashhas always done a remarkable job of balancing superhero thrills with humor and heart, and the show is at its best in episodes like "The Runaway Dinosaur," an hour that proves you don't always need action and special effects to tell a compelling superhero story. After sacrificing his speed to save Wally from Zoom in an earlier episode, Barry and the team attempt to replicate the particle accelerator accident that gave him his abilities -- but the ensuing explosion knocks Barry into the Speed Force -- the energy field that imbues Speedsters with their powers. What follows is a touching meditation on love, loss and the true meaning of heroism, anchored by a powerhouse performance from Grant Gustin and deft direction from auteur and comic book writer Kevin Smith.

Bonus: Episode 223 - "The Race of His Life"

If you're short on time, you can skip to the last 15 minutes of the Season 2 finale and get right the meat of the episode, which sees Barry facing off against Zoom with the fate of the multiverse in the balance. The showdown is spectacular, but it's what comes after that sets the stage for Season 3, as Barry makes a decision that will change the course of the show forever.

But if you're REALLY short on time...

...and don't have time to watch anyepisodes before Tuesday night, here's the skinny on where the Season 2 finale leaves us:

SPOILER ALERT:After Zoom ups the ante by killing Barry's father, Henry (John Wesley Shipp), Barry decides he'll stop at nothing to take the evil Speedster down. In the end, Barry defeats Zoom by creating a Time Remnant version of himself, allowing him to effectively team up with himself against his nemesis and prevent Zoom from destroying the multiverse. After the dust settles, Iris (Candice Patton) -- the love of Barry's life -- asks him whether he wants to give their relationship a real shot, but Barry is too devastated by his recent losses and tells her he needs some time to fix himself. Iris promises to wait for him, and the two declare their love for each other and share a long overdue kiss. After she heads back inside, Barry whispers an apology, then speeds back in time to save his mother from being killed by the Reverse Flash, thereby changing the course of history and creating a whole new timeline known as "Flashpoint." For more on that, check out the trailer below.

The Flash Season 3 premieres Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. on The CW.

BONUS:

Topics The CW