'The Flash' Needs To Explain One of Wells' Lies

There is a lot we don't know about Harrison Wells on The Flash. But one of the most curious things involves a question the show has yet to answer. Why is Wells pretending he can't walk and using a wheelchair? I think the answer to that question comes down to what his motivations really are and what happened to him when the particle accelerator went haywire in the pilot. One thing we have to keep in mind is that depsite all the flashbacks to the night the particle accelerator set everything into motion, we have yet to see what exactly happened to Wells. Obviously, before the that night he was shown as being able to walk and afterwards we see him in a wheelchair, only for it to be revealed that he can actually still walk. So, why would he lie to the people he should trust most, like Barry, Caitlin, and Cisco? Probably because whatever happened to Wells that night means he shouldn't be able to walk, even though we know he really can.

Executive producer Geoff Johns told The Hollywood Reporter, "Harrison Wells is a new character that was created. The name obviously is brand-new. I don't think we can say anything else about it." That sounds like a bit of a misdirection, no? It clearly gives nothing away. The only thing that makes sense is that Wells was involved in an accident the night the particle accelerator went berserk, one that would have left him injuries that would cause him to lose his ability to walk. If he miraculously healed, it wouldn't make sense and would bring up a lot of questions from those around him.

We don't need to see the actual accident to infer what happened or even why Wells would fake a severe injury. For Wells, this lie is another way to firmly secure Barry's trust. It means that he too was affected by the particle accelerator's explosion. While Wells has proven to be another important father-like figure in Barry's life, as well as very intelligent and caring (to a degree), he also shown that he is willing to lie and even murder to protect Barry's future. Maybe the question we should be asking is what does Wells faking an inability to walk say about his true motives?

Many fan theories have been made as a way to discern what Wells really wants. The two most popular being that Harrison Wells is Professor Zoom or that he's actually Barry Allen from the future. For a brief moment, I really did believe that Wells could be a wholly original character. But after last week's episode, I am leaning even more towards the theory that Wells is Professor Zoom, or at least closely involved with him.

Last week's episode, "The Flash Is Born," went to great lengths at the end to suggest that Wells could be Professor Zoom. If we take everything that happened on face value, it makes a lot of sense for Wells to pretend to need a wheelchair. It means Detective Joe West won't suspect him of being "the man in yellow" that killed Barry's mother and threatened him. No matter what, it is clear that Wells faking his injury is a way to throw off suspicion. This is a man who is willing to lie and kill in order to protect Barry Allen. What else is he hiding that would ruin the relationship between him and Barry? It's only a matter of time before all the lies he's keep from Barry end up putting him in danger rather than protecting him.

Images: Katie Yu, Jack Rowand/The CW