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"Finish Line" is the twenty-third episode and season finale of the third season of the American television series The Flash, based on the DC Comics character Barry Allen / Flash, a costumed superhero crime-fighter with the power to move at superhuman speeds, and follows Allen, a crime scene investigator who gains super-human speed, which he uses to fight criminals, including others who have also gained superhuman abilities. It is set in the Arrowverse, sharing continuity with the television series Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow. The episode was written by Aaron Helbing and Todd Helbing, and directed by David McWhirter.

"Finish Line" originally aired on The CW on May 23, 2017, and was watched by XXX million viewers according to Nielsen Media Research. The episode received generally positive reviews.

Plot
HR reveals that he swapped places with Iris altering the future. Savitar later kidnaps Cisco to rebuild the Speed Force bazooka into an intradimensional quantum splicer so that he could create fragments of him self to rule the past, present and future and protect himself from the paradox. Barry tries to convince Savitar he could save him. Savitar returns to Star Labs and destroys the philosophers stone alongside the lab. Savitar tells Caitlin to kill Cisco but is saved by Gypsy. Savitar attempts to execute his plan but the bazooka turned out to be a speedforce skeleton key modified by Cisco to free Jay from the Speed Force. Barry, Wally and Jay face Savitar while Cisco convinces Caitlin to become good. Barry phases through Savitars suit and is then shot by Iris, killing him. Later, Cisco and Caitlin make their final goodbyes as Team Flash mourn HR for his sacrifice to save Iris. After Barry and Iris return home, a storm appears created by the speed force. Barry explains he needs to accept his punishment from creating flashpoint and the enters the speed force with his mother Nora.

Development
In April 2017, TVLine revealed that the season three finale will end in a cliffhanger that will leave viewers and Team Flash "questioning how they will move forward in season four", while also promising an "epic battle" with Savitar after his identity is discovered. Todd Helbing, executive producer, added that the team will also be dealing "with a major setback" and trying to "save Caitlin from her destiny as Killer Frost". Helbing also warned fans to prepare for the worst with Savitar's prophecy that one shall fall. In May 2017, The CW revealed that the twenty-third episode of the season would be titled "Finish Line", and would be written by showrunners Aaron Helbing & Todd Helbing, with David McWhirter directing. Describing the final showdown with Savitar, executive producer Andrew Kreisberg, said, "their [battle] isn't probably quite what you’re expecting. Just because [Savitar] is a version of Barry, it doesn't play out exactly as people would expect."

Casting
Main cast members Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Danielle Panabaker, Carlos Valdes, Keiynan Lonsdale, Tom Cavanagh and Jesse L. Martin all appear in the episode as Barry Allen / Flash, Iris West, Caitlin Snow / Killer Frost, Cisco Ramon / Vibe, Wally West / Kid Flash, H.R. Wells, and Joe West, respectively. Gustin also plays Savitar, a corrupted temporal duplicate of Barry from the future. Additionally, the guest cast for the episode includes Tom Felton as Julian Albert, Jessica Camacho as Gypsy, Anne Dudek as Tracy Brand, Michelle Harrison as Nora Allen and John Wesley Shipp as Jay Garrick; all are recurring characters in the series.

Filming
and concluded on April 22, 2017.
 * In early April 2017: https://twitter.com/dpanabaker/status/852595646259318784
 * http://comicbook.com/2017/04/23/danielle-panabaker-killer-frost-the-flash-cw/
 * ADR: https://twitter.com/dpanabaker/status/862754075212828673

Ratings
It was also the 12th most watched of the week in the 18-49 demographic.
 * best since Jan. 31 and Feb. 28: http://tvline.com/2017/05/24/flash-ratings-season-3-finale/
 * largest audience in almost four months: http://deadline.com/2017/05/the-voice-dancing-with-the-stars-finale-ratings-lows-1202101577/
 * 47th: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2017/05/31/nielsen-ratings-highlights-week-ending-may-28-2017/102349460/
 * Canada: http://assets.numeris.ca/Downloads/May%2022,%202017%20-%20May%2028,%202017%20(National).pdf

Critical response

 * 8.5/10: http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/05/24/the-flash-finish-line-review
 * B+: http://www.avclub.com/tvclub/barry-allen-outraces-darkness-flash-season-finale-255784
 * B+: http://ew.com/recap/the-flash-season-3-finale/
 * 4/5: http://collider.com/the-flash-season-3-finale-recap-finish-line/
 * 4/5: http://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/the-flash/265148/the-flash-season-3-episode-23-review-finish-line
 * https://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2017/05/24/the-flash-took-the-easy-way-out-in-last-nights-season-finale/#73096a707309
 * https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2017/05/24/i-hated-everything-about-the-season-3-finale-of-the-flash/#3560ffb43560
 * 3/5: http://www.vulture.com/2017/05/the-flash-season-3-finale-recap.html
 * http://www.blastr.com/2017-5-24/the-flash-season-3-episode-23-finish-line-recap