It was a pivotal episode of Flash Forward this week, as we learn that it is possible to change what happens in the flash forwards. We learn that the flash forwards are indeed a look at what "can" come and not necessarily what "will" come. We learn this truth through a hard loss, but it's a selfless act that will hopefully inspire all those on the show struggling to make heads or tails of their visions.

It turns out the Blue Hand group is an underground death cult for those who feel they have nothing to live for since they didn't see anything in their flash forwards – much like Demetri. With nothing to live for, these "ghosts" care very little what happens to them, so they partake in things like Russian roulette or dousing water on themselves and then hooking themselves up to a car battery. Live life while you can and if you die from it so what. Meanwhile, Gough is having a hard time with the realization that his flash forward is closer than ever to coming true.

Game Changer

Gough always seemed like a crappy secondary character, but he got top billing in this episode, and he instantly became a symbol of hope and change – much more than what he was before. Knowing that a woman will die because of something he does – culminating in her two boys going into foster care – he decides that he'll kill himself so that the flash forward won't happen. It's a sad and poignant revelation that ends with Gough throwing himself off the top of the FBI building. While sad, it's hard to deny the truth – the flash forwards aren't set in stone. Death is any easy way to change them, but perhaps none of them are as set in stone, and they're more self-fulfilling prophecy more than anything else. In Gough's flash forward, for instance, there's a bird that hits the window and dies. Gough suggests putting tape on the windows to show the bird there's something there. If there isn't any tape in the flash forward, why not make sure it's there. The bird could die still, but the future will still be changed if even in an insignificant way. Gough's sacrifice shows us that things can be changed and nothing is set in stone.

The story of the death cult and Gough's sacrifice were the draw of the episode and led to the best moments of the episode. There was some nice stuff with Mark's buddy getting a little closure to his daughter in the early parts of the episode, and the story of Bryce trying to search for his mystery girl was okay, but the episode really was more concerned with the other two main stories.

The show has run into a dead end when it comes to the causes behind the flash forwards, as they learn the Blue Hand group isn't behind it, but rather just a symptom of it. With that said, I didn't mind it this week, as we got some great character development, and a lesson that will play a huge role in the show as it moves forward.

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