SPOILER WARNING: This article contains major spoilers for "Therefore I Am," the latest episode of The Flash.
The Flash has finally uncovered the Thinker. "Therefore I Am," the latest episode, revealed Clifford DeVoe's backstory through a series of flashbacks that showed his plans have been years in the making.
Four years ago, just before STAR Labs' particle accelerator exploded, DeVoe and his wife were attempting to broaden the extent of human intellect. While DeVoe had the theories, his wife -- known as the Mechanic -- had the engineering abilities to bring them to life. As such, she was able to build DeVoe's thinking cap, but there was no source strong enough to power it.
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Fortunately for DeVoe, the particle accelerator explosion was just around the corner. After confronting Eobard Thawne about the particle accelerator, DeVoe and his wife realized that an explosion was Thawne's purpose and planned accordingly. DeVoe stood outside STAR Labs with his thinking cap as the particle accelerator exploding, which kicked it into action. DeVoe was then given the gift of infinite intellect, but he had to pay a price for his powers.
Soon after he developed his powers, DeVoe suffered a spasm that sent him to the hospital. There, he learned he had developed ALS, which was destroying his body. The power of his brain, imbued by the particle accelerator and the thinking cap, was destroying his body; as such, he had only years to live.
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However, DeVoe's wife wasn't going to sit idly by as her husband died. She developed a special chair that would slow the progress of his ALS -- the same chair he was seen sitting in when he first appeared on the show. Even as she worked to save him, he began to withdraw emotionally and begged her to let him die.
Nevertheless, DeVoe began to develop a plan, though he has not yet revealed his endgame. When Barry confronted him near the end of the episode, DeVoe revealed that Team Flash has been part of his plan all along -- and that Barry had already lost the game he didn't realize they were playing.
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At the end of the episode, DeVoe's wife rushed him to his chair as he developed a tremor in his hands. Because he had been away from his chair for so long, the ALS was taking a big toll on his body. The Mechanic then prepared DeVoe for his chair by removing his skull, exposing his brain. Several tentacles emerged from the chair and plugged into his brain, then his mask descended on his head.
Starring Grant Gustin as the Scarlet Speedster, The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW. The series also stars Jesse L. Martin, Tom Cavanagh, Carlos Valdes, Candice Patton, Danielle Panabaker, Keiynan Lonsdale and more.