The first episode of season 5 (aptly titled 'Nora'), gave fans plenty of questions to consider regarding the character's arrival and the ripples it will create throughout the rest of the season.

Why Does Barry Go Missing For So Long?

Since the series premiere of The Flash, the Crisis of 2024 has loomed large. While there have been different versions of the headline over time, for the most part the message has remained the same. On April 25th, 2024 the Flash will vanish after a battle with Reverse Flash. However, we saw that happen - they didn't vanish, but traveled back in time to the night Barry's mother died. In this episode, it is revealed that Barry never returned to 2024. He remained missing for 25 years, leaving Nora to grow up without a father.

So what is the reason for this long disappearance? Why did Barry not return to his own timeline? One possibility is that The Flash is gearing up for its 100th episode and plans to celebrate it with one of the most famous Flash comics, Crisis on Infinite Earths. In that story, the Flash sacrifices himself to save the world. He doesn't return for 23 years - almost the same amount of time noted on the newspaper Nora showed Barry. It's possible that the show will find some way to use this comic event, especially since they have been teasing it for so long. However, Nora more than likely has a plan to prevent all of this from even happening in the first place, so things are bound to get messy.

Why Doesn't Barry Send Nora Back To The Future?

Barry Allen knows better than anyone what can happen when you mess with the timeline. So why does he decide to let Nora stay in the past? Sure, knowing that he vanishes and never returns has to be a heavy burden to bear and he wants to get to know his daughter, but he should understand the consequences. The whole team should and it's a little surprising no one spoke up to contradict Barry despite Wally's explanation that some events in history are "soft" and can therefore be changed. It's a good thing Harry wasn't there because he definitely would have had a problem with the situation.

Nora's very presence is dangerous. She knows things the other's shouldn't at this point in time. She already has the habit of dropping spoilers about the future and one can only assume the closer she gets to everyone the worse it will get. It's a temptation having her there as well. The characters (probably Cisco) are going to want to take advantage of her knowledge of the future. With Nora around it's sure to create some tension about the characters' futures and their desire to know what happens.

Page 2 of 2: Nora's Knowledge, Caitlin's Father, and S.T.A.R. Labs

Will Team Flash Use Nora's Knowledge to Help Them?

Nora seems to have retained a lot of information from studying her family's history at The Flash Museum. This seems like it would give Team Flash a pretty big advantage when it comes to taking on villains this season. If Nora knows villains like Gridlock are, "one and done", will she know Cicada is a bigger threat? And more importantly, does she know how to defeat him?

Having someone who knows how to beat every enemy takes some suspense from the season. While the characters really aren't expected to die, it's nice to believe that the stakes are high and real danger does exist. While they probably won't be directly asking for Nora's advice, her over-eagerness and willingness to help already seem like they could be a problem.

Related: The Flash Finally Reveals That Future Barry Is Still Missing

Did Caitlin's Father Fake His Own Death?

Caitlin previously believed her father had died, but this episode revealed that his death certificate was signed by a man who didn't exist. Could this mean Thomas faked his own death? And if so, is it possible that his wife helped him? It could explain Dr. Tannha's strained relationship with her daughter and why she's kept her distance all these years. We already know Caitlin's dad will appear on an episode of The Flash this season and when he does he is going to have a lot of explaining to do. Caitlin believed she watched her father get sick and then die. Her mother grew cold and threw herself into her research as a result. Finding out all this was a lie is going to cause Caitlin quite a shock.

Maybe Thomas faked his own death because he was overcome with guilt over his daughter and the true origin of her powers. Like Caitlin, both her parents are scientists. Dr. Thomas Snow is an intelligent geneticist and Dr. Carla Tannha is a genius in biology and cryogenics. Chances are they had something to do with the creation of their daughter's icy powers. There are plenty of questions surrounding the Snow family and it will be good to see the show dive into them and further develop Caitlin's background.

What Other Secrets Are Hiding In S.T.A.R. Labs?

One of the most surprising parts of the season 5 premiere of The Flash was the revelation that S.T.A.R Labs has a secret lounge. And apparently Joe has been sleeping there this whole time. While Nora is crashing there now, it makes you wonder what other secrets are hiding behind the laboratory's rounded walls. We already know of the Speed Lab, Cisco's workshop, the Time Vault, and the metahuman housing prison known as the Pipeline. There is plenty more that can be explored. Does it have a kitchen? Maybe a pool? Do they maybe want to install better locks? Most importantly, who cleans that giant place? And how do they afford all of that electricity?

The reveal of the S.T.A.R. Labs Lounge is just another fun way to explore what Nora knows from the future. She has an intimate knowledge of all things Flash and it will be amusing to see her put it to use throughout the season. It's nice to see that after 5 seasons, The Flash can still manage a (silly) surprise.

Read More: The Flash Fixes Plot Hole By Secretly Changing Arrowverse History

The Flash season 5 continues with episode 2, "Blocked", on Tuesday, October 16th at 8 PM on the CW.