Inductor Polarity Reversal - Flyback Voltage
Wouldn't flipping the polarity mean that current goes in the opposite direction as before, since it must go from high potential to low potential?

There is no rule for an inductor that says &quot;[current] must go from high potential to low potential&quot;. That is a rule for a resistor.
The rule for an inductor is &quot;the current increases (becomes more positive) with a finite rate of change when the voltage across the terminals is positive and decreases (or becomes more negative) with a finite rate of change when the voltage across the terminals is negative&quot;.
Or, mathematically,
$$\frac{dI}{dt}=\frac{V}{L}.$$
If you think about it a bit, this rule explains exactly why the voltage must be negative to get the current in the inductor to change from some positive to zero.