The Adobe Flash update was the one that removed Flash.

Even though you only have Word installed, there are Office components that are shared between Office applications that you may need updates for even if you don't have the other Office applications installed.

Is this a control thing?
Yes, yes it is. Unfortunately, Microsoft believes that they own your computer and all of your files. Microsoft updates have become a huge pain. However, since Microsoft does not test any of their software, security patches are needed to prevent hackers from accessing things. If you use Microsoft software, that is an unfortunate fact of life.