When we last left Barry, he was trapped in the metahuman wing of Iron Heights, ready to be sold into superhero slavery by Amunet and a crooked Warden Wolfe. Can Barry avoid that fate? Can he lead a metahuman escape from Iron Heights? And, how does DeVoe’s plans fit in with all of this? There are some pretty significant character developments and plot points in this episode – want to learn more? Follow us after the jump!

SPOILERS AHEAD!

We’ve see several of the metas from the bus end up in the metahuman wing of Iron Heights. All of them are subject to a potential sale to the highest bidder, with the profits split between Amunet and Warden Wolfe.  Iris and Cecile find out about the plot when they try to visit Barry…and Cecile reads Wolfe’s mind.  The race is on from two fronts – Barry trying to lead an escape, and Team Flash trying to figure out a way to stop the sale in the first place.

Team Flash’s first attempt relies on a new ability in the show for Ralph (but one he has demonstrated in the comics) the ability to disguise himself as another person.  He tries to impersonate Warden Wolfe and call off the sale, but Amunet sees through the scheme as his disguise falls apart at a critical moment. This leads Ralph to believe he’s nothing more than a screw-up who is destined to lose every friend.

He’s talked out of that – but not by Cisco or Caitlin, instead by Killer Frost. This leads to my favorite line, “Thank you frosty Oprah”. Ralph has an epiphany on how to help Barry…and we’ll come back to that later. First…

…we see Barry pull a MacGyver to get the cell doors open. He leads the team out into the exercise yard, only to be confronted by the real Warden Wolfe…who turns the group against Barry by revealing his identity as the Flash.  The only thing that saves Barry is Becky, aka Hazard, who uses her luck-changing powers to keep him safe. That works for the moment…but only for a moment.

Just then DeVoe shows up in a newly augmented chair. He steals the powers of the four metas from the bus and kills Warden Wolfe! Marlize DeVoe, who has been harboring doubts about her husband, watches remotely in shock. DeVoe takes over Becky’s body and leaves the scene…with everyone except Barry lying in the exercise yard, dead!

Cisco and Caitlin arrive to free Barry, but he refuses to go unless he can leave legally.  He quickly returns to his old cell, which keeps him from being tagged with all the carnage left behind.  Things look rough for Barry…until…

Ralph Dibny saves the day!

At Barry’s appeal hearing, Ralph appears as Clifford DeVoe, claiming that he survived being stabbed and that while nearly out he heard something about someone trying to frame someone.  Marlize is at the hearing but can’t afford to stop the proceedings.  The judge rules that Barry can now be freed!

Team Flash is thrilled and celebrates, but meanwhile…

DeVoe, in Hazard’s body, celebrates as well.  Marlize’s doubts have intensified, and she is shocked by DeVoe killing Wolfe. That is, until she has a drink that DeVoe/Becky drugged to bring her under mind control!

NOTES:

• Barry’s time in jail is now through, and that’s a good thing.  They used that story line for as long as it could make sense, and now it is a good time to bring him back out to freedom.
• Ralph saves the day in a big way, and it was great to see more character development for him. It’s also great to see this additional aspect of Dibny making its way from the comics pages to TV.
• I didn’t see the latest switch by DeVoe coming, and this makes it even more interesting.  Now, we have to wonder if there are more switches coming for DeVoe…and just how deeply convoluted those plans for “enlightenment” truly are.

This was a solid episode of THE FLASH. I’ll give it a 9/10 – but that’s my opinion.  What do YOU think? Leave your comments below!

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