NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! If you’ve seen the episode I think you’ll know exactly what THAT means! This episode has one of the most heart wrenching twists of the season, with a critical loss to Team Flash! Just what happened? Why did I start this article in all caps? Want to know more? Follow us after the jump!
SPOILERS AHEAD!
NOTE: This review is posting prior to the airing of THE FLASH in the Pacific Time Zone USA. If you haven’t seen this episode yet, STOP HERE…grab a box of tissues…and come back after. You’ll be glad you did!
We start with Barry and Ralph going over the now-infamous bus. They find evidence of an additional bus rider, while talking about how to end DeVoe’s threat. Through most of the episode this discussion will come up…whether to kill or simply capture DeVoe. Ralph advocates for lethal force, while Barry believes there is always another way.
During the episode we see more of Ralph’s development as a hero. His real fear is not for himself – he has taken on Team Flash as his family, and he fears for the safety of all of them. That fear is redoubled when a Samuroid attacks Caitlin while they track down Edwin Gauss, the Folded Man.
This version of the Folded Man can jump into out out of pocket dimensions. He’s created a sort of hippie-ish commune in Central City, and it’s there that the Samuroid attacks. They get Gauss to safety, and when Ralph learns that Gauss can get them to DeVoe’s pocket dimension, he wants to go it alone…with a new weapon…to kill DeVoe!
The new weapon is a Sonic Scepter that Harry has developed, using his version of the Thinking Cap. One blast can incapacitate, and the second blast can kill even DeVoe. Barry stops him from going for the kill, but not without a fight.
Eventually, the team splits up and goes after DeVoe with the weapon, to capture but not kill. Vibe, Frost and Flash show up in DeVoe’s lair with the help of the Folded Man, only to find that it was a trick! DeVoe and Marlize are back at S.T.A.R. Labs, taking it over and taking the fight to Joe, Harry, Iris and Ralph!
This fight goes badly.
That is the understatement of the season.
- Iris gets rid of Marlize, but not before allowing herself to be stabbed by the sword in order to gain the advantage in the fight (yes, you read that right).
- Harry is knocked unconscious by too much dark energy…what? Yes, he HAS been using dark energy (with Gideon’s help) to power that thinking cap. It has altered his mind, making him addicted to the process. With too much dark matter he has passed out…and what that means is unknown as of the end of this episode.
- DeVoe takes over the Folded Man…and Ralph starts the fight!
Now, the good news is that Ralph incapacitates DeVoe but doesn’t kill him. He talks to Barry when that part of the team returns to S.T.A.R., and Ralph finally feels like he can be a true hero.
The bad news is…
…really bad.
DeVoe takes over Ralph Dibny’s body!
NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
And sad to say, it’s RIP Ralph Dibny.
Ralph’s training now works against Team Flash. He defeats the team and gets away, returning to Marlize. Ralph’s body is impervious to the effects of DeVoe’s mind expansion, meaning he no longer needs to switch bodies. And, using Ralph’s ability to mimic any person’s form, he reverts to DeVoe’s look once again. And, he has some additional Dark Matter to play with – and that’s not good news!
Team Flash is crestfallen – they have failed to save anyone. During the fight, DeVoe grabbed the powers of the remaining bus metas who were under Team Flash’s protection. He even took all the Dark Matter away from Caitlin – no more Killer Frost. Worst of all was the loss of Ralph. Barry closes out Ralph’s old P.I. office as the show ends.
NOTES: As a decades long fan of the Elongated Man, this was a true heartbreaker. Ralph’s TV character made tremendous strides from the selfish, Eel O’Brien-esque character at first appearance to a true hero…just in time to be swept away by the Thinker. This had some real emotional impact for me – leave your comments below about whether and how it affected you. As for Harry’s addition to the thinking cap, it makes sense but I’m hoping they bring him back from the effects of the cap – this could be the key to defeating DeVoe…or it could lead to the end for Harry. We will have to wait for that, though. Overall, to me this was a 10/10 (with a few tears to go with Ralph’s demise). But, that’s my opinion – what do YOU think? Leave your comments below!
This episode is by far the worst, to say the least, killing off Ralph Dibny was just too unnecessary as the series gains a overpowered villain.
Frankly, I didn’t like how the metahuman cuffs could be hacked, as it was extremely idiotic as how it could have happened.
As I understand it, Ralph’s body isn’t burning out from the dark matter like the previous hosts, so I figure he can come back from this. Of course I was hoping they’d save Izzy, too.
It was a great episode, though it was quite dumb to imagine they could make a sneak attack on someone with the Thinker’s skill set.
Honestly, I wasn’t even a huge fan of Ralph, but I actually teared up when I saw him die. The way they sold it was so great, especially that last scene in his office. That was perfect
“I wasn’t even a huge fan of Ralph, but I actually teared up when I saw him die”.
I second that. Same goes for Izzy. Her brief relationship with Ralph was one of the few things this season that I really found compelling, and I was sad to see her go.
This season has been underwhelming in every single way for me. I really do hope they go back to basics on season 5, by eliminating the slapstick humor and focusing more on the original characters instead of bringing new ones.