Last week, we saw a fantastic spotlight show for Cisco Ramon. This week shifts the focus to Ralph Dibny, showcasing him at his very best. This episode pays homage – with a wink and a nod – to all things 007, and they pull it off well. Barry and Ralph go on an adventure together that you may want to see more than once, if only to catch all the Bond references. Still, there is a theme that goes beyond 007 – it’s embracing who you really are. Wanna know more? Follow us after the jump!

SPOILERS AHEAD! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

First, an apology for the late post. Life gets in the way sometimes, and when family visits my TV viewing (I hope understandably) goes by the wayside. I hope to be back on track after this episode, and I appreciate your understanding.

Let’s get straight to the main plot:

Ralph continues to search for Sue Dearbon, and his next lead takes him (and Barry) to a gathering of elite bad guys. The reason for this get-together? An auction for a weapon called the “Ring of Fire”. By the end of the episode, this weapon is pointed straight at Central City, to demonstrate it’s power as the auction begins. We’ll come back to that…

Ralph convinces Barry to put on a tux instead of his Flash uni, and they work their way inside. 

Strangely enough, Ralph is the smooth operator here. He has almost as much charm and sophistication as James Bond…and some of the cool gadgets to boot. Think “camera bow tie” and “exploding cufflinks”…but both come into play much later in the show. As for Barry? Oh, my, Barry just isn’t cut out to be a super spy. It plays out hilariously, even if it puts them into lots of trouble.

Barry makes a BIG mistake and switches to Flash to check out the building. His use of meta-powers sets off alarms, and the host, Remington Meister, calls out his powerful and silent assistant, Ultraviolet! 

Flash and Ralph are captured, and Ralph is already tired of all the Bond super-villain cliches. There is even the classic supervillain reply to “you want us to talk?” with, “No, I expect you to die”. Yep, straight out of Goldfinger, as Ralph points out with “Oh, come on!” I love that moment.

Yes, they get out of the trap and eventually stop both Meister and Ultraviolet. But, they do it as their civilian selves. Ralph has already pointed out to Barry that Barry Allen is as important as The Flash. And, they prove it here.

BTW – Barry does have a great moment here, pretending to be drunk while delaying the operation of Ring of Fire. Lots of funny lines in this scene.

Yes, the civilian Barry Allen and Ralph Dibny save the day. As they win the fight, Ralph stops the countdown and blows up the Ring of Fire satellites. They return to Central City for…

…a press conference introducing Elongated Man to the city, in effect getting ready to pass the torch to Ralph as Flash faces his fate in the upcoming Crisis. Elongated Man receives his chest symbol from the Flash (the one with “EM” like in the comics). And, Ralph makes a very touching speech, promising to protect Central City, “with my dying breath”. 

What Flash didn’t know was that there would be one more recognition…for Barry Allen! The Medal of Honor is awarded to a CSI who had also saved the city more than once and who had tirelessly sought justice in his role with the police. 

The point for their adventure was really a chance to show them both that their civilian identities mattered as well – that they should embrace both sides of their dual identities.

NOW, as for the other plot lines, a bit more briefly:

• Harrison Nash Wells believes that the Monitor is a fraud, and that by taking him down he can save Barry Allen. Not sure that this approach will work, but it makes for a good adventure…
• Allegra works with Harrison Nash Wells, learning from him about the Multiverse…and also Flash’s secret identity as Wells accidentally blurts it out. He convinces her that she can use her powers without turning bad, and she helps him by using her powers to uncover a way to get through that wall to the Monitor’s portal.
• There is something more about Allegra…or at least her doppelganger in Nash’s version of Earth. We may learn more about that in future episodes. 
• Chester P. Runk has been freed, no longer a danger (as Black Hole) to Central City. He had previously been declared dead, but Cecile helped him get his life back. She tried to help him get a date with his crush…but things just didn’t work out. Still, that was okay. Chester is finally overcoming his fears and is ready to start his life over again. He also convinces Cecile not to worry so much over the career she left and to embrace who she is now. In the end,
• Cecile invites Chester to S.T.A.R. Labs…and he is ecstatic! Looks like a new member of Team Flash.

NOTES:

• Killer Frost STILL has the Book of Ralph! I love it when they bring that book back up. It’s a great running gag.
• I won’t spoil all the Bond references – but you are more than welcome to add your favorites in the comments.
• At the end of the episode, Bloodwork appears and pushes Ralph over the top of a building. Given Ralph’s powers that isn’t likely to hurt him…but it still means that Dr. Ramsey Rosso is giving in more and more to his evil side.

SUMMARY:

It’s one thing to do an homage to James Bond. It’s another thing to do it with a wink and a smile and make it work. This was an homage mixed with parody…and it really DID work for me. I’m a long time EM fan (since the 1960’s in the comics) and it was wonderful to see Ralph portrayed this way. I’m impressed – and I’ll give this episode a 9/10. Of course, that’s just my opinion. What to YOU think? Leave your comments (and your favorite Bond references) below!

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