Kevin Smith gave us a season’s worth of highlights in one episode. It’s not just the full-on Killer Frost appearance, nor that foreshadowed fight with Vibe, nor the follow-up to that battle last episode with Savitar. No, this episode packed everything but the kitchen sink in an action- and emotion-packed feast for the eyes and ears. If you can’t rate this episode a 10…I’m not sure what more you can expect from THE FLASH. Want to know more? Follow us after the jump!
SPOILERS AHEAD!
Note: this review is posting before THE FLASH airs on the West Coast USA. If you haven’t seen the show yet, GO BACK AND WATCH IT NOW and then come back here for the review, ok?
Savitar has a huge speed advantage on Barry, and literally drags him almost instantaneously all over town. The beat down is nearly complete when HR has one of his few really good ideas…make it a 3 on 1 fight by using Cisco and Caitlin’s powers. Cisco “vibes” the two of them to Flash’s location, and Caitlin aims her powers at the villain that is invisible to them…and I think there is something important to note about that. So far, only the Flash can see Savitar (keep that in mind, more to come later in this review)…
The plan works, except for the impact on Caitlin, who quickly falls into the Killer Frost persona. She spends much of the episode doing two things – looking for Alchemy to see if he can take away her powers…and ruining Barry’s relationships with just about everyone. She reveals that Dante’s death is the result of “fixing” Flashpoint, and tears apart the team.
At one point, Caitlin kidnaps Julian from the CCPD, asking for his help in finding Alchemy’s acolytes. Barry arrives to stop her…and to save her from the police, knocking out Julian in the process. This comes back big time at episode’s end. She does reach an acolyte, to find out that Alchemy is also an acolyte..of Savitar! And, Savitar has BIG plans for Killer Frost! That leads to a second battle between Barry and Caitlin, and without Cisco’s help things would have gone very badly for the Flash.
Back at S.T.A.R., Joe is determined to “do something” about Wally. He eventually cuts open the cocoon, and we find a speedster Wally in a super-speed fugue, unable to stop vibrating. He runs away, and Barry has to make a difficult choice…and to take a significant risk. By this point in the episode Killer Frost has already gotten the better of him twice, but he frees Caitlin to get her help for Wally. He brings her to her senses by leaving himself open for Killer Frost to actually kill him! She can’t, there’s too much of the real Caitlin still at work in her, and she comes back to her main personality and helps the team take care of Wally, who is now a speedster!
Julian is now awake at the hospital, and remembers Caitlin as his assailant. Barry asks him to give her a break, and Julian agrees…on one condition.
Barry must resign from the CCPD, effective immediately!
Barry agrees – it’s all he can do. Julian keeps his word and claims he can’t remember who kidnapped him. But that leads us to the epilogue…
Where we learn two things…
One…Savitar is waiting for Julian’s help…”only together can we bring about my return”
Two…Savitar is addressing Julian as…Alchemy!
Yes, Julian is Alchemy – that’s been debated back and forth on message boards all season, and now we have the answer. Wow!
NOTES: So far, only two people have seen Savitar – Barry and Julian. It’s not just a meta thing – Caitlin and Cisco couldn’t see Savitar except for a brief moment when they saw the ice surrounding him (courtesy of Killer Frost). Since he hasn’t “returned” yet (as pointed out to me by TMStash.com reviewer Joe “Geronimo” Gagel in a chat while we both watched the show), it points out a potential weakness that we will likely explore through the rest of the season. Is Savitar trapped in the Speed Force? Is he in some other dimensional rift? We’ll find out more soon…
SUMMARY: Kevin Smith rules. Enough said?
Okay, I’ll add more. The cast really came through in an episode that demanded from them, both in emotion and action. Danielle Panabaker’s Frost was intimidating and broken at the same time, full of raw emotion that made her Killer Frost believable. Tom Cavanagh’s “HR” is hitting his stride in a version of Harrison Wells that is part Doctor Who and part sideshow barker. I could go on with every cast member…kudos all around. One last note – glad that Wally finally has his speed…hope we see him in in the Kid Flash suit soon.
Great script, and Kevin Smith’s direction has now given two of the best episodes in this amazing series. This is the easiest 10/10 I’ve given a show.
Of course, that’s my opinion – what do YOU think? Leave your comments below!
I bet Wally’s suit will be Cisco’s Christmas present to him.
I’m sure that once Julian is revealed as Alchemy Barry will get his job back. But part of me wonders about something….
In the First Episode of season two we learn that Harrison Wells (really Eobard Thawne) left STAR Labs to Barry in his will. living s Wells for fifteen or so years, Thawne built up a considerable amount of wealth and I’m wondering if that was also left to Barry? or was it liquidated and used to pay off his final expenses? (If that’s the case then Barry won’t have to worry about paying the rent any time soon.)