THE FLASH 7.4

 

RECAP - THE FLASH  7.4:  "Central City Strong"  

Coping with tragedy, trauma, and loss....the pivotal theme coming from The Scarlet Speedster and his team this week.  In the wake of many who suffered at the hands of the Mirror Monarch during the last few months.  A city trying to rebuild in the wake of a battle yet again, we see the citizens of Central working on getting back to some sense of normalcy....for them, anyhow.  But we all know that our beloved city tends to draw out the crazies, and this week is no different.  One of Flash's Rogues makes his return to the center stage to wreak havoc on a town that is just trying to put the pieces back together. 

This episode put a focus on the fallout of Eva's evil machinations, as many citizens who were trapped in the Mirrorverse are trying to cope with their time in isolation, and have a feeling of PTSD going on.  They form a support group,  Iris, we discover, is DEFINITELY suffering from this, although she tries to not show it.  Barry is suffering too....and he's overcompensating by showering Iris with gifts and taking her on little mini vacations in order to make up for the fact that HE didn't notice that for 3 months...while Iris was trapped in the Mirrorverse...he was sleeping with her mirror image, and didn't put the pieces together until it was too late.  He's beating himself up...as usual...about his mistakes, and Iris is terrified to speak her own mind and express herself when she attends the support group that Allegra tells her about.  After all, Allegra calls her out when she's taken too much time to write the story about Eva and her plot to take over the world.  Allegra reminds her that---like it or not---Iris herself IS a part of the story.  To Barry and Iris' credit, though...they talk it out this episode.  There's no laying blame on the other, there's just an honest conversation between the two.  

And because of the conversation that Barry and Iris have about what's happened to the both of them, it, in turn, allows Barry to resolve the solution to defeating the returning Abra Kadabra from the 64th Century, who came back to exact some revenge on the Monarch of Motion for what occurred in an alternative universe, where he had a family of his own...only to be wiped out by CRISIS.  Because of the fact that Barry himself did not die (as he was supposed to---but was replaced by the Flash of Earth 90, who gladly sacrificed himself for this Earth's Flash)---it wiped out his family's existence...even though they weren't really HIS family, just another version of him and his family.  Either way, he somehow figured out about this alternate Abra through the use of Cisco's Multiverse Memory Restorer, which he made with the help of the Martian Manhunter's help.  Cisco had mentioned that he'd made it, and Laurel Lance used it to visit Mia Queen in the future (but didn't explain more, because that was another story for another day....but glad we got the Black Siren & Green Arrow reference).  Kadabra came back to exact revenge on the Flash by collecting items from ARGUS in order to build an antimatter bomb in order to destroy Central City.  He had been easily captured by Team Flash, but he was taken to ARGUS to be imprisoned, but that was by design so he could get the components needed to build the bomb.

Flash eventually catches up to Kadabra, and appeals to him about destroying the city.  He tells him about CRISIS, and how he and many others had to save the universe, and in the process, eliminated all other realities, and created this one Earth.  Flash tells him about loss, and the loss of his best friend Oliver.  Kadabra eventually gives up on his plan, and the two come to some sort of truce.  It's here that we learn that Kadabra's real name is Felipe.  But things hit a snag when some giant looking figure comes out of nowhere, causing the ground to quake, and he's looking to destroy something.  Kadabra tries to stop him with his wand, but he ends up getting killed in the process.  The creature then aims for Flash, and Flash throws lightning at him, only for the creature to absorb it...as well as the antimatter bomb....grow larger, and then beat a hasty retreat.  This earthquake also occurred earlier on when Barry and Iris were at home talking.. So...whatever this creature is....Flash's power was ineffective against it.

Iris eventually takes Barry's words to Kadabra to heart, and attends the next group meeting for the Mirrorverse victims.  Allegra attends the meeting with her, and Iris herself paraphrases Barry's words in order to deal with her own trauma of being trapped in that realm for 3 months.  She's also impressed with Allegra standing her ground on Iris writing the story...and not leaving herself out of it.  For this, Allegra is promoted from intern to full fledged reporter.  Noticeably absent was Kamilla...as she was out on a photo assignment apparently.  

The other big story this week was that of Caitlin, who was experiencing headaches this week after their final fight with Eva McCulloch.  She had been worried something had been horribly wrong, but an analysis by Cisco revealed nothing irregular between the two of them.  However...as Cisco was in the lab messing around at the end of the episode, Caitlin calls to him with some shocking news:  She and Frost had physically split into two separate beings.  This is going to be a HUGE change of direction for these two as we head into this new arc.

This episode wasn't bad...albeit for the HORRIBLE CGI when it came to the large monster guy that killed Kadabra and attatcked Flash, then absorbed the antimatter bomb and bolted.  King Shark and Grodd look more believable that THAT.  It was bad...VERY bad.  I know this show can do better than this.  And another thing----they REEEEAAALLLY needed to KILL OFF Abra Kadabra?  Sure...he's on the low end of Flash's Rogues Gallery....but COME ON!  Bad enough we lost Captain Cold...but Kadabra too?  Lame.  But...he died a good guy in the end....but that isn't worth much.  We got a lot of story about the city trying to recover after another attack, and the team trying to come to grips with the reality that is now.  Iris having to come to grips with HER trauma, acknowledge it, face it, and move forward.  Barry feeling guilty about not finding out about Mirror Iris sooner, and having felt like he betrayed Iris.  So...the both of them dealing with THAT together as mature adults was something nice to see.  How this benefits their marriage going forward---time will tell.  

Caitlin and Frost being separated---that's a shocker.  I had thought MAYBE they'd integrate at SOME point...and that might STILL happen.  But for now, I'm curious to see Danielle Panabaker pulling double duty as both Frost AND Caitlin.  I hope she's up for the challenge, as their story will take on a much larger role, as we see the fallout from what's happened.  And hey....anyone ELSE actually digging the chemistry between Chunk and Cisco?  They're getting along swimmingly, and I can see A LOT more humor from these two---especially in the wake of NOT having a Wells for Cisco to bounce off of.  This will be a change of pace for Cisco.  Plus...I REALLY liked it when Kadabra referred to Cisco as "Mecha-Vibe".  Though I WAS curious as to what Kadabra said about Cisco's future.  

It was a good thing that THIS episode wasn't the start of the season---it would've fallen FLAT.  But as a bridge to the new chapter---it works.  It's nice that the show can stop and take a beat before jumping full boar into the next huge baddie.  And as for the new monster bad guy---where did HE come from?  How was HE created?  Did that have ANYTHING to do with the different colored lightning that shot into the sky last episode?  We have questions, and we will get answers.  This was good for character development and to prep for the next storyline....but would NOT have worked as a season premiere.  Now we're ready for what's next.  

What did YOU all think of this episode?  Not much heroics or Flash action, but we got some story.  Curious as to what YOU all felt worked and what didn't.  Subscribe and comment below YOUR thoughts.  

Until next time....Keep on running!