THE FLASH 7.8

 

RECAP - THE FLASH  7.8:  "The People vs. Killer Frost"   

It is a VERY rickety bridge over EXTREME troubled waters for Team Flash.  A team member is facing severe prison time, with no way to really save her, and then there's the treat of two different offshoots of the Speed Force...who is showing some very telling signs.  Something has to give, and give it did this week.  So, let's chat about what happened, and see just where the team goes from here...

The major part of this week's episode---as it should be---was the trial of Frost.  As Agent Kramer and the DA had planned at the beginning of the episode, they had an ulterior form of punishment for whom they still refer to as Killer Frost.  As Frost has decided to take her medicine, and face the consequences of her actions...hoping to prove to the court that she's a changed person, we have Kramer and the DA's office out for blood in a sense.  They drop a huge bomb in court, as they want the punishment for Frost is that she is forced to take the metahuman cure, and be rid of her powers forever.  Cecile argues that you can't force anyone to take the cure against their will, but Kramer and the DA press that it's justice, and that she is a major threat.  The team is back into a corner, trying to find any loophole they can.  While Joe, Cecile, and Frost try to plan a counter argument, Caitlin, Cisco, and Allegra decide to go behind Frost's back, and try to destroy the meta cure that's been locked up at the CCPD.  While Allegra distracted Agent Kramer, Cisco and Caitlin did what they had to in order to render the cure inert.  While they succeeded in THAT endeavor, it was all for naught, as Kramer counteracted with having a whole slew of the cure made courtesy of ARGUS.  This makes me pause for a bit:  anyone remember WHO is in charge of ARGUS?  Isn't it Lyla Michaels?  WHY would Lyla go out of her way to give Kramer new vials of the metacure?  Was she under federal orders to do so?  I kind of thought ARGUS kind of operated a little more clandestine?  Either way, Kramer trumped Team Flash's move as one of her own.

This is where we get a pause in the case, as Caitlin and Frost have another sisterly heart-to-heart.  Caitlin is terrified of being without Frost, and goes the route of wanting to save her sister by having her sister take the cure.  At first, there was fear that taking the cure would be life threatening, but their mother ran some tests, and it won't, thus Caitlin pushing for her sister to take it, so they could have normal lives.  But Frost is steadfast, and digs her heels in.  She says that by taking away her powers, it's taking who she is away.  She calls out the fact that Caitlin isn't saving her sister for the sake of saving her sister...it's for Caitlin herself.  So, Frost calls out her sis on being a little self serving.  Frost is willing to do what she has to in order to get back at Kramer.  Caitlin then has an idea.  But beforehand, Frost has a little pow wow with Kramer herself, and gets to the core of Kramer's wish to have her de-powered:  Kramer lost her team on a mission due to a metahuman.  She feels they're all dangerous---at least the bad ones, anyway.  So, Frost says that she isn't doing this for justice....it's essentially revenge.  Kramer believes that this is justice being served.  

When sentencing is about to be levvied, Frost takes the stand, and states her case, and then drops her own bomb by stating that she is willing to take life in prison without possibility of parole.  This does NOT sit well with Kramer, who says that it's not what the state wants, and Frost should not have a choice.  However, Cecile reminds the court of what the DA stated about the punishment for Frost, and the DA can't deny what they said.  The judge asks Frost if this is what she wants.  Frost's impassioned speech about what she is, and what she's become sways the judge's decision to grant her the decision she was willing to take:  life in prison.  Frost's friends say they will look upon her as a hero for sticking up for them, and her and Caitlin hug as she's taken off to prison.  Later on, Kramer visits Joe, and apologizes for going overboard, and Joe reminds her that while she makes a good cop, she has to know when and when NOT to cross the line, and to be aware when she does.  This whole arc showed just how much development of Frost's character has gone through, and it's made her all the more fascinating and likeable.  She's not just the smartass part of Caitlin...she's the brave soul who is willing to take the fall when needed in order to stand tall, and be comfortble with herself.  And though we all know that in superhero shows, characters like Frost won't stay in prison long, so it'll be interesting what they do in order to get Frost exonerated from her crimes, and get her back with Team Flash.  Plus---I continue to credit actress Danielle Panabaker for shouldering these two roles, and giving them such distinct, different voices.  She has been SO fabulous giving us the duality of Caitlin...and now two separate entities, with different personalities and depth.  So, I look forward to seeing how they get Frost home.

The other story here, is Barry's continued search for Fuerza, and any other threats to the Nora Speed Force.  But she's been getting antsy, and a bit more aggressive in what they feel should be their approach to finding Fuerza.  They got a blip about a tremor where Fuerza possibly was, but they wound up at Central City Cares, where they meet a young woman volunteer named Alexa, who works there, and was around when Abra Kadabra attacked, and later on when Fuerza showed up.  They want her to get tested, but she flat out refuses.  Barry and Nora argue about whether or not she's the one.  Nora Force is convinced that she is the threat, and tells Barry that they can take her, test her, and then have her back before she knows it.  This goes against everything Barry believes, but he seems a bit indecisive, and it's Iris who steps in and reminds the Nora Force that this is not how Barry operates, and it's not what makes him a hero.  The Nora Force is taken aback by it, but seems to understand. 

Flash then makes an appearance to Alexa, and she shows him that she possibly IS Fuerza by showing him a video clip on her laptop.  Flash assures her that he has friends at STAR Labs that will look after her.  She agrees out of fear.  When it's time to test her, Barry asks her if she really wants to do this---giving her a chance to have an out.  They run the tests, and it turns out that they were right---she IS Fuerza, and she is scared.  Barry tries to keep her calm and says that they will help her.  But before she can agree....she gets blasted by lighting from the Nora Force.  Alexa is down, and Nora says that she needs to be destroyed, and that Barry has betrayed her by not protecting her like he said he would.  Nora then looks to Iris, and says that while Iris is Barry's lighting rod, SHE is the lightning, and throws lightning towards Iris, forcing Barry to use his speed to block it by throwing lighting of his own.  The two shots strike together, and creates this electrical ball of energy that the Nora Force then uses to kill Alexa.  With Iris confirming her death, Nora Force then looks at Barry, and tells him that it's time to choose a side.  

I think we have seen this buildup coming from the Nora Force.  While we thought it was semi-cute that the Nora Force was constantly around Barry, it was all a calculated plan.  The Nora Force just wanted to destroy any offshoots of itself, and just took out one.  That leaves the  young student from the 90's still floating around as the Slow Force, and he'll be next on the Nora Force's list.  And if he's an innocent...it won't matter.  She'll perceive him as a threat, and will kill him.  Barry has now been betrayed (yet again), by someone...or something in this case...stabbing him in the back.  What does this mean for Flash and his powers in the long run?  And when does Godspeed finally appear in this whole arc like we've been teased at the beginning of the season?   Does the Nora Force actually become Godspeed?  And will we ever see Wally pop back in, and we can get some Kid Flash assistance as well?  Either way, we're going to have to see just how this all plays out.  

It was a decent show with some good emotional beats from the trial.  The drama is high, and looks as though Team Flash feels a bit fractured, and just not with it right now.  So, with the Nora Force going haywire, it's going to take the team to rally in order to stop it before it gets deadly.  It's step up time, and there needs to be a resolution to this story soon...I fear it may drag out FAAR too long, and the resolution to the story will be a letdown.  Pacing is everything when telling a story, and I just hope that they don't get long in the tooth about this one.

What did YOU all think of this week's show?  Did you like Frost's way of outwitting Kramer?  And what do you feel of the betrayal of the Nora Force?  Too predictable or a huge shocker?  Subscribe and let me know what you think below.

Until next time...Keep on running!