THE FLASH 7.12

 

RECAP - THE FLASH  7.12:  "Good-Bye Vibrations"  

Well...the moment has finally arrived.  'Tis a sad time for Team Flash, as we have to bid farewell to our favorite engineer, resident funny guy, and hero in his own right--Cisco Ramon.  After 6 plus seasons, Carlos Valdes is taking his final bow as the man formerly known as Vibe.  One of the OG's of Team Flash along with Barry and Caitlin, he's been the proverbial heart and soul of this team from day one....and now we have to tearfully say goodbye to Cisco, and his girlfriend Kamilla, as they depart Central City to pursue new avenues in their lives.  So, it's no surprise this week, we got one last adventure with our boy before he skips town for his new gig.  

This episode was pretty much a "one last hurrah" adventure before Cisco took off for Star City (of all places, but he'll only be 600 miles away from Central City), to work for ARGUS, while Kamilla will head to Florida for her photo art show, and then join Cisco later on.  And while the nerves were high for the departing couple, they didn't quite expect the response they got when they finally told the team they were leaving...the team gave them hearty congrats, and decided to start helping them pack and prepare to move.  It was something BOTH of them had found odd during the course of the episode, and really began to gnaw at Cisco, because he felt like they were kicking him to the curb.  Barry alone had already packed most everything Cisco had in his lab at STAR Labs, and, he was quite surprised at that.  Caitlin had asked him for his ID badge and all his access codes to the building and everything else.  Barry and Caitlin came off as somewhat dismissive to him during a good part of the episode, and it was something that built into anger on Cisco's part later on.  But for now, he was showing Chester around what essentially was going to be HIS lab.  

Now, mind you, things don't stop in Cental City because our main characters are busy.  We had this young lady in a rainbow jacket and boots head into the bank, and use her super powers to literally have the bank manager happily write her a check for 10 million dollars, and she walked out, as she manipulated his emotions to feel nothing but happines...and quit his job.  This colorful new villain DID get the attention of the team, especially Team Citizen, as Iris was there on the story with Kamilla and Allega.  Allegra managed to see Cecile talking with one of the officers, and went to grab a few words before heading back to the office to start the story.  Kamille offered to help Iris vet new candidates for the photographer position that is now open what with her departure.  Team Flash realizes they have a new meta to deal with in town, and Barry and Caitlin are doing research and planning on how to stop her, when Cisco strolls by, wondering why they're working without him in stopping this new meta.  He wants in on one last adventure before he leaves, and they're cool with it.  So, Cisco figures out that this is a brand new version of the Rainbow Raider.  So, Cisco figures that they can use the same weapon they stopped the original Raider, and use it on her.  However, once confronted, as she's trying to commit another crime, she blasts Flash and Mecha Vibe, and the weapon doesn't work.  While Flash manages to avoid getting whammied, the same doesn't happen to Cisco...who is now just on happy overload.  

While Caitlin and Barry try to figure out how to fix Cisco, Iris and Kamilla have been going through applications for brand new photographers, and Iris just hasn't made up her mind.  When Kamilla asks why she skipped over a few, Iris kind of snaps at her.  Iris apologizes, but we can tell that she can't keep up the brave face anymore.  It's hard for her to lose her friend....and her photographer.  Going back to STAR Labs, Team Flash gets another hit on Rainbow Raider 2, and he's off to confront her, while Chester and Caitlin try to figure out how to undo what she did to Cisco....who is just overdosing on joy.  Things go from bad to worse, as Flash tries to use his goggles to try and track and protect himself from Raider's attack, but Cisco rigged the goggles, causing cartoons to appear in them, and thus blinding Flash.  He crashes into a van, and as he tries to recover, Raider hits him with a blast of joy for himself.  He races back to STAR Labs, having been just as whammied as Cisco.  Chester DOES manage to resolve the issue using a device that he flashes into their eyes, thus counteracting the effects of Rainbow Raider 2's effects.  The team tries to brainstorm on how to stop her, and Barry suggests that Cisco use his newfound influence at ARGUS to see if they have something to stop her.  At this point, Cisco's had enough, snaps at Barry and Catilin, and storms off.  Barry and Caitlin talk to him, and they tell him that it's hard for them to see him go...they don't know what they're going to do without him.  They tried to put up a brave face for HIS sake, but they're sad.  Cisco thought they couldn't wait to be rid of him, and that wasn't the case.  Cisco finally opens up about what he saw as his worst fear when Psych zapped him:  Seeing himself still at STAR Labs 30 years later....still doing the same thing, while everyone else grew beyond him.  They hate the thought of him leaving, but they're not going to stop him. 

The team figures out that this new Rainbow Raider is named Carrie Bates...a meta who has seen the plight of the city, and isn't robbing banks for her own personal gain---but is acting like a modern day Robin Hood.  She stole a dirigible from Ferris Aircraft, and plans on dropping the loot on the city...including the stadium where a football game is being held.  They have to figure out how to get onto the blimp without Flash having to use his powers, and thus his ligthning, causing it to explode in midair.  With Vibe and Allegra in tow, Allegra can help counteract Raider's powers with her own.  Allegra uses her weapons in her bandalier to pop them aboard the ship, where Raider is ready to stop them from ruining her plan.  She's telling Flash that she's seen the plight of the city, and she's trying to do right---does he not see it?  Flash agrees, but can't agree with how she's going about it.  Allega and her battle briefly, but they manage to sneak the metacuffs onto her and dampen her powers, ending the threat.  However, in the process of the quick fight, they jacked up the control panel, and now the blimp is on a one-way collision with the football stadium.  Flash says he won't arrest Carrie, but she'll have to work off her prison sentence working in the Mayor's office trying to make the city a better place.  She likes that deal.  Cisco, however, sees that they're on an out of control ship, and people need to be clearned quickly.  Flash takes Allegra and Raider, and departs the ship, going to the stadium to speed save everyone in attendance.  Meahwhile, Cisco has connected with Chester to help him figure out how to land the ship without killing anyone. Cisco then uses the technology in his Vibe gloves to gain control of the ship, and land it safely into the bay, thus saving the city.  Cisco proves his heroic worth one last time for Central City.

Later on, Cisco manages to get Chester to admit they're throwing a party for him.  But before he goes, he essentially gives Chester the keys to the kingdom---asking him to take care of his friends.  Chester is beyond excited, and says he'll see Cisco tomorrow, and he now wants to rearrage his new lab.  Cisco looks around one last time before he leaves STAR Labs forever. We see that Team Citizen is having a private party, as they bid Kamilla farewell.  Kamilla thanks Iris for everything, and she wouldn't have gotten the chance to expand her career without her help.  Cecile shows up for the party, and Allegra asks her what she was doing at the bank earlier that day, and Cecile says she was talking to an old friend about a case.  They then go on to celebrate...especailly after Iris apologized to Kamilla about her earlier behavior.

Team Flash is having their own party, as Cisco bears gifts to Joe, Barry, and Caitlin.  Joe says that he's really going to miss Cisco, as they all will miss him dearly.  Cisco, however, wants one last karoke battle with Barry...using the song Barry woke up from his coma to---the Lady Gaga one.  So, they party, as we see them have one last fun time.  It's the end of an era as one more of the original Team Flash OG's departs.  

Later on, we see Cecile return home from Team Citizen's party, only to be greeted by some ominous voice as she enters the house.  She scours the house to find the focal point of the voice...and when she looks into the mirror...she sees a golden masked face staring back at her. Is it the Psycho Pirate?  We don't know...but this is how our show ends this week.

We got a fairly formulaic, but something of a proper send off for Cisco Ramon.  The episode was fairly campy and lighthearted, which is what Cisco brought to this series throughout most of its run.  The last year and a half has seen our engineer leave Central City for small periods, as he had begun exploring this New Earth in Post-Crisis...cataloguing what he could.  But he'd always return home to be with Kamilla and Team Flash.  But now, he's got a new job awaiting him at ARGUS....working with Diggle and Lyla, though they're in Metropolis, but will still communicate with them, but he'll be stationed in Star City.  It's cool to know that he'll be fairly close, but won't be in Central City.  Kamilla has her photography show, and a new career...and then she'll join Cisco.  We didn't get to dive much into Kamilla's life....she's just pretty much been photographer for the Central City Citizen, a friend to Team Flash, and Cisco's girlfriend.  It's a shame we didn't get to know more, or see this couple interact more often.  Now, we'll have to imagine, as they depart Central City for greener pastures.  It's weird to think that two of the original cast for this show is now gone....but things do grow and change as time goes on...and so does this team.  With the New Earth, it eliminated the need for a Wells...once all of them were amalgamated into the orignal Harrison Wells...who is now just a moment in time....living the life he wated before his untimely death.  Now Cisco....Vibe...our engineer, comedy relief, but stalwart best friend and hero.  

Chester now inherits Cisco's role, and that leaves Caitlin and Barry as the original members of Team Flash still left.  And, aside from Frost...who was out of town with their mother this week, Caitlin is the only one who's life seems to have stalled.  All of Caitlin's important stories the last few years have been wrapped around Frost.  Caitlin hasn't had her life grow since she married Ronnie back in Season 1.  I wonder how long it will take before they get Caitlin's life moving forward?  She's had little to zero love interest, and I feel that it's time for her to grow as a character. Allegra has shown more growth than Caitlin the last couple of years.  

Was cute to see a new Rainbow Raider---while her intentions were good and noble, her actions were misguided.  And giving her the name "Carrie Bates" is a nod back to former Flash scribe Cary Bates, who had written Barry Allen's adventures during the latter half of his series, just prior to Crisis.  So, love that they did that.  Also loved that we got another mention of Ferris Aircraft....always good hearing about that one. And I'm not sure if his is the Psycho Pirate or some other being toying with Cecile, but we're gonna get our answers next week. Like I said...it was a cute episode that had a tiny bit of emotion to it---Carlos is going to be VERY missed on this show, and that void will be IMPOSSIBLE to fill....but we've also had to bid farewell to Team Arrow last year, and we said "goodbye" to The Pierce Family, and Supergirl flies off into whatever HER destiny will be....the Arroweverse is changing.  And while our favorites will still be around in some capacity---we won't be seeing them from week to week.  So, I thank Carlos Valdes for the 6 plus years he's given us on this show.  He's been highly entertaining, and I wish him all the luck in future endeavors---can't wait to see what he does next. 

How sad are all of YOU to see Cisco gone?  What do you see happening for the future of Team Flash?  And what in the hell is stalking Cecile?  Subscribe below and gimme your answers.  

Until next time....Keep on running.