THE FLASH 7.18

 

RECAP - THE FLASH  7.18:  "Heart of the Matter Part 2" 

We have reached the finish line for Season 7.  It's been a strange journey this season, and we've had to deal with the fallout of the COVID era, as the show had to take an early powder last season when production stopped due to the virus becoming a pandemic.  In the wake of what has followed, we got a season that had to begin by wrapping up Season 6's Mirror Master storyline, then bounce into their new arcs, which included the team dealing with the various aspects of the Speed Force, and then finally jumping quickly into the Godspeed storyline to reach the end.  And when last we left off...the Godspeeds were out of control, warring with one another, and Flash enters the mind of the befuddled August Hart---to see if he can restore Hart's memories, and find out WHY he's in 2021 Central City.  They also have to deal with Bart being comatose after the Godspeed attack on him from last week.  So, it's up to the family of speedsters to fend off Godspeed, and halt his run real fast. 

As Bart lies in his coma, having had most of his speed sapped by the Godspeeds, Barry is in the mind of August Hart...and he inquires about what Hart wants.  For Hart, it's simple:  he wants ultimate speed....he wants to be the God of Speed.  However---his speed isn't organic.  He wants organic speed.  And if he doesn't  get what he wants, he'll continue to reign terror all over Central City.  But...Barry denies him.  He blasts Barry in anger, and Barry wakes up from his trance.  August himself wakes up, and wonders what happened.  Barry confers with the team on what August wanted, Nora seems to think that her dad should give him what he wants---especially if it will preserve the future and save Bart.  Barry says it's not the answer, and Iris backs him up.  Jay tells him that if they're going to fight...they're going to need an answer for them soon.  Or, Barry says, they need a fast one. 

Chester checks up on Allegra, and she is still in mourning over Esperanza.  She continues to blame herself, but Chester makes her realize that it wasn't her fault.  Chester says that Esperanza is to blame because she CHOSE to go start a war. meanwhile, Allegra is helping the Flash try and FIGHT a war.  He reminds her that her efforts aren't wasted.  The pep talk is what she needed, and she's ready to help save the city.  Meanwhile, the Speed Force arrives, and is aware of what the Godspeeds are up to, and gives a power boost to everyone...which also revives Bart.  With the team juiced up, the speedster clan heads out to battle the Godspeeds.  Flash's plan is simple:  keep them busy until they wear out, and need to charge.  For little while, it works.  But...it turns out that the presence of the Speed Force is allowing the Godspeeds to draw speed energy off of her.  Flash orders her to take off.  Allegra and Chester arrives with his machine that Allegra has supercharged.  She manages to use the machine to blast the Godspeeds, and it incapacitates them....but it's only a temporary fix.  Vibe and Frost also have to deal with them, and Vibe uses his gauntlets to create a force shield to fend off the Godspeeds.  It works, but they had to hold their breath while doing it...which didn't sit well with Frost...but they're alive. Joe and Kramer are still trying to get people evacuated off the bridge, when a Godspeed catches Joe, and is about to kill him, but Kramer sees it, and actually super speeds to Joe's rescue.  However, she's too dazed to continue, and passes out.  

Back at STAR Labs, the team is aware that Round 2 will begin, and they all look to Barry to find an answer to this situation.  While Nora and Bart help Chester rebuild his machine to attempt to use it again, Nora once again pleads with her father to give Godspeed what he wants.  Barry caves in, and agrees, and they set Hart up with a harness with the tachyon generator, and Barry gives him enough of his power to jumpstart the generator---Hart gets his memory back, and Cecile tries to gauge his mind, but it turns out that Hart likes being the bad guy, and has played everyone into getting what he wanted.  Iris, meanwhile, is with the Speed Force initiating their plan.  Godspeed takes off, and Barry tells the kids that, no matter what happens, stay put in the lab.  He races off to meet Godspeed atop STAR Labs.  Godspeed has drawn his children to him, and now plans on killing the Flash.  Flash tells him he's going down and heading to Iron Heights. Iris and the Speed Force work together to focus their energy to help Flash, as he's being beaten down and about to have his speed taken from him. But....just as Flash is about out for the count----Reverse-Flash shows up!  So, Thawne and Flash team up, and use their speed powers to create weapons from lightning and battle him.  Godspeed fends them off, and is just about to put the finishing touches on Flash, when he's run through by Thawne.  He's not dead, but incapacitated.  Flash chastises Thawne for trying to kill him.  Thawne says he was brought back to end the threat, so he did.  And now that it's over, he plans on killing Flash---just like he intended.  However---as he goes to throw a punch, Flash speeds up, and realizes he's MUCH faster than Thawne.  Flash then grabs his arm and tosses him aside.  Thawne wonders how Barry did that, complaining that he MADE Barry and Barry says that he got faster---didn't Thawne?  Thawne says no, but he will, and their battle will continue.  He races off.  

As the team congregates back at the lab, Nora wonders how Thawne came back, and Iris said that she and the Speed Force focused on the Negative Speed Force to draw Thawne out.  They knew it was a risk, but it was their only play.  They know that he's out there, while Hart is in Iron Heights.  But while Hart has no limits to what he wanted to do....Thawne does.  Thawne's goal is to always kill Barry...and they're prepared for that.  As for Hart knowing Barry's secret---the Speed Force wiped his mind of any knowledge of the Flash Family secrets.  

One week later, Kristin visits Joe, and she says she tested positive as a metahuman.  It turns out that she SHOULD'VE died during the bomb explosion, but because she can mimic the powers of others, she used Creyke's healing powers to save herself.  She's taking some time off from the CCPD to figure things out.  Joe wishes her luck, and tells her to call him Joe.  Finally...it's party time, and that means that Barry and Iris have decided to renew their wedding vows (and no Oliver and Felicity to ruin it this time around).  Bart pulls out a song for his parents, and finally....the couple kiss in Flashtime.

The final few episodes of this season were its best.  I felt that this season just kind of plodded along, and felt rather directionless.  It just didn't have the umph and spark like the seasons past.  But we can blame COVID for throwing production off and for putting the show off-track.  Hopefully, with production getting somewhat back on schedule, Season 8 will be better.  But the final arc definitely save what was not the best season of this show.  

I WAS pleased we got Nora and Bart---great chemistry together between Jessica Parker Kennedy and Jordan Fisher.  IF they ever did a spinoff with THESE two...I'd be for it.  To see the Flash Family as a unit was fantastic.  Throw in Jay and Joan Garrick, and it made it even better.  I only had ONE problem with this final arc, however:  Wally.  His absence from this arc was HIGHLY disappointing, considering that he would've been a major part of this fight....and to see him fight with Jay and the kids.  It WAS great to see Eobard Thawne return....thought, we kinda figured that would happen anyway.  But another aspect I enjoyed was that FINALLY.....FINALLY....after 7 years...we see that Barry has gotten faster than Thawne...and it was glorious to see him just embarrass Thawne with one throw. 

I was glad we got some resolution with Kristin Kramer.  It wasn't surprising that she turned out to be a metahuman.  It was an easy enough explanation, and now I guess we'll call her Mimic from here on out.  I did hear rumblings that she will be making an appearance next season.  We'll see if she's come to grips with her powers, and how will this change her approach to metas?  

Overall, the season was rather flat, and I do hope that Season 8 will be better.  How about all of you?  How did YOU feel Season 7 fared?  Subscribe and lemme know what you think.

Until next season.....rest your feet.  You're done running for now.