THE FLASH 8.8

 

RECAP - THE FLASH  8.8:  "The Fire Next Time"  

Team Flash had to deal with a heated issue this latest episode, and it also took on a personal tone with our Scarlet Speedster, as he was reminded about how someone wrongly accused of a crime can pay the price, and lose the chance to spend time with their most prized possessions:  their children.  And when Barry Allen faces the odds, and doubts from his own team about a man's innocence, it spurs him on to find justice the correct way, and use his gut instincts and knowledge to solve the crime, and stop another one before it costs the villain of the piece his own child.  Meanwhile, Iris has assigned Allegra to help out with writer Tonya's article on a media influencer making waves in Central City, as a centerpiece of those who are making a difference in town.  But things aren't smooth there, and Allegra goes against Iris, and we see the results of THAT.  But let's check in on The Fastest Man Alive, and see what he had to face THIS installment...

This week, we meet Jocko Burch - a former career criminal with metahuman powers to absorb and set things on fire.  He's working security for a concert venue, but also has a near 21 year old son he's trying to raise the right way, but his son doesn't seem impressed.  Apparently, poor Jocko here gets accused of a crime that was committed at a local bar in town, whereas the owner/bartender and his waitress got charred to a crisp, and according to Jocko, he was trying to sell a guitar to the guy, and they had a disagreement over price.  Jocko got stiffed, and was pissed off about it, but never made any moves to use his powers, but nonetheless, he's the number one suspect due to his shady past and the powers he possesses.  He's about to go off on the cops when Flash steps in, because Barry was investigating the crime scene with Chester and Frost.  Burch is arrested, and his son taken in to Child Services.  Barry ends up talking to Cecile to see if she'll represent him, but she says that because of how the murders occurred and Jocko's past, the evidence against him is fairly solid.  Even the rest of the team is telling Barry that there's no way Jocko can be innocent.  But Barry refuses to believe Jocko committed the murders, and he heads back to his lab at CCPD, and brings out the board again....looking to see what he can do to clear Jocko of the murders.  

Once there, Joe shows up to talk to Barry, and he understands why Barry is so determined to clear Jocko of any wrongdoing....It's February 1st---Henry Allen's birthday.  Joe recalls how Barry had made him a cake for his birthday, but Henry got called out on a medical emergency that night.  It was the last time Barry had tried to celebrate his father's birthday before he was arrested for the murder of his mother Nora.  Joe sticks by Barry, and tells him to do what he needs to do.  Barry figures out that Jocko didn't commit the crime, because the heat signatures from Jocko's powers and the murders are NOT the same.  He has Chester run tests using possible cold fusion.  Jocko eventually busts out, because he's going to get Harold, his son, and not allow him to fall through the cracks of Foster Care.  He meets up with the Social Services gal and Harold, and demands his son.  Both Flash and Frost head out to stop Jocko before he really does some damage, and ruins what chance he has left with his son.  What they end up noticing is that the Earth's core beneath them is interacting with Jocko's powers....and it's causing heat  to rise up and lava to be released.  If they don't stop the lava from acting up, it could kill tens of thousands in Central City.  But Flash has an idea....he's going to stir up the heat beneath the surface, and have Jocko absorb any of the heat.  Flash races into the core, and stirs the heat to the surface, and Jocko manages to absorb it all, thus helping save the day.  It's a new sensation to him, and he likes it.  In the end, Jocko is cleared of any wrongdoing, and he is reunited with Harold.  However, it still leaves the mystery of the murders of the two bar employees, and thus Team Flash gets to work.  

We also got Allegra going off book, and disobeying Iris this week, as Iris wanted Allegra to really learn her job as Managing Editor to help Taylor---the snobby writer---with a story featuring the people of Central City.  Taylor is writing about a media influencer that has gotten the city's attention.  Allegra feels it's a worthless puff piece, and walks away from the interview in order to bump into an old acquaintance she had while in Iron Heights.  The girl is just doing janitorial work, and explains how her life has NOT been easy since being released---and Allegra wants to help her.  So, Allegra gets in the zone and writes her story.  Iris---who really wanted some husband/wife time with Barry earlier, but Barry got called into work on the Jocko murders---reads Allegra's story and likes it---and will run with it.  HOWEVER, Iris is upset that Allegra didn't help Taylor, and she needs to fix it---pronto.  So, when Allegra goes to apologize to Taylor, Taylor is BEYOND pissed off that Allegra stole her headline story, and wasn't there to help her.  She knows what Iris wants, and plans on destroying Allegra.  

It was another decent filler episode, and apparently the mystery surrounding the crispy bar employees will lead into next week's villain, whomever that may be.  But we did get to know Henry Allen's birthday, as the family celebrated and honored Barry's father.  It was a personal issue with him to see that Jocko had his fair shake, and that Jocko have a chance to be with his son.  So, Barry was hell bent on proving his innocence, and in the end, Barry managed to prove his innocence, and taught Jocko how to save the day.  And while the rest of the team had doubts, he never gave up.  Now, they have a bigger mystery to solve---and it has to do with someone who's using cold fusion to burn his victims.  

As for Allegra, she's got a new enemy in Taylor, and there is no doubt Taylor will do whatever it takes to prove Allegra is not what Iris needs at CC Media, and is going to take her down.  However, Taylor SHOULD be careful, since Allegra DOES have superpowers as our ONLY Ultraviolet on the scene, but we'll see what Taylor's actions do in order to discredit Allegra in front of Iris, and get Allegra fired.  Or will Allegra and Iris argue, causing a rift, and Allegra either getting fired from CC Media, or she'll quit.  Either way, a rough road for Allegra is ahead.  As for Iris---she has just seemed....in the background the past few episodes.  It's basically been Barry and the kids, but she's had her appearances, and I wonder if she's pushing Allegra hard to be a better Editor, because she knows she's phasing between time, and not sure how long she's got....so she's trying to ensure CC Media is in good hands, and that means Allegra.  Then there's the issue between her and Barry----not enough of THEM since the end of the Armageddon saga.  So, is she still trying to get pregnant with Nora and Bart?  Whatever it is, hoping they resolve Iris' situation soon, so that she CAN get pregnant with those kids.  So, I keep wondering if they're stalling for the next "Graphic Novel", where Iris is in danger of disappearing forever.  For now, we follow along and see what happens.  But she's DEFINITELY taken a backseat a little bit this season.  

What do YOU guys all think of this past episode?  Give me YOUR little insights by subscribing to this her blog, and dropping some comments below!  I'd sure as hell appreciate it.

Until next time....Keep on running!

SUPERMAN & LOIS 2.8

 

RECAP - SUPERMAN & LOIS  2.8:  "Into Oblivion"  

The Man of Steel is up against the wall right now, and so is the rest of the Kent Family, as bad things from all sides are coming their way.  Superman now has to find a rogue Lt. Anderson, who know possesses the pendant that Tag provided him after it was taken from the now-dead Bizarro.  And Anderson, now sees HIS salvation in the form of Alison Allston...who has been looking forward to obtaining it in order to complete her Ascendence.  Now, he's got Sam back to help him out.  He and Lois ALSO have to deal with the fact that Jon was taking the X-K inhalers, and is hiding who the dealer is, as he's protecting Candice and her dad.  Jordan, meanwhile, is trying to be helpful to Sarah, as well as trying to figure out what's up with his brother AND train with his grandfather to become a hero.  The Cushings are still reeling from the Kyle/Tonya affair, and now Lana has to face the town in a debate with Mayor Dean, who wants to use the affair to paint a bad picture of our little Lang.  So...just how much MORE could go wrong?

With the pendant now in her possession...so to speak...Alison has now got Anderson on her side....all powered up and ready to go.  She has him enter the alternate world in order to get ready for this Ascension thing.  Her shadow self tells Anderson that they should be ready, and soon, they will become gods.  Later on, Chrissy gets ahold of Lois, and says that Alison has gotten in touch with her, and that she's invited her to this new event.  Lois warns her to be careful, and Chrissy wants to get the answers to prove that Alison's motives are unscrupulous at best.  When she meets Alison's men, they have her put a hazmat suit on, as they head into the caves.  There, they search until they find the portal into the shadow universe.  As Anderson allows himself to be carried into the other universe, Chrissy sees something wrong, and some of the other disciples start to disappear, and there's some sense of trouble that Alison sees in this journey.  Now, at this time, Superman and Sam are trying to track Anderson and the penants, but have had no luck.  But Sam also doesn't hear from his men who're stationed at the quarry.  Superman is off to see what's up, and can't see what's going on in the tunnels, but can hear people screaming in pain.  Superman races into the tunnels and rescues Chrissy and Alison, and the portal closes...and Chrissy thanks the Man of Steel for the save.  Now, Superman can't stay long, because he was supposed to pick up Natalie and John Henry, and races off to meet them.  

Sam looks to interrogate Alison about what happened, but most to find out if Lucy was amongst those who disappeared.  Alison takes this time to take jabs at Sam as a father, and how he was just as responsible for driving Lucy away as was Lois.  Sam loses it, and Lois calms him down.  Alison refuses to say anything without a lawyer.  Sam is broken up for having lost Lucy, but Lois tells him that she made her choice.   Later on, Lucy actually shows up, and they're happy to see her.  She seems a tad out of it, and Sam offers to take her home.  Because earlier, Lois had been there trying to find out what happened to her, and she was upset that she couldn't help her...prompting Clark to be there for her.  Sam takes Lucy home, and she's just getting stuff ready, as she made her father some tea.  But she ends up drugging him, and says that she's helping Alison, and now she's using his credentials at the DoD to get access to what they need for this Ascension. 

For Clark....he's still NOT in Natalie's good graces, as she still holds HIM responsible for John Henry's head trauma and hospital stay.  John's had some brief memory lapses, but he seems to be recovering.  But Natalie is having a hard time trying to get along with the guy who LOOKS like the man who killed her mother.  Clark understands, and when he missed picking them up from the hospital, he feels he's not making any headway.  John Henry tries to assure Clark that it will take time, as she's still adapting to be on this Earth.  So, in order to make things easier on her and her dad, Clark gives her the keys to a place an old friend once had.  He tells her they can stay there long as they like until they get better settled.  Hopefully, in time, she'll warm up to him.  So, Nat and John Henry take a look at the place, and she likes it.  So, they text Clark to let them know that they'll take the place. 

We also got more in depth in regards to Natalie's journey to Earth Prime.  It turns out that when she took off from her Earth, she was caught in the Anti-Monitor's wave that destroyed all the other Earths during CRISIS, so she was in this empty void, with no sense or direction.  However, he manages to tell her pod to find her dad's signal and find her.  So, it looks like whatever events happened to her as of recent times, happened in OUR time about a couple years BACK, since THAT was when CRISIS occurred....so, wondering what in the hell happened to the timeline enough between when what's happening NOW on this show, and how it fits into CRISIS. 

Jordan checks in on Sarah, and she says she talked to her friend from camp (you know...the one she kissed and hid from Jordan), and invited her to town, to help her out, and for her to meet Jordan.  Despite Jordan's internal misgivings, he doesn't want to upset Sarah or seem like he doesn't care, so he agrees to meet her.  However, his meet gets interrupted no thanks to his brother.  Jon, you see, is now doing community service in his part in the X-K inhaler issue, and the team had to suspend the football season and forfeit every game because of what happened.  So, he's working at the convenience store.  Candice thanks him for not ratting her or her dad out, but she's got to deal with the man who was their dealer, and he wants the money, and she doesn't have it.  So, when Jon is walking her home, the dealer shows up, and he powers up with the inhaler, and tosses Jon around.  Jon manages to get ahold of Jordan, and Jordan races off and meets up with him.  Jon tells Candice to run as she does.  Jordan then roughs up the dealer, and tells him to take off and never come back, or he'll get more of the same.  When Jordan goes back to meet Sarah and her friend, he can overhear them talking about them skipping out on the meeting...something coming up possibly.  Jordan then takes off.  Jordan and Jon talk, and Jordan wishes that Jon had told him about Candice earlier, but Jon didn't want to burden him.  They're good though, and Jordan isn't going to rat out Jon or Candice.  Clark is still hard on Jon for coming home late, and Lois tells him not to take it too far.  

Lana meets up with Kyle this week, who says he's not living at the station anymore, and that he's got himself a place in town.  Lana is surprised at this, and she's busy trying to prepare for her debate with Mayor Dean.  Kyle decides to help prepare her, and the issue of their marriage is something he presses her about, and she finally gets angry and lashes out at him.  He feels that is good...she needed to get it off her chest.  But now, he's prepped her for this debate, and told her to be upfront and honest---it's how she's going to win.  

We get MORE drama piling up for the Kents, as well as the Cushings, and those around them, as Alison Allston is about to make her move, and manipulating everyone around her for her twisted means.  Lucy is so embedded, and now has drugged her own father and stolen his security clearance badge to ensure Alison is released free into the wild, and they can continue this "Ascension" thing.  Personally, I'm at this point that IF Lucy gets fooled by Alison, and is seen as expendable by the evil bitch, I'm not going to feel ONE OUNCE of sympathy for her.  For all Lois AND Sam have tried to do lately for her, it's all on deaf ears.  So, to ME, let Lucy learn the hard way.  And she will....it's gonna happen.  And I'll be smiling like the Cheshire Cat when she does.  But at this point, I feel more for Lois and Sam at this juncture.

I gotta say for Clark---for as much as he's riding Jon right now about his mistakes (as he should do...he's the father, and he's pissed AND disappointed in his boys...but they ARE teenagers), he's also taking the shade and heat he's getting from Natalie as well as he can.  He knows the impossible situation she's in, and looking like the man who killed HER mother, it doesn't help.  John Henry has done a good job of trying to smooth things over with him and her, but it's going to take time.  But, hopefully, with this new place for her and her dad to set up shop....it'll help mend that bridge, and allow Natalie to see Clark Kent of THIS Earth to be what he has been:  a hero.  But I am ALSO curious to see WHERE these events for this show lineup in accordance with CRISIS, because we KNOW that's what she got caught up in.  And hopefully, John Henry fully recovers, and BOTH get back to work on fixing the Steel suit.  

As for Kyle and Lana....they're handling separation as best they can...especially for the girls.  Lana was a bit taken aback by the fact that Kyle found new digs, but she honestly couldn't expect him to just crash at the fire station the whole time, did she?  After all, she moved all his crap out of THEIR house....so, what was he to do?  However, I felt that she DID need to get angry with him about their marriage falling apart, and knowing that's what Dean is going to focus on during the debate, as he BS' the town about "family values", when he has NO moral compass whatsoever.  But hopefully, this will embolden Lana, and it will work in her favor.  

Jon is lucky that Jordan saved his bacon this episode.  Not taking the inhaler is great, but ensuring he didn't get a royal ass kicking was better.  We're seeing Jordan start to get SOME control over his powers, and did help his brother out.  However, wasn't TOO happy that Jon hid the fact that Candice had been the one who sold him the drugs to begin with.  And while he's not going to rat his brother out, I'm sure he's also wanting Jon to dump the girl, because all she's been is bad news....something Sarah has ALWAYS known from the start.  And as for Sarah...for her to want Jordan to meet Amber, knowing how awkward it's been for him to cope with THAT little aspect of her life, and for him to be OKAY with it---nah.  I can understand why he didn't want to meet Amber---Jordan's a kid, and he's still RAW from that bit of truth from Sarah, and while he's happy he's still with her, it doesn't mean he's FORGOTTEN.  He hasn't been able to totally put that behind him.  It's still going to be a point of contention for these two going forward.  Whether it causes them to break up or not....hard to say.  But I wouldn't be surprised on the latter before the season ends. 

All in all, another solid episode, and we're starting to see the pieces fall together for Alison, and we'll see whether or not Lois and Sam can save Lucy, and if Superman can stop ALL of this before matters get worse.  Will Jon finally fess up about Candice, and how much more trouble can she be in or draw into his orbit before he's had his fill?  And will Jordan finally have enough and leave his brother to his own devices, and try to work on HIS crap with Sarah?  Wheels within wheels, and it's a little more than the halfway point, and we'll see how it plays out.  

What did YOU guys think of this episode?  Subscribe, and leave your insights below...would love to hear from ya!

Until next time....Up, up, and away! 

THE FLASH 8.7

RECAP - THE FLASH  8.7:  "Lockdown"  

We continue our interlude for The Fastest Man Alive, as we return to 2022 and we get back to Team Flash, as we move forward with this season.  This week, we welcome back one of Flash's old foes, as they try to cause some trouble for The Monarch of Motion, as well as the CCPD.  We also get into some personal stuff for Caitlin, as she tries her hand at dating again. 

Chester was on monitor duty this week, as he was also looking to provide yet another video blog of his crazy inventions....with Allegra's help.  This also prompted Caitlin to show up to stop the proceedings as she's having nerves about going out on her first date since Ronnie Raymond.  An alert interrupts everything, and they see several crimes being committed, and the Flash is on it.  He stops a robbery, a car thelft, and another crime, and drops them off at the CCPD.  Though they were ushered there by the Flash, he forgot to stick around to tell the cops what they were being brought in for.  Barry comes downstairs from his lab, as he meets up with Kramer, who says she wishes she could communicate with the Scarlet Speedster in order to better work together in bringing down the criminals in Central City.  Barry talks this over with Joe and Cecile, and they both agree that Kramer is trustworthy, and it would benefit everyone around for him to help the CCPD by giving them a way to contact the Flash.  Barry heads back to work the next day, and as he is about to talk it over with Kramer, they open the elevator, and get knocked out by a gas bomb.

When they awake, they have inhibitor bands on their wrists, preventing both Kramer AND Barry from using their powers, but they are on the wrists of several officers in the precinct.
...courtesy of Goldface, who has returned at the behest of his love--Amunet Black.  Goldface recognizes Barry, but doesn't equate him to the Flash.  He requests the metahuman bullets that Kramer had gotten that were in the police armory, and he plans on selling them on the black market with Amunet Black.  He says that not only does the band knock out meta powers, they can also kill if Goldface likes.  Kramer refuses to abide by Goldfaces plan.  Because once they check the armory, the bullets are gone.  He wants to know where they're at, but Kramer isn't giving up their location.  Barry intercedes, and says he can build a device that could help Goldface track them.  Barry's in his lab, and he has to endure Goldface's diatribe about love.  He puts the device together, but when he turns it on, it emits a loud sonic sound that deafens Goldface and his henchman, and Kramer and Barry make a run for it, and hide in a storage area.  Goldface recovers, and says he wants the bullets and the weapon, otherwise, he's going to start killing policemen.  

Barry notices that Kramer's band is off, because her Mimic powers nullifed it by inheriting Goldfaces powers.  Kramer is afraid to use her powers, and the main reason she wanted to talk to Flash, is because she wanted his help training her to control them.  She's afraid of using her powers for lack of control, and hurting someone. Barry assures her she can do it, and they need to do it fast before Goldface starts offing police officers.  Barry wants her to bide him time to see if he can get the band off, and find a way to save the precinct.  Kramer meets with Goldface as she says she's not giving him anything, and she is---as she said to Barry---"Get our house back!".  So, as she confronts Goldface, holding onto his gold chain, Barry is upstairs trying to get the band off, when he remembers what Caitlin said about him "leveling up".  So, he uses his powers to short out the band, and he manages to outrace the explosion that Goldface set off.  Downstairs, Kramer's powers are fading and Goldface is about ready to kill cops when Flash shows up, and puts dampener cuffs on him, as well as taking down his other goons.  Flash looks to Goldface to see who put him up to this, but the Pat Benetar song "Love Is A Battlefield" blares out, which is Goldface's ringtone.  It's Amunet, and Flash just shakes his head.

Later on, Flash shows up to give Kramer a device to contact him.  He also decides that it's time to reveal his ID to her, but she figures out it's Barry.  When he wonders how she did, she said she found the charred band in the explosion, and the only person that could survive that was Flash.  They shake hands, and Barry says he'll be happy to train Kristin on how to control her powers.  

As for the rest of this filler episode, we had Caitlin go on her first date in what seems like a millenia with a man named Marcus.  Though they HAD reservations at a nice restaurant, they booked so far ahead, that they're forced to make other plans, and wind up in the same place where Cait's sister Frost is on a date with Mark---Chillblaine.  This doesn't sit too well with Cait, as she puts the heat on Chillblaine about abandoning her sister, and she doesn't fully dig him at all.  This ticks not only HIM off, but Frost as well, and they bail.  Later on, after Marcus leaves, Cait is at the bar, and Mark sits down, and they hash out how they handle things.  He gets it...she doesn't like him.  But he says he's trying hard with Frost, and while their relationship is unconventional, it's still a relationship.  He says that he gets she's scared to date, but give it a shot...Marcus looks like a nice guy.  What he says seems to help Caitlin, and she ends up talking out how she feels with Frost. While Frost is appreciative, she knows what she's doing with Mark.  They end up agreeing to double date.  

The end of the episode saw Iris at Joe's having dinner, and then having her Speed Force powers going haywire again, as she slips out and then back in time.  This time, Joe is bringing in a casebox for her to look at, and she's perplexed at the time jump.  Joe just chalks the incident up to dinner, then heads upstairs.  Iris' eyes power up as the episode fades to black..  

As I said...another filler episode until the next arc beings for this season...another "Graphic Novel" if you will.   It was a pretty standard episode in the "stand alone" department, as it had a beginning, middle, and end to the story.  The only thread we see continuing is the time displacement abilities Iris is suffering from....and they're getting worse.  I am hoping that the main focus of this last arc for the season (because I think they only have two, with some filler in-between), will be finding a way to cure Iris.  After all----she's still got Nora and Bart to give birth to.  This episode had a few cute moments, but it centered on the fact that we got to see Barry in his CSI mode a good part of the episode as he was captured with Kramer.  We learn more about WHY Kramer doesn't like using her powers, but knows she needs to get them under control.  And the logical ending with her finding out Barry's secret ID was simple and to the point....true, there was no big "unraveling" of the mystery for her---it's fairly cut and dried this epsidode, and I'm okay with that.  They painted enough of a picture for Kramer, that it just makes me like her more----and with her and Flash---or at least Barry.....they make a good team.  So, I'm curious as to how Mimic controls her powers going forward.  So, Chief Singh, Kramer, Joe, and Cecile are people who are either lawyers (Cecile), or members of law enforcement.  It finally ends that tease of WHEN Kramer would find out Barry and the Flash are one and the same.  While her putting the pieces together would've been fun, it would've gotten boring in an episode or two.  This shows at just how great a cop she is, how savvy she is, and it was something simple like the charred wristband to prove her theory true.  But I wouldn't mind seeing Kramer and Barry working more, and developing that partnership as not only Police Captain/CSI, but also has Police Captain/Flash.  

We're going to get a few more fillers before we hit the final arc of the season, but we're seeing some sides to our cast we haven't before.  And, I gotta tell you, seeing Goldface again was great!  Anytime they can fit in a Rogue to cause a little chaos is a good thing---plus, Goldface is good for a laugh---especially when you add Amunet Black into the mix.  

What did YOU all think of this episode?  Was it good for filler?  Or are you just itching for them to get on with it, and move into the next arc?  What about Caity and Frost and THEIR dating life?  Do we get more Chester and Allegra?  Subscribe and provide YOUR thoughts and opinions below.

Until next time....keep on running! 

THE FLASH 8.6

 

RECAP - THE FLASH  8.6:  "Impulsive Excessive Behavior"  

Welcome back, Flash fans!  It's been a bit of a spell since we last saw The Scarlet Speedster, as he had just taken down Despero, and fixed the timeline the Reverse Flash tried to rearrange with HIM has the hero, and Barry the villain.  But we see that Eobard Thawne is now powerless, and rotting in a cell at ARGUS.  With things seemingly peaceful now for Team Flash, we move onto the next adventure....though there STILL is the issue with Iris still suffering from the Speed Force effects.  This installment, our regular team takes a back seat, as the Flash kids take center stage, as Nora & Bart try to repair a time flux situation that takes them to 2013.

We start off this episode with where the last episode of Season 7 left off:  with Barry & Iris renewing their wedding vows as the kids looked on some six months prior.  After the party, the kids head back home to 2049, where they experience some kind of energy wave.  When Jay Garrick arrives to visit, they talk about the whole Godspeed affair, and then Jay says that Bart will make a great Flash one day.  But when he mentions his wife Rose, it makes the kids realize that something is VERY wrong.  After Jay leaves, they head to the  Flash Museum, and discover that the timeline had been changed by a temporal energy wave.  They trace the source of the wave to New Year's Eve, 2013.  It was on this day that their grandfather, Joe West, is shot by a robber, and it alters the course of time.  They need to go back and fix it, but Nora reminds Bart they need to do what they can to NOT interfere with anything time related.  

There, they arrive at the CCPD, and end up running into new CCPD detective Eddie Thawne. They pass themselves off as interns for the CSI lab, as their current CSI - their father Barry - is still in a coma at this time from the lightning strike hit him in his lab after his return from STAR Labs before the Particle Accelerator Explosion.  He just considers them gophers and sends them for coffee.  It's while getting the coffee that they bump into another intern, but this time for a company called Mercury Labs - a woman named Avery.  Avery has notes on quantum physics and time travel, and she and Bart seem to take a shine to each other.  But Nora tries to keep Bart's head in the game, as they are there to stop Joe from being shot.  They do, however, happen upon the crime, and Bart springs into action, and just slightly moves Joe out of the way of the gunshot from the clumsy robber.  He is saved, and the robber arrested, but it didn't fix time....it just made things worse.  Bart inadvertently altered the timeline again.  They try to get the security footage from Eddie, but he doesn't let them have it.  They take off, talking to each other about being the only metahumans making mistakes, but is overheard by a young woman.  This woman is Mona Taylor, who then meets up with a few other criminals like herself, and she gives them the idea to team up and rob the local casino in town just before midnight...thus, the Royal Flush Gang is born.  

Nora and Bart work, and try to switch flash drives with the security footage form the botched robbery earlier, by overhearing Joe talk about how he blew it with Cecile Horton, who just got divorced, and layed into Joe earlier in the day.  When they review the footage, they find out that Mona Taylor overheard them, and now the Royal Flush Gang is going to commit the robbery at the casino.  They need help, but Bart---having felt like he screwed up---doesn't feel worthy of becoming The Flash, and takes off.  Nora tracks him down to STAR Labs, where Barry is still laid up in his coma.  Bart tells his dad that he failed, but Nora assures him that they haven't failed yet, and that she needs him.  She'll always be there to pick him up when he falls.  They then deduce that Avery is the one person who can help them solve their problem with the timeline.  Because while there's supposed to be people who die in the casino robbery, the bodycount keeps altering, meaning it's in flux.  When they confer with Avery, she tells them that as long as they allow the robbery to happen, they'll restore the timeline, but the body count is the only thing that can be altered.  So, they put their plan into action, as Bart handles the people in the casino, while Nora races to find the bombs.  When the Royal Flush Gang arrives, Bart is busy speeding people out as quick as possible without being detected, but Queen and Ace notice.  Bart then disguises himself as the casino manager in order to distract them long enough for Nora to locate the bombs.  He manages to convince them to let the people live, and take whatever they want.  They complete their heist, and are off, but not before Queen tells them to enjoy the fireworks.  

With Nora desperate and panicking, Bart tells her to take a breath and think.  She manages to find all 5 bombs and gets them out of the casino, and runs up a building, throwing them skyward, as they explode like fireworks in the sky at midnight...thus no one dying, and no one the wiser as to them being there.  We then see Iris show up to offer food to her father, and she meets Eddie face to face for the first time, thus putting time back on track.  Later on, at the CCPD, they have the photo taken at the precinct with Nora and Bart in it, as time is reset. Before they leave, Bart says his goodbyes to Avery, and they share a kiss before he and his sister race off for 2049.  Once back in their time, they meet up with Jay, and retell thier story.  Bart apologizes for messing with time, and says it's okay if he's not worthy of being The Flash.  Jay laughs, and says if that were the case, their father would be just as unworthy.  Jay talks about how he hopped around time, fought criminals in World War II, and bounced around for the better part of 16 years.  Tells him that they may not be able to fix time, but they can still make things right.  

Back in 2022, Team Flash is ready for a trip to Paris, as they await for Iris to get ready.  She sets the brush she was using down, and they all bundle up, and take off holding onto each other as Barry speeds them away.  Meanwhile, we see the brush mysteriously disappear...meaning that their time troubles may not yet be over...

This was a fun little episode that gave us some perspective on the happenings in Central City with the Allen clan while Barry was still comatose.  It saw Nora and Bart work together as a team to solve a problem, and they have such a great brother/sister dynamic.  We also got to see the birth of the Royal Flush Gang, which---mind you---HAD existed before Barry became The Flash, though time said differently to Nora and Bart.  But THAT was before Eobard's screwing with the timeline for his own selfish means.  We also got to see Eddie once again, which gave us some wave of nostalgia, as well as just how badly things were for Cecile BEFORE her and Joe started to date.  It's also always a welcome sight when John Wesley Shipp returns to the show as Jay Garrick.  His interaction with the youngsters breathes new air into the show.  And despite what some may say, I do feel that Jordan Fisher and Jessica Parker Kennedy have great chemistry.  Jessica's old hat at this now for the last few seasons, having spend a whole year as Nora, so for her, she's slipping into old running boots.  For Jordan, I still feel he's finding his way, but he's getting there.  The introduction to a new character on the canas, Avery Ho, is going to be VERY interesting IF they decide to use her somewhere down the road on this show.  Especially IF she figures out WHO The Flash is, and, for that matter, be used in a way as to help him with whatever new crisis or villain the team will face sometime in the future.  But there are no coincidences on this show, and characters aren't brought in for no reason whatsoever.  Same reason we got the Booster Gold Easter Egg in this episode that I loved, because I have a feeling he and Flash will cross paths eventually.  I also believe that this is honestly the first episode we did NOT honestly see Barry as The Flash at all, and NOT use his speed until the final scene as well. 

While this show was definitely a one-shot for the Allen kids, we DID get to see the hairbrush Iris used disappear, meaning that they STILL have not solved HER problem with phasing in and out of time as yet---and I feel THAT is going to become an issue down the road here before this season ends.  And...at some point...they HAVE to get this woman pregnant, so that we an actually HAVE Nora and Bart in the future.  So, while it just gave us some insights as to some things going on in Barry's absence during this time in history, it gives the kids a mini-adventure to see what happened to THEM after the Godspeed affair.  Fun episode, but didn't move anything along story wise until the final scene.  

What did YOU all think of this episode?  What did you think of Avery Ho?  And were you finally happy to see Eddie again?  Subscribe and comment below....would LOVE to hear YOUR insights.

Until next time....keep on running!