THE FLASH 8.9

 

RECAP -  THE FLASH  8.9:  "Phantoms"  

As we've entered our new "Graphic Novel" saga for this season of the Monarch of Motion, Team Flash is on the hunt for the mysterious "fire meta" that caused the death of a bar owner and his waitress last week, which blame was wrongly placed on a man named Jocko Burch, who had fire powers, and was a former criminal.  However, with his name cleared, the Team focuses back on this villain who uses "cold fusion" as a way to burn its victims.  They need to stop it before it kills again.  Meanwhile, we get a great surprise visit as our wonderful gal pal traveler Sue Dearbon returns home to Central City for a visit, and brings up a mystery that catches Iris' attention---and she needs it.  Things are NOT WELL will our intrepid reporter, and she needs to figure out what's going on...fast.  So...with what's going down in our Scarlet Speedster's town...let's see what happened. 

Deon paid a visit to Iris this episode, and it looked like he gave her yet another "checkup", and it seemed that she was fine.  At first, she was hesitant about revealing the time lapses she's been having, but eventually brings it up to him.  She even mentions that she and him were in a train station (the scene eliminated from the Thawne Time Line thanks to Barry), and he decides that he'll look into it.  She feels she should tell Barry, but Deon warns her to keep it between them for now until he gets more info.  This leaves Iris extremely concerned.  So, she tries to bury herself in work, but she an Allegra get a visitor in the form of our old friend, Sue Dearbon.  Sue's back in town on business, now that she's inherited the family business thanks to her parents being put in white collar jail thanks to their part in Black Hole's affairs.  And with them permanently gone (thanks to her and Ralph, no doubt), she's just checking on things, and decided to visit old friends.  However, she DOES have business in Coast City, and talks about a gal who is like a phantom---disappears, and thinks there might be something to it, and invites Allegra along, but Iris instead takes her up on the offer...looking for a distraction.  

Once in Coast City, Sue knows something is bugging Iris, and tries to pressure her into spilling the beans, but they're distracted by Iris' app that tracks metahuman activity.  They manage to find a young girl named Kayla.  They try to question her about her powers, and Iris offers to help her in regards to using them, but Kayla's really not interested in what either Iris OR Sue have to say, smashed Iris' phone, and then bails.  Sue eventually gets Iris to open up and explain what her issue is.  Sue sets Iris straight, and says that instead of running AWAY from her issue...let her family in.  The last statement was enough to spark Iris' brain, and she eventually has an idea as to where Kayla may be going.  They end up finding her through Iris' investigative reporting. Sue and Iris catches up to Kayla, and Iris says that she's looking for her mother.  Kayla's wondered what happened to her, since she was abandoned when she was young.  Iris promises to help her find her mother.  

Back home in Central City, Team Flash is desperate to find out who or what this fire meta is, as it has claimed yet another victim---a yoga instructor.  With no real rhyme or reason to the crimes, it's driving the team to their wits' end as to try and figure out any sense of pattern to it.  Answers begin to develop more as we start seeing a change in Chester during this ordeal.  He seems frightened by something, and when the meta flame enters STAR Labs, and Flash and Frost cannot stop it, it seems to focus on Chester.  The creature then disappears.  But it has gotten Chester spooked.  We then learn that Chester has been thinking about his dad, and that they didn't always get along, and when he died, he never really grieved for him....out of fear.  Chester is given a pep talk by Allegra, who says that she's there for him...to open up.  So, he discusses when his dad died, and how he's lived with the guilt and grief all these years.  Allegra says he can get through this, and, after yet another encounter with the fire creature, they realize that it's not some ONE trying to control it...but a living entity that is killing it's victims by being drawn to their fears and anxieties.  They end up cross referencing all the backgrounds of the victims, and they realize they all share a singular pattern:  some sense of guilt, depression, or loss that is consuming the creature's victims internally and emotionally.  Cecile can sense all the previous victims when the creature returns, and takes the form of Chester's father.  Cecile tells him to resist it, and think about how good his life has been since then.  Chester is able to fight off the temptation of the fire meta, and it dissipates and takes off.  Chester has finally started coming to grips with his father's death, and allows him some peace of mind.  But...this STILL leaves the fire meta on the loose, looking for new depressed and guilt ridden victims.  

Barry and Iris facetime online, and she talks about the amenities of her room in Coast City, while she and Sue are helping out this Phantom Girl.  Barry tells her it's good she's there, because he'll feel better if she's safe in Coast City, while they try to stop the fire meta on this end.  After their call ends, Deon shows up to inform Iris that he's found out what's wrong with her...and it ISN'T good.

We finally get to find out what kind of creature this "fire meta" is this week...and it's an unusual power:  it feeds of pain, guilt, misery, and depression of those who've lost something or someone.  Lots of despair.  And there is no actual physical way to stop it.  I still feel that Firestorm (or the Earth 2 equivalent), will show up by the end of this arc.  What that does for Caitlin, I am not sure.  But Caitlin is off doing date things with Marcus right now (freeing the current pregnant Danielle Panabaker to only have to shoulder ONE role per episode).  As for Chester, we finally get more insights to his relationship to his father---rocky as it was---and the guilt.  And sure enough, his friendship with Allegra is what helps him get through.  They've done a lot to tease these two as an item, and HOPEFULLY, it gets into gear after Cecile sensed the attraction between the two.  

It's ALWAYS a treat when Sue returns to town, because we get a little humor, but also some outside insight into Team Flash, while having been friends with them.  We find out that Sue's in charge of the family business now, and that Black Hole has been taken down---no doubt due in part to her and Ralph Dibny.  It also makes me wonder whether or not they've EVER gotten around to recasting Ralph.  I'm still convinced you can do a miniseries with him and Sue, and it would be FANTASTIC.  But I digress.  I like how Sue was the one to draw Iris' fears out, and get to the core of her problem.  But Deon has bad news for her, and I am not sure what her phasing in and out of time has anything to do with maybe her disappearing for quite some time.  We have questions, and hopefully, the showrunners will provide the answers.  But all in all, not too bad an episode.  Hopefully this "fire meta" has a sweet payoff to it---but we got more story this installment.  That was pretty much the entire episode, and was glad that Coast City got some love on the show.  

What did YOU all think of this episode?  Subscribe and leave a message below.  I'm curious to know YOUR theories.  

Until next time...Keep on running!