The Flash Season 4 Episode 22 Review: Think Fast
Alyssa Whittington
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Are you ready for an enlightenment from your favorite reviewer of The Flash? If not, then you should consider falling in line with the others before I launch my own satellites for more views and clicks.
On this episode of The Flash Season 4 Episode 22, we learn that Team Flash continues to search for DeVoe before his satellites launch into space, and time is literally running out.
They learn that DeVoe has been seen at the prison where metahuman Borman is being held -- the man who has the nuclear level power. The power needed to launch DeVoe's satellites.
Thanks to DeVoe's many powers and ability to transform into others, he was able to infiltrate the prison rather easily and take out most of the guards and personnel. Giving him a one-way ticket to the prison room that Borman is being held.
Team Flash quickly gather their thoughts to gravitate toward the conclusion that DeVoe will use Borman's nuclear power to further his plan of enlightenment, which will happen in less than twelve hours. Now on a clock, the team disperse and start to come up with ideas to get to DeVoe and how to stop his reigning terror.
Meanwhile, Iris' article has really taken off, and she has so many people reaching out to her, sharing theories, and delving into Team Flash's usual chaos; however, this doesn't sit well with Barry.
Barry: Yeah, I just don't know if it's the best idea to send people out there to do our jobs for us.
Iris: We're inspiring them Barry. I mean we could be the ones to show them how to do the right thing.
Thankfully for Barry, he has a calming Iris at his side -- though at times I wish she would hear him out instead of always thinking her way is the best way. Barry's ideas and thoughts are useful too, you know.
Related: The Flash Season 4 Episode 21 Review: Harry and the Harrisons
Iris and Harry team up this episode to find DeVoe's wife -- Marlize. In hopes that she will be the missing piece of the puzzle and help them take down DeVoe. Iris is worried she can't be trusted, but Harry tries to rationalize with her, with his fragile mind, that not everyone is as they seem.
Iris: You can't save monsters.
Harry: Marlize isn't a monster. Besides, the clock is ticking. It's 10 hours before enlightenment. What do we have to lose?
Iris: She stabbed me with a katana. Our lives are what we have to lose.
Caitlin and Cisco come to Barry with an incredibly dangerous and miraculous plan -- they'll join him in defeating DeVoe. But how? They couldn't get inside as fast as Barry could, right? WRONG.
The duo explains to Barry that he creates speed force around him and that he could touch them, giving them the ability to run as fast as he can. He could let go and share some of his speed.
But they can't do this without Barry's instruction, so training commences with the trio. Cisco starts, and he can't control his feet, something that must be learned over time; however, what happens when there is no time?
Let's jump to a happy moment, shall we? Too much enlightenment for me.
Joe and Cecille. The couple that I didn't think would have me wanting more this episode, but I'm so here for them. They brought a light and humor to a dark episode. I enjoyed their banter and love that was evident between the two. Of course, I can't mention them without mentioning the baby!
Cecille is extremely pregnant and ready to pop, yet something seems off in her word choice...
Cecille: There's not gonna be any surprises. This is gonna be totally sick.
Joe: Sick? Are you feeling sick?
Cecille: Nah bra, Nah. This delivery is gonna be sick. Having this baby is gonna be like one epic wave.
Joe: Are you okay? You're scaring me.
I'm with Joe. And when the dude from the pizza shop shows up with the same accent as Cecille, I begin to think something is going inside of her. Maybe caused by the baby? Joe rushes her to Cait who confirms my thoughts.
Due to Cecille being in the later stages of pregnancy, her body is releasing a hormone that is stretching her metapowers of mind reading and that she is now able to inhabit other people's minds -- something that becomes evident as she becomes Caitlin and then later Joe.
Caitlin rushes back to training because the twelve hours is ticking by fast and slipping from their fingers. On a second attempt using the speed force, Cisco nails his part as Caitlin fails miserably, falling from her frozen foot and knocking her head against the wall. As she is unconscious, a memory resurfaces to her head.
Flashes of a little Caitlin emerge as she's riding a bike in front of a truck with a man's voice calling out for her. We can only assume that man is her father, and that she is about to be hit by the truck. Maybe that's why she is having trouble with getting Killer Frost back?
Related: The Flash Season 4 Episode 19 Review: Fury Rogue
Thanks to her session with the psychologist who suggested that a traumatic experience as a child could be the reason KF is being repressed.
After Cait's fall and memory trip, Barry worries over the safety of his friends and begins to think training them isn't a good idea. He knows the danger he's putting them in and would rather do it on his own. (Oh Barry, don't you know your friends will never let you do that? Haven't you learned?!)
Sadly, he hasn't, which leads me to the scene I most enjoyed from this episode. Barry and Cisco butt heads over whether or not Barry should continue their training. I can see it both ways. Cisco wants to help his friend, and Barry doesn't want to lose his friends. A point he makes painfully clear to Cisco in a moment of honesty.
Cisco: And if you don't take us, we'll die anyway. Our brains get wiped, and that's it. That's the end of the world.
Barry: No, losing both of my best friends, and it being my fault...that's the end of my world! You may think it's worth the risk, but I couldn't live with myself.
After this revelation, Cisco lets up. He understands how Barry is feeling but assures him that he's not alone and he never will be. Aw, how sweet. I swear this friendship will be the death of me. Thank you The Flash writers for creating realistic and heartbreaking relationships.
Cisco points out that Ralph had the choice to be a hero because of what Barry taught him, and that he and Caitlin deserve that same chance. Barry finally agrees, realizing that he's stronger with his best friends.
Together as TEAM, Caitlin, Cisco, and Barry race to where Borman and DeVoe are just as time has run out. They quickly get inside, save the hostages, and Barry makes it inside of DeVoe's portal and he's able to destroy a satellite with Amunet's weapon. A brilliantly captured and thought out scene, which had me on the edge of my seat.
I loved the look on Barry's face as he takes a step back to marvel at the explosion in the sky. They did it. They really did it.
DeVoe shows up behind him, distraught over what happened, but tells Barry that he's much closer to enlightenment than he thinks. Barry's confused face was the same as mine. DeVoe, did you just see your satellite blow up? Hello?
He also explains to Barry that emotions are the root problem of the human race, more particularly love. Heartbroken husband, much? Maybe if you weren't such an a... I'll save that for another time.
A future with no phones. A future with more curiosity. A future with no thoughts, emotions, or love. These are all things the world could have if they reach enlightenment. Sounds familiar? Hello, walking, breathing, mindless zombies. Welcome to the world of DeVoe.
After the hostages have been saved, Caitlin finally asks Cisco for help with her repressed memory of her childhood. Hey, maybe the psychologist knew what she was talking about? Cisco questions if Cait is sure about this. What is seen can't be unseen after all. Caitlin urges for him to show her, to which he agrees.
In the memory, we learn that Killer Frost has always been in Cait even before the explosion of the particle accelerator. When she was a little girl, Caitlin was hit by a truck, and in return Killer Frost appeared, seemingly traumatizing a very unsuspecting Cait.
Hence, the reason the memory is repressed as well as Killer Frost; however, now that she knows the truth -- that KF is truly apart of her -- I believe that Caitlin's icy persona will return in a big way, I'm sure.
Harry and Iris find out where an obvious heartbroken Marlize has been staying, and she isn't the most pleasant of hosts to our detective duo. Harry attempts to calm the escalating situation, and he surprisingly does so as Marlize tells him he's experiencing the beginning stages of enlightenment.
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Iris begs for her help, for her to turn on her husband and help save the world, but Marlize is blind to her husband's motives. She believes that her estranged husband knows best and agrees that the enlightenment is what the world needs.
As Iris is about to give up, she mentions Marlize's life prior to DeVoe and how she believed in bettering the world. She leaves Marlize with the question of what she will do to save the world. Such a beautiful scene between two powerful and inspiring women, which makes you feel like you need to go to college to get a Ph.D.
Everything seems to be fine. The satellite was taken out, DeVoe left angered and hell-bent on getting what he wants, and Barry returns back to headquarters to what should've been a happy reunion.
But then the alarm echo throughout Star Labs and the team realize that their satellite is being hijacked. It only takes Team Flash a second to realize what's happening.
DeVoe is using their satellite to replace the one he lost, and he does so inside of Stars Lab. Ultimately, launching the satellites into space. Genius idea, really, but what does this mean for Earth? The answer is simple and only one word.
Enlightenment.
What do you think will happen in the season finale? Can the enlightenment of all humankind be stopped? Or will the people of Earth become mindless followers of DeVoe?
Let me know on Twitter or in the comments below! Remember you can watch The Flash online right here at TV Fanatic!
Alyssa Whittington is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.
