Sometimes, not even The Flash can be on time. This week’s Thanksgiving episode just happened to be scheduled to air a few days after the actual holiday. At this rate, the Christmas episode will arrive in January or even February, if the CW saves it for sweeps. In last week’s episode, Team Flash helped Caitlin reunite with her father. However, they soon discovered that his Icicle persona has taken over his body. The Flash season 5 episode 7 returned to the hunt for Cicada, after the team realized that the metahuman serial killer was a father.
Secret Origin
Barry showed up at the hospital under the impression that Grace was Cicada’s daughter. Cicada’s confidant, Dr. Ambres, hid his presence from Barry and convinced him that Grace’s parents were both dead. That turned out to be the truth, as Cicada’s past as Orlin Dwyer played out in flashbacks. Orlin was forced to raise his niece after her parents were killed in a metahuman incident. However, he didn’t easily adapt to being a father. Grace called Orlin out for resenting her and hating himself after she was disciplined at school.
Orlin made a genuine effort to redeem himself, and repaired his relationship with Grace while giving them both projects to work on. One year later, they had a true father and daughter bond…just in time for the Enlightenment to occur. Orlin was impaled in the chest by a lightning-shaped fragment of the Thinker’s satellite, while Grace was left comatose. In his rage against metahumans, Orlin realized that he could call the fragment to himself like a dagger.
Daddy Issues
Nora and Barry raced to a power plant that was hit by several lightning strikes. To prevent a disaster, Barry placed his own body between the lightning and its target. Unfortunately, that was enough to nearly kill him. Nora frantically attempted to revive her father, but almost lost him. She was so unnerved by the experience that Nora actually suggested that Barry should quit being the Flash to prevent his future disappearance.
Team Flash assumed that the Weather Wizard, Mark Mardon, was behind the lightning rampage. Instead, it turned out to Mark’s estranged daughter, Joss Jackam. Although the heroes assumed that Joss (a.k.a. Weather Witch) wanted to free her father from prison, her true goal was to kill him for his neglect. After temporarily fooling Joss, she threatened to drown the city if they didn’t turn him over to her. Joss created a tornado of lightning, which was defused by Barry after Nora offered her encouragement. Once that was dealt with, Joss was quickly captured.
Thanksgiving Blues
Cisco and Caitlin attempted to invite Sherloque to Team Flash’s Thanskgiving dinner. However, he quickly turned both of them against the holiday by pointing out the disastrous year they had. Cisco was so despondent about it that he started bashing the lies behind the holiday. Cecille and Joe both skipped the annual event to go for a long walk to spend time with her family. Caitlin and Cisco planned to boycott the celebration until her Killer Frost persona convinced them otherwise. Even Sherloque came around to the idea, as Team Flash enjoyed the chance to be together as an extended family.
Cicada Revealed
Although Dr. Ambres covered for Orlin, she suggested that CCPD’s interest in Grace meant that it was too dangerous for him to visit her again. Orlin bristled at the suggest that he give up on his surrogate daughter and ignored Ambres’ advice. Unfortunately for Orlin, Team Flash eventually realized that he was the man behind Cicada’s mask.
What did you think about The Flash season 5 episode 7? Let us know in the comment section below!
