Last week on The Flash, we got a Caitlin-centric episode when Icicle returned to enact the next phase of his devious plan. As a result, Caitlin and her mother were forced to resolve their combinative relationship to defeat the icy monster. While Caitlin was able to reconcile with her mother, her estranged father was fatally wounded after being hit by Cicada 2’s dagger.
In The Flash, season 5 episode 20, Barry grapples with his feeling about Nora’s seeming betrayal. Elsewhere, Cisco makes a big decision while some familiar faces return to Central City.
Gone Rogue
The Episode starts off with Nora emerging through the Negative Speed Force in 2019. She arrives at an architecture firm, quickly accessing blueprints for McCulloch Technologies from their server room. After successfully downloading the plans using a portable version of Gideon, she uses the negative force to destroy the servers before escaping. Later at S.T.A.R. Labs, Team flash work to set up a perimeter that will detect Nora’s presence when she re-emerges. Sherloque and Ralph arrive, and the latter teams up with Caitlin to investigate a lead on Cicada 2’s theft of the cryo-atomizer. Eventually, the rest of the team gets word of her aforementioned break-in and Cisco agrees to lend a hand. At the architecture firm, Iris, Cisco, Barry and Joe learn that Nora is stealing negative tachyons to power her trips through the negative speed force and avoid their scanners.
Nora recruits Weather Witch, Queen Bee and Rag Doll for a weapons heist. Nora’s plan is to break into McCulloch Technologies, steal some of their high tech weapons in a place called “The Forge.” and the sell them on the black market for an astronomically high price. For this plan to work however, they need to rob Team Flash first. While Barry laments the way that he left things with Nora, a Meta alert triggers at the Starchives. There, Barry confronts Nora about returning home, but she’s resentful for the way he abandoned her in the future. As her anger builds, her negative force powers overwhelm Barry and he’s knocked back by a burst of lightning. Nora is able to get away with Spencer Young’s phone in the process. While this happens, the rest of the rogues are able to capture Cisco and Sherloque from S.T.A.R. Labs.
A Cold Reception
Caitlin and ralph Investigate her father’s lab in the arctic. There’s still a hole in the ceiling, Caitlin informs Ralph that Killer Frost is still mourning the death of Icicle and won’t be coming out to play. Ralph tries to help with a silly grieving pamphlet that he made. Killer Frost comically emerges to seal the hole to the sub-freezing lab, just to shut him up. As they continue to investigate the lab, Caitlin realizes that Ralph is more interested in fostering other relationships besides his own. He admits that he’s “not built for love” (whatever that means), and Caitlin encourages him to find someone. It quickly turns awkward between the two when relationship prospects with each other are addressed. However, this exchange also makes them realize that Cisco’s prototype Meta Cure is missing. Consequently, this sparks the light bulb for Caitlin regarding Cicada 2’s plan.
Elsewhere, Barry arrives at Iris’ office, revealing that Nora broke into Starchives and stole the hypnotizing phone. They also learn of Cisco and Sherloque’s capture, as well as deciphering Nora’s plan. As well as realizing that Nora and her cronies are attempting to steal weapons made from the shrapnel of the S.T.A.R. Labs Satellite. Barry and Iris once again argue about Thawne’s influence on Nora. Although Barry is essentially treating Nora as another super villain, Iris argues that they need to understand her motivations first. Barry Analyzes old footage of Thawne and Joe arrives to him some great fatherly advice. Barry fears that he won’t be a good parent based on his experiences with Nora. Joe suggests that he’s going to have to trust her to get her back.
To Vibe Or Not To Vibe
Earlier, while grabbing his gear, Cisco mentions that he finally finished The Book of Ralph. He tries to give it to Sherloque, but fails. The conversation gravitates towards Kamilla’s knowledge of Cisco’s Meta abilities. Naturally, he deflects before leaving to help Barry. Back at the warehouse, we quickly learn that Nora wants Cisco to hack past the coding of the phone so that they can use it for their heist. Nora threatens Cisco’s life and he agrees, while the trio of villains soon realizes that Nora is The Flash’s daughter. While Cisco is fixing the phone, he and Sherloque talk about their love lives. Sherloque reveals that he knows about Irene’s Meta abilities but hasn’t told her yet, which piques Cisco’s interest. The conversation then shifts to Cisco’s situation and Sherloque makes him realize that he may not want to be Vibe after all.
In the warehouse, Weather Witch deduces Nora’s identity, and the seemingly bond over their similar parental issues. Cisco finishes reprogramming the phone, which now has audio and visual hypnosis abilities. Instead of releasing the captives, Queen Bee uses her newly improved Meta-tech to hypnotize them. As it turns out, Cisco rigged a back door to control the bees and the duo is able to escape by vibing them out of the room after the villains leave.
Endgame Revealed
At the weapons demonstration, Nora and the villains easily make it inside the weapons facility. After dispatching several employees, Rag Doll manages to gain access to the forge through a conveniently placed pipe. While they are able to walk right inside, Queen Bee and Weather Witch double cross XS. With Nora and the other employees held hostage, the villains start a live broadcast threatening to kill all the hostages unless The Flash arrives. Naturally he does, but Weather Witch quickly realizes that it’s Hologram Flash with Sherloque behind the wheel. Eventually, the other hostages are revealed to be Barry, Iris and Joe – who were using facial transmogrifiers the whole time.
As the chaos unfolds, Joe and Iris incapacitate Rag Doll and Cisco manages to deactivate Queen Bee’s Meta tech remotely. Nora nearly gets hit with one of Weather Witch’s attacks, but Barry intervenes which in turn destroys the dampener in the room. As a result, the father/daughter duo easily takes down the two remaining baddies together. Later, Nora details her true intentions to Iris and Barry. As it turns out, she stole a weapon that could destroy Cicada 2’s dagger once and for all. Barry admits that he would never have believed her motivations before, apologizing for they way that he treated Nora in the past. After reconciling, Nora’s parents promise to never abandon her again.
Cicada is Cuckoo
Back at S.T.A.R. Labs, Cisco confirms that Nora’s story checks out and that the weapon will indeed destroy the dagger. Just as Team Flash get their hopes up, Caitlin and Ralph arrive with the news that Cicada 2 has stolen the bad prototype version of the Meta Cure. Cisco reveals that this version is highly unstable and will kill whoever takes it. Thus, they deduce that Cicada 2 has weaponized the broken cure and plans to disperse it with the. Meanwhile, Cicada 2 sings gibberish while working on the device. Eventually, a hallucination of Orlin is also revealed, speaking said gibberish while hovering over her shoulder.
What are your thoughts about The Flash season 5 episode 20? Make sure to let us know in the comment section below!
