Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Batwoman Episode Guide: Season 2, Episode 9 - Rule #1

  For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.

Plot


As Kate Kane's friends and family make some difficult decisions, Alice takes a wild trip down memory lane. Meanwhile, Ryan faces the leader of the False Face Society -the fearsome Black Mask!


I
nfluences

The Pre-Crisis Batman comics featuring Black Mask.


Goofs


It seems highly unlikely the Police Commissioner of Gotham City would be leaving his day-long meeting alone or without a security detail.


Performances


Peter Outerbridge utterly dominates as Black Mask.


Artistry

The design for the Black Mask costume is truly terrifying.


Bat Trivia

This episode offers the first view of Black Mask in the post-Crisis Arrowverse. Apparently reality has been rewritten so that nobody knows Black Mask's identity in the revised reality, as Black Mask's mask was among the objects in storage in Arkham Asylum during the Elseworlds event.

First appearing in Batman #386 in August 1985, Black Mask was created by writer Doug Moench and artist Tom Mandrake as a more mature take on the older villain False Face. He was also intended to be a dark mirror of Bruce Wayne and Battman, being the scion of a rich Gotham City family with a double life, only as a crime boss instead of a crime fighter. He was also a failed business man, as opposed to the successful Bruce Wayne.

One trait Black Mask originally had in the comics was a hatred of hypocrisy, which fueled his obsession with masks and the "false faces" people presented the world. This was inspired by his appearances-obsessed parents, who mocked their rich "friends" in private while devoting their lives to impressing the people they despised. This is reflected in the Arrowverse version of Black Mask, whose motivation is to bring down the hypocritical "agents of justice" running Gotham City; i.e. the GCPD, Crows' Security and Batwoman.


Technobabble

The material used to confirm Kate's death was a parietal skull bone found off the coast of Bludhaven.

The time stamp on the security footage at City Hall indicates that someone scrubbed several minutes before and after the murder of Commissioner Forbes.

The NTSB report on Kate Kane's plane crash suggests that based on the weather and atmosphere that night that a lightning strike could have knocked our the controls and that a recalled circuit breaker could have sparked an electrical fire in the cockpit. 


Dialogue Triumphs

(Ryan narrates the opening scene, as we see Kate Kane's funeral.)
Ryan: 
Dear Kate... It doesn't feel real to say good-bye. Unbeknownst to us, Julia Pennyworth spent months with a recovery team combing the ocean floor for any sign of you. She found something caught, a parietal skull bone in the shores outside of Blüdhaven, had different labs match it to your DNA. It was enough to confirm you were gone, and since I can't exactly be there to say good-bye in person, I'll say it here in the place where I feel like I know you the best, and since I can't lay flowers at your gravesite either, I have another idea. This plant was my connection to my mama. Then it turned out to be more than a plant. It's a Desert Rose from Coryana, probably snuck over to the states by an islander named Ocean, who eventually gave it to my ex for safekeeping, who then gave it to me, having no idea that its serum was actually a miracle cure. Like you, this plant is one of a kind, and like you, it gave me a second chance. Beyond all earthly words and songs of blessing, praise, and comfort. So now when I look at it, I won't just think of my mama. I'll think of Kate Kane, and I'll think of the woman who saved a hell of a lot of people, the woman who created a family for everyone, the woman who could keep us from surrendering to our demons, the woman who inspired people to stay true to themselves even when it felt impossible, to always be there whenever someone needed them, who brought out our humanity, even in the darkest of moments, and the woman who changed me. Like everything good in my life, I thought my time as the Bat was temporary, but it's for real now, and I'm not in your shadow anymore. I'm it. I am Batwoman. Good-bye, Kate Kane. Thank you for changing my life. May your memory be a blessing. 

Angelique: I said some pretty awful things to you a while back.
Ryan: Well, I mean, in your defense, you were in the process of dumping me. 

(Team Batwoman spots Jordan Moore's graffiti. Ryan and Luke start talking as Mary looks at her phone and starts typing.)
Ryan: Someone could have been tagging the building while the shooting was happening.
Luke: Then got the hell out of Dodge, left behind work in progress. 
Ryan: Which means the tagger could have seen the shooter!
Luke: And the shooter could have seen them. So how do we track down a potential witness and protect them solely based off the words "Defund the police?"
Mary: I think I found it.
Luke (flabbergasted) Literally how?
Mary: Social media. Figured the "X" inside the "O" and the monochrome on top of the neon was some sort of signature.
(Mary hands her phone to Luke as Ryan looks over.)
Ryan: Definitely could be the same artist.
Luke: I'll get the user's info. 
(Mary does an exaggerated bow.)

(Alice has a tea party with a hallucinatory teenage Kate.)
Alice: I just spent the last two weeks in the bowels of a ship, trying to escape a godforsaken island. Trust me. If I were to conjure up some fantasy, this would not be it.
Teen Kate: You mean the same island you risked everything to get to in order to see me again? Well, here we are.
Alice: Of course. I ask the universe for my sister, and this is what I get.
Teen Kate: I'm not sure why that's surprising. You never get what you want.
Alice: Cheers to that.
Teen Kate: Nothing about your plan unfolded the way you wanted. After we left you in this cell for years, you set out to make sure your family never left you again, but Dad helped lock you at Arkham, and I'm dead.
Alice: Am I so mentally disturbed that my imagination created you to rub it in?
Teen Kate: You created me because you were always the one who got us into trouble, but I was always the one clever enough to get us out of it.

(Jacob asks Julia to investigate the investigation into Kate's death.)
Julia: I take it I'm reading their report because you don't believe that?
Jacob: Well, in the last few months, I've discovered that one of my daughters is Batwoman while the other ran an illegal underground medical clinic, so I'm not taking anything at face value anymore. 

Ryan: So she's somewhere inside a janky, old sawmill?
Luke: Gotham bad guys wouldn't have it any other way. 

(Batwoman has just witnessed Black Mask sawing one of his men in half.)
Batwoman:
What the hell are you doing?
Black Mask: It's an HR matter. What are you, OSHA?!
Batwoman: I'm here for your prisoner. Let her go. She's not like you.
Black Mask: Oh, please. Enlighten me. Who am I?
Batwoman: You're a sadistic drug lord.
Black Mask: Okay. I can see why you might think that, but it's Gotham that's sadistic, not me, and they say the best way to change the system is from within.
Batwoman: You're not changing crap.
Black Mask:And you are?
Batwoman: I'm doing my best every damn day!
Black Mask: Your best isn't good enough, and I know that better than anyone. My daughter was imprisoned by the Crows and killed by Batwoman.
Batwoman: I never killed anyone.
Black Mask: But you've taken on the symbol of the woman who did. So tell me is that change? Or is that just pandering to a sick city that worships extremist Crows and Bats? Maybe you wouldn't bother me so much if I said I was a squirrel.
Batwoman: You've really convinced yourself this creepy mask is a symbol for, what, a concerned citizen?
Black Mask: No. It's a symbol of liberation from people like you. People who think they'll never be held accountable as long as they pretend that what they do is justice.


Continuity


Kate Kane's funeral is attended by Jacob Kane, Mary Hamilton, Luke Fox, Julia Pennyworth and Sophie Moore.

Julia Pennyworth, unbeknownst to everyone, had a ocean dive team searching the coast for signs of Kate. They recovered a skull bone that belonged to Kate.

Ryan plants the Desert Rose plant that saved her life in the Batcave as a memorial to Kate.

The crime boss called Black Mask is revealed to have Kate.

Police Commissioner Forbes, last seen in 106, attends a day-long budget meeting one month after Kate Kane's funeral.

Commissioner Forbes, unlike Jacob Kane, welcomes Batwoman's help in dealing with the Snakebite drug and the False Face Society. 

Commissioner Forbes is confronted by an activist on the way to the meeting. This activist is later revealed to be Jordan Moore, Sophie Moore's younger sister.

Apparently the GCPD killed four unarmed black me in the past year alone.

Ryan makes good sweet potato pancakes; a dish Mary had never had before.

Angelique shows up at Mary and Ryan's apartment, claiming that she's ready to change her life to get back together with Ryan.

Alice is hiding out in the old Cartwright home. 

Alice hallucinates a teenage Kate coming to her to have a tea party.

Commissioner Forbes is gunned down on the steps of City Hall by two members of the False Face Society. This is witnessed by Jordan Moore, who was in the middle of spraying anti-police graffiti on the side of the building.

The morning after Commissioner Forbes' death, local billionaire Roman Sionis, CEO of Janus Cosmetics, makes a public statement offering his support to any solution that can end the gang violence in the city.

It's common knowledge among the city elites that Forbes was cheating on his wife.

Ryan notices Jordan's graffiti on the altered security footage of City Hall at the time Forbes was murdered. This leads to the search for Jordan after they realize the footage was altered.

This also indicates that whoever killed Commissioner Forbes has access to Gotham City's CCTV feed.

Mary is able to identify Jordan Moore based on her graffiti tag - an x inside her letter o's.

Ryan is unsure whether she should get back with Angelique or not.

Jordan goes to Sophie for help, but refuses to testify to the Crows.

The False Face Society attack Sophie and Jordan in the parking garage at Crows Headquarters.

Batwoman arrives just in time to save them.

Jorfan tells Batwoman that Commissioner Forbes was killed by two men in masks - a gas mask and a hockey mask. Their getaway driver was a woman in a babydoll mask who had a bracelet with a big gold key on it.

Ryan recognizes this description as a distinctive bracelet Angelique always wore.

Ryan confronts Angelique over how she didn't really get out of the False Face Society.

Angelique asks how Ryan knows this. Ryan half-lies and says that she knows Batwoman.

Angelique claims that she was able to get out after agreeing to act as the getaway driver on one last job.

Ryan says she can get Batwoman to help Angelique if she agrees to testify against Black Mask. Angelique asks for time to think about it.

Luke and Mary are both skeptical about Angelique doing the right thing, given that she let Ryan go to prison over her crime.

Mary points out that Kate was similarly blind to Alice's inability to change until after Alice murdered Catherine Hamilton.

Julia claims she never thought Safiyah was responsible for Kate's disappearance, as it didn't fit her MO.

Jacob doesn't believe the report which says a lighting strike or recalled circuit breaker could have caused Kate's plane to crash.

Jacob asks Julia to investigate the investigation into Kate's plane crash and confirm that noneof her enemies or his enemies could have been responsible.

Jordan stays at the Hide Out while laying low.

Jordan has issues with authority in general, including Batwoman, seeing the cops, the Crows and the costumes as "suits who shoot first and ask questions later."

Jordan is working with several grassroots groups to get a new community center built in the worst part of Gotham. She also phone banks to keep new jails from being built and is on a council trying to get more money spent on neighborhood-led safety initiatives than police weaponry.

Jordan and Sophie's mother told Jordan about Sophie coming out to her. Unlike their mother, Jordan has no issue with Sophie being a lesbian. Indeed, she encourages her to ask Ryan out.

Sophie says that will never happen - not even an enemies-to-lovers maybe.

Sophie calls Luke and asks if he can tell her why Batwoman seemed to single out the clue that the False Face getaway driver wore a key bracelet. Luke lies and says he'll check with her.

Luke tells Mary that he's trusting Ryan's judgement and that the Bat team only works when they trust each other and have each other's backs, even when they don't agree.

Angelique calls Ryan and says she's ready to make things right. However, when she goes to pick her up as Batwoman, her apartment had already been ransacked and she was gone.

Luke is able to track Angelique's phone to an old sawmill in the West Yard district.

Batwoman is swarmed by the False Face Society and tied up to be sawn in half in the sawmill.

Batwoman watches Black Mask kill one of the masked men she fought who was sent to capture Jordan Moore.

Black Mask reveals that his daughter was imprisoned by the Crows and then died because of the original Batwoman. It is implied that she was innocent.

Sophie shows up to save Batwoman, having been called by Luke who got worried when Batwoman's comms were shut off.

Batwoman rescues Angelique, who turns herself in to Sophie.

Sophie confesses to the murder of Commissioner Forbes.

Sophie gives Ryan Angelique's key bracelet. She says that Angelique asked her to deliver it because Angelique agreed to take the fall because Black Mask had threatened to kill Ryan if she didn't. 

Julia calls a man named Kurt about the loaders at National City's private airport. He claims to have spoken to Julia a month ago and that they talked about her accent and how they both went to camp in Oxfordshire. Julia has no memory of this conversation.

Ryan creates a set of rules for the Bat Team. There are three rules.

3. Support - We have each other's backs.
2. Accountability - We hold each other accountable.
1. Legacy - We build something better, rather than just beating bad people senseless.

In accordance with Rule #1, Ryan suggests they all help Jordan with getting her community center built. Luke and Mary agree.

Alice digs up her dead cat and hallucinates that it is still alive.

Realizing that she's having a psychotic break, Alice decides to just forget Kate existed rather than grieve her.

It is revealed that Black Mask kidnapped Kate Kane from her plane and that her face was messed up during the fiight.

Black Mask employs Enigma, the same hypnotist used by Safiyah, to start reprogramming Kate Kane.


Location

The episode is set in Gotham City, but jumps forward one month in time after Kate Kane's funeral.


Untelevised Adventures

We don't see what  Alice was doing in the past month it took her to get back to Gotham, including two weeks in the bowels of a ship. 

The Fridge Factor


Ryan doesn't come off well in this episode, being easily overpowered by the False Face Society. 

The only reason Sophie is able to help rescue Ryan is because Luke told her where to go.


The Bottom Line

If I had any doubts left that the main reason to watch this show was Alice, this episode eliminated them. Despite this, the show does a fantastic job setting up Black Mask as the main villain for the second half of the season and does bring Ryan's arc with Angelique to a satisfying conclusion. Yet I still wish the story were focused on Julia Pennyworth, because it seems like all the most interesting things are happening to her off-camera. 

Starman Plays Indiana Jones And the Fate of Atlantis - Part 2

In which, after ruining Madame Sophia's show, we make our way back to Iceland in search of a lead on some Atlantean artifacts and the Lost Dialogue of Plato describing Atlantis' location. We then head to Tikal in search of the man who translated the Lost Dialogue and solve many strange puzzles involving animals.

Monday, March 29, 2021

Starman Plays Indiana Jones And the Fate of Atlantis - Part 1

In which we play through the opening credits tutorial and marvel at how unsafe the archives at Barnett College are, before taking a wholly unnecessary trip to pick up a bunch of junk we don't need and clean out the fridge in Indy's office. We then get down to the serious business of sneaking into a theater.

Sunday, March 28, 2021

Superman and Lois: Season 1, Episode 5 - The Best of Smallville

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here. 



Plot

As Smallville celebrates its first Harvest Festival since Martha Kent's passing, Clark is reminded of what his mother meant to him and the city and learns an important lesson. Meanwhile, the shift in Jonathan and Jordan's fortunes finally comes to a head, as The Stranger arrives in Smallville and begins stalking Lois.


I
nfluences

The classic Superboy comics (Clark trying to protect his town as a teenager) and Superman: The Movie (Pa Kent's speech about Clark being sent to Earth for a reason, Ma Kent giving him the sunstone from his rocket.)


Performances

Inde Navarrette, who plays Sarah Cushing, gets some great moments here, playing a teenage girl who is wise beyond her years and resentful of the innocence she's lost. 

Tyler Hoechlin gets some great silent acting moments in the set-up to the flashbacks to his teen years and the moments after.


Artistry

The direction in general is fantastic, with the transition between flashbacks and present-day scenes being seamless.

The "after school special" scene with Sarah and Jordan having their date interuppted by a drunken Jonathan is also notable for how it avoids being the typical "teen drinking is bad" drama scene and is played completely straight and with surprising realism.

I defy you not to cry during the final flashback as a teenage Clark Kent leaves home for the first time and Martha Kent watches him leave, neither one wanting to part but both knowing it is ultimately for the best.


Super Trivia


Most of the flashbacks to Clark's teen years are taken directly from Superman: The Movie.

This episode confirms that this version of Clark Kent did try to use his powers to help people before becoming Superman, although he didn't don a costume and appear as Superboy when he did it.

This episode reveals that The Stranger (aka Captain Luthor) was apparently married to Lois Lane on his Earth. There is a long history of Lois Lane and Lex Luthor being romantically involved in alternate worlds in the DC Comics universe. Perhaps the most famous example of this is in Earth-3; a world where all the great heroes were villains and Alexander Luthor the world's only superhero.

Lois and Lex were also married in the reality of Superman: Red Son. The two dated for a time in the realities of Superman: The Animated Series and  Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. In the current mainstream DC Comics universe, Luthor had an infatuation with Lois (due to her refusal to cowtow to him) and he briefly had a replicant companion modeled on Lois.


Technobabble

Captain Luthor tracks Superman and Derek Powell's chase to a five mile circumference, based on an established flight algorithm of Kryptonian flight patterns.


Dialogue Triumphs

(Sharon Powell has just told Lois and Chrissy to drop the matter of Morgan Edge trying to have her killed, now that her son has suddenly come back.)
Chrissy:
Okay, that phony story... was all sorts of rehearsed.
Lois: (deadpan) I know.
Chrissy: Sharon almost got killed by someone who works for Morgan Edge.
Lois: (deadpan) Yep.
Chrissy: I'm acting like you right now?
Lois: That's because we both know this is a big story. And we will figure it out, but for now, let's just be happy she got her son back.

Lois: So you're a reporter?
The Stranger: That's right. Marcus Bridgewater.
Lois: Sounds vaguely familiar. Politico?
The Stranger:  Reuters. Mainly do business coverage, focusing on big tech. I have a background in engineering. I used to work at LuthorCorp.
Lois: (like she's about to spit) Lex Luthor, the only human being worse than Morgan Edge.
The Stranger:  Guy, uh... (chuckles) Definitely has his secrets. 

(Jonathan has just said he's sick of farming, Harvest Fest and Smallville.)
Clark:
Hey. I'm sorry about Eliza.
Jonathan: It's not about that, Dad. I wanna move back. I lost all my friends. I'm probably never gonna play football again, and... and now, what? You just expect me to drop my life for everyone else's?
Clark: Look, I know, I know. A lot has changed. But I promise you, it's all gonna work out.
Jonathan: (scoffs) You don't know that!
Clark: I get it. There was a time in my life when I felt just like you.
Jonathan: Yeah, well, I'm sure. When was that? When you were, I don't know, lifting an oil tanker or maybe flying laps around Saturn?
Clark: Jonathan...
Jonathan: No, Dad! I'm not like you, and I'm not like Superboy over there, okay? (gestures towards Jordan) And this town? It is my Kryptonite! 

Martha Kent: We've talked about this, Clark. You can't be running around playing masked vigilante.
Teen Clark: They were stealing!
Martha Kent: I understand that, but we've got rules in this family.
Teen Clark: Those were Dad's rules, and he's not here anymore.
Martha Kent: That doesn't mean you get to ignore everything he taught you.
Teen Clark: It's been a year. You know? We can't keep pretending everything's the same. We have to move on with our lives.
Martha Kent: Moving on can be a distraction. Sometimes to heal, you've gotta... you've gotta sit with the feeling, you know? Let it run its course.
Teen Clark: Dad understood. He knew I was sent here for a reason.
Martha Kent: Your father and I both knew you were sent here for a reason.
Teen Clark: Well, I'm pretty sure that reason wasn't to be Martha Kent's son! 

(Lois and Clark are sitting on Martha Kent's memorial bench.)

I was so selfish.
Everybody is at that age. It's part of growing up.
Yeah, but Mom knew that. And she let me go anyway.
Because she loved you and she wanted you to be happy. And now we're at the point where our own kids are talking about leaving home.
It feels like they were just born.
It's easy for you to say, you didn't have to go through 27 hours of labor.
That's true.
(Clark looks over at Lois and the both laugh and cuddle up.)
Lois: Love you.
Clark: Love you too.
(From a distance, they are being watched by Captain Luthor, He looks upset - more saddened then angry as he turns around and walks away. He returns to his mobile home. He leans on the counter and steadies himself, breathing deeply. His AI kicks on and a red light scans over him.)
AI: Biometric readings suggests your pulse is abnormally high. This must be about Lois Lane. It is worth reminding you that this is not the Lois Lane from your world.
Captain Luthor: Everything about her is the same. Everything, except she marries someone else! 


Continuity

As the episode opens, the national news is reporting an uptick in Superman sightings around the globe. This is because Clark is trying to free up time for his favorite time of year in Smallville: Harvest Fest.

Harvest Fest is an annual event in Smallville, coinciding with when the farmers harvested their crops in the fall, where the community gathered together and shared what they didn't need with each other. It also has the traditional fair attractions, such as rides, food like funnel cakes, fried cheese curds, and chocolate covered bacon.

Smallville was officially established as a township in 1949.

The Kent farm grows corn and the family shuck the ears together as Clark tells his sons about the festival and how it taught him the value of helping others.

Jonathan's girlfriend Eliza is coming to visit that weekend.

Eliza is reportedly a vegetarian.

Sarah asks Jordan out to the Harvest Festival With a little pushing from Jonathan, he says yes.

Eliza dumps Jonathan over the phone, when he called to confirm her arrival time.

Jonathan and Eliza had been dating for over a year.

Clark turns his mother's room into a home office for Lois. He plans to give away most of the furniture, except for one lamp.

Crissy Beppo calls Lois and asks if she could come into the office as Sharon Powell (last seen in 103) has shown up, with her missing son, Derek.

Derek Powell claims to have no memory of where he's been for the past few months. He says the last thing he remembers before losing time was looking at his latest generous paycheck from Morgan Edge as he was walking through a tunnel and hurting his head. The next thing he remembered was waking up in Stanton County. The authorities found him outside St. Anthony's church and they helped him recover his memory. 

Derek Powell claims to have no memory of the phone messages he left for his mother, saying that the opportunity he'd been given wasn't what he thought it was and he sounded scared.

Sharon says everything that happened, including the attempted murder, doesn't really matter to her since her son is back.

Captain Luthor has tracked Lois Lane to Smallville, saying that the one thing he's noticed about this Earth is that Superman will follow Lois Lane anywhere.

Sharon and Derek drop off several bags of men's clothes for the Harvest Fest swap meet.

Lana recognizes Derek's name from Lois' story.

Derek goes to the restroom, breathing heavily and sweating. He calls Leslie Larr to tell her something is wrong just before his eyes erupt red with heat-vision and set the building on fire.

As a teenager, Clark normally wore flannel shirts.

Lana apparently dated Kyle Cushing in high school before she started daring Clark.

Clark had a brief career as a masked vigilante in Smallville, in spite of his mother warning him against trying to use his powers to help people. 

The thieves Clark stops in his flashback were stealing 32" television sets VCRs and salad shooters.

As a teenager, Clark was strong enough to break a shotgun with his bare hands and fast enough to bat bullets out of the air.

Clark hears the sirens of the fire department and steps in to put the fire out with his ice breath before the building can collapse on Kyle Cushing.

Kyle notices the frost on the support beams afterward.

By the time Clark got to the drop-off site, all the donations had been destroyed.

Clark saw Sharon Powell outside the center as they firemen were trying to put it out. He did not see Derek Powell, but noticed Sharon seemed to be looking for someone.

Clark's favorite band to listen to when he was depressed as a teenager was REO Speedwagon.

Tom "Mitch" Mitchell was the main casualty of the fire. A career firefighter in Smallville, he was the best man and Kyle and Lana's wedding. He's still alive, but he inhaled a lot of smoke and Kyle says things are not looking good for him when Lois questions him about the fire.

Kyle says the whole fire was weird and he has no idea how it started so suddenly or was stopped so suddenly. He does not mention the frost to Lois..

Kyle confirms he saw Derek Powell near the Smallville Community Center before the fire started.

Lois calls Chrissy and suggests that she talk to Sharon Powell again.

Captain Luthor approaches Lois pretending to be another reporter; Marcus Bridgewater. He claims to be working with Reuters and to be a former LuthorCorp employee. He also claims to have an educational background in engineering, though he mostly writes about big tech and business. 

Captain Luthor claims to be a big fan of Lois Lane and says he began investigating Morgan Edge after reading her last piece on him in The Daily Planet.  He tells her that he plans to check out the Shuster Mines. Lois tells him to call her if he finds anything and they can consider sharing the byline. 

Sharon Powell says Derek sent her a text after the fire at the Smallville Community Center, saying that he needed space. He said nothing about where he was going.

After confirming that Sharon and Derek shared a phone plan, Chrissy used Sharon's phone to track Derek's, finding out that he was at 1247 Crawford Street.

Jonathan declares that he wants to move back to Metropolis and that his friend, Bryan Kelso, has an older brother who has a spare bedroom. Clark says that will not happen, but Jonathan says maybe he'll just do it anyway.

After the fight with Jonathan, Clark remembers an argument he had with his mother as a teenager over his vigilantism and how Clark didn't see any reason to follow his father's rule about "showing off" his powers.

Kyle returns home drunk. Apparently he and several other firemen went out to have a drink in Tom Mitchell's honor since the doctors says there's almost no chance he could keep working as a fireman, even if he did pull through given his lung damage.

Kyle fights Lana about going to the Harvest Festival right away. He wants some time to clean up and eat, but Lana has to meet with several people to figure out what to do about the destroyed donations.

Sarah offers to drive Kyle to the Festival while Lana and Sophie go first.

Jon abandons Jordan to hang out with some other football players who are drinking something alcoholic from a flask.

Kyle winds up passing out on the couch while Sarah is fixing him something to eat, trying to sing Sarah a song he used to sing to her when she was a little girl.

Chrissy Beppo goes to the address on Sharon Powell's phone and spies Leslie Larr making out with Derek Powell before they go into the building.

After going into Jordan's room to shut off the radio, Clark remembers back to when the room was his room and how he and his mother made up after their fight over his stopping the robbery.

Clark apologizes, saying his mom was right to be upset at him. Martha apologizes, saying that Smallville might not be the best place for him anymore. This leads to her giving him the Sunstone crystal from the ship that brought him to Earth.

Lana lies about Kyle's absence at the Harvest Fest and says Kyle is at the hospital with Tom Mitchell.

Sarah is late for her date with Jordan. 

The building at 1247 Crawford Street contains a machine like an MRI, which Derek Powell is loaded into by Leslie Larr. Chrissy Beppo observes this but leaves to call Lois before seeing the machine activate. 

Sarah is about to tell Jordan something private, but is interrupted by a drunken Jonathan. 

Sarah loses her temper with the football players and tells them not to talk to her because she's sick of dealing with drunk idiots who don't know what real problems are.

Clark smells the alcohol on Jonathan from a distance. He and Lois send the boys home from the festival early, despite the fact that they said they were already leaving.

Chrissy calls Lois and tells her about how she saw Leslie Larr and Derek Powell together.

Clark goes to the building at 1247 Crawford as Superman.

Derek Powell tells Leslie Larr to "protect the asset" before taking off flying and leading Superman on a chase.

Captain Luthor detects Superman flying and is stunned that Kal-El is in Smallville.

Captain Luthor is now operating out of a mobile home, which contains his AI assistant and a small arsenal of apparently high-tech weapons.

Derek Powell sets a barn and several fields on fire with his heat vision to slow down Superman. Superman barely misses a beat putting them out with his ice breath. 

During the fight, when Superman asks what happened to Derek Powell, an inhuman voice says that he's been resurrected and that "You are not alone anymore, Kal-el."

Captain Luthor attempts to shoot both Kryptonians out of the sky with a rocket launcher of some type. It seems to weaken Derek Powell, but only stuns Superman briefly. The rocket explosion is visible from Harvest Fest.

Derek Powell's body disintegrates into a burst of heat vision and ashes.

Captain Luthor runs to the impact point, but Superman has left before he can get there, armed with a special gun - presumably one that could kill a Kryptonian. 

Clark and Lois declare that Jonathan is getting a "get out jail free card" this one time, saying that he had to leave Smallville to find himself and he understands it might not be the place for Jonathan. He says they can discuss the idea of Jonathan moving to stay with friends later, but he asks Jonathan to give Smallville more time.

Clark gives Jonathan a box that Pa Kent made which he gave to Ma Kent, which she, in turn, gave to Clark when he left home.

Clark says he doesn't think Derek Powell was really Derek Powell and references his talk of being resurrected. He also mentions how his powers were erratic, like Tag Harris's super-speed.

Morgan Edge donates enough cash to replace everything that was lost in a fire, and then some.

Lana reveals that the Smallville City Council decided to dedicate a bench that Martha Kent always sat on whenever she was in town to her. The bench bares a memorial plaque which reads "MARTHA KENT - THE BEST OF SMALLVILLE."

Clark remembers how he and his mother sat on that bench to wait for the train leaving Smallville when he left home.

Captain Luthor was apparently married to Lois Lane on his Earth.

Based on his uniform, Captain Luthor was a US Army Ranger.

Jordan and Sarah decide to take it slow, with Sarah saying she needs a friend more than a boyfriend right now. Jordan agrees.

On the walk home to the Kent Farm, Jordan is jumped by Tag Harris, who is wearing a uniform of some type. He is then knocked out. 


Untelevised Adventures


Superman does many heroic things around the world which are mentioned in passing on the national news.


The Bottom Line

A solid, yet curious episode. Probably the most weakly written episode to date, it is also the best directed and bolstered by some solid performances. It leaves us wanting more. Unfortunately, thanks to The CW's odd schedule, we'll have to wait two more months to get it.

Friday, March 26, 2021

Starman Plays Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade - Part 6

In which we explore all the major loose-ends and alternative pathways not covered earlier. This includes an escape from the castle where we don't get caught, a trip to Berlin where we get to become the only American to punch Hitler (for all the good it does us) and a ride on a Zeppelin. For extra value, I show off most of the ways you can die in the Grail Temple, including what happens if you choose... poorly.


Thursday, March 25, 2021

The Flash Episode Guide: Season 7, Episode 4 - Central City Strong

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.


Plot

Abra Kadabra returns, seeking revenge on Barry Allen and the rest of Team Flash. Meanwhile,  Caitlin suspects something is wrong with Frost, as Iris confronts the darkness of her time in the Mirrorverse and seeks help in dealing with it.


I
nfluences

The Flash comics of Joshua Williamson (introduction of Strength Force), the writings of Arthur C. Clarke (mentioned by Chester, obelisks a nod to 2001: A Space Odyssey)


Goofs

Ignoring the quality of Iris' writing and Allegra's comments indicating her article has been plagiarized from other sources, it seems likely the reason the Central City Citizen is losing readers is because it has taken Iris a week to write a basic news article about a major event!

It's revealed that Frost still has a warrant out for her arrest in Central City. Given how high and mighty Barry is about that sort of thing, you'd think this would have been addressed by now or that Joe (as the detective in charge of metahuman investigations) would have tried to do get the warrant cleared. Heck, get Cecile to argue for a dismissal based on good behavior!

The CGI on the Strength Force wielder looks terrible.


Flash Facts

Cisco makes mention of Kord Industries helping out with the effort to rebuild Central City This is a nod to the company of Ted Kord, aka The Blue Beetle, who has often been referenced in the Arrowverse but has yet to appear on camera.

Chester evokes the name of Arthur C. Clarke when confronted with the odd obelisks appearing around Central City. One of the founders of modern science fiction, the obelisks are a nod to Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey. It's appropriate that Clarke is mentioned in this episode with Abra Kadabra, as Clarke's Third Law - "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." - is a fair justification of Kadabra's techno-wizardry.

At one point, Cisco and Chester discuss how to go about rewatching the Star Wars movies, with The Machete Order being mentioned. This is a way of viewing the Star Wars films where one starts with A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, but then watches Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith before moving on to Return of the Jedi. This allegedly offers the most cohesive story experience. (The other two most popular methods are Release Order and Chronological Order.)

Kadabra makes reference to a villain called the Chronarch, who he claims will come for The Flash in his future. There are two characters with the title Chronarch in the classic DC Comics books. One was the tyrannical ruler of 64th Century Earth, who was defeated by an unlikely team-up of The Flash and Abra Kadabra. The other was a 30th Century scientist named Circadia Senius, who was appointed head of the Time Institute during the time of the Legion of Superheroes.

The anti-matter bomb Kadabra fashions is based around a core of pure Valorium. This is the same metal used by the Legion of Superheoes to create their trademark Flight Rings. Valorium is an alloy of Nth Metal (the metal used by Hawkman and Hawkwoman to fly) but is more durable and much denser.

The super-strong earthquake-generating villain who kills Kadabra appears to be empowered by the Strength Force - an energy field in The Flash comics, similar to the Speed Force, but tied to gravity and the Earth rather than lightning and motion.


Technobabble

Cisco says the first Kadabra crime scene is infected with temporal energy. He says he can carbon date the energy as being 43 centuries from now, which seems to be Cisco dumbing down how he's actually tracking the energy given that carbon-dating is used to track the death of organic matter.

Kadabra charges his anti-matter bomb by teleporting around the city, using his kinetic energy as a power source.

A trace amount of anti-matter is enough to nearly take out The Flash's leg. A core the size of a baseball could destroy Central City.

 A routine medical scan in Kadbra's time determined that he had a sudden increase in his somatic memory cells. This is apparently a common side-effect of neuro-temporal displacement that is caused by speedsters disrupting the timeline.


Dialogue Triumphs

Abra Kadabra: The last time we met, you begged me to find a glimmer of light in myself. Well, I found that light, that hope. And then you stole it from me. Now I'm going to take something from you.
The Flash: I don't know what you're talking about.
Abra Kadabra: Let me make it crystal clear for you, Flash. You cannot defeat a man who has lost everything.

Abra Kadabra: I don't get it. We're mortal enemies in the future. Why are you doing this?
The Flash: So the next time we meet, maybe we won't be. 


Dialogue Disasters

Every time someone uses the phrase "Central City Strong." Resist the urge to make a drinking game of it. You will be dead within 20 minutes.

Abra Kadabra: I'm the greatest magician of all time, which is why you should be more than just afraid... You should be terrified. 


Continuity


In the week since the battle with Mirror Mistress in 703, Barry has taken Iris on a trip to Maui. He also brought her fresh crepes from Paris for breakfast that morning.

Central City has been experiencing a series of earthquakes over the past week, with the latest measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale.

Mirror Mistress is officially being called Mirror Monarch in the Central City Press.

Barry makes an appearance as The Flash on The Arielle Atkins Hour to encourage people to chip in on rebuilding Central City. 

STAR Labs does a lot of volunteer work in the community.

Cisco mentions that Kord Industries is supposed to be taking over for them on a construction site in an hour.

Caitlin has been tired and head a headache since the fight with Mirror Mistress.

Frost still has a warrant out for her arrest in Central City, despite her reformation. 

Kamilla has been busy taking photos of the destruction of Central City. This leaves Allegra having to act as Iris' sounding board on the Central City Citizen more than usual. 

Viewership on the Central City Citizen site is down 73%.

Allegra tells Iris her story on the battle with Mirror Mistress stinks because she says nothing about her own personal experiences during the event.

Abra Kadabra kills a volunteer at the constriction site, where a small but heavy obelisk manifests, riddling his body with razor-sharp playing cards.

Kadabra was last seen in 318. However, his picture was briefly seen among the villains resurrected by Crisis in Cisco's Who's Who Binder in 610.

The obelisk ways two tons.

Chester is now working as a CCPD-consultant intern.

Iris goes to a support group for Mirrorverse abductees and interviews a couple named Steve and Alice. Steve was abducted and watched his mirror universe clone sleep with Alice - a nightmarish scenario that triggers Iris' own bad memories of the Mirrorverse.

Kadabra refers to Cisco and his new tech suit as Mecha-Vibe.

Kadabra makes reference to a villain called The Chronarch and says he's doing The Flash a favor killing him now.

Frost is able to bring down Kadabra while he's distracted.

Kadabra is handed over to ARGUS.

ARGUS has a new Director of Technology and Science who is very literal and has no sense of humor.

Frost does not need to hide herself from ARGUS personnel, as they are aware of her reformation. 

Frost took some kind of techno cuff from Kadabra before he was taken away.

Frost is experiencing the same fatigue and headaches as Caitlin. Despite this, Cisco's tests determine that she's perfectly healthy.

Kadabra allowed himself to be arrested to gain access to a third obelisk that ARGUS picked up one week earlier.

Barry tries to steal Iris away for a night at a beach villa in Monaco, but the plans are changed when he learns of Kadabra's escape.

Iris is having a major bout of writer's block.

Kadabra merges the three obelisks into a sphere.

Kadabra claims that Barry stole something from him and now he's returning the favor.

Cisco determines the bomb Kadabra conjured is made of pure Valorium, so Barry can't phase through it.

Barry is still depressed that he didn't see through the fake Iris sooner. This is why he's been going all out to pamper Iris since her return.

Barry determines that the thing Kadabra had stolen from him was his family, based on the idea of what he nearly did because of Iris being taken from him.

Cisco determines that Kadabra's cuff contains the Martial Memory Restorer used by Laurel Lance to return Mia Queen's memories of the pre-Crisis reality from A809.

Cisco guesses that Kadabra stole the MMR at some point in the future and that something in his pre-Crisis memories brought him back to Central City in the 21st Century.

Barry confronts Kadabra at Tagaloa Plaza and confirms that Kadabra regained the memories of all his doppelgangers, including one who had a wife and infant son.

Kadabra claims that, in the future, Barry will become obsessed with the future.

Kadabra confesses to stealing the MMR from The Flash Museum and fixing it.

Barry guesses that Kadabra is trying to destroy Central City instead of him because he already did the math and realized he couldn't kill The Flash so destroying his city was the only revenge available to him.

Barry talks Kadabra out of setting off the bomb.

Kadabra reveals that his real name is Philippe. His son's name was Luca and his wife's name was Amélie.

Barry describes Oliver Queen as his brother.

A large hulking figure tied to the earthquakes appears at Tagaloa Plaza and attacks The Flash and Abra Kadabra. It somehow absorbs the full power of the antimatter bomb before killing Kadabra.

Joe is having to act as an escort to a liaison from the Governor's Police Compliance Commission.

Allegra is given a full staff writer position on the staff of the Central City Citizen.

Iris goes to a meeting of the Mirrorverse Survivors as an attendee rather than as a reporter. She reveals publicly that she was held captive for three months.

Somehow, Caitlin and Frost separate into two separate beings.


Untelevised Adventures


Precisely how Caitlin and Frost were separated occurs off-camera.


The Bottom Line

A busy episode with too much going on and not nearly enough focus on its most interesting aspects. It's a bad sign when I'd much rather watch Cisco and Chester playing Fortnite than watching Barry fight the villains.

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Starman Plays Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade - Part 5

The epic conclusion!

Well, eventually. First we have to successfully steal a plane, escape from Germany and work our way through several checkpoints after being shot down. But after that, we get to the Temple of the Holy Grail with a lot more ease than you'd think and I show you every single ending to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade!

Batwoman Episode Guide: Season 2, Episode 8 - Survived Much Worse

 For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.

Plot

Alice heads to Coryana with her fake Ocean corpse to trade for Kate's life (and death), with Jacob and Sophie one step behind. Unfortunately, when they get captured by Safiyah's men before they get the chance to leave Gotham, Ryan must undertake her greatest challenge ever to rescue them, stop Alice and survive long enough to get the Desert Rose that can cure her. Meanwhile, Luke and Mary will face their own encounter with the Many Arms of Death.


I
nfluences

Batman: The Movie (the shark repellant gag) and the Batwoman Rebirth series.


Goofs


The Desert Rose fields catch on fire WAY too fast.

Even by the laws of comic books, it's entirely too contrived that Ryan's plant is a Desert Rose. Hopefully we'll get some explanation as to how that happened.

Not a good with the episode itself, but the dramatic ending was immediately undercut by WB's Sunday evening announcement that the role of Kate Kane had been recast with a new actress, suggesting that Kate's apparently confirmed death was not, in fact, confirmed.


Performances

Again, Rachel Skarsten steals the show and is the best thing about Batwoman.


Artistry

The scene of Alice burning the rose fields of Coryana is a satisfying and cinematic moment. 


Bat Trivia

When pushing Ryan to jump from the plane, Luke says she doesn't want to jump too late and wind up in the ocean because her utility belt doesn't contain any shark repellant. This is a nod to the 1966 Batman movie and an infamous scene in which Batman fights off a shark with Shark Repellant Bat Spray. (In fairness, this was one of several repellants in the Bat-Copter rather than a utility belt standard.)


Technobabble

Ryan injects herself with a combination of adrenaline and cortisone which will give her a jolt of energy and dull the pain of her Kryptonite poisoning at the cost of accelerating the speed of her cellular decay by %. This means she will die in a matter of hours rather than days.

Luke speculates that the system which keeps Coryana from showing up on satellites uses anti-radar electromagnetic waves. The lenses of the Bat-Suit can detect this electromagnetic field.

Luke gives Ryan several EMP grenades to disable the electric wrist restraints that Sophie said are the only electrical devices on Coryana.

A HALO jump is a high-altitude, low opening skydive.

Ammonium nitrate is a chemical that is used in making bombs and as a fertilizer. 

Safiyah's special daggers were imbued with the Desert Rose when it was forged. As a result, when used to stab a person, its curative properties seal the arteries upon entrance, creating the illusion of death without actually killing them until the dagger is removed.


Dialogue Triumphs

(Open on Ryan, writing in her journal.)
Ryan: Dear Kate, today is the day I'm supposed to die. Truth is I'm not scared of dying. I'm scared I didn't live. My mom always told me I was put on this earth for a reason, and now I finally know what that is.
(Cut to Alice, who is likewise writing in a small book.)
Alice: Today is the day I kill you, Kate. I spent years waiting for you to find me, but instead, I found you. Then, I waited for you to save me, but instead, I saved you, I turned you into a hero.
Ryan: You helped me find my inner warrior, my voice, my power.
Alice: While I played the part of your villain - the girl who reminded you how right and noble and courageous you were.
Ryan: You made me feel brave.
Alice: So I told you my greatest fear was being locked away again, and on that very day, what did you do?
Ryan: You helped me break out of the system that was trapping me.
Alice: You lured me into a box, and you locked the door.
Both: I've come so far...
Alice: ...to get my revenge.
Ryan: ...to inspire others,
Both: ..and I've survived much worse.
Alice: Cartwright, the Queen of Hearts...
Ryan: Foster care, the Candy Lady. If I could do that...
Both: :I can do anything.
Ryan: I can push off death another day if it means saving you.
Alice: I can even kill my sister.

Sophie: I have an active APB and field teams looking for Alice, yet you not only managed to locate her but tagged her with a high-powered tracking device? How?
Luke (sarcastic) I'm sure you're familiar with the concept don't ask, don't tell.

(Luke is going through the steps for a skydive.)
Ryan:
This would be a lot easier if we had a Batplane.
Mary: That's what I've been saying!
Luke: Okay. I'll get right on that after I work out the kinks in the Batsub.

Jacob: Why are we here?
Tatiana: You're here because Alice wants you to have a front row seat to watch her kill Kate. She's here at Safiyah's request.
Sophie: Me? What did I do?
Tatiana: It's not what you did. It's what Safiyah thinks you're capable of. You're skilled, strong, and most of all, loyal. She wants you to join her army.
Sophie: (laughs) Why the hell would I join an army of ruthless killers?
Tatiana: Because you're already a part of one. (motions to Jacob) His. Both groups are organized, armed, and... dangerous, but we are committed to protecting our people while you oppress yours. 

(Batwoman is dragged before Safiyah.)
Alice:
If I had a nickel for every bad penny...

(Alice is tossed in the same cell as Ryan.)
Ryan: I was wondering how this place could suck harder.
Alice: Why are you even here?
Ryan: To stop you from killing Kate.
Alice: I don't know what this obsession is with my sister, but you're not part of our family soap, 'kay?
(Ryan begins coughing and spits up blood. Alice nods.)
Alice:
Oh. I see. You're on your way out. You've got a few hours left to live, and you need Kate to tap back in because God forbid the Bat ears go unoccupied for minutes!
Ryan: So people like you can roam free and kill their own siblings?
Alice: Not to play Monday morning quarterback, but if you didn't want me to kill Kate, you should have stopped me when you had the chance.
Ryan (chuckling) Then I wouldn't have been able to follow your dumb ass to this godforsaken island.
Alice: The tracker was you.
(Ryan laughs.)
Alice: (sighing)
Clever girl.
Ryan: That's it? I just royally screwed up a move you've been planning for months. You could end me right now, but you just hit me with a loud sigh.
Alice: You're already on death's door. Let's let nature run its course.
Ryan: Or maybe you're terrified.
Alice: Of killing a sky rat?
Ryan: Of killing your sister. You've been throwing the same tantrum for months, poisoning bats, attacking Gotham Square, killing God knows how many people because if Kate was gonna die she was gonna die your way, and here you are moments away from getting what you want except... it's not actually what you want, is it? You don't want Kate back to kill her. You just want her back.
Alice: (laughs)  Well, someone has spent an awful lot of time thinking about the girl they blame for their mom's death.
Ryan: You remember what you said to me on your way out? You said... "It's not my fault", but you weren't talking about killing my mom. You were talking about why you are the way you are because as dark and screwed up as you are, at the end of the day, you're a victim of somebody, too... and that tiny sliver of humanity won't let you kill your sister. Because then it is your fault

Safiyah: Someone care to explain why I had to dagger one of Safiyah's minions? 

Tatiana: I have to applaud you for picking your own survival over Kate's. Take it from an island lifer... self-sacrifice is overrated.
Ryan: Heh. That's not why I did it. Alice isn't going to kill her sister.
Tatiana: I'm curious how you know that.
Ryan: I saw it in her face. Revenge, hate, anger, th... those are the only emotions she knows, so she hides behind them.
(There is a long pause.)
Tatiana: Well, you're right about one thing. Alice isn't going to kill her sister today.

(Alice learns that she just killed Ocean for nothing and Safiyah never had Kate.)
Alice:
You blew up her plane! You killed her, you stupid, lying bitch!
Safiyah: I had nothing to do with her plane, but when someone tried to frame me for killing your sister, I saw an opportunity to get what I wanted, to make you and Ocean pay for your betrayal.
Alice: You are a monster!
Safiyah: And I created you. So what does that make you? 

(Ocean is gasping for breath after having the dagger removed from his chest.)
Safiyah: Welcome back, brother. That breath in your chest is only there because of me. I gave you your life back.
Ocean: (gasping) Why would you do this to me?
Safiyah: When push comes to shove, Alice doesn't actually have feelings for you. I wanted you to see that.
Ocean: You're sick.
Safiyah: I'm not the one who just put a knife through your heart. Alice's loyalty will always lie with her sister just as yours should lie with me because loyalty is everything to me. Isn't that right, Tatiana?
Tatiana: It is, my queen.
Safiyah: Then why test it? Why after I gave you power and freedom and health would you pick a fight with Alice on my behalf?
Tatiana: (uncertain) Safiyah, I don't know what...
Safiyah: You slaughtered Alice's gang. You sent her a note saying I killed Kate. You reeled her back into my life. Why when you know how hard I worked to forget her?
Tatiana: But you never forgot her! That's the problem. You couldn't. You were in love. I was... trying to get rid of that toxic an...
Safiyah: (suddenly furious) Enough! You always hated Alice and tried to drive a wedge between us. That's how I knew it was you.
Tatiana: (protestingly) No! No!
Safiyah: You wanted to see her lose, and now you have. Congratulations, Tatiana. I hope you were entertained!
(Safiyah stabs Tatiana in the chest. She falls to the ground, as seemingly dead as Ocean was.)
Safiyah: (to another guard) Keep that in her. I'll pull it out when I decide to forgive her. 


Dialogue Disasters


Jacob's whole hypocritical speech about not being above the law.

Luke and Mary losing 100 IQ points in dealing with the assassin.


Continuity

Alice is revealed to keep a diary in the form of letters to Kate, just like Ryan.

Alice makes reference to her battle with the Queen of Hearts (115) and being locked in Arkham by Kate.(116)

Ryan refers to her battle with The Candy Lady (204).

Ryan gives herself a shot that will keep her functional for another day, but risk her dying from the Kryptonite poisoning much faster.

Luke tells Sophie about the tracker that Ryan planted on Alice and gives her the frequency,

Sophie finally figures out that Luke is working with Batwoman.

Luke also tells Sophie that the new Batwoman has been poisoned and asks Sophie to get him a Desert Rose flower when she goes to Coryana to rescue Kate.

The Crows got footage of Ocean leaving Gotham on a flight to Rome the night before. This confuses Sophie.

Luke suggests to Sophie that Alice is attempting to fool Safiyah with a fake Ocean and refers to the fake Bruce Wayne from 201.

The planes heading to Coryana left from the Olsson Airstrip.

Sophie does try to honor her deal with Luke and tells Jacob they need to get a Desert Rose while on Coryana.

Sophie and Jacob are ambushed by Safiyah's men en route to the airport.

Luke is able to guess where Coryana is based on where Alice's transponder cut out.

Ryan leaves Mary her plant, which was a gift from Angelique and was going to be a gift to her mother when they moved into their new apartment.

Mary couldn't keep a Taagotchi alive for five minutes.

Luke gets Ryan on board a mail carrier bound for a few minutes over the airspace over Coryana.

Batman does not have a Batplane or Batsub.

Ryan has never been on a plane before.

Jacob and Sophie wake up in a cell in Coryana with their wrists shackled.

Safiyah's people found the tracking device on Alice.

Tatiana says that Jacob was brought to Coryana because Alice wanted him to see Kate die.

Tatiana claims that Safiyah wants Sophie for her army.

Ryan lands on Coryana, but her comms are fried after she drops the EMP.

Jacob and Sophie are able to free themselves once the EMP disable their bonds.

Ryan tells Safiyah about the fake Ocean.  This leads to her finding the seam on the flesh mask Alice made.

Sophie tells Jacob that she's working with someone working with Batwoman.

Sophie refers to the events of 205 and how the Crows who nearly killed Wolf-Spider were fired rather than being arrested, when Jacob says The Crows are held accountable for what they do, unlike Batwoman.

Ryan refers to her last conversation with Alice in 207.

Safiyah offers Ryan a reward for telling her about Alice's treachery. Ryan asks for enough Desert Rose to cure her and for Kate's return. When Safiyah says she can have one or the other, she chooses the flower.

Safiyah's followers recaptured Ocean on his way to Portofino. They found him because Alice had done a search for it on her phone, apparently intending to find him once Kate was dead.

Safiyah offers Alice a choice: spare Ocean's life or be allowed to kill Kate. Alice stabs Ocean in the chest with the knife Safiyah gave her.

One of Safiyah's assassins comes after Mary and Luke in Bruce Wayne's office with a spiked flail.. She is killed by Julia Pennyworth and bleeds out onto Ryan's plant.

Safiyah reveals that she doesn't have Kate and never did, after guiding Alice to a room full of perfect replicas of her and Kate's matching necklaces.

Julia says that she hired a team to run down some leads from the Crow's tipline and they found body parts off the coast of Blidhaven that have Kate's DNA. This seems to prove that Kate is dead.

Safiyah once again denies having anything to do with Kate's death, but does admit to taking advantage of the situation to get her revenge on Alice and Ocean.

Jacob knows how to fly a plane, but is out of practice. He leaves to get a plane going, while Sophie goes to find Kate and a Desert Rose.

Safiyah reveals that her daggers do not permanently kill a person - only lock them in a coma.

Safiyah wished to prove to Ocean that Alice didn't really love him and that she would never choose him over her sister.

Safiyah also revealed that she knew it was Tatiana who killed the Wonderland Gang in 116 and framed Safiyah for Kate Kane's murder, leaving a note for Alice in 201.

Tatiana is stabbed with the special dagger and left until Safiyah decides to forgive her.

Alice kills her guards and sets the Desert Rose fields on fire.

Sophie finds Ryan near death, having been abandoned by her guard when the fields caught on fire. She tells Sophie that Safiyah never had Kate - a fact she learned from Tatiana. 

Ryan asks Sophie to stay with her while she dies.

Luke calls Sophie and tells her they need to get Batwoman back to Gotham because they have a cure.

Ryan's plant is revealed to be a Desert Rose, which bloomed after being fed the assassin's blood.

The episode ends showing a corpse in a sewer that appears to be Kate Kane.


Location

Coryana


Untelevised Adventures

Ocean is captured by Safiyah's men off-camera.


The Bottom Line

An enjoyable episode, despite a contrived coincidence in the final moments that is a bit much even for the melodrama of a superhero show. 

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Superman and Lois: Season 1, Episode 4 - Haywire

 For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.



Plot

When a threat of legal action leaves Lois unable to publish her expose of Morgan Edge's business dealings, she reluctantly turns to Clark for help in appealing to the people of Smallville as the proposal granting Edge control of the city's mines comes up for a vote. Unfortunately, Clark is already feeling torn in two directions between his new job as an assistant football coach and General Lane's demands of his time. Meanwhile, Jordan and Jonathan have their own problems with a teammate who seems to have powers of his own.


I
nfluences

The Superman comics of Jack Kirby (use of Morgan Edge and references to Intergang) and John Byrne (use of Thaddeus Killgrave), the pre-Crisis Supergirl comics (mention of X-Kryptonite) and the Smallville series (high school slice of life themes, Kryptonite giving humans powers)


Performances

Any fears that Lois Lane would be reduced to being a damsel in distress or the mama bear in this series were obliterated by Elizabeth Tulloch's performance in this episode. Here, we see the full fury of Lois Lane that was briefly teased in earlier appearances.

While not give as much screen time this week, Jordan Elsaas continues to portray Jonathan Kent with an amazing level of compassion balanced out by his clear discomfort at suddenly being an outcast after being popular in Metropolis.


Artistry

The special effects work during Superman's fight with Killgrave is spectacular and of cinematic quality.

The effects work for Tag's superspeed is also notable and the direction plays up the body horror aspects of his power going out of control.


Super Trivia

General Lane asks Clark to escort the prison transfer of a mad scientist named Thaddeus Killgrave. In the comics, Killgrave was a Superman villain, who first appeared in Superman Vol 2 #19 in July 1988 and was created by John Byrne. He is most famous for having built a nuclear bomb for The Joker, who used it as part of a plan to terrorize Superman. He was also employed by Intergang.

In the comics, Thaddeus Killgrave had dwarfism.

The Arrowverse version of Killgrave is of normal size, but slight and shorter than average. He is played by Brendan Fletcher, whom Arrow fans may recognize as Stanley Dover.

Mention is made of Intergang still being active. In the comics, Intergang is one of the DC Universe's most powerful crime syndicates, with agents operating on a global scale. The show's mention of Intergang is the first sign of their existence on Earth-Prime.

Chrissy Beppo makes reference to Lois not being as good at editing as she is at writing. This is a running gag, first appearing in Superman: The Movie, which has migrated into other media and the comics.

Mention is made of a special school for metahuman teens that the Department of Defense is aware of, if not actively running. This may explain why the special school for metahumans proposed in the Season 3 finale of Black Lightning never materialized - it already existed and was so top secret even the US Congress didn't know about it!

The final scene reveals that Morgan Edge has been looking for X-Kryptonite and finds it in the Shuster Mines. In the classic Supergirl comics, X-Kryptonite was a Kryptonite variant which Supergirl accidentally created with an experiment to fashion a Kryptonite poisoning antidote. The piece she worked with developed the ability to temporarily give Kryptonian powers to Earth creatures rather than weakening Kryptonians. It was this piece of Kryptonite that changed Linda Danvers' cat Streaky into a Super-Cat.

The exact properties of X-Kryptonite in the Arrowverse are not described in this episode, but it is speculated Edge has been using it to empower various test subjects, including Leslie Larr. It may have other properties, such as raising the dead, as Edge specifically mentions resurrecting an army.


Technobabble


Thaddeus Killgrave is able to create a temperature-sensitive synthetic polymer resin that resembles chewing gum in the sink of his prison cell. Highly mercurial at an atomic level, it explodes upon contact with the precise vibration of a ticking wristwatch. In short, a plastic explosive that can use an unconnected clock as a timer.

According to the video footage of the keg explosion, there was a yellow phosphorescence present apart from Jordan's heat-vision blast. It's suspected this may have triggered Tag's metagene.


Dialogue Triumphs


General Lane: How could you not tell me?
Lois: What? That he’s good at football?
General Lane: He’s not. The kid’s a buck twenty soaking wet, never played a down of tiddlywinks. Now he’s T-boning players twice his size? He has powers, and you didn’t tell me.
Lois: All right, well, it’ll probably never even happen again. Bottom line, he doesn’t have powers. We just wanna keep an eye on him.
General Lane:That’s why you moved to Smallville?
Lois: No… well, yeah, sort of. 
General Lane: And now he’s playing football? Mistake. The Kent family needs to fly under the radar. 
Lois: My sons need to live their lives. Dad, Clark and I can handle this.
General Lane: Clark? How is he helping? By coaching the team?
Lois:  He’s involved, which is a hell of a lot more than you ever were.
General Lane: I don’t like his priorities changing.
Lois: It’s called being a father.

Lois: (sweetly) Clark? Gorgeous husband, love of my life, really, and my dear, personal champion, a tiny favor to ask.
Clark: Does it have anything to do with your dad?
Lois: No. He’s in national security mode. It has to do with the assembly. I was thinking that since my article was shredded and I can’t technically speak out about Morgan Edge, the next best thing would be to have Smallville’s favorite son show up and say some words on behalf of justice.
Clark: Okay. Well, when you put it that way, yeah, I’ll be there.
Lois: Great. Now if you’ll excuse me, I just found out Edge is at the mines.
Clark:  Whoa, you’re gonna go confront him after he sent a guy to attack you?
Lois: Look, Edge thinks he has me up against the ropes. If I show up out of nowhere, knock him off balance, maybe I’ll pop something loose.
Clark: If you wait, I can go with you.
Lois: No, I got it. You have practice. I can handle myself. 

Morgan Edge: 
Ms. Lane. Have you come to take a tour of our facilities?
Lois: Yeah, after what happened in New Carthage, I would rather not follow you into a dark tunnel.
Morgan Edge: Whatever could you be insinuating?
Lois: Look, I’m kind of bored with the whole “faux-British accent, billionaire at a football game trying to fit in” con job.
Morgan Edge: I can assure you, my accent is genuine. I was raised in…
Lois: (cutting him off) Oh, my God. Who cares? Let’s just lay it out on the table. First, you changed my story. Then, you sent some goon who almost killed Sharon Powell. Now you have your minion threatening my career? Let me tell you how this goes. You sue me, I countersue. Your records get opened up in discovery, and that doesn’t end well for you or your brand name.
Morgan Edge: My, my. You have thought this all through.
Lois: Why Smallville? There’s other towns, other mines. Why are you going to all this trouble?
Morgan Edge: That’s curious. I was about to ask you the same question. World-renowned journalist, short-listed for the Pulitzer twice. And you move here with your unemployed husband and two adolescent boys. It seems like there must be something here that’s very important to you. Maybe I’ll find out what that is.
Lois: Is that a threat?
Morgan Edge: Well, I could offer you your old job back, on the condition you play by the rules, but let’s be honest, you’ll never work at the “Daily Planet” again. You’re past your prime, playing a high-stakes game with a losing hand. You should fold while you still can.
Lois: Actually, I have one more ace to play. I’m bringing it with me to the town assembly. Maybe we can talk more then. For now, I’m done with you, unless this creep show has anything to add?
(Lois stares down Leslie Larr.)
Lois: I didn’t think so. 

Clark: Babe, I’m so, so sorry I missed the vote.
Lois: I know. It’s okay.
Clark: No, it’s not. And you’re covering.
Lois: Don’t super-spy on my pulse rate or whatever you do.
Clark: You clench your jaw when you’re mad.
Lois: I’m not mad.
Clark: Well, you should be. I said I was gonna be there, and I wasn’t.
Lois: Clark, can we not do this right now? I’m not in the mood!
Clark: I just want to apologize. And I want you to know that I…
Lois: Babe, I don’t need an excuse. I know you have an excuse. You’re Superman.
Clark:  Lois...
Lois: Okay, fine. I’m mad! And I know it’s irrational because I understand that there were lives at stake, but this was so important to me. And we lost the vote, by the way, and now I’m feeling guilty for wanting you to do something you said you would do. (sighs) When we started dating, I knew what I was getting into. And I don’t get mad about you missing date nights or anniversaries or family dinners because of some idiot with a nuke, but lately, with everything that’s going on with the boys and my dad constantly in your ear, it feels like I’m really far down on your list of priorities.
Clark: (stunned) Is that honestly how you feel?
Lois: Right now, in this moment that I might regret tomorrow, yeah, I do. 

Denise: You know, we miss you so much at cheer. 
Sarah: Well, you know, I just needed more time for… drugs and alcohol.

(Jonathan knocks on Jordan's bedroom door. Jordan is sitting on his bed holding an icepack to his jaw.)
Jonathan: You good?
(Jordan shrugs as Jonathan walks in and sits next to him on the bed.)
Jonathan: Jordan, what, uh, what happened to Tag…
Jordan: (tiredly) Don’t try to tell me it wasn’t my fault. You saw the video. My heat vision, it gave Tag those powers…
Jonathan: No, that’s not how it works.
Jordan: Yeah, you don’t know that.
Jonathan: You’re right. I don’t. I don’t know how or why any of this is happening, okay? And the truth is, um… I’ve honestly been really jealous about all of it. And I’m sorry about that, but, Jordan, look, I do know this. You would never hurt anyone. Ever. So whatever happened, it was an accident, okay? It was an accident. 


Continuity

As the episode opens, Morgan Edge is watching the Smallville High football game with some of the city leaders, including Kyle Cushing.

Kyle Cushing used to play football in high school.

The grandstands at Smallville High School's football stadium were built in 1948.

Edge extends a dinner invitation to Kyle and Lana when he learns that Lana is an employee of his bank.

General Lane shows up to watch the game unannounced. He was not aware that Jordan was playing football now or that Clark had taken a job as an assistant coach.

Jordan's nickname among the other players is Shortstack.

Jordan is given the game ball and credited with winning the game for his team.

General Lane claims the military is afraid of Superman and he's the only thing keeping them in check.

General Lane says that Superman's absence in Metropolis has been noted and that big organized crime groups like Intergang are getting bolder.

General Lane says that they are transferring all the high-risk inmates out of Metropolis Penitentiary because everyone thinks Superman isn't there anymore. He asks for Clark to act as an escort for the transfer as a show of good faith.

One of the prisoners being transferred is Thaddeus Killgrave - a psychopathic genius who hates Superman.

General Lane offers to stay for the weekend to pitch in around the house.

Tag Harris, who broke his arm in 101, is bitter about Jordan's success and not being able to play.

Tag Harris comes from a poorer family than most of the football players and is bullied because of it.

During the dinner with the city leaders, Morgan Edge spends most of the night talking with Lana and suggests he can improve her career prospects if she's agreeable.

Lana graduated magna cum laude from Stanhope College and could have gone anywhere but came back to Smallville. 

 Lana says that got into finance to help people but it seems the only people she helps now are shareholders.

Leslie Larr shows up at the Smallville Gazette office with a copy of Lois' former contract with The Daily Planet, which she claims has a clause that prohibits her from writing anything for a competing paper that reflects negatively on her former boss (i.e. Morgan Edge) or speaking against him publicly.

Chrissy Beppo is forced to pull Lois' expose of Edge, not having the money to fight his lawyers.

After getting home from the celebration at the local diner, Tag Harris begins to have a spasm while trying to scratch under his cast where his arm will not stop vibrating.

Jonathan is a little jealous of Jordan's success, but Clark reminds him that he can still shine as an offensive player.

Lois goes to confront Morgan Edge at the Shuster Mines, having learned he's there getting at tour.

Lois asks Clark to speak against Edge's proposal at a city assembly. He agrees to do so.

Lana is upset that Kyle didn't even notice Morgan Edge was making her uncomfortable.

Lois was short-listed for the Pulitzer Prize for journalism twice.

Tag Harris has another spasm at school in the bathroom, which Jonathan Kent notices.

Thaddeus Killgrave uses a special explosive to escape from the prison caravan.

Tag removed his cast and claims his arm is now fine, several weeks before when he should have healed.

Jonathan tries to tell Clark about what he saw, but Clark has to put the conversation on hold to deal with Killgrave's escape.

Killgrave leaves behind a digital device warning Superman that he'll see him soon.

General Lane returns to Washington, but before he goes he tells Jordan and Jonathan they should be mindful about burdening their father with problems they might be able to solve themselves.

Jonathan and Jordan decide to go to a party being thrown by one of their teammates, Wellnitz, because Jonathan wants to check up on Tag. Jordan says he'll text Sarah Cushing about getting a ride with her.

Clark fails to make it to the Smallville town assembly meeting because of his searching for Killgrave after his escape..

Lana invites Lois to a girl's night out at a local bar.

The Smallville city council vote to grant Morgan Edge EneCorp exclusive rights to the Shuster mines.

According to Sarah, Wellnitz is a casual drug user.

According to Lana, Kyle actually respects Lois for speaking her mind, for all he does to rile her up.

Lois says she admires how Kyle feels about Smallville.

Lana tells Lois that Clark changed completely after meeting her, becoming more confident and self-assured. She credits her for that.

Jordan says he hasn't had an anxiety attack since joining the football team and he actually likes playing the game and being good at something other people praise him for.

Tag accidentally breaks a chair after cutting his hand and having another speed-spasm.

Jonathan and Jordan chase after Tag when he runs off from the party.

Killgrave and a group of Intergang members confront Superman at Glenmorgan Square in Metropolis with a sonic blaster.

Tag begins to spasm and vibrate uncontrollably and Jordan and Jonathan debate using the ELT to call their dad for help, based on General Lane's warning earlier. 

Jordan tries to hold Tag steady but is blown back by his vibrational powers.

Clark hears the ELT go off and  that inspires him to create a shockwave of his own with his hands, knocking down the Intergang members and giving him time to melt Killgrave's blaster.

Clark carries Tag into the upper atmosphere where the thinner air helps calm him down and regain control.

Jordan blames himself for what happened to tag, but Jonathan tells him he knows he would never intentionally do something to hurt someone.

Tag is being looked over by doctors at the DOD. 

There is a special school for kids with superpowers overseen by the American government. The exact number of students attending it is classified. 

Jordan and Jonathan tell Lois and Clark about General Lane telling them not to bother Clark with all their problems.

Lana and Kyle seem to mend their fences.

Clark sets up a dinner date night for himself and Lois in the Kent barn, but has to leave partway through because of a situation in Malawi.

General Lane tells Lt. Rosetti to establish a new protocol called Project 7734 on a secure line.

Morgan Edge is searching for a substance called X-Kryptonite, which exists in abundance in the Shuster Mines.


Untelevised Adventures


Clark leaves during his date with Lois to deal with a situation in Malawi.


The Bottom Line

A fantastic episode that puts the focus on Lois, but still gives us a fantastic Superman fight and gives the boys some great character moments too.

Monday, March 22, 2021

The Flash Episode Guide: Season 7, Episode 3 - Mother

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.


Plot

As Mirror Mistress makes her move, Barry is ready to hang up his costume after the damage he did. Thankfully, a new ally with a familiar face emerges to help save the day, as Team Flash rallies to rebuild the Speed Force and save the world.


I
nfluences

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (the theme of people being replaced by duplicates) and The Flash comics of Joshua Williamson.


Goofs


Why didn't Eva send her minions to attack STAR Labs directly, when she sent one cop duplicate to try and covert Joe West and Cecile Horton?

It must be noted again that everything that happens in this episode (and indeed the second half of Season 6) is Barry Allen's fault and that the only reason Eva went about abducting and replacing people was because of Barry's efforts to expose her and his earlier refusal to work with the villain who was holding his wife hostage, even though it would be far from the first time Barry tried to find common ground with a supervillain. What makes this more maddening is that Eva gives up after Iris (of all people) tries to show her some sympathy.

Granting that the COVID-19 crisis and the firing of Hartley Sawyer limited their options, it seems incredibly short-sighted for the series to write out Ralph and Sue like they do here. It also seems incredibly unfair to Natalie Dreyfuss, who effectively lost her job because of someone else's mistakes. Hopefully the role of Ralph Dibny will be recast eventually and we'll see them again.


Performances

The scene where Cisco awkwardly says goodbye to Harrison Wells 1.0 is a great moment for both Carlos Valdez and Tom Cavanagh.


Artistry

The fight between The Flash, Frost and Vibe against multiple Mirror Mistress duplicates is the Mirror Master fight fans have been wanting to see for seven years.


Flash Facts

When seeing the melted Ralph Dibny, Cisco declares "Holy Plasmus!" In addition to be a nod to the 1966 Batman TV show's Robin and his habit of exclaiming that various things were holym ("Holy Sardines, Batman!") it's also a reference to the Teen Titans villain Plasmus, who had a similarly molten appearance.

The final scene shows four colors of energy wash over Central City after the new Speed Force is created; red, green, blue and yellow. This may be a nod to the Still Force, Sage Force and Strength Force; three forces which were revealed to be hidden within the Speed Force during The Flash comics run of Joshua Williamson.


Technobabble

When Barry pulled Iris from the Mirrorverse and she resisted, it created a molecular anomaly. All her neural pathways became disjointed, and, according to Caitlin, it looked like her brain had been remapped. 

Light photons are elementary particles that exist everywhere in nature.

According to Eva, the applications of her reflective chip technology are endless and she could increase the crop yield of world-wide agriculture tenfold overnight, ending world hunger.

Wells describe the Crisis as a temporal coalescence.

Ralph Dibny's body temperature after being caught in the McCulloch Labs explosion is 500 degrees.

A mobile biogenic containment unit is used to help Ralph heal.

Barry theorizes that he can recreate the Speed Force by drawing upon his love of Iris and the residual Speed Force energy inside of her from her time as a Speedster. This is accomplished by repurposing the Artificial Speed Force to tap an organic source instead of an artificial one. This requires that the energy coupling be rerouted along with the energy cycle and the fusion sphere being completely remapped. 

Since Mirror Mistress' body is made of quantum protons, which are capable of sub-light speed, she's technically faster than The Flash.

Cisco builds a new super suit which replicates his Vibe powers.


Dialogue Triumphs


Mirror Mistress: I'm not human. I'm something better. That is why I'm showing you mercy.

Wells 1.0: The other Wells may be gone, but they left an imprint, memories, and so let me just say that, whatever is wrong… Let me help you because they would want me to.
Barry: You can’t. This enemy that we’re facing is all-powerful, plus my speed is gone.
Wells 1.0: Aren’t you the Paragon of Love? Look, anyone can save the world with their speed, with their might, but it takes a real hero… A once-in-a-lifetime hero, to do it with his heart.
Barry: What is that supposed to mean?
Wells 1.0: It means run, Barry. Run toward love.

(Cisco and Wells 1.0 are saying their goodbyes.)
Cisco: If Kamilla and I are lucky enough to share half of what you and Tess have…
Wells 1.0: You will.
(There is an awkward pause as they regard each other.)
Cisco: This is weird.
Wells 1.0: Yeah, we just met.
Cisco: Right? It’s like I barely even know you.
Wells 1.0: We barely know each other.
Cisco: I mean, you’re nothing like him.
Wells 1.0: Like who? Oh, the Harrison Wells you used to know.
Cisco: Or the man I thought was Harrison Wells. Of course, he turned out to be a…
Both: A jerk?
Cisco: Yeah.
Wells 1.0: Yeah.
(They both chuckle.)
Cisco: How do you miss someone you barely even know?
(Wells 1.0 shrugs a bit and offers Cisco his hand. He takes it and they shake hands firmly. Cisco turns to walk away but then turns back around.)
Cisco: Before you go, how exactly do you travel in time? 
Wells 1.0:  Easy. Just… like this. 
(Wells 1.0 waves his hand and disappears in a cloud of green particles.)


Continuity

As the episode opens, Barry is in shock and Iris is in a vegetative state, as Cisco, Frost and Allegra come to after being knocked out in 702.

Caitlin takes over from Frost to treat Iris.

Barry refuses to reconnect to the Artificial Speed Force, saying it turned him into something just as bad as Eobard Thawne.

The CCPD is besieged by reports of people being attacked by hands coming from mirrors and loved ones not acting like themselves.

Joe meets with Sue Dearbon's parents, not knowing they are mirror duplicates.

Sue disguises herself as a CCPD cop.

Sue meets with Joe in secret and tells him about the mirror duplicates. This reminds Joe of the fake Iris and he puts two and two together.

According to Sue, Ralph is off tracking a lead.

Eva McCulloch's powers are now strong enough that she can grab people through any reflective surface: not just mirrors. 

Barry suggests they cut power to the city so as to reduce the light available for Eva's powers to work.

Barry is drawn into the Mirrorverse, where Eva says once again that she doesn't want to kill anyone; she wants to build a better world,, but his actions convinced her that humanity doesn't deserve it.

The Harrison Wells seen in 702.manifests inside STAR Labs. He claims to be the original Harrison Wells of Earth-1, who was murdered and replaced by Eobard Thawne.

Wells 1.0 theorizes that when Nash Wells sacrificed himself in 701, the universe required a balance. This apparently led to his resurrection as an energy being made up of multiversal particles.

Wells 1.0 has the knowledge and memories of all the other Harrison Wells. For that reason, he offers to help Team Flash because they would have helped.

One of Eva's mirror duplicates targets Cecile and Joe West, cornering them in Barry's lab at the CCPD.

Ralph Dibny and Sue Dearbon return to STAR Labs after Ralph is severely injured by an explosion at McCulloch Labs.The explosion somehow melted Ralph's face.

Before it blew up, Ralph did recover security camera footage which proved Sue didn't murder Joseph Carver.

While sitting with a comatose Iris, Barry has an idea on how to repair the Speed Force, referring to when Iris had speed powers in 416.

Joe tries to help Cecile escape by sending her into the duct work. Instead she is caught, and replaced by a mirror duplicate.

Cisco, Frost and Barry fight against Eva and her mirror duplicates.

Iris briefly manifests mirror-control powers during the fight against Eva.

Eva surrenders after Iris points out she's endangering the world she claims to want to save.

Eva sends her "children" back to the Mirrorverse and returns all the people she abducted, including Singh and Kamilla.

Wells 1.0 tells Allegra Garcia that someone else will have to train her in using her powers because their paths are heading different ways.

Wells 1.0 originally would have lived to be 92 years old on Earth-Prime.

Somehow, being reborn as multiversal particles has given Wells 1.0 the ability to see the past, present and future along his personal timeline and he can travel to any moment he wants. He considers this ability useless, however, unless he can share it with his wife, Tess, whom he only got four years with before his death.

Wells 1.0 intends to relive the 4 years he spent with his wife until he runs out of time.

Wells 1.0 tells Cisco that he and Kamilla will be lucky enough to share half of what he and Tess had.

Ralph needs to spend a few more days in the BCU before his face heals.

Sue turns down a chance to join Team Flash, saying a do-gooder team is not her style. Besides, she and Ralph have plans to travel the world and take down gangs like Black Hole.

Ralph says he'll be back someday and take Frost on that road trip they planned.

The final scene reveals that when Barry created the new Speed Force, it released red, green, blue and yellow energy over Central City.


Untelevised Adventures

Eva blows up McCulloch Labs off-camera, while Ralph Dibny was inside it.


The Bottom Line

A fragmented mess that does a disservice to some of the best things to come out of The Flash Season 6. The best thing that can be said about it is that at least its over and from here on out we'll get to see what the showrunners really had planned for Season 7.