Friday, March 31, 2023

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse - Part 27

In which we replay most of the end of the game so that we can see the OTHER ending. Who knew one random choice could lead to such a drastically different outcome?!?!

Thursday, March 30, 2023

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse - Part 26

In which we enter into the thrilling finale and stop General Skunkape once and for all, thus saving the universe and ending the game... or do we?!

Monday, March 27, 2023

Friday, March 24, 2023

Thursday, March 23, 2023

The Flash Episode Guide: Season 9, Episode 6 - The Good, The Bad, and The Lucky

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


Plot

With Iris' pregnancy confirmed, she and Barry head out of town to finish up the last of their baby-moon plans. Meanwhile, Cecile and Allegra tackle an unusual case involving an innocent metahuman framed for attempted murder as Chester and Mark try to determine just what Khione's powers are.


Influences

Roy Thomas' Infinity Inc. (character of Hazard) and Superman III (the slapstick direction of the chaos around Hazard is very Richard Lester).


Goofs

How does Becky Sharpe know about the Crisis and her death on Earth-1? (Presumably Cisco discovered she was alive when assembling his Who's Who Binder and helped clue her in to her bad luck powers and past history.)

Why is Becky Sharpe allowed out on the street given she's facing attempted murder charges? (Cecile and Captain Kramer probably pulled some strings and knew which judge to talk to about a hurried bail hearing. It's also possible Becky wasn't formally charged yet and was merely being held for questioning, given the rapid time frame of the episode.)

Granting that Chillblaine has good reason to be obsessed with the idea of Khione having cryokinesis and focusing the tests on that, why does Chester, passive as he is, go along with this?  Shouldn't the genius point out that maybe they should be looking for life or nature related powers given what Khione has displayed so far?


Performances

Sugar Lyn Beard brings life to a largely lifeless role as Becky Sharpe.


Artistry

The scene where it snows indoors is beautiful.


Flash Facts

The opening scene is a parody of The Flash season 1 opening, with Becky Sharpe in place of Barry Allen as the "luckiest woman alive."

The villain of this episode is revealed to be a gambler. This is a nod to the grandfather of Becky Sharpe in the comics, aka Steven Sharpe III, The Gambler.


Technobabble

Allegra uses her powers like a UV scanner to search Becky Sharpe's apartment for evidence.

Chester developed a combat dummy that can detect 56 different metahuman power sets, including pyrokinesis, telekinesis, technopathy and cryokinesis.

Chester notes that there are no fluctuations in Khione's core temperature or surges in dark matter readings when she tries to mimic Frost's ice powers.

The thugs who kidnap Becky Sharpe use a dark matter refractor to cancel out Allegra's powers. This crystal uses an asymmetric matrix to cancel out any metahuman power it comes into contact with. Reportedly Goldface started manufacturing and selling the devices on the Coast City black market, but they stopped selling after word got out the devices were only good for one use.

Chester and Mark determine that there are no dark matter or cold fusion traces in Khione's genetic code. More, she's missing 55 of the 56 common biometric signatures. This means she is not a metahuman like Frost, but she's also not a regular human like Caitlin.


Continuity

Becky Sharpe (aka Hazard) was one of the bus metas in The Flash season 4.  She was last seen on-camera in 414, albeit with The Thinker possessing her body.

Becky Sharpe was one of the lucky metahumans brought back to life as a result of Crisis on Infinite Earths, after dying on Earth-1.

Becky has gained enough control of her powers that her good luck no longer causes bad things to happen to the people around her unless she wants it to.

Becky is currently engaged to a man named Dominic "Dom" Stewart, whom she met after slipping and literally falling into his arms.

Joe West and Jenna are moved into their new home, with Cecile commuting to spend time with them on the weekends.

As the episode opens, Jenna's 5th birthday is one day away.

Cecile only uses organic pancake mix to make breakfast for Jenna.

Barry and Iris are taking a week off to travel to Coast City for a CCC Media expansion party.

Khione says there is going to be an early spring, saying she just knows this when asked how she knows.

Barry and Iris have agreed that Barry will not be using his speed to carrying them anywhere while she's pregnant, so they are driving to Coast City.

Allegra is having issues with her apartment, complaining she hasn't had hot water for days and her landlord can't get anyone to fix it until next week.

Chester offers to come try and fix it, prompting Allegra and Chester to both wonder if he's become her boyfriend. 

Chillblaine suggests they test Khione for metahuman powers, pointing out she clearly has to have some given her kiss bringing him back to life, her sensing Iris' pregnancy and her sensing the change of seasons. Chester agrees to help.

Cecile is called in to represent Becky Sharpe after taking a call from Captain Kramer, who says there is something about the case not sitting right with her, despite it being open and shut.

Like Becky Sharpe, Dom Stewart is lactose intolerant - a fact revealed in 403.

The apparent murder weapon is found in Becky's apartment.

Allegra agrees to help Cecile investigate the crime.

Allegra uses her powers like a UV scanner to locate a retainer and a poker chip in Becky's apartment.

The retainer belongs to Becky, but the poker chip is an actual clue given Becky quit her casino job and Dom is not a gambler. The chip does point the finger at Dom's brother, Tony.

Tony claims that Dom had a secret gambling problem, which he asked him to hide from Becky, and that he owed money to some very bad people.

Cecile senses that Tony is very anxious when the chip is brought out.

Tony says Dom usually played at a high-stakes gambling night held twice a month at O'Shaughnessy's Bar.

The bartender at O'Shaughnessy's doesn't know who Dom owes money to, but confirms he was a regular at the bar's game night.

A group of thugs try to kidnap Becky while at O'Shaughnessy's. Cecile tries to use her telekinesis to stop them, but her powers backfire. Thankfully, Allegra is able to step in and drive the thugs off.

Mark tries to teach Khione how to focus an ice blast like Frost used to, but she can't do it, to his frustration.

Chester confirms that Khione has to have powers, as it is the only way to explain how Mark recovered from his injuries in 905.

Cecile can find nothing in Dom's bank records to indicate a gambling problem or him withdrawing large sums of money.

Cecile freaks out when she realizes she missed her 8 PM train and will not be there to make Jenna breakfast on her birthday. She blames Becky and her bad luck for jinxing her.

Becky is kidnapped by the thugs from O'Shaughnessy's after she leaves Cecile's office. The thugs hold up a device that stops both Allegra from using her powers. Again, Cecile tries to use her telekinesis, but the fire extinguisher she throws at the thugs comes back at her and explodes.

Chester can't find Becky with the STAR Labs satellites.

Cecile's powers are on the fritz, so she can't try to find Becky empathically.

Allegra finds a pillow and sheets in Cecile's office, indicating that she's been sleeping there rather than at home.

Mark is upset because Khione kissed him because that, coupled with the chills he felt when she did it, made him think that Frost was still alive in her, somehow, and trying to reach out to him. This was why he was so insistent on checking her for cryokinesis powers. 

Khione tells Mark that Frost is still alive inside him and that there's more of her in him than there is in her. This causes it to start snowing inside STAR Labs, for some reason.

Cecile admits to Allegra that she's been sleeping in her office because it's too lonely being in Joe's house without him and Jenna.

Allegra and Cecile figure out that someone must have put a dark matter refractor into Becky Sharpe's engagement ring and that is what is cancelling her powers out.

Chester accesses Tony Stewart's bank records and determines that he is the one with the gambling problem who owes money to the mob.

Tony's plan is to force Becky to work as a blackjack dealer at O'Shaughnessy's, so that her bad luck will result in him always winning against her.

Tony apparently attacked Dom after he learned about Tony's plan and tried to stop him.

Cecile frees Becky by pulling her ring off her finger with her telekinesis. After that, her powers enable her, Allegra and Cecile to fight Tony and his henchmen.

Cecile figures out her powers going haywire were because of her own lack of confidence - not Becky's powers.

Dom Stewart is said to be recovering after waking from his coma. He confirmed Becky didn't attack him, so they are free to live happily ever after.

Cecile asks Allegra to move in with her and use Joe's spare bedroom.

Team Flash throw Barry and Iris an impromptu baby shower after they return from Coast City.

Chester and Mark determine that Khione isn't a metahuman but isn't an ordinary human either, after a consultation with Dr. Carla Tannhauser.


Location

O'Shaughnessy's in Keystone City.


Untelevised Adventures

Iris and Barry spend a week in Coast City, attending a party in honor of the CCC Media expansion. 


The Fridge Factor

Cecile's power loss is explained away as being due to her being unable to cope with her daughter and boyfriend being away from her for most of the week.


The Bottom Line

A bland filler episode, neither outstanding nor awful, that doesn't do anything to advance any of the storylines. Normally, this wouldn't be too bad, but it is maddening given the shortened season for The Flash's final season.

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse - Part 23

In which we finishing exploring our neighborhood and The Devil finally makes an appearance in The Devil's Playhouse. We also assemble a giant corndog for reasons that seemed good at the time.

Monday, March 20, 2023

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse - Part 22

In which we start Episode 5 and start trying to assemble a team of experts to help us save the monster-size Max from himself. Oh, and the world too, I suppose.

Friday, March 17, 2023

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse - Part 21

The thrilling finale of Episode 4, in which we must avert a dark ritual and the horrific dancing of a thousand Sam clone zombie thingies to save the world!

Thursday, March 16, 2023

Wednesday, March 15, 2023

The Flash Episode Guide: Season 9, Episode 5 - The Mask of the Red Death, Part 2

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


Plot

With the Red Death and her Rogues laying waste to Central City, Barry and Iris come up with a plan to stop them but it will require Cecile and the Rogue Squad, who are unwilling to help Team Flash anymore. To save the day, The Flash must face his greatest failure.


Influences

Kingdom Come (The Red Death's method of protecting Central City borrows from the Bat Sentinels and the speed with which The Flash protects his hometown.)


Goofs

Allegra complains about The Rogue Squad not trying to save Chillblaine in the last episode. This would be fair, if Allegra weren't the one responsible for running Team Flash's teleport and controlling the evac that led to the team leaving him behind in the first place.

While it's a dick move on Barry's part that he never checked up on Grodd or Gorilla City, describing it as his greatest failure is a bit much. For that matter, how is the Crisis causing the Gorilla City gorillas to lose their sentience Barry's fault? (Okay, as the Paragon of Love he was responsible for remaking the universe, but still....)

Red Death says that Grodd is amplifying her telepathy. How did she get telepathic powers? Did she steal them from another hero the same way she copied Barry's speed?  If so, why didn't she use it before this episode when it might have been useful, like when she was talking to Iris West-Alllen and pretending to be the Ryan Wilder of Earth-Priime?

It never is confirmed that Red Death's Rogues were captured in this episode.

It never is explained just where Ryan Wilder has been all this time the Red Death was running around.

It also isn't explained how Ryan got to Central City or where she got an anti-speedster Batarang. (Perhaps Luke built one after discussing the problems Reverse-Flash caused with John Diggle? Or maybe he and Chester talk-shop off-camera? Or maybe he started building it after hearing about Red Death?)

Did Red Death kidnap Ryan to get her out of the way? If so, why didn't she just kill her outright or take all of her Batwoman gear to stop her from coming after her? Given her paranoia, wouldn't she be most afraid of the Batwoman of Earth-Prime becoming a threat to her?

This episode completely ignores the rules established in B112 which dictate that two doppelgangers cannot survive on the same Earth following Crisis on Infinite Earths. (It's possible the Negative Speed Force protects its users from this law in the same way it protects them from paradoxes. It may also not apply since Red Death says she comes from an alternate timeline rather than a parallel universe.)

Why is Iris so stunned by the revelation that she's pregnant? Haven't she and Barry planning for her pregnancy for the past few episodes?  Also, wouldn't that be the first thing she or Barry would think of if she were suddenly nauseous?


Performances

As cliché as they are now, Jesse L. Martin can still nail those inspiring Joe West speeches.


Artistry

The make-up for Murmur with her mask off is disturbing.


Technobabble

By boosting Cecile's empathic telemetry and superimposing it over a grid of the city map, Chester can hone in on whatever she senses.

ARGUS upgraded the satellite security system on the GCPD roof.

The device Murmur and Captain Boomerang install on the roof of the GCPD allow Red Death to be in multiple locations at once.

Chester detects multiple reservoirs of psychic energy, which are like individual manifestations of a single telepathic consciousness. 

Allegra's light powers give her X-Ray vision.

Barry claims psychic manifestations cannot hurt someone. However, he is reminded that Psych was able to make a projection of Savitar hurt him in 705.

Batwoman has an anti-speedster Batarang.

Chester reprograms the STAR Labs satellites to find Grodd's tribe.


Dialogue Triumphs

Joe: If there's one thing I'm sure of after all these years, it's you have a gift for bringing out the good in folks, no matter how bad they started out.
Barry: Well, if that's true, I learned it from you.
Joe: Maybe. Either way... I have run out of things that I need to teach you. Just like I don't need to protect Cecile anymore, considering how much her powers have grown. I should tell you, up until a couple of days ago, Cecile and I were talking about moving out of Central City to the country for good.
Barry: What?
Joe: It's okay. We decided to stay. And it's a good thing because the team needs her here.
Barry: We need you, too.
Joe: No, you don't. I'm not a cop anymore, and I'm not a meta, so what am I doing here?
Barry: Joe... no one is more important to this team... to this family... than you. I mean, think of all the heroes you've raised over the years. We couldn't do what we do if we didn't have you to teach us how. Inspiring people is your super power.
Joe: That's nice. But if it's my super power, it's yours, too, Barry. 'Cause you've inspired me. What I learned about being a parent is whatever seeds we've planted, we have to trust that they take root, no matter how dark things get. So you have faith in your way of being a hero. If you do that, you'll always find your way and those who follow you will, too.


Dialogue Disasters

Most of Javicia Leslie's dialogue as Red Death.

The Rogue Squad saying "It's a Wednesday" in unison and everyone laughing when Ryan Wilder asks if Central City is always like this. 


Continuity

As the episode opens, red Negative Speed Force Lightning is striking randomly around Central City.

The shipyard, Central City High School and City Hall are said to have been set on fire.

Murmur breaks into Captain Kramer's office and steals her pager for summoning The Flash.

Captain Kramer tries to copy Rainbow Raider's power and turns it against him and Fiddler. Somehow, Red Death is able to resist the effect. 

Barry is still depowered after using most of his speed to start up the Cosmic Treadmill.

Barry says they need to do something, but the Rogue Squad point out that they need a plan first.

Iris suggests they can use Cecile's powers to track Red Death's anger and hatred of Barry.

Red Death somehow senses Cecile looking for her, but not in time to stop her from figuring out she and the Rogues are at GCPD HQ.

Cecile also senses intense pain and fear from someone at the Red Death's base. She recognizes the person and informs Team Flash that Chillblaine is still alive.

Barry wants to rescue Chillblaine but the Rogue Squad refuse, saying they should take the fight to Red Death while they know where she is and saving the city is more important than rescuing one guy.

Khione offers to go rescue Chillblaine if nobody else will, but Barry refuses to risk her after losing Frost and Caitlin. 

The Rogues agree to help rescue Chillblaine, guilted into it by Khione's courage.

Cecile tells Joe that her powers are growing the more she uses them.

Cecile senses that Joe still feels uncomfortable about something.

Red Death left Chillblaine alive specifically to set a trap for Barry so she could drain the rest of his speed.

Red Death explains that her newfound psychic powers came from Gorilla Grodd, who is now connected to her.

Barry last saw Grodd in 613, where he was going to find Gorilla City and live with other intelligent gorillas like him. It turned out, however, that the Crisis caused the gorillas in Gorilla City to lose their sentience and they all became scattered across Earth-Prime.

Grodd agreed to amplify Red Death's telepathy in exchange for reuniting his tribe.

The Rogue Squad quit, saying there's no way they can beat Red Death and they want to spend what time they have left with their loved ones. 

Khione watches over Chillblaine but tells Iris that she feels useless. Iris says she feels that way sometimes too, but she eventually found her place on the team and she's sure Khione will figure it out someday.

Khione kisses Chillblaine and this seems to heal him.

Joe tells Barry you have to have faith in the people who follow you. This inspires Barry to try to talk to Grodd again.

Chester is able to track Grodd's telepathic signal.

Grodd is confirmed to be the most powerful telepath on Earth-Prime.

Barry persuades Grodd that he can help him save the formerly sentient gorillas.

Grodd restores Barry's speed with the energy Barry loaned him in 613.

The Rogue squad show up to help fight Red Death.

Batwoman shows up to help fight Red Death.

Batwoman has never been to Central City before.

ARGUS takes Red Death into custody.

Ryan Wilder is a fan of Iris' writing.

Joe decides to move himself and Jenna to the country, telling Cecile she can come be with them on the weekends.

Chillblaine comes to Joe's going away party, but tells Barry he still feels awkward, despite Barry insisting he's part of the family now.

Chester and Allegra kiss again in front of everyone.

Iris complains of feeling lightheaded, leading Khione to tell her that she is pregnant. When asked how she knows, she says she just knows.


Untelevised Adventures

Ryan Wilder gets to know Team Flash off-camera.

Ryan Wilder has a monthly brunch with Kara Danvers, Alex Danvers and Nia Nul. She invites Iris to come to the next one.


The Bottom Line

An easy contender for the worst episode of all time. The Grodd subplot comes out of nowhere and doesn't make any sense.  The new Rogues are completely forgotten partway through the episode. Nothing about Batwoman's appearance makes sense. 

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse - Part 19

In which we discover the horridying truth of what happened to Bosco, which did not stay in Vegas! We also catch up with Sal in his new job and uncover his illicit relationship with Girl Stinky. Well, not really that illicit but MAN is it creepy to think about!

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

The Flash Episode Guide: Season 9, Episode 4 - The Mask of the Red Death, Part 1

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


Plot

The Red Death launches an assault on Central City and The Flash, with a surprising goal in mind. The new Rogues have to help Team Flash keep the peace as an EMP cuts out all the power in town, as Joe and Cecile have a discussion about where their relationship is going.


Influences

Injustice: Gods Among Us (Red Death is more like the corrupted Superman of this story than the Red Death of the comics, being a hero who crossed the line to fascism to try and build a safer world.)


Goofs

Red Death refers to herself as the Red Death, even though it was apparently Goldface who gave her that name with no indication that was what she called herself.

Come to that, if she thinks she's a hero, why would she choose a name liked Red Death?

Barry calls Khione Caitlin in the final scene in STAR Labs. (This could be due to the stress of the moment, but it seems like a mistake and nobody corrects him.)


Artistry


It's a small detail, but all the Rogues are shown to use ASL when talking directly to Murmur.


Flash Facts

The episode title is a play on the Edgar Allan Poe story The Masque of the Red Death, which Goldface quoted in 903.

Jenna West appears on-camera for the first time since 612.

Rainbow Raider appears for the first time since Season 1. While he doesn't have his full array of powers from comics, he can now inspire fear as well as anger.

Chester evokes the name of Otis Boykin - the inventor of the electric resistor.

Many of Red Death's lines are taken directly from various Batman comics and adaptations.

Red Death's line "I am vengeance. I am the night." is taken from the Batman: The Animated Series episode "Nothing To Fear." "

Red Death's line about criminals being "a superstitious and cowardly lot" was first said in Detective Comics #33.

Red Death's line "Everybody's got their limits. I ignore mine." is from Batman #497.

 Red Death's line "You wanna get nuts? C'mon, let's get nuts!" is from the 1989 Batman movie.


Technobabble

The Cosmic Treadmill requires enough power to light up the Eastern Seaboard.

Barry and Chester plan to reprogram the STAR Labs satellites to scan for the Red Death's tachyon signature.

The Flash's cowl is boobytrapped to administer 50,000 volts to anyone who tries to remove it.

Even with their backup generators, STAR Labs can only operate at 20% power after the EMP.

Pied Piper uses a CB frequency 160 hertz to communicate with his team.

Pied Piper's Harmonic Frequency Tracer can be used to detect Flash's vibrational biometrics anywhere on Earth. Unfortunately, it won't work if The Flash's powers are blocked by meta-cuffs.

A Red Team is a group of journalists who try to pick apart a major story before it goes to print.

Chillblaine overloads the capacitors on the Cosmic Treadmill so it shorts out after The Flash charges it. Instead of opening a wormhole, it shoots all the lighting The Flash put into it at Red Death.


Dialogue Triumphs

Barry: Mark, you don't have to do this.
Chillblaine: If I want Frost back, I do.
Barry: What happens when she turns on that treadmill and busts a hole in the timeline? Or decides it's a lot easier to just kill you than help you bring Frost back?
Chillblaine: If I die, I die. Who would even care?
Barry: You are a part of Team Flash.
Chillblaine: No, I'm not... not anymore. Now I'm just another dirtbag who double-crossed you. Aren't I?
Barry: Mark! Before Frost was one of my best friends, she tried to kill me. People make mistakes. I was so desperate not to make the same mistakes I made with Thawne that I rushed into thinking the Red Death was the new Avatar. But, actually, she's a new threat, one I wasn't ready for, and now the whole world might have to pay for my mistake, and the only one that can help me out of this is you.
Chillblaine: Me? You've got the wrong guy. It's too late for me.
Barry: No, you're wrong. It's never too late for second chances. 


Dialogue Disasters

Red Death:
 You want to know who I am? I'm the last glimmer of crimson a killer sees before he draws his final breath. I am vengeance. I am the night. I am the Red Death


Continuity

As the episode opens, Chillblaine is assembling the Cosmic Treadmill 

Red Death says she will take care of the power source when Chillblaine asks how it is supposed to run.

Red Death leaves Chillblaine to recruit one more Rogue for their team.

At this point, Barry believes Red Death to be a man and the new Negative Speed Force avatar.

Barry theorizes Red Death may be a corrupted innocent, like Dr. Meena Dhawan from The Flash Season 8 finale, based on the fact that they could have killed him in 903 but did not.

Iris is sent Ryan Wilder's last GPS coordinates by Luke Fox.

Cecile finds out that Joe has been talking to a realtor without her knowledge.

Joe found a house with a big backyard in a good school district. Unfortunately, it's a two hour commute from Central City.

Chester talks with his podcast follower, WookieLover77, about Allegra.

The new Rogue Red Death recruited is revealed to be Roy Bivolo, aka Rainbow Raider, who last appeared 121.

Bivolo has upgraded his powers and can now cause fear by looking at people as well as anger. This allows him to paralyze The Flash, who becomes so scared he hyperventilates and passes out. 

The Red Death uses the Negative Speed Force to generate an EMP that knocks out power in Central City.

The Flash asks Bivolo why he's working with the New Rogues when he had previously only cared about money.  Bivolo says he wants payback for being locked in the STAR Labs pipeline for nine months.

All the Rogues are revealed to know ASL so they can communicate with Murmur.

Khione suggests calling in Barry's Rogues when the Team Flash comms are shorted out.

Red Death tells Barry that their real target is Iris.

Red Death, posing as Ryan Wilder, shows up at Barry and Iris apartment.

Red Death lies, telling Iris that she was driving into Central City when her car batter got fried and her arm was burned by the EMP  She also claims to have encountered the Red Death on Gotham City and to have been nearly been killed by them after they looted her utility belt.

Red Death claims that Luke Fox told her Team Flash was looking for her and that she drove from Gotham City to Central City in a day. When Iris questions this, she says her car goes fast.

The Red Death has the ability to control their armor remotely and is confirmed to be talking to Barry through an empty suit while simultaneously talking to Iris.

The Red Death reveals they kept Barry alive to use him as a power source for the Cosmic Treadmill, as only organic speed can charge it.

Red Death claims she is a big fan of Iris podcast.

Iris catches Red Death in a lie when she notices her distaste about the idea of Barry working with Rogues and says that attitude is understandable given Ryan's foster mother was killed by the Royal Flush Gang.  In truth, Ryan's mother was killed by the Wonderland Gang.

Iris also noticed that Red Death was familiar with the layout of her apartment, when the Ryan Wilder of Earth-Prime had never been in Barry and Iris' home before.

Red Death claims that, in her timeline, Iris West-Allen was her best friend and The Flash became the world's biggest villain. She also says she lied because she knew Iris well enough to know that she'd need to build a rapport first, because she wouldn't believe her if she had just said "I am your best friend in another timeline."

Red Death also claims that there was no Batman in her world, that she was adopted by Thomas and Martha Wayne just a few days after she was born and that it was she who saw them gunned down in Crime Alley as a child.

Red Death claims she protected her Gotham City for 10 years as Batwoman, fighting villains like Hush, Simon Hurt and her own brother.

Red Death began studying the technology her enemies used and then began studying the technology of her allies in a group called The League. (Presumably The Justice League.)

Red Death created her own Artificial Speed Force to imitate The Flash, knowing that with his powers she could put criminals behind bars before they could even think of committing a crime. She claims she was so successful in stopping crime that The Flash became jealous, freed his Rogues from Iron Heights, and turned them into an army that tore apart Gotham trying to get to her.

Red Death tried to hide in the Speed Force, but was rejected and kicked into the Earth-Prime timeline. She needs the Cosmic Treadmill to return home, so she can stop her Flash from destroying her world. She claims that she needs Iris to help her do this because the Iris of her timeline is dead and she's the only one who could talk him into surrendering. 

Joe tells Cecile that he wants to move so that Jenna doesn't have to grow up knowing the hardship that Iris, Barry and Wally did.

Red Death tells Iris that she accidentally killed Iris' doppelganger in her timeline

Iris points out all the holes in Red Death's story, like how she claims her Flash was jealous of her, but she was the one who created an artificial Speed Force to imitate him.

Cecile uses her powers to save Jenna from the breaking windows as a Negative Speed Force storm rages across Central City.

Pied Piper is able to detect Barry by Route 119 once he is put on the Cosmic Treadmill.

Allegra uses her teleportation clouds from Nash to take The Rogue Squad to Red Death's hideout.

Chillblaine betrays Red Death and rigs the Cosmic Treadmill to explode.

The Rogue Squad rescue Barry and Iris, but leave Chillblaine behind as they escape.

Allegra tries to talk to Chester about their relationship but he says it should probably wait until after the crisis is over.

Cecile considers that Joe might be right, but after Jenna draws a picture of Cecile saving her, Joe decides they should stay in Central City because it would send a bad message if he made Cecile stop being the hero she is.

Red Death swears revenge on The Flash, promising to destroy his world since he won't let her go back to her own.


Untelevised Adventures


Red Death describes her world and how she became Red Death.



The Fridge Factor

Averted with Iris, for once, as she manages to see through Red Death's lies and tricks her into revealing her real plans.


The Bottom Line

A bit of a disappointment compared to the build up. Most of the cast is on stand-by while the episode focuses on the cat-and-mouse game between Iris and Red Death. This would be fine, except Javicia Leslie hams it up to show how crazy Red Death is when it would be much more effective for her to be cool, controlled and more like the Superman of Injustice her character imitates.

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse - Part 18

In which we start exploring a series of tunnels under Stinky's Diner and have another encounter with Monsieur Paperwaite and his dark master.

Monday, March 13, 2023

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse - Part 17

In which we find ourselves besieged by a mob of clones. Or zombies. Or Zombie Clones! Either way, there's too many Sam copies for us to handle, even with Max's unlimited ammo.

Saturday, March 11, 2023

Sensei Starman Plays Gotham Knights - Part 68

In which we take one final look at Red Hood and Robin, as I try to unlock the last of their Momentum Abilities and determine it really is best to level up all your characters evenly early on rather than stick with one until the end of the game like I did. (Even if Batgirl is the best!)

Thursday, March 9, 2023

Sensei Starman Plays Gotham Knights - Part 67

In which we unlock Robin's travel power and start doing the electric slideway around Gotham City. Some say it's mystic, but it's electric.

Tuesday, March 7, 2023

Sensei Starman Plays Gotham Knights - Part 65

In which we unlock Jason's special movement, so we can jump around the city using Lazarus energy (or something) and confirm that Red Hood is not the character to play if you prefer stealth or subtlety.

Monday, March 6, 2023

Sensei Starman Plays Gotham Knights - Part 64

In which, having affirmed that we completed Dick's Story, we move on playing as Red Hood... only for me to realize that Jason Todd's playstyle REALLY does not agree with me.