For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.
Plot
When Iris and Dreamer becoming connected in the Dream Realm, it falls to the rest of Team Flash to rescue them. Meanwhile, Chillblaine takes Khione out for a night on the town with ulterior motives.
Influences
Neil Gaiman's The Sandman (the dream realm setting and general dark atmosphere.)
Goofs
Iris' article places this episode as taking place on March 28, 2023 - one day before the episode aired in reality. However, the previous episode, 906, took place on Jenna West's fifth birthday, which was May 22, 2023. It is further impossible for this timeline to work, given Mark leaves Central City at the episode's end, but was shown to be training Khione in using her powers in the previous episode.
Performances
Nicole Maines is still a delight as Dreamer. It's a shame this was the best she could hope for after Supergirl rather than a full spin-off.
Artistry
The dream imagery is rather effective.
Performances
Nicole Maines is still a delight as Dreamer. It's a shame this was the best she could hope for after Supergirl rather than a full spin-off.
Artistry
The dream imagery is rather effective.
Flash Facts
The title is a reference to a Taylor Swift song. (This in itself may be a reference to Nia saying she is a Taylor Swift fan in S502.)
Technobabble
Gideon's biometric analysis determines that Nia and Iris were put into a deep REM sleep. Their cortical functions are totally siloed, keeping them from responding to any outside stimuli.
Chester notes that their neural functions in their cerebral cortexes are sinking and this could result in a permanent comatose state.
The Naltorian mystics had a word that means "angry sleep," referring to the phenomena when a dreamer spends too long in the Dream Realm and their body starts to feel intense strain.
At 106 degrees, organs shut down and a person can die.
Dialogue Triumphs
Chillblaine: I'm almost embarrassed.
Khione: By your secret crush and the love you feel for them?
Chillblaine: By my not-so-secret love of bourbon, which is why I fell asleep on monitor duty.
Continuity
As the episode opens, Dreamer has a vision where she is surrounded by people and a hooded woman. She sees Iris West, who tells her "It's all about control," before dying.
Iris is having cravings for cheese fries. She thinks this is where Nora probably got her love of that food.
Helena's on Third Street has gourmet cheese fries.
Iris is still working on an article about the Red Death attacks.
Continuity
As the episode opens, Dreamer has a vision where she is surrounded by people and a hooded woman. She sees Iris West, who tells her "It's all about control," before dying.
Iris is having cravings for cheese fries. She thinks this is where Nora probably got her love of that food.
Helena's on Third Street has gourmet cheese fries.
Iris is still working on an article about the Red Death attacks.
Allegra suggests the title "Nightmare Under Red Skies" for Iris' story. This is the title of the story that Iris was told would win her a Pulitzer Prize.
Chillblaine has a dream about Khione manifesting ice powers and making out with him. This is revealed to be a dream sequence.
According to Khione and Chester, Chillblaine talks in his sleep.
Chillblaine offers to take Khione out to give her a break from testing herself for powers.
Dreamer travels to Central City to meet with Iris.
Dreamer says that Iris is her idol as a writer. She makes reference to a story she wrote about being kidnapped by Cicada. (517.)
Dreamer reveals that she was trying to hone her powers, seeking out an ancient source of Naltorian dream energy in the Dream Realm.
Dreamer reveals that she lost her powers after her last vision and thinks, because Iris was in the dream, she can help her restore them.
The hooded woman from Nia's dream shows up, but Iris cannot see her. She sends the two women into a dream.
Chillblaine has a dream about Khione manifesting ice powers and making out with him. This is revealed to be a dream sequence.
According to Khione and Chester, Chillblaine talks in his sleep.
Chillblaine offers to take Khione out to give her a break from testing herself for powers.
Dreamer travels to Central City to meet with Iris.
Dreamer says that Iris is her idol as a writer. She makes reference to a story she wrote about being kidnapped by Cicada. (517.)
Dreamer reveals that she was trying to hone her powers, seeking out an ancient source of Naltorian dream energy in the Dream Realm.
Dreamer reveals that she lost her powers after her last vision and thinks, because Iris was in the dream, she can help her restore them.
The hooded woman from Nia's dream shows up, but Iris cannot see her. She sends the two women into a dream.
Iris' dream of being a cop is a nod to her original dream career before she withdrew her application to the police academy because of Joe not wanting her to follow in his footsteps, as revealed in 104.
In Iris' dream, she's a Captain, like her father.
Reference is made to Captain Cold and Golden Glider (aka the Snart Siblings) and how Iris took them down.
The door out of the cop dream takes Dreamer and Iris to C.C. Jitters.
Iris' dream of being a barista is a reference to her job in The Flash season 1.
In this dream, Iris is the manager and Nia, Barry and Chester are her employees.
Barry discovered Nia and Iris in Iris' office and takes them to STAR Labs.
Chester monitors them, while Barry and Cecile go to call the League, Cisco Ramon and John Diggle for help.
Supergirl, Martian Manhunter and Brainiac-5 are all said to be off-world.
Chillblaine takes Khione to O'Shaughnessy's Bar, despite Khione not drinking. Before that, he took her to play paintball, which she also did not enjoy.
Khione asks to do something more relaxing that will nurture the body and soul. She suggests the Arboretum, but Chillblaine suggests midnight roller derby instead.
Khione asks Chillblaine, point blank, why they aren't doing anything she wants to do.
Chillblaine says that gardens are boring.
Reference is made to Captain Cold and Golden Glider (aka the Snart Siblings) and how Iris took them down.
The door out of the cop dream takes Dreamer and Iris to C.C. Jitters.
Iris' dream of being a barista is a reference to her job in The Flash season 1.
In this dream, Iris is the manager and Nia, Barry and Chester are her employees.
Barry discovered Nia and Iris in Iris' office and takes them to STAR Labs.
Chester monitors them, while Barry and Cecile go to call the League, Cisco Ramon and John Diggle for help.
Supergirl, Martian Manhunter and Brainiac-5 are all said to be off-world.
Chillblaine takes Khione to O'Shaughnessy's Bar, despite Khione not drinking. Before that, he took her to play paintball, which she also did not enjoy.
Khione asks to do something more relaxing that will nurture the body and soul. She suggests the Arboretum, but Chillblaine suggests midnight roller derby instead.
Khione asks Chillblaine, point blank, why they aren't doing anything she wants to do.
Chillblaine says that gardens are boring.
In the dream world, Iris feels her body temperature going up. Dreamer says this is a sign their bodies are experiencing trauma from the strain of the Dream Realm.
Dreamer says the only hope they have of escape is cracking the code of Iris' dreams. She asks if there is anything worrying Iris about her life.
Iris tells Dreamer that she misses the freedom of her barista job and being in a world where she could clock out at 5 pm and have the rest of the day free. This leads them to the dream where Iris died.
Dreamer is able to drive the cloaked woman away. This takes them to a staff meeting at CCC Media. Iris is accepting her Pulitzer, but her staff speak badly of her, saying that she only gets her stories because she is married to The Flash. Even Allegra calls her a fraud.
Khione asks Chillblaine if he wishes she was Frost. Before he can answer, the bar's karaoke host tries to get them up to sing Chillblaine and Frost's song, thinking that Khione is Frost.
Chillblaine tells Khione about his dream and how he thought maybe it was a sign they could be together.
Khione accuses Chillblaine of trying to turn her into Frost, again, instead of honestly trying to be her friend.
Chillblaine admits she's right and Khione leaves him.
Iris realizes she's upset because knowing the future has her feeling like she didn't really earn her Pulitzer. She wants to be able to make her own choices, even if her future is everything she wanted.
Dreamer tells Iris that her choices led to her success and that nothing is preordained. She learned from her dream visions.
Cecile senses another presence in the room with Nia and Iris. She describes it as powerful and kind, like a guardian angel.
Nia leads Iris back into the space with the hooded woman and the random people. She says that she thought Iris was telling her to take control of her path in the dream, but she realizes how she is meant to give up control and trust her intuition.
The hooded woman reveals herself as the First Dreamer and the source of the power Nia was seeking.
Dreamer says the First Dreamer has restored and enhanced her powers and will teach her how to use them.
Everyone meets at Cecile's for breakfast the next morning.
Chillblaine talks to Khione and says he is going to leave Central City to find a new life without Frost.
Khione forgives Chillblaine.
When Khione returns to the breakfast, the table is frozen solid.
Dreamer says the only hope they have of escape is cracking the code of Iris' dreams. She asks if there is anything worrying Iris about her life.
Iris tells Dreamer that she misses the freedom of her barista job and being in a world where she could clock out at 5 pm and have the rest of the day free. This leads them to the dream where Iris died.
Dreamer is able to drive the cloaked woman away. This takes them to a staff meeting at CCC Media. Iris is accepting her Pulitzer, but her staff speak badly of her, saying that she only gets her stories because she is married to The Flash. Even Allegra calls her a fraud.
Khione asks Chillblaine if he wishes she was Frost. Before he can answer, the bar's karaoke host tries to get them up to sing Chillblaine and Frost's song, thinking that Khione is Frost.
Chillblaine tells Khione about his dream and how he thought maybe it was a sign they could be together.
Khione accuses Chillblaine of trying to turn her into Frost, again, instead of honestly trying to be her friend.
Chillblaine admits she's right and Khione leaves him.
Iris realizes she's upset because knowing the future has her feeling like she didn't really earn her Pulitzer. She wants to be able to make her own choices, even if her future is everything she wanted.
Dreamer tells Iris that her choices led to her success and that nothing is preordained. She learned from her dream visions.
Cecile senses another presence in the room with Nia and Iris. She describes it as powerful and kind, like a guardian angel.
Nia leads Iris back into the space with the hooded woman and the random people. She says that she thought Iris was telling her to take control of her path in the dream, but she realizes how she is meant to give up control and trust her intuition.
The hooded woman reveals herself as the First Dreamer and the source of the power Nia was seeking.
Dreamer says the First Dreamer has restored and enhanced her powers and will teach her how to use them.
Everyone meets at Cecile's for breakfast the next morning.
Chillblaine talks to Khione and says he is going to leave Central City to find a new life without Frost.
Khione forgives Chillblaine.
When Khione returns to the breakfast, the table is frozen solid.
Location
The Dream Realm
O'Shaughnessy's Bar in Keystone City
Untelevised Adventures
Brainiac-5 is said to be off-world with Supergirl and Martian Manhunter.
Mention is once again made of the monthly brunches between Batwoman, Dreamer, Supergirl and Sentinel. Iris was invited to join them in 905.)
The Fridge Factor
Dreamer is far less confident in her abilities here, purely so Iris can inspire her.
The Bottom Line
More dull and confused than bad. The Dreamer subplot wouldn't be bad as a B-story, but the whole thing is contrived to make Iris into this inspirational figure to a depowered Dreamer. The Chillblaine story is uncomfortable, primarily because Chillblaine honestly seemed to have worked past his issues in earlier episodes and comes off as a real creep here, which is rough after all the show did to redeem him.
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