For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.
Plot
Team Flash searches for the missing Barry Allen, as an unseen enemy starts picking them off. Meanwhile, in the not too distant future. Dr. Malcolm Gilmore investigates the death of Eddie Thawne and why he resembles the dead cop so closely.
Influences
The Venom movies with Tom Hardy (a blonde man named Eddie is pushed around by an alien force that takes control of him.), Avengers: Infinity War (the effects for Khione cleansing Chillblaine look like the people dusted by the Thanos snap) and The Flash comics of Mark Waid and Brian Augustyn (character of Cobalt Blue).
Goofs
No attempt was made to make any of the actors in the 2049 segments look 25+ years older.
The security guard at CCC Media in 2049 makes no effort to stop Malcolm Gilmore from fleeing the scene after he breaks into Iris West-Allen's office.
Performances
It's subtle, but John Cor has a few moments that hint at Chillblaine's possession by the Speed Force before it is revealed, such as his rolling his eyes while burying his head in his hands as if he can't believe his own performance.
Artistry
The sequence in which Malcolm Gilmore has a breakdown on a rainy night, set to a techno remix of Elton John's "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" is a fantastic bit of direction, even if it does look more like a music video than a scene from The Flash. It is at least visually interesting.
Flash Facts
The subtitle of this episode is The Blues, according to the title card, but the subtitle does not feature in the actual episode title.
This episode was the directorial debut of Kayla Compton, who plays Allegra Garcia.
Cobalt-97 is not a real cobalt isotope. It's number is likely a reference to the year of Cobalt Blue's creation, 1997.
Technobabble
Chester detects trace amounts of an radioactive cobalt isotope in Barry and Iris' apartment. This seems to be a signature of the Negative Speed Force in action, as Chester notes this kind of isotope does not show up naturally.
The specific isotope is Cobalt-97.
Continuity
In the opening scene, Dr. Gilmore takes the file he found in 910 to CCPD HQ. Several of the officers look at him in disbelief, apparently recognizing him. This includes Daisy Korber, who is wearing the dress clothes of a Detective rather than a CCPD patrol officer's uniform. This is the first indicator that Dr. Gilmore's scenes are not in the present day.
Iris assembles Team Flash six hours and 52 minutes after Barry disappeared.
Chillblaine returns, having spent the past seven months traveling through Tundi, the Arctic and Corto Maltese, volunteering at a few research facilities.
Cecile called Chillblaine in. Apparently Mark reached out to her a few months after he left. He asked her not to tell Khione, thinking he should give her some space.
Chillblaine and Khione go to inspect Barry and Iris' loft, while Chester scans for more cobalt radiation around Coast City. Cecile contacts ARGUS to see if they've heard anything, while Allegra and Iris go to check the CCC Media databases for anything involving cobalt radiation or mysterious disappearances.
Iris finds her old draft of the "Flash Missing - Vanishes in Crisis" headline from the pilot episode.
Iris tells Allegra about how the first version of Nora West-Allen from the future that she and Barry met in Season 5 was from a future where Barry disappeared during the Crisis on Infinite Earths and how she grew up without a father. She's afraid that they may have only delayed the inevitable and Nora is destined to grow up without a father after all.
Allegra thanks Iris for taking her under her wing and teaching her to be a reporter and a leader.
Iris finds her old draft of the "Flash Missing - Vanishes in Crisis" headline from the pilot episode.
Iris tells Allegra about how the first version of Nora West-Allen from the future that she and Barry met in Season 5 was from a future where Barry disappeared during the Crisis on Infinite Earths and how she grew up without a father. She's afraid that they may have only delayed the inevitable and Nora is destined to grow up without a father after all.
Allegra thanks Iris for taking her under her wing and teaching her to be a reporter and a leader.
Iris' favorite tea is chamomile.
Allegra is attacked by an unseen figure wielding blue lightning. Whoever they are, she recognizes them, speaking to them before they attack her and knock her out.
Allegra is attacked by an unseen figure wielding blue lightning. Whoever they are, she recognizes them, speaking to them before they attack her and knock her out.
The unseen figure sabotages the fire suppression system for the CCC Media building. This results in a gas leak, which causes Taylor and Aariz to pass out.
Khione and Chillblaine respond to Iris' distress signal.
Khione tries to repair the damage to Taylor and Aariz's lungs by growing plant cells inside their body to generate more oxygen so they can breathe better. This has the temporary side effect of turning their skin.This terrifies them and makes them run from Khione, even though she says they should return to normal in minutes.
Iris finds the unconscious Allegra in the hall.
Allegra is taken to STAR Labs, where Gideon determines she is suffering from acute radiation exposure. Specifically, she was exposed to the cobalt-97 isotope.
Chillblaine asks if Khione can cure Allegra's radiation sickness. She can't, because she can only use her powers to cleanse people of unnatural influences. Since radiation is part of the natural order, she can't alter it.
Chillblaine suggests locking Iris in the Time Vault, while the rest of them look for Barry.
In 2049, Daisy Korber tells Dr. Gilmore that he's the spitting image of Detective Eddie Thawne.
When Dr. Gilmore tries to show his ID to Daisy Korber, it is a blank card at first. It later changes to a government ID with the name Malcolm Gilmore on it in a flash of blue light.
Dr. Gilmore describes the events of 910 and how he found the file after being struck by lightning.
Daisy says she worked with Eddie Thawne as a rookie cop. She says there was never an official explanation for why he died.
Dr. Gilmore hears a growling voice speaking to him, telling him to "find her."
Khione is upset that Chillblaine apparently didn't want to talk to her but was willing to talk to Cecile.
Chillblaine says he needed time to come to terms with his grief over Frost, but that now he's scared of what Khione has become and calls her an abomination. This causes her to run off.
Chillblaine is revealed to be possessed by the blue crystal, as Joe West was in 910.
Khione and Chillblaine respond to Iris' distress signal.
Khione tries to repair the damage to Taylor and Aariz's lungs by growing plant cells inside their body to generate more oxygen so they can breathe better. This has the temporary side effect of turning their skin.This terrifies them and makes them run from Khione, even though she says they should return to normal in minutes.
Iris finds the unconscious Allegra in the hall.
Allegra is taken to STAR Labs, where Gideon determines she is suffering from acute radiation exposure. Specifically, she was exposed to the cobalt-97 isotope.
Chillblaine asks if Khione can cure Allegra's radiation sickness. She can't, because she can only use her powers to cleanse people of unnatural influences. Since radiation is part of the natural order, she can't alter it.
Chillblaine suggests locking Iris in the Time Vault, while the rest of them look for Barry.
In 2049, Daisy Korber tells Dr. Gilmore that he's the spitting image of Detective Eddie Thawne.
When Dr. Gilmore tries to show his ID to Daisy Korber, it is a blank card at first. It later changes to a government ID with the name Malcolm Gilmore on it in a flash of blue light.
Dr. Gilmore describes the events of 910 and how he found the file after being struck by lightning.
Daisy says she worked with Eddie Thawne as a rookie cop. She says there was never an official explanation for why he died.
Dr. Gilmore hears a growling voice speaking to him, telling him to "find her."
Khione is upset that Chillblaine apparently didn't want to talk to her but was willing to talk to Cecile.
Chillblaine says he needed time to come to terms with his grief over Frost, but that now he's scared of what Khione has become and calls her an abomination. This causes her to run off.
Chillblaine is revealed to be possessed by the blue crystal, as Joe West was in 910.
After giving Chester a sob story about wishing he had been there for Frost whens he died, Chillblaine offers to finish reprogramming the STAR Labs satellites so he can be with Allegra. This allows him to disable the satellites completely.
Malcolm starts having visions of Eddie Thawne and Iris West together. This leads him to start searching for Iris West, presuming she is the "her" he must find.
Chillblaine knocks out Cecile to gain access to the Time Vault and lures out Iris.
The Negative Speed Force is about to kill Iris, but the Speed Force (in the form of Nora Allen) attacks her.
Speed Force Nora reveals that Chillblaine is possessed by the Negative Speed Force.
Speed Force Nora says the other Negative Forces are attacking her on the cosmic plane, to distract her from their plan. She thinks they took Barry, but their connection is disrupted and she can't find him anywhere in time or space.
Speed Force Nora says Khione is the only one who can help them fight back against the Negative Forces.
In 2049, Malcolm breaks into Iris West-Allen's office and starts looking for information about Eddie Thawne. He recognizes Iris from a framed headline about her expanding her media empire.
Taylor, who is still working at CCC Media in 2049, calls for security upon seeing Malcolm.
Malcolm has more flashes of Eddie's life after seeing a framed picture of Joe West with Iris.
Iris uses Gideon to make a recording for Barry in case she doesn't make it.
Speed Force Nora summons Khione using some of the last of her strength.
Speed Force Nora says she can't help Team Flash anymore and Khione must step up.
Khione says she is inhuman and the Speed Force says that is true, but humanity is important to keep beings such as them grounded even if emotions can blind them.
Speed Force Nora helps Khione figure out exactly what she is.
Chester tracks Chillblaine to Caitlin and Frost's apartment.
Khione's arrival at Frost and Caitlin's apartment generates a shift in the barometric pressure equivalent to a hurricane.
Iris goes into labor.
Khione turns Chillblaine into dust to remove the Negative Speed Force Crystal and then puts him back together.
Malcolm starts having visions of Eddie Thawne and Iris West together. This leads him to start searching for Iris West, presuming she is the "her" he must find.
Chillblaine knocks out Cecile to gain access to the Time Vault and lures out Iris.
The Negative Speed Force is about to kill Iris, but the Speed Force (in the form of Nora Allen) attacks her.
Speed Force Nora reveals that Chillblaine is possessed by the Negative Speed Force.
Speed Force Nora says the other Negative Forces are attacking her on the cosmic plane, to distract her from their plan. She thinks they took Barry, but their connection is disrupted and she can't find him anywhere in time or space.
Speed Force Nora says Khione is the only one who can help them fight back against the Negative Forces.
In 2049, Malcolm breaks into Iris West-Allen's office and starts looking for information about Eddie Thawne. He recognizes Iris from a framed headline about her expanding her media empire.
Taylor, who is still working at CCC Media in 2049, calls for security upon seeing Malcolm.
Malcolm has more flashes of Eddie's life after seeing a framed picture of Joe West with Iris.
Iris uses Gideon to make a recording for Barry in case she doesn't make it.
Speed Force Nora summons Khione using some of the last of her strength.
Speed Force Nora says she can't help Team Flash anymore and Khione must step up.
Khione says she is inhuman and the Speed Force says that is true, but humanity is important to keep beings such as them grounded even if emotions can blind them.
Speed Force Nora helps Khione figure out exactly what she is.
Chester tracks Chillblaine to Caitlin and Frost's apartment.
Khione's arrival at Frost and Caitlin's apartment generates a shift in the barometric pressure equivalent to a hurricane.
Iris goes into labor.
Khione turns Chillblaine into dust to remove the Negative Speed Force Crystal and then puts him back together.
The crystal disappears before Khione can take it.
Cecile detects a massive way of panic and joy right before Iris tells her she's in labor.
Barry reappears in STAR Labs at that moment, in a flash of blue light, apparently having just teleported there after vanishing in 910.
Allegra undergoes an iodine treatment for her radiation sickness.
Khione tells Chillblaine that she is a goddess. She says she is not connected to one Force or one element, but all of nature. She says she will need to explore what that entails but that she doesn't think her destiny is to protect just one team or one city.
Khione says she doesn't think she can stay with Team Flash, but she won't leave until after they stop the Negative Speed Force.
Barry is teleported in another flash of blue light from the hospital waiting room.
In 2049, Daisy Korber finds Malcolm Gilmore digging up Eddie Thawne's grave.
They discover that there is no body in the coffin in the grave.
Upon seeing the empty coffin, Malcolm has a vision of Eddie Thawne killing himself to stop the Reverse Flash in 123. He also spontaneously develops the lethal shot through the chest that killed him. He reaches into the wound to pull out the bullet, which he shows to Daisy Korber.
Location
Central City in 2049
The Bottom Line
It makes sense that, after an episode focused on Barry, we should see what the rest of the team was doing in his absence. It does not make sense, however, that so much of this episode feels like padding. The explanation of Khione's powers works with what is given, but it still makes her into a literal deus ex machina to take the place of the Speed Force. The bits with Malcolm/Eddie are also good, but somewhat confusing given it isn't made clear until next episode that they take place in the future.
Khione says she doesn't think she can stay with Team Flash, but she won't leave until after they stop the Negative Speed Force.
Barry is teleported in another flash of blue light from the hospital waiting room.
In 2049, Daisy Korber finds Malcolm Gilmore digging up Eddie Thawne's grave.
They discover that there is no body in the coffin in the grave.
Upon seeing the empty coffin, Malcolm has a vision of Eddie Thawne killing himself to stop the Reverse Flash in 123. He also spontaneously develops the lethal shot through the chest that killed him. He reaches into the wound to pull out the bullet, which he shows to Daisy Korber.
Location
Central City in 2049
The Bottom Line
It makes sense that, after an episode focused on Barry, we should see what the rest of the team was doing in his absence. It does not make sense, however, that so much of this episode feels like padding. The explanation of Khione's powers works with what is given, but it still makes her into a literal deus ex machina to take the place of the Speed Force. The bits with Malcolm/Eddie are also good, but somewhat confusing given it isn't made clear until next episode that they take place in the future.
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