With the first three episodes of The Flash in the books and angling more towards serious issues, it was time we had an hour predominantly composed of fun. “The New Rogues” does just that, trading in Dr. Alchemy and flubbed up timelines for the lighter fare of relationships, replacements and, as the episode title proclaims, rogues.
Beginning with the latter, we get the quick origin story of Sam Scudder and Rosalind Dillon, Mirror Master and Top, respectively. Turns out the pair are quite familiar with another Central City villain, Leonard Snart/Captain Cold. As disagreements go, theirs was getting to the deadly part when the Particle Accelerator explosion traps Scudder in the mirror world…
Fast forward to now and Scudder frees himself from the mirror prison and looks to settle the score with Snart. He eventually turns up at Iron Heights prison where his paramour Rosalind is hanging out. Reunited with his love, Scudder and Dillon set out to take over Central City. Of course, there is a certain speedster they need to take down before the city is theirs.
As far as the relationship aspect of the show goes, Barry and Iris’s courtship is going full speed ahead. Unfortunately, it’s to Joe’s chagrin. Honestly, who could blame him? Sure, his two “kids” aren’t related, but he’s raised Barry for the last decade, so seeing his adopted son making out with his biological daughter must introduce all sorts of weird feelings for the detective. The interactions between the trio, whether it’s Joe walking in on the making out or family movie time cuddled up on the couch, it’s awkward city and, let’s be honest, no one portrays awkward quite like Grant Gustin. There are more than a few laugh out loud moments between the three though, by episode’s end, it seems as if they could be on the road to dealing with the new dynamics.
A second trio is also trying to deal with a new normal are Harry, Cisco, and Caitlin. The former two’s bromance has been, over the last season and change, has been ever-evolving interactions of fun, with a fair bit of competitive gamesmanship thrown into the mix. Sadly, Harry and Jesse (more on her later), sooner than later, will need to return to Earth-2. But what happens to the team because, as Caitlin says, the “team doesn’t feel complete without Harrison Wells”. Harry suggests casting a net out to the multiverse, searching out for a new Wells to make a part of Team Flash. Harry and Cisco are in rare form, bantering back and forth, Harry stealing Cisco’s thunder on the Mirror Master naming conventions, and Harry not at all impressed by his doppleganger replacement candidates. Eventually, they discover HR, from Earth-19, a hipster type Harrison Wells who, well, just doesn’t feel right.
Staying on the relationship side of things, Jesse Quick has a bit of a super hero internship going on with Barry while simultaneously spending time with her own potential love interest in Wally. Ever since the two met last year, the attraction between the two has been undeniable and we finally get a resolution to that UST. Jesse’s new powers as speedster also seems to have given her the confidence to make the first move on Wally. He initially rejects her advances, citing her inevitable return to Earth-2 but, after she takes the blame for Scudder trapping Barry in the mirror world, Wally offers Jesse his support…and seals it with a kiss.
Now, back to our new rogues where, after their first encounter with our heroes, Mirror Master and Top take round one, with the latter disorienting Jesse long enough to distract Barry (saving her from going splat) for Scudder to toss our hero into the mirror world. Back at the lab, we get some pretty cool explanation on Scudder’s powers as well as what they need to do to free Barry from his unexpected prison. Their methods don’t quite work but, when everyone’s distracted from a new Scudder siting, Caitlin channels her burgeoning Killer Frost abilities, breaking Barry out. Our speedster shows that he’s not just a Flash face, theorizing what they need to do to turn Scudder’s powers against him—the infinite reflective loop. It works like a charm and the battle is won: Scudder and Dillon are back behind bars in Iron Heights.
As goodbyes go, Harry and Jesse’s is short and sweet. There is a caveat to that as Harry, moments before he and Jesse are pulled through the breach, Harry warning about what to “never” do is cut short. Barry, Joe, and Iris seem to have reached a happy medium (contingent on Barry getting his own place, that is) while Caitlin’s powers are slowly but surely reaching their breaking point.
Flash Facts
- This was such a fun episode. From awkward dynamics of the Barry/Iris courting to the Harry/Cisco bromance, “The New Rogues” delivered some laugh out loud moments though it’s a sad day that the latter of ‘ships will be no more (at least for now). The new Harry, BKA HR, fits in with his own quirky personality but there is something—off—about him. Harry’s initial instincts were to pass on HR but he allowed Cisco and Caitlin to convince him otherwise. Will that decision bite Team Flash in the buttocks? Or is it much ado about nothing?
- It was great to see Barry taking Jesse on as his padawan. Their dynamic is a bit more nurturing than Barry’s own training with Oliver but it was a great call back to their relationship when Barry tells Jesse that, “when you enter a room, you gotta case every inch of it: you never run in blind”. Maybe not quite verbatim from what Oliver told him, but it’s enough to see that the message stuck. It’s sad to see her (and Harry) return to Earth-2 but we all know that they’ll be back. Hopefully sooner than later.
- It’s only a matter of time before Caitlin can no longer hide her burgeoning powers. And now that Harry’s warned Cisco about Barry’s release from the mirror prison not having to do with their experiments, Ramon will be on the lookout for anything fishy. It won’t take him long to suss out the strange and Caitlin’s little secret. Once it comes out, we’ll get the 411 on her own transformation and details on if she’ll be able to actually control her powers or, like her doppleganger, will they prevent her from even the most basic of physical human interactions?
- Finally, it seems like Joe’s caught the eye of ADA, Cecile Horton. Though it seems as if he’s initially game for their obvious connection, he ends up chickening out, not quite ready to move forward and put himself out there.
