”We all have to decide who we are. This is who I am.”
It’s a Suicide Squad-type team up this week on ‘The Flash’ for Barry as he and four of the bus metas attempt a prison escape ahead of being sold to Amunet Black and turned into meta hitmen for the highest bidder.
It’s not often that our titular hero has the boring part of an episode but, in ‘True Colors’, the Iron Heights Prison break doesn’t offer too much in the way of memorable moments. Sure, Barry channels his inner MacGyver, creating an acid compound to help escape the prison, but his best moments involve Becky Sharpe, aka ‘Hazard’. Despite being surrounded by three killers, Becky’s time in prison has allowed her true self to come out. She’s realized that her powers of luck come with a price: hurting other people. She and Barry have a couple really good moments where we get to know the good person Becky truly is. Unfortunately, getting to know a character like Becky often means they aren’t long for this world, especially when said persons are integral to DeVoe’s big plans.
Though they may have been on the sidelines the last few weeks, DeVoe and Marlize have been pretty busy. She’s modified his chair for some nefarious purpose and while we discover what it is at the episode’s climax, the biggest tidbit of information here is that Marlize is having doubts about her husband and his plans. It’s the first chink in the pair’s armor and, after watching her horror at DeVoe’s senseless murder of the Warden, I have to wonder if Marlize will be integral in taking the Thinker down.
The show may be called The Flash, but with what I’d call an “almost ensemble” cast, sometimes our other characters get a chance to shine and this week—the second time in three episodes—it’s Ralph Dibny at the forefront. From the start of his journey back into the light, Ralph has shown fractures in his confidence. From not being able to stay on the straight and narrow to not having the strength to do what needs to be done. He wasn’t helped when Earl Cox, a stranger from his past shows up and, when Ralph tells him there’s no more scams for him, Cox rips into the nearly minted hero. “You let people down, especially the good ones. They get close to ya, place their trust in ya and then—BAM!—you screw up. Every time.” The scoundrel’s words hit Ralph exactly where he’s vulnerable: in his confidence.
While this isn’t the first time Ralph has had this particular albatross bring him down, there are only so many times you can script this without it getting old. Hopefully, with him finally working through it—thanks to a cool conversation with Killer Frost—this will be our last time seeing Ralph “leave” the team.
There are a few moments of coincidence in “True Colors” that numb its story effectiveness. First off, Cecile just happens to join Iris when she goes to visit Barry. Her telepathy powers picks up the Warden’s thoughts on the meta sale to Amunet. Then there’s Ralph’s newest power ‘upgrade’. After slimy Earl Cox does his best to tear Ralph down, the elongated meta discovers his ability to shapeshift into other people. He uses it to impersonate the Warden in an attempt to call off the meta sale and while that doesn’t work, it helps him pull off the most important con—but for a good cause. Thanks to Ralph Clifford, DeVoe is alive and well, meaning there’s no murder…thus Barry’s committed no crime. The Flash is finally free…and it didn’t require him breaking himself out.
It’s a big victory for Team Flash but they still have a hell of a fight on their hands and with DeVoe always being one step ahead of them, they may need help from an inside source…
Flash Facts
- Barry is such a good guy but sometimes I want to strangle him. Sure, staying in prison until he was legally cleared is understandable as he doesn’t want to be on the run but come on folks, has crime dried up since he’s been incarcerated? You can’t tell me some people wouldn’t be able to notice that Barry Allen is now free and the Flash just happens to return to Central City? Also, considering the duplicity of Ralph impersonating DeVoe, was Barry’s exoneration truly “legal”? Okay, that’s not really fair considering the initial frame job but sometimes that goodness of Barry makes me what to rage at him.
- It was a surprise to see the Warden permanently taken off the board. I thought he’d have more of a role to play, though. With the metas in his charge all gone, I guess there’s no reason to keep him in the fold.
- While the Warden may be gone, Amunet Black’s alive and well. I have to wonder if she’s going to remain a wildcard in this or will there be some sort of deal she makes—either with Team Flash or DeVoe—that will shift the balance?
- All’s not well in la casa del DeVoe. Not only has Marlize lost a bit of confidence in their plan but she’s slowly seeing that the meta known as the Thinker is not the same man she married. Slowly DeVoe is becoming less human, something I think Marlize is beginning to understand. I think that DeVoe resorting to spiking Marlize’s drink at this end is that final straw and, once she discovers what he did (we all know that she will), the trust is gone. And, as mentioned above, I really think DeVoe’s actions will have Marlize eventually siding with the good guys.
