Last week The Flash returned with a more light-hearted episode as Barry and company had to chase down the latest bus metahuman. This one was a criminal who gained the ability to make anything and anyone float as if they were made of helium. A power like that is something that DeVoe could surely take advantage of. However, the metahuman named “Null” proved to not be the great conflict of that episode. The conflict resided with Barry and Ralph. Ralph, ever the jokester was getting on Barry’s nerves with his comical antics, and they were in fact, interfering with the mission. However, Ralph ends up saving the day as Barry was levitated by Null and Ralph turning into a whoopee cushion proved to be life-saving. Sometimes, a little levity goes a long way.
Not this week though. This week took a dark turn for many of the characters as they struggled to deal with DeVoe and he continues to enact his plan. Ralph and Barry only have one more bus meta to find, and they have to find him before DeVoe does. However, this meta is truly living a hippie lifestyle. He’s off the grid and off electronics. Not someone you can really find unless you get lucky. However, Team Flash does get lucky. Turns out the last meta, Edwin, has the ability to teleport through different dimensions. While DeVoe can do this with his chair, to do it naturally would be great for him.
They escort Edwin to STAR Labs for his own safety. Meanwhile, Team Flash is having two problems internally. Ralph, knowing what the stakes are, wants an end to DeVoe. And no, not locking him up at Ironside prison, he’s gotta die! Barry, always the noble type of hero who tells Ralph that there’s always a better way. He reminds Ralph that he went from dishonored cop to noble hero. He shouldn’t kill DeVoe to “lose himself,” hence the title of the episode. The other big problem is Harry as he’s using the Thinking Cap to help increase his intelligence. While he promised not to use Dark Matter while using it, we all know he’s using Dark Matter. He starts to exhibit all the behavior of a drug addict. Personality changes, extreme possessiveness of the Thinking Cap, dependency on it, and denial that he has a problem. Later on in the episode, we actually see him use it and it’s clear he has an addiction.
While speaking with Edwin, Ralph discovers that Edwin has been to DeVoe’s pocket dimension headquarters, meaning Ralph might discover a way to find, stop, and kill The Thinker. Cisco also built a sonic weapon that will do the trick as well. However, when Barry, Cisco, and Killer Frost arrives and uses the weapon on DeVoe, it has no effect. Instead, it’s revealed it was a hologram. DeVoe arrived at STAR Labs and launches his own attack. Joe faces off against the robot samurai, Iris has to fight against DeVoe’s wife, leading Ralph to face off against DeVoe. To everyone’s surprise, Ralph gets the drop on DeVoe and is moments away from the killing blow when he decides to listen to Barry’s advice and spare him. This proves to be fatal and DeVoe first takes over Edwin’s body, then he takes over Ralph’s body killing him, forcing an immobilized Barry (who was neutralized by DeVoe using Null’s powers, meaning he got to her too). Caitlin, who was just getting used to partnering with Killer Frost was touched by DeVoe in the conflict, and he used Melting Point’s powers to take her Killer Frost powers away.
Team Flash definitely lost. Now with Ralph’s body, DeVoe is able to use his plastic powers to adapt to his expanding mind, meaning that he won’t need a new body, and he shape-shifts back into his original form as well, much to the delight of his wife. Barry packs up Ralph’s office and has a drink in his honor. It was surprising that they killed Ralph as most thought he would remain a regular, but with his life always in jeopardy, this could have been expected. Team Flash will need to pick up the pieces and power forward, but this definitely was an “Empire Strikes Back” episode for them.
Next week, Captain Cold returns to team up with Barry.
