THE FLASH - SEASON 6.11

REVIEW:  THE FLASH - SEASON 6.11:  "Love Is a Battlefield"


Glad you raced right back after the Black Lightning review!  Welcome to another installment of our Scarlet Speedster.  When we last checked things out, Barry and Diggle travelled all the way to Lian Yu on a hunch Barry got about some Marakuru on Ollie's original mask he made for him, only to find out it was just a last gift to Barry.  Cisco is out mapping the new Earth, and seeing what new threats are about...Ralph apparently is still working the Sue Dearbon case, and Frost...well, she's been hanging around.  And Team Citizen dealt with a new Dr. Light, and the CEO of McCulloch Industries who calls himself Black Hole.  Iris threatened to expose him if he didn't back off the lawsuit he levvied against her.  But then she followed a hot lead back to McCulloch, where she got nabbed into a giant mirror in Eva McCulloch's office....


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We pick up where we left off last episode, where we're in the office of Eva McCulloch, who had gone missing some time ago, and Iris found out a clue to the mystery of her disappearance.  However, she was grabbed into a giant mirror in Eva's office, as she was snooping around.  We see Iris, a bit disoriented, and wondering what happened.  But she hears some noises outside the office, and makes a beeline out of there before she's discovered.  We see she made it back home, and as Barry has woken up, he sees that Iris has made breakfast for him....which is unusual for her, since she's NOT a very good cook!  Even more surprising is that it's actually good!  Barry IS curious how she had the time with everything going on to learn to cook.  They discuss going to dinner later in the evening to celebrate Valentine's Day, and they plan on booking a reservation at a restaurant called Giovanni's.  Iris says that Team Citizen is "regrouping" before going after Carver.

Speaking of the Citizen, Frost is decorating the office up Valentine's Day style when Allegra walks in, who is nauseaus about the whole thing.  Frost figures out that the reason is because of a guy.  She sees Allegra's notepad with an ad for her former boyfriend named Emerson, who's a musician, playing at Jitters on the holiday.  Frost offers her help in getting Allegra with this guy.  

Barry and Iris are at Giovanni's, happy to have some down time as husband and wife.  The waiter comes to get their order, and he's speaking Italian.  Barry has no clue what he said, but then Iris orders for them in Italian.  That surprises Barry, wondering when she had the time to learn a new language.  She passes off the story about the article she wrote on Little Italy some time ago, and she picked up a few phrases from that.  However, the quiet time is short lived, as Amunet Black shows up to ruin everything by looking for a man Sal Franco, who happens to have a briefcase she's looking for.  If he doesn't cough it up, she's going to kill him.  He says he can't hand it over, but she decks him and takes it anyway.  Barry and Iris then confront her, and she goes up to him and says that if he follows her, or if there are any other costumed metas after her, she'll blurt out his secret ID as The Flash.  Barry is caught between a rock and a hard place, since he CAN arrest her, even as a CSI, but knowing what's at stake, he can't do anything but let her go.  He wants to go zoom after her, but Iris restrains him.

Barry and Iris give their statements to one of the officers on the scene, and he inquires what's going on, and she says that Joe has the streets covered looking for her.  After the officer leaves, Barry figures it's time to scour the city as the Flash looking for her, but Iris said he can't do that.  She says there's a better idea.  Go to one of her hangouts, and rustle the branches, and see what falls.  

Frost and Allegra are at Jitters when they spot Emerson sitting at a table on his own.  Frost tries to encourage Allegra to just go and talk to him.  Just to be herself, but when Allegra musters up the courage to do so, she turns around to find the waitress is all cozy with him instead.  Allegra, feeling dejected, asks Frost NOT to help her out anymore, and storms off.

Barry and Iris borrow the STAR Labs van, and are on a stakeout at the bar Black frequents, and has employees on her payroll.  Iris says it's better if she goes in there on her own, than if he goes with her.  He's a tad worried, but she said if she needs him, she'll call.  She enters the bar, and strolls up to the bartender, who recognizes her.  Barry is calling out their safe word in her earpiece, and she ignores it.  She says she just has one of those faces.  She asks for the whereabouts of Black, and the bartender is quick to shut her down, and call for the bouncer to get rid of her.  Iris then takes a beer bottle and smashes it on the bouncer's head, taking him out of the picture.  Barry's in the van, wondering what's going on, but stays put.  The bartender is imnpressed, and he gives Iris the info she wants.  She's planning on hitting Ivo Labs next.  She comes back to the van, and while Barry is wondering what the hell happened, she shares the info she got, and they're on their way.  

Ivo Labs is exactly where Black is, finding another piece of equipment for whatever she has planned.  Barry and Iris show up, but lay back to see what she's up to, when all of the sudden, Black's old flame shows up:  Goldface.  It appears that Kenyon has the same idea as she does.  He wants that piece of equipment, as well as the other one.  And she has no inention of giving it to him.  They argue with each other about their bad relationship, on how she stole his record collection, and he calls her Leslie...her real name...and she refers to him as Keith...HIS real name.  They continue to bicker when they're ready to fight.  A security guard shows up and tells them to drop their weapons.  The guard gets nailed, and he's trapped under a giant boulder type thing.  Barry secretly goes to rescue him, vibrating him and the guard to move him out of the way, while Goldface and Black face off.  During their little melee, one of the pieces Black was looking for falls into Iris' line of sight.  Goldface manages to get the container and make off with it, leaving Black empty handed.  Barry and Iris head back home, where he finds out SHE nabbed the device.  Barry has sped around town trying to find them, but all he's done is have to deal with both Black's and Goldface's gangs going after each other in a turf war.  Iris says it will probably get worse, considering that from what she heard, it's rather personal.  

She says she contacted Ryan Choi to see what these devices were:  One was a UV projector, and the second one--they one they currrently possess, is a bio-simulated transfer device.  Iris has a plan, and that they should infiltrate Black's gang, by giving her what she wants, and then take her down from the inside.  Barry isn't too keen on the idea, and feels it's too dangerous.  It's then that Iris rips into him a little and says that since he was off saving the universe in Crisis, she was preparing for a life WITHOUT him, because THAT is what he asked her to do.  And while he was off on Lian Yu the other day, she had to save herself from an attack by Dr. Light.  She has her own team now, and that she's grown since he was off playing hero.  She isn't his damsel in distress anymore, and she isn't going to be in his ear playing cheerleader.  He's just trying to be sensible, but she isn't listening to it.  She had said that while he was asleep, she was following a lead the other night.  She deserves to be out in the field just as much as he does, because she is a reporter, and damn good at it.  With that, she storms off.

Nash shows up at Ralph's office where Frost is, and is looking for Allegra.  He needs to return something he borrowed from her.  She drowning her sorrows in alcohol that Harry Wells had left behind.  She feels like a failure for trying to help a friend, and that she hasn't experienced enough of life to do anything right.  Nash tells her that when she's down, get back on the horse.  Frost says her friend only tends to see things very black and white.  Nash says that not everything is black and white.  most everything happens in the gray areas.  

Iris shows up at Black's hideout, who is VERY curious as to why Iris is there.  Iris shows her the device she nabbed.  Iris says she knows what she's up to, and wants in.  Black is curious, as well as skeptical that the wife of the Flash, and daughter of the Captain of the CCPD would want to align with her.  Iris shows her a picture of a plant called Rappucini's Daughter.  It an extremely rare plant, because not only does it bloom once every 25 years, it's because of it's pollen.  If synthesized, it makes for a powerful telepathic drug.  Just the thing Amunet would want to be able to not only read minds, but get credit card numbers, bank account numbers,and Black commends Iris on figuring it out.  But it still didn't answer her question.  Iris simply states that she wants to use it on Barry.  She feels that his life as a superhero has put a strain on their marriage.  Interestingly enough, Black gets it...and she's all on board.  So, they head off to the arboretum to grab the plant.  

Barry's at the CCPD, as Joe is giving a rundown on what's happening in the streets since this little war between Black and Goldface has erupted.  He says things are about to erupt in a full scare mob war.  Barry says that he's been patrolling the streets best he can, and Joe asks if he can get Team Flash involved, and Barry says no.  Because Black knows all THEIR ID's as well.  He then tells Joe about Iris' theory about it being personal between Black and Goldface.  Joe wishes they were still dating---would be quieter on the streets.  But then he sees Barry looking sullen.  Barry says that ever since Iris got back the other night, she acted differently.  He feels like their marriage is falling apart.  Joe doesn't buy that.  Barry and him acknowledge that she's grown, but that she'll never stop loving him.  Joe explains their life like a tree---sure, it'll branch out and grow apart, but it's the roots, the foundation, that grows as well.  

Frost finds Allegra once again, and apologizes for interfering in her lovelife.  Allegra then explains her story with Emerson.  About how she wanted to live a normal life once she got out of Iron Heights, and she met him.  They became friends, dated, then it all stopped.  Frost figures out that it's because Allegra was afraid of telling him that she's a metahuman, and she said that she had trouble controlling her powers back then.  She figures he wouldn't want to know her if he knew she was a methahuman, and Frost says you're writing the story for him without even asking.  She tells Allegra to talk to him...tell him about her, and she might be surprised.  

Iris and Black talk about her relationship with Goldface, and what their plans were for the plant, as well as their lives together.  As their business relationship blossomed, their personal one wilted.  Iris tries to see if she can patch things up with Kenyon, but Black says she's better off running the town on her own.  Black then tells Iris what the devices are for.  One is a bio simulator, and the other is a UV projector, once put together, it provides a nurturing light to the plant.  Their talk is cut short, as Goldface shows up with his men, demanding the plant.  Black and Goldface prepare to face off, with each of their gangs armed and ready to kill.  Iris slowly steps back as they argue personally about each other, including the fact that he went to Yale and is from Connecticut, and she hates cats.  She also got tired of hearing about all his failures.  As Iris seeks shelter, Flash arrives to save her.  She tells him that he can't be seen around there, but he can't stand back any longer.  He goes to remove both sides' gangs out of the way, and wraps them up.  Then proceeds to intervene in their argument to try and reason with them.  They do seem to agree on a couple of things, and Flash believes he's making headway, but Black said no onesies (meaning the suit), and Goldface says that there's a lot of gold in his suit, so Goldface uses that to his advantage to toss Flash out of the way, and Black hits him right in the shoulders, pinning him against some crates.  He then vibrates away from it, and seems fine.  Iris goes up to him, and says she's got an idea:  burn the plant.  So, Flash tosses a tiny lightning bolt past the two bickering former lovers, and hits the plant, causing the pollen to explode into the gaseous drug, effecting them both.  They begin to hear each other's true thoughts, and end up reconciling on the spot.  And...much to Flash and Iris' dismay, they start to get hot and heavy.

Frost is at Jitters when Allegra shows up, and tells her that she spoke to Emerson, and she told him everything.  She even said that his drummer was one.  But they will remian friends, which is cool.  Frost is glad it worked out, and Allegra thanks her.  She goes off to hang out with him, when Nash shows up.  Frost thanks him for giving her the advice to give to her friend.  He says no problem.  She says that it almost seems...parental, while she's gazing at Allegra.  Nash is taken aback by that comment.  She pays her bill, and says that if he ever wants to talk about it---she's a great listener.  He smiles, and turns to look at Allegra chatting with her friend, then turns around, only to see Harrison Wells looking right at him.  He's taken aback, and as the people pass by him, Wells disappears.  

Barry and Iris are at home, and Barry apologizes for not seeing the growth that Iris has had these last few months.  He says that he's very proud of her, and he asks if she will be his Valentine.  She says he will always be HER lightning rod.  They hug, and as Iris looks in the mirror, we hear another voice calling out to Barry.  We look beyond the mirror and it's Iris, warning the woman on the other side of the mirror to leave him alone.  It appears that the Iris hugging Barry is NOT the Iris we all know.  SHE is trapped in the mirror universe!


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This was a pretty fun episode.  We got a little tension, SOME humor, and a tiny tiny bit of Flash action.  But it was VERY relationship centric, based on the fact it aired before Valentine's Day.  And we got a couple of more interesting pieces to some puzzles that have been floated up in the air.

First of all...I had a pretty damn strong feeling that the Iris that appeared in the office after getting sucked into the mirror was NOT our Iris.  I believe it's actually Eva McCulloch, who is disguising herself as Iris, and taking over her life for whatever nefarious purpose.  She is the new Mirror Master I believe, and we'll get to know more the next episode, I believe.  The other dead giveaways were her insistence of going into the bar solo, and handling the bouncer with ease.  She was unfazed the whole episode, and put on a good act for Barry, when she told him of her growth, her having her own life and career, and basically throwing Barry's life as the Flash into his face.  That...and she actually made breakfast that he could actually EAT.  DEFINITELY not Iris.  However...there's also ANOTHER theory at play here:  It COULD be that this is another side to Iris' personality---one that she keeps hidden or balanced within herself, and one side of herself she doesn't show Barry.  It's going to be very interesting the reveal of our "Evil Iris" within the next couple of episodes.  But it DOES give some slight insight as to Iris' growth as a character, and that she's not going to play the shrinking violet anymnore.

Amunet Black and Goldface....oh, I LOVE these two on screen together.  They have such chemistry, and is just sooo deliciously BAD, that you can't help but love it.  Their bickerng about his attendance at Yale, and that he's from Connecticut orginally...new things we learn about Keith Kenyon...and that he likes Radiohead.  Of course, Amunet is just as silly, saying she hates cats, and that he never would've liked hip hop had it not been for her.  But even villains have hearts, apparently, and when their business grew, the loved died.  So they thought.  The plant's pollent allowing them to express themselves managed to help them mend their hearts...for a little while anyway.  And hey!  Nice to know that Flash doesn't have to generate a HUGE lightning bolt to get a desired effect.  But it WAS cool to get a visit from Black and Goldface again.  Katie Sackhoff is so brilliant in her role.  

This is the 2nd episode in a row where Ralph has been gone from the team...off searching for Sue---which we will be FINALLY meeting her here pretty quickly.  So, Frost has begun to take his place as relationship guru.  Though, her first time out trying to amend Allegra's heart didn't work out so well.  Still, after much encouragement from Nash, she managed to get Allegra on the right track again.  SPEAKING of which...it appears that Frost as picked up a thing or two about deduction from Ralph, because she seemed to figure out that Allegra is the doppleganger of his daughter.  So, she'll await Nash when he's ready to talk about it.

Finally...Nash.  Okay...who by a show of hands was SHOCKED to see Harrison Wells show up at Jitters?  Or at least a ghost of some sort.  I wonder if that situation is similar to the Beth/Alice thing that's happening over on Batwoman?  That's something that's going to have to be explained here soon.  That was just...wow.  And it seemed like Harrison was NONE too happy to see him.  This is a new mystery to look forward to.

Okay, fellow Flash fanatics, I appreciate you checking out the page, sticking by me, and do please subscribe, tell your friends to check me out here, and leave some comments.  What're YOUR theories?  I'm curious to know!

Until next time...when we HOPEFULLY get to meet Sue Dearbon....Keep On Running!