BATWOMAN - SEASON 1.12

REVIEW:  BATWOMAN - SEASON 1.12:  "Take Your Choice"


We're back from our little vacay, Bat fans!  And well...things are getting a TAD more intense in Gotham City, as we have Alice still implementing her master plan, but at the same time, we now have her alternate earth doppleganger in Beth.  Problem is....BOTH of them are having issues!  What's going on with them, as well as Jacob's current situation, and where does our Lady Crusader fit in?  We jump back into the fray, as we continue our story....



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Jacob Kane and Sophie are chatting with Dr. Campbell, who Mary had tried to get himto help her dad before, speaking to them about Mouse, and his ability to take the skin of someone, make a mask, and imitate them.  They go on to say that he is the reason Jacob is locked up in prison, because Mouse impersonated Kane in order to kill his wife and step-daughter.  Dr. Campbell still finds this a bit unbelievable.  Taking skin grafts and making other people's faces---says it sounds impossible.  But he would like to meet Mouse.  Sophie says they have him under 24 hour watch at Gotham General, but they'll clear him to see their prisoner.  He says that if he can talk to the man, and find out how he did what he did, he'll be all to glad to testify at Kane's trial on his behalf.  After Campbell leaves, Sophie is upset that she let Alice get away, and hasn't been able to find her.  And if the body count rises, it's on her.  Jacob says then it's time to make the criminals fear you.  Take charge and make them fear you.

We then see Sophie to give out orders, as she is now the acting leader of The Crows, initiating door to door searches, roadblocks, and everything under and order called B-46.  Which also means that if anyone sees Alice---shoot on sight.  

Mary and Luke are doing what they can to get Beth out of town before the Crows find her and arrest her.  She is still suffering from the effects of whatever it is that's bothering her, and it's getting worse.  They get to a Crow checkpoint, and Mary tries to use her status as Jacob Kane's daughter to let them pass.  It almost works, but Beth can't stifle her voice enough from the pain to not cause suspicion.  The guards pull Luke and Mary out, and they begin to search them when Batwoman shows up, and ties up two of the guards with ropes from her bike.  She tells them to make tracks, and Mary and Luke hop in the vehicle, and bolt.  

We hear Vesper the next day make light of her patdown, as they Crows continue to search for Alice, which she hopes they catch eventually.  Speaking of Alice, she's been hiding fromn the Crows, but happens upon one searching for her.  She ends up throwing a knife at him and killing him.  She is also suffering from the same issues as Beth is, and she too is NOT getting better.  

We check in with Beth, Mary, and Luke again, and Mary is running some tests.  Turns out, that Beth's cells are degenerating.  Beth takes a look, as Kate strolls in.  Beth theorizes that since the collapse of the multiverse, her and Alice occupying the same space in the universe is causing problems for both of them.  Hence, they are both using each other's lifeforce to live.  They figure they have about 7 hours to figure out a cure, or something of that sort before one or both of them die.  Beth needs a hospital, but there's the matter of the Crows and their unrelenting search for Alice.  Kate says there are three  brilliant minds in the room,figure it out.  She's going to talk to Sophie to see if she can hold off the search.  Luke comes up to her and asks how she's going to do that.  Tell her about the multiverse, about Crisis...or, perhaps, tell her she's Batwoman?  Kate leaves to go figure it out.

Alice, using the Crows' uniform off the agent she killed, sneaks into the hospital to see Mouse.  He's wary of her at first, thinking she was the imposter.  Alice has no idea what he's talking about.  But he starts quoting the book, and she responds, thus passing his test.  She asks what's up, and he tells her about an imposter woman who looked like her.  This raises Alice's curiosity.  She tells Mouse to sit tight, as she goes to get some answers.  She'll be back for him.

Sophie and her team are conducting their forceful searches for Alice when Batwoman shows up to talk to her, to tell her to call off the dogs.  She says the company is losing face to the public, and clients as well, as their manhunt is coming off like a power trip.  She tries to tell Sophie that innocents can get hurt in all this, is that what she wants?  Batwoman tells her to let her find Alice---her way.  She wants Sophie to trust her...but Sophie refuses.  She goes to answer her agent, but turns around, and Batwoman is gone.

Jacob is in the bathroom when he is attacked by Alice's former main squeeze that USED to work for him.  Dasher, I believe.  He stabs Jacob and slices him open.  

Back at Wayne Enterprises, Beth and Luke are trying to think up ways to save her, including cryogenic freezing.  But, alas, their brainstorming yields nothing (too bad Luke doesn't have STAR Labs on speedial...or do they?).  Beth has begun to realize the truth---that neither her nor Alice can exist on the same Earth.  One will live while the other dies.  Just at that moment, Alice strolls in...staring at her doppleganger.  Alice sizes Beth up, and Beth calmly tries to make conversation with her, letting her know that she understands her story, and where she's coming from.  Luke asks how Alice got in, and she says she got past the desk man, whom they'll find in a storage closet.  Kate finally shows up, trying to protect Beth.  Beth explains how she survived the crash, but her mother did not.  She also went on to say that Kate was the one who rescured her.  That just burns Alice up a little.  But Alice feels there's a way to solve all of this, to ensure she lives:  Beth must die.  So, she pulls out her switchblade, and throws it at Beth, only to have Kate catch it before it gets there.  Beth is amazed that she did that.  Both suddenly have mental attacks, and while Luke and Kate tend to Beth, Alice escapes.  

Dasher continues to work over Jacob, saying the HE is the real criminal...forging evidence, going and killing people they shouldn't have..HE is the corrupt one.  So, he's going to get some payback.  As he's about to finish Jacob off, the big bully prisoner who'd been making life miserable for Jacob, comes in and saves him.  He compromised himself for Jacob, but said that he heard Jacob was getting out--and when he DOES, he wants a favor.  After that, he throws a towel at Jacob and leaves.

Alice makes a surprise visit to Mary at her clinic, and asks for her help.  Mary has no intention of doing so.  Alice then realizes that Mary had been poisoned too when she poisoned Catherine, but Mary took the antidote.  Since it was a rare antidote, Alice believes it could work on her.  So, she intends on getting some from Mary, who tries to fight her off and make a hasty retreat, only to have Alice knock Mary out.  Alice says to her that she's useful.  

Dr. Campbell goes in to see Mouse at Gotham General.  Mouse inquires to who he is, and Dr. Campbell says that he did what he had to in order to keep his secret for all these years.  He removes his face, only to reveal that it is Mouse's father.  He hid for years under this new identity.  He said he's looking for Alice, because she lied to Mouse all these years, and manipulated him, and kept him from his father all these years.  He wants to find her to forgive her.  Mouse says that Alice protected her from his abuser.  Mouse says that Alice protected him and accepted him for who and what he is.  All his father saw in him was a monster.  His dad insists on knowing where Alice is, and Mouse says he would never betray her.  His dad says he'll see about that, and injects Mouse with some kind of drug.

Alice takes a syringe, and extracts some blood from Mary, that still has the antidote coursing through it.  She's going to inject herself with it, thus saving her life.  Before Alice can give her self the injection, Mary manages to wake up, and attack her, knocking the syringe out of Alice's hand.  They tussle for a little, and as Alice is choking Mary, Mary uses a phone to whack her in the head, and stun her just enough to get the handcuffs attatched to the bed on one of Alice's hands.  Alice tries to appeal to her as a sister, but Mary has no interest, and she takes off, saying that no one deserves it less.  After she's gone, Alice manages to pull the phone over to her, and all Crow Security, telling them the location of Beth...whom she says is Alice.  

Beth's time is running out...so Kate is spending as much time with her as possible...having this sisterly bond.  Mary had called her and said she's on her way with a way to help Beth.  The Crows then show up out in front of Wayne Enterprises, and there's a helicopter overhead, looking for Alice.  They're bursting into the building, and Kate feels she needs to act fast before they get Beth and finish her off.  Luke comes in, and says they're about ready to come upstairs, and Kate says grab Beth, they're headed to the Batcave.  After they depart, Sophie bursts into Kate's office, looking for Alice, but they're not there.

Alice is still cuffed to the bed at Mary's clinic, as she begins to hallucinate.  She "sees" Catherine, who is taunting her about losing her life.  Alice snaps back at her, saying that she took her family away from her.  Catherine reminds her that they accepted her, and they loved her.  And she knows Kate and Jacob just as well as she does.  Alice still snipes at her.  Catherine goes onto say that while she DID make mistakes, she at least showed remorse for HER wrongdoings----Alice shows NONE.  Alice says she will get what she wants, and Catherine reminds her that she'll save a nice seat in Hell right alongside her.  With that, Catherine disappears.

Down in the Batcave, Beth now understands Kate more as she sees the Batwoman suit.  Beth says that Kate feels remorse in not being able to save her sister---so she goes out, risks her life, and save everyone else's sister.  Mary contacts Kate, and Kate goes to meet her.  Mary explains about her blood, and how it will help Beth.  But Kate is also thinking about Alice.  Mary says this is a no brainer.  Save Beth...the sweet, kind, intelligent woman....or Alice--who killed her mother, and has made life miserable for both of them.  Mary walks off after giving Kate the syringe, and says the choice is hers.

We see Kate show up at the clinic where Mary said she had cuffed Alice to a bed, and goes to talk to her.  We also see that she is back in the Cave, talking to Beth.  Alice feels she knew Kate enough that she would choose her.  Beth, on the other hand, says that after spending time with Alice...she got to understand her a little more.  Kate says that she did nothing when it came to saving her Beth...she just stood there frozen.  But she says she's not going to do that again.  So, she's giving the blood to Beth.  Beth asks her if this is what she really wants to do, and Kate responds that if you have to ask, you know the choice.  Once she gives Beth the blood, she tells Luke to take the Batbike, and make their way through the tunnels, and get out of town.  Beth and Luke make their escape.

When we next see the good "Dr. Campbell", it's our good friend the Caterpiller, back in his mask, about ready to leave---but not before he bids his son farewell...whom he has taken hostage.  Mouse struggles as he's bound to a chair, his father leaving him for business elsewhere.

Luke manages to find an Inn on the outskirts of Gotham to get Beth out of town, and save her from the Crows.  Meanwhile, Kate has gone to see Alice.  She holds Alice's hands, and hugs her, crying, as she watches her sister die.  We see that Sophie has found Luke and Beth, and has them in her sights.  She's about to pull the trigger, but decides not to.  She ends up calling her squad for backup, wanting them to be arrested instead.  Unfortunately, a shot rings out nonetheless, and Beth is hit.  Luke is holding her, as she lays dying, Sophie shocked by the shot, knowing there's a sniper about.  Turns out the sniper is our friend The Caterpillar.  As Beth dies, Kate is crying, and Alice is revived.  Pissed off with Kate that she let her die, she takes a metal tray and smashes Kate with it as the episode ends.


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This episode was filled with some high drama this week---and it all landed on Kate in the end.  Plus, we got some interesting shockers.  

First of all - Beth/Alice.  I kind of had a feeling that this fallout from Crisis was going to have a bad ending.  It was nice...briefly, anyway...that we had a small morsel of what Beth Kane would've been like had she NOT gotten taken by someone else, and saved in the accident that claimed her and Kate's mother.  The sisterly bond between her and Kate, and the intelligence she displayed, as well as her nobility right to the end.  But...it wasn't meant to be.  I had a feeling last episode that the attacks they were getting were part of the Crisis fallout.  That they couldn't exist on the same Earth.  One had to go---and, sadly, it was Beth.  There is just NO WAY they would kill off Alice.  She's too good a villain....plus, her master plan has yet been revealed.  But in the wake of all this---we just knew that Beth was only here temporarily---sort of a "gift" for Kate.  Here's what your sister COULD'VE been.  As for Alice...meeting her doppleganger face to face...knowing what she was, and what she herself wasn't...she didn't like it, naturally.  She hated the fact that Kate was doting on HER.  Alice still has a jealousy complex when it comes to her sister, and any bonding she does with anyone.  She didn't get that, so why should Kate get to have it?  And, going to Mary, to try and scare her into helping her---she underestimates Mary.  Mary's tougher than she lets on.  And for Mary to fight back against Alice, cuff her up...that's guts.  I like Mary more and more each day.  I like how she referenced Batwoman, and how they're BFF like.  Oh, if Mary only knew...and I look forward to THAT day.  

But to wrap up on these two:  Killing Beth saved Alice.  And Kate...oh, Kate.  Sometimes, you are just SOOOOO boneheaded!  I get that she wanted her old sister Beth back, but when the Caterpillar killed Beth, and Alice revived...now KNOWING that Kate chose her doppleganger over HER---that just set her off in all sorts of mad-crazy.  Now, she isn't so much going to blame dear old Dad for abandoning her...she's now more than likely going to abandon her plan of bringing Kate "into the fold", and instead just outright destroy her.  Whatever sisterly bond they're might've been...it's been obliterated.  And Kate...better toughen up, woman---it's only going to get worse.  

The Caterpillar returns!   You know...I HAD my suspicions about Dr. Campbell from the start.  Maybe it was just that they had talked about him so prominently, that I figured there was something there that wasn't right.  When he was interested in seeing Mouse, that's when I put two and two together.  I was a little surprised, but pleasantly, as I figured out it was Mouse's dad.  Now, we not only are dealing with an unhinged Alice, and her loyal Mouse...but now the Caterpillar is back, and when he offed Beth, he probably thought he was killing Alice for taking Mouse away from him.  I look forward to the eventual confrontation between Alice and the Caterpillar.  Just more villains for Batwoman to deal with.

Jacob taking a beating and nearly dying at the hands of old Dasher there.  Seems like they had to keep HIM around to make Kane's life worse.  But who would've thought the big bully that's been making his life hell the last few weeks, would actually SAVE him?  BUT...we all know there's a price to pay for that in prison.  The big guy put a target on his back, and he's going to want a serious favor once Jacob is acquitted.  

Sophie is getting a lot more harder the last few weeks.  She's belted suspects during interrogations, and she's been on this manhunt of sorts for Alice, and not having much mercy.  This is eventually going to put her and Batwoman at odds...and if she finds out that she was right all along---that Kate IS Batwoman...it's going to make THAT confrontation that much harder.  But we're seeing a more intense Sophie.  

All in all, another quality episode.  We're picking up some steam.  Not a lot of action, more focused on plot this week.  If it's one thing this show needs...it's more Bat action.  They need the fight coordinators from Arrow to do this show.  Both shows have dark motifs, and the fighting style should be intense.  I'd like to see Batwoman have one of those huge scenes, where she is just kicking ass and taking names.  We need to see just how much of a badass she really is.  

Okay folks, that's it from Gotham Central here.  Go ahead and let me know what YOU think of the show so far?  Drop a comment below, and don't forget to subscribe and tell the others about this little place in cyberspace.

Until next time...The Batsignal is OFF!

SUPERGIRL - SEASON 5.12

REVIEW:  SUPERGIRL - SEASON 5.12:  "Back From the Future Part 2"


After a brief hiatus, we welcome back the Maid of Might, as we pick up from where we left off with the last installment:  Winn has come back from the future to save his good name from the evils of his doppleganger--a Toyman hellbent on destroying everything for the love and memory of his father.  Meanwhile, Lex continues to manipulate Lena, Brainy, and everyone else he can to get info on Leviathan, and get an upper hand.  And---what's the deal with William and Kara?  Are their sparks flying?  Plus:  J'Onn has given us the Tower---and the Super Friends are born!


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We catch up with our Super Friends, as they're having a nice time out at a local watering hole, where Winn has stuck around to hang out and catch up.  They ask him about his Legion code name, and reveals it to be the less-than-flattering "Computer Boy".  He discusses some of the OTHER Legionnaires such as Lightning Lad, Cosimc Boy, etc.  They make fun of him, and William all of the sudden drops by.  He and Kara chat, and it's obvious that there's some sparks flying between the two.  They then engage in some karoke, dropping down some Toto for effect.  While everyone is enjoying the duo singing, Alex and J'Onn talk to each other about how she set up a covert system to spy on Lex to see what he's up to.  She's concerned about what he's got going on, and Brainy says he's offering to help keep tabs on him.  

He then is back at the DEO, talking to Lex, and letting him know what Alex is up to, and Lex is well aware.  He wants Brainy to keep him up to date on what she's doing.  Lex then asks for an update on any activity going on, and Brainy reports that all is quiet.  He speaks too soon, because drones come up from behind him, and begin to attack.  This is the work of the Toyman, who has downloaded himself into the system, and taken control off the weapons using technological chips in them.  Brainy calls Alex at the bar, and her and J'Onn take off, and Winn also decides to tag along--to help out.  He helps Kara make some excuse to leave for William, so that she can become Supergirl, but not befoe William actually asks Kara out.  She makes some excuse about her and Alex having a sick grandmother, and he buys it.  So, she's off.  

They get to the DEO, and they manage to destroy the drones.  But in the end, they hear a pop song playing all around them.  Winn recognizes it as one that he used to hear when he was younger....something his dad played him.  They now realize that the Toyman hasn't gone away, and quickly ascertain that he has downloaded himself into the system.  Brainy discovers the Artificial Intelligence in the system.  It's based on a program that his Dad had used to download himself into this digital space.  With Toyman in control, Winn fears that he can take control of EVERYTHING, and seep into the internet, and dominate cyberspace.  They look back at the last battle with him, and they see that he had the Obsidian Lenses, and that he downloaded himself using them into a laptop that they had put into storage.  He is now playing havoc with the DEO's system.  Toyman then appears on various screens, wanting to have all the firewalls removed, or he'll destroy everyone.  Brainy acts fast, and manages to push Toyman deep into the system into a firewall on their server, but he's not sure how long it can last.  Alex asks if she has Supergirl melt the core, it will stop him, but Brainy says that's a bad idea.  The core is connected to everything in the complex...Supergirl melts the core, and everything would blow up.  

There's an old fashioned phone that rings, and Alex picks it up, and it's Lex on the other line wondering what's going on.  Alex tells him that Toyman downloaded himself into the system.  She says that they need to rid the complex of weapons with any technological parts in them.  Then, have Supergirl destroy them.  Lex reminds her that some of those weapons are armed with Kryptonite, and that would be and extremely bad idea.  Alex insists they have measures to protect Supergirl from Kryptonite, and Lex reminds them that maybe they had that on another Earth, but not here.  He says they need to take care of the problem, and that the safety of humanity is first. He wants HER to handle the dismantling of the weapons.  Alex then needs Winn, and they're going to go into the core and stop Toyman.  Brainy offers to do that, but she wants him where he's at in case Toyman plots something else.  Supergirl offers to go with Winn, while Alex handles the dismantling of the weapons.  They take off, and Brainy calls Lex.  He calls Lex out, and says that he KNEW Toyman would pull this off.  Lex doesn't deny it, but has a job for Brainy:  he wants the Toyman's codes, so that he can go after Leviathan.  They are the biggest threat, but Brainy must do it discreetly.  

Catching up with Andrea Rojas, she seems to be enjoying a meal of shrimp, until she realizes the taste is bad, and she's having a reaction.  Turns out, she's using the Obsidian Lens, and Kelly Olsen is with her, but there seems to be a problem with the complete VR aspect of them.  The lenes still need work, so Kelly gets on that as Andrea leaves.  She ends up running into Lena, and Lena inquires as to what's new, and Andrea updates her on the new version of the lenses, but says there's a problem with the biolink algorithm.  Lena would like to sneak a peek, but Andrea says she can't right now.  Lena offers her help, says she has a neural interface that will eliminate the problems she's having.  Lena is still working her manipulation in wanting to get to some of Andrea's technology, but Andrea says that the last time they worked together, it ruined their friendship, so she declines any help.  Lena leaves.

Winn, Alex, and Supergirl are working down to the core to stop Toyman before he gets REAL deadly.  Winn knows he needs to go, because he knows the codes to be able to stop Toyman.  Alex is concerned, what with all the eyes on them, and this technology that can be used against them.  As they take off, Winn talks to Brainy...who figurered out that Lex knew what Toyman was up to.  He explains to Winn that he has to work with Lex to save everyone.  Winn puts his faith in Brainy.

Lena and Lex discuss her issues with trying to get the use of the Q-Waves.  She needs a distribution device, and Andrea's lenses are the perfect outlet.  Lex offers his assitance, but she's still unsure.  But Lena wants this to so-called "help" mankind, and agrees to let her brother help her.  

Working towards the core, Winn fesses up to Supergirl that the whole digital space was his idea, and it's his fault they're in this situation.  He talks about how is dad figured out what he was doing, and stole it from him prior to being icarcerated.  Supergirl is supportive, but he also notices that she had some interaction with William.  She feels she can't date, because of how she lied to Lena, and how she doesn't want to lie to William, but does.  Because of her secret ID, she feels she can't be with him.  Winn urges her to give it a shot.  The tracker Winn is using to find the core gets a hit.  

The Command Center has been cleared of all weapons with tech, and Alex tells them to disable everything else with tech in it--she's not taking any chances.  However, Toyman has another surprise, and has some new weapons begin to attack them.  Down in the core, Winn discovers that his dad had downloaded himself into the system.  Winslow explains how he downloaded himself into the digital space, and had a dream.  But he discovered that the OTHER Winn had downloaded himself in with and underlying code.  He tells Winn that he's in the backup system.  He offers to help, but Winn refuses to believe him.  He's determined to erase themn both.  Winslow says that he can't do it without him.  

Brainy sees flying monkeys from the Toyman coming right at them.  Supergirl tries to assure Winn that maybe he CAN help, but Winn tells her not to trust him.  

Lex takes in a lunch meeting with Jemma Cooper, and offers his services with the lenses.  Lex says they have the technological means to help them improve the lenses, and how beneficial it would be if they worked together.  She is a tad apprehensive at first, but Lex says he'd like to be a friend for a long long time.  He manages to charm her on the deal, once he explains that Andrea refused to take an offer from Lena.  And she's allowing her personal feeling to get in the way of business.   Jemma says she'll handle it.  

As the rest of the DEO agents have finished up removing all the tech from everything, Alex goes to check on her drive that she set up...the one where she was keeping tabs on Lex...and discovers it's been tampered with.  She ends up catching Brainy copying the drive onto another server.  She berates him for it, and he says he had to do it. He stole her spyware and overwrote her commands.  He said that Lex knows what she's doing, and she says she knew the risks.  He said he couldn't take that risk.  He did what he did to protect her.  

Jemma strolls into Andrea's office and scolds her for not agreeing to Lena's terms for assistance.  Andrea says that she didn't want to ruin her friendship with Lena, but Jemma says that she didn't take Andrea under her wing because of emotion.  She says that Andrea was willing to do all it took to build up her father's business.  She says that Luthorcorp can help them.  Andrea feels she is right, and ends up giving Lena a call, saying that she changed her mind.  

Winn finds the Toyman's server, but can't seem to end him with the code.  He's got to go INTO the digital space to enter the kill code.  Supergirl wonders about the risks, but Winn says he'll be okay.  At this time, Lexosuits are attacking the agents, and Supergirl is needed to help stop them.  Toyman is using them to try and escape the facility, and get out into the rest of the world.  Winn makes it into the digital space, where he sees his father.  His father tells him that being there has changed his thoughts on everything, but Winn isn't buying it.  Toyman says he did this all for HIM, but Winslow states that Toyman is a psychopath.  

Back in the real world, Supergirl is helping battle the Lexosuits, but she gets drilled by a Kryptonite blast, and has to fall back.  Brainy discovers that loudnoises and misdirection is the key to defeating them.  Using the light symbols on his suit, he shines them brightly to create a distraction, and goes through them, to cause confusion amongst them.  They then turn their attention onto him.

Winn is battling Toyman in the digitial world, but Toyman is getting the upper hand.  Winslow tells his son to let go...here in the digital space, he can do anything.  Winn recovers, but still having a problem trying to stop Toyman.  Winslow says that he can help.  Winn doesn't want to trust him.  Winslow understands, but he sees something better in his son, and he's proud of him.  Toyman comes at Winn, but he manages to hit a button on the cell his dad is in, and it opens up, with Winsolw charging Toyman, and holding him off long enough to put in the kill code.  Winslow tells him to do it, and Winn finishes the job...both his dad and Toyman deleted.  Supergirl goes to Winn to make sure he's okay.  He said she was right...that his Dad loved him, and helped him out.  They hug, with Supergirl saying that sometimes, people can surprise you.

Lex comes back to Lena, and Lena talks about how she got Andrea working with her, and Lex says all he did was have a talk with Jemma Cooper, and tell them that it would be a mutual benefit for them to work together.  At the same time, Jemma is telling Margo that the have the Luthors right where they want them, and to alert Leviathan.  Margo says that she will be pleased.  

All the tech and Lexosuits have been rounded up, and J'Onn is going to dispose of them.  He'll just send them into the sun.  He then offers Alex some Martian spyware technology that Lex won't be able to find out about, but she passes.  She says that she can't stay there and play nice-nice with Lex, knowing he's up to something nefarious.  So, she's resigning the DEO.  But she says to give the Martian tech to Brainy...she trusts he'll know what to do with it.  She can't stand knowing that Lex is EVERYWHERE.  J'Onn offers her a place at the Tower with him.  Brainy says that for the reason she's quitting, is the reason he's staying.  He will be the eyes and ears they need.  As for Winn...he's managed to put his past behind him with this father.  And as he prepares to go home, he decides he's changing his Legion codename to Toyman.  Kara asks if that's a good idea, but he says it's time to make the name stand for something good.  And he gives Kara some advice:  give it time with Lena...the friendship will mend.  As for William..take it by day, and see where it goes.  

Kara does go to see William, who presents her a puzzle box for her "grandmother".  And Kara decides that she can't be with him, and tells him that she doesn't feel that way about him...only as a friend.  He feels awful, but accepts her decision.  

Brainy hands Lex the Toyman codes, and informs him that Alex resigned, and that she'll no loger be a threat.  Lex says he knows, he got her resignation.  But has now put Brainy in charge of the DEO.  

Kara and Alex talk about the changes that Alex will now adjust to, and how Kara just can't be in a relationship because of her dishonesty with Lena.  She feels any relationship she has is doomed.  Just then, there's a knock at the door.  And it's a weird man who's there to make a wish come true...man by the name of Mr. Myxyzptlyk.  


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Well, that was an eventful episode, with a few things that went down, and some more answers we weren't QUITE expecting.  And some small resolutions.

It was great to have Winn back for a 2 episode arc, and we tied up his past life in a nice bow.  Having created a digital space his father stole from him, then his evil doppleganger used, is quite ingenious for a young kid.  But to have him not only face down his evil counterpart, but make peace with his dad was cool.  And to take the name Toyman, and put it to positive use, is a good sign as well. Computer Lad isn't cutting it.  Nice that he also name dropped some Legionnaires.  And for him to give sound, sage advice to Kara was cool.  Winn's matured, and still valuable.  

Alex spying on Lex, and having her spyware corrupted by Brainy upset her.  But is also shows how desperate she was to get the goods on him.  But she also feels she can't stay with the DEO any longer, knowing he's up to no good, and to have to actually WORK with him.  So, it leaves Alex to probably take charge in The Tower.  That'll be interesting.  But it adds a new chapter to Alex's life---one without some set of rules.  

It seems that we now have Jemma AND Lex pulling strings in different directions...including each other.  Lex, of course, tugging on Jemma's AND Lena's, and Jemma doing the same to Lex AND Andrea.  The ones getting screwed in all of this is Andrea and Lena...who are now pawns in Leviathan and Lex's master plans.  And we now know Leviathan is a woman. But STILL a mystery.  Going to be curious for THAT reveal.  This whole mess is going to be fun when it blows up in all their faces---and when Lex and Jemma find out they're using each other, and when Andrea finds out SHE is being used by not only Jemma, but Lex AND Lena.  And Lena KNOWS she's being played by Lex...but he'll be one step ahead of her.  I have a bad feeling that somebodies are going to be hurt...and it's NOT Lex and Jemma. 

Kara's issues with Lena---ugh!  It's OLD now!  We GET it, Kara!  We know you lied to Lena...and she's NOT going to forgive you for that.  But once you find out what SHE is doing, what maks HER any better than YOU?  And what she has planned for the people?  That's outright criminal.  Gonna have to let it go, girl.  If Lena can't handle it...that's on HER.  As far as William goes?  Not a fan of these two together, but I'm also not going to immediately go out and hook Kara & Lena up like everyone seems to think it should go.  We all have close friends, but we don't need to take the LGBTQ angle with every single character on this show.  We have Alex and Kelly repping that group quite well.  Can we at least let things happen ORGANICALLY here for once?  Not every friendship needs to become a gay/lesiban couple.  And from what I can tell...Kara tends to lean towards the men...so, let's leave it at that for now, shall we?  

Okay, done with the political aspect of that---but again, things are unfolding, and we're seeing more and more layers being exposed.  Can't wait to see what's next.

That's it for this week...hope you like the new look of the blogs----I'm trying to spruce it up, and make it look cool.  Tell me what you think!  Leave a comment, subscribe, and tell your friends!  I'd dig that!

Until next time...Up, Up, and Away!

COMIC BOOK COVER OF THE WEEK

COMIC BOOK COVER OF THE WEEK


Okay, the weekend passed, and I was unable to get this blog out, but--rest assured---we'll be back on schedule next week.  I have A LOT to write this week, because we've got a full slate of shows to review, so this is getting done NOW.  Hope you like it!  This week, we take a look at one of the issues that became part of a short 2 issue storyline for our favorite Mutants.  "Days of Future Past" was a short 2 issue run between issues #141-142 of The Uncanny X-Men.  It's a look at the dystopian future they face if the Sentinels take over New York.  And it's up to an older Kate Pryde to go back into the past, and save the day.  This story became so popular, that it was adapted for the X-Men - Animated Series that aired on FOX, as well as the X-Men movie of the same name.



UNCANNY X-MEN #141


COVER: John Byrne & Terry Austin
WRITER: Chris Claremont & John Byrne
ARTIST: John Byrne
INKS: Terry Austin
COLORS: Glynis Wein
LETTERS: Tom Orzechowski
EDITOR: Louise Jones
COVER DATE: January 1981
PUBLISHER: Marvel Comics


STORY TITLE:  "Days of Future Past"


The Uncanny X-Men #141 was one of those pivitol stories in the history of Xavier's Gifted Youngsters.  Claremont and Byrne craft a great 2 part story about a dystopian future where the Sentinels have taken over New York, if not the world, and mutants have become nothing more than slaves...or dead.  It painted a very dark future of what one incident - in THIS case, the murder of prominent US Senator Robert Kelly - and it sets off a series of events that leads to this dark future.  The X-Men have fought and uphill battle to begin with, but here, Claremont and Byrne ratchet it up just a tad more.  It also gives the spotlight to the team's newest member:  Katherine "Kitty" Pryde, whom we see the story from in her bleak future, to the past.  It's a great story that was allowed to spawn a version of it in the 90's animated TV series, as well as a feature film.  The animated series used the character Bishop to tell the tale, whereas the movie used Wolverine as their focal point.  



THE STORY:  It is the year 2013, and in a dystopian New York, where the Sentinels have taken over, and killed and enslaved several mutants, including several members of the original X-Men, Rachel Summers usees her powers to send Kate Pryde back into the past to stop the assassination of a prominent US senator from happening, thus putting into motion the events that lead up to their time.  Kate takes control of her younger self, and has to convince the X-Men that a threat looms in Washington, and must stop it, or the future will be bleak for them all. 



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This was an exceptional issue, and showed us the possibility of a dark future, whereas humanity AND mutants suffer for their own follies.  The Sentinels assert control after they feel that ALL humans - normal and mutant alike - are not fit to run the world, so they must take over.  The future setting is gritty, dirty, and shows the hopelessness of a world that has been run into the ground.  What little X-Men are left, are an underground desperate band trying to change the future for the better.  Claremont and Byrne's choosing to go with Kitty Pryde as the focal point is also an interesting choice, considering the character's youth at the time the issue was published (Kitty was only about 13 years old when she came to Xavier's school).  But she is our tie between present and future.  I don't think anyone knew at the time how this short, 2 issue story would have an impact on the fans, and how it would not only carry over into a cartoon, but into  a major motion picture as well.  It truly is one of my favorite all-time X-Men stories.  They DID revisit it a couple of years later, but it's the original that stands the test of time to this day.  

DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW - SEASON 5.3

REVIEW:  DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW - SEASON 5.3:  "Slay Anything"



I apologize for the late review, but it's been a rather busy week.  BUT, fear not, fellow time travellers, we are here to discuss the latest installment of our mirthful misfits of history and their latest crazy adventure.  Now, mind you, when last we left the crew, they had just managed to take down Bugsy Segal, and John had been determined to not only stop Astra from sending these famous demons from Hell to Earth, but to save HER as well.  Meanwhile, we FINALLY got to see a re-imagined Zari---and she's not what we thought.  So, we now see how she'll fit in with these kooky characters, as we take another trip on the Waverider to our next adventure...so, let the antics begin!


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We begin our tale at Iron Heights in 2004, as convicted serial killer Freddy Meyers is put to exectution by electrocution, while his mother watches.  She, of course, weeps as she watches her son fry for his many crimes.  We then see the coroner driving away Freddy's body, only to have the van taken over by some mysterious force, and it leads the van to crash into some water barrell barriers.  The driver is wounded, but is able to get out of the van and looks in the back, only to find Freddy's body gone.  As he's trying to figure out what happened, he's stabbed and left for dead.  Whomever killed him is now at large...and it's presumably a resurrected Freddy!

Nate is talking to Zari as she looks around the quarters of the ship, and he's trying to jog her memory, see if she remembers anything.  But it's useless, she has no clue.  This is not the same Zari we knew.  She wants off the ship, and she's especially going to tell her and Behrad's parents about what he's REALLY doing with his time.  Behrad wants to wipe her memory from any knowledge of the Waverider, but Nate stops him.  They end up locking her in this particular quarters of the ship, while they answer Sara's call to a meeting.  John, meanwhile, is bailing the ship to solve this issue with these "encores", and taking Gary with him to get some answers as to how to stop this mess.  Ray offers a solution:  Go back in time to when these encores were kids, and rehabilitate them before they go bad.  Sara feels that's a bad idea.

Sara and Ava go over their latest mission:  Freddy Meyers, who had been dubbed the "Prom Night Killer", is supposedly loose.  Ava knows about this from her podcast called "Stabcast".  He had killed some of his fellow classmates in 1989, and was executed in 2004.  They discover that he will strike at the reunion of the Class of 1989 as they hold their reunion in 2004.  So, off to Central City High School they go---which, coincidentally, is where Mick Rory went to school.  He was actually a classmate of Freddy's...and thought he was a loser.  Ava is exceptionally excited about this case, and she's nerding out.  As they arrive at the reunion, Ava spots the one survivor of the event - Tiffany Harper, and they need to go chat with her.  Mick, however, has one of his old classmates remember him, a woman with whom he's apparently familiar with, come and say hi to him, only for him to blow her off.  Ava and Sara go to talk to Tiffany, and get into the gym, so that they can find Freddy.  So, they pass off as old classmates, and get nametags, and go in.  They connect with Nate and Ray, who're in the parking lot scouting for Freddy.  They come across a dead security guard with this throat slashed...the first victim has been claimed.  Nora finally arrives back on the ship, having been done with her Fairy Godmother duties for the day, and ends up crashing, after complaining about all these kids wanting a pony.  Ray had something ELSE planned, but it wasn't gonna happen.

The class gathers by the stage, as one of the class members is about to introduce Tiffany to the stage.  There's a red blanket thing on the stage next to him.  She doesn't answer, and then the lights get killed.  Ava, Sara, and Mick prepare for anything, and then a lone spotlight shines on the cloth.  When the guy on stage pulls it away, it's Tiffany...she's been murdered.  Everyone panics, and starts looking for a way out.  Meanwhile, outside, Nate and Ray spot a masked Freddy, and go after him, but Freddy now has magical powers, and uses them to seal off the school from the inside, keeping Ray and Nate out, while the rest of the team is locked inside the gym with Freddy.  

We jump back to present day UK, where we see John at an old house in North Cumberland County.  Gary is supposed to be meeting him, and arrives late.  John said he used to live here with some mates awhile back, and he enters, only to find it a diaster area.  A complete mess, because someone's been doing A LOT of partying.  John tells everyone to make their beat, and they do...and when he sees the one responsible---it's someone who looks like him.  John instantly sees that it's Charlie---who's obviously been living it up since leaving the ship a couple of episodes back.  

At Central City High in 2004, Ray and Nate are chatting with Ava and Sara, and trying to figure out HOW to get in.  Unfortunately, they can't...Freddy's powers are too strong.  So, Sara relents, and says that the only way to fix this is to fix Freddy---so Ray and Nate must head to 1989 and stop him before he starts.  So, the duo, with Nora in tow, head to 1989 to see what happens to set Freddy off on his murderious revenge tour.  We see the typical high school jocks picking on Freddy, who's rather geeky, and making fun of him.  Then, Tiffany comes up to him, and asks him to prom.  He happily accepts.  Nate and Ray see this, and feel that she's going to betray him and set him up, so they try to derail the young lad from going on this date, but it's no use.  

in 2004, Ava and Sara are romaing the halls of the school, who's lights are STILL out, looking to take down Freddy.  They come across another class member, who's looking to get out, but she is instatly grabbed by Freddy magically, and shoved into a locker.  He then uses his powers to 'push both Sara and Ava back, before squeezing the door on the locker the woman was in....squeezing the locker until the woman is killed inside, blood dripping from the door.  As they try to get up and go after him, he's gone.  

In 1989, our trio of heroes are trying to figure out how to stop Freddy from going on this date.  Nora says she can feel all the teenagers' wishes and wants, Suddenly, she's wisked away to none other than Freddy's house.  He's shocked to see her, but she is now his Fairy Godmother.  He's trying to get ready for prom, and his Mom interrupts, and he tells her he has a date.  She seems a tad disappointed, but she lets him finish getting ready.  When he asks for a wish from Nora, he wants a new suit, which she grants him.  He asks for a pony, but instead, she gives him a limo to come up to the prom to.  He gets out and greets Tiffany, who had agreed to meet him at the entrance.  The trio then head inside to keep an eye on him, with Nora having asked Ray to the prom, which he readily accepts.

Back on the Waverider, Zari is despearate to escape the ship, so she's trying to break the door down, but her brother stops her.  She sees that he took the totem, and feels that IF he had asked their parents, they would've given it to him.  They think he's some kind of hero anyway, and Behrad says that she has no idea what he's sacrificed and had to do to save the world---and can't tell anyone about it.  She's about to say something, when he stops her, and calls her selfish and self centered.  She takes offense to that, and he leaves again.

We see the gal Mick knew at the reunion come up to him, looking to bail the party in the wake of the attack, and Mick says he knows a place in the woodshop class, and he takes her there.  Just as Mick is removing wood from the covered up escape route, she is stabbed in the back by Freddy.  And she dies in Mick's arms.  Mick is pissed, but he's hoping they're fixing things in 1989.

Our heroes in '89 are watching Freddy and Tiffany dance, and we notice that the jocks are in the far corner, holding a rope that leads up to a huge net with garbage in it.  Tiffany occaisionally looks up.  Nate and Ray worry that this is where things go awry, but Nora points out that things should be okay...as Tiffany moves Freddy away from the trap point, and they continue dancing.  However, the jocks are NOT pleased about that, and decide to take matters into their own hands.  They head up to him, shove Tiffany out of the way, and push him down, with the head jock throwing punch on him.  He then yells at Tiffany for screwing up the prank.  Freddy asks if she was in on it.  At first, she said yes, but then changed her mind.  Freddy's had enough, and storms off.  The plan backfires, and it's here that Nora realizes that she hates prom.

Mick, now REALLY upset, is with Ava and Sara in the manhunt for Freddy.  He's ready to burn him alive.  When they ask Mick about the woman, he talks about how she was his prom date, but he ended up blowing her off...but they had kept in touch when he was in Juvenile Hall.  

Nora catches up with Freddy, who is ready to make EVERYONE pay for his humiliation.  All he wanted was for them to LIKE him, and this is what he got.  Nora tells him not to go down this path, and recalls her battling her own inner demons, and letting them consume her.  She urges him to be better than that, and NOT to give into them.  Besides, Nora said, he has one more wish.  Ray and Nate are in the gym when the lights go out.  We then turn to the stage to see a spotlight on Freddy, and the music hits.  He starts dancing, and we see Nora playing DJ over in the corner.  She uses her magic to create some sparks to get people into the mood, and everyone gets on the floor and goes to dance with him.  We see the jocks once again trying to ruin Freddy's night, but Nora uses her powers to turn the trash into more sparkle effects.  Tiffany comes over to dance with Freddy, and things seem to be looking up.  

Zari is upset she's trapped on the ship, and can't seem to get a wi-fi signal.  She goes to he computer on the desk, and somehow, a memory flashes up in her head about how to access a way out of there.  Gideon is curious about how Zari bypassed her security codes, and Zari replies that she's a businesswoman, and a badass...and promptly leaves.  

We see that things are looking up for Freddy, and he's doing alright.  Meanwhile, Zari has stumbled across the limo that Nora brought Freddy to the prom in, and she hops in, though she wonders WHY there's no chauffer.  Just then, Freddy, Tiffany, and their friends pile into the back with Zari, who thinks they recognize her, but they don't.  We then see Killer Freddy in the mask lurking about, ready to strike yet again. 

Back in 2004 once again, we see that Mick and the girls discover Freddy in the hallway.  Mick is fed up, and fires at him with his flamethrower gun.  However, the demon like Freddy redirects the fire and Mick, and he's signed alive.  But as Ava and Sara look up from the body of Mick, they see the scary mask melt off Freddy's face to reveal---Freddy's Mom!

With that revelation, we discover that it's Freddy's Mom now stalking the kids in the limo back in 1989.  Zari wonders why the limo hasn't taken off with them in it, and when she opens the window divider, we see Freddy's Mom slashing out with her knife, looking to finish the job on the kids.  At the same time, She recounts her talke to Ava and Sara in 2004...about how she hated that the girl from prom had taken Freddy away from her, and that no one was taking him from her, so she had to die.  She had committed all the murders, and Freddy protected her by taking the fall.  When he was executed, she had suffered a fatal heart attack, and died as well----but then SHE was resurrected.  At this point, Ava and Sara begin to fight her off, while in 1989, Zari is doing the same thing, as the kids run for cover.  Sara and Ava can only hold her off so long, even though Sara impaled her with an axe, it wasn't enough, as she used her demonic powers to hold them down, while she was ready to deliver the death  blow.  She explained to Freddy how she didn't want anyone else to take him away from her, and Freddy wasn't happy about this.  She is upset, and feels she needs to teach him a lesson as well.  She then goes in for the kill, and she gets blasted for her troubles by Behrad, knocking her down, and taking the fight out of her, thus rescuing his sister.  At that moment in 2004, she disappears.  

The police arrive, taking statements, and arresting Freddy's mom.  Nora comes to Freddy, and he wonders how he'll get through this.  She discusses her own dysfunctional family, and says that he can and will survivie.  She says HE gets to choose his life, not anyone else.  They hug, and our heroes head off.  

In the med bay on the ship, Zari has been healed by Gideon, when her brother walks in.  She impressed by what he did, and what he does.  She says their parents like him more, but he says they only worry because he's been in "business school" for the last five years.  He's more impressed with HER, because she became a successful businesswoman at the age of 19.  He asks how she managed to get out, and she says that when she got on the computer, she just knew how to hack into the system to escape.  She also says she's gonna stick around for awhile.  

The team heads back to the reunion in 2004, and start celebrating the victory.  Nora and Ray dance, as do Sara and Ava....who argue about who saved who.  Nora and Ray manage to see a grown up Freddy and Tiffany, who are still happily together.  The team then stars taking photos at the photo booth, when they wonder about Mick....who finally finds his old prom date, and they begin to hook up.

Heading back to 2020, where we're at John's pad in the UK, and Charlie says that Gary filled her in on what's up with John, and Astra's activities.  John says he used to crash here with some friends whom he dubbed the "Newcastle Crew", one of which, was a powerful witch.  But...she also turns out to be Astra's Godmother, and isn't sure that she is going to be too pleased with John.  There's a door with a symbol on it that leads to this woman, and Charlie says that if it was HER...and she had a chance to clean up her past, she'd take it by walking through the door.  John then cuts his hand, smears his blood on the symbol of the door, recites an incantation, and the door opens.  He walks through, and Charlie wishes him luck.  


******************************************************************************************************************


This was an episode that gave us just enough 80's movie geekdom, and kept it a little fun, but at the same time, pay homage to the slasher flick, which primarily consisted of a mixture of Friday the 13th and a little Halloween.  Also, since it harkened back to the 80's,a bit of high school rom-com thrown in as well.  A little Some Kind of Wonderful thrown in for good measure, as well as having the episode's title a rip off of the Cameron Crowe movie Say Anything.  

We get to know a little more about Mick in this episode---especially that he attended Central City High, and stood up his prom date...because he was busy being busted.  And when she initially got stabbed, we see that Mick DOES have a heart....sometimes.  So, it was cool that, after Freddy's Mom had been taken care of, and history was righted, he got to hook up with the girl.  

We find out that not only is Ava more super-geeky than we realized, she hosted a podcast called Stabcast.  Wonder WHEN she had the time to do THAT?  it was cute...as she and Sara have become something of a comical couple....but step it up when it comes time to kick ass.  Ava has gone from being completely serious, albeit awkward, to just comic relief awkward.  They've really taken her character in a little more lighthearted direction than before.  

This episode really gave Nora a chance to shine, using her Fairy Godmother abilities to good use.  But when it mattered MOST....and she needed to get through to him, when he was about to get revenge, she didn't need magic---just to let him know about her OWN inner demons, and show she fought them.  She restored his faith in himself, and helped guide him into the light.  I DID, however, like the dance sequence she did for him, as well as playing DJ.  And anytime her and Ray get to be together...warms my heart.  Nate was a bit of a tagalong on this adventure, but it was okay....he was happy to be there.

Speaking of Nate...it seems like he's desperately trying to get Zari to remember, but it's having no effect.  At least, not what HE'S saying or doing.  It turns out we got JUST a little smidgen that Zari had a flashback memory, when she hacked into the computer to get online, and managed to break past Gideon's security codes.  And now that she's seen her brother and the team in action...she gets why Behrad is doing what he's doing.  And her sticking around will only jog her memory more in the upcoming episodes.  

Finally, what's going on with John's quest to stop Astra from unleasing more of these "encores" and wanting to save her from herself, has taken on a personal edge for him.  He's determined to save Astra from herself at all costs.  Whomever this witch woman is, John is going to have to let her know about her Goddaughter.  And now that Charlie is back in the fold, I see her joining John on his quest, right along with Gary.  

And yeah...about damn time Charlie came back----chick's been off ship for mostly two whole episodes with no word, only to find out she's been impersonating Constantine, and living it up.  Time to get back to work and earn your keep, woman!

I enjoyed this episode for some of the nostalgia, and a chance to see some personal relationships reconnect--especially Ray and Nora, whom I adore.  Was cool that we peeled back another layer of Mick's story, more Ava/Sara banter and teamwork, plus, Zari's memory coming back.  

Thanks for checking in, and I apologize for the lateness of this review.  I will try to keep it on schedule from here on out.  I owe ya all THAT much!  So, if you'll do ME a solid, and subscribe to this here blog, tell all your friends about it, and leave me some comments, I'd sure as hell appreciate it!

Until then....Time Is On Our Side!

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!