The Flash 7x10 : Family Matters, Part 1 review

 

            Be warned there will be *SPOILERS* involved in this review. With that being said let's get into it.

The first in a two partner episode that is surely the conclusion of the Forces storyline The Flash this week begins where last weeks ended as we see Nora talking to Dion. She talks about how they're connected and how they also have a common enemy in Barry Allen. He tosses Nora aside and has basically abandoned Dion. This leads to them both coming together something that will play out in the dying seconds of the episode. Back at Star Labs and Alex wakes up just wondering what the heck is going on. She is told that Nora killed her and that the Strength Force is still inside of her. Barry soon chimes in and says they plan on controlling the Strength Force but is that really possible?? with years of training and preparation sure but they have no real time as Nora is surely planning the demise of them all and as we know she is. With Barry, Cisco and Caitlin helping Alexa, Iris has members of the Citizen helping with Psych who we learn a lot more about in this episode. His real name is Bashir and he was apart of a group of friends that were all big shots. All promising careers ahead of them. They all fell out of favor with Bashir and vice versa as his life basically fell apart. He lost not only his real parents but his adoptive parents also. So with the Sage Force inside of him he decides to take it upon himself to pay his former friends a visit as he forms a hit list or sorts. 

Back at Star Labs and the first of many training tests begin on Alexa. Barry keeps pushing and pushing even though Alexa is heavily against what he is doing. His intentions are good sure but the way he is going about it is all wrong. Of course the tests go horribly wrong leading to Fuerza almost being unleashed on them all inside Star Labs. Cisco shuts the entire process down just in the nick of time as Alexa comes to her senses. It's not long before Barry realizes that his method was all wrong and apologizes. Caitlin does come up with a solution though and it is to use the same device that she used to talk and communicate with Frost in her mind. Alexa takes this option and begins the process of getting to know her other half. 

The episode draws to a close at CCPD as Joe and Kristen Kramer are at loggerheads once again. Even though it seemed like Kramer was finished with the CCPD she is back and this time she is taking upon herself to arm the entire force with meta human cure enforced guns. Joe is absolutely against this but Kramer has gotten permission from all the higher ups which leaves Joe with only one decision to make. He hands in his badge and gun and seemingly stands down as CCPD Captain. He doesn't want to be on this side of the law, a side that is intent on destroying lives rather than saving them. With Joe no longer Captain I reckon Kristen Kramer will assume this position going forward. But just where is she getting all this power from?? back at Star Labs and The Flash gets the call to help deal with Psych who is now onto his last target. Flash arrives to save him just in the nick of time but he's not alone. Alexa is with him and she uses her newfound piece of tech from Caitlin to speak and interact with Fuerza summoning her out of her body thus becoming the giant Strength monster. In short Flash manages to convince Psych to join the fight against Nora and seemingly Dion. Psych takes a lot of convincing but does come around when he learns what really happened between him and his friends. At Star Labs everyone is now present and accounted for and surely this will lead to a giant showdown between all Forces?? well you'd think so but nope. As not long after Nora and Dion arrive. Snapping his fingers Dion stops everyone in their tracks including Barry. This leaves an opening for Nora who zaps all the forces in the room and even Iris who all fall to the ground seemingly dead?? Iris is obviously not but the forces very well may be. That's how the episode ends and if it seems like I didn't really like this episode given how little I've gone into detail about it well you'd be right. The Forces story is becoming increasingly worse as it goes on. Started off great but now it's just rather boring and bland. The Flash should be able to handle this all by himself but this show just keeps throwing supporting characters at you with very little build up or reason to care. Alexa and Bashir are good characters but don't really leave an impact even after they were killed. There was good in this episode however with Joe resigning being a surprising turn of events. As for the rest well it just wasn't up to snuff which is a shame. Here's hoping the second part next week can be a major change of fortune? I won't hold my breath. 

★★