The Flash 8x10 : Reckless review

 

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

This weeks episode of The Flash opens up where last weeks ended with Dion informing Iris of her condition which he had been off doing some research on. He tells Iris that her condition is causing time to fracture around her. It's a sort of time sickness which also explains how she has been forgetting things. Iris quickly sends a distress call to Barry who rushes to be by her side when Dion finally tells her that she has to stay put in Coast City at least until he can learn more about her condition. He cleanses her like he did last season which hurts Iris for a moment. Dion soon leaves as Iris tells Barry to go back to Central City as the black fire is still very much affecting the city. She will stay in Coast City as she had been told to do by Dion. She mentions how she is helping someone, a girl who is a meta that we saw last week. Along with Sue Iris is helping the girl look for her mother which ends in a completely unexpected way but more on that a bit later. Back in Central City and before we get back with Barry we are with Frost who is at her apartment working on a new piece of art. She calls it her greatest work before noticing a bead of sweat on her forehead. How could she be sweating? she goes to turn down the heating in her apartment but it's got nothing to do with that as really it's because of the black fire which appears right in front of her before attacking her leaving her with a pretty nasty burn. 

We're soon back with Barry and co who after last weeks episode are still trying to figure out just how or why this black flame is targeting people. Grief has been a pretty common thread but that is put off when it comes to Chester whose grief wasn't the same as the other victims. Things take a positive turn for the team when Frost arrives at Star Labs as it soon dawns on everyone that Frost's powers were what lured the black fire to her. She is a sort of fuel station for the fire or so it would seem. Frost who is both angry and annoyed has her burn bandaged up by Barry as she comes up with a plan of her own. But she needs to talk to someone first. She goes to see her mom well Caitlin's mom whom she asks to help her in her plan which given the names title is reckless. She wants to offer herself up as bait for the black flame so that Barry and the rest of the team can use it as a way to trap the flame in a cold fusion containment unit which they luckily already have at Star Labs. Barry is strongly against this plan at first but does come around eventually and soon the plan is underway, will it work??

The episode draws to a close at Star Labs as Frost is in position as her mom watches on. Her mom who is actually now a proto meta as her interactions with Caitlin's father Icicle awakened a gene inside of her. She is very much in the early stage of becoming a meta but she soon has to put her power to use as the first time Frost uses herself as bait the plan is a bust and the black flame escapes. The second time around both Frost and her mom are in position and with their combined powers they do manage to trap the black fire within the containment unit which is the same sphere type device that Iris used last season during the forces storyline. The black fire goes right into the sphere but as it gets closer and closer to 100% being contained Barry just lets it go as Frost and her mom are in a bad way. It's okay however as the now know that the sphere works which is sort of a win for the team. Frost and her mom are very much alright as they both spend the night at Caitlin's place as the three share a really good moment. The episode ends with two big plot points. Firstly is Iris who along with Sue finds the mom of the girl she had been helping through an adoption agency. They turn up on her doorstep and mom and daughter have a heart to heart conversation. It looks to be going alright, that is until Irish begins to experience immense pain again and her eyes flash green. The girls mom asks Iris is she okay but Iris just looks at her, her eyes still flashing green. In a major twist Iris seems to completely erase the woman out of existence as her body disintegrates into thin air. What just happened!? the episode isn't over yet as we're back with Caitlin in her apartment. The black fire bursts through her door. Now sporting a skull at the front of it, the fire begins to speak of sort as it says something familiar to Caitlin. It is something that her former husband Ronnie Raymond ex Firestorm said to her way back in season 1. Could Ronnie be this black flame?? and if so why is he killing people?? so many questions with the ending of this episode which was just fantastic to see to be honest. The episode ends with Caitlin just saying ''Ronnie'' boy oh boy what a lot to take in. Between everything with Iris and then Ronnie right after. Ronnie being the black flame wasn't exactly surprising but nevertheless it was so cool to see and hear him again. As for this episode it was extremely solid and told a good narrative throughout. It wasn't as good as last week in my opinion but this is still really enjoyable as The Flash seems to be on the right track again at least for the time being that is. 

★★★