The Flash 8x11 : Resurrection 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 if fantastic. Simply put. It begins back in 2012 where we see the first meeting of Ronnie Raymond and Caitlin Snow. It's a pretty cringey and awkward interaction but in the best way possible if that makes sense. We're soon back in present times and see Caitlin standing in front of the black flame which begs her to help. Will Caitlin help her husband whom she thought was dead for years?? of course she will but it leads to a conflict of interests between both Barry, Team Flash and Caitlin. A conflict that comes to a head more and more as the episode progresses. Caitlin is soon at Star Labs where she tells everyone that Ronnie is indeed the black flame and how the victims that he has been killing are all connected to her through various things. Ronnie becoming this black flame ends up tying all the way back to the end of season 1 when a giant singularity appeared above Central City. Both Ronnie and Professor Stein merged to become Firestorm one final time to stop the singularity from engulfing the city. Ronnie didn't make it but Stein did. All this time Ronnie has been presumed dead but Caitlin comes to the conclusion that he somehow merged together with the fusion inside of the singularity which would explain the fire. But as for Ronnies mind it has merged with the black fire but it is not in control in any way which would explain the killings. 

Some time passes and Cecil is seen at Star Labs. She gets an overwhelming sense of dread and pain as Ronnie / the black flame speaks to her begging her to end the suffering. This is what leads to the arguments between the team as Cecil and Barry want to end Ronnie's suffering while Caitlin has a plan of her own to free her husband from the grip of the black flame. But how can she do this? well thanks to the quantum splicer which is still in Star Labs she can go ahead with her plan. It just needs some tinkering and a special chip attached to it. A chip from Ava McCulloch that works as a double of sorts so that nobody has to physically attach themselves to the splicer like Firestorm originally did. 

The episode draws to a close as both Team Flash and Caitlin put their own plans into motion. The Flash's plan is to house the black flame inside of the sphere from last weeks episode. Caitlin's plan is to use the quantum splicer to bring Ronnie out of the black flame and back into his human form. As all of this is happening the episode is intertwined with flashbacks of Ronnie and Caitlin from 2012-2013 as we see them together blissfully happy and even see their engagement which was actually really cute and heartwarming. In present times once again and Caitlin gets Frost to go along with her plan of restoring Ronnie as both plans come head to head in a wooded area. The Flash arrives just in the nick of time to save people from the black fire. He has the sphere with him and uses it to contain the fire but Caitlin and Frost arrive just as the fire is contained. Frost hits the sphere with her ice power which knocks the fire out of it's containment cell. The Flash can't believe what is even happening but it turns out to actually be okay as when Caitlin places the quantum splicer on the black fire which had taken a almost human form Ronnie resurfaces before immediately fainting into Caitlin's arms. We're soon back at Star Labs and Ronnie is in a stable condition according to Caitlin which is great news right? well yeah but things soon take a far more dark and sinister turn. But before we get there we get a whole lot of information on Iris as her time sickness is getting worse. Last week we saw her completely erase someone from existence and this week it is Iris who seems to have been returned the favor as the girl she had been helping look for her mom uses her phantom power to remove Iris from existence? at least that is what it looked and seems like as Sue Dearbon turns up at Barry's apartment to tell him that Iris is gone. She is missing, completely vanished into thin air. This is a very interesting and intriguing storyline the best involving Iris in quite some time in my opinion. The episode is far from over though as Caitlin is seen checking up on Ronnie. There's an issue however as Ronnie is nowhere to be found. Caitlin soon hears a voice calling out to her which leads her to the room where the team usually gather together after a big victory. Ronnie is seen standing by the window facing it. Basically he isn't Ronnie Raymond. He is dead, he is now Deathstorm as he transforms into a blue fire wielding skull headed force of fury. Wow what an ending and truly what a fantastic episode. Not the best this season but close. The Flash has been quite brilliant as of late. Gone is the silly stuff of season 7 and in it's place is a really solid narrative being told that for the majority of it makes sense. More like this Flash please!

★★★★