REVIEW – The Flash Season 5 Episode 11 – “Seeing Red”

This sends Barry into a bit of a spiral, and he is not himself for pretty much the entire episode.  Knowing what Barry has been through, and who he has lost, it's hard to blame him for the occasional slip up.  It doesn't help that he is being pulled in a lot of different directions in this episode.  Not only does he believe there is a mole helping Cicada within the CCPD, he has to try and save the metahumans on a list the Cicada has acquired.  We see Barry tangle with Cicada a couple of times during these events, but it is the final showdown that is the most disturbing.  When Killer Frost traps Cicada's dagger, this is the opportunity for The Flash to use his powers to put a beat down on Cicada.  The team quickly realizes that Barry is about to cross a line, which Nora stops him from doing just in time.  This was another nice father/daughter moment for Barry and Nora, which only reinforces to Barry how much he cares about her.  It also strengthens a bond between them that was already pretty story...but could something be on the way to fracturing that bond?

We know that Sherlock Wells has been looking in to Nora, feeling that something isn't quite right.  He has also been trying to decipher her journal and that weird writing from the Speed Force.  This time, Iris sense that something is up and goes all mama bear on Wells. It's understandable to want to protect your child, and I love seeing these empowering moments from Iris.  This doesn't do much to deter Wells, who we later see do a handwriting analysis.  What he finds is that Nora isn't the only one writing in the journal.  Now, we both know who that other person probably is, so I'll just say it.  How is Barry going to feel when Sherlock Wells reveals to him that Eobard Thawne is the other person who wrote in that journal?  Will Nora try to deny it or finally admit that she has been in contact with him?  It's not as big of a mystery as Savitar's identity or the man in the iron mask from season's past, but this is still a fairly huge revelation that will have to be dealt with at some point.  All of the trust issues that Barry has developed over the years leads me to believe this could have a huge impact on him.  Only time will tell, not that time hasn't changed before on this show.

Here are a few more quick observations from this week's episode:

• Am I the only one who is really starting to like Cecile more and more?  Not only was she key in finding out who the mole at the CCPD was, but she still brings that fun and quirky energy to every episode that she is in.  This was a pretty heavy episode, in what has been a fairly light season, but she really helped level it off.  She also sets Barry straight with his anger issues, a very mom moment from her to Barry that we haven't really seen a lot of.  She is his step-mother now, after all.
• Ralph continues to be more and more of a hero.  When Barry is busy with Cicada, Ralph not only helps get the metas to safety, but he keeps his cool in a way that we haven't really seen before from him.  We are also seeing more and more of the confident detective in him come out, which I am happy that we are finally getting this season.  I hope we don't get completely way from goofy Ralph though, because I'd miss that.
• Caitlin and Killer Frost have finally made their peace with the quest for a metahuman cure.  Frosty did have some valid concerns, but those were put to rest with the help of Caitiln and from Ralph as well (again, how crazy is that?)  They have finally crossed that point of knowing that difference between needing someone to stay around and wanting someone to stay around.  The fact that there is this sister type relationship between the two of them now is very cool, and for the first time, actually makes me not want to see Killer Frost go full evil at some point.
• Barry having that revelation at the end about saving Cicada's little girl was so brilliant, and so Barry, that I think I cheered out loud when he said it.  It once again reminded me, during that could have been Barry's darkest hour earlier in the episode, that he believes everyone can be saved.  It seems like Cicada has the exact opposite idea with this creepy scrapbook, but hopefully Barry is able to execute his plan way before...you know what, I can't even say it.  I actually think that Eobard may come in to play here somehow before it's all said and done.  What if...and this is a big what if...Eobard actually comes back to the current time to HELP defeat Cicada?  I'll even go one step further, what if Eobard sacrifices himself to save Nora from Cicada?  It wouldn't necessarily right the wrong that he did to Barry, but it would be quite impactful and might even lift a huge weight that Barry has been carrying his entire life.  Something to think about.