The Flash Review 3×18 “Abra Kadabra”

Welcome back to my weekly recaps of The Flash. To read previous coverage, go here.

After the delightful musical episode “Duet” I had some fear that this weeks episode would falter in storyline momentum. While “Abra Kadabra” fails to live up to the song and dance enjoyment from last week it does at least succeed in moving the plot forward.

Here are some other thoughts I had from this weeks episode.

Joe is given some moral complexity 

Joe has always been looked at as being the moral compass of the show and this is the first time we’ve gotten a look at the character who is willing to compromise his upstanding morals for the sake of his daughter. The best part is that it feels entirely in character and well earned. We’ve seen Joe’s protective streak over his loved ones, be it with good or bad intentions, and this is the culmination of that personality trait. It strikes a wonderful balance with the rest of the characters, Iris and Barry in particular, who are all on other wave lengths in extremity it terms of how to handle the situation at hand, especially considering Abra Cadabras sensitive knowledge of Savitar.

The big team up 

For all of the big emotional moments this season and the melodrama that has partially drowned out any other quality moments, there’s been an unfortunate lacking of big showdown moments, moments that capitalize fully on the heroes strengths and powers. This makes the face off with Abra Cadabra so worthwhile and exciting because we’re getting to see the Flash, Kid Flash, Vibe and Gypsy all go toe to toe with the powerful villain, all using their particular skills to help take him down with the Flash getting the most impressive move as he phases through the baddies time machine to take him out. With such an eclectic group of meta-humans on the team it’s a shame to only have them team up every once in a while, especially when we know that there’s the potential for these type of showstopping moments.

Is Caitlin Snow gone for good ?

I’ll be blunt. Early in the episode as Caitlin was forced to orchestrate her own surgery, I was so distracted by how stiff and awkward Danielle Panabaker was as an actress to be fully wowed by the strength the character demonstrated. I was more interested in Iris and Julian’s attempts to save her because I’m more invested in them as characters due to the performers.

So I can’t say I’m all too saddened by the possibility that Caitlin is gone for good.

I can say that I’m very happy at the idea of Killer Frost permanently taking her place, especially since it’s a role Panabaker fit much more effortlessly, allowing the actress to have the type of fun a show called The Flash should entail.

That being said, the scene where she begins to crash is highly effective, in large part due to Tom Felton, Tom Cavannagh and especially Carlos Valdes’s performances as the panicked and stricken characters. Cisco is heartbreaking as he begins to slowly give up on bringing Caitlin back to life and the scene that came before the tragedy was a nice reminder of their friendship, all before it came crashing down.

Killer Frost would be a welcome villain to the show and demonstrate the real stakes the series can have when it’s not hinting at some big reveal behind an evil speedsters true identity or foreshadowing Iris’s death.

With that being said, we have until the end of April before the next episode, so we have plenty of time to speculate on who Savitar is, if Caitlin will ever return as her true self, just how guilty Julian will feel about taking off Caitlin’s necklace and if Iris is still destined to die.

Until then, what did you all think of the episode?