It’s clear The CW superhero shows (with Supergirl being the exception) have had issues building female relationships. After four seasons (which is far too long), The Flash finally gave us some much needed girl bonding time. And even though the writers tried to cram four seasons worth of Iris and Caitlin not interacting in any meaningful way into one forty-two minute episode, they at least acknowledged it and tried to make up for their past failures.
Was the episode perfect? No. But it at least had the ladies interacting for more than a minute and teaming up together to take down a new villain of the week. More importantly, “Girls Night Out” showcased Iris West at her best.
Candice Patton’s Iris has been one of the highlights of season four so far and The Flash’s leading lady, whether believing in the goodness of Killer Frost or leading the fight against the powerful Amunet (played by Katee Sackhoff), had lots of agency, leads the charge to save the city, and manages to make the most of her ruined bachelorette party. All in a night’s work, right?
Here are four times Iris saved “Girls Night Out” and proved that you want her on your side when things go south.
She takes charge, walks straight into Amunet’s lair, and later makes a plan of action to try and stop her.
Iris is never one to leave anyone behind when they’re in danger and this applies in “Girls Night Out.” She wasn’t about to let Amunet get her hands on Killer Frost or use the metahuman she had kidnapped. The best part about this entire situation is that Iris had the backbone to step in and confront Amunet even though she knew there was no backup coming and that she didn’t have powers to even out the playing field. But she walked in anyway and stood her ground. She commands with her voice when she says, “Frost. Let’s go,” and it’s incredibly assertive and brave given she doesn’t know if Killer Frost would turn on her or if Amunet would attack. Later, intending to go it alone, she ends up rallying Felicity and Cecile, formulates a plan of action, and once again showcases her leadership capabilities and strength.
Iris helps Caitlin face her fear of Amunet and take some responsibility for her actions.
Even though there are still lingering trust issues, Iris wouldn’t let Caitlin leave Central City and run away from her problems. Iris is still on board with keeping Killer Frost around and she tells Caitlin to face Amunet and that she, Felicity, and Cecile would have her back. Always level-headed, Iris confronts both Killer Frost and Caitlin and pushes Caitlin toward taking ownership of her actions and facing them rather than leave them and Central City behind. This showcases Iris’ inherent need to fight for people. Being a hero is not just about the act of physically saving someone. It also means seeing the best in people, even when they don’t see it in themselves. In doing so, Iris is able to stand up to Killer Frost and get through to her as well.
She figures out how to stop Amunet from using her powers.
Iris continues to prove her quick thinking skills when coming up with a plan. Even after attracting the ire of Amunet, being backed into a corner, and the threat of being killed high, Iris is able to scan the room and immediately discovers a magnetic contraption above them that, once turned on by Cecile from STAR Labs, would render Amunet’s use of her powerful glove useless. In just one scene, she came up with a course of action, made the final decision of when Cecile should press the button for the machine to work, helped to stop Amunet, and even prevented Killer Frost from becoming an actual killer by talking her down. In Iris’ own words, “You don’t need super-speed and a red suit to help people” and “Girls Night Out” is another example of Iris being a hero in more ways than one.
She tells Caitlin that she doesn’t have to choose between being herself or Killer Frost.
If there’s one thing that has always been clear about Caitlin’s Killer Frost arc, it’s that she’s never wanted her powers. She left for six months to figure out who she was, but unfortunately still didn’t have a firm grip on who that was. Was she Caitlin or was she Killer Frost? Despite her confusion and fear, it’s Iris who tells Caitlin that she doesn’t have to pick one or the other, but that she should just be herself. That means embracing both sides of her dual personality and taking control over who she chooses to be. It’s solid advice and will hopefully give Caitlin/Killer Frost some peace of mind from the fear of being one or the other. The power of Iris’ words, along with her compassionate nature, have an impact because Caitlin decides to tell the rest of the team her secret.
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Honorable Mention:
After Snake-Eyes shows up at dinner and attempts to kill them, Iris immediately takes a swing at him with what looks like a large dinner plate in order to protect Felicity, Cecile, and Caitlin.
The Flash airs on Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW.
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