Wednesday, May 5, 2021

The Flash - The People v. Killer Frost

In a season that's been struggling to define itself, "The People v. Killer Frost" throws a curveball both in the main storyline of Frost (Danielle Panabaker) being sentenced and the B-story where the fight against the Forces takes an unexpected turn. The outcome of the trial allows the show to give Frost a hero moment and complete the character's arc by refusing to accept the permanent loss of her powers by the state and instead voluntarily sign-up for life in prison without parole rather than allow Kristen Kramer (Carmen Moore) to set precedent and go after the powers of all metahumans. Although not exactly a subtle metaphor, Frost speech taps into transgender and racial themes taking a strong stand for acceptance rather than oppression or an enforced normal. While Caitlin appears to be sticking around, it looks like we've seen the last of her frosty alter-ego... for now.

The other storyline involving Barry (Grant Gustin) and the Speed Force (Michelle Harrison hunting another Force takes a hard right turn on a storyline that was still struggling to get out of the gate. Revealing the motives of the Speed Force to be selfish, and using the Flash to hurt an innocent woman, creates some interesting friction in a plot thread that until this point was more awkward than anything else. Since Barry's powers are tied to the Speed Force it offers an interesting conundrum as what will happen next, but, like Frost, Barry will have to make a stand for what's right... no matter what the cost.

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