The Flash Season 7 Episode 11 Review: Family Matters, Part 2
Sarah Little
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That was quite the bait-and-switch, The Flash. Or, should I say, Bashir.
Picking up from where they left off of on The Flash Season 7 Episode 10, Barry was reeling from watching his wife and his two "children" die at the hands of his other "child."
But all was not what it seemed, and Barry reunited with Iris, Alexa, and Bashir quite quickly on The Flash Season 7 Episode 11.
Bashir using his powers to make it look like Iris, Alexa, and himself died was definitely not what we expected. We didn't even know that he had the power of illusion.
It made sense -- kind of. If we're honest, all of the Forces and the extent of their powers confuse us.
But, sometimes, it's best to accept things as they are on this show.
So, it's not just one Big Bad. We're fighting the Forces of the universe itself. Talk about a family feud.
Chester
It was a relief to see that Iris, Alexa, and Bashir were still alive, even though we did miss out on seeing an extra angsty Barry. However, the Speed Force, or Nora, made up for that tenfold.
I will call her Nora from here on out instead of the Speed Force because we need to make a separation between the place itself and the figure it presents itself as. It's sort of like how the Strength Force is also Alexa.
Nora went on a rampage after discovering that she and Deon did not actually kill Iris, Alexa, and Bashir. She has been intent on killing all of the Forces until she was the only one left for a long time now.
Alexa: This is the Speed Force?
Barry: It was.
Bashir: It was nice of the Addams Family to lend you their place for the weekend.
She has always felt threatened by them for some reason or another. That was until she felt what it was like to be the only Force in the universe.
Nora experienced a full range of emotion throughout the hour, from rage to crippling loneliness to acceptance.
It was difficult to keep up with her and understand all of the reasons behind her feelings and actions.
In any case, Nora has been redeemed. The Force family that includes Nora, Alexa, Bashir, and Deon will live happily ever after in the Speed Force as they work to bring light to the universe.
It's a nice ending that wraps up this graphic novel for the first half of The Flash Season 7, but it felt forced in a way.
It was way too easy for Nora to go from wanting to kill the other Forces to wanting to join their makeshift family. She went from evil to good in a matter of seconds.
The message of it all was clear as day -- families are better together than they are apart. It's an ending that definitely sums up what The Flash is all about, but we just wanted more from this story.
Nora's redemption wasn't the only puzzling part of this episode, though.
There were plot twists left and right on "Family Matters, Part 2," and it was a bit hard to keep up with all of them.
Along with Iris, Alexa, and Bashir surviving, there was also the twist of Nora not being the one who created the storm that struck Central City -- the other Forces did, unintentionally. Also, Frost is out of prison on good behavior.
Allegra: You're not a cop anymore.
Joe: I know that.
Allegra: So, what are you? Because I still see the man who sat on a bomb to save Cecile's life. Or who helped a juvenile delinquent achieve her dream of becoming a reporter. You did those things. Not because you had a badge, but because you care about helping others.
A lot was happening, and it truly felt like a mid-season finale in terms of plot twists. It even could have been a season finale if they ended the episode on a cliffhanger.
But there was also a ton of heart that almost made up for the plot's shortcomings.
It was a nice sentiment that the Forces needed to join together to stop the storm because this episode, and this season in general so far was about unity.
Barry and the rest of Team Flash have disagreed numerous times since all of the Forces first appeared, and, usually, it was about how to deal with the Forces.
But Joe did what Joe does best. He gave Barry and Iris a pep talk to help them realize that one person cannot help a family by themselves. It takes a family to protect a family.
This advice helped to bring their makeshift Force family together and bring balance to the universe. It was one of the most cheesy things The Flash has ever done, but that's one of the reasons why we all love this show.
Another reason we love The Flash is because of the relationship between Barry and Iris.
The love that they share is undoubtedly one of the strongest powers on Team Flash. I mean, they created four forces of nature and brought one back from the dead, for crying out loud.
And now that they have had a taste of parenting outside of their time with Nora (their daughter from the future, not the Speed Force), they want to have children for real.
Nora, you and the other Forces were created by something just as powerful as all of this. The love that Iris and I have for each other. That love is a part of you. That means you're more than just a force of nature now. Our humanity is inside you too.
Barry
It has been a bit weird to see Barry and Iris call Nora, Alexa, Bashir, and Deon their children, so we can't wait to see them have actual kids.
And, perhaps, that's where Bart Allen will come in.
While the rest of Team Flash dealt with bringing the Forces back together, Frost worked to get on the DA's good side and get out of prison.
This was another story that felt like it wrapped up way too easily, especially after what Frost went through on The Flash Season 7 Episode 8. But, we are happy that Frost is back with her family.
I will say this, you are the first person that I've met in a very long time that I don't want to try to kill a second time.
Chillblaine
And she reunited with Chillblaine, and their chemistry was off the charts. Frost even admitted to having a crush on him, so we likely have not seen the last of Chillblaine.
Frost deserves a little love in her life, even if it's with someone she has stabbed before.
What did you think, The Flash Fanatics?
Are you happy with how the Forces storyline wrapped up? Is Nora redeemed in your eyes? How do you feel about Frost being let out on good behavior? Do you enjoy her dynamic with Chillblaine?
And are you ready to say goodbye to Cisco?
Let me know in the comments, and do not forget that you can watch The Flash online right here via TV Fanatic!
The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW.
Sarah Little was a staff writer for TV Fanatic.She retired in September 2021.
