The Flash Season 6 Episode 18 Review: Pay the Piper
Sarah Little
at
.
Updated at
.
Talk about brooding heroes, am I right?
Since Iris and Kamilla were still stuck in the Mirrorverse, that meant that everyone else was emotional and very concerned about their state of being, leading to said brooding.
They still had time for a mission, though.
Barry and Team Flash enlisted the help of Hartley, AKA Pied Piper, on The Flash Season 6 Episode 18 to figure out how to stop Godspeed. But the bad blood between them proved to challenge their teamwork.
As it turned out, Godspeed was just another cybernetic drone that was sent to collect infinite velocity, which meant that he wanted the Flash's speed.
This Godspeed used vibrational sonics to collect speed, and that is where Hartley came in. But Hartley, as seen on The Flash Season 6 Episode 13, now despises the Flash.
Barry being the direct cause of Hartley's boyfriend, Roderick, being confined to a chamber to keep him from disintegrating, made Hartley's anger justified.
You gave me my world back. You'll get your world back too. But you have to do more than just forgive yourself, you have to believe that your world can change. That's the part I'd forgotten. Thanks for reminding me.
Hartley
Barry did not mean to do so, but it is hard to forgive the man that hurt the love of your life. Thankfully Barry and Hartley were able to have a heart-to-heart conversation that made them realize they had more in common than they once thought.
We found out that it wasn't necessarily about forgiving others for Hartley but forgiving himself for letting it happen. This was something that Barry could relate to.
Barry took a major blow on The Flash Season 6 Episode 16, and it was evident from the beginning of this hour that he needed time to recover to become the hopeful hero everyone needs him to be.
While it strayed a bit from the looming plot of the second half of The Flash Season 6, it was necessary for Barry and for the rest of the team to freak out and get emotional before they could get down to business.
Barry had a difficult time forgiving himself for Iris being trapped in the Mirrorverse, as he has always been the one that is hardest on himself.
We've all lost so much this year. Our power, our love, our family. At times it's even felt like there's nothing left to lose, like everything that matters has already been taken, and our lives are empty, hollow inside. Some things can't be taken. Look around this room. We still have our faith in each other and our will to fight for those we love. This is what we'll never lose. Eva McCulloch has never faced us head-on. And that's about to change. We're gonna find her, beat her, and get back everyone.
Barry
He got the classic pep talks from Nash, Cecile, and even Joe. But the one that got the most through to him was Hartley, who reminded him that belief played a significant role in being able to change your circumstances.
In turn, Barry then was finally able to rally the troops and give them the speech that they all needed to get their head in the game and figure out how to get Iris, Kamilla, and Singh out of the Mirrorverse.
Poor Iris and poor Kamilla. They have been trapped in the Mirrorverse for way too long, but at last, they have each other.
Plus, their separation from the rest of the characters does make for a ton of emotional outbursts and heartfelt conversations from our heroes in the actual universe.
Separating lovers from one another -- Barry and Iris and Cisco and Kamilla -- provides the angst that we all crave from our television shows.
Cisco: What if creating Kamilla's duplicate actually killed the real Kamilla? Same thing with Singh, same thing with Iris. Hello?
Barry: What do you want me to say?
Cisco: Anything! That we have a plan, that we'll get them back.
Barry: I don't have a plan Cisco. Eva can move anywhere, through any mirror in the universe in the blink of an eye. She's faster than I am and somehow I'm supposed to stop her! And still hope to god that Iris and everybody else are still alive in a world that we don't even understand!
It is a classic trope that, when done right, allows great development for the characters involved and shows how much they do truly care for one another.
Barry and Cisco were obviously distraught throughout the episode, but thanks to Cisco, they may now finally have a way to get their women out of the Mirrorverse.
I have no idea what a perpetual motion machine is, but if it saves Iris, Kamilla, and Singh, then I am all for it.
Before that can happen, though, they need a component from Atlantis to build the machine. Cue the screaming comic book fans!
We most likely will not see Atlantis, as that sounds like it would cost a lot of money for The Flash to pull off and film, but you gotta love an easter egg.
Wouldn't that be great if Cisco meets Aquaman, though? We probably shouldn't be too greedy since we did get to see Barry meet Ezra Miller's Flash on Arrow Season 8 Episode 8.
At any rate, hopefully, Team Flash will be able to build this seemingly impossible machine and save Iris, Kamilla, and Singh from the Mirrorverse.
Like Caitlin on The Flash Season 6 Episode 17, Frost was limited to a tiny storyline with Ralph, where he tried to convince her that she had as much of a life as Caitlin had.
This part of the story felt more in line with the rest of the season, as Ralph being Frost's life coach was a pretty prominent part of the first half.
You're an equal member of Team Flash, just like Caitlin. And you are just as important.
Ralph
Frost did not want to visit her mother as she felt like she was Caitlin's mother and not hers.
Ralph managed to convince her that, like she was a full-fledged member of Team Flash, just like Caitlin, she was also worthy of every other part of Caitlin's life too.
It was sweet, especially when he made her the life coach school diploma, and reminded us of the friendship they have developed over the past season.
Godspeed was sent by someone to collect velocity, and given the certain situation Team Flash is all in, it would lead us to believe that he was sent by either Carver or Eva.
But the ending led us to believe that Eva was in that chamber the whole time, most likely recuperating from her time in the Mirrorverse. Plus, would she had even had the time to send Godspeed after the Flash?
Barry, no matter what worlds try to keep us apart, I will always be with you.
Iris
It is most likely the work of Carver and Black Hole. For what reason though, slips my mind.
Or, just maybe, this might be Eobard Thawne's doing. At the end of The Flash Season 6 Episode 15, it was implied that he was still out there somewhere and would return one day.
That day could be sooner than we thought.
What did you think The Flash Fanatics?
Who do you think sent Godspeed? Did you love all the heartfelt conversations and pep talks?
And how anxious are you for Iris, Kamilla, and Singh to get out of the Mirrorverse?
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 on Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW.
Sarah Little was a staff writer for TV Fanatic.She retired in September 2021.
