Abra Kadabra came to Central City looking for some of Earth 1’s technology. Gypsy was not far behind him. In his first act on Earth 1 Abra Kadabra trapped and killed two security guards via drowning, in order to take some of the unused technology.

The Flash quickly caught up to Abra Kadabra after he broke into another tech facility and learned that Abra Kadabra is from the future. When Barry arrived Abra Kadabra knew exactly who he was and knew about the Savitar/Iris situation Barry is facing. Unfortunately Abra Kadabra was able to escape from Barry and Gypsy using a card trick.

Gypsy and Barry return to the lab and there she informs the team that Abra Kadabra uses Nanotechnology to perform his tricks. The team is then able to use their own technology to track Abra Kadabra or so they thought. Kadabra used a hologram to trick The Flash, Kid Flash, Vibe and Gypsy into leaving the lab. He then attacked STAR labs where Caitlin, Julian and Joe were. Luckily Barry was able to get to them in time and put him in handcuffs.

Abra Kadabra then tried to negotiate his release by offering up Savitar’s real name to Barry and the team. He also tells Barry that he does eventually beat Savitar but only after Iris dies. They place Abra Kadabra in a cell and Iris tells Barry that she does not want him to set a murderer free just to save her life. He agrees but Joe has other ideas. He lets Abra Kadabra go and just as he is about to get information on Savitar Gypsy appears and Kadabra takes off after he steals technology from Wells.

Kadabra then blows up a portion of STAR labs and Caitlin got impaled in the crossfire. Caitlin then stayed awake during her surgery to give Julian instructions on how to save her life. The surgery is successful thanks to Julian and a little help from Iris.

During Caitlin’s surgery Gypsy discovered why Abra Kadabra came to this Earth. He is building a time machine and needed Wells power source in order to get back to the future. Once again Vibe, Gypsy, Kid Flash and The Flash team up to capture Abra Kadabra. Barry snagged the villain by phasing through the time machine and taking Kadabra back through with him. Barry then tried to get Kadabra to tell him about Savitar but he refused. He told Barry that they are enemies in the future and have been for a long time. Gypsy then escorted the criminal and man who killed her former partner/lover, to his execution. As for Cisco and Gypsy’s romance… it seems these two won’t be able to work it out.

Unlike Cisco and Gypsy, Julian and Caitlin rekindled their romance after Caitlin’s successful surgery. They even sealed it with a kiss. Unfortunately it is short lived as Caitlin goes into shock and dies. However, Julian in a last attempt to keep his newfound love alive, ripped off Caitlin’s necklace (the only thing keeping her powers at bay) and her body began to regenerate. Killer Frost was then unleashed. The frosty villain fired ice at her friends and escaped from STAR labs.

At the end of the episode Barry decided that he must head back into the future and learn everything he can. That is the only way he can save Iris.

NEXT EPISODE (APRIL 25^th):

Barry heads back into the future

Killer Frost is running rampant

Suggested Articles:

A Musical Episode of ‘The Flash’ – Recap: “Duet”

‘The Flash’ Recap: “Into The Speedforce”

The post ‘The Flash’ Recap: “Abra Kadabra” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The latest installment of ‘The Flash’ had Barry and Kara aka Supergirl teaming up to escape from their musical dream-like state. “Duet” was chock full of special appearances from John Barrowman (Malcolm Merlin), Victor Garber (Martin Stein), and Jeremy Jordan (Winn Schott). It also featured Chris Wood (Mon-El), David Harewood (Hank Henshaw/Martin Manhunter), Darren Criss (Music Meister) and Michelle Harrison (Nora Allen), along with series regulars performing songs as well.

The episode kicked off with a young Barry watching Singin’ in the Rain with his mother Nora and then transitioned into Barry watching the same movie at Cisco’s place. They then got an alert to return STAR Labs where they were greeted an unconscious Kara, Mon-El and Hank Henshaw who entered through a breach. Barry was then greeted by Music Meister and put in a coma along with Kara.

When he wakes up he is inside a musical watching Kara sing. The two are trapped in a world within their own minds. In this world they were singers in a club run by Malcolm Merlin who is called Cutter in this world. The two are then greeted by Cisco (Pablo in this universe) and Winn (Grady in this universe). Meister then reappeared to let the two know that they have no powers and that the only way they can escape is to stick to the musical’s script.

Kara and Barry are then kidnapped by a gangster Martin Stein who brings the two back to Joe who is also a gangster and Martin’s partner. The two ask for Barry and Kara’s help in finding their daughter Milly aka Iris who was last seen at the club that Barry and Kara sing at. The duo find Milly/Iris and discover her with Tommy aka Mon-El. They are star-crossed lovers from two rival gangs in this musical.

Back in Central City Caitlin discovered that the Meister was draining Barry and Kara’s powers and stealing them for himself. This caused Martin Manhunter aka Henshaw, Kid Flash and Vibe to team up and take down Music Meister. Cisco created an airstrike using Henshaw and a breach and Wally took care of the ground strike. They then brought the unconscious Meister back to STAR Labs and put him in a cell.

While this was going on Barry and Kara finally convinced Tommy and Milly to tell their parents about their relationship. Seeing Tommy and Milly together made Barry and Kara realize the mistakes they made with their loves back in reality (Iris and Mon-El).  Unfortunately Tommy and Milly’s happiness didn’t last long as their parent’s still chose to go to war despite their children being in love. There was a brief break in the drama where Kara and Barry sang Super Friend and tap danced while making fun of Superman. All seemed well until the bullets started flying. Both Kara and Barry were shot in the cross fire and as the Meister said if you die in here you die out there.

Luckily for our two supes Cisco was able to vibe Mon-El and Iris into the musical and they saved their loves with a kiss. Everyone then returned to the real world and Meister congratulated them after he easily broke out of his cell. He then tells Barry and Kara the reason he did what he did was to teach them a lesson; he believes in the good guys and wanted to teach them a lesson about letting themselves be saved every once in a while. Mon-El and Kara then get back together and return home along with Henshaw.

Iris and Barry then return to their apartment where Barry serenaded Iris with Runnin’ Home to You. He then re-proposed and she said yes!

NEXT WEEK:

Abra Kadabra arrives from the future and has information on how to save Iris

Gypsy also returns

Suggested Articles:

‘The Flash’ Recap: “Into The Speedforce”

Wally takes on Savitar – ‘The Flash’ Recap: “The Wrath of Savitar”

The post A Musical Episode of ‘The Flash’ – Recap: “Duet” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The latest episode of The Flash brought and Grodd and his army of psychic gorillas to Central City. Thanks to Gypsy, Grodd was able to create breach and bring his army to The Flash’s stomping grounds. Grodd has only gotten smarter and more evil as time has gone on and that caused a heap of trouble for Team Flash. Luckily they had another speedster, Jessie Quick, to help with alleviating some of the damage.

“Attack on Central City” kicked off with an attack from a mind-controlled Gypsy. The fellow viber attacked Cisco and then Barry at STAR Labs but was temporarily put down by Harrison Wells. They capture Cisco’s love interest and place her in a chamber. When she comes to she is confused as to how she arrived in Central City and why she is there to begin with. The team quickly figures out that she was captured and used by Grodd. Cisco releases Gypsy and then asks her for help in defeating Grodd but she refuses as it “isn’t her fight”.

Jessie and Wally decided to use this moment in time to announce to Wells that Jessie is moving to Earth 1 to be with Wally. Apparently there is no better time than in the midst of a gorilla attack to announce that you are moving. Wells then went on to tell Wally he is dying (“he doesn’t have much time left”). Wally later tells Jessie what her dad said to him and she isn’t buying it and for good reason. He was lying to try and get her to stay home.

Meanwhile, Cisco’s vibe glasses get an upgrade and he can now see deeper into the future. He learns of Grodd’s plans to come across the bridge leading into the center of Central City. Unfortunately Grodd won’t be stopped. He uses Joe to get that message across clearly to Barry. Grodd makes Joe shoot himself in the head, luckily Barry was quick enough to stop the bullet in time. Joe was only grazed. Caitlin then comes up with idea to use Joe’s memories to figure out what Grodd’s next move is. When Grodd uses his psychic abilities he shares his own memories and thoughts with those he is controlling.

The team discovers that Grodd is now controlling a general who is in control of nuclear weapons. Barry then decides he has to kill Grodd. He doesn’t believe there is any other way to defeat as he is always bested by him. Barry believes it is the only way to save Iris but she won’t let him compromise his morals in order to save her life. Wells agrees and tells Barry that killing Grodd is not the answer. He has to find another way.

Together the team discovers a way to defeat Grodd. Barry figures out the 5 digit code (45127) and aborts the launch of nuclear missiles Grodd was trying to implode on Central City. Cisco then heads back to Earth 19 and finally gets Gypsy to help him out. The two head back to Gorilla City and pick up Solovar. They bring him back as Jessie, Barry and Wally are almost defeated by Grodd. Grodd and Solovar face off and Solovar is victorious. However, before Solovar can kill Grodd for betraying him Barry steps in and asks for mercy on Grodd’s behalf. Solovar agrees when Barry tells him that Grodd will be staying in Central City and never return to Gorilla City.

Barry sends Grodd to ARGUS with the help of Lyla Diggle and the gorillas return to Gorilla City.

The episode closes with a Gypsy/Cisco kiss, Jessie moving to Earth 1, Barry proposing to Iris and Wally encountering Savitar.

Other things you may have missed:

• H.R.’s Friend’s Day celebration (Earth 19’s version of Valentine’s Day)
• Cisco asking where his love donut
• Julian being in London catering to family matters

NEXT WEEK:

Savitar is in Wally’s mind. He is spying on the team to try and figure out how to escape from where Barry trapped him.

Suggested Articles:

Grodd Returns – ‘The Flash’ Recap: “Attack on Gorilla City”

The Untouchable Yorkin Arrives in Central City – ‘The Flash’ Recap: “Untouchable”

The post ‘The Flash’ Recap: “Attack on Central City” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

This week’s episode of ‘The Flash’ was centered on Grodd and Gorilla City. The episode kicked off with Earth 2 Harrison Wells being chased by Grodd. Harrison and 10 crew members (who are now all dead) went out on an expedition to Gorilla City after Wells received a message from the gorilla’s asking to meet him. Gorilla City’s occupants are all telepathic gorillas like Grodd.

The team, including Julian, packs up and heads to Gorilla City to save Wells. Wally and Jessie stay behind to look after Central City while they are gone. Minutes after the team arrives through Cisco’s breach they are trapped and tranquilized by Grodd. The tranquilizer had the ability to dampen both Barry and Cisco’s powers. Grodd then uses Wells to speak to the team. He tells The Flash that he needs his help. That the gorilla king Solovar is forcing him to do this and that he wants to unleash an attack on Central City. Grodd tells Barry he needs to kill Solovar in the arena. Then he will be able to take his place and keep the gorillas in Gorilla City.

Barry agrees to fight Solovar but only him. He makes a deal with him; if he defeats Solovar then his friends go free, if not well then they all die. Solovar agrees and they begin their battle. In battle Solovar uses Barry’s abilities against him thus forcing Barry to pull a page out of Reverse Flash’s playbook. Using a phase punch he is able to knock down Solovar but refuses to kill him. He wants to prove to the gorillas that not all humans are evil and out to hurt them. Unfortunately it falls upon deaf ears and Barry is once again tranquilized.

Grodd becomes the ruler of Gorilla City and we learn that everything that happened was a part of his plan. He needs Cisco to open a breach to Central City for them. Cisco says he would rather die than do that. He tells Caitlin to kill him but Julian won’t let her do that. Harrison finally comes to and the team comes up with a plan to kill Barry, temporarily. Caitlin freezes Barry and makes Grodd believe that he is dead. Grodd then pulls Barry out of his cell and leaves. Barry unfreezes himself by vibrating and unlocks the rest of the team. They make a run for it and are able to escape via Cisco’s breach.

Back on Earth 1, Wally and Jessie had been having issues of their own. Wally hasn’t really kept in touch since he got his powers and Jessie is afraid that he is now complete and doesn’t need her. However, Wally tells Jessie that he’s not complete without her and finally gets her to agree to move to Earth 1 and be with him.

When Julian and Caitlin return to STAR Labs Julian comes clean about only coming on the trip to Gorilla City to protect her. Caitlin thinks it’s sweet but tells him to be afraid of her. She doesn’t want to hurt him and wants him to keep his distance. He agrees to “fear” her but only if she will join him at dinner. These two are adorable! #snowbert

Back in Gorilla City Grodd initiates his backup plan. He has Gypsy open a breach to Central City. Girl, why are you helping him?

Next Week:

Grodd and his army of gorillas invade Central City

Suggested Articles:

The Untouchable Yorkin Arrives in Central City – ‘The Flash’ Recap: “Untouchable”

Gypsy Arrives in Central City – ‘The Flash’ Recap: “Dead or Alive”

Team Flash Takes on the Future – ‘The Flash’ Recap: “Borrowing from the Future”

The post Grodd Returns – ‘The Flash’ Recap: “Attack on Gorilla City” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

In Tuesday’s (January 24^th) episode of The Flash, Barry and teams up with Wally as Kid Flash to take down Plunder. After Wally hears a cop belittling Kid Flash, he decides to take action in the field. This only pisses Barry off even though Wally saved his life.

Plunder has bullets that can chase The Flash like heat missiles. This forces Barry to have to phase through a cement barrier when he faces off with Plunder. Another flash of the future hits Barry in wave and he becomes paralyzed. This forces Kid Flash to step in and save The Flash from being killed by Plunder.

Throughout the episode Barry has been having nightmares about Savitar killing Iris. This effected Barry in the field until he finally came clean to Iris and Team Flash about what the future holds. Iris is going to be killed by Savitar on May 23^rd, 2017 (4 months from now) if the team cannot figure out how to change the future.

While all this is going on H.R. has the museum’s opening night. Unfortunately no one shows. Caitlin also seeks help from Julian to control her powers. Julian turns her down at first but is persuaded when she tells him he can’t deal with the trauma Savitar caused him on his own. He needs to talk to someone. Caitlin then invites Julian to join Team Flash, of course without finding out from the team if that’s cool.

Cisco and Barry then team up and head back into the future after H.R. tells them that they may be able to change the future if they can change events leading up to Iris’s demise. Unfortunately the headlines they find only reveal the future has problems in store for other members of Team Flash as well. The headlines were:

• Killer Frost still at large
• Gorilla attack
• Star Labs Museum closes
• Joe West honored at city hall

Barry and Cisco then see Savitar kill Iris again. However, this time H.R. is seen on a nearby rooftop aiming a rifle at Savitar.

When they come back to the present Barry and Cisco learn that Plunder has escaped from prison. Barry tells Wally to suit up. If Wally stops Plunder instead of The Flash then one of the headlines gets changed and this proves that they can change the future. Kid Flash is able to blind side Plunder and capture him.

After their success, Cisco holds another museum opening and invites an elementary school to come. Julian is then welcomed on to Team Flash and presents Caitlin with a present. He and Cisco teamed up to create her a solar powered snowflake necklace that will keep her powers at bay.

During their celebration/house warming party for Iris and Barry, a breach opens up in the city and Gypsy, a bounty hunter steps out. Who is she here for?

Next Week:

H.R.  is harboring a fugitive

Cisco challenges Gypsy to a trial by combat

Suggested Articles:

‘The Flash’ Recap: “The Present”

DC Week Continues – ‘The Flash’ Recap: “Invasion!”

The ‘Flash’ Recap: “Killer Frost”

The post Team Flash Takes on the Future – ‘The Flash’ Recap: “Borrowing from the Future” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The mid-season finale of The Flash showed us the past, present and the future of many of our characters.

The episode kicked off with a look into Julian’s past and took us to The Indus Valley 4 years earlier. Julian was searching for Savitar and he sets him free when he discovers the Brum Astra aka The Philosopher’s Stone. An ancient Hindu artifact. The same artifact Dr. Alchemy uses. The team slowly unravels the mystery of Dr. Alchemy and seek out Julian’s help as he wrote the paper about the stone. Barry hopes he can help the team figure out what the stone is and how it gets its power. Julian tells Barry that he never found the stone and wasted all his inheritance money. He then warns Barry to move on from Savitar.

Later on Iris tells Barry that she did some digging on Julian and his expedition. Turns out the 4 scientists he was traveling/working with died during the voyage. Left with many questions and zero answers, Barry heads to Earth 3 to speak to The Flash aka Jay Garrick about Savitar. Barry interrupts his battle with The Trickster and captures the villain for Jay. Jay then tells Barry everything he knows about Savitar.

Savitar was the first man granted speed and over time he became the fastest man of all. His m.o. is to send a predecessor to the world he is going to before he finally presents himself. In Barry’s case this predecessor is Alchemy. Savitar is preparing for battle against Barry as his powers are threatening his own power.

Jay agrees to come back to Earth with Barry and gives him some friendly advice. He tells Barry to live in the present and appreciate what he has right now. Forget about Savitar, live in the moment and enjoy the time while he still has it.

Just as Barry and the team are beginning to settle into holiday festivities, Savitar summons Julian and the real action begins. Jay and Barry team up and go after Alchemy who is trying to restore all the power of the metas from flashpoint. Jay takes on Savitar while Barry goes after the stone. Savitar gives Jay a beating and he tells him that it is not his fight. This gives Barry enough time to put the stone back in the stone box. Once the stone is secure Savitar disappears and Barry learns that Julian is Alchemy.

He puts Julian in a pen in the basement and begins to question him. Julian doesn’t recognize the Alchemy mask. He doesn’t remember anything and thinks he is being setup.

While Barry tries to wrap his head around Julian/Alchemy, Caitlin and Cisco begin doing tests on the box. All the scans it comes up empty. It is like it doesn’t even exist.

Back in the basement Barry shows Julian that he is The Flash in order to get him to trust him. Julian then comes clean about blacking out and losing time/days. He tells Barry that his dead sister told him about the stone and where to find it. That it could bring her back to him. When he found the box and opened it his fellow scientists were killed. Julian ran to America to escape potentially being blamed for the deaths of his fellow scientists. That is when he started hearing Savitar’s voice.

Unfortunately for Barry this is only the beginning of the nightmare that comes in the remainder of the hour. Throughout the episode Cisco had been seeing images of his dead brother Dante around him. He confided in Caitlin thinking that would help them go away. However, Dante did not disappear. He popped up for a third time when Cisco was in front of the box with the stone inside. Dante tells Cisco that he can be reborn if Cisco grabs the stone. He can come back to life again. Cisco opens the box and Savitar appears. Savitar finds his way to Barry and begins to attack him. Wally goes to help Barry. While Kid Flash and The Flash take on Savitar, Caitlin finds Cisco and tells him he has to close the box. Cisco doesn’t want to lose Dante again. Caitlin pleads with Cisco telling him to give her the box or close it. If he doesn’t Barry and Wally will die. This gets through to him and he ultimately closes the box.

The team then learns that Savitar speaks through Julian. There is no Alchemy. Cisco hooks up Julian to a brain machine in order to mesh Julian’s brain with the stone so that they can speak to Savitar directly. It works. Savitar speaks to Barry through Julian.

Savitar holds the power of life and death over all of them. He knows their strengths, weaknesses, fears and their destinies. One shall fall, one shall betray you and one will suffer a fate far worse than death. This is the knowledge Savitar possesses. Savitar is the future. He wants everything Barry took from him and wants to destroy Barry. Apparently future Barry trapped him in eternity. The age of his revenge rises. Barry will fear the wrath of Savitar!

After waking from whatever that was, Julian informs the team that the stone is impossible to destroy. Jay comes up with the plan to throw it into the speed force; an endless void of time and energy. Savitar or anyone else for that matter, will never be able to find it that way. Jay and Barry team up. Barry siphons Jay’s energy in order to throw the stone into the speed force. Barry is thrown into the future with the box.

Barry jumps 5 months into the future. He sees Savitar free and watches him kill Iris right in front of him. Future Barry cradles her body as Present Barry watches in shock. Jay comes into the speed force, grabs Barry and brings him back into the present. Barry now understands why the newspaper article changed. Why Iris no longer writes the article 8 years in the future.

Barry immediately wants to head back and save Iris but Jay tells him that he can’t go back to the future and that it is only a possible future. There are infinite possibilities for the future. Jay tells him to focus on the here and now and live his life. He can’t worry about a future that may or may not happen.

Finally taking his advice, Barry and the team go back to the West home to celebrate Christmas. Caitlin invites Julian to the get together. He turns it down at first but shows up and with a present for Barry. He gets Barry reinstated at CCPD.

Joe and Cecile have their nog off and finally kiss, Wally gets his Kid Flash super suit and HR is drunk off egg nog which is absolutely perfect. To top off the hour on a happy note, Caitlin gives everyone a white Christmas by changing the rain to snow using her powers and Barry gets him and Iris their own place for Christmas.

The Flash Returns Tuesday January 24^th.

To come on this season of The Flash:

The team will be working together throughout the rest of the season to figure out how to save Iris and defeat Savitar. How it plays out, only time will tell.

We will see a lot more Vibe. He will get new tricks, new powers and we will get to meet Gypsy.

Caitlin will train Kid Flash and still will be dealing with her powers.

Clip from the new episode coming Tuesday January 24^th:

For those that have the CW app (if you don’t download it, it’s free!), The CW has given app users an exclusive look into episode 10 of The Flash which airs on Tuesday January 24^th:  Wally and Barry go out on their first mission and he takes charge on the mission. They put Plunder (Jared Morillo) in Iron Heights. If Wally can’t follow orders he can’t work with Barry anymore. He is supposed to shadow Barry. Observe and learn. That’s it. Doesn’t matter that Wally just saved his life. It’s also the museum’s opening night.

Suggested Articles:

DC Week Continues – ‘The Flash’ Recap: “Invasion!”

The ‘Flash’ Recap: “Killer Frost”

‘The Flash’ Recap: “Shade”

The post ‘The Flash’ Recap: “The Present” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.