'The Flash' Season 6 Episode 18 Review: Love, loss and brokenness in the time of Godspeed
This is by far, the most emotionally distraught we've ever seen Barry Allen (Grant Gustin). Powers failing, the love of his life is trapped in the mysterious Mirrorverse, his father-in-law and confidante in witness protection and now if that wasn't enough, there is a venomous villain in town. The exhaustion is etched on Barry's face, but he is not going to give up the fight.
Tensions are at an all-time high, as Cisco Ramon (Carlos Valdes) comes to terms with the fact that he's been living with a mirror clone of Kamilla (Victoria Park). He almost uses Barry as a punching bag, but our drained Scarlet Speedster isn't going to have that. Plus, this isn't time for spats as they've just been alerted that Godspeed is in town. Barry is barely in a condition to take him down, but...it's Barry and you know that he isn't going to stop. He needs help from an old friend-turned-foe, Hartley Rathaway (Andy Mientus) aka Pied Piper). But this is not the Hartley he knows, it's a new Post-Crisis version of him and boy, he's mad at Barry for killing off his boyfriend...who...er...was trying to kill Barry? Anyway, he comes around and helps Barry take down Godspeed. But you do know that no villain can disappear that easily right? So, of course, the window for Godspeed's return is left open. And, if you care, Killer Frost-leaving-for-a-bit subplot is phoned into the episode just to explain Danielle Panabaker's maternity leave.
Iris West-Allen (Candice Patton) and Kamilla (Victoria Park) try to figure their way out of the Mirrorverse, but they need to do it soon, as staying in the Mirrorverse is fiddling too much with Iris's mind and she might not have enough time.
Season 6 has been the most emotional one of all, as Barry himself explains at the end of the episode. There has been so much loss and the ever-grounding feeling of hopelessness. Yet, the team has a little strength and determination, and hell, they're going to get their friends back. Even though the storyline of this episode did not contribute directly to the Eva McCulloch plot, it was nevertheless an engaging one. 'The Flash' knows how to shake up feelings and hit where it hurts, and several moments in this episode did exactly do this. The season is heading to a worrying finale that in all probability, will have a stressful cliffhanger.
'The Flash' airs on CW, Tuesdays at 8 pm.