'The Flash' Season 6 Episode 15 Review: An intense emotion-filled chapter sees Barry as a hero without limits
Spoilers for 'The Flash' Season 6 Episode 15 'The Exorcism of Nash Wells'
It might not definitely be as dark and horrific as 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose' but the Nash Wells (Tom Cavanagh) centered episode is intense and in some ways showcases how humans are limitless when it comes to emotions. 'The Exorcism of Nash Wells' is one of those episodes where we see Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) as the hero and not his alter-ego, and for good reason.
Over the years, the show has delved into the psyche of Barry as himself and as the Flash. It always felt like the superhero with all the powers still had Barry's good heart and a genius mind. This filler episode can be added to that list where Barry is what the world needs. Call it a bit of a stretch if you may, but it's easy to remember a phrase from 'The Dark Knight Rises' where Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine) says the world doesn't necessarily need Batman, but Bruce Wayne and his resources.
For now, until the team figures out a way to build an artificial Speed Force, the world needs Barry Allen. The episode does manage to bring Black Hole in a rather brief storyline while also answering the fate of Kamilla Hwang (Victoria Park). For those who hoped she would be one of the casualties this season, she is mercifully alive and kicking. Except, she is not the Kamilla the Arrowverse has shown since her appearance in Season 5.
The Allegra-Nash connection was explained in 'Love is a Battlefield', but the actual story is delved into in detail. Kayla Compton makes an appearance as Maya, who is revealed to be Allegra's doppelganger on Earth-719 and in a case of an archaeology mission gone wrong, Maya dies, filling Nash with a tremendous amount of guilt and remorse. Eobard Thawne/Reverse Flash uses this is an opportunity and feeds on Nash's weakness with the hopes of recreating the negative Speed Force.
There are certain ingenious contraptions 'The Flash' comes up with and this time it's a positive tachyon device that negates Thawne's negativity. Needless to say, it doesn't work and it comes down to Barry again. Introducing the meta-villain storyline ensures the episode is not drowned in emotion and that's one of the good things about the episode. A formidable foe in Sunshine (Natalie Sharp) in search of a prismatic refractor (McCulloch tech) provides the much-needed dose of action.
Season 6 has been a blend of action and emotion. Themes of love, friendship and family have been a recurring affair and 'The Exorcism of Nash Wells' is no different. It's a bit of a life lesson where the episode preaches that people are limitless when it comes to acting on emotion. For Barry, the death of his daughter, Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy) was a weakness, but he also managed to use that as his biggest strength, as he urges Nash to do the same when Thawne manipulates him in the mindscape.
Cisco (Carlos Valdes) makes an immediate impact upon his return to the series and the episode once again proves the character is more than just a resident genius or a superhero. While Barry uses Nora's death, Cisco uses the example of Gipsy (Jessica Camacho), the woman he was in love with and how her death made him only stronger. Guess we don't need incense or an ouija board to exorcise the demons out of someone.
It's a pity that 'The Flash' will not be airing for the next couple of weeks as the final minutes hint at how Barry and Co. go about building the Speed Force. 'The Exorcism of Nash Wells' is an emotional affair but this filler is definitely worth watching as it answers some key questions.
'The Flash' Season 6 airs Tuesdays 8 pm on The CW. The show will air reruns on March 24 and March 31.
