As if the Crisis isn’t a big enough headache on The Flash, Barry (Grant Gustin) also has to deal with the killer attitude of Killer Frost (Danielle Panabaker).  Caitlin let Killer Frost take the wheel to live a life of her own and make some memories. The team is slowing adjusting to Frostie’s constant presence. They have hope.

RELATED: Find Out What Happened in the Last Episode of THE FLASH, “A Flash of Lightning”

SEVEN WEEKS

Mitch Romero (Shawn Stewart) is loose in Central City, stealing from his own gang.  He’s not exactly normal. If you recall, Dr. Ramsey Rosso (Sendhil Ramamurthy) tried to purchase a dark matter gun from Romero and Romero attached him. Ramsey defended himself with whatever the dark matter made Ramsey into, killing Romero. Now he’s some kind of meta monster.

Barry decided to let the team know about the Crisis date change.  They’re not happy about it and wonder if The Monitor (LaMonica Garrett) is lying. Iris (Candice Patton) tells them about Barry’s trip to the future, courtesy of Jay Garrick (John Wesley Shipp).  Barry saw the dark matter wave destroy Earth-1 and kill all of his friends and family. He says they have seven weeks to prepare. 

Frostie is taking the new pretty hard.  Cisco (Carlos Valdes) and Ralph (Hartley Sawyer) want to get to work on stopping the Crisis immediately, but Iris tells them to take the night off.  The only thing Barry left out was the part about his death. He wants to work with the team to prepare them for life without the Flash, starting with Killer Frost.

Barry takes Killer Frost on a crime scene investigation, as a metahuman consultant. Joe (Jesse L. Martin) fills them in on the details.  The gang was literally torn apart by something. Frost thinks its an animal, case closed. Barry finds an unidentifiable substance that looks like blood, but really thick.  He takes a sample for analysis. Frost finds a crate of guns with no ammo. That’s because they are dark matter guns. Who needs that much dark matter? Caitlyn/Frostie know of someone who might need it.

THE DOCTOR
Barry meets Dr. Rosso on The Flash

The Flash — “Dead Man Running” — Image Number: FLA603a_0019b.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Sendhil Ramamurthy as Ramsey Rosso, Danielle Panabaker as Killer Frost and Grant Gustin as Barry Allen — Photo: Dean Buscher/The CW — © 2019 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved

Frost thinks Ramsey Rosso killed that gang at the warehouse to get the dark matter from the guns.  Ramsey is more shocked to find out that Caitlin is a metahuman. Barry finds Frost holding an ice blade to Ramsey’s throat and tells her to back off.  He apologizes for Frost and officially meets Ramsey.

Barry finds another sample of the unidentifiable substance in Ramsey’s lab. He sees that the place is in shambles. Ramsey says he was attacked, so everyone assumes it was the same guy.  Frost says the killer was looking for dark matter and asks Ramsey if he had any. Ramsey admits to getting a small sample and even lies, saying it was from a reputable source.   

Barry suggests Ramsey put a hold on his research until they can catch the killer.  Ramsey says his research is too important. He’s trying to cure a form of cancer known as HLH. Ramsey offers to help with Barry’s investigation. Frost says no, but Barry is happy for the help. 

FAMILY DRAMA

Ralph goes to CCPD because they arrested his mom, Debbie Dibney (Amy Pietz).  A pawn shop was robbed and the shop owner is sure it was Debbie. Debbie says she was out gambling. Ralph and Cecile (Danielle Nicolet) offer to help Debbie find an alibi. They ask a club owner for security footage, proving that Debbie was in the club at the time of the robbery.  He says he’ll help them for five thousand dollars. The club owner doesn’t like working with the cops or the DA’s office.  

Ralph comes up with the idea to earn money by playing poker.  Cecile tries her best to help Debbie, while Ralph uses is meta abilities to break into the owner’s office. The security footage they need is on a flash drive in the owner’s office. Debbie starts winning, so the owner’s attention is fully on Debbie.  She ends up losing everything, but Ralph is able to get what they need.  

Cecile and Ralph watch the security footage and see Debbie inside the club but she left thirty minutes before the robbery occurred. There’s another camera that shows Debbie with Marv Perez, Debbie’s ex-boyfriend…who Ralph thought was dead.  Turns out that when Debbie would break up with a boyfriend, she’d tell Ralph that he died. Ralph seemed to move on from those guys, but he was being strong for her. He gets pretty upset when he finds out she lied about all of them. He asks if she lied about his dad leaving too, but unfortunately, that’s true.  She apologizes for lying saying she didn’t mean to hurt Ralph. He asks her to leave his office. 

RISKY, FROSTIE MOVES

The Flash — “Dead Man Running” — Image Number: FLA603a_0057b.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Danielle Panabaker as Killer Frost and Grant Gustin as Barry Allen — Photo: Dean Buscher/The CW — © 2019 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved

Ramsey asks to talk to Caitlin, but Frost…the rebranded name for herself…says Caitlyn doesn’t want to talk to him.  She’s listening through Frost though. Ramsey tries to explain why he purchased dark matter. He basically says it’s Catilyn’s fault because she wouldn’t help him.  If there’s any chance of saving lives, he’s going to take it. He is also a little hurt that Caitlyn never told him that she’s a meta. Frost, nor Caitlyn really care.  

Barry comes in with news about a DNA match on the substance at the crime scene. Mitch Romero, the biggest gun dealer in Central City.  They are confused as to why Romero would steal from himself and kill his people in the process. Barry gets an alert of a break in at Mercury Labs.  Another prime location for dark matter.

Romero is already there, throwing people around.  He finds a case of dark matter and inserts it in his injury from Ramsey.  Frost and Flash show up and try to detain him, but Romero is too strong. Frost blasts Romero with cold air and he falls out of a window. 

Barry gets upset, thinking Frost killed Romero, but Romero is still alive. Flash says Frost is too risky and she’s letting her anger get the best of her.  That can’t happen again. He has seven weeks to teach her how to handle these situations so she has to start listening to him. Frost says he has to stop being a crappy teacher then.

THE NEXT HARRISON WELLS

Allegra Garcia (Kayla Compton) reports for duty at the Central City Citizen with a story about a break in at McCulloch Tech.  The shocking part is that Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanagh) is the culprit. McCulloch security even got a photo of Wells in the building.  Iris sees the new Wells and sends Allegra to cover the new mayor instead.   

Iris goes to Cisco to help find the new Wells, who flies in on a cord.  He attacks Cisco because they are following him. A device on Wells’ arm goes off.  It gets louder as he gets closer to Iris. Wells says it’s her and asks her name. She gives him her name and a tases him, telling him not to forget it.  

They take the new Wells to the Citizen office. His fanny pack says Dr. Harrison “Nash” Wells.  When he wakes up, Iris reintroduces herself and Cisco as friends of Council of Wells. Wells is looking for a universal element called Eternium.  He’s getting some readings from Iris, but it was stronger in the alley.  

Cisco is pretty sure Wells made up Eternium and it’s something he needs to worship Tiki gods. Wells says there is no such thing as gods, but metahumans, aliens and false gods do exist.  He dispels the myths of the false gods. 

WARM, SMART, COMPASSIONATE WELLS

The Flash — “Dead Man Running” — Image Number: FLA603b_0489b.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Carlos Valdes as Cisco Ramon and Hartley Sawyer as Dibney — Photo: Jeff Weddell/The CW — © 2019 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved

Cisco goes over the dance with Wells. A new Wells arrives, things are a bit rocky, especially between the new Wells and Cisco, but they eventually bond. Cisco wants to bypass all of that and asks him to show him the warm, smart, compassionate guy that he knows is in every Wells.   This Wells isn’t interested. Cisco takes his gadget belt to make Wells stay. So Wells releases some kind of smoke bomb and disappears. Allegra appears though and she’s not happy about what she saw.  

Allegra did everything that Iris asked her to do and now she’s quitting. She says she won’t work for a liar.  Iris says she can’t tell Allegra what’s going on yet, but she needs the intern to trust her. When the time is right, Iris will tell her everything.  Allegra says they are journalists. It’s their job to tell the truth, not control it. Even if the truth is tough to say and hard to hear. Allegra decides to stay. 

DEAD MAN RUNNING

Barry returns to Ramsey’s lab.  Ramsey found that Romero’s dark matter cells are destroying is regular cells.  The more dark matter he absorbs, the stronger he gets. He also found out that Romero has been dead for at least 24 hours.  He can’t die because he’s already dead. He’s a meta Zombie!

Ramsey asks Barry to continue working on Romero’s case.  He wants to observe Romero’s genes interacting with dark matter to look for a way to counteract his condition.  Barry doesn’t think it’s a good idea because working with dark matter is really dangerous. Ramsey cites his credentials, saying he’s the only one who can help. 

Barry allows Ramsey into STAR Labs, hoping he’s the real deal. He soon finds out that Ramsey is only there to steal dark matter.  Ramsey says he truly wants to use the dark matter to cure HLH. He’s still pretty distraught after watching his mom die from the disease. Barry understands, he watched his mom die too. He knows how it can make someone angry.  Ramsey says this is the pain beneath his anger. It takes courage to fight death. Barry says it takes more to accept it. 

Ramsey realizes that Barry is dying too. He doesn’t understand why Barry doesn’t fight to live.  Barry says he is trying to save as many people as he can before he dies. Ramsey realizes that Barry isn’t a coward, he’s just naive. 

Barry invites Ramsey to stay if he helps them stop Romero. Ramsey gives back the dark matter, even though he doesn’t understand Barry.  He says Barry marches toward death without fear, like his mother. Where does he get the strength? Barry says from the people they love.  Ramsey assumes it must be hard to tell those you love that you’re dying, but Barry hasn’t told them.  

PAIN BENEATH THE ANGER
Dr. Ramsey Rosso on The Flash

The Flash — “Dead Man Running” — Image Number: FLA603a_0170b.jpg — Pictured: Sendhil Ramamurthy as Ramsey Rosso — Photo: Dean Buscher/The CW — © 2019 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved

Barry goes for a run, thinking of his friends and reflects on the conversation with Ramsey.  He thinks of Frost and hears Ramsey’s words about the pain beneath his anger. Barry pays a visit to Frost. She’s practicing her fighting skills on a dummy. He gives her a real target. Barry tells her to hit him. He runs around the room, making it difficult for Frost to hit him.  

Barry asks why she’s angry.  Frost says she doesn’t want to die when she just started living.  She hasn’t had time to truly figure out who she is and what she likes. Frost has never even had a birthday party and it sucks.  Barry says there will always be danger. Everyone is living on borrowed time. Barry says she can’t let the threat of losing tomorrow keep her from making the most of today. Frost says she wants to spend the rest of today making sure Romero doesn’t hurt anyone else.

META ZOMBIE

Speaking of Romero, he finds his way into STAR Labs and attacks Ramsey.  Romero has Ramsey by the throat and Ramsey screams to let him go. Romero sets Ramsey down and starts mimicking Ramsey’s move.  Ramsey reaches to touch Romero and Barry walks in. Barry shows Romero a dose of dark matter, making the meta-zombie follow him.  

Barry calls for Frost to meet him in the pipeline, but he locks up Romero before Frost can get there.  Romero is super strong and burst out of the pipeline. He gets the dark matter from Barry, inserting it into himself.  Frost ices Romero’s feet, making it difficult for him to move. She realizes that dark matter fuels Romero’s rage. She tells Barry to get all of the dark matter in the lab.  If they put too much in him, Romero will overdose. Barry grabs the dark matter and quickly inserts it into Romero. Romero is on overload and literally explodes. Frost says Barry was right. Anger does cloud judgment.  Frost examines Ramsey and he’s fine. Barry thanks him for helping and offers to talk. Ramsey heads out, telling barry he’ll see him in the next life. 

Ralph called his mom to talk.  Debbie starts by explaining how hard it was to watch Ralph after his father left.  Ralph just didn’t understand why his father left without saying goodbye. She didn’t want him to feel that way again, so she lied to him.  Ralph asks why she broke up with all of her boyfriends. She says they wanted more than she was willing to give. Ralph says she is scared of love, just like he is. And that’s his father’s fault. 

Ralph gives her an addendum to the Book of Ralph, ‘22 Steps to Being Open to the Love of Your Life.”  Debbie says she open to love, but she’s picky. She hands the book back to Ralph. Ralph says if they close themselves off to love, they close themselves off from the joy that love can bring. Debbie doesn’t think she’s cut out for that, but she wants Ralph to find joy.  Ralph hugs Debbie to say goodbye and he slips his book into her purse and holds her tightly. 

THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER
Barry throws a party for Frost on The Flash

The Flash — “Dead Man Running” — Image Number: FLA603b_0059b.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Grant Gustin as Barry Allen, Candice Patton as Iris West-Allen, Hartley Sawyer as Dibney and Carlos Valdes as Cisco Ramon — Photo: Jeff Weddell/The CW — © 2019 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved

Ramsey returns to his lab with a new theory.  He thinks he found an effective cure for HLH that eliminates the need for dark matter.  He has a sample of Romero’s blood. The analysis of the sample reveals dark matter infused with healthy blood cells creates a stronger biological substance that heals all weaknesses in the human body.  He throws the sample on the wall and uses his new power to absorb it into his body. He likes the feeling and says he needs more. 

Iris, Cisco and Ralph go back to STAR labs just in time for Frost’s first birthday party, with Novak on the DJ table! We haven’t seen him in a while.  Everyone starts dancing and having a good time. Barry leaves the party for some air and Frost joins him. She’s pretty much figured out that he’s going to die in the Crisis.  She says every time they talk about the future, he doesn’t include himself. Barry doesn’t know how to tell the others. Iris joins them and says they need to tell everyone together. 

After the party, they tells Cisco, Ralph, and Frost everything they know about the crisis. Barry says the only timeline he saw where everyone survives was the one where he died.  He has to die in Crisis and none of them can try to save him.

Dr. Harrison “Nash” Wells tracks the signal of the Eternium to a manhole. He removes the cover and looks inside.  Whatever he’s looking for. It’s there. 

RELATED: Catch Up on THE FLASH Season 6 Here!

 

 

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