THE FLASH Recap (S06E11): Love is a Battlefield

Noetta Harjo

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Central City just got a little more dangerous on The Flash…so did Iris (Candice Patton).  In “Love is a Battlefield”, Iris and Barry/Flash (Grant Gustin) get caught in between a lovers’ spat. And Frost (Danielle Panabaker) channels her inner Ralph Dibny (Hartley Sawyer) to help a friend.  Katee Sackhoff and Damion Poitier guest star!

Last week, Iris snuck out of the penthouse to do some investigating in McCulloch’s CEO’s deceased wife, Eva.  She broke into Eva’s office and sucked into a giant mirror. Luckily she came out okay. Iris was shaken up, but she’s fine.  She leaves when she hears footsteps approaching.

RELATED: Recap the Latest Episode of THE FLASH, “Marathon”

Frost is trying to live her best life by decorating the Citizen office for Valentine’s Day and Allegra (Kayla Compton) is hiding from her stage-5 clinger Nash Wells (Tom Cavanagh).  Allegra lets it be known that she hates Valentine’s Day and wants to be alone. Frost decides it’s time to put Ralph’s advice  good use and pay it forward to someone else.  She wants to help Allegra…in whatever way she needs help. They go to Jitters where they spots Allegra’s ex-boyfriend Emerson (Tyson Arner). Frost encourages Allegra to talk to him, only to have Natalie (Tess Atkins), the barista swoop in.  Ugh Natalie! Allegra gets upset, Frost feels bad for encouraging her, and the whole day is ruined. 

L IS FOR LOVE

It’s Valentine’s Eve lovers! And Barry and Iris are long overdue for a date night.  Barry’s been busy with the Crisis and thinking he was going to die. Iris has been busy trying to find more information about the Black Hole.  And she’s also been adjusting to life after Crisis.  

Their day starts off with pancakes…that Iris finally learned how to make.  The two recognize that they haven’t spent much time together and decide to go on a pre-Valentine’s date at a fancy Italian restaurant.  Did you know that Iris speaks Italian? Because Barry didn’t. All is going well, but it’s never quite that easy. Amunet Black (Sackhoff) returns and robs the same restaurant that Barry and Iris are at. She’s looking for someone in particular who has a briefcase that she wants.  Apparently it’s dangerous. Who carries a dangerous device into a fancy restaurant? SMH…only on the Flash.  

Barry can’t do much about stopping Amunet as a CSI, but he tries anyway.  Amunet is well aware of Barry’s alter ego and threatens to tell everyone about him and his ‘onesie’ if he doesn’t let her go.  Iris keeps Barry from exposing his identity by letting Amunet go. 

DYNAMIC DUO
Barry and Iris team up to catch a thief.
The Flash — “Love Is A Battlefield” — Grant Gustin as Barry Allen and Candice Patton as Iris West – Allen — Photo: Michael Courtney/The CW — © 2020 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Barry and Iris decide to team up on this case.  They start by going to a sketchy bar to get information on Amunet.  That’s when things get weird. Iris strolls into the bar, demands to see Amunet, breaks a bottle over the bouncer’s head, and gets an address for Amunet’s next target.  Iris is good, but that was downright risky. Meanwhile Barry was in a van nearby listening and freaking out, yelling for Iris to get out of there.

The lead takes the duo to a warehouse, where Amunet has acquired her target. She seems pretty happy with herself that her next acquisition is just as easy as the first.  Until her ex, Goldface (Poitier) shows up and wants the new briefcase that she has already stolen. The two start bickering about music, insult each other, and then Goldface steals the case.  That starts a fight between the two ex-lovebirds. While they are fighting a security guard shows up to stop them and gets trapped under a giant metal ball.  

Barry can’t let the guard remain trapped, so he races around the building to save him.  Goldface ends the fight by taking the case and leaving. Amunet retreats and Barry runs back to Iris.  Iris is smiling because even though Goldface ran away with the case, she took what was inside. Who is this woman and what did she do with Iris?

RISKY BUSINESS

The next day, Amunet’s gang and Goldface’s gang are engaged in a war. They both think the other has the device that Iris took.  Iris says this isn’t about business, it’s personal. She can tell by the way they were bickering. Other than that, Iris finds out that Amunet stole a specialized UV protector.  The second item, in Iris’ possession is a biome simulated storage unit. Used together and you can transport delicate plant based life. But what does Amunet and Goldface want with plants?

Iris wants to give Amunet the storage unit to find out what they are after.  Barry thinks it’s too dangerous..and Iris gets upset. She thinks he’s being cautious to keep her safe, but she informs her husband that she doesn’t need his protection anymore.  Barry is completely confused and says Iris has been acting different for a couple of days. He feels like they aren’t connecting as well.  

Iris has a good explanation for her behavior…including the pancakes. She tells Barry that she doesn’t need him to protect her.  She had to plan a new life for after Crisis, a life that didn’t include Barry. That made her different…it made her grow. She’s not Barry’s damsel in distress anymore.  She’s a good reporter and she deserves to be in the field as much as he does. BOOM!

MRS. FLASH AND THE ORCHID
Guest star Katee Sackhoff returns as Amunet Black on The Flash
The Flash — “Love Is A Battlefield” — Katee Sackhoff as Amunet Black — Photo: Michael Courtney/The CW — © 2020 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Iris pays a visit to Amunet during her target practice.  She gives Amunet the storage unit and says she wants in on the take.  What?! So there’s this orchid, Rappacinni’s daughter that only blooms every twenty-five years. The orchid is currently in the Central City Arboretum for testing.   When the flower is properly heated, the pollen becomes a telepathic narcotic. That would make Amunet’s life of crime a bit easier, but Iris? She says she wants to use it to read her husband’s mind.  Iris admits their marriage is a little rocky and if she had the pollen she could find out why. Amunet loves love and agrees to a partnership with Mrs. Flash. Besides, men are idiots! She takes Iris flower shopping. 

Barry visits with Joe who’s got a huge gang war on his hands.  Joe says things were better when Amunet and Goldface were together. He asks Barry to get Team Flash involved, but Amunet knows all of their identities.  Barry says there’s something funny about their war and mentions that Iris thinks it’s personal.  

Joe is more interested in why Barry is down.  Barry says there’s something off between him and Iris.  Iris has grown and Barry admits he didn’t see it. He was so consumed with Crisis. He’s afraid they’re growing apart.  Joe says that can’t happen because they have a strong foundation. They just have to find a way to grow together.

SHADES OF WELLS

Nash goes to the Citizen hoping to find Allegra and finds Frost.  He gave some lame excuse about Allegra needing a nano-dimensional bucket auger??  Frost is day drinking, and brings up the fact that there are no other Wells in the universe. Ouch!  She says she’s a failure because she still doesn’t get people. Now she messed up with Allegra trying to play cupid for the girl.  Nash gives her some advice. He tells her to keep trying with Allegra. His suggestion is that Frost needs to show Allegra that not everything is black and white.  Everything happens in the grays.

Frost finds Allegra and they both apologize for their failure.  Frost only wanted to use what Ralph taught her to help Allegra. Allegra tells her the whole story about the ex. His name is Emerson and she ghosted him.  She didn’t want him to find out that she is a metahuman. At the time, she didn’t even know how to use her powers and was afraid he’d reject her. Frost tells her to stop assuming everything is black and white.  Life happens in the gray area and she needs to start living in it. 

LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD
Guest star Damion Poitier returns as Goldface on The Flash
The Flash — “Love Is A Battlefield” — Damion Poitier as Goldface — Photo: Michael Courtney/The CW — © 2020 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Amunet admits that she was good with Goldface. They inspired each other.  Rappcini’s daughter was supposed to be their greatest score ever. They had plans for the future to rule the city.  As their business started booming, their passion wilted and died. 

Amunet shows Iris her real score. Rappcini’s daughter in a larger storage unit than the one Iris stole.  Goldface shows up and takes the smaller unit back. Amunet and Goldface face off with Iris in the middle of all of it.  Guns start shooting and the Flash races in to save Iris. No matter what the risk, he will always be there to save her. While Amunet and Goldface exchange insults, Flash uses the greenhouse garland to gather up the men with guns and tie them up.  

Flash interjects between Amunet and Goldface and asks why they broke up.  She stopped supporting Goldface when he needed her most. Amunet got tired of hearing him whine about his failures. And they both make fun of the Flash’s onesie. Goldface uses the gold in Flash’s suit to toss him aside.  Amunet puts two shards in Flash to pin him down. Back to the main event….Amunet vs. Goldface.

CRAZY IN LOVE

Flash releases himself and Iris has an idea to stop the two lovebirds’ bickering.  She tells Flash to burn the orchid. Flash throws a tiny lightning bolt between Amunet and Goldface, smashing through the Biome simulator storage unit and hits the orchid. The fire releases a pink smoke filled with pollen.  Amunet and Goldface begin hearing each other’s thoughts. 

Their thoughts are all lovey-dovey..complete opposite of the words they were saying.  They finally admit that they missed each other and kiss. While the villains awkwardly make out Barry and Iris can’t stop watching.  Happy Valentine’s Day!

PAY IT FORWARD

Allegra talks to her ex and explains why she ghosted him.  He was okay with everything and they decided to be friends.  Allegra says the talk about life in the gray is exactly what she needed to hear. Frost doesn’t take all of the credit and admits to getting help from a friend. Allegra says whoever they are, they get her.

Enter Nash Wells.  Frost is one smart cookie.  She called Nash to let him know where Allegra is.  And she was able to put two and two together, saying Nash’s advice was helpful.  Almost parental. She offers to listen if he ever needs to talk. Nash smiles at the sight of Allegra. When he turns to leave, he sees another Harrison Wells staring at him.  Just as quickly as the other Wells appeared, he disappeared.  

MIRROR, MIRROR
There's something different about Iris West-Allen on The Flash
The Flash — “Love Is A Battlefield” — Candice Patton as Iris West – Allen — Photo: Katie Yu/The CW — © 2020 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Barry and Iris spend a quiet night at home for Valentine’s Day.  Barry apologizes for not realizing the life that Iris has built for herself.  He’s proud of her and the work that she does. He was just afraid they were growing apart and Iris says that will never happen.  Iris reminds him that no matter what happens, he will always be her lightning rod. They hug and Iris looks at the mirror.

On the other side of the mirror, Iris screams at the other Iris to get away from Barry. She tries screaming Barry’s name and says that woman is not her! I KNEW IT!

RELATED: Catch Up on THE FLASH Season 6 Here!

 

 

 

Noetta Harjo
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