REVIEW: The Flash S4 EP13 ‘True Colors’

The Flash had its hand and played it foolishly last week, but this week’s episode has redeemed its predecessor.

Though things get off quickly, not leaving any time to dilly nor dally, the episode does well with its time, as well as get’s the point across. Warden Wolfe captures metas, gives them to Amunet to sell to anyone in need of a being with special abilities, and they split the profit. But they should have known better than to lock not only the Flash but Barry Allen away, with means of selling him off. Before, it was a game, and Barry didn’t have the cards in hand to win. This time, he has a chance; a chance to escape, and he’s taking it.

The Flash S4 EP13 ‘True Colors’
Directed by: Tara Nicole Weyr
Written by: Jonathan Butler, Gabriel Garza

What You Need To Know:
So in this episode, a much-needed redemption is brought forth with actual sense and good storytelling. Last week we got to the point in the show where some might feel bored or fed up with the fact…that last week’s episode was garbage. Hey, shoot me for saying my opinion, you’re in the wrong. But we got right back on the horse in this episode. Barry was found out last week by Warden Wolfe, his secret was revealed when he saved his friend from his unfair solitude. The Warden drugs and captures Barry, seeking profit and gain as he reveals he is working for Amunet. Team Flash, on the other hand, are still “working hard” to get Barry out of prison. Granted, no actual work is ever seen being done, but with the situation the writers put them in, Barry doesn’t exactly have a way to be proven legally innocent, so Team Flash is reduced to sitting around asking each other how they’re going to get Barry out. Well, all is revealed in this episode, which might I add, though trying not to overstimulate, a step-up from “Honey, I Shrunk Team Flash”.

What You’ll Find Out:
So our story this week starts off with Ralph, our own Elongated Man. I know I poke fun at the guy, but to be honest his character is entertaining, as well as useful. Ralph finds an unwanted guest as he enters his office, after smelling some familiar scents. An old friend, a con-man of course, welcomes Ralph and proposes a job to him. Ralph respectfully denies, as the man understands, and turns to leave. His words though, the only importance his character has in these moments, are what really start this episode off. He says to Ralph, a long-time friend, that WHEN he fails at whatever he was working on, and his friends leave him, his real friends were waiting for him. This opened Ralph’s background up, though very vaguely. Ralph worked as a criminal for the longest time and had seen the inside of a jail cell more than once before, but he had turned a new leaf, he was trying to be better as we have seen, and I think he has proven. But these words weren’t a jab at his pride, they were a jab at his personality, his antics, at HIM. A failure, probably a reason he so eagerly turned to helping people instead of stealing from them. He was tired of failing. But he was him, Ralph knows who he is, and what he can do to screw everything up. Watch this scene lightly, they are mere words that fuel a side-plot. But, watch it with attention, and you’ll realize Ralph as a character is emotionally abused through past events he refuses to forget. But wow, what a way to start off, huh?

Immediately, we get Barry, in a cell, but this one with glowing walls and more like him ensnared around him. Different scenery yes, same plot? No sir. Warden Wolfe brings in Amunet Black, the meta-human trafficker. I liked this little tidbit of Amunet. I think meta-human trafficking could be a big thing in Central City and become maybe a season-spread problem. But let’s not go too deep into the things that could be and focus on what has been. Wolfe had detained five metas. There was Dwarfstar, from last week’s episode, and his shrinking ability. There was that one girl who could basically jinx everyone around her while keeping herself lucky, another woman with the power to bring inanimate objects to life, then a man who controlled technology. Do you remember these baddies? Well, Dwarfstar, Killg%re(Tech guy), Black Bison(Woman who can turn the inanimate object to life), and Hazard (blonde, lucky girl) are their names. Forgettable, yes, even it seems to Barry. After Amunet is introduced, she decides she needs all of them!

After hearing this, Barry knew he couldn’t wait this out like he used to in Iron Heights, this was for the sake of everyone in Central City. Little to no interaction is had between these baddies before they all decide to find a way to break out. Barry, one step ahead, shows his clever scientist side. He clogs the toilet…that’s not it though. Like I said the episode doesn’t hesitate to get right to the breakout, as a plumber is made to go and unplug Barry’s toilet. As he does, Barry steals a pair of batteries out of the plumber’s bag. How he knew he’d have those? Tv logic, that’s how. But nevertheless, Barry get’s to creating an acidic combo of unknown powder and battery acid in a water bottle. Using this, he burns the code-locked seal on the door and breaks himself free. I can imagine Barry was feeling pretty proud at this moment, but he also had a plan, which was barely put to the test. After breaking out his fellow inmates, Barry tells them the circumstances. Stay behind, and become Amunet’s cattle. Or, break out, and get back to their lives. Well, seeing as most of them were homicidal criminals, seeing Barry so comfortable with helping free them was a little odd. Even Hazard, the lucky girl, preferred staying behind. She knew she deserved whatever was planned for her, for what she’d done. Barry sees this and relates, though on a different scale. A person who didn’t necessarily do anything…but knew their place and why they had to be there. After Barry convinces Hazard she must come because her fate would be worse than death, they all agree, only by working together could they get out. Barry opens the maintenance hatch that lied convenient in the middle of the floor, with his special acid mix, and off they go. All of this happens in a span of ten minutes or so, which I found just TOO quick like they were trying to rush it and get to more important things.

Getting back to Team Flash, Iris and Cecile, two of the audiences least favored companions, come to visit Barry in Iron Heights. But, of course, he isn’t there. Warden Wolfe greets the two and tells them Barry was confined to being a part of a fight. Believable story, sure, but Cecile was putting her new abilities to work. Yes, Cecile is a telepath now, an exploit added only for moments like this. Anyways, she uses her new gift to listen in on the Warden’s true thoughts, which reveal his plan to sell Barry to Amunet. Alerted, Cecile and Iris make their way back to Star Labs and alert Team Flash. Quick on the job, they all start coming up with thoughts, ideas on how to stop this. Joe suggests alerting the police commissioner, but they also all agree that’d be nuts with no real evidence to back his story. Luckily, Ralph Dibney to the rescue! Ralph comes in, obviously upset about his recent encounter with an old friend, and he reveals a Jack of diamonds amongst a hand of spades. His body begins shapeshifting to his thoughts, which lied with his heavily-accented, pot-bellied buddy. Team Flash immediately comes up with a new plan, one that fits with Ralph’s new ability. Pose as Warden Wolfe, meet with Amunet, and find out where Barry is. Simplistic, yet oddly and acceptable plan. Ralph seems to be the one they use the most, mostly because his abilities allow so many options in plans to be found. Becoming Warden Wolfe would be tough, and with Ralph’s mind flooded with doubt, it would be a heavy task. With the amazing, yet obviously overdramatized motivation given to Ralph by Caitlin and Cisco, Ralph finds it in him the ability to concentrate, and physically change himself into Warden Wolfe. I feel bad for Ralph, the way he is brought across he seems like a fun, rub-off-the-shoulder character who has problems, but they don’t matter that much. I see through that and understand, for a man like Ralph, nothing can be easy, especially with such a past. His friends have come to rely on him as much as even the Flash, and disappointment can be the most brutal experience.

Barry and his fellow wanted convicts make their way through the long tunnels of the old Iron Heights Penitentiary. After hinting at this fact earlier, Warden Wolfe gave Barry the exact advantage he needed to get himself and the others out. Predictable? Maybe, but it was a better option then them making their way through a facility with armed guards and meta-human dampeners. Oh…wait, or maybe that actually WOULD have been better. Either way, Barry’s experience here was more about swimming among the fishes. The whole concept of Barry in jail is that he is around those he probably put there himself. This episode I wish contained MORE of that, Barry bonding with those he had to put away. Like Big Sir, more bonding should have happened, but we get a bit of that as Barry leads these misfits. Without question or fighting him, they follow Barry. Barry showed leadership skills, and motivational skills, as they come across a random maintenance worker. Instead of attacking him, Barry urges them, showing them that there is always an alternative to violence and death. A simple punch to the face was all it took, and Barry brought across his point. They landed in jail because of violence, continued use of it would only lead them down worse paths. It’s like there is SOME sort of lesson that the writer is trying to bring across with simple scenes like these, I only wish they were more recognized and meant more. But as they progress, even after that seemingly meaningless scene, we get a little compassion from Barry, willing to help these criminals. Maybe it’s an unwise decision, maybe he’s too good to leave even rotten people behind. Hazard takes the cake with Barry though, he knows who she is…a confused woman who’s powers cause so much damage, but they aren’t her fault. Barry seems to continue bonding with these misunderstood people…oh, but if only it lasted longer.

DeVoe makes a dashing return in this episode, one that I was so happy with. The scene switches to him and his wife, working on his chair, you know…the big floating, glowing chair that is big enough to fit his body AND ego? Well, modifications are in order, and he get’s right to work with his wife. But, Marlize shows a sense of doubt in DeVoe, doubting his plans for Barry Allen. Barry was captured by Wolfe and meant to be sold outside of DeVoe’s plans. Could this be altered? She didn’t know, and neither did DeVoe. This doubt troubled DeVoe, as he reads her mind and finds this doubt. Marlize becomes uncomfortable with this, showing it through words that DeVoe likely had not heard her speak before. Twas’ not loving words, but words that were fierce and doubting. And even then, Marlize tempts her husband, as she blocks him out of her mind by thinking of a tune. It wasn’t a random tune though, but the song they first danced to when they met. It was thought to be a loving moment, but Marlize is obviously trying to get a hold back in her own mind. Maybe she’s not liking this newer model she traded in for. She knows her husband, and his power…but maybe his ego had outweighed his body.
I am happy to see DeVoe’s return, as well as Marlize. No more filler nonsense, back to the important stuff. DeVoe’s planning wasn’t all going to plan, but he could fix it…right?

Warden Wolfe finds his way into a bar. It sounds like the start of a bad joke, but nope…it was the start of Ralph’s undercover investigation. Somehow, Team Flash found out the location of Amunet’s little hideaway. And with their new shapeshifting friend, their troubles seemed to ease. Ralph, self-confidentially walks into this bar and makes contact with Amunet’s side-hand. Though having trouble coming across as assertive, he manages to get a council with her. Although, having revealed before, taking someone’s shape takes extreme concentration. This concentration begins to slip, but he does a good job of covering it up. Amunet greets the expected Warden but begins to suspect the situation.

Ralph quickly takes hold of the situation, seemingly convincing Amunet as she is about to chat it up and reveal secrets that Team Flash needed to know… only to lose it all to a lazy ear. After losing his shape, and being found out, Ralph is chased, and get’s away from Amunet’s grasp. Okay, so this was totally all for nothing, no point to it other than trying it. While entertaining to see, this moment was short-lived and easily found out, but a hard crack on Ralph. He fails in his one mission, to find out where Barry is and how he can get in. This, again feels like it’s a moment that tries to bring sentiment to the character, but I do think for what it was, it did well for Ralph’s character and his little, mini-failing. All in all, Team Flash was left without anything, and Ralph suspected the worst from his friends. A relatable situation comes from this all. You come to find these people who accept you and help you, but when you mess up…what else can you think other than people pushing you away. It’s a very serious, emotional moment that most people experience many times in their life, and seeing Ralph, of all characters, go through this is; all I can say, I thought it could have been brought across with more drama put on Ralph, but it was still a good moment.
Ralph is frightened, though not showing. Team Flash is brought to only one option, the option to break into Iron Heights and find their friend. But Ralph doesn’t join in this plan, he knows what he did and suspects his friends thought the worst. He wasn’t any good, though a cliche’ and predictable thing to think for most every hero character when they are coming up like I have continued to say, it’s understandable. Off he goes, to sulk, and drown his sorrows in alcohol. One thing I noticed in this episode, they are actually trying to give Caitlin a voice again. When Caitlin became Killer Frost, I was beyond excited. Then, they dragged her into being a hero of sorts and belittled her character, watering her down, and now she’s a face to say sciencey words or a bad*** to call for help when things get tough. Well, we got a bit of a step up for her, she becomes the worried sister. You may have noticed, I like categorizing Team Flash. Cecile is the mom, Joe is the dad, Harry is the grumpy uncle, so on and so forth and what have you. Well, Caitlin goes and tried to talk some sense into Ralph. But even she knows Caitlin wasn’t who he needed to talk to, it was Killer Frost. She turns herself with a cut to the hand with a shard of glass she broke from a bottle of alcohol…like a boss, Killer Frost comes out and does the tough love act. Sister, she was, and sister means business. Ralph knows he failed, and after expecting the worse, he ran, like usual. But Killer Frost knew that he had no reason to. Friends who’d accept a woman who has tried to kill them before, trying to be better, would accept a single failure from him. You see this two-faced character, literally, opening up to Ralph, showing he isn’t to worry, like her. She was accepted, she was helped by her friends against all odds…so what about Ralph? His one failure and he suspects the worse? She doesn’t know who his friends used to be, but she knew who they were now, and she knew why they’d understand. Ralph gains back his witty smile and ego, and thanks to the chilly psychiatrist. Though, before going black and switching scenes…Ralph get’s that sudden idea that most fallen-yet-risen heroes get before the next scene switches over. He runs off with a smile, and this “idea” left in the dark for the viewers.

So, Barry and his merry band of misfits, finding their way through the maintenance tunnels and into the old Iron Heights prison, where the new Iron Heights prison was built on top of. Hazard has grown closer to Barry, through the looks we see them exchange. A code-locked door though stood between the five metas and their freedom. But hey, what’s a tech genius for if he’s not useful. Killg%ore steps up, claiming he will have the door open in minutes. And so, the waiting game started. I believe more dialogue was needed for this situation, but instead, a heart to heart with Barry and Hazard is given. Turns out, Barry broke his hand after punching that poor, random facility worker before. Hazard and Barry sat together, as she patched up his hand. No powers due to-…well, we never actually get clarification on this. They just can’t use their powers until they are out. So this means, Barry was in pain. His fractured his hand and Hazard keeps it safely wound up. After she reveals she studied to become a nurse, Barry asks the wondering question, what was she going to do after she got out? Well, she knew she wasn’t going back to the joyous life of making others miserable for her gain. Why? Because it wasn’t fair. She was lucky but hurting those around her for her gain, she couldn’t stand the thought. This was a nice moment between them, and I really enjoy seeing Barry connect and learn more about these convicts, even if it’s just a few, like Big Sir, or Hazard, or even the fact he’s helping all four of them at all. It shows that sympathy that everyone wants the hero to have towards these villains. I mean for Big Sir, the sympathy almost wasn’t that true sympathy I know I wanted, but it’s how the story needed to play out for him, so whatever. But I enjoy seeing Barry find a way to connect and help others.

Like he promised, Killg%re got the code and opened the door with some elite hacks. Out they go, to find themselves in the courtyard of Iron Heights. Free to use their gifts, free in general from meta dampening mechanisms. But, not free for long. The real Warden, who was hot on their trail since they escaped. Meta-human power-dampening collars were stocked up in the gun he held, along with the guards behind him. He was insistent on making them stay. But, with five metas against humans, what chances did they really have. Well, until Wolfe had to drop the big one, the f-word adjoined with a name nobody could believe!!!
Barry Allen was…the Flash.
After what he did, after how he helped them, still, they turned on him after hearing these words. But not Hazard, because she knew him, and what he did for them. She used her powers, to protect him. Making the three meta’s attempts to take them out backfire, Wolfe readies his move. But not before Amunet shows up, pretty ticked off that her metas were lost and Wolfe neglected to tell her. But of course, they all are caught in Hazard’s powers and the effects that took hold of them, causing everyone to be taken out by a single smoke bomb and five shots of Amunet’s shards. They fell, and Hazard has saved Barry. But, had she really?

The moment was short-lived, as an explosion caught the two metas in its fire. It was DeVoe, atop his floating chair thingie. Quickly, DeVoe got to work…zapping each of the metahuman’s minds as they stood, in fright and curiosity. His chair was his weapon, tentacles protruding from it being used to suck away the meta’s minds. And Barry saw, he knew who DeVoe was going for next…but he wasn’t fast enough. This all must have been really hard for Barry to watch, seeing as we get to see DeVoe’s return in this episode, but this is the first Barry is seeing him since his condemnation. Hazard is the last to go, and Barry runs. Wolfe had shot him and rendered him useless, speedless earlier. He ran, so hard, to try to save her. But a fate, far worse than death, came upon her. DeVoe took her body and greeted Barry using Hazard’s sweet yet seductive voice. I can’t help but feel terrible for Barry in this moment, as he watches this woman who wanted redemption, who wanted to change, turn around and then kill Wolfe! Barry, stricken by fear watches as DeVoe says his good-bye, after a short-lived meet and greet, and he teleports away. The fact of this moment is truly just it’s almost too much to bear. For Barry, for his emotional state, it’s almost hard to watch.
Coming to the rescue, as Barry stands above his fallen escapees and policemen, are Vibe and Killer Frost. It was time for Barry to come home…but not his home, with his wife, and a warm bed. Not his home, where friends were near. No, his home in his cell, where he knew he had to return. He refused to be rescued by his friends, and Cisco and Killer Frost understand this…leaving him. I LOVED this scene with Barry, just the disaster that befalls upon him, so terrible, yet SO great and needed for every hero character to endure. The surprise of DeVoe showing up, the capture and convergence of his friend. It was truly a hard moment for the character and an entertaining and relatable moment for the viewers. As Barry returns to his prison cell, the alarms blaring as guards run to see what the commotion was about…Barry stood in his cell, yet again…alone.

But was he? No sir!
A courtroom, and an impatient judge waiting to pass it all off. Cecile and Iris, claiming they had new information on Barry’s case, information that could free him. Waiting, waiting, Marlize was there, seeing as her importance, in this case, was essential. But, as the judge is about to give out of Cecile’s lawful attempt to get Barry released…a man comes through the doors, in a wheelchair. “Wait!” He yells, as everyone gasps in awe. The true, Clifford DeVoe.
Neil Sandilands returns in this one scene, the scene that caught me off-guard, but I immediately realized what was going on. The judge, astounded, DeVoe’s wife, unable to comprehend what was happening. Cecile reveals…it was Ralph. Ralph delivered a convincing and amazing entry, exposing that DeVoe wasn’t truly dead. This moment amazed me because it can’t be proven wrong!!! DeVoe set Barry up! He never accounted for his body being brought back to the light, proving that he wasn’t truly murdered. The judge cannot claim Cecile and Iris set this up as a hoax, the man was alive, right there in front of him! And Marlize couldn’t deny the fact her husband…her real husband sat before her. It was BRILLIANT!

What Just Happened?:
So, DeVoe has been watching this all happen, though didn’t account for any of it. NONE of it was his plan until he saw that one moment. That one girl who had a gift he wanted. He took his chance and robbed Barry yet again of his happiness. Barry promised that the life Hazard would live if she stayed behind would be worse than what she’d endure escaping…yet she faced a fate much worse, by becoming the next meat suit for DeVoe. Foreshadowing, anyone? But what happens is a total shocker. Ralph poses as Clifford DeVoe, proving Barry’s innocence! It was a fantastic movement and one frankly I did NOT see coming. This probably hits DeVoe RIGHT where it hurts, having Barry out of prison. Though even Barry realizes at the end, DeVoe isn’t going to like this. He also realizes, DeVoe had the chance to take more metas. But, he didn’t. He only took the most powerful. He was after those he deemed a threat of some sort, or at least those more powerful than others. And DeVoe, now oddly walking around and dancing with Marlize in a blondie’s body, knows he/she isn’t always able to keep things from happening. Team Flash got a win, and he knew it. But Marlize knew something too, through this episode she has seen the violence her husband has dished out. I suspect a betrayal, and I think DeVoe does too obviously, as we see her/him drug Marlize, and they dance the night away.

Rating: 9/10
Final Thoughts:
This episode was fantastic. Seeing Ralph throwing himself around, emotionally and physically. Seeing Barry take lead on a new mission, only to end up back where he started, alone and a true failure. But I think DeVoe’s return is my favorite. Not only for him but seeing his wife’s changing. She has shown that she hasn’t truly accepted her husband’s need for killing and superiority. But nevertheless, she followed him. This episode showed that Marlize was starting to get fed up, and DeVoe knew it. She was watching her husband become more of a monster than what she knew he used to be, and it hurt her I think. Seeing Ralph, come in and save the day for Team Flash, really did it in for her. She saw the man she fell in love with again, the man who couldn’t be real, the man she knew had turned into something else. It’s all got such a deeper meaning than two people framing the Flash. Everything DeVoe does has so much purpose in Barry’s case as well as Marlize’s, hurting them both as he continues along, Marlize I think more than even Barry. It’s a strong thing, emotions. We see it as sappy, overdone drama…but if you look at it and follow with it, understand these people and what they have to go through…you might understand that it’s not just that. It’s so much more to them. This episode was great, along with most of this season. Nobody annoyed me, everything fell into place, and I am eagerly awaiting next week’s episode, to see what is in store, and what DeVoe, Barry, and even Marlize have up their sleeves.

The Flash airs on the CW Network on Tuesday nights. Check your local listings for times.

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