Catching Up: The Flash Episode 409, "Don't Run"

We're still in the "I can't even..." stage of processing last night's mid-season finale of THE FLASH. That was a very, very naughty place to leave the fans hanging for the winter break, @FLASHtvwriters!

We open simply enough: Barry and Iris are going through the wedding gifts, opening the cards, and -- like most people -- making a huge return list. The reference to Mick Rory's gift of forty toasters from a fire sale was priceless. But the action quickly picks up when the two leave the department store with their credit, only to be assaulted by Clifford DeVoe -- The Thinker -- who captures The Flash and whisks him away.

Simultaneous to this, at S.T.A.R. Labs, Caitlin Snow learns that her dangerous alter ego of Killer Frost is, perhaps, more fun to be with than she is. After Ralph goes over the top with admiration, Caitlin goes to Jitters -- where even they have a special Killer Frost drink named after the villain. It's there that she's captured by Amunet Black, who quickly dampens her powers to prevent Killer Frost from coming out, because who she needs is Caitlin Snow, the medical doctor. Seems she has a metahuman she damaged a little bit when she tried to capture and sell him, and she needs him in one piece. This is where we get introduced to a new meta, Dominic Lanse, who gained the ability of telepathy during the Incident On The Bus. He has a piece of Amunet's shrapnel in the base of his head, and removing it could be fatal.

Two missing team members puts Iris in a predicament as Team Flash leader. Not able to decide who to look for over the other, she puts Cisco, Ralph and Harry to looking for both, which taxes their resources and strains their working relationships. Meanwhile, Barry awakens in a small energy prison that fights back against after super-speed tactic he tries. We're still not sure why The Thinker wants to capture The Flash, but while Barry is hostage, DeVoe leaves to deal with a visit from Joe and Harry. This is one of many significant and elegantly understated scenes for Tom Cavanagh, who gets to trade barbs with DeVoe. DeVoe maintains the upper hand, allowing the two to search his home. He's got that frustrating "you can't prove anything" vibe going for him that worked so well for Lex Luthor at the top of his character's writing, and indeed Joe and Harry leave empty-handed.

Realizing she's causing too many problems by being indecisive, Iris directs the team to search for Caitlin, and let Barry take care of himself. Good timing, too, as Caitlin and Dominic have just escaped, but Amunet is hot on their heels. Vibe and Elongated Man arrive in the very nick of time to save them both and breach them back to S.T.A.R. Labs.

DeVoe, on the other hand, returns to his lair to find his specially designed speed-cage empty. This is impossible, and he turns it off. But Barry, as we know, is the impossible. He couldn't run, so he stood still--very fast. He vibrated into invisibility, and escaped the cage when DeVoe turned it off. DeVoe's floating chair grabs him with mechanical arms, and they take off skyward until a crash is inevitable. Barry still hasn't learned he can do that "twin tornadoes" thing with his arms, so we get to see the inflatable liferaft suit in action again, while DeVoe crashes headfirst into the river.

It would seem all's well that ends well. But the Christmas party at the West house is a distraction. Dominic arrives at Caitlin's invitation, and Cisco dubs him "Brainstorm," which aggravates Ralph who still hasn't been given an official codename yet. Barry runs off to check his place, as the security alarm went off there. And that's when we find out just how badly The Thinker has out-thought Team Flash.

But it could be even worse than viewers realize. We learn that Clifford DeVoe is dead -- physically. But he was able to copy his intellect into Dominic. Now he's alive in a young man who's also a telepath. But in the comics, Dominic "Brainstorm" Lanse is much more than a telepath. He gets smarter by absorbing the intellect of others. Which could very well mean The Thinker can only get smarter going forward.

And Barry Allen is going to be helpless to stop him for a long time. At least until after his murder trial.

Boom.