'The Flash' Drops a Major Cicada Twist in "Failure Is an Orphan"

Tonight's episode of The Flash was a crucial one for Central City's heroes with Nora West-Allen declaring it to be the one shot they had to stop Cicada. However, nothing is ever that straightforward when it comes to metahumans on The CW series even when the future is foretold.

Spoilers for tonight's episode of The Flash, "Failure Is an Orphan", below.

Thanks to her relationship with Eobard Thawne in the future, Nora is aware that they have arrived at the time when The Flash is set to stop Cicada once and for all. However, Thawne warns that they have to act fast because a new timeline is trying to push its way into being -- and bring something really big with it.

Driven by this time crunch, Nora puts the hunt for Cicada into overdrive so much so that The Flash isn't quite sure how to first approach Cicada with the offer for the metahuman cure. When he finally figures out his approach -- appeal to him as a father -- it works. Cicada agrees to undergo the cure. All is going reasonably well with the procedure. Cicada was relieved of his metahuman abilities while his shrapnel wound was stitched up. Suddenly, however, the lights go off and a second Cicada shows up. This one has actual powers and isn't reliant upon their blade -- though they have two of those. After battling it out with Team Flash as well as killing Dr. Ambres, this new Cicada disappears with a still unconscious Orlin Dwyer.

In the last moments of the episode it's revealed that the new Cicada has taken Dwyer home and it's revealed that Cicada II is an adult Grace.

You see, earlier in the episode it was revealed that Grace has become a metahuman. The shrapnel in her brain has slowly been changing Grace over time. The idea of being able to cure Grace is what leads Dwyer to take the cure in the first place. While that certainly explains Grace's powers, it doesn't exactly explain her suddenly adult form.

So, what gives? While it is always possible that the metahuman transformation accelerated Grace's aging, that's likely not the case here. Instead, this may well be the something big coming through, a new and unpredictable timeline as Thawne saw at the episode's start. If that's the case, Team Flash is in some seriously uncharted territory -- territory that may just Nora to confess her team up with Thawne in next week's "Time Bomb".

The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW.

Were you surprised by this Cicada twist tonight? Let us know in the comments below.