The Flash Recap With Spoilers: "The Mask of the Red Death Part 2"
Warning: This article contains major spoilers for The CW's The Flash Season 9 episode, "The Mask of the Red Death, Part 2." Read beyond this point at your own risk.
There's a red lightning storm over Central City and at the CCPD, Kramer gets a report that it's getting worse while the police are strapped. However, she walks into her office and Murmur is there. Red Death and her Rogues are there and only Kramer is left standing and she uses her powers, but Red Death is faster, and puts meta cuffs on her. Red Death is confident she will get away with and she says she will show Kramer what true justice looks like.
At STAR, Allegra is upset Mark was left behind, but the Rogue Squad is defending themselves. They realize that Red Death is coming after them next. But Barry doesn't really have his speed and they don't have a great plan. Iris has a plan to trace Ryan's feelings because she got to know her a bit. Cecile starts to look for hate and thus, Ryan. She finds Ryan, but Ryan can sense Cecile and she also senses Mark. He's alive and chained up at the Red Death's lair. Barry wants the Rogue Squad to go after Mark, but the Rogues don't want to do that. They want to use the element of surprise against Red Death. Khione says that if they won't go after Mark, she will even though she has no powers. It's enough to convince the Rogue Squad.
Cecile says she can feel her powers growing, but she's not in the best shape. Joe tells her to rest. She tells him to get her some food but picks up that he's not doing okay emotionally. At CCPD, the evil Rogues are working on hacking the satellite so that Red Death can upgrade herself. Red Death is giddy at being the judge jury and executioner as she sends her puppets out into the city to create essentially her own warped police state.
Chester goes to figure out what is getting Red Death the boost. Barry tries to talk Khione out of helping rescue Mark and then goes off with Allegra and the Rogue Squad to do it. Hartley picks up Mark's heartbeat and they find him in bad shape. Turns out it's all a trap. Red Death shows up to take out the last of his speed so that he can't stop her while her sentinels keep watch for her. She also tells Barry he's responsible for it all due to his greatest mistake and takes him to that moment and how it led to her success. It's Grodd. After Crisis, the Gorilla's lost their sentience and Grodd lost his tribe. So, he took Ryan's offer and joined with her.
At STAR, Barry and the Rogue Squad debrief. Hartley wants to shift to survival rather than defeating Red Death. They still don't really have a plan. Barry says they need to find another way, but the Rogues feel like they lost and depart. They want to go make their amends before they die because that's what they think will happen. Khione feels helpless, but Iris gives her a pep talk and tells her she has a place, and she will find her use. She ends up kissing Mark and that wakes him up.
Joe comes to talk to Barry. Joe also realize he doesn't need to protect people anymore and that the team doesn't really need him. Barry says otherwise. Inspiring people is Joe's superpower, but Joe says that is also Barry's power and tells Barry that he needs to believe that the seeds he's planted in others will grow. Barry goes to find Grodd. He asks Grodd to help him save the world and appeals to Grodd and what he knows. It somehow works. Grodd decides to help Flash and stops helping Red Death.
Flash has his speed back and goes back to face Red Death. Grodd gave Flash back his speed. Flash and Red Death fight, racing around Central City. However, when she gets the upper hand, the Rogue Squad shows up and fights her as well and when they start to struggle, the real Ryan Wilder aka Batwoman shows up and it's a Ryan Wilder on Ryan Wilder fight. As they fight, Flash takes Red Death's armor, and they knock her out. Victory. They make a joke about Central City always being crazy.
At STAR, Chester fangirls about Batwoman, Argus has Red Death in custody. Barry explains how he got his speed back. Grodd is a good guy again and STAR is helping try to find his tribe. Ryan goes back to Gotham. Cecile and Joe sit down to talk, and Joe realizes that being a parent is the most meaningful thing he does. He decides that he and Jenna need to move while Cecile stays in Central City and just come visit them on the weekends so they can have quality time away from the crazy in the country. This plan works for her.
Farewell party at the West house. Joe gives an emotional speech. Mark goes and sits by. himself and Barry talks to him, reminding him he's family now. Allegra tries to talk to Chester and admits it was the best kiss she's ever had so he kisses her again and everyone watches them. They're official. now. Iris gets dizzy and sits down and is confused as to why and Khione tells her she's pregnant much to her surprise and everyone else's.
The Flash airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.
