2049
Eobard is studying files when Nora arrives and says that the cure is finished and works, and they can use it on Orlin. After a moment, Eobard says that he knows the timeline and what they must do to defeat Cicada... or he did know. The records show that a new timeline is struggling to break through, and it's unpredictable and they may lose their window of opportunity. Nora figures that they have to locate Cicada before it changes, and Eobard assures her that she didn't change the time. He says that a big variable is coming: something or someone.
The Present
At STAR Labs, Iris is on the phone talking to a lawyer when Barry arrives with the license contract. Once Iris hangs up, Barry says that he's ready to go ahead once they find Nora. In the central lab, Nora says that they have to find out Cicada's next victim. No new matters have shown up since Norvack went into witness protection. Barry insists that Orlin deserves a chance to choose to use the cure, and Nora asks him if he knows what he's going to say. Her father admits that he has some "loose thoughts", and insists that he'll figure out what to say to them. Nora returns to the topic of finding Cicada, and Iris learns that there's something going on at Jitters.
At the station, Cecile finds Joe at his desk. He says that he's been catching up with the Cicada task force file, and asks Cecile if she's seen Dr. Ambres. The file says that she treated Orlin and Grace on the night of the Enlightenment, and has been treating Grace ever since. Joe figures that someone is patching Orlin up after his injuries, and Cecile tells Joe that she wants to come with him.
At Jitters, Barry and Iris reveal that there's a new drink dedicated to XS. They have a list of all the things that they haven't done, and Barry gets an alert of an attack on the university chemistry lab. Flash and XS arrive there and the meta, Philip Master, unleashes a blast of acid after drinking chemicals. Flash puts sodium bicarbonate on his hands to neutralize the acid, but Master burns through it and escapes. XS recognizes Master's burn trail from Eobard's news file and realizes that he was there when Flash fought Cicada... meaning it's the day that Flash stops the supervillain.
Back at STAR Labs, Nora claims that she saw a photo in the Flash Museum and Xxx must be Cicada's next target and there last chance to stop him. She assures Barry that he'll find the words to convince Cicada. Once the others leave on their various tasks, Sherloque tells Iris that once they defeat Cicada everyone can move on. Iris goes after Nora and notes that she might be going home once they defeat Cicada, and offers to teach Nora Joe's right hook. Nora claims that she has an idea for Barry and speeds off.
Joe and Cecile go to the hospital and Cecile is eager for them to partner up. They question Ambres and note that a number of drugs have been stolen and they think it's connected to Orlin. Ambres feigns ignorance and Cecile uses her mind-reading and secretly signals to Joe that Ambres is lying. Joe points out that the drugs disappeared after Orlin stopped visiting Grace. Cecile signals that she's still lying, but Joe calls the interview off. Afterward, he says that it isn't about her gut and she takes offense. Disgusted, Cecile tells him that they shouldn't be working on the case after all and leaves.
Nora shows Barry her journal and explains that she has dozen of entries about his past words to convince villains that they were good persons. Barry points out how the situation with Cicada isn't the same as the others, and Nora figures that Flash always knows what to say.
Sherloque continues translating Nora's journal, and Caitlin and Cisco come in and asks if Sherloque is happy to be going home soon. The detective figures that there's more to do, and offers to give them the solution to what Flash should say to Cicada.
Cicada is pursuing Master, aka "Acid Master". Killer Frost takes Acid Master's place and substitutes herself for Acid Master, freezing his dagger in a wall. She breaches away and Flash arrives. Flash tells Cicada that they have a way to "cure" metahumans and want Cicada to take it, and says that he knows how it ends. Cicada keeps killing and is remembered as a monster, not a hero. They can change his legacy and Cicada just has to choose it. Cicada knocks Flash away and says that he doesn't care about his legacy. He summons his dagger back to his hand, and Killer Frost arrives and blasts him. Cicada flies away, evading her, and Nora realizes that it was their last chance.
Back at STAR Labs, the team find no trace of Cicada. Sherloque quotes from Nora's journal, saying that "the timeline is malleable". Barry blames himself for not convincing Cicada, and goes to the CCPD to check the files. Nora says that they need to create another window of opportunity so Barry can find the right words, and speeds off.
Joe finds Barry in his lab, and Barry points out that their entire plan counts on Cicada taking the cure. He tells Joe what he said about Cicada's legacy, and Joe tells him that Cicada is a zealot and can't see past the costume. Joe says that Barry should be more himself rather than Flash, and explains that he and Cecile ran into a wall of their own. With her powers, she puts his reading people to shame. Barry tells him that they need to make more room for each other's abilities, and Joe thanks him for the pep talk.
Iris listens to Nora listening to Flash's previous appeal transcripts and trying to make a compilation. She tells Nora to let Barry to handle it while the two of them go to the roof of Jitters. Nora complains that Iris is pushing her list of things to do, and Iris notes that once they stop Cicada Nora will go back to her own time and they won't have any time together. Iris then dismisses it and leaves.
At the station, Joe asks Cecile to meet with him and apologizes for his reaction earlier. He says that he let his pride get in the way, and points out that Ambres is in an interrogation room and asks Cecile to join him questioning the doctor. They kiss and go in, and Joe threatens to go through the hospital security footage. When Ambres denies it, they reveal that they know her fiancée Darius was killed by a meta. Joe asks if she's upheld her oath to do no harm, and Cecile senses Ambres' guilt and says that she can help them find Orlin. The detective tells Ambres about the cure, and Ambres refuses to take them to Orlin. Cecile asks her to arrange a meet so they can save Orlin's life, and Ambres reluctantly agrees. Cecile confirms that the doctor is stalling, and Joe demands an immediate answer.
Once they're done, Joe texts Barry. When Barry arrives, he says that Ambres is going to tell them where they can find Orlin... and that Grace is a meta. They return to STAR Labs and tell the others, and realize that Grace's powers have activated since they scanned her DNA earlier. The others argue about how to deal with Caitlin, and Barry finally says that they need to take a different approach with no powers or crazy plans. He figures that he can stop it.
Nora finds Iris and tells her what they've discovered, and says that she had her own list of things to do in the past. She admits that she focused on fighting Cicada rather than spending time with her parents, and says that she's going to make every moment they have left a memorable one. Barry overhears them and after they hug, he comes in and says that he's heading there to confront Cicada. He explains that he's just going to talk to Cicada father-to-father, and Nora tells him that it's a good idea.
Orlin enters his workshop and Flash approaches him. He says that Ambres told him where to find him, and Orlin tells him that good people get hurt when they come near normal. Flash asks if that includes Grace, and realizes that Orlin doesn't know. He explains that Grace is a meta and Ambres is afraid that Orlin will kill his niece. Orlin rams his dagger into the wall next to Flash head, and Flash asks him if Grace deserves to die. The villain insists that he would never hurt Grace, and Flash says that the cure will heal Orlin and Grace. After a moment, Orlin pulls back his dagger and asks why he should believe him. Barry removes his mask and says that he's a father, too, and would do anything to make the world a better place for her. He figures that Orlin would do the same.
Barry brings Orlin to STAR Labs and says that they made an arrangement to cure him and then Grace. He then tells Orlin that they have to be successful that the cure is successful so they're at STAR Labs. They'll need to suture the wound in Orlin's chest. Orlin insists that Ambres do it, and they agree to get her. Orlin warns that he'll kill them if they're lying to him.
The team get Ambres and Caitlin warns that everything in the room is sterile except Cicada's dagger. Cecile is overwhelmed by Orlin's rage, and she leaves. Joe tells Barry and Iris that Orlin is going to jail after he's cured.
Cisco brings in the cure and Ambres worries that it hasn't been through human testing. Ambres tells Orlin that she wanted to tell him the truth about Grace, and he says that he'll always be thankful she was trying to keep Grace safe. Caitlin administers anesthetic and they inject the cure. Orlin goes into convulsions and the dagger glows. Barry's powers return, meaning that Orlin's power is gone.
In the lounge, Sherloque meets with Nora and they congratulate each other on defeating Cicada. He then asks her how she knew before she saw the burn marks that a meta would lead them to Cicada. Nora passes off an explanation and is interrupted when Cicada comes in.
As Ambres and Caitlin suture up Orlin's chest wound, the power goes out.
Cecile says that someone is coming. A figure in the Cicada costume smashes through the lounge window. Cicada blasts Nora and Cecile against the wall, and then blasts Sherloque away when the detective attacks the villain. Cicada walks out, leaving the trio behind, and Sherloque triggers an alarm.
Iris goes to provide a light for Ambres to operate by, and Cisco spots Cicada coming toward them. Caitlin summons Killer Frost's ice powers and uses them to temporarily suture the wound temporarily. The team goes to face Cicada, who draws twin blades. The team opens fire and Cicada deflects the attacks with the blades. Flash throws a lightning bolt and Cicada blasts that as well, and then pins Flash to the wall. Joe shoves Iris out of the way when Cicada attacks her next, and Cicada takes out Cisco and then Killer Frost. Satisfied, the villain walks out. The energy bonds holding Flash fade.
Cicada enters the medbay and Ambres insists that she only came there to make Orlin human again. She grabs Orlin's dagger, and Cicada telekinetically pulls it out of her hands and kills her.
Once he wakes up, Cisco tries to restore the lab power. The others arrive and Caitlin says that the new Cicada killed Ambres. Barry searches the place and finds no trace of Orlin or Cicada, and Sherloque figures that they're dealing with someone worse.
The new Cicada takes the unconscious Orlin to a cabin in the woods. She says that she's missed him and removes her mask... revealing that she's the adult Grace.
Written by Gadfly on Mar 13, 2019