The fourth season of The Flash premiered on October 10, 2017, and concluded on May 22, 2018. The season consisted of 23 episodes and followed the continued adventures of Barry Allen, a forensic scientist who gains the ability to move at superhuman speeds after being struck by lightning.
Barry’s Time in the Speed Force: Exploring the Limits of the Superhero Genre
The season begins with Barry trapped in the Speed Force, a realm of pure energy that serves as a prison for speedsters. His friends and family, including his fiancée Iris West (Candice Patton), his adoptive father Joe West (Jesse L. Martin), and his fellow superhero Cisco Ramon (Carlos Valdes), work to free him by building a device called the Speed Force bazooka.
Meanwhile, a new villain named Clifford DeVoe (Neil Sandilands) emerges, who has gained a variety of metahuman powers through a device he built called the Thinking Cap. DeVoe is a genius-level intellect who believes that the world is in need of a “reboot” in order to solve its problems, and he sets out to eliminate anyone who stands in his way.
As the season progresses, the Flash and his team face a variety of challenges, including the return of Barry’s time-traveling arch-nemesis, the Reverse Flash (Tom Cavanagh), and the arrival of a new villain named The Mechanic (Kim Engelbrecht), who assists DeVoe in his schemes.
One of the key themes of the season is the idea of change and growth. Several characters go through significant transformations over the course of the season, including Caitlin Snow (Danielle Panabaker), who discovers that she has a split personality called Killer Frost, and Harry Wells (also played by Tom Cavanagh), who undergoes a personal crisis and struggles
with his own sense of identity.
Another major theme is the power of technology and its potential for both good and evil. This is exemplified by DeVoe’s Thinking Cap, which allows him to access a vast array of knowledge and abilities, but also drives him to become increasingly ruthless and calculating.
Several noteworthy highlights from The Flash’s fourth season
- The Thinker: The season’s primary antagonist is Clifford DeVoe, a criminal mastermind known as The Thinker. DeVoe is unique among Flash villains in that he doesn’t have any superhuman abilities of his own. Instead, he uses his intellect to stay one step ahead of Barry and his allies.
- The Council of Wells: In an effort to stop DeVoe, Cisco creates a device that allows the team to communicate with different versions of Harrison Wells from across the multiverse. This leads to the introduction of several new versions of the character, including a French mime and a Wells with a Southern accent.
- The Trial of The Flash: In a shocking twist, Barry is framed for the murder of
DeVoe’s wife and put on trial. This storyline takes up several episodes and adds a new level of tension to the season.
- The Elongated Man: Ralph Dibny, a private investigator with the ability to stretch his body like rubber, joins the team as a new ally. His brash personality and unconventional methods make him a fun addition to the cast.
- Crossover with Arrowverse shows: The Flash Season 4 is part of the larger
Arrowverse, a shared universe of DC Comics-based shows that includes Arrow, Supergirl, and Legends of Tomorrow. The season features a crossover with all of these shows called “Crisis on Earth-X,” which sees the heroes battling an evil Nazi version of themselves from a parallel universe.
Overall, season 4 of The Flash was well-received by critics and audiences, who praised its strong character development, exciting action sequences, and inventive storytelling. While some viewers felt that the season dragged in the middle and that the villain’s motivations were unclear, most agreed that it was a worthy addition to the series and set the stage for future adventures of the Scarlet Speedster.
