And here we are again with another episode of Popcorn time. This time on The Flash Season 3 Episode 3 — titled “Magenta — ” we find a pair of familiar faces: Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanagh) and his daughter Jesse (Violett Beane). Things look pretty interesting too. When Dr. Wells shows up, he immediately lets Team Flash know that he needs their help… because Jesse Wells is now a speedster.
Whoops. Revealed a bit there before the obligatory SPOILER ALERT.
The Flash Episode 3: Team Flash Reunion
To be fair, this reunion must have placed all of Team Flash in an awkward position. Harrison Wells is quick to point out subtle differences since his last visit to Earth One, and he realizes that Flash has once again altered the timeline. Wells is fairly sarcastic about it too. Either way, Cisco (Carlos Valdes) shows of his new “Speedlab,” and Jesse immediately begins her testing and training.
Wally West (Keiynan Lonsdale) isn’t taking the reunion well, though. He feels rather bitter that despite both he and Jesse getting hit by the dark matter the night Barry (Grant Gustin) tried to regain his powers in Season 2 Episode 21, “The Runaway Dinosaur,” only Jesse turned out to be a speedster. Joe West (Jesse L. Martin) tries to be a father figure and be there for him in what he dubs “Dad Cop” style; a third choice after “Good Cop” and “Bad Cop.”
Magenta: Future With Team Flash, Or Rogue’s Gallery?
This episode’s metahuman is a teenage girl named Frances “Frankie” Kane (Joey King). Comic book fans will likely be familiar with her, as she is canonically known as Wally West’s metal-bending ex-girlfriend. In Season 3 Episode 3 however, her backstory is completely different. Frankie suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder (Thank God I took psychology), and her alternate persona — who dubs herself as Magenta — just so happens to be the dominant personality in the Flashpoint timeline.
Anyhow, Frankie’s first act in this episode is to watch some TV with her foster mom, doing typical teenage stuff. Nothing out of the ordinary… and then her abusive foster father (Peter Flemming) shows up and starts yelling. Magenta takes over at this point, and sends a street lamppost smashing through the window and into her old man’s chest. Ouch.
Not entirely sure how he survived that, but daddy John Kane survived the magnetic lamppost attack, and is apparently confined in the hospital. I guess we know where this episode’s climax is gonna take place then.
By the way, going back to canon Magenta, she’s actually a member of the Rogues… led by Captain Cold (played in the series by Wentworth Miller). Maybe… just maybe… she may get a shot at doing the same on the small screen.
Wally West Wants His Speed; Dr. Wells Wants Jesse Not To Have Hers
We have two main emotional conflicts here. We see Wells continuously request for help from the rest of Team Flash to talk Jesse out of her plans of becoming a superhero. On the other hand, Wally West obviously didn’t take his conversation with Joe seriously, and still longs for a taste of the Speedforce. He volunteers to talk to Jesse for Dr, Wells, and asks her how she found out about her powers. Jesse replies by saying her powers were kickstarted one day when she nearly got hit by a truck.
And of course Wally tries to jump in front of a moving vehicle. Of course. And the screen cuts out for a commercial break right there like some kind of mini cliffhanger.
Anyhow, when we get back to Wally, we find he’s taking flak from Barry over his stunt. Meanwhile, Harrison Wells is sending flak over to his daughter, almost accusing her of putting Wally and herself at risk. Caitlin Snow (Danielle Panabaker) chastises Wells for his words and actions, opening his eyes to why Jesse is intent on pushing him away.
Jesse Quick’s First Act As A Superhero
Well, we called it, didn’t we?
After Julian Albert (Tom Felton) identifies Frankie Kane as her stepfather’s attacker, Magenta pays a visit to Dr. Alchemy, asking what it will take to get rid of Frankie’s personality and establish total control. He responds by telling her to kill John Kane. Frankie then heads off to visit John in the hospital, intending to drop an oil tanker on the building. As fate would have it, Iris (Candace Paton) is caught up in the middle of everything when she tries to squeeze information from the abusive parent.
Time for the heroes to come in. Flash suspends the tanker in midair with a powerful updraft created by running in a figure-8 pattern on the hospital roof. Unfortunately, as long as he keeps the ship from crashing down on the hospital, he can’t personally deal with Magenta. Harry turns to his daughter, and finally encourages her to take up her own superhero mantle and save the day. Jesse runs off to perform the same figure-8 pattern, giving Flash ample time to wrestle Frankie Kane from Magenta’s control.
In the aftermath of the hospital incident, we find Caitlin has found Frankie a new home with a loving family. Flash assures Frankie that she is completely capable of fighting off Magenta, and that if she ever needs his team, they would be there for her.
The Flash Episode 3: Underwhelming
And there you have it. Another Flash recap. This was a little uneventful for my taste. In fact, so little happened, even the end scene didn’t reveal anything new. The episode ends with Julian, Barry, and Joe watching the Iron Heights video of an invisible Dr. Alchemy throwing Edward Clariss (Todd Lasance) around like a ragdoll, but we already knew that from the previous episode. I forgot to mention a couple of scenes that follow Barry and Iris’s dating life, but that was mostly because I really find no content worth talking about with regards to that. I mean their relationship isn’t as fun to watch as the former OliCity matchup.
Still… it’s not a bad episode. just an uneventful one.
The Flash Season 3 airs on Jack TV every Wednesday at 15:00 (+8:00 GMT)
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