The Flash Season 6 Episode 7 Recap: “The Last Temptation of Barry Allen, Part 1”

The Flash Season 6 Episode 7
Grant Gustin as Dark Flash and Sendhil Ramamurthy as Bloodwork in ‘The Flash’ season 6 episode 7 (Photo: Katie Yu © 2019 The CW Network)

“No need to call the authorities. I just want to talk, Flash,” says Ramsey (Sendhil Ramamurthy) to a surprised Barry Allen in his apartment in season six episode seven of The CW’s The Flash.

Episode seven picks up right where the story left off last week with Ramsey tackling Ralph (Hartley Sawyer) off of a roof. They both use their meta powers to handle the fall and crash land in an alley. Ramsey and Ralph fight and Ramsey uses his black gooey blood to hurtle a car at Ralph who uses his elastic skills to catch it and fling it back at Ramsey who it just misses. Ramsey then hits Ralph with his black blood and infects him with it. He leaves saying that everyone on Team Flash must die.

Killer Frost (Danielle Panabaker) breaches into the alley, finds Ralph, and gets him back to S.T.A.R. Labs.

Frost panics and doesn’t know what to do so she has Caitlin come out. Caitlin believes a blood transfusion using Barry’s speedster blood might help cure Ralph of the poison from Ramsey’s black blood. Barry has “O” blood type which can be used universally in transfusions. It works, and Ralph’s condition stabilizes but he isn’t out of the woods yet.

Barry heads home and just as he’s getting comfortable he senses someone’s there. He turns to find Ramsey in his apartment. Ramsey reveals he knows about the upcoming Crisis and that Barry is The Flash. Barry says he’ll stop him but Ramsey points out he knows Barry’s afraid – and should be – with the end of the world about to happen. Barry sees anti-matter traveling through Central City and wakes up with a start. He was dreaming.

Frost and Caitlin check out Barry at S.T.A.R. Labs and she tells him his system seems to be fine and that it was most likely just a nightmare. However, he confesses there was something to it that felt different. She puts a small wrist monitor on him to monitor his vitals while he sleeps to be safe.

Over at Iris’ paper, Allegra (Kayla Compton) and Iris (Candice Patton) are going to work on a story together and track the man who Ralph got a photo of last week – the man who might be responsible for turning Allegra’s cousin into an evil meta. Allegra’s still bothered that Iris didn’t tell her Barry is The Flash or about the upcoming Crisis but doesn’t say anything to her about it. Later when they interview the man on a street, he tells them he basically handles rides for whoever hires him. The people are almost always rich. Basically, it’s Uber for the filthy rich.

Barry goes back to his loft and sees his mother (Michelle Harrison). He asks, “Is this another nightmare?” and she replies, “No, Barry, this is much worse.” Barry realizes the Speed Force has taken the image of his mother to talk to him again. The Speed Force tells Barry some of Ramsey’s black blood made its way into Barry during the transfusion and his speed healing is struggling to stop it from taking him over and turning him into one of Ramsey’s zombies. Barry has to fight it with his mind in order to win.

The Flash Season 6 Episode 7
Grant Gustin as Barry Allen and Jesse L. Martin as Captain Joe West in season 6 episode 7 (Photo: Katie Yu © 2019 The CW Network)

Ramsey appears to Barry and a battle of wills begins. Ramsey informs Barry that his blood will not only save Barry but everyone else from the Crisis. In a truly creepy scene, Barry sees everyone he loves – Joe (Jesse L. Martin), Iris, Cisco (Carlos Valdes), Ralph, and Frost – sitting at a table enjoying Thanksgiving dinner. Ramsey serves them lasagna full of the black gooey blood. His friends start eating it and then try and get Barry to eat some. Barry resists and says it’s not real.

Ramsey shows Barry an image of Barry’s daughter as a baby in her crib, but Barry can’t pick her up. His hands go right through her. Tears form in his eyes and he says he knows it’s not real but he wants to pretend and hold her. Ramsey says it’s all up to Barry. Ramsey assures Barry he can live and save everyone if he just joins him and holds out his hand.

Barry starts to waver and is quickly rushed out of the room by the Speed Force.

At S.T.A.R. Labs, Frost notices Barry’s vitals are spiking on his wrist monitor and she breaches over with Cisco to the apartment. She quickly realizes he’s reacting to Ramsey’s blood and they breach him back to the lab. Frost tries to give him some medicine to counter the blood but it doesn’t work. She freezes and has a panic attack, fearing Barry’s going to be lost.

In another part of town, Allegra reveals to Iris she knows Barry is The Flash and she knows about the article she’ll write about his vanishing during Crisis. She confesses it was that article that inspired her and that she needs to write it. Joe also shows Iris, Allegra, and Cisco’s girlfriend – who has joined the investigation – that the car of the man they interviewed earlier that day exploded with him in it. They decide to keep investigating knowing now just how dangerous it is.

Back at the loft, Barry confesses to the Speed Force that he feels he just really started living and doesn’t want to die. The Speed Force tells Barry that just means he’s human but it’s how he always rises above his fears and does what needs to be done is what makes him a hero. Barry comments on how convincing Ramsey’s lies are and the Speed Force tells him Ramsey isn’t lying about his blood being able to save him during Crisis.

Hearing this, Barry becomes even more upset and angry, especially after the Speed Force says it chose him and it’s the reason for all his pain and suffering. He asks when the Speed Force will suffer. Just as The Reverse Flash stabbed Barry’s mother, Nora, in the heart to kill her, Barry phases his hand into the Speed Force, still using the image of his mother which causes it to weaken.

Cisco runs and grabs Velocity X and injects it into Barry to help his speed healing. It gives the Speed Force more energy and it tells Barry if he lets Ramsey’s blood take him over, his body will survive but his soul and who he is will be lost.

Barry wakes up in S.T.A.R. Labs. He seems himself and tells Cisco and Frost about what it was like in his mind. Cisco wants him to rest but he says he needs to get ready for Crisis. Cisco turns to Frost after Barry leaves the med bay and asks if she wants to talk about what happened. Frost says she already has with Caitlin and they have agreed from now on when medical emergencies come up Catlin will take over and Frost will take a back seat. Cisco asks if she’s okay with that and Frost replies, “It’s best for the team.”

Iris starts writing the article about The Flash vanishing during Crisis and is interrupted by a message from Cisco about Barry. (What is the rush on her article?! Journalists are supposed to report the news, not predict it.)

Iris hurries over to S.T.A.R. Labs and finds Barry focused on running some diagnostics on the computer. He claims he’s fine but seems off to her. She starts asking him questions which he shuts down quickly. She says she’ll see him later and slowly walks over to Cisco and Caitlin. Iris whispers “Guys, that’s not Barry.”

Cisco tries to talk to Barry and that’s when Barry turns, eyes full of black goo and mouth dripping with it. Ramsey has taken over Barry’s body! He speeds away, knocking out Cisco, Frost, and Iris with his speed.

Down in the sewers, Nash Wells (Tom Cavanagh) uses a special device to break apart the rock hiding the door where The Monitor is. In the process, he discovers symbols.

The last scene shows The Flash speeding around the city, arriving at Ramsey’s location. “Welcome, my blood brother. I am the world’s salvation. Soon the entire world will embrace Bloodwork,” says Ramsey as the black goo-controlled Flash kneels before him.

Review of The Flash Season 6 Episode 7:

Dark, disturbing, and creepy, season six episode seven titled “The Last Temptation of Barry Allen, Part 1” is very different than most The Flash episodes and has a horror movie feel to it. It also has two stand-out performances by Grant Gustin and Sendhil Ramamurthy.

Gustin shines as the confused, tormented, and haunted Barry Allen who finally admits he’s afraid of dying and isn’t ready to leave those he loves behind. The scene where he tries to hold baby Nora and can’t is heartbreaking. Gustin’s performance is award-worthy with all the emotion he brings to the scenes.

Ramamurthy is wonderful as the now crazed and devilish Dr. Ramsey Rosso who’s so terrified of death he can’t see that what he’s becoming and what he’s doing to others is a fate far worse than death.

With The Flash now a super-speeding zombie controlled by Ramsey, it’s up to the rest of Team Flash to find a way to free Barry of the black goo and to stop Ramsey for good before the Crisis is upon them.

GRADE: B+