The Flash Season 9 Episode 5 Review: Mask of the Red Death, Part Two

On The Flash Season 9 Episode 5, “Mask of the Red Death, Part Two,” everyone is out for justice. The question is, whose idea of justice is the correct one?

As “Mask of the Red Death, Part One,” ended, we had an alternate version of Ryan Wilder swearing vengeance on Barry and his crew. Because of their meddling, she cannot return to her timeline and finish her mission. To Ryan, her anger feels justified.

When we set our minds on something, we often become stubborn in our ways of thought. This is how it needs to be done, and nobody can stop me! But life doesn’t typically work that way. 

For every idea we have someone else comes up with the opposite idea, essentially an antithesis. In Ryan’s case, she believes the best way to overcome criminals is to stop them ahead of time.

If a crime is never committed, then all will be right with the world. Won’t it?

Not necessarily. 

Think about it, at least once last week you thought about slapping somebody for saying something disrespectful. Did you do it? Most likely not. 

You came to your senses before pulling the trigger, and everyone was better off for it. If Ryan had her way, you’d be in jail right now for assault. 

Ryan’s form of justice is a slippery slope at best. I think it would honestly have the opposite effect than what she desires. No one would be repentant of what they did because they never actually did it. 

Barry and his crew challenge Ryan’s ideas with their own. They feel the world would become a prison state, holding people accountable for every thought that crosses their minds. Although her heart is in the right place, her terms are too extreme.

Red Death: I will be the judge, jury, and executioner!

But not so fast! Team Flash has to come up with their own moral decisions on which crises to confront first. 

Mark is chained up inside Red Death’s lair. They left him alone before, can they justify leaving him alone again? Meanwhile, they have the quadrants of Red Death’s location; they can prepare a sneak attack and hit her where it counts. 

The issue is with Barry being low on power, they can’t do both at the same time. 

Although Mark double-crossed his team, he is still part of the family and shouldn’t be sacrificed. However, by rescuing him they will lose the opportunity to save the world from Ryan’s sentinels. 

Through a haphazard debate, they reach a conclusion that I can’t wholeheartedly get behind. Yes, it feels right to save their friend, but without a world to live in, they are only buying him a couple of extra minutes anyway. Not the most logical of decisions, but this is an Arrowverse show after all.

Of course, everything blows up in their faces when it is revealed that Ryan set them up. 

No big shocker really — I saw it coming a mile away. 

This brings Team Flash and the Rogues to another crippling defeat and practically hand-delivers Barry to the enemy. A gloating Ryan brags about how his downfall came about. 

Selfish decisions are liable to do that. We make decisions with the greatest of intentions, but emotions get in our way. We don’t realize our self-serving ways until we are brought to our knees. 

While on our knees, the past becomes 20/20 vision. 

Ryan spins a tale of a team-up with Grodd based upon one of Barry’s greatest failures. A well-meaning pep talk to the sentient gorilla failed to yield the fruits that Grodd wanted — leaving the great mammal empty and hopeless. Ryan seizes that hopelessness using it as a weapon in the war against Barry. 

Grodd is contemplating his own version of justice. 

He is at his wit’s end searching for his brethren who were scattered after one of the several crises. Barry left him with empty words of heroism and saviorhood. Ryan is offering him solutions. 

Grodd feels he is justified in helping the villain because the end condones the means. He will get what he has been fighting for after so long. 

Is he right, or is this just selfish ambition? 

Building up to this point, the episode is quite solid. The third act is where things fall apart. 

Grodd’s decision to help the Flash is made off-screen, Mark is saved with a kiss, and Cecile is excited about a long-distance relationship.  The real kicker is that Barry doesn’t even deliver the final blow to Red Death. 

It all seems rushed and less than satisfying. 

A legendary villain like Red Death deserves more than a two-episode story arc. The character needs more build-up and a much better plan. Instead of being the big bad, the character seems more like a glorified villain of the week. 

Even with that aside, I’m not drawn to tune in for the last 8 episodes. While the ending isn’t great, it feels sufficient. I could write off these characters at this point and never think of them again. Is that really how they want me to feel while not even halfway through the season? 

I’m sure there will be a few more surprises up their sleeves before the series fades to black. I hope it ends with a little more bang than this fizzle.

What did you think of this episode of The Flash? Is this the last we will see of Grodd? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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The Flash airs Wednesday at 8/7c on The CW.

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