[SPOILERS for those not caught up on The Flash ahead.]
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Last week’s crossover episodes of The Flash and Arrow continued to expand the scope of The CW’s DC Universe, introducing a number of new elements and characters. Hawkman and Hawkgirl have officially emerged in their current incarnations, the immortal Vandal Savage revealed his presence, and the boundaries of magic and science have begun to blur. The crossovers served their purpose, allowing a massive team-up while setting up DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, the third series set in the shared CW/DC TV universe.
With the threat of Vandal Savage sorted until Legends of Tomorrow premieres next month, The Flash and Arrow are now able to return their full attention to the series’ individual story arcs. It was revealed last week that The Flash midseason finale would be a special Christmas-themed episode and reintroduces The Rogues as a team of villains. The episode also promises the introduce Wally West to the universe – a fitting move to close out The Flash‘s winter season.
Ahead of the episode’s premiere, The CW has released the above featurette, giving some insight into the characters and plot of the episode. Where the original trailer focused on a few key moments between Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) and his Rogues, this new featurette indicates that Patty Spivot (Shantel VanSanten) will play an important role in the episode. Earlier in the season it was revealed that Mark Mardon (Liam McIntyre) was responsible for her father’s death and this episode promises to explore that backstory and its ramifications.
The video also features some new footage of the three villains of the episode – Captain Cold (Wentworth Miller), the Trickster (Mark Hamill), and the aforementioned Mardon, christened Weather Wizard. The three, perhaps begrudgingly, have decided the only way to defeat their common enemy is to work together. The featurette does a fine job of emphasizing the lighthearted moments that make The Flash an enjoyable series, showcasing cheesy dialogue and a delightfully over-the-top performance from Hamill.
More importantly, there’s the emphasis on Patty. While the crossover episodes were enjoyable, the necessary steps to set up Legends of Tomorrow detracted from the storylines and characters of The Flash. Patty’s role especially was severely limited, feeling almost like an unnecessary afterthought. Placing her at the forefront of this episode’s main plot will allow for some welcome character development. Working through the character’s history and mental state should bolster the growing relationship between Barry and Patty, setting up the characters’ arcs through the second half of the season too.
NEXT: DC’s Legends of Tomorrow Trailer
The Flash Winter Finale, “Running to Stand Still”, airs Tuesday, December 8th at 8:00 p.m. EST.
