“You’re not father. Father don’t ask. Father Take,” yells Gorilla Grodd (voice, David Sobolov). The Flash, episode seven, Gorilla Warfare, should have been titled, Of Monsters & Fathers, just a thought. After ending the previous episode with the epic Zoom showdown, the writers smartly used Gorilla Grodd as the follow-up villain; a formidable foe, but more importantly a victim of cruelty in his own right. For all intents and purposes, Grodd is a science experiment gone wrong. A wounded creature manipulated by Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanagh)… aka “Father.” I specifically enjoyed how the editors mirror Barry’s PTSD fight flashbacks sequences, with Grodd’s from the various experimental procedures. This isn’t the only time during the episode that Barry’s injuries parallel his foe(s)… remember how Harrison Wells faked being a cripple after the particle accelerator exploded? After Zoom breaks his back, Barry spends a lot time in a wheelchair during this episode. Watching our hero, wheeling himself around STAR labs seems creepily familiar, much like one particular standout moment… Harry puts on the Reverse Flash’s suit and Barry attacks him! I’ m sorry, but between that and Harry’s “Wells impression” scene with Cisco (Carlos Valdes); I was one happy viewer. “This time up the creep factor, like a lot more. And make it a little more sincere. Like you really love me, but you’re going to have to kill me anyway,” suggests Cisco. Iconic foes paralleling our hero’s plight, add 
a reenactment of Cisco’s death scene from Out of Time (1×15)… not bad, not Zoom, but not bad at all.
“I am continually amazed by the similarities between our two Earths,” says Harry. Especially considering that both Cisco and Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) have buried the hatchet with Harry. It’s a very important dynamic shift, considering we’re so close to the midseason finale. Caitlin convinces Harry to stay and help them defeat Zoom on their Earth. Heck, they even came up with the plan to close all the wormholes, except the one in STAR Labs so they can set a trap together. Then she gets taken by Grodd, al’ la King Kong style and Cisco teams up with Harry to come up with a rescue plan. “What are you saying? He wants kids? Because I’m pretty sure one telepathic ape is more than enough for this city”. Right Cisco, but obviously he belongs more in a place like Gorilla City… you know, on Earth-2. It just so happens that the wormholes on Earth-Prime are restricted to Central City, but on Earth-2, they lead to places all over the world. Well that reveal seems rather timely, considering these Grodd circumstances. Barry ultimately returns as The Scarlet Speedster, and with a speed-force charged punch sends Grodd through the wormhole, leading to a new home; round of applause
for the great Gorilla City teaser ending!
“Zoom destroyed me. He showed everyone in Central City what he can do, and that I’m powerless to stop him… I’m supposed to be the guy that can protect them from something as evil as that, and I failed in front of all of them,” says Barry to Joe (Jesse L Martin). Nailed it! Zoom defeated Barry last episode, but more importantly he tarnished The Flash’s image as being “The Man Who Saved Central City.” The City’s hero, with a Jitters latte named after him… only to be dragged through the city as the shell of a hero. Please everyone stop complaining about Barry being mopey, he’s a three-dimensional character, with natural reactions to these bizarre circumstances. Again, I preface this article by suggesting for it to be more aptly titled, Of Monsters & Fathers… enter Henry Allen (John Wesley Shipp). “He may not have his mother, but he’s got two amazing fathers… it seemed like he needed them both,” says Iris West (Candice Patton). She may not understand Barry’s turmoil, but Iris is observant enough to call in his other father figure. Henry Allen, a man whose been publicly destroyed, but he’s handling things; abandoned his son after being released from prison, but he’s fine. Joe is fine too, his reaction shot to Barry’s line, “Like father, like son,” is perfection. Too bad the writers had to undermine it 
with ‘on the nose dialogue,’ about Joe not having a son… oh wait, it’s Iris’ turn to keep family secrets from her father. She knows that her mother had a son after leaving, who could be Joe’s biological son. I predict that we see Wally West appear during the midseason finale.
In the meantime Patty Spivot (Shantel VanSanten) quickly forgives Barry for lying to her all episode. I am still not on board with this relationship; too quick, too trite, and too familiar. She either needs to get put on the team, or jump to a distractedly wrong conclusion about Barry, or Joe due to all the lying. Remember, she did suspect that Joe’s a dirty cop last episode…that seed could come to fruition later this season. Patty’s suspicisions about Joe’s involvment with the metahumans, could lead to him temporarily losing his badge; now that could spark my interest. We no longer have to wait for Kendra Saunders (Ciara Renee), because Hawkgirl is finally here. Currently, she and Cisco are flirting with a relationship that will likely be cut short. Still, no Zoom… plenty of demons… multiple fathers… and a Gorilla City. That’ll do for now!
In the competition between The Flash and Arrow this week, Everett had to give the point to Arrow this week. For Everett’s review on this weeks Arrow, check out my Arrow Re-Nocked column here!