Team Flash desperately searches for a way to defeat Deathstorm.
Tropes:
- Beam-O-War: Allegra and Esperanza get into a short one.
- Big Sister Instinct: Despite the dangers that it poses, Frost volunteers to use the Mental Augmentation Chamber to fight Deathstorm, because she wants to protect Caitlin.
- Bishōnen Line: While we saw it at the end of the previous episode, Deathstorm has now upgraded from an ethereal form to a more humanoid form that can move around in a way similar to Firestorm, and is apparently far more dangerous as his body count very rapidly escalates.
- The Bus Came Back:
- Esperanza comes back, apparently as a Ghost sent by Deathstorm, attacking Allegra.
- Eddie Thawne returns in the final scene before Iris.
- Call-Back:
- While encouraging Barry, Joe mentions Zoom, DeVoe, Cicada and Bloodwork.
- Barry compares the portals Deathstorm creates to the one Chester created when his own powers manifested.
- The Chains of Commanding: Kramer is taken aback after hearing about Deathstorm, being very frightened and unsure of how to deal with a monstrosity like that.
- Cliffhanger Copout: Last episode, Iris got erased by Tinya. She reappears early in this episode, having apparently been sent into the Still Force by her time sickness to protect her.
- Demonic Possession: After trying to use Cecile's powers to find Deathstorm, the latter possesses her.
- Didn't See That Coming: Deon is worried about not being able to see Iris's future anymore, which is the result of her time sickness affecting him too. It gets to the point of him dissolving later on.
- Eldritch Abomination: As suspected, and as Barry theorizes, this is the only way to describe what Deathstorm actually is; a being literally created from Ronnie's grief travelling through the singularity upon his death.
- From Bad to Worse: When Deathstorm was previously in its ethereal form, its total number of successful murders could likely be counted on one hand, and over the course of a month. Now in its new humanoid form, it significantly escalates its serial killing campaign many times over, and under a much shorter timespan.
- Immediate Sequel: The episode starts right where the previous one ended, with Caitlin being attacked by Deathstorm.
- Kick the Dog: After arriving at the County Fair, Deathstorm kills 4 people in front of Caitlin to feed himself.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Caitlin gets this feeling after Deathstorm begins his rampage, as she refused to listen to the others when they tried to destroy the black flames, which now leads to several more casualties.
- Negated Moment of Awesome: Barry "riding the lightning" is accompanied by rock music, he then almost catches up with Deathstorm... only for the latter to escape through a portal with Caitlin. Nonetheless, Barry witnessing the portal materializing ultimately allows him to come up with an idea for the team to permanently stop Deathstorm.
- New Powers as the Plot Demands: Barry "riding the lightning", which is essentially him creating floating platforms out of lightning he jumps on to follow Deathstorm.
- No-Sell: Barry's lightning doesn't even faze Deathstorm.
- Oh, Crap!: Team Flash, when they realize that Deathstorm is right there at the laboratory with them.
- Omnicidal Maniac: Deathstorm sees life itself as an aberration.
- Precision F-Strike: Sue drops an h-bomb while giving Iris an encouraging speech to resist being sucked back into the Time Force.
- Shout-Out:
- Chester namedrops a few historical people again, this time Paschal Beverly Randolph and Benjamin Banneker.
- Chester also calls Deathstorm "Pyro Pazuzu".
- Stalker with a Crush: Deathstorm wants Caitlin to be his "bride".
- Super-Empowering: Deathstorm attempting to transform Caitlin triggers a Healing Factor inside of her and apparently even stops her aging process.
- Thinking Up Portals: One of Deathstorm's powers.
- Two Lines, No Waiting: The final scene implies that the A and B plots are finally crossing over, as the vision Iris has of Eddie is strongly implied to be one of Deathstorm's apparitions.
- Wham Shot: Eddie Thawne suddenly appearing in Iris's apartment in The Stinger.
- Would Harm a Senior: One of the unfortunate victims Deathstorm burns on-screen is an old man grieving for somebody.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are:
- Sue gives one to Iris, trying to snap her out of her meltdown.
- Joe gives one to Barry, when the latter is left helpless on how to deal with Deathstorm.
