The Flash: The Thinks Kills Killer Frost and Ralph Dibney

The Flash Season 4 Lose Yourself The Thinker

Warning! MAJOR SPOILERS for The Flash season 4, episode 18 ahead!

All throughout The Flash season 4, The Thinker has been one step ahead of Barry and the rest of the team. In tonight's episode, 'Lose Yourself', Clifford DeVoe's winning streak continues when he lands a huge blow to Team Flash and kills not one but two team members.

'Lose Yourself' introduces the twelfth and final bus meta, Edwin Gauss, The Folding Man, but he isn't around for very long. After tricking Team Flash into allowing him to enter S.T.A.R. Labs, DeVoe quickly finds and absorbs both Gauss and last week's gravity controlling meta, Janet Petty/Null. But those two aren't his only victims, and in addition to gaining the powers of two more metas, The Thinker absorbs a member of Team Flash and removes another.

Ralph Dibny/The Elongated Man

The Flash Season 4 Lose Yourself Ralph Dibny

Though Ralph was relatively new to Team Flash, it didn't take long for him to feel like a part of the family. In fact, this episode includes a touching moment between him and Barry in where Ralph admits to just that, calling Team Flash the only family's he's got. And in hindsight, heartwarming moments like this should have been a red flag that the end was drawing near for The Elongated Man, especially as his hero's journey reached its conclusion.

With The Flash, Vibe, and Killer Frost trapped in The Thinker's pocket dimension, it was left to Ralph to battle DeVoe. And though he did manage to momentarily incapacitate DeVoe, it didn't last and once free, DeVoe transfers his consciousness into Ralph's body. In his final moments, Ralph proved himself a hero, but it wasn't enough. In one fell swoop, DeVoe secures the remaining bus metas' powers, gets himself a new body that's also resistant to the strain of his expanding brain, and finds a way to deeply hurt Team Flash - Barry especially. The guy can't lose.

Killer Frost

After DeVoe assumes control of Ralph's body, Barry, Cisco, and Killer Frost attack but quickly prove no match for DeVoe. He easily knocks away both Barry and Cisco, and when he comes in contact with Killer Frost, she transforms back into Caitlin. Realizing they're outmatched, Cisco breaches them back to S.T.A.R. Labs. Not long after they return, it's revealed that when DeVoe touched Caitlin, he triggered Melting Point's ability and removed her powers. Caitlin is cured, but Killer Frost is dead.

For a long time, all Caitlin wished for was a cure to her meta-powers, but now that her wish is granted, she doesn't seem too happy. Recently, she and Killer Frost had begun to bond, sharing notes, and even caring about each other's well-being. Frost had even become a crucial part of Team Flash, coming along regularly on missions. Losing her at this stage in the game is another huge blow, and one that only further weakens the team.

But Are They Really Dead?

The Flash hasn't shied away from killing off major characters before, and DeVoe is one of Barry's toughest adversaries, so there should be risks when facing him. But both Ralph and Killer Frost are also fan-favorite characters, and it just might be that in defeating DeVoe, Team Flash will find a way for them both to return.

Unlike the other bus metas, Ralph's body is still alive - it's just being controlled by DeVoe. So if Ralph's consciousness was still inside his body and DeVoe's consciousness was somehow expelled, then presumably, Ralph could resume control of his body. Now, there's been nothing to suggest Ralph is still in there somewhere, but if any of the bus metas have a shot at returning after DeVoe is defeated, it's Ralph. Plus, The Elongated Man is an established DC Comics character, would they really get rid of him so quickly? (They haven't even introduced Sue!)

As for Killer Frost, her existence is linked to Caitlin having meta-powers. She's been "killed" once before and still managed to return, so it'd be hard to believe The Flash is through with her. In fact, a return from Killer Frost is the more likely of the two since all it would need is for Caitlin's powers to return - something which could easily happen via another dose of Melting Point's DNA altering powers. Like Elongated Man, there's precedence for keeping Killer Frost around; plus, she's too much fun to lose forever.

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The Flash season 4 continues next Tuesday with "Fury Rogue" at 8pm/9c on The CW.