At S.T.A.R. Labs, Cisco and Harry are decorating the Christmas tree and arguing about the tinsel. Ralph joins them and then Caitlin, and they invite Ralph to join them for the West Chrisms party. He isn't interested and says that he wants to spend time with Killer Frost.
At their apartment, Barry and Iris are opening their wedding presents. There's one more present without a card: one knife. Barry cleans up u at normal speed, and Iris points out that he has hardly used his superspeed at all recently. He explains that he doesn't feel like he needs to run when he's with her.
At home, Clifford tries to button his sweater. Marlize comes in and helps him, and he says that today is Christmas Day. He asks if she has any doubts, and Marlize assures him that it will take some getting used to. As she starts to go, Clifford tells her not to be afraid because it's the great work, and he will stand beside her in no time.
That night at Jitters, Caitlin is drinking coffee when Harry comes in. The shop is selling a Killer Frost drink, and Harry figures that Caitlin is wallowing in self-pity. She complains that she can't escape her alter ego, and it turns out people would rather hang out with her. Harry tells her that she's special and her friends would rather be with her than Frost. Amunet breaks in through the doors.
Barry and Iris are returning from shopping when Thinker blasts Barry into an alleyway.
Amunet calls for Caitlin, and easily knocks out Harry when he draws a gun.
Thinker offers Iris his congratulations on her wedding and blasts her, and blasts her. Flash whiskers her away before the bolt can hit.
Caitlin starts to transform into Frost, and Amunet slaps a power-dampening bracelet on her. She says that she's come for Caitlin.
Flash goes after Thinker, who snags him with a set of tentacles from his chair, shocks him unconscious, and flies off.
Back at S.T.A.R. Labs, Iris tells the others what happened. They figure that the two abductions are related, and iris tasks the satellites to find their friends. She has Cisco vibe Barry, and he's shocked back. he explains that he's never experienced what happened before.
Barry wakes up in Thinker's lair and discovers that he's imprisoned in a force field.
Amunet takes Caitlin to an abandoned hospital medical lab and explains that she needs Caitlin to operate on a man. She explains that he's tranquilized and Dominic is a meta that she found. She planned to sell him, but he didn't want to cooperate so she hit him in the head with one of her metal shards. Now Amunet needs Caitlin to save him. Caitlin says that she can't do the work with the antiquated equipment that Amunet provided, and Amunet prepares to remove the bullet with her powers. Her captive has no choice but to agree. As Amunet goes, she warns that if Dominic dies than Caitlin will die as well.
Barry is unable to break through the force field using his super speed. Thinker emerges from the shadows.
Dominic wakes up and Caitlin introduces herself. He begs her to help him escape, and Caitlin tells him that he's a metahuman and Amunet wants to sell him as a commodity. She explains that if the shad in his head shatters, it could cause brain damage. Dominic recites what she's thinking, and Caitlin realizes that he can read minds. She says that she'll do everything he can to fix him but she can't get him away from Amunet on her own. Dominic says that he's scared as well.
Barry figures that Thinker wants him alive, and Thinker says that he's going to tech him. His captive agrees but lays out what has happened so far and asks why. Thinker says that his current agenda isn't part of his course, and he's going to show Barry that there are no happy endings. A doorbell rings on a monitor, and it shows Joe arriving outside the DeVoe house. Thinker says that Barry should learn humility for what lies ahead and leaves.
Out of his chair, Clifford invites Joe in and Joe asks where his son is. Clifford claims that he doesn't know where Barry is, but says that he knows Harry is outside with a gun. Harry comes in and Clifford says that Joe has failed to acknowledge that Barry may have run away. When Joe goes after him, Clifford reminds him that he has a restraining order against Barry. However, he invites Joe to search his home for Barry.
Barry tries to vibrate through the force field without success. Mechanic comes in and says that he's only hurting himself, and warns that nothing can destroy the barrier. Barry tells her that she doesn't have to help him, and Mechanic says that she's her husband's partner and always will be. Barry warns that she's risking her marriage, and Marlize angrily says that she'd sacrifice anything for her husband and Clifford already knows.
At S.T.A.R. Labs, Cisco tells the others that the satellite scanners are overheating trying to find Barry and Caitlin. Harry comes in and says that there was nothing at Clifford's house. Ralph talks about his cases, and Cisco tells him to shut up and reminds him that he drove Caitlin away earlier. Iris tells them to cool it, and Cisco goes to his lab. Harry tells Iris that she's the team leader and has to make the tough call, and we can only look for one. Iris says that she can't choose between her husband or her friend, and Harry warns that if she doesn't then she risks losing them both.
Caitlin is unable to release the dampener, and Dominic picks up her thoughts of Frost. He asks who she is, and Caitlin explains that she's her alter-ego and a lot more useful than she is. Caitlin says that it's too risky to perform the surgery there and she doesn't have any powers to save them... but he does. She closes the privacy curtain and then leads Dominic out. He uses his telepathy to avoid Amunet's guards but Amunet blocks their way with a metal barrier. She talks to Caitlin privately and points out that she hasn't hurt her. Amunet asks why she ran away, and Caitlin points out that Frost would have been able to escape. The villainess says that she was a stewardess before she became a crime lord. When she gained her powers, she took revenge on the pilots who sexually harassed her. Amunet says that she came to Caitlin because she's always been bright and resourceful, and she's certain that Caitlin can do the operation. With that, she tells Caitlin to do it.
Cisco finds Ralph yelling at the satellite to find Barry and Caitlin. He apologizes for being a dick, and Ralph says that he's the dick. Ralph admits that he hasn't had friends for a while and he's out of practice. Now Christmas is ruined and everyone is captured, and it's his fault. Cisco points out that he's there and helping. Iris comes in and tells them that since Barry can take care of himself, they're turning off the Speed Force satellite and going after Caitlin.
Caitlin jerry-rigs a MRI machine and tells Amunet to give her some space. Amunet leaves some metal shards there to control as she steps away, and Dominic tells Caitlin that she trusts her. Caitlin goes to work removing the shard . Dominic goes into shock and Caitlin tries to revive him. Amunet and the guard pass out, and Dominic gets up. Caitlin turns of the anesthetic that she's been pumping into the room.
He satellite picks up Caitlin's latent cryogenic signature, and Cisco prepares to breach over with Elongated Man.
Caitlin and Dominic run out, and Amunet after them and fires her shards. Elongated Man absorbs them, and Vibe blasts Amunet. He then creates a breach and the four of them go through before Amunet can stop them.
Thinker returns to his sanctuary and discovers that Barry is gone. When he drops the force field, Flash runs out of the area. He stops and says that he vibrated so fast as to be invisible, and Thinker's eyes are still human. Thinker says that it's far from over and grabs Flash when Flash grabs him. He teleports his chair into the sky and drops Flash, and Flash hangs on as Thinker soars through the city., smashing him into buildings. Thinker tries to grab him with his chair's tentacles, and Flash vibrates to let them pass through him. He loses his grip and falls into the harbor, and Cisco's flotation device in his suit activates. As Flash floats, Thinker's chair slams into the water and explodes.
Flash speeds into AR labs and Iris hugs him, relieved.
Later, the team confirms that the DeVoe house is empty. Barry figures that Thinker is interested in his powers, and Caitlin wars that Amunet won't back down. Joe asks if they still want to do Christmas at his house since he didn't have time to decorate, and everyone agrees. Caitlin says that she'll bring Dominic. Once they're alone, Iris wonders if she can still keep making decisions that might get Barry killed. He assures her that she made the right call, and now they have themselves a merry little Christmas.
At the West house, the team arrives and discovers that Ralph dressed as Santa has decorated the house. He explains that he wanted to do something nice for his friends. Ralph apologizes for putting his foot in the mouth earlier, and assures Caitlin that no one is better than her. Caitlin agrees, pointing out that she saved the day. There's a present from Cisco: a break up cube. Harry warns that it's not a break up cube and Cisco should open it alone. He turns it on and finds a hologram of Gypsy inviting him to Christmas for a private session. Joe says that Wally couldn't make it, and Dominic arrives. Caitlin introduces him to everyone, and Cisco gives him the nickname "Brainstorm". Barry's security alert at the loft goes off, and he speed there to investigate.
When Barry gets there, "Dominic" calls him and says that he's Thinker.
Earlier as Dominic is shopping, Amunet approaches him. She says that she has a very important buyer, knocks him out, and takes him to the docks. Amunet collects her payment from mechanic, and Thinker arrives and grabs Dominic's head with his tentacles. He says that Dominic's new abilities will let him do what he needs to, and transmits his mind into Dominic's brain.
Thinker explains that he needed to be reborn, and says that he has no interest in Barry's family. However, he says that he left something there for Barry. Barry sees the knife and a trail of blood, and finds Clifford's body dead on the floor, stabbed in the chest. Singh and his men knock on the door, and as they break in Barry looks at the photos of he and Iris, and tells himself not to run. When Singh and the others come in, Barry surrenders and Singh arrests him for Clifford's murder.
"Dominic" tells the others that he has to go. He walks to where Marlize is waiting and she puts his wedding ring on his hand. They kiss and Thinker says that it's time to bring about the enlightenment. With that, they drive off.
Written by Gadfly on Dec 6, 2017