At S.T.A.R. Labs, Cisco and Harry try to work out how to deal with the remaining bus metas. Harry points out that Clifford wants the metas, so if they change the bodies then he won't want them. Cisco says that it's time to go to bed, and warns Harry that whatever he's thinking, Clifford already thought of it. Harry insists on continuing his research, and Cisco leaves. Harry wonders if Clifford thought of everything, just like Eobard.
The next day, Harry shows the team his design for an intelligence booster. He figures that if they put the "thinking cap" on a genius, it will make him able to outthink the Thinker. Harry explains that he hacked into the security footage on the night of the dark-matter wave and saw Clifford with his helmet. He figures that if Clifford can do it then so he can, and asks how many metas have to die. Ralph agrees, and Iris and Caitlin side with Harry. Cisco warns against it, asking what the cap will do to Harry's mind. He refuses to help Harry and walks off. Ralph asks if they're not going to do what they have to and walks off, and Iris goes after him. Harry insists that it's the only way and he'll do it with or without Cisco.
In the hallway, Iris tells Ralph that they won't let him get hurt. Ralph says that he's going to protect himself from now on, and points out that she has no idea how dangerous it is because she's in the lab while the rest of them are out in the field risking their lives.
At Jitters, Joe drinks coffee and looks at a woman passing by with her baby. Barry comes in and asks if Joe is okay, and Joe says that Cecile is on her third trimester and things are getting serious. He refuses to say what gender the baby is, and admits that it's going to be a while before they can get Barry's job back. The mayor wants to talk with the Devoes, and they can't find Marlize. Ralph has to impersonate Clifford again, and Barry warns that Ralph barely leaves S.T.A.R. Labs. Joe figures that one of the bus metas is going to show up soon.
Downtown, Erik Frye burns a guard's gun and then burns through a vault. One man, Matthew Kim, ignores the pleas of another customer, Jaco Birch, and tells the burning meta that he shouldn't be using his powers as a sin. When Erik approaches him, Matthew says that he can still walk away. Erik punches him and raises his hands, but his powers don't work. The guard tackles him, and then turns to see that Matthew has fled.
Later, Cisco and Joe arrive at the bank and Cisco detects dark matter on the burned vault door. He tells Joe that it would take over 6,000 degrees to burn through the metal, and Joe points out that his powers stopped working. Erik confirms that he wasn't on the bus and had his powers for years. He left town when Flash showed up and only recently came back to Central City. Cisco confirms that there's no dark matter in Erik, and the officers took him away.
At S.T.A.R. Labs, Caitlin tries to come up with theories accounting for Erik's power loss. Ralph figures that he's safer and goes back to his room. Cisco reviews the footage and figures that Matthew somehow took Erik's powers. No one knew who Matthew was, and Cisco confirms that Matthew is the only person who doesn't check out. Iris insists on going with Joe, and Barry agrees.
Harry is working on his cap with Ralph's help holding things in place. When he puts the cap on, it glows and Harry says that he can feel his thinking process accelerating. Harry analyzes Ralph's eating habits and predicts that he'll spill the mustard from his veggie dog. Ralph isn't convinced, and Harry determines that he's not wearing any underwear. Ralph points out that the cap is on fire, and Harry quickly removes it while Ralph uses a fire extinguisher.
Joe and Iris go to the hospital where Matthew works as an EMT and Iris says that she wants people to know she isn't afraid to go out in the field. They find Matthew and question him about the attack at the bank. Matthew denies knowing anything about it at first, and then says that it was his duty to help the people Erik was threatening. He says that he can't help them, and Iris asks what he did to her. Matthew grabs her and puts a scalpel to her throat. Joe sends a distress call to Barry, who speeds in. Matthew insists that he's helping people as well and Flash grabs him while he's still touching Iris. The EMT runs off, and Barry realizes that he lost his speed. Iris' hand vibrates and they realize she has Barry's speed.
Back at S.T.A.R. Labs, Iris speeds around the lab and Caitlin reports that Iris is a speedster. Everything that was a part of Barry is now in iris, and she doesn't know if she can reverse it. They figure that Matthew can transfer powers and DNA, and that Clifford will come after Matthew eventually. Joe hopes that they'll convince Matthew to remove Clifford's power, and Cisco suggests that they call him "Melting Point". Joe goes out to find whoever has Erik's power, and Barry tells Iris that they need to train her.
Cisco is updating software when Harry comes in and asks Cisco for a tool. When Cisco refuses to help him, Harry storms off and Caitlin asks why Cisco won't help. Cisco warns that Harry is trying to match his intellect against a mad man who is warping his brain, but Caitlin points out that they're running out of ideas and Harry will do it with or without Cisco's help.
Iris runs on the treadmill and realizes that she can't slow down. She crashes into the box barricade and Barry insists that he's fine losing his speed. However, he points out that Clifford is slowly taking everything away from him. Iris assures him that she's still there, and says that Caitlin will find a way to restore his powers. Until then Barry has to watch her like she watched him.
The alarm goes off and Iris speeds to the Cortex. When Barry gets there, Cisco says that Baldwin Tower is on fire and there are people trapped on the top floor. Ralph refuses to go, figuring that it's a trap, and Caitlin suggests that Iris go with Killer Frost. Iris agrees and switches clothing with Caitlin, and Cisco gives her one of Jesse's masks.
Iris arrives at the tower and evacuates the people at superspeed. Barry directs her to go in and spin her arms to create a wind funnel. It doesn't work and a burning support falls on her. Barry tells her to phase through it and tries to explain what to do. The room's integrity fails and Cisco breaches there, gets Iris, and breaches back to the Cortex.
The next day, Caitlin confirms that Iris will be good to go soon. Ralph warns that Iris isn't ready, and Barry says that they have to find Matthew and whoever he transferred Erik's powers to. Caitlin admits that she hasn't found a solution and Iris may permanently be the team's speedster. Cisco goes after Harry and says that he'll help finish the cap. However, he has two conditions: they don’t use dark matter, and if Harry starts acting insane then he'll vibe him to Earth-2.
Iris continues training and Barry tells her to take it easy. She says that running is calming, and Barry suggests that she let Cisco and Caitlin handle Matthew. Iris refuses to stay behind, and explains that it's her turn to prove to herself that she has the same fearlessness she did before she married Barry. The alarm goes off and Caitlin says that they've found Erik's missing powers, and Barry tells Iris to go after it.
A satellite tracks the new meta's boosted heat signature, and the team spots Matthew nearby. Iris says that she'll take point, and Cisco provides Iris with a costume.
Joe and his officers confront Jaco, who uses his new heat powers to drive them back. Matthew steps out and tells Jaco that he's making a mistake. Jaco recognizes him from the bank and asks Jaco to stop, and explains that he got Erik's powers. He realizes that Matthew didn't realize that he transferred the powers, and Iris speeds in and slaps power-dampeners on Matthew.
As the police lead Matthew away, Iris confronts Jaco. Barry tells her to run around Jaco and draw off his flames, but she panics and can't get close to him. Jaco creates a thermos cyclone and Harry says that they need to use the thinking cap to get answers. Barry agrees and Harry puts on the thinking cap. After a moment, he says that there is only one way out of 4,827 that can work: Iris has to use her speed to create a tidal wave.
Barry tells Iris to run on the water and dig her heels in to drag as much water into the city as possible. When Iris says that she can't, Barry assures her that she's the bravest person he knows and tells her to run. Iris streaks out into the bay and then runs back, bringing a tidal wave of water with her. Joe and his men take cover as Jaco tries to turn the water into steam. There's too much water and it douses him, and Joe congratulates Iris before putting the power dampeners on Jaco.
Later, the team takes Matthew to S.T.A.R. Labs. Matthew apologizes, thinking he was making the city better, and then asks if Flash and Iris want to do it. Flash leaves it up to Iris, and she says that she'd love to be back behind the console. Matthew uses his power again and transfers the speed back into Flash. He speeds around the lab and says that he feels great. Matthew says that it's the last time that he's using his powers, and Flash suggests that he was chosen for a bigger plan. Iris tells Matthew that they need his help to stop Clifford, and they figure they might have a chance with Matthew on their side. Cisco takes him on a tour of S.T.A.R. Labs, and Joe points out that Barry never made a tidal wave before. Flash asks Iris to show him how to do it and they make a date for training.
Iris goes after Ralph and says that Matthew will need a buddy. Ralph figures that Matthew will be terrified just like he is, and Iris says that she was terrified when she thought Savitar was going to kill her. She refuses to hide from the world and let Savitar win, so she decided not to give into the fear. Ralph apologizes for saying that she never put her life on the line, and assures her that she make one hell of a Flash in or out of costume. Ralph goes to pay the mayor a visit as Clifford, figuring that it's time to start living again. As they take the elevator up, he thanks Iris.
That night, Barry arrives at the apartment with pizza for himself and Iris. He says that Iris didn't have to give up her speed, and asks why she did it. Iris explains that being the light for others is what a speedster is, and writing is what she is. They kiss and Barry leaves her to her work.
At S.T.A.R. Labs, Cisco tells Harry to take off the cap because they're over his safety limits. He shuts down the photon floor and Harry removes the cap and says that he doesn't need it anymore. Harry has the names of the last two metas, Janet Petty and Edwin Goss.
Written by Gadfly on Mar 14, 2018