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in: Episodes, The Flash (The CW) episodes, Season 7 (The Flash)

Growing Pains

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"When Kramer looks at you, all she sees are the mistakes you’ve made. She doesn’t see how much pain you’ve gone through, or how much you’ve grown because of it. You’re a good person, Frost, and, human or meta-human, you deserve the chance to prove it."
—Caitlin Snow to Frost

"Growing Pains" is the seventh episode of the seventh season of The Flash, and the one-hundred-fortieth episode overall. It aired on April 13, 2021.

Synopsis[]

When a mysterious ice powered enemy frames Frost for a brutal crime, she must find a way to clear her name. Meanwhile, Barry and Iris have a surprise houseguest, and Joe continues to deal with Kristen Kramer.[src]

Plot[]

Mark Blaine has watched Frost and Caitlin Snow for years and has grown to admire her/them; he gets a job as a bartender in Keystone City where Frost once worked, just to be like her.

A new day begins, so while Barry Allen is out dealing with a car fire, he grabs breakfast and returns to Central City. When he returns home, he sees a banquet was made; the Speed Force made him and Iris West-Allen breakfast to thank them for allowing it/her to spend the night. However, Barry's powers are glitching. Though the Speed Force, in the form of his mother, Nora Allen, admits that it/she is increasing Barry's powers, Barry doubts that that is the problem.

Barry gets a call from the CCPD that a crime occurred outside Ivo Labs where a man has been frozen and shattered and the cargo in his truck was stolen. Chester P. Runk arrives and acts as tech support. Kristen Kramer and Joe West also arrive; Kristen concludes, without proof, that, since the crime was ice-related, Frost was responsible and announces on television that she wants Frost arrested and places a reward for her capture.

Frost, though told by Cecile Horton not to be in public, goes to Keystone City to see if she can get any leads on the ice-wielding criminal who killed the driver; she meets Mark Blaine and is very attracted to him. The two fight bar patrons who decided to try to collect on Frost's bounty. Mark tells her that there is a new meta who is interested in tech in a nearby warehouse and sends her there, but she finds nothing, though a laser in the warehouse scans her.

Meta-human Task Force

Meta-human Task Force

Meanwhile, the Speed Force appears whenever Barry gets frustrated with the case to prove Frost's innocence. Barry's powers act erratically when she/it appears, making him grow more frustrated.

The Meta-human Task Force arrests Caitlin Snow because they got an anonymous tip where Frost lived. While Caitlin is in custody, Frost calls Cecile and tells her that she is going to free her twin. Caitlin and Frost talk and Frost realizes who the criminal is.

Barry explains to Iris that the Speed Force is not human and he is uncomfortable with the facade; Iris asks Barry to be sympathetic as the Speed Force develops its humanity.

The Speed Force Emitting Red, Yellow and Blue Lightning

Frost returns to the bar and Mark, a human, tells his origin story, not knowing that he is being taped. He also explains that he can use his gauntlets now that her DNA has been scanned. The two fight, flirt, and dance as their emotions are conflicted. However, Frost, remembering that Mark is a killer, wins the fight by stabbing herself and Chillblaine; Frost can ice-heal as a meta-human, while Chillblaine, using technology, is hurt badly.

The Flash and Allegra arrive to take Chillblaine into custody just before the Meta-human Task Force follows. Though Allegra is against it, Frost surrenders.

Barry stops glitching and calls the Speed Force "Nora" for the first time, by accepting that this version is different than the past.

Cast[]

Starring[]

Guest starring[]

Co-starring[]

Uncredited[]

Gallery[]

Videos[]

Trivia[]

  • The episode's title references the American sitcom Growing Pains.
  • Cecile states that the Caitlin's assaulting Savitar's acolyte, kidnapping Julian, along with Frost trying to kill Tracy and kidnapping Cecile herself are the crimes Frost is being charged with.
    • Unknown how Frost got pinned for Julian, Cecile and Tracy's cases (as they work with Team Flash and would have kept quiet; Julian kept his promise, at least Pre-Crisis); plus the CCPD thinks Snart is still "off grid", never considering him.
  • Frost pleads guilty to all four crimes; even when Caitlin is actually responsible for half or them (as Frost didn't awaken until Abra Kadabra temporarily killed Caitlin).
  • When Mark takes off his shirt, the song Hot in Here plays as Frost stares at his well-toned body; ironically meaning that the ice girl has "the hots" for him. Even Mark can notice her desire.
  • After Chester is called for a crime scene, Frost says, "Have Fun, Peralta" which is a reference to the character, Jake Peralta from the police sitcom Brooklyn Nine Nine.
  • When Chester arrives at the crime scene, he says, "Holy Baby Grogu". This is a reference to the character, Grogu from The Mandalorian.
  • Chester is a fan of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, having compared the Speed Force to the Rangers' mentor and leader Zordon.
  • Chillblaine was first introduced to the DC Comics in 1991 in The Flash Annual (Volume 2) #4. He's actually a sidekick and romantic interest for Captain Cold's sister, Golden Glider. Glider basically blasts him with her brother's cold gun and he becomes Chillblaine. There have been four Chillblaines and only the last one was truly a supervillain. The first three were killed in battle or discarded. All Chillblaines have been known for their looks and not for their brains. They don't really have superpowers or abilities of their own - nor do they have a nemesis. However, the fourth Chillblaine went rogue and murdered Glider for her freeze technology, and Captain Cold avenged his sister by killing him.
  • When Allegra revealed that Frost went on to find the fugitive on her own, Chester believes that she went all "Fugitive". This is a reference to the series, The Fugitive, a show about a wrongly convicted doctor who is trying to find the real suspect.
  • Barry mentions that Cisco would hate the name Chillblaine, both because it sounds lame and Cisco hates when a villain self-names.
  • The fact someone with psychiatric training is with Kramer and Joe upon arresting Caitlin suggests that Kramer put together a psychological assessment that Caitlin is either unstable or has a split personality.
    • The second one was true, but no longer.
  • Chillblaine's first onscreen victim was frozen and literally shattered, the fate of his comic book counterpart (courtesy of Captain Cold).
  • Mike Wieringo was the creator of Bart Allen/Impulse; Frost went to a warehouse that referenced the writer and penciler.

Goofs[]

  • The presence of dark matter at the crime scene at Ivo Labs should have been enough to exonerate Frost of that crime, since she did not get her powers from the particle accelerator explosion.
    • However the CCPD doesn't know about Frost's origins aside from her possible connection to Alchemy. However, even with that piece of evidence, the metas created by him still had dark matter.
  • Frost and Chillblaine's fight is supposed to take place in Keystone City; however, Kristen Kramer shows up with the Meta-human Task Force from Central City.
    • Plus, unless Chillblaine called them, there's no way they could have shown up so conveniently.

References[]

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