Orlin Dwyer

Orlin Dwyer
Biological Information
Species	Meta-human
Status	Alive
Universe Information
Home universe	Earth One
General Information
Occupation	Employee of Szrek Chemicals Criminal (in secret) Serial killer (in secret)
Affiliation	Szrek Chemicals
Family	Unnamed (sister; deceased) Unnamed (brother-in-law; deceased) Grace Gibbons (niece) Robbie (cousin)
Alter ego	Cicada
Actor	Chris Klein

"She's all I think about, Flash. And I'm making the world safe for her. Every meta-human must go."
"Then what about you? You're a meta-human now."
"I am, and after you're gone, I'll join you."

—Orlin Dwyer and the Flash on the former's vendetta^[src]

Orlin Dwyer, known better as Cicada, is a serial killer whose goal is to kill all meta-humans. He is the brother of a late unnamed woman and the uncle and guardian of the comatose Grace Gibbons.

Biography

Early life

Orlin Dwyer grew up in the Midwest, where he was in and out of juvie. Orlin had a sister, though their relationship was implied to have become distant in their adulthood.

Orlin eventually moved to Central City and became employed at Szrek Chemicals in 2016.

Taking Grace In

One night in early 2017, a CCPD officer arrived at Orlin's door and revealed that his sister and her husband had been killed in a meta-human attack. As a result, their daughter and Orlin's niece, Grace Gibbons, was sent to live with him, as he was her next of kin. However, Orlin was initially unprepared and unwilling to care for a child, and thus had a strained relationship with Grace.

Several months later, Grace began getting into trouble at school for lashing out at her classmates. When Orlin confronted her, Grace angrily yelled that he wasn't her parent as he made her life worse, and that she hated her uncle just like he hated himself. Shocked at her outburst, Orlin was forced to realize he needed to change his ways.

Shortly afterwards on May 22, 2017, Orlin arranged for him and Grace to move into the former's cousin Robbie's old house. There, Orlin apologized to Grace for failing her and admitted she was right in that he hated himself. He asked for a second chance, which she agreed to. Overtime, Orlin and Grace began to bond through fixing up the house and decorating a dollhouse, and Orlin soon came to love Grace as his own daughter.

Gaining Powers

A year later on May 22, 2018, Orlin took Grace to the Central City Carnival to celebrate the day he made a promise to change to change for her, where he gifted Grace the doll set she wanted for her dollhouse. Suddenly, the Enlightenment began, which rendered Orlin, Grace, everyone else in the carnival unconscious as the S.T.A.R. Labs satellite worked to reset their brains. When The Flash and XS destroyed the dark matter-loaded satellite, the resulting force of the double speedster punch caused the device to shatter into multiple pieces. Orlin and Grace attempted to flee as the debris rained down on Central City, but the satellite's core exploded near them. A piece of the satellite core shaped like a dagger, which was infused with large amounts of dark matter, impaled Orlin in his chest, causing a permanent injury in his lung. Another piece of shrapnel hit Grace in the head. It is implied that the shrapnel which hit Orlin was meant for David Hersch before Nora's interference changed the trajectory of the satellite debris, causing a shift in the timeline. Orlin brought Grace to Central City Hospital, pleading for someone to help her. Dr. Ambres had Orlin wheeled into the emergency room as she looked over Grace.

Later after Orlin was discharged, he went to a comatose Grace's hospital room, where Ambres sadly warned him that she may not ever wake up due to the brain hemorrhaging the shrapnel caused. A heartbroken Orlin blamed himself for not protecting Grace but Ambres assured him it wasn't his fault, claiming the meta-humans in the city were to blame due to running around unchecked. After Ambres left, Orlin saw the news heralding The Flash and his allies for saving the city, as well as a report of another meta-human escaping the police after a robbery. Orlin was filled with rage, causing the dark-matter infused lightning dagger to fly to his hand. As the dagger glowed, Orlin vowed to Grace that he would make things right and decided to use his abilities to kill every meta-human in existence.

Becoming Cicada

As William Lang/Gridlock was being transported to Iron Heights Prison, Cicada ambushed the convoy. Throwing a lightning bolt-shaped dagger into the path of the truck, a burst of electric energy radiated from the blade, bringing the truck to a halt. After a brief altercation with the police, in which a few suffered severe injuries, Cicada went to the back of the transport vehicle to gain access to Lang. When questioned by Lang about who he was, or what he wanted, Cicada simply replied, "For all of you to die". He then approached Lang with the same lightning bolt-shaped dagger, flowing with the same unknown electrical energy.

Upon attempting to kill him, Lang freed himself and fought back. Although the fight looked to be in Gridlock's favor, Cicada's discarded dagger seemingly absorbed his powers, leaving him defenseless. Cicada easily overpowered the now-powerless Gridlock, beating him to the ground before fatally stabbing him in the chest, absorbing whatever energy he had left. Afterward, Cicada retreated to an unknown factory, still reeling from his injuries as he reflected on the fight. A coworker sees Cicada and inquires on whether he's been in "another fight", to which he confirms. As the co-worker leaves, Cicada gets up to place both his dagger and mask in his work locker, seemingly hiding in plain sight.

First Encounter with Team Flash

When The Flash and XS defeated Vanessa Jansen, Cicada revealed himself to the group after throwing a dagger through Jansen's back, before confronting the speedsters as well as Vibe and Elongated Man. As XS left to get Jansen to a hospital, Cicada threw his dagger into the ground, absorbing the remaining trio's powers, as he had done to Gridlock. Although the group attempted to subdue Cicada with hand-to-hand combat alone, he proved to be the superior fighter as he defeated all three. Seeing the Flash incapacitated, he went to deal the final blow with his dagger but XS returned just in time, shouting "Dad!" Cicada, seemingly affected by the parent-child bond shown between the two, paused before calmly getting up and walking away as the police arrived.

While most of the members of Team Flash were investigating about Cicada, the latter held Joe West captive in Joe's own home in order to get Vibe. With her telepathic powers, Cecille Horton discovered that Joe was in trouble. Joe told Cecille via his thoughts that she shouldn't use his panic button to call for help. When Joe and Cecille's baby cried, Cecille ended up using the distress call. Vibe came, Cicada tackled him, forcing him through the breach Cisco created to arrive on the scene, bringing both of them to a forest. Cicada hurt Vibe on his right shoulder with his dagger and brought him. When Vibe's teammates discovered what forest he was in and arrived on the scene, he nullified Flash's speed, but XS could throw him off for a while. Vibe threw a reactor on Cicada, but it was reflected back to Vibe, and the big explosion made Cicada think Vibe died, which seemed corroborated by a news article published a short time later. He doesn't know that Cisco faked his death. He then later went to a hospital to see Grace while also showing a doctor his shrapnel wound, telling him to stop. He ignores the doctor, and then kisses his niece goodbye.

A week later, Cicada returns to his home and is shown to be in incredible amounts of pain, because of his shrapnel wound. He then grabs onto a metal pipe and then, much to his surprise, starts crushing it. Realizing he has super strength, while still in an incredible amount of pain.

Personality

• As a civilian
• As Cicada

Orlin in his civilian persona.

Before he took in Grace Gibbons, Orlin Dwyer was a very selfish and lazy person; he didn't want to have to take care of anyone and he hated having to go to work. However, after taking her in, he started to turn his life around and became a supportive father-figure to his niece. After the events of the Enlightenment, Orlin felt as though he needed to kill all meta-humans as he thought they were the cause of his niece's condition.

Orlin as Cicada.

Despite having a massive vendetta against meta-humans, Orlin avoided killing civilians, though he didn't mind seriously injuring them, as seen with the police officers transporting William Lang. Caring for Grace also caused him to have empathy for other families as seen in his hesitation to kill Barry Allen after his daughter Nora calls out to him (addressing Barry as "dad"). He also mentioned to Joe West should cherish his family more, leading to the latter deducing that he was a parent.

Orlin's hate for meta-humans is to the point of recklessness as he disregards his own safety, refusing to have the shard in his chest that is killing him removed, as he states that it makes him stronger. His hatred of the meta-humans also applies to himself, claiming that once he has killed them all, he will end his life.

Powers and abilities

Powers

• Meta-human physiology: When hit by a dark matter shard from the failed Enlightenment, Orlin's DNA was altered, enabling him to access his newfound powers.
  • Lightning dagger-bond: The accident with the dark matter satellite gave Orlin a psionic connection to a lightning bolt-shaped dagger created from the same satellite. This connection prevents anyone but him from lifting said dagger and likewise allows him to mentally summon it back to him, even if the dagger has been sent as far away as outer space.
    • Power negation: The dagger has the ability to negate meta-human powers. However, the dagger is only capable of disabling meta-human powers that originate from dark matter; Caitlin Snow's powers are still able to manifest in the dagger's presence, since she gained her powers through other means.
    • Electricity generation: Cicada's dagger can also generate red electricity.
    • Force-field generation: When the dagger lodged itself into the ground, it generated a force-field or red energy.
    • Meta-human detection: The dagger glows red if a meta-human is near.
  • Flight: Orlin is capable of flight at high speeds.
  • Superhuman strength: Orlin possesses strength sufficient enough to crush a metal pole with one bare hand.
  • Precognition: Orlin possesses the ability to see glimpses of the near future, as seen when he was about to collapse, he saw a vision of himself on the ground.

Abilities

• Expert combatant: Orlin has incredible fighting skills, allowing him to defeat a de-powered Gridlock. He also defeated the de-powered Flash, Vibe and Elongated Man at the same time with relative ease.
  • Expert knife wielder: Orlin has shown expert knife-wielding skills as seen during his fight against the Flash, Vibe and Elongated Man. He has also been shown to be an expert knife thrower as seen when he threw his knife at Block from a couple of feet away and when he threw his dagger in front of the convoy truck during his attack on Gridlock.
• Expert tracker: In his goal of eradicating all meta-humans, Orlin is shown to be very efficient in tracking them down.
• Indomitable will/High pain tolerance: Despite the agonizing pain from the embedded shrapnel damaging his lung, Orlin's single-minded hate for meta-humans and love for his daughter has allowed him to power through his pain and continue fighting efficiently. He also showed remarkable resilience when taking on Gridlock, able to eventually overpower him despite the latter initially attacking him with his meta-human powers.
• Stealth/Infiltration: Cicada was able to successfully sneak up on Team Flash after their battle with Block. He also broke into the West house undetected and ambushed Joe West.

Weaknesses

• Dark matter shard: The very object that gives him his powers is also what impedes him. Lodged in his chest, it's damaged his right lung, making it hard for him to breathe. As noted by his niece's doctor, the more Orlin uses his powers, the more it strains his body, as he continues to endure ever-increasing pain. However, he refuses to have the shard removed, as he's said "it's making me stronger".

Equipment

• Meta-tech Lightning dagger: The shard from the dark matter-loaded satellite that hit Orlin also affected the said material. Through his signature dagger, Orlin is able to perform a number of feats. As it glows to produce red electricity, he can generate powerful force fields, and also negate other meta-human powers.
• Mask: Cicada wears an industrial breathing mask that protects his identity and modifies his voice while sounding like a cicada when he exhales. As well as help him breathe when exerting himself, due to his damaged lung.

Known victims

Killed

• William Lang/Gridlock
• Vanessa Jansen/Block
• Raelene Sharp/Razorsharp

Survived

• Cisco Ramon/Vibe

Appearances

The Flash

Season 4 "We Are The Flash" (deleted scene) Season 5 "Nora" (as Cicada) "Blocked" "The Death of Vibe" "News Flash" "All Doll'd Up" (mentioned) "The Icicle Cometh" "O Come, All Ye Thankful" "What's Past is Prologue" "Elseworlds, Part 1" (mentioned) "The Flash & The Furious" (mentioned)

Trivia

• Orlin's mask resembles the mouth of a cicada insect.
  • His breathing sounds like a cicada insect as well, which was how he got his moniker.
• Orlin is the second main antagonist of The Flash who did not get his powers from a particle accelerator explosion, after Eobard Thawne.
  • He is also the second main antagonist who isn't a speedster, the first being The Thinker.
• Orlin shares similarities with Ben Lockwood/Agent Liberty.
  • Both of their vendettas are based on xenophobia; Orlin hates meta-humans while Ben hates aliens.
  • Both faced repeated attacks and losses due to the prominent heroes in their cities; Orlin lost his sister and brother-in-law to a meta-human attack while Ben lost his home and family business as a direct/indirect byproduct of extraterrestrial presence on Earth.
  • A beloved family member getting hurt as a result of the final battle in their show's previous seasons was the final catalyst for their descent into villainy; Orlin became Cicada after his niece was rendered comatose during the Enlightenment. Ben became Agent Liberty after his father died during Reign's terraformation of Earth.

Behind the scenes

• In the comics, David Hersch/Cicada was an enemy of Wally West who also killed people with a lightning-shaped dagger, but his goal was to collect energy to resurrect his wife. He had been struck by lightning and given immortality as well as the power to drain energy from others. Instead of a mask, he had a long white beard, and his name came from the sound emitted by him when he used his powers.
  • There was a cult that Cicada led in the comics (which also happened to include Frankie Kane/Magenta) but due to his adaptation having a close visual similarity to Alchemy, the cult was likely excluded from the show to avoid too many similarities with him.
  • This is referenced in the show with Sherloque Wells saying that David Hersch was Cicada in all other universes. Additionally, a character known as Hersch was mentioned back in season 3, although it's unknown if he is supposed to be the same character as David Hersch.
• Cicada was originally supposed to appear as the second cliffhanger scene of the season 4 finale, but he was cut due to time constraints and the scene was used in the trailer for season 5.