Ep 19. Snow Pack

After a week's hiatus, The Flash (2014) season 5 returned with a compelling episode that explored the complicated relationships between the Snow family members and brought them all together in a dangerous situation.

The episode, titled "Snow Pack", starts with Caitlin, who is still grappling with her memories of her father and the truth behind her split personality, Frost. She receives a surprise visit from her mother, Dr. Carla Tannhauser (Susan Walters), a renowned geneticist who abandoned Caitlin and her father when she was a child. Caitlin is understandably upset and avoids spending time with her mother, but eventually, they start to mend their relationship and get to know each other better.

Meanwhile, Nora is still attempting to convince her parents to help her go to the future to uncover more information about how to defeat Cicada II, who is still on the loose and killing metahumans. Barry and Iris are hesitant to send their daughter to a dangerous and unknown future, but they eventually agree, on the condition that they will go with her.

The central plot of the episode focuses on Icicle, a metahuman villain who is also Caitlin's estranged father, Thomas Snow (Kyle Secor). He emerges from hiding to seek Caitlin and her mother's help in preventing his descent into madness. Thomas carefully chooses his targets and plans to use them to complete his cryogenic research, which he believes will help him cure his own degenerative condition.

In the most thrilling sequence of the episode, Thomas and Caitlin team up to save her mother, who has been kidnapped by Icicle. Together, they embark on a dangerous mission to retrieve the key that will unlock Thomas’ cryogenic chamber and help him recover.

Throughout "Snow Pack", the Snow family dynamic is explored in-depth. Caitlin struggles with her resentment towards her father, for leaving her and her mother when she was young. Her mother, Dr. Tannhauser, is remorseful about abandoning her daughter and tries to make amends by helping Caitlin heal her fractured psyche. Meanwhile, Thomas finds redemption in his willingness to risk his own life to save his family, even though he knows that he is not quite the same man he once was.

Other characters have significant plotlines too, like Cecile who taps into her psychic abilities to obtain valuable information to track Cicada II. Joe has to deal with the pressure of being a good, supportive husband while also dealing with the pressures of commanding the police force.

Overall, "Snow Pack" is a compelling, character-driven episode that delivers a satisfying mix of action, drama, and humor. It delves into the complex relationships within the Snow family, while also pushing forward the overarching storyline of defeating Cicada II.