The final member of the Rogues Gallery makes his appearance in this week’s episode of The Flash. But is Abra Kadabra the only big bad to make an appearance?
The Flash fights a villain from Earth-19 called Abra Kadabra, who offers to reveal Savitar’s identity in exchange for his release.
THE VILLAIN
ABRA KADABRA
It’s true what Arthur C. Clarke said in his three laws:
- When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.
- The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.
- Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
Clarke came up with these laws in his essay, “Hazards of Prophecy: The Failure of Imagination,” in Profiles of the Future (1962). It is his third law that brings us Abra Kadabra, a villain from the future, who uses technology to make those in present day believe he is the greatest magician of all time.
It is also interesting to note that the same year Clarke published Profiles of the Future, Abra Kadabra appeared in The Flash #128 (May 1962). Since Clarke’s book only has a 1962 release date, one could quickly devolve into an argument of “Which came first the Kadabra or the Clarke?” Clarke’s three laws did appear in papers written between 1958 and 1961, so it is entirely possible that John Broome and Carmine Infantino had read Clarke’s works and applied them immediately to Abra Kadabra (aka Citizen Abra).
By 1962, Clarke had already written for Astounding Science Fiction, and had a number of books published, including The City and the Stars in 1956, which was a must read book for science fiction fans. It is entirely possible that Broome and Clarke crossed paths while both were working in the sci-fi pulps.
What drove Citizen Abra to travel back in time? In the 64th century, stage magic had become obsolete, yet Abra desperately wanted to be a performing magician, so he stole a time machine (shades of Booster Gold), and traveled to the past. During the Flash’s early run, Kadabra’s powers were all based on technology from the future, however during the horrible Underworld Unleashed, Kadabra was given real magical powers in exchange for his soul.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
Abra Kadabra’s crime spree includes two well known labs from the comics.
STAGG INDUSTRIES
Stagg Industries first appeared in the Arrowverse in the second episode of The Flash (Fastest Man Alive). Stagg Enterprises first appeared in 1965’s Metamorpho #1. Founded by Simon Stagg, Stagg Enterprises has offices in New York, Los Angeles, and Metropolis. There is no Stagg Enterprises in Central City, that is a television only location.
THINK ABOUT IT
One interesting item that was mentioned during the opening moments of the episode when one guard said there was a rumor going around that someone was buying Stagg Industries. Who could it be? Will we see someone buying up tech companies as we set up the big bad for season four?
Abra Kadabra did mention all of the villains we’ve seen in the television series, but he dropped the name DeVoe as well. DeVoe is more than likely a reference to Clifford DeVoe, aka The Thinker who first appeared in All-Flash #12. As the brains behind Gotham City’s underworld he was constantly seeking out new scientific devices to improve his mental abilities. Interestingly, Cliff Carmichael (another villain to use the name The Thinker) was an intellectual rival of Ronald Raymod, Firestorm.
This will be an interesting turn of events if Thinker becomes the villain in season four and the creators telegraphed the reveal this far ahead.
KORD INDUSTRIES
The other tech company to get a name drop this week is Kord Industries, owned by Ted Kord, otherwise known as The Blue Beetle.
Kord Enterprises was founded by his father, Ted Kord eventually takes over Kord Industries. Wayne Enterprises has folded Kord Enterprises into the Wayne Enterprises family, making it a subsidiary.[1]
Among Kord Industries’ products and holdings are the Blue Beetle’s “Bug” (his flying vehicle), his BB gun, a strobe-light gun, and other gadgets employed by the Blue Beetle; as well as Blue & Gold, a video game company co-owned with Booster Gold.
Kord Industries first appeared in Captain Atom #83 (November, 1966) and was created by Steve Ditko. Yes, THAT Steve Ditko, co-creator of Marvel’s Spider-Man.
If you are a fan of Arrow, you’ll remember Kord Enterprises first appeared in season 2 and again in season 4. Though we haven’t seen Ted Kord appear in either series yet, we’re still hoping he shows up soon! Interestingly, Ted Kord was supposed to appear in Arrow season 3, but the creators weren’t able to use him because the higher ups had something bigger planned for the character. Instead, Kord was replaced with Ray Palmer, and the rest is history.
Cosmic Treadmill?
Now that we know Barry is going to travel to the future, will the next episode give us a working Cosmic Treadmill? One can only hope! And what will happen with Killer Frost! She’s back, and she doesn’t look to happy. The Flash returns on April 25th!
IT’S CALLED A SECRET IDENTITY FOR A REASON!
No new secret identity reveals this week, which is good for Barry.
Dr. Harrison Wells(deceased?)- Eobard Thawne
- Dr. Harry Wells (Earth-2)
- Dr. Caitlin Snow
- Dr. Cisco Ramon
- Detective Joe West
Ronnie Raymond(deceased)- Dr. Martin Stein
- Mrs. Clarissa Stein
- Hartley Rathaway (Pied Piper)
- Felicity Smoak
- General Wade Eiling
- Oliver Queen (Green Arrow)
- John Diggle
Bette Sans Souci(deceased)- Dr. Henry Allen (deceased)
- Iris West (in another timeline)
- Iris West-Allen (in the future)
- Iris West (via spark touch)
- Iris West (of Earth-2)
- Iris West (in yet another timeline)
Leonard Snart (Captain Cold)(deceased)Detective Eddie Thawne(deceased)- Ray Palmer (The Atom)
- Brie Larvan
- Laurel Lance (Black Canary)
Hannibal Bates (Everyman)(deceased)- Gorilla Grodd
- Lyla Diggle (Harbinger)
- Jay Garrick (The Flash of Earth-2)
- Dr. Henry Hewitt
- Jefferson Jackson (Firestorm)
- Linda Park
- Malcolm Merlin/Al Sa-Her/Ra’s al Ghul
- Vandal Savage
- Kendra Saunders (Hawkgirl)
- Cater Hall (Hawkman)
- Thea Queen (Speedy)
- Patty Spivot
- Barry Allen (of Earth-2)
- Killer Frost (of Earth-2)
- Jesse Quick (of Earth-2)
- Supergirl/Kara Zor-El (of Earth-38)
- James Olsen (of Earth-38)
- Alex Danvers (of Earth-38)*
- Martian Manhunter (of Earth-38)*
- Winn Schott (of Earth-38)
- Cat Grant (of Earth-38)
- Lucy Lane (of Earth-38)
- Everyone at the DEO (of Earth-38)
- Dr. Tina McGee
- Wally West
- Nora Allen (
no longer deceaseddeceased once more) - Zoom (aka Hunter Zolomon)
- H.R. Wells (of Earth-19)
- Mick Rory (Heat Wave)
- Rip Hunter
- Sara Lance (White Canary)
- Commander Steel
- Vixen
- Julian Albert Desmond
- Olga
- Gypsy
- Music Meister
- Mon-El
- Abra Kadabra
And that should be everything! What did I miss? What did you catch? Use the comment section below to share your thoughts on this episode, and until next week remember – It’s your cousin, Marvin Barry!
https://youtu.be/NaKJvpGwTSI
FLASHBACK: THE PODCAST
Matthew Peterson and I sit down each week to discuss this episode in detail on the Flashback podcast. If you are a Major Spoilers Patreon Member, look for the Flashback Podcast very soon!
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