Entertainment

Killer Frost Is Bringing The Cold To 'The Flash'

by Hannah Shapiro

A lot is changing on The Flash. At the end of Season 2, Barry traveled back in time to save his parents, altering the timeline and creating Flashpoint. This action changed some key elements of the show, including who has powers on The Flash . One notable transformation is that of Caitlin Snow, who has remained a constant part of Team Flash as the brilliant bio engineer and dependable friend of S.T.A.R. Labs. In the DC Comics world, Snow has an alter-ego, Killer Frost, who made an appearance on the CW series when Team Flash traveled to Earth-2. That was viewers' first introduction to the character, but we should certainly start getting used to her and try to understand exactly what Killer Frost's powers are, since Caitlin now seems to be transforming into her alter ego.

Killer Frost is a pretty badass villain in the comics and what we've seen from her on the show has already been exciting. On The Flash, Frost has the ability of cryokinesis, which means she can generate and manipulate cold and ice. She also has the power of platinum blonde hair and blue lips and though it's obviously not that important in terms of powers, it's a pretty badass look.

In DC Comics, Frost's abilities are the product of a change in her molecular structure. While the origin of this change may be different in the comics then on TV, the change is what's important. She "generates organic ice-like cells," which is where her cryokinesis comes from. As The Flash has shown, that also allows Killer Frost to shoot sharp blades of ice and freeze objects. While Caitlin Snow is good and could use her abilities to help the team, her alter ego is usually dangerous.

In the Season 2 episode "Welcome To Earth-2," doppleganger Killer Frost did reluctantly work with The Flash team. Not only did her powers include all of those listed above, but she was also able to create sculptures and bridges out of ice. This lead the audience to believe that her powers are ever growing. Nearly every metahuman we have been introduced to on the show has experienced an increase in powers — Barry Allen gets faster, Cisco Ramon gains more control, the villains get stronger — so though we know where Frost's powers begin, they will also develop.

My hope is that Killer Frost will emerge as a potential villain without losing the character of Caitlin Snow. The conflict between good and evil, combined with grappling with these new powers, would make for an engaging storyline. Watching Caitlin deal with her new icy powers has already been fun, as we've seen that when Caitlin gets emotional, her eyes become icy and Killer Frost begins to poke through. Cisco had a vibe that he would fight Killer Frost, a fate that would turn friends into foes. It's only a matter of time before we find out if this becomes a reality.

Whether Caitlin goes full Killer Frost or is able to keep things under control, her powers are certainly developing quickly, so it's only a matter of time before The Flash gets a lot colder.

Images: Katie Yu, Diyah Pera (3)/The CW