“Cold Day In Hell”

“Cold Day in Hell” starts the finale, 2 episodes early.  This is what Flash should have been all along.  The epic qualities are finally brought into play.  We open with Flash declaring that it is time to take Ming down and that it is their only option.  He can’t destroy the rift generator, so he will destroy Ming.  Making his way to the monks, he discusses the prophecies. He asks the leader to declare him the one so that the cantons would untie under him to revolt against the tyrant.

It’s a slam bang beginning that we have not seen this entire series.  The drama is actually palpable and you can forgive the rush towards the end, as it is better than the alternative.

The monk says that Flash must pass one more test.  He must rescue the Frigian Queen and is transported instaneously, where he is met by an ice pirate who offers to help him find his way to Frigia.

Meanwhile, Dale grows antsy.   Joe’s death has caused her to act irrationally.  She is determined to tell everyone on Earth about Mongo as it is the only way to save everyone in her eyes.  Zarkov still denies this but is unable to stop her from going back to Earth.

Meanwhile Balin and Zarkov try to find Flash.

Terek risks much and tries to gain audience with Ming, giving him one last chance.  Terek will stand with Ming and reunite the cantons, if Ming will accept the Deviates.  Ming rejects it and takes Terek prisoner.  It is unlike Ming to let Terek live and it is obvious it is merely a plot device, but again, it’s easy to overlook.

Ming, growing ever more insane with power and desperation, is tipped over the edge when Terek tells him that he is his son.

Ming lashes out at Aura convinced that she knew and brings her down to say her goodbyes.

Fortunately, Baylin gets there first and with the help of a guard with loyalty to Flash’s cause, free Terek to help her find Flash.  They track down Rankol who is praying.  She realizes that he is a monk.  Ming would have his head if he knew of Rankol’s dual loyalty.  Rankol believes in Flash though and sends Baylin and Terek to Frigia to help Flash out.

Meanwhile Flash and Brini, the ice poacher are caught by the acting ruler of Frigia, Count Mallo.  Flash gets out of trouble by declaring he was sent to save their queen.  Mallo gives him a shot and shows him where she is being held being guarded by an ice worm who has killed all who has come near it.

Ming reaches out to the temporary leader of the Frigia and sets up a truce while the queen is frozen.

Baylin and Terek arrive to save both Flash and Brini.  Brini leaves to bring ice back to her canton, and Flash and company are caught by Mallo who isn’t ready to give up power.  He straps them to the wall and leaves them with a device set to attract the ice worm,

Meanwhile on Earth, Dale goes back and forth, spurred on by her assistant to make the report, but she can’t decide.

Zarkov makes his way to Rankol’s lab where he finds a hologram of Dr. Hiller who worked under Dr.Gordon.  It’s another slow connection wtih Earth, that raises the stakes that much more.

Brini comes back despite all the red herrings provided that she would leave them behind.  She gets the crew out and they destroy the device that lured the worm, but too late.  Instead Flash sets up a trap for it hoping to bring down an icicle through his head.

Flash saves the queen and deposes Mallo where we discover that Brini is a princess of the Triton canton.  Flash sets up Frigia and Triton to be allies against Ming.  They all make it back to Nascent City where the monk and Rankol confer where they declare that Terek is the true hero that they have been waiting for.  It is unclear but nonetheless, I’m not certain why it is important anyways as obviously they will both head up a resistance against Ming.

It is an episode of setup for certain, but Flash Gordon surprisingly is able to make it as exciting as the climactic episodes were.

Yes, it is cheesy, yes there are some less than stellar moments, but overall it is a high quality episode.

A-

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