# The Flash S03E18: Abra Kadabra **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 28, 2017, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e18-abra-kadabra/783211 "2017-03-28T12:21:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e18-abra-kadabra/783211/1 "2017-03-28T12:21:13Z")
Tonight, we finally encounter the magician from the future Abra Kadabra who is - shocker! - actually not H.R. Hopefully he’ll be as fun as Mr. Mxyzptlk or Music Meister, and we can get away from seeing angsty Allen again. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e18-abra-kadabra/783211/2 "2017-03-28T12:25:54Z")
Disagree with you on one point. There are three Flash villains who the Rouges thought were too creepy even for them: Grodd, Professor Zoom and Kadabra. If Kadabra is done classically, he should be a total Hannibal Lector type. He shouldn’t be fun or silly, he should be terrifying. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e18-abra-kadabra/783211/3 "2017-03-28T17:18:09Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > Disagree with you on one point. There are three Flash villains who the Rouges thought were too creepy even for them: Grodd, Professor Zoom and Kadabra. If Kadabra is done classically, he should be a total Hannibal Lector type. He shouldn’t be fun or silly, he should be terrifying. The guy who is playing Kadabra was pretty creepy on Gotham recently. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e18-abra-kadabra/783211/4 "2017-03-29T08:06:38Z")
Turning Joe’s gun into a water pistol and the distraction with the cards was fun enough. Didn’t detract from Abra Kadabra’s fundamentally creepy affect. Not to mention outright taunting Barry and company. I thought we’d get away from angsty Allen, but we not only got that, but also angsty Joe and angsty Gypsy as well. Overall a good episode that moves the season arc significantly forward. And now we have to wait for a month to see what happens in the future. So where was H.R. while Abra Kadabra came to visit? When Gypsy takes him back to Earth-19, H.R. conveniently makes a reappearance. Hmmm… > [@Andy\_L](#): > > The guy who is playing Kadabra was pretty creepy on Gotham recently. He also played mad Murdoc on the new _Macgyver_. Pretty creepy there, too. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e18-abra-kadabra/783211/5 "2017-03-29T10:40:47Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > So where was H.R. while Abra Kadabra came to visit? When Gypsy takes him back to Earth-19, H.R. conveniently makes a reappearance. Hmmm… And he was noticably without his baton when he returned. > [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > He also played mad Murdoc on the new _Macgyver_. Pretty creepy there, too. Oh, yeah. I saw him there too. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e18-abra-kadabra/783211/6 "2017-03-29T10:47:48Z")
The problem with the episode (and a longer running problem for the series as a whole) is that it was subsumed by the meta-plot. Abra-Kadabra doesn’t _need_ the Savitar subplot to be interesting and I don’t buy Kadabra ever conceding that anyone was better/more famous than him. For that matter, they lost Kadabra’s primary motivation: applause and fame. He was just another crook in this episode. I’m still not convinced that HR isn’t AK. Especially since one of HR’s first bullshit magic-tech moves was that hologram/face changer thing. And why doesn’t anyone else from Earth 19 have that kind of tech? ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e18-abra-kadabra/783211/7 "2017-03-29T14:15:45Z")
Now that Caitlin’s gone full-on Killer Frost, she looks scarier than the one on Earth 2. I’m surprised nobody suggested taking her to Earth 38, where the DEO has medical facilities. They could have said it would take too long. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e18-abra-kadabra/783211/8 "2017-03-29T14:45:51Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > Now that Caitlin’s gone full-on Killer Frost, she looks scarier than the one on Earth 2. I’m surprised nobody suggested taking her to Earth 38, where the DEO has medical facilities. I’m surprised nobody suggested taking _Iris_ there. I mean, Savitar killed her when she was minus a ring, so give her a ring – okay, sure. Savitar killed her at that street in that city on that planet? Maybe ask nicely if she can crash at Kara’s apartment for a week; she _literally_ just sang a duet with you about how you’re each welcome to the other’s couch because you’re such super friends! ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e18-abra-kadabra/783211/9 "2017-03-29T15:02:03Z")
Savitar said: > [@](#): > > One shall betray you. One shall fall. One will suffer a fate far worse than death. I think Caitlin fulfills all them. She fell. She turned into Killer Frost and betrayed Team Flash. She’d rather die than become Killer Frost, but that’s what she’s become - a fate worse than death. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e18-abra-kadabra/783211/10 "2017-03-29T16:22:38Z")
I disagree: The betrayer is (IMO) Alchemy who ignored Caitlin’s request. I think you’re right about her fulfilling the “fate worse than death” part. I’m not sure who’ll fall. But I hope it’s HR if he’s not Kadabra. And I hope he falls into a sausage making machine. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Randolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Randolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randolph)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e18-abra-kadabra/783211/11 "2017-03-30T02:46:50Z")
I buy Kadabra being a badass super-villain about as much as I buy Cisco’s and What’s-Her-Face’s attraction - i.e., not at all. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e18-abra-kadabra/783211/12 "2017-03-30T03:21:53Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > I disagree: The betrayer is (IMO) Alchemy who ignored Caitlin’s request. I think you’re right about her fulfilling the “fate worse than death” part. I’m not sure who’ll fall. But I hope it’s HR if he’s not Kadabra. And I hope he falls into a sausage making machine. 😉 Julian certainly betrayed Caitlin by ignoring her request, but I don’t think Savitar was talking to Caitlin when he said “One shall betray you.” He was talking to Barry directly or Team Flash as a whole. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e18-abra-kadabra/783211/13 "2017-03-30T14:21:12Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > And he was noticably without his baton when he returned. It’s like the writers have seen the theories that HR is Kadabra, and just decided to screw with us. > [@Randolph](#): > > I buy Kadabra being a badass super-villain about as much as I buy Cisco’s and What’s-Her-Face’s attraction - i.e., not at all. I really want Cisco to wonder why they seem to have exactly the same powers… and even \*look \*like they could be related. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e18-abra-kadabra/783211/14 "2017-03-30T14:48:49Z")
When Kadabra was listing off Flash’s greatest enemies he mentioned [DeVoe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thinker_(DC_Comics)), and the producers have said next season’s big bad won’t be a speedster. Hmm… ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e18-abra-kadabra/783211/15 "2017-03-30T14:59:48Z")
I’m hoping they get the Rogues Gallery together. They were going that way with Captain Cold and Heatwave in Season 1, but then Rip recruited them for the Legends and so Captain Cold got his own hero’s journey. Now that we’ve got an earlier, unreformed Snart back in LoT he could finally form Rogues. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e18-abra-kadabra/783211/16 "2017-03-30T16:00:46Z")
The first company Abra Kadabra robbed was Stagg Industries, which didn’t want to reveal what was taken. I thought that name sounded familiar. Next season, I’m guessing we’ll see Metamorpho. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e18-abra-kadabra/783211/17 "2017-03-30T16:06:23Z")
Stagg Industries also showed up in S1 or S2 of Arrow, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e18-abra-kadabra/783211/18 "2017-03-30T16:22:41Z")
I think I would like The Flash to just get to the Fireworks Factory and deal with Savitar or give it a rest for a bit and have some stand alone episodes. The trying to have it both ways made this a weaker episode than it had to be. ---
**Author:** ![bobtimusprime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/94ad74/32.png) [@bobtimusprime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobtimusprime)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2017, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e18-abra-kadabra/783211/19 "2017-04-03T18:02:15Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > And he was noticably without his baton when he returned. > > Oh, yeah. I saw him there too. The our-world answer is because Cavanaugh was the director of the episode and his appearance at the end was an in-joke for them. That still doesn’t mean he won’t also turn out to be somebody else on the show, but I really hope they don’t go there with him. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2017, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e18-abra-kadabra/783211/20 "2017-04-04T01:45:41Z")
> [@bobtimusprime](#): > > The our-world answer is because Cavanaugh was the director of the episode and his appearance at the end was an in-joke for them. That still doesn’t mean he won’t also turn out to be somebody else on the show, but I really hope they don’t go there with him. The director for this episode was Nina Lopez-Corrado. Tom Cavanagh is directing the _next_ episode, where Barry goes into the future. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flash-s03e18-abra-kadabra/783211.md?page=2)