The Flash stars break down [SPOILER]'s shocking death: 'It's pretty devastating'
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Warning: This article contains spoilers about Wednesday's episode of The Flash.
Deathstorm lived up to his name as not all of Team Flash made it out alive on this week's episode of The Flash.
Robbie Amell warned EW that his return to the CW superhero series as the evil Deathstorm would wreak havoc on the group of heroes, and he wasn't lying. While Team Flash did their best to defeat the supervillain and save Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) by having Killer Frost (also Panabaker) level up her powers, the process ultimately resulted in Frost's death. By the end of the episode, a devastated Caitlin and Barry (Grant Gustin) broke the news to the rest of Team Flash, and Caitlin crumpled to the floor as she broke down in tears.
"I knew this was coming," Panabaker tells EW. "[Showrunner] Eric [Wallace] had pitched this idea to me between season 7 and 8, and my biggest concern was making sure that Frost was actually going to die. I didn't feel like it would be appropriate to fake this one, and have it be a, 'Oh, just kidding,' so it's very powerful. The whole second graphic novel was extremely busy for me, but a great opportunity to tell this story."
While Panabaker is feeling "all of the emotions" about having to say goodbye to a character she's played for eight seasons, Amell was practically giddy about getting to kill off a series regular in his three-episode arc as Deathstorm.
"I love that I get to leave carnage in my wake and one of the characters doesn't make it out," Amell tells EW. "It's always fun to get to kill off a main character, especially such a loved character on the show. Wiping out one of the lead characters is really fun for me, but I know it's going to piss off a ton of people. I think the hate tweets will come rolling in. I'm excited about it."
Below, EW got Panabaker to reveal what Frost's death means for Caitlin and the rest of Team Flash moving forward, and more.
Shane Harvey/The CW
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: So is Frost truly, officially dead?
DANIELLE PANABAKER: This is her official death. Yes.
How did you feel when you found out that Frost was going to die?
I mean, all of the emotions. When I signed onto the show, now eight plus years ago, playing the character of Killer Frost was something that had always been teased to me, so it was something that I was thinking about from the very genesis of the show. I loved getting to play her and all the different variations of her, the evil version, and then particularly these last couple of seasons, getting to see her really come into her own and have experiences and grow up and mature and take responsibility for her actions, I've enjoyed that immensely. So obviously it's a loss, but it did make for some great storytelling, in my opinion.
Are you relieved you only have to play one character now after pulling double duty for so many years?
I will say, practically and logistically, playing two characters is challenging for not only for me, but also for the entire crew. They've done an incredible job really getting it down to a science over the last couple of years, but I was grateful for the opportunity to only play one character who did not wear a wig.
Did you take any of her wardrobe or accessories home from set?
I didn't. [Laughs] I feel like I have spent enough time in all those various suits and wigs, etc., so I did not take any memorabilia of Frost. Maybe I should have. Maybe I'll regret that.
What are you going to miss most about playing Frost?
The levity. She had a very specific point of view and a perspective that allowed her to get away with saying things that most other characters on Team Flash could not say. She was a little fearless, so I will miss that.
The CW
What was it like reuniting with Robbie in such a different dynamic these last few episodes?
It was great to have Robbie back. I had been pestering him all season, trying to keep track of his schedule and where he was going to be, hoping that the timing would work out for him to return. Personally, it's a joy to work with him. We have great chemistry, and we have kids about the same age, so it was a lot of fun to reconnect and get to work together again. But as Deathstorm, I think Robbie in particular was excited to come back knowing that he was killing Frost. I think he knew from the beginning that the fans were going to be pretty unhappy with him. As someone who has played the bad guy, it is fun to get to put on a different hat and do something evil for a little while. And he did such a great job. The material when you're playing a villain is not always as ... it doesn't necessarily flow as easily as it does in more typical, conversational dialogue, so he had to do the heavy lifting of the weird sort of archaic, devilish dialogue, and I just got to react so it was easy.
We have to talk about that final scene when Caitlin breaks down. That was maybe the most emotional moment we've seen from you yet on The Flash, and it was absolutely gut wrenching. What was it like filming that moment?
I think it just made sense. The script they gave me had such good material and grief is such a complicated thing. I think it made sense for her to have this release. And I think of all people, Barry was the person for her to feel safest with and most connected to in order to have that.
How did you get into the moment to film that scene?
I'm an actor; that's my job. It's a combination of things. I mean, the material's on the page and hopefully the scene was justified based on everything you've seen Caitlin go through, in particular the last few weeks but also the last eight years. She's lost a lot and has to lose someone so important to her. It is pretty devastating.
How is she going to be handling losing her sister moving forward?
Not well. There's all the different stages of grief, denial, anger, bargaining. I think she's going to experience it all which, while challenging, I'm also grateful for the opportunity to delve into such different emotions and explore them.
Shane Harvey/The CW
Now that Deathstorm is gone, what's next for Caitlin and Team Flash?
As we close up graphic novel No. 2, there's a little bit of an interlude before they head into graphic novel No. 3, and you will see a little bit less of Caitlin. I directed episode 17, and I kind of take a step back when I'm directing and you won't see me on camera as much. But by the end of the season, you'll see where Caitlin is headed. And there's a big cliffhanger at the finale. Of course, you would expect nothing less.
What was it like getting to direct another episode?
It's great. I love directing and I'm grateful for the support of the studio, of Eric, and of the network. Every episode has had its own flavor. This is not a formulaic show, and Eric in particular is really great about giving directors the opportunity to put their own mark on the show. This was a new one for me. We got to use a lot more handheld than we'd ever used before, and we had a lot of fun with it. It's an Allegra-centric episode and I'm so proud of [actor] Kayla [Compton] and the work that she does.
What can we expect to see from that episode?
I'm most excited for fans to see Kayla's performance. There's obviously going to be a hole now that Frost is gone, and I think it's ripe with opportunity for Allegra to sort of step forward and start to spend more time in the field with the Flash.
You mentioned the season finale cliffhanger — we're still a bit of a ways off but what can you reveal about that episode now that we know it won't be the series finale?
This season's finale is going to be huge. There's a lot of returning faces, familiar faces, which is always fun to have. I think this is the biggest finale we've attempted in a couple of years, so I can't wait for fans to see it. It'll be an interesting end of the season. It's a doozy, for sure.
The Flash airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on the CW.
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