The Flash's Danielle Panabaker on Caitlin's Killer Frost spiral
Tuesday's episode of The Flash is going to be quite frosty!
When Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) uses her powers to save Barry (Grant Gustin), she fulfills her mother's prophetic warning by going full-on Killer Frost. How will Caitlin handle her new powers? And how will the team react in turn? EW turned to Panabaker to get the scoop:
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How is Caitlin handling her new powers? Is this a split personality situation?
DANIELLE PANABAKER: I don't think it starts out as a split personality. Caitlin is trying to figure out how her powers work, how to use them and the consequences of them, so she starts coming from a good place in using them to save Barry. Then, if you look back to the beginning of The Flash, Barry didn't know how perfectly to use his powers, and Caitlin too is struggling with how best to use her powers.
Caitlin has always been an inherently good person, but it seems the second that Killer Frost is triggered over the last few episodes, she goes straight to anger. Why do you think that is?
The powers insider of her, to me, I imagine it's a bit like an addiction. It's something that's bad for her, and she knows it's bad, but it feels so good that she has a lot of trouble turning away from it. I think you're right: Inherently there is a good person inside of there, but she's being tested, and it's an incredible challenge.
Do you think she's more scared than anything?
Underneath it all, she is certainly scared, but her coping mechanisms tend to be a little frosty, which is fun.
How is the team going to react to this?
They're all going to have very different reactions and struggle with what's happening. Some of the people on Team Flash don't have quite the same history as someone like Barry or Cisco do. Barry and Cisco's instincts tend to try to help Caitlin as quickly as possible and get back to the person who is inside of her — that true good person that we know — whereas perhaps I think some other members of Team Flash are a little more skeptical and a little more wary of Killer Frost, particularly after some of them saw the Earth-2 Killer Frost.
The logline says that Caitlin kidnaps Julian (Tom Felton). Does she suspect that he's Doctor Alchemy?
Caitlin needs help. She's grasping at straws and trying to do anything she can to get her power back and to get some information. She thinks that Julian can help her out.
Will Killer Frost come into contact with Savitar?
Savitar is present in the episode. Typically he is always there, and they are always afraid of him. You can look forward to some interaction between Savitar and a version of Caitlin, if you will.
What was it like working with Kevin Smith, who directed Tuesday's episode?
My experience with Kevin this season was much different than last season. I had a lot more to do in the episode, so he and I got to work together, which is fantastic. He has so much experience. He's also a talented writer. That's what's really great about collaborating with him, even when you get there on the day, he's so passionate about the show and wants to massage the dialogue or whatever you need on the day to tell the best story possible.
In the crossover photos, Caitlin appears to no longer be Killer Frost. Can you tease a little bit about that?
Caitlin is struggling with these powers, how to cope with them and how to handle them. In a lot of different ways, she needs help from her friends, so she does get help from friends — both Team Flash and you'll see her ask an old friend for guidance as well.
What can you tease for what role Caitlin plays for the big team up in the crossover?
She's still struggling to find her place. I'm not sure she quite knows where she belongs in this world of superheroes. They all are so experienced and really know what they have to contribute. Caitlin is at a loss a little bit more in terms of how she can help.
The logline says a shocking secret is unleashed that causes some trust issues among all these heroes. Does that have anything to do with Flashpoint?
I'm going to be totally honest with you, I'm not a part of all four shows. There's a storyline that there is a revelation that you learn, I believe, in the Flash episode, and that carries through. I don't know if it's Flashpoint-related.
The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on The CW.
