From the very beginning, The Flash had two other major players aside from Barry Allen that were poised to one day evolve into recognizable DC Comics characters, those being Cisco Ramon and Caitlin Snow. After several years of buildup, we finally got to see both embrace their destinies in season 3 as Vibe and Killer Frost, respectively. Actually, we did see Earth-2’s Killer Frost in season 2, but to not have the Caitlin we’ve come to know since the pilot episode aired develop a frosty disposition would’ve left viewers feeling cheated.
On the other hand, making somebody fans abroad have fallen in love with a villain kind of does paint writers into a corner, possibly forcing them to kill her off or have her incarcerated, thus causing her to be a sporadically recurring character. That said, I think the creative minds behind the series took all that into account by creating a struggle within of sorts, allowing Earth-1’s Caitlin to be a bit more ambiguous in nature.
But at the end of season 3, Ms. Snow basically said she was going to undergo a little soul searching, thereby leaving us all wondering what was next for her. In the first trailer for season 4 to be released, we saw her holding Captain Cold’s gun, possibly hinting that her human side had regained control.
Even so, those appreciating the fantastical need not throw in the towel, for actress Danielle Panabaker offered ComicBook.com the following:
“What I can say is that fans who love Caitlin Snow won’t be disappointed and fans who love Killer Frost won’t be disappointed.”
From that, we can deduce a middle ground has indeed been found. Perhaps she can turn her Killer Frost side on and off at will now? Or could we see a more heroic interpretation of the character as recently found in the Justice League of America comics that happen to boast quite a few CW heroes?
Also worth noting is that Panabaker wants to delve deeper into what makes Caitlin tick, as she had this to add:
“One of the things I wanted explained last season that I don’t know was ever totally clear, and I don’t know that we have the answer yet, is why Killer Frost is evil. I’m not totally sure why everything she does causes the physical body of Caitlin Snow to act so badly. So I’d like to know a little bit more about her motivation and why.”
The Flash returns for its fourth season on Tuesday, October 10 on The CW.