The FlashBack: ‘The Flash’ – Episode 14 ‘Subject 9’

Image Credit: The CW

It was back to life as normal for Barry Allen last night on The Flash, but Barry quickly learned that his would be a new normal as the repercussions of being accused of murder made themselves clear. Meanwhile, Team Flash tried to get one step ahead of The Thinker. Miss last night’s episode?

Here’s your recap, but as always there are spoilers for “Subject 9” beyond this point.

We start with Barry going back to work at the CCPD, but the moment he enters things are off. No one is welcoming his return and he soon speaks with Captain Singh and finds out why. Despite Clifford DeVoe appearing alive, many people still think Barry’s a killer and the new mayor wants Barry put on indefinite leave. Barry’s clearly not okay with this, but goes to STAR Labs to talk to the team, telling them that they need to find the rest of the bus metas to get ahead of The Thinker. Ralph and Cisco arrive with evidence from the bus — I’m not sure quite how they got it all these months later, but okay — and that evidence contains a demo CD for Izzy Bowin, a rising country musician. Cisco vibes on the CD and the team goes to speak with her.

At The Thinker’s lair, it’s revealed that Hazard’s body isn’t holding up particularly well to all of the powers it has absorbed. It’s deteriorating very quickly and a new body, meaning new bus meta, will be need ASAP. This was not part of The Thinker’s plan.

Barry and Ralph find Izzy and they try to tell her about DeVoe and the coming danger, but she really doesn’t buy it. She then uses her impressive sonic powers to escape. Meanwhile, Harry is at Jitters getting a cup of coffee after his return from Earth-2. Cecile shows up and ends up venting to Harry about not being able to sleep because of her abilities. Harry offers to help.

Still worried about Izzy, the team tracks down her next location and this time Cisco comes with Barry and Ralph. However, as they go to warn her The Thinker shows up and incapacitates Team Flash. Fortunately, Izzy can take care of herself. She uses her powers on The Thinker and actually hurts her, causing The Thinker to teleport away. Now that there’s some proof things are crazy, Izzy goes back to STAR with the team and they explain how DeVoe can body snatch. Izzy, while concerned, says that she has already given up so much for her career that she’s not stopping for this. Ralph ultimately has to convince Izzy to stay. While this is going on, The Mechanic and The Thinker get into a fight about DeVoe’s behavior and state of mind.

So now the training of Izzy begins. Iris gives her a violin (or fiddle, if you will, as Izzy is the Arrowverse version of The Fiddler) to channel her powers and the team tries to help her work on her accuracy. Harry works on a power-dampening helment for Cecile, but she gets upset because it’s heavy and awkward and the two fight over it. As things progress, Izzy gets frustrated with her training and leaves to take on DeVoe alone while Harry goes to apologize to Cecile, this time bringing a smaller version of the device he made. While talking to Cecile he has a stroke of inspiration, though. He hurries back to the lab and explains to the team that he’s created the cerebral inhibitor — and we get a flashback to last season where Savitar mentions they use the device on DeVoe.

By this time the team knows Izzy has left so things get interesting when they discover DeVoe is after her. Cisco vibes himself and Ralph to the scene and the fight is on. Izzy tries to use her new fiddle, but the strings break because of DeVoe’s bad luck powers. The guys try to get the inhibitor on DeVoe, but get knocked out. Izzy, however, manages to get it on but using Kilgore’s powers, DeVoe hacks the inibitor and removes it before trapping Izzy in a force field. Ralph, who has come to have real feelings for Izzy, has her look at him as it is useless to try to fight. Izzy keeps her eyes on Ralph and he is there with her as DeVoe takes Izzy’s powers, her body, and kills her right before his eyes.

Back at the lab, the team tries to figure out how they can use the inhibitor and Cisco reveals that he has a theory about DeVoe’s lair actually existing in a pocket dimension. Harry and Cecile chat at Jitters, expanding their friendship with Harry talking about his strained relationship with Jesse and back at his office, Ralph listens to Izzy’s CD as he grieves for her. Barry comes to comfort his friend, but it’s Ralph who ends up doing the comforting. He’s made Barry a business card as a private investigator, asking his friend to become his partner and giving him a new job.

Next week? It’s Flashtime! See you then!