'The Flash': SPOILER Gets a New Job in "Subject 9"

Tonight's episode of The Flash saw the team trying to get to the Fiddler before The Thinker could, but day-to-day life doesn't go on hold just because there's a super villain on the loose. For one member of Team Flash, tonight saw not just a new metahuman but a new job as well.

Spoilers for tonight's episode of The Flash, "Subject 9", below.

Last episode Barry Allen/The Flash (Grant Gustin) was cleared of all charges in the murder of Clifford DeVoe (Neil Sandilands) because "DeVoe" -- really Ralph (Hartley Sawyer) in disguise -- showed up alive and well. But just because Barry was cleared and DeVoe appears to be alive and well doesn't mean Barry can just go back to life as normal. When Barry reports to work, he quickly discovers that there are many people who don't think he should be back with the Central City Police Department. The concern is so significant that Barry is put on indefinite leave.

As the episode unfolds, it's obvious that Barry isn't quite OK with not being a CSI. After all, over the course of four seasons of The Flash that's all he's ever really been when he's not busy being Central City's hero, and while money isn't really an issue for Barry -- he inherited STAR Labs from Harrison Wells (the evil one) at the end of the show's first season -- losing his job somewhat stripped Barry of his non-heroic identity. Now, instead of being able to use his job with the police as a cover to ask people questions as his public persona, Barry has to find a way to work without outing himself as The Flash.

Fortunately, Barry isn't alone in having lost his identity as a police officer. Ralph also lost his job with the Central City Police Department, though in his case he was actually committing crimes, so he was able to understand what Barry was going through. Near the end of the episode, when Barry comes to comfort Ralph after having seen Izzy Bowin/The Fiddler die right in front of him -- a tragedy made even more painful as he and Izzy had begun to develop feelings for one another -- it's Ralph who ends up comforting Barry. Ralph presents Barry with his own business card declaring his new line of work as a private investigator, asking Barry to be his partner.

This new job will give Barry an opportunity to continue to investigate without having to reveal himself as The Flash every time and while he won't directly have the resources of the Central City Police Department, he still has Joe (Jesse L. Williams) for access. There's also always the hope that Barry will eventually get his job back. After all, he was told that he would be off the force until the public believed DeVoe really was alive and well. While that might not happen directly this season, there's always the possibility that the truth about DeVoe will eventually come out, restoring Barry's good name and saving Central City in the process.

The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW.