Five key characters from Barry Allen’s Arrowverse story still need to return for The Flash season 9. As the show’s final season, it’s no surprise that the series is finding room for a number of heroes and villains from Barry’s past. Some, like Oliver Queen, Teddy Sears' Zoom, Wally West, and Jay Garrick haven’t appeared yet and remain missing for the time being, but are confirmed to show up soon.
Many of its returning characters have been unexpected additions to the series. In its first six episodes alone, The Flash has managed to bring back Goldface, Pied Piper, Hazard, the Hotness, the original Rainbow Raider, Gorilla Grodd, and more. While this is an impressive list, season 9 is actually missing out on quite a few characters much more important to The Flash than Hazard or Rainbow Raider. That said, The Flash still has several episodes left before the series finale, so there’s still time for at least some of them to return to Central City one last time. Here’s five characters who need to come back for The Flash season 9.
5 Cisco Ramon
Without question, the most glaring omission from The Flash season 9 at this juncture is Carlos Valdez’s Cisco Ramon. An original member of Team Flash, Cisco was the go-to tech expert of the Arrowverse for several years before making his exit from the series in season 7. After bringing in Chester to become his replacement at S.T.A.R. Labs, Cisco relocated to Star City to work at A.R.G.U.S, and as of season 8, he’s he was still there. Considering that he’s still in touch with Barry and the others, it would make sense for him to appear, either on official A.R.G.U.S business or just to see his friends.
Cisco coming on behalf of A.R.G.U.S is a real possibility, especially since Bloodwork is returning in the episode that brings back Diggle and Green Arrow. Bloodwork was in A.R.G.U.S. custody when last seen, so Cisco could be sent to assist S.T.A.R. Labs and Team Flash with recapturing him. Regardless of the nature of his return, having Barry and Cisco working together again feels crucial to the final season. Also, having him around could also tie in with the story The Flash is currently telling with Danielle Panabaker’s new character, Khion. Cisco, whose friendship with Caitlin predates The Flash, would likely have the most emotional reaction to Caitlin’s apparent death.
4 Supergirl
It’s not necessary for The Flash’s final season to fit in every major Arrowverse superhero, but those relevant to Barry’s Arrowverse journey deserve to be included in some capacity. Diggle and Green Arrow are returning, but they’re not the only ones who should come back into Barry’s orbit. There’s also Melissa Benoist’s Supergirl. Supergirl, who met Barry in a season 2 episode of her own series, was one of Barry’s first superhero team-ups. Since then, the two fought side by side and developed a close bond through Arrowverse crossovers like “Crisis on Earth X” and “Crisis on Infinite Earths.” Due to their history, working in a cameo from Supergirl would be a fitting move for The Flash season 9.
3 Julian Albert
In spite of lacking a proper exit from the series, Julian Albert never returned after the season 3 finale. He was written out of the show in the season 4 premiere, with the explanation for his absence simply being that Julian left Central City and went back to London. The Flash has moved on from his character and hasn't looked back, but it shouldn’t be forgotten that Julian, having taken a heavy hand in the battle against Savitar, was an integral part of season 3’s story. His season 3 role is enough to justify a season 9 guest appearance that addresses his abrupt departure. With the show's end approaching, an episode where Julian comes to town to help Team Flash with a case could finally be on the table.
2 Sue Dearbon
Another ally to Team Flash, Sue Dearbon, could make a worthwhile addition to The Flash season 9. Due to Hartley Sawyer’s firing from The Flash, the show was never able to follow its original plan for the characters, who are a prominent couple with a storied romance in DC Comics. However, her various appearances in The Flash have made it clear that Sue doesn’t need the Elongated Man. Natalie Dreyfuss’ portrayal was so well-received that the series brought her back multiple times. Interestingly, an Easter egg in The Flash season 9 premiere revealed that Sue will become the richest woman in the planet, a detail that might come into play in the show if she pays a visit to Central City.
1 Jesse Quick
With the window for tying up loose ends rapidly closing, The Flash season 9 is the last opportunity for the Arrowverse to explain what happened to Jesse Quick. Supposedly, both she and Harry were erased from existence for good by the Crisis and the erasure of Earth-2. Through Nash’s story, The Flash confirmed Harry’s death and subsequently closed the door on all Wells dopplegangers, but has left the mystery of Jesse’s fate unresolved. It’s currently assumed that she’s still dead, but she wouldn’t be the first character from an alternate Earth to secretly migrate to Earth-Prime during the rebirth of the multiverse.
Given the Arrowverse’s track record of using the Crisis to rewrite the stories of existing characters, it’s not at all unfeasible that Jesse is still out there somewhere. Like Arrow's Black Siren, she'd be one of the only survivors of Earth-2, thus lending her return a great deal of storytelling potential. Not only did she lose her father and her superhero team, but her whole world was wiped out as well. With that in mind, The Flash season 9's Jesse Quick could be quite different from the character seen in the show's earlier seasons.
Alternatively, The Flash could always introduce a post-Crisis Jesse who isn't plagued by the same baggage as the original character. As for how that could work in a world without Wells, it's possible that in the Earth-Prime timeline, Harrison Wells had a daughter whose existence isn't publicly known. She could have been born before the character was murdered by the Reverse-Flash. If so, she could exist as a person with a completely normal life and no real connection to Team Flash, Wally West, or any of their Arrowverse adventures.