- For other uses of "The Flash", see The Flash (disambiguation).
Bartholomew Henry "Barry" Allen was a scientist in the Criminal and Forensic Science Division of the Central City Police Department. He is the son of the late Henry and Nora Allen, the foster son turned son-in-law of Joe West, the husband of Iris West-Allen, the brother-in-law of Wally West, the best friend of Cisco Ramon and Caitlin Snow, the close friend of Felicity Smoak, John Diggle, Kara Danvers, Sara Lance, Oliver Queen, and the late Eddie Thawne, as well as the archenemy of Eobard Thawne.
Barry's mother was murdered when he was 11 years old on March 18, 2000 and the blame was wrongfully placed on his father. He was taken in by Joe and he dedicated his life to proving his father's innocence. After the S.T.A.R. Labs particle accelerator exploded, causing a giant thundercloud to form, Barry was struck by lightning from an cloud, falling into a coma for nine months. When he woke up from his coma, Barry discovered that he had developed superhuman speed and various other abilities derived from it. Using these powers to protect Central City, he began acting as a meta-human superhero known as the Flash.
Biography[]
Early life[]
- Barry's life is similar, if not the same to his Earth-1 counterpart's until the Flashpoint (event), to see his life until Flashpoint, see Barry Allen (Earth-1).
After the defeat of Zoom, Iris West managed to stop Barry from running back in time to save his mother and, as a consequence, alter the timeline.[1]
At some point, Barry asked Wally West to tell the Legends about Flashpoint.[2]
Facing Hocus Pocus[]
In 2016, Barry encountered the time traveler Hocus Pocus in a park, who demanded to know the secrets of his mind control. This encounter turned into a fight, during which Pocus endangered bystanders, prompting Barry to save them. While the speedster was distracted, Pocus used his wand to control him and force him to stop moving, allowing Pocus to escape. Later, Barry entered Madame Xanadu's tent in order to investigate Pocus. Despite initially believing she was a charlatan, Barry was surprised when Xanadu revealed his name. Later, she teleported Barry to her home and advised him in defeating Hocus Pocus. Xanadu also gave Barry a card that she could not read because it detailed a far future.
With Pocus control would still be present in Barry's brain, he ordered the speedster to meet him, which caused him to suddenly show up, but as his civilian persona, Barry Allen, since he wasn't wearing his suit. So, Barry was forced by Pocus to steal some jewelry, prompting the CCPD to issue an arrest warrant for the Flash. Pocus then revealed himself to the city, giving himself the credit of being the "new hero that will replace the fallen one". Later at a football stadium, Barry encountered Pocus again but this time, the villain ordered the speedster to kill all the civilians at the stadium. However, since he didn't order Barry to "run", the speedster took his time, infuriating Hocus. Changing tactics, Hocus ordered a camerawoman to film Barry as he removed his mask. However, he used another loophole by vibrating his face to protect his identity.
Afterwards, Wally West as "the Flash" faced off against Pocus in a final battle. Pocus was confused when one of his commands didn't work on the speedster so he unleashed another nano-tech strike with his wand. However, the blast struck the real Flash standing behind him, now freed from Pocus' control. Eventually, Barry defeated Pocus, clearing his name. The villain was locked up in the S.T.A.R. Labs pipeline,[1] but the Quantum Police secretly teleported Pocus back to the 64th century in prison.[3]
Facing Johnny Quick[]
In 2017, Barry accidentally landed in Central City from Earth-27A while traveling to Earth-2A. After seeing how horrible Earth-27A was, he decided to help the Rogues defeat Eddie Thawne/Johnny Quick, to free the city from his tyranny. Barry entered Madame Xanadu's building and was surprised at her incredible resemblance to her Earth-1A counterpart. After remembering Barry from her Earth-1A doppelgänger's memories, Madame Xanadu gave him a card which revealed the address of the Rogues. When Barry asked Xanadu who the man in her paid was, Xanadu just answered that he was a "stranger".
After a rough encounter with the Rogues Len Snart and Mick Rory, they brought Barry to the base to meet Ralph Dibny, Hartley Rathaway and their boss James Jesse. They discuss about the Crime Syndicate and teach Barry everything before he is tasked to kidnap a Quickling. He then kidnap a Quickling called Fred Chyre and interrogates him after revealing some detail about the inside of Speed Central.
Eventually, Barry and Eddie fought, but Barry managed to escape. In their second battle, Barry defeated Eddie. Barry asked Rathaway to modify a holding node from the old particle accelerator in the Speed Central so they could turn it into a prison for the captured speedster. Before returning to his Earth, Barry gave the speed formula to James Jesse that increased Quick speed in order to give Central City the possibility of creating an army of speedster against the Crime Syndicate of America if they ever attack them. Hartley and Jesse then returned the Hocus Pocus' wand to Barry before he left Earth-27A.[4]
The Tornado Twins[]
In 2016, Barry accidentally time traveled to 2968 and meet the Tornado Twins. Since Barry didn't understand their language, Don and Dawn gave him a translator so that they could talk to one another. They introduced themselves and explained where Barry is, teaching him some few thing about the future. Barry revealed he needed to travel to the 64th century and discovered he was stuck in 2968, with his suit almost completely burnt from the speed he used. The twins agreed to help him.
They brought Barry to their base and asked their friends, Charles Taine and Dr Giffitz, for help. Barry shaw in their hideout some newspaper headlines in English, with one saying: "KID FLASH JOINS TEEN TITANS". Later, the twins gave Barry a ring, which would allow his suit to materialize whenever used. Suddenly, a mysterious earthquake occurred. The twins discovered that Roxxas, a space pirate, was attacking the city. Barry ordered the twins to evacuate the civilians while he dealt with Roxxas. They managed to save everyone with no casualties and thanked Barry for his help. Later, at their lair, they showed Barry a treadmill to help him adjust his time travel to the right year. Barry thanked the twins and used their treadmill to travel to the 64th century.
Hocus Pocus shot a blast with his wand to kill Barry, but the speedster rapidly spun around to deflect the blast, causing it fly towards to Pocus. However, Pocus managed to use his wand one last time before been hit, causing the blast to turn him into a wooden puppet. Afterwards, Pocus, Citizen Ali, and Voila were arrested by the Quantum Police.[3]
Facing the Earth-X Nazis[]
In 2017, Barry participated in the defense of Earth-1A during the invasion of the super-Nazis from Earth-X. During this, Barry and Iris got married.[2]
Facing the Crime Syndicate[]
When the Crime Syndicate of America invaded Earth-1A, Barry was encountered by Superwoman and her used her lasso to enslave him. Before she could play with her "toy", Johnny Quick recognized Barry and demanded her let the former kill him. Superwoman and Johnny started to argue and fight, with Barry still attached to her lasso. Suddenly Black Canary used a supersonic scream on them, temporarily disoriented them long enough so Barry could use Superwoman's lasso to capture both of them, but Owlman escaped. After Barry provoked Ultraman, he tried to kill him. During the chase, Ultraman was hit with a Kryptonite arrow, which angered and made him stronger. Later, Barry was chased again by Ultraman but this time, he was hit with a firework arrow which temporarily disabled his powers, allowing the heroes to arrest him. Power Ring was trying to destroy a building when Cisco blasted him so hard that he began plummeting to the ground until Barry saved him.
Afterwards, locked in the pipeline, the Syndicate was interrogated by Barry and Oliver. Superwoman insulted the duo and derided them as "weak". Later, Barry returned and proposed a deal: the first who divulged information on how the breach in Central City opened would be rewarded. When Barry came to interrogate Power Ring, he asked if he could have his ring back due to being addicted to it. Eventually, Barry made a deal with Ultraman. He gave him information about Owlman revealing he built the device that breached them to this Earth. Unbeknownst to Ultraman however, Barry's reward for him was having extra fries included with his Big Belly Burger delivery instead of a release.[2]
Supergirl's Sacrifice[]
The Legends of Forever[]
Powers and abilities[]
Powers[]
- Speed Force connection/Meta-human physiology: Barry's powers come from a connection to the Speed Force, gained when struck by dark matter lightning and exposed to several chemicals. This altered and supercharged his DNA, cells, and neurotransmitters.
- Accelerated healing factor: Barry's molecules move at accelerated rates, mendng damage far quicker and more efficiently than normal humans.
- Superhuman immunity: Due to Barry's accelerating healing factor; he is immune to most types of diseases, illnesses, sickness, drugs, poisons, toxins, etc.
- Superhuman longevity: Due to Barry's accelerating healing factor; he ages much slower than normal humans and most other meta-humans.
- Electrokinesis: Barry can produce yellow electricity, Speed Force energy, from his body. It is commonly seen when running to boost his already immense speed to far higher levels.
- Superhuman strength: Barry's physical strength has been heightened beyond that of normal humans, greatly belying his slim built, allowing him to be able to carry multiple individuals at once while speeding away with them.
- Superhuman durability: Barry possesses superhuman resilience, most commonly seen from being unaffected by momentum build-up. He can take attacks and exertion, even survive impacts that would easily kill normal humans.
- Superhuman stamina: Barry can handle the stresses of extreme racing without noticeable distress, letting him function much longer than normal humans unhindered.
- Superhuman mental process: Barry's powers also make his thought processing able to take in and retain information just as fast and efficiently.
- Superhuman perceptions: Barry's senses are also enhanced.
- Superhuman reflexes: Barry's reaction time is augmented to superhuman levels, allowing him to react to danger and events far faster than normal humans.
- Superhuman speed: Barry is capable of moving at incredible superhuman speeds.
- Aerokinesis: Barry can use his speed to generate air flows on various levels and for various effects.
- Interdimensional travel: Barry can move fast enough to break open portals between dimensions, allowing him to travel to different universes.
- Speed clones: Barry can generate illusions of himself to make it appear as if he in many places at once, when in reality he is simply bouncing back and forth too fast for the human mind to perceive the difference.
- Superhuman agility: Barry has demonstrated flawless coordination, equilibrium and dexterity.
- Superhuman momentum: Barry can generate great amounts of physical force through kinetic energy, simulating superhuman strength, even in a stationary position.
- Bodily vibration: Barry can vibrate his body for various effects.
- Intangibility: By vibrating his molecules at the frequency of air, Barry can physically pass through solid matter, even highly complex matter like carbine while in a universe of a different vibrational nature.
- Invisibility: Barry can vibrate his body so fast that that he can no longer be perceived by the human eye.
- Seismokinesis: By vibrating at varying frequencies and with different levels of force, Barry can create small tremors to induce extreme amounts of jolt on any target he touches, even disrupt the inter-molecular bonds and cause it to shatter.
- Time travel: Barry's speed can breach the temporal barriers, letting him enter different points in time.
- Temporal dilution: By generating enough energy, Barry can move so fast that time essentially slows down relative to him in a large area, to a complete standstill.
- Temporal regression: With Barry's ability to shift through time, he can also reverse the flow effects while running at a certain speed, while he remains completely unaffected.
- Time remnant construct/temporal duplication: Barry is able to "create" a time remnant by traveling back to moments before his current self time travels, hailing from a future that no longer exists.
- Accelerated healing factor: Barry's molecules move at accelerated rates, mendng damage far quicker and more efficiently than normal humans.
Abilities[]
- Genius-level intellect/Computer specialist/Expert investigator/Forensics: A keen-minded individual from a young age, Barry displayed a natural understanding and quick capacity to learn. As a CSI of the Central City Police Department, Barry is highly skilled in forensics.
Weaknesses[]
- Cold temperatures: Because speed is produced by a build-up of heat in the target's atoms, Barry is vulnerable to extreme cold temperatures.
- Hyper-metabolism: While moving at superhuman speeds, Barry burns calories much faster than a normal person. While breaking down food far more efficiently, it requires him to consume large amounts of nutrients.
- Power-dampening tech: Barry's powers do not work while he is wearing the power-dampening cuffs or imprisoned in one of the power-dampening cells.
Equipment[]
- The Flash suit: Barry wears a protective suit as his alter-ego, the Flash, to hide his identity from his enemies, when he goes out fighting crime.
Appearances[]
Novels[]
- The Flash: Hocus Pocus
- The Flash: Johnny Quick
- The Flash: The Tornado Twins
- The Flash: Green Arrow's Perfect Shot
- The Flash: Supergirl's Sacrifice
- The Flash: The Legends of Forever
Behind the scenes[]
- In the DC comics, Barry Allen was the second hero to be known as the "Flash", taking the superhero mantle after Jay Garrick. He primarily operated during the so-called "Silver Age" and "Bronze Age" of comics, before sacrificing himself during Crisis on Infinite Earths to save his universe. In the current Prime Earth continuity, Barry Allen is once again the main Flash, although other characters, like Wally West, have recently returned.
References[]
| Other versions of Barry Allen (Earth-1A) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| To see other versions of this character, click the Earth name below for that Earth's counterpart of Barry Allen. | ||||
| New multiverse | ||||
| Earth: Prime • 4125 • Savitar (Prime) | ||||
| Original multiverse | ||||
| Earth: 1 • 2 • 90 • TUD13 • Pollux • Savitar (1) | ||||
| Transmultiversal multiverse | ||||
| Earth: 1A • 27A | ||||