- "Enough! You will not do to this Earth what you did to mine."
- —Barry Allen to The Monitor[src]
Barry Patrick Allen[1] is a meta-human speedster, known as The Flash and stylized as the Red Phantom, and a scientist in the Criminal and Forensic Science Division of the Central City Police Department. He is the last known survivor of Earth-90.
Biography
Early life
Growing up, Barry was constantly coming second place, and felt he was never able to escape the shadow of his father and brother.[2]
In his youth, Barry was interested in archaeology, and even took a job at a museum under the guidance of Ted Preminger, who became a father figure to Barry, until he switched to studying police science, after which Preminger cut Barry out of his life.[3]
At age 19,[4] Barry became the first in his family to attend college,[5] where he studied in law.[3]
Becoming the Flash
Barry was working in the CCPD lab one night after Julio Mendez left the lab, a violent storm happened and got accidentally struck by lighting putting him in a coma for few hours. Later in a hospital, Barry wakes up completely safe wonders about his life when he realize how much he almost died. Later at a dinner with Iris, Barry and Iris talk about them self but Barry wants to return to the lab which make Iris disappointed that he already wants to work. At CCPD, Barry receive a call by the doctor that reveals that the test shows some kind of cell damage and recommended Barry to make a check up at S.T.A.R. Labs but he decline knowing their bad reputation. Later Barry realize that he has speed but that makes him eat a lot to which frighten Earl. But Barry who checked his message realize that he has missed a call from Iris who wonders where he is since he was supposed to set up for her exhibit at the gallery.
Barry runs out to catch a bus but going to fast, he ended up in the beach's water before he passes out. After waking up, realizing that he has slept, he calls Iris to apologize but failed to convince her that he has run "30 miles". Back at home he gets a call from Tina McGee, who after thinking about what has happened to him agree to meet her the following morning at 50 Garrick Ave. Inside S.T.A.R. Labs, Tina makes Barry run in a treadmill but because he went to was it blows up. As Barry was hungry, they both go out to eat but Barry realizes that he consumes a ton of food, revealing that his body is burning too much calories which makes him wonder if he is aging prematurely. McGee asks him to keep his identity a secret since the last time S.T.A.R. Labs has discovered something, it costed her husband's life.That night Iris come to his place and Barry tries to clean up the mess but by doing so burned his shoes and melted part of it are all over his apartment but when Iris arrives she is only there to announce that she doesn't want to see him anymore. The next day, Barry is wearing a red "Soviet prototype deep-sea suit" to regulate his body temperature and allow him ti run as fast as he can without burning his clothes. Using this suit, he manage to reach the speed of sound before he stops. When Barry goes back to the lab, Julio reveals that the sample that he found belongs to Nicholas Pike which Barry recognizes him as Jay ex-partner. Realizing that his brother is actually on the same Highway, he figures out that it's a trap and runs to save him but when he arrives, Jay is dead and the Dark Riders escaped.[6]
Meeting John
At some point before December 2018, Barry Allen became John's friend. John wears a ring and is implicated by Barry having some kind of ability or special power.[7]
The Monitor's test
Devastation of Earth-90
After an intense battle, The Flash was seen dragging himself towards a giant book that glowed with purple energy. Before he could reach it, it was picked up by a very imposing figure in armor named Mar Novu, also known as the Monitor. When Barry asked why he was doing this, Novu said that they had done this to themselves, and that they would now perish. He then opened the book, which began to glow, while The Flash ran off to escape to another universe.[8][9][10][11]
Contacting Earth-1
Barry attempted to breach to the Monitor's next target, Earth-1, creating red skies and lightning which followed Earth-1's Barry Allen and Oliver Queen, whose lives had been swapped by the Book of Destiny. Eventually, when Team Arrow and Team Flash create a quantum flux anchor was Barry able to open a portal through which he warned them about the Book of Destiny and urged them to acquire the book if they have any hope of fixing their Elseworld, before closing once more.[7]
Sometime later Barry finally succeeded and fully breached through at A.R.G.U.S. At first he was mistaken for his doppelgangers, Jay Garrick and Henry Allen, before formally introducing himself. He then mistook John Diggle with his Earth-90 doppelgänger, remarking that doesn't possess a ring. He then explained of the threat of Mar Novu, who had since taken on the moniker of the Monitor and was unleashing the Book of Destiny across the multiverse to test different Earths in preparation for an impending crisis. Just then, the Monitor appeared on TV, so Barry joined the heroes and they set out to try to attack him. During the confrontation, The Flash declared he would not let the massacre of Earth-90 repeat and attempted to attack first but the Monitor made him vanish before he could take a step, leaving his fate unknown.[7]
Personality
- "Well, it's not my responsibility to be the conscience of the human race, I'm only a scientist."
"I disagree. I think we're all responsible." - —Carl Tanner and Barry Allen[src]
Barry believed that he was given his powers for a reason, he was adamant on helping people, even when the odds were against him. However Barry can sometimes be enraged when those he cares about are in danger. Being caught up in moments of vengeance.
Barry has a pathological fear of snakes.[12]
Powers and abilities
Powers
- "I do my share of running around."
- —Barry Allen[src]
- Meta-human physiology: Barry gained his powers after he was strucked by lightning and crashed on a shelf of chemicals (including aluminum sulfate, glycerin, potassium nitrate, magnesium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid, sulfur, tannic acid and phosphorus)[6], and now possesses powers of incredible speed and superhuman reflexes. This was enough to him do his duties as the Flash and to escape the destruction of his teammates at the hands of Mar Novu.[8][9][10][11]
- Accelerated healing factor: After being struck by lightning and crashing on shelves of chemicals, Barry quickly recuperated from being exposed to highly volatile and reactive chemicals, lacerations, abrasions and head trauma. When he was stabbed in the leg, Barry could continue moving as the pain and stiffness wore off extremely quickly. After cracking his ribs from being thrown off the roof of a speeding car, they were merely bruised the next day.[3]
- Superhuman speed: Barry can move at such vast speeds, indeterminable to the naked eye.[8][9][10][11] He discovered his speed walking his dog, Earl. He ran from Central City to Crystal Beach, a distance of 30 miles in a few seconds and even briefly ran on water. When being examined by Tina McGee, he ran 347.31MPH and broke her treadmill in the process, but, McGee stated even this was not his peak velocity. When he reached for his coffee mug too quickly, he knocked it against the wall. On the Star Labs Test Track, he surpassed 570MPH until he caused a sonic boom. He easily caught up to Pike's motorcycle gang on foot, and he was so fast they mistook him for a red ghost and civilians later perceive him as "a red blur." By the time Carl Tanner visited Central city, he received word that "the Flash" could move so fast he was nearly invisible, which was seen when he returned an officer's revolver to his holster from a hobo in a heartbeat. By rapidly circling a police star badge against his glass container, he shattered a hole in it so he could breathe. He disarmed a grenade on the ground and caught his beverage before it could hit the floor, and disarmed a woman of her shotgun before she could kill her husband. He used his speed to put up posters to advertise Paul van Duzer running for district attorney.
- Superhuman reflexes: All Barry's electro-chemical systems are accelerated, including nerve synapses, brainwaves, and even when he is at rest. Barry's reflexes enabled him to tackle Julio Mendez before he could be shot through the window. He moved out of the way just in time to let Pike crash his motorcycle. He caught a jar of hydrazine thrown by Carl Tanner before it could hit the wall and explode, and quickly disposed of a timed explosive in a customs warehouse. He also used a roulette table to deflect Arthur Simonson's bullets from hitting him, and performed a similar feat by using a museum shield to block a hatchet thrown by Stan Kovacs.[3]
- Aerokinesis: Barry created a whirlwind in his apartment when he attempted to clean at superhuman speeds, and later used the same technique on Pike to levitate him off the ground by circling around him.
- Superhuman agility: Barry could run up a fire escape without stopping at high speeds, and hang onto the roof of a speeding car.[3]
- Superhuman durability: Barry's muscle and bone tissue changed in order to keep pace with his superhuman speed, leaving his skin unaffected when he travels at high velocities and simultaneously increasing his physical resistance to impacts and blunt force trauma, allowing him to tank hits from the monstrously strong Carl Tanner and even being lifted into the air and choked by him. He was seemingly unfazed when Lila stabbed him in the leg with a knife, and was able to stand on his feet after being thrown from the roof of a speeding car.[3]
- Superhuman stamina: Barry maintains a regular breathing rate and pulse shortly after running at high speeds because his body has adapted to his superhuman movement. However, he must consume sufficient comestibles lest he will face metabolic failure. Hence, though he is superhuman he can become tired, seen when he was out of breath after outsmarting Carl Tanner. He also somehow once went three days without sleeping.[3]
- Superhuman dexterity: Barry's sleight of hand is profoundly increased to the point where he could organize a deck of cards in a few seconds and quickly disassemble a motorcycle. After Carl Tanner's lecture, he snagged an entire tray of hors d'oeuvres before anyone could notice him. He used his unimaginable dexterity at Arthur Simonson's rigged casino, placing a marble in a certain spot on a wheel to score in a game of roulette and setting dice on certain faces to win at a craps table. He also quickly attached a hose to a fire hydrant to put out a fire, precisely skinned and cut an apple at superhuman speed, and took apart Darrell Hennings' gun.[3]
- Superhuman mental processes: Barry confessed to Tina McGee that his speed also has adverse psychological and emotional effects on his brain, where his mind is "stuck on overdrive" and every time he focuses on a subject, it's similar to "opening a floodgate."[3] He can also speed-read, doing so with a pile of criminal archives.
- Electrokinesis: Barry produces yellow electricity from his body, commonly seen when running.[8][9][10][11]
- Interdimensional travel: Barry can travel through universes, as he did this when he travels from Earth-90 to Earth-1.[7]
- Atmospheric interference: When Barry was attempting to breach to Earth-1 and to communicate with that Earth's Oliver and Barry, he somehow caused interference at 650 nanometers, the wavelength for infrared, turning the sky to red, accommodated by thunderclouds.[11]
Abilities
- "You were always thorough; it's what I liked about you. I could count on your research."
- —Ted Preminger[src]
- Genius-level intellect/Skilled tactician: Barry is an exceptionally intelligent man, as he was in his junior year of college when he was only 19.[3] Jay Allen's birthday wish was to be as smart as his brother. He impressed Carl Tanner with his up-to-date knowledge on his technical and complex work with recombinant DNA, gene splicing, genetic reorganization and radical mutation. He cleverly used a police star badge to rapidly cut through his glass container when he was being deprived of oxygen. He trapped the mutated Tanner by wrapping chain-link fence around him.
- Expert forensic scientist/Detective: Barry Allen works for the Central City Police Department crime lab alongside Julio Mendez. His brother, Jay Allen credited him for taking down Conway and his hijacking crew. He is also a skilled detective as he deduced Pike's gang intended to liberate their incarcerated members based on blueprints seen in their hideout. He's skilled in questioning witnesses, and located Megan Lockhart's hidden camera in his apartment.
- Skilled engineer: Barry had the mechanical know-how to disassemble one of Pike's men's motorcycles. He is also a skilled lockpick user, as quickly he broke into Paul van Duzer's campaign headquarters.
- Skilled deceiver: Barry can conjure convincing excuses for his absences and injuries, such as when he blamed his dog for his limp when he was really still recovering from being stabbed in the leg by Lila. Some people even doubted the Flash's existence, namely Officer Murphy. When beating a rigged casino, Barry deliberately lost at blackjack to make it look like he was not cheating.
- Skilled archaeologist: Barry took an archaeology course in college, and gained additional knowledge while working at a museum during the summers.[3] He was his professor's favorite student, however, in his junior year of college, he switched majors to police science. Nonetheless, he is highly familiar with artifacts, such as the Mask of Rasputin and its functions and intentions.
- Eidetic memory: Barry recalled the exact chemicals on the shelf he landed on when he was struck by lightning, much to Tina McGee's surprise.
- Expert combatant: Barry usually knocks his opponents down or out with a single punch, including Scott, Arthur Simonson and Darrell Hennings. He also systematically beat down escaped prisoners after disarming them and later used tools from a craps table to beat down his associates. Barry can also improvise weapons, as he used a pipe to knock two bikers off their motorcycles and used a museum velvet rope as a bola to trap Stan Kovacs.[3] He momentarily dazed the mutated Carl Tanner with his super-speed punches. Barry fought Mar Novu alongside many other heroes on Earth-90, although he was the only one of them that survived.[8][9][10][11]
- Expert marksman: Barry is highly precise in his actions. He trapped Stan Kovacs under a cloth by throwing arrows around his body to essentially pin him down.[3]
- Stealth: Despite his bright red uniform, Barry can effectively hide in the dark to avoid being seen, especially by police cruisers.
- Intimidation: Barry instilled fear into Lila in the Central City Police Department interrogation room. Criminals initially perceived his alter ego to be a blood-red demon, a red phantom, and Arthur Simonson's hitman thought he was Satan. Kate Tanning thought he was a "spirit of vengeance."[3]
Weaknesses
- Hyper-metabolism: Barry's blood sugar is incredibly low after he moves at superhuman speeds, because he burns up so much energy his body demands he replaces it. Because of this, he is vulnerable to rapid dehydration, glucose deficiency and metabolic failure which requires re-oxygenation of blood and glucose absorption. After his first run, he cleared an entire refrigerator of food. Even Earl's dog food appeared edible to him. He suffered from a small seizure during his confrontation with Pike. His anxiety is also a factor in his metabolism.
- Ophidiophobia: Barry is deeply afraid of snakes.
Equipment
- The Flash suit: Barry wore a suit to help hide his identity. Tina McGee originally provided him with a Soviet prototype deep sea suit which molded to his body and expanded via a layer of reactive insulation next to his skin, which handled his high-velocity movement and regulated his body temperature. Though his skin is unaffected by his speed, Barry wears this to avoid burning his clothes off. McGee later added an identity-concealing hood and gloves so Barry could avoid leaving fingerprints. She also built in monitors and sensors to record his vitals, as well as added a lightning bolt insignia drawn up by Barry across the chest.
- Tear gas: Barry used CCPD-issue tear gas to smoke out the prison.
Appearances
The Flash (CBS)
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The Flash (The CW)
Season 2
- "Welcome to Earth-2" (vision)
Season 5
Supergirl
Season 4
Arrow
Season 7
Comics
The Flash TV Special
Trivia
- Barry enjoys Odessan cuisine and eggs and ham on toast.
References
- ↑ "Good Night, Central City"
- ↑ "Deadly Nightshade"
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 "Honor Among Thieves"
- ↑ "Child's Play"
- ↑ "Sins of the Father"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Pilot"
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 "Elseworlds, Part 2"
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 "Bunker Hill"
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 "Unmasked"
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 "What's Past is Prologue"
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 "Elseworlds, Part 1"
- ↑ "Done with Mirrors"
Other versions of Barry Allen (Earth-90) | ||||
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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 | ||||
Original multiverse | ||||
Earth: 1 • 2 • 90 • TUD13 • Pollux • Savitar | ||||
Transmultiversal multiverse | ||||
Earth: 1A • 27A |
Other versions of Barry Allen (Earth-90) | ||||
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To see other versions of this character, click the Earth name below for that Earth's counterpart of Henry Allen. | ||||
New multiverse | ||||
Earth: Prime | ||||
Original multiverse | ||||
Earth: | ||||
Transmultiversal multiverse | ||||
Earth: |