- For the time-travelling speedster that stole his identity, see Eobard Thawne.
- "Research laboratories unconnected to the government, unconnected to any business interests or any of that kind of stuff. And then we build right downtown in the heart of the city, in the epicenter, and we become the heart of the city. We become the heart of the nation. We change the way you think about the sciences, and then..."
- —Dr. Harrison Wells to Tess Morgan on his ultimate dream[src]
Dr. Harrison Wells (died 2000) was a brilliant scientist, the husband of the late Tess Morgan, a close friend of Tina McGee, and an identity theft victim of Eobard Thawne/Reverse-Flash.
Biography
Early life
Harrison and Tess.
Harrison originally lived in Starling City and became a well respected yet eccentric scientist. He was good friends with equally devoted scientists Tina McGee and fell in love with Tess Morgan whom he eventually married. In 2000, Harrison had an idea for a laboratory and discussed this concept with Tess while on a date at the beach, which made Tess smile and even developed the name.[1]
Death
Harrison killed by Eobard
In 2000, while driving home after their date on the beach, Harrison unknowingly drove into spike strips set by Eobard Thawne, causing an accident which totaled their vehicle, killed Tess instantly, and injured Harrison. In shock, Harrison is pulled from the car and told of his apparent future success by Eobard. Claiming a need to do these actions much sooner, Eobard used a futuristic device, completely dissolving Harrison into a decayed, featureless corpse in a matter of seconds as his murderer took on his likeness. Afterward, Eobard buried Harrison's body nearby and pretended to crawl out from the wrecked vehicle as first responders arrived, with Eobard identifying himself as Wells.[1]
Original timeline
According to Eobard, Harrison and Tess would apparently go on to build S.T.A.R. Labs in Starling City and successfully unleashed the particle accelerator in 2020 which changed the course of history. He was somehow connected to creating famous superhero known as the Flash, and whose legacy would inspire Eobard in the 22nd century to replicate these powers as the Reverse-Flash.[1]
Legacy
With everyone remained unaware of Harrison's death, Eobard would pose as Wells for fifteen years with Harrison's reputation and later legacy suffering greatly thanks to Eobard's various actions.
Eobard used Harrison's identity and ambitions as part of his own plans for fifteen years.
Unknown to Eobard, Tina somehow knew something wasn't right after Tess's death as Harrison and Tina were good friends.[2] In 2015, Joe West and Cisco Ramon went to Starling City to do research, discovering the real Harrison's corpse. Joe kept this a secret for Iris West's safety to remain silent about the truth, however, the discovery is shared with Barry Allen and Caitlin Snow with Harrison's corpse in Central City.[3]
When Team Flash initially met Harry Wells of Earth-2, Cisco and Joe unfortunately compared Harry to Eobard while Caitlin remembered Harry would actually be Harrison's doppelgänger.[4] Harry later suspected the Reverse-Flash's first time-travel trip to 2016 will factor into Harrison's murder.[5] In 2017, H.R. Wells of Earth-19 trying to bond with Harry has H.R. wondering about their Earth-1 doppelgänger; H.R. could've referred to Harrison but Harry thought about Eobard.[6]
Eobard acknowledging Harrison's face.
Eobard joking referred to Harrison's face as "handsome" to the Flash during Earth-X's invasion of Earth-1.[7] Eobard also remembered Harrison's emotions and suggested in 2049 to Nora West-Allen of helping Harrison Sherloque Wells fall in love (as a distraction) in 2019.[8]
After the new multiverse's creation, Harrison Nash Wells gets fused with various Wells doppelgängers with Eobard included to which Barry acknowledged Harrison's murder and genetic identity theft.[9]
Personality
Unlike his murderer/impersonator Eobard Thawne, Harrison was a very kind and humble man with a cheerful nature.[2] A naïve scientist and loving husband, he showed and spoke of his dreams for the future while also being romantic to Tess Morgan. To which, he wanted S.T.A.R. Labs to be named after his wife. Harrison was clearly very much in love with Tess; he expressed only concern for Tess and none for himself after Eobard's crash.[1]
Abilities
- Genius-level intellect/Master scientist/Business acumen: Harrison was a famous scientist who (in one timeline) successfully opened and operated his own scientific company, possibly similar to his various doppelgängers. Even more, his brilliance as a scientist was proven as the only known variation of Harrison Wells to successfully create the particle accelerator without negative results.[1]
Appearances
The Flash
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Season 5Season 6
|
Arrow
Season 6
- "Crisis on Earth-X, Part 2" (indirectly mentioned)
The Chronicles of Cisco
- Template:COC
Trivia
- Harrison was one of three individuals who have an encounter with Eobard Thawne involving identity theft. The other two are Martin Stein and John Swigert.[10][11]
- Like Eddie Thawne, Harrison's fate is largely unknown during the Flashpoint timeline but it can be presumed that he and Tess Morgan were still alive since Eobard was prevented from committing the murder.
- For reasons unclear though, S.T.A.R. Labs' site by 2016 is Cisco Ramon's company. Based on Harrison's conversation with his wife back in 2000, S.T.A.R. Labs may have been established in Starling City instead of Central City in this timeline.
- Harrison is the third character in the Arrowverse to have an episode named after him in a civilian sense, after Sara Lance and Felicity Smoak.
- Harrison wore translucent-framed glasses, while Eobard wore dark-framed glasses when impersonating him.
Behind the scenes
- Harrison Wells uses elements of several DC comics characters:
- A character only known as "Dr. Wells", who briefly appeared in the tie-in DC comic book of the 1990s The Flash TV series titled, "The Quick and the Dead" (January, 1991).
- Even before that, a villainous character also known as Dr. Wells, sporting similar looks, appeared in the 1973-1985 animated series Super Friends episode "Elevator to Nowhere".
- Harrison's overall characterization resembles Garrison Slate, the creator of S.T.A.R. Labs. Both wanted a government-free network of laboratories.
References
| Other versions of Harrison Wells (Earth-1) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| To see other versions of this character, click the Earth name below for that Earth's counterpart of Harrison Wells. | ||||
| New multiverse | ||||
| Earth: Prime | ||||
| Original multiverse | ||||
| Earth: 1 • 2 • 12 • 13 • 17 • 19 • 22 • 24 • 25 • 47 • 221 • TUD1 • TUD2 • TUD12 • TUD23 • Netherverse • Eobard Thawne | ||||
| Transmultiversal multiverse | ||||
| Earth: 27A | ||||