- For her Earth Two equivalent, see Iris West (Earth Two).
- "You know, sometimes it feels like the Flash is this guy my boyfriend becomes when he runs off to save other people. Like I'm the only one who doesn't get the Flash. I felt separate from you. But yesterday, when you saved me, I remembered that I have no reason to be scared. The man I love is a superhero. I love and trust you, Barry Allen, the Flash. I love all of you. And I always will."
- —Iris West to Barry Allen[src]
Iris West (born June 24th, 1989) is a journalist working for the Central City Picture News, a former waitress at CC Jitters, and a psychology graduate student.[1] Iris is also the daughter of Joe and the late Francine West, the older sister of Wally West, the ex-fiancée of the late Eddie Thawne and current fiancée of Barry Allen. In the Flashpoint timeline, Iris and Joe seemed to have some tension since Iris didn't know about Francine being alive. She also knew that Wally was the Flash and they formed a brother-sister crime fighting duo.
In the altered timeline created after Barry let Eobard Thawne kill Nora Allen in an attempt to restore his original timeline, Iris was estranged with her father Joe. After learning the truth about Barry's time traveling, Iris and Joe reconnected.
Biography
Early life
Iris was born on June 24, 1989 to Joe and Francine West in Central City.
When Iris was very young her mother nearly overdosed on drugs while Joe was at work. Francine had also left the oven on and subsequently ended up unresponsive on the couch, causing Iris to call the police. Before Joe and his partner were able to arrive on the scene, the stove caught fire and Iris was almost killed; as she was standing in front of the flames when Joe and his partner finally reached her, but the pair managed to get both Iris and her mother to safety. Iris repressed her memories of this event and Joe told Iris that her mother had died, but in reality Francine had left and Joe didn't want his daughter to grow up believing that she'd been abandoned. Instead, Joe told her stories of the mother he knew Iris deserved, not the mother Francine really was. However, both Iris and Joe were unaware that Francine was pregnant with another child - a son - when she left them for a life in Keystone City.
At school Iris met Barry Allen and the two became best friends, though Barry secretly harbored a crush on Iris that he was never able to vocalize during their childhood. Ironically, Iris held those same feelings for Barry, and though the two never acknowledged their romantic interest in each other, both Iris and Barry's parents were well aware of the connection between their children.
Iris covering for Barry.
When Barry was 11 years old in 2000, his mother, Nora was murdered by the Reverse-Flash and his father, Henry, was convicted for her murder. Barry was subsequently adopted by Joe and went to live with him and Iris. Early on, however, Barry repeatedly attempted to run away. One time when Joe went to get groceries, Iris allowed Barry to run away, refusing to tell her father exactly where to, despite him understanding the implication.[2]
When she was 17, Iris' appendix burst and she was sent to the hospital.
After Barry entered a coma, Iris began visiting him frequently.[3] She was said to talk a lot while at S.T.A.R. Labs.[4]
Discovering Barry's secret
Just as Eddie was about to propose to Iris, they were attacked by the Reverse-Flash. Iris quickly recognized him as Nora Allen's murderer and pleaded with him not to hurt anyone else. The yellow speedster refused to answer and moved to kill her, but the arrival of Barry arrived as The Flash prompted the Reverse-Flash to abduct Eddie and fled. The Flash assured a distressed Iris that he would find Eddie and as he sped off a surge of lighting passed from Barry to her. In that second she remembered that she only experienced it before when she touched Barry while he was still in a coma after the S.T.A.R. Labs particle accelerator exploded. In that second she realized and still in shock that Barry was the The Flash.[5]
When Iris figured out that Barry is The Flash, she confronted him about his activity as The Flash, telling him that she was disappointed about why he lying to her about his secret identity, but nonetheless she was able to help Barry overcome Grodd's psychic attack and rescue Joe.
Since then, Iris has become an active member of Team Flash, and occasionally uses her contact with Barry to deal with some meta-human cases.
Francine's return and meeting Wally
Looking into a housing scheme involving two men illegally evicting people from their homes Iris was attacked by the two men who tried to kill her. When she called Barry asking for help he told her to jump from the building she was in and fell almost 20 stories before Barry caught her. With the facts she needed she wrote a story on the subject and Linda told her it had scored the front page, much to her joy. Later that day Joe sat her down and confessed that her mother was a drug addict and told her what happened when she was a child, that she'd almost been killed when Francine overdosed which Iris vaguely remembered as he told her. More shockingly Joe revealed that Francine was in fact alive and wanted to see Iris.
Reluctantly agreeing Iris visited Francine but expressed understandable anguish towards her for leaving them but wished her no ill regardless, but insisted they keep living separate lives. Later Joe revealed to Iris that Francine confessed to be dying of MacGregor's, but Iris was skeptical to believe her. Iris investigated Francine's claims and discovered she was telling the truth but discovered another shocking revelation, that she has a son, Wally West, born 8 months after she left her and Joe. Iris later visited Francine again and confronted her about this and told her to leave and never return. She also told her to never tell Joe about him about Wally, believing if Joe knew he had a son that grew up without knowing him he'd never forgive himself.
Around Christmas time Iris, unable to keep Wally's existence a secret anymore, confessed her secret to Barry who encouraged her to tell Joe, offering to help her. Later Iris told Joe about Wally who was distraught to learn he had a son and needed time to accept it. Later at the Christmas party in their house Joe and Iris were stunned when Wally arrived at their doorstep.
Flashpoint timeline
In the Flashpoint timeline, Iris does not instantly recognize Barry. This suggests that the two do not have a lot of contact with each other in the timeline. It is also shown that Iris seems to have a strained relationship with her father, Joe West. She also knows that Wally is the Flash and is an ally of his missions to fight against The Rival.
Post-Flashpoint timeline
In the post-flashpoint timeline Iris continued to hold a grudge against her father for not telling her that her mother was still alive and as result doesn't speak with him. She also did not share a kiss with Barry prior to him creating flashpoint. She however remains a member of Team Flash.
Iris, following learning of Flashpoint she patch's things with her father and starts up a relationship with Barry. She continues to assist Team Flash in taking down meta-humans and other threats including The Rival, Magenta, Mirror Master, Top, and Shade taking a supportive role and continuing her relationship with Barry unhindered. She becomes concerned when Wally becomes a target for Alchemy even going so far as to knock him out when Alchemy took control of him. She later begged Caitlin to use her powers to rescue Barry from the then unknown enemy Savitar. Iris later questions if Flashpoint causes Dante's death or Caitlin's transformation into Killer Frost.
Potential future
Sometime before 2024 (when original timeline events will possibly happen), Barry and Iris' feelings become deeper and she marries him and renames herself "Iris West-Allen". She is also employed by another publisher called the Central City Citizen. In 2024, her husband engaged in a battle with Reverse-Flash, along with Green Arrow, The Atom, and Hawkgirl atop two oil trucks in the streets. The battle ended with both speedsters vanishing in an explosion of light, and Iris fronts page article on the subject titled "Flash Missing Vanishes In Crisis".
However, when Barry changed the timeline from being called "Flashpoint", her name on the article changes to Julie Greer. Barry later sees through the Speed Force that Iris will be murdered by Savitar on May 23, 2017.
Personality
Original timeline
Charming and beautiful, Iris wants nothing more than to help and care for those around her. She's highly intuitive and has an innate curiosity, being amazed and intrigued by the fantastical events that are happening in Central City, particularly the Flash. After becoming a reporter under Mason Bridge, she becomes even more so in investigating the mysterious circumstances surrounding Harrison Wells and S.T.A.R. Labs.
Iris can be quite stubborn and holds true to her morals, despite what others may want of her. Iris is also a bit of a risk taker and more often doesn't hesitate to take action when need be; as seen when she helps take down Tony Woodward and William Tockman. Her ability to gather and analyze evidence and come to accurate conclusions is also noteworthy.
When she finally figures out that Barry is the Flash - and finds out Barry, Joe and Eddie - people she's explicitly trusted all kept it from her, she feels immensely betrayed and disappointed. However, soon after she came to overcome her feelings of betrayal and proved her worth to the team and reconciled with her father since he pushed for her to be kept in the dark after Grodd's attack.
Iris has shown to care about Barry a great deal since they were kids, having thought of him as a brother figure, unaware Barry has actually been in love with her since childhood. As such she can be seen as a little oblivious in regards to Barry's feelings for her until he confessed he loves her. Despite being in a committed relationship with Eddie, Iris showed slight jealousy when Barry started going out with Linda Park. This suggests, and later confirmed, that she is unaware of her own romantic feelings for Barry. Eventually in the wake of Mark Mardon's impending tsunami threat Iris, fear about they were about to die, finally realized her romantic feelings and she and Barry shared their first kiss. However, since Barry inadvertently erased those events she remains unaware of these feelings deep down.
After discovering that Barry is the Flash (though technically for the second time) Iris begins to realize her romantic feelings for the latter. She is a very forgiving individual, when she learned that her mother was alive and her father lied to about her being dead, she forgave Joe, Iris even her mother, Francine never being there for her entire life, especially when she learned of the reason why she was in them to be in her life; that Francine was a drug addict and trying to turn her life around, Iris was generally devastated to to learn that her mother was dying of MacGregor's Syndrome.
Current timeline
After Barry reluctantly allowed Eobard to kill his mother, in order to undo the damage caused when he created Flashpoint, Iris still has a close relationship with Barry, Wally and the other members of Team Flash, but she is not on speaking terms with her father Joe; because he lied to her about her mother being dead. However she later reconciles with him, after learning the truth about Barry's time-travelling actions.
Abilities
- Adept markswoman: Iris is somewhat skilled in firearms, having been taught by Joe in case of emergency. To which, she was able to shoot off Linda Park's Earth Two doppelgänger mask.
- Keen intellect/Expert detective: Iris is very intelligent, she is an excellent detective, as she follows every lead and rumor to discover the truth behind any story; as she eventually discovered that the S.T.A.R. Labs particle accelerator explosion was what gave the Flash his powers in the first place. Iris's background as a psychology student has sharpened her natural wits and intuition which she presumably inherited from her police officer father and grandfather, and gave her a methodical approach to studying and investigating the various metahuman cases around the city, starting off with the Flash. Iris's skills made her a prime candidate for the police academy, which she only backed out of due to Joe's disapproval and passive-aggressive form of emotional blackmail.
- Skilled hand-to-hand combatant: Since early childhood, Joe, planning for his daughter's safety, taught her extensively how to defend herself. During sparring matches against Barry as children, Iris was never once hit by her friend. As an adult, she was able to knock out the much larger Tony Woodward (when not in his metal form) with a single punch. She also showed considerable reflexes, able to dodge a sucker-punch from the possessed-Wally before knocking him out herself.
Appearances
Arrow
Season 2
- "The Man Under the Hood" (mentioned)
The Flash
Comics
The Flash: Season Zero
- "The Strongman Cometh"
- "Who Let the Chimps Out?"
- "A Goodnight Hiss"
- "A Captive Audience"
- "Showtime"
- "The Big Finale"
- Smoak Signals part 2 (mentioned)
- Mentors and Meltdowns part 2
Novels
Trivia
- In an erased timeline, under the threat of Weather Wizard's tsunami, Iris admitted to Barry she loved him and they shared a kiss. She also discovered Barry was the Flash. However, because Barry later time traveled he ruptured the time continuum and these events were erased in the alternate timeline.
- In a second erased timeline, Iris, presumably, along with everyone in Central City, was killed by Vandal Savage using the Staff of Horus in his efforts to kill Carter Hall and Kendra Saunders. However, due to Barry Allen changing the time continuum this disaster never occurs.
- Iris is shown to have a crush on Oliver Queen, which appears to grow deeper when she learns he's Green Arrow.[6][7]
- Joe and Francine planned on naming her Wallace if their first born child was a boy, a name later used for Iris' brother.
Behind the scenes
- In the DC comics, Iris West is the fiancée and later wife of Barry Allen, the second Flash.
- In the DC comics, Iris is Caucasian and has red hair.
- In the DC comics, Iris is from the 30th century and her real name is Ann Russell.