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"I had the most brilliant minds in the world study that Mirrorverse. You know what they found? It's incompatible with the human brain. That place warps the mind until the person is no longer recognizable. Your Iris is long gone. I suggest you accept that and move on."
—Joseph Carver to Barry Allen[src]

Joseph Carver (died May 12, 2020) was the corrupt CEO of McCulloch Technologies, the leader of Black Hole and the husband of the late Eva McCulloch. Joseph used Black Hole to commit crimes while avoiding being caught by the law, which pitted him against Team Flash.

Joseph was ultimately killed by his wife, Eva's mirror duplicate as revenge for betraying her, stealing her tech, weaponizing it for profit and several of his other misdeeds, before she took back control of the company. However, his last words did eventually made her realize that she wasn't the real Eva, as she previously thought, rather a mirror duplicate.

Biography

Early life

Eva and Joseph's photo

Joseph and Eva's photo.

At some point, Joseph became the CEO of McCulloch Technologies alongside his wife, Eva McCulloch.[1] On the night of the S.T.A.R. Labs particle accelerator explosion, he watched as his wife was abruptly blasted into a mirror, dying on impact. He attempted to call for help.[2]

Joseph finds Eva's body

Joseph finds Eva's body.

Assuming that Eva's consciousness was trapped in the Mirrorverse and key to reviving her, Carver had multiple scientists study the Mirrorverse; they learned what physical effects that reality had on a person, but not a way to release Eva. Carver would eventually accept[3] that the real Eva died on the night of the particle accelerator explosion.[2]

At some point, Black Hole became established and Carver kept files on its employees in a warehouse.[3] Carver met Richard and Penelope Dearbon and began extorting money from them,[4] making and storing a file on them, too.[3]

Confronted by Iris West-Allen

"You weren't robbed by Black Hole; you are Black Hole."
Iris West-Allen[src]

After learning of Black Hole and McCulloch Technologies' affiliation with them, Iris West-Allen went off to interview Joseph in order to find a lead. However, Carver rebuffed her and denied any relation to them. Afterwards, he decided to sue The Central City Citizen for defamation. Carver sent his personal assassin Kimiyo Hoshi to kill Iris. Despite this, Iris obtained information from an informant that could place his company into jeopardy and Carver was blackmailed into dropping the lawsuit, and the hit on Iris.[1]

Confronted by Joe West

"Whatever you think I've done, it's a million times worse. I can eliminate anyone, anywhere. And that includes you...or your lovely companion, Ms. Horton. Even that precious little baby of yours."
—Joseph Carver before Joe hits him[src]

Carver hired Rag Doll to kill Joe West at the CCPD precinct. Later, Carver was personally approached by Joe West who told him that he was not afraid of him and that he was continuing his R.I.C.O. case against him. Carver confessed that he was the mastermind behind many murders in Central City. Joe recorded this confession on his phone, but Carver laughed, as he had anti-recording equipment throughout his home that deleted the conversation.

After Joe goes into witness protection, Maurice tells Carver that he received a package for him; it is a mirror. When Carver unwraps the mirror, Eva appears, asking for an apology for Carver warping her research and discoveries into a terrorist organization. Carver, angered at her audacity, destroys the mirror.[4]

Hunted by Eva and death

"You're not my wife; she died in the particle accelerator explosion."
"I've never felt more alive."
"You're not even human.
"
—Joseph and Eva's last conversation[src]

Carver called Sue Dearbon's parents and she decided to work for him, if he would stop blackmailing them, to which he agreed.

Joseph Carver took certain measures to protect himself from threats. With nanite technology stolen from Palmer Tech, Carver had the mirror through which Eva entered the Mirrorverse coated to prevent travel. He also had a biogenic ionization field installed for the entire building to atomize anyone who would try to enter unpermitted. Finally, a panic room was made that Carver assumed Eva did not know about.

The morning after one of Black Hole's warehouses, which contained files on its employees, was destroyed, Carver sat with Maurice at Jitters to discuss what to do; Barry Allen entered, wanting to talk. Barry told Carver that his life was in danger, but Carver did not believe him. Carver revealed what he knew about the Mirrorverse from his scientists, that he knew that Iris West-Allen was there through video footage he had procured, and he lied about owning the warehouse that was arsoned.

Carver set up a meeting of his assassins at a safe house, but when he arrived, they were gone, so he decided to take Barry seriously and went to Team Flash for protection. Barry called to A.R.G.U.S. to have Carver placed in witness protection, but, before they could arrive, "David Singh" appeared and wanted to talk to Barry. Suddenly, Nash pushed "David" and teleported them from the precinct to S.T.A.R. Labs, claiming that he was saving Carver's life. Carver accepted that explanation, but he also wanted the teleportation device; he was denied. Carver and the team decided that he would be safer in McCulloch Technologies.

Eva infiltrates Joseph's panic room

Eva taunts Carver.

Ultraviolet, Dr. Light and Sunshine joined Eva's side for revenge on Carver; they infiltrate McCulloch Technologies and fight with Team Flash. Eva enters the safe room in which Carver was hiding, and begins to taunt and to kill Carver with the mirror shards. However, the Flash jumps in front of them to save his life. Despite this, she sends a shard through the Flash's chest mortally wounding Carver. They share a conversation together and Carver succumbs to his wounds.[3]

Legacy

"Well, it turns out that when the guy that's trying to kill you kicks the bucket, they lift the protection detail."
Joe West[src]

With Joseph dead, the R.I.C.O. case against him was no longer warranted, so Joe West was able to leave witness protection and was reunited with Team Flash.

Eva McCulloch renewed her leadership of McCulloch Technologies. Although she often said that she hated him, Eva made sure that Joseph was given a good legacy by saying, at a press conference, that he saved her from a terrorist organization at the expense of his life. Eva also framed Sue Dearbon for his murder.[3]

Eva McCulloch searched through Joseph's video files and learned that Joseph was telling the truth that she was "not human", discovering that Earth-Prime's Eva died when she was created.[2]

Mirror Eva guaranteed Sunshine that she was nothing like Joseph, when Sunshine said that Joseph had a look when he lied or held a secret.[5]

Personality

"Technology is a fickle mistress."
—Joseph Carver to Joe West[src]

Joseph was proven to be an immoral, selfish and disloyal individual who would only do anything for his own self-interests. While he loved his wife, Eva McCulloch, having scientists research the Mirrorverse to free her from it, once learning the truth about her, he eventually moved on with his life after accepting there was no freeing her. To which, he used the loss of his wife as an opportunity to use her company and technology to further his own goal, openly priding himself as not being bound by such devotions.

Joseph was extremely arrogant and egotistical to the point of being delusional, as he believed himself to be untouchable, regularly gloating and mocking his enemies for his apparent dominance, he was also ruthless, as he had no concerns ordering his agents to kill individuals who pose any threat to exposing his criminal activities to the public.[4] Joseph's delusional traits was also to the point of lying to himself; believing that he was saving the world by facing the dangers of it, when in truth, everything he did was for himself.

Underneath Joseph's arrogant and egotistical traits, he was proven to be quite cowardly, when facing matters he could not control, he would shamelessly seek help from his enemies, and even then, he still displayed his greedy nature, hoping to profit from any new tools he could acquire.

Joseph did display moments of genuine emotion and care, however, when Barry went to question him at CC Jitters, he initially responds abrasively, but sympathizes with Barry and advises him to give up on Iris for Barry's own good, not wanting Barry to have to experience the same grief he had when believing he could save Eva.

In Joseph's final moments, he shamelessly pleaded with Eva, insisting that he had no choice in his actions, even more, upon dying; he had no guilt or remorse for any of his despicable actions.

Abilities

  • Bilingualism: Joseph was capable of fluently speaking English and Japanese.[1]
  • Great business acumen: Joseph was presumably apt at making profitable business decisions, due to the success of McCulloch Technologies in his wife, Eva McCulloch's absence.[1]

Appearances

The Flash

Season 6

Season 7


Trivia

  • Joseph is seemingly fluent in Spanish, with Ultraviolet under his employ. He also was fluent in Japanese.
  • In a deleted scene in "So Long and Goodnight", Joseph called the police on Joe West for harassment in his home; Barry arrived to collect Joe, but Joseph did not want him to leave without apologizing first.[6]
  • Joseph didn't see Eva as his wife in his final moments; instead seeing her as a monster created by the Mirrorverse; as his wife died on the night of the particle accelerator.
  • While it was initially established that Joseph was corrupt from the beginning, it seems grief from the real Eva's death is what led to his corruption.

Behind the scenes

  • In the DC comics, Joseph Carver was a former S.T.A.R. Labs scientist and high-ranking member of Black Hole working to weaponize the Speed Force.

References

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