- "See, here's the thing. Scum recognizes scum. I'm scum. And I've survived this long by recognizing the same. Like you. You're scum. I sniffed you coming a mile away."
- —Goldface to Ralph Dibny and Barry Allen[src]
Keith Kenyon[1] is a notorious Central City gangster known as Goldface and a recurring enemy of the Flash, as well as a meta-human with powers based on gold. He is also the ex-boyfriend of Leslie Jocoy, more known under the moniker of Amunet Black. Eventually, Keith was recruited by Barry Allen along with Hartley Rathaway and Jaco Birch to form an alliance and together defeat Red Death and the Rogues.
Biography
Original multiverse
Meeting the "Chemist"
One night in February 2019, Barry Allen and Ralph Dibny entered Keith's black market to purchase a Neuro-Stasis Field Generator stolen from Van Horn Industries, and he interrogated them for being too curious. Allen claimed to be a notorious criminal known as the "Chemist", convincing him of having been behind multiple recent unsolved crimes. Offering to give them the neuro-stasis field generator, Goldface agreed on the premise that they'd help him in a heist at Ivo Labs.
That night, partway into the heist, the two betrayed the rest of the crew, causing Goldface to take notice and threaten to detonate explosives attached to them. They fought each other in the parking lot of Ivo Labs, where he revealed himself as a meta-human, having the advantage as the other two were dampened by meta-cuffs. The Chemist managed to trick him into hitting an electrical box with a gold chain he was fighting with, causing him to be electrified. The gold he wielded melted, though he survived.[2]
Anti-Monitor Crisis
During the Anti-Monitor Crisis, Keith as well as everyone in the multiverse except for the seven Paragons, was killed in an antimatter wave by the Anti-Monitor on December 10, 2019,[3] only to be restored a month later, after the Paragons and the Spectre created a new universe.[4]
New multiverse
Early life
Keith claims to have been born in Connecticut and he studied at Yale in the past, graduating with a BA in Literature.[5] At one point, he was romantically involved with fellow gangster Amunet Black but they ended up breaking up because she wasn't there when he needed her and he spent all his time partying with his friends, for which she took his Radiohead and "Straight Outta Compton" records. According to Captain Joe West, there was less crime when they were together.[6]
Reunion with Amunet
One year later, on Valentine's Day, Keith led his gang in waging war against Amulet and her crew. Both sides sought a rare flower that could grant telepathic abilities, which would be of great help for crimes. To steal the flower, they needed two machines to create a stable artificial environment for the flower, one of which Amunet already obtained. Their conflict was interrupted by Barry and his wife, "Iris West-Allen", who managed to steal the second machine while Keith and Amunet argued about their relationship.
Deciding to let Amunet do all the work of getting back the second machine, Keith and his crew simply waited at the flower's location for her to show up with both. His plan worked, and he was ready to fight her and her crew for it, including Barry and Iris. Amuent and Keith argued and fought, distracting themselves while Barry, as The Flash, used his powers to incapacitate their men. He then interrupted to try reasoning with them, but Keith refused and used his powers to launch The Flash away due to the gold in his suit. "Iris" then got her husband to destroy the flower with lightning. This resulted in Keith and Amunet reading each other's minds and realizing their love for each other, making out and making love on the spot.[6]
Assault on the CCPD
At some point, Keith and Amunet went to counseling with Sharon Finkel, who told them that it wasn't just enough to be in love; they had to fully let each other into every aspect of their lives. With this they combined their gangs and shared hideouts, increasing the profit of their criminal enterprise. Keith got Amunet to agree to eating balanced breakfasts as well.
Per the agreement with a client in England who wanted the meta-human cure bullets Kristen Kramer advertised after Frost's trial, Keith lead their gang to attack CCPD while Amunet dealt with the buyer in England. This reunited him with Barry, whom he remembered as "the Chemist" four years ago. However, Barry outwitted him and used Kramer's copying powers to distract him and return in uniform to arrest him. Keith took his defeat well, asking the Flash to answer Amunet's call on his phone. Despite the setback, he knew she wouldn't be that mad as both knew Flash was an unavoidable hindrance.[5]
Release from Iron Heights
At some point, Keith was released from Iron Heights Penitentiary through a deal testifying as state's witness, claiming that Amunet was locked up in his place as she was the mastermind of the operation. It is unclear whether Amunet agreed to this or holds ill will towards him, but Keith says it wasn't true love, at least compared to money and literature.[7]
Working with the Flash
Powers and abilities
Powers
- Meta-human physiology: After he got his powers through unknown means, his DNA was altered and his cells were supercharged, augmenting his physiology.[2]
- Organic gold transformation: Goldface can turn any part of his body into gold.
- Accelerated healing factor: Goldface's wounds were able to heal quickly after he had been repeatedly hit by Barry and Ralph's blasters.
- Superhuman durability: Since Goldface's flesh and bones are made of organic gold, he was only briefly stunned after getting repeatedly blasted at.
- Superhuman strength: Goldface, after turning his fist into solid gold, was able to punch Ralph and send him flying a great distance.
- Aurokinesis: Goldface can manipulate gold as shown when he used the gold in the Flash suit to throw him across the room with a wave of his hand.[6]
- Organic gold transformation: Goldface can turn any part of his body into gold.
Former powers
- Telepathy: After inhaling a narcotic made from the pollen of a flower called Rappaccini's Daughter, Goldface was temporally given the power to read minds.[6]
Abilities
- Expert strategist/tactician: Goldface can organize different robberies on highly secure facilities such as Ivo Labs.[2]
- Leadership: Goldface effectively lead his men behind the scenes or in the field with them.
- Expert hand-to-hand combatant: Goldface is an expert in hand-to-hand combat. This is seen when he fought the depowered Barry Allen and Ralph Dibny simultaneously.
- Expert chain wielder: Goldface is an expert in using his golden chain necklace in combat. Using it like a whip, he can trip his opponents, ensnare them, or entangle their weapons. He used his chain to great effect during his fight with the powered Barry Allen and Ralph Dibny, as well as both of his fights with Amunet Black.[6]
Weaknesses
- Extreme energy: When Barry tricked Goldface into getting himself electrocuted, this caused the gold in his body to melt, briefly knocking him unconscious.[2]
Equipment
Original multiverse
- Golden chain necklace: Goldface can manipulate a golden chain necklace he wears, turning it into a weapon for melee combat.[2]
New multiverse
- Golden chain necklace: Goldface can manipulate a golden chain necklace he wears, turning it into a weapon for melee combat.[6]
Appearances
The Flash
Season 5Season 6
Season 8
Season 9 |
Trivia
- Goldface survived several shots due to his gold armor, but in reality, gold is relatively weak and soft.
- This may imply that he doesn't turn to gold, but actually turns to some kind of alloy that looks like gold but is more durable. However, his control of the gold in Barry's suit would seem to indicate that he does control real gold.
- Goldface does have some morality, as he will not rob hospitals, hence why he targeted the 3D printer before it got to one.
- It's unknown if his powers came from the particle accelerator explosion that gave many other meta-humans their powers, but Goldface confirms he has a metal fetish, having told Amunet to keep her gauntlet on while they made out.
Behind the scenes
- In the DC Comics, Keith Kenyon aka Goldface is a frequent enemy of Green Lantern and The Flash, and the ex-husband of Amunet Black. He later retired and became a union organizer in Keystone City.