TheFlashmay be one of DC’s revered heroes, standing proud among Justice League icons like Superman and Wonder Woman, but he also has a dark side that most aren’t aware of. Beneath the Flash’s carefree attitude lies a simmering rage that, when brought to the surface, results in him carrying out actions that put him on par with his most malicious villains.
Multiple heroes in DC lore have beenchosen as the Flash, and they’ve all unleashed their inner darkness at one point. Whether it’s during a heated battle with a nemesis or a dispute with an ally that gets taken a step too far, the Fastest Man Alive can take a shockingly sinister turn when the situation calls for it, so the Justice League should be grateful that he’s on their side - for now, at least.These 10 Flash moments showcase just how twisted the Scarlet Speedster can be, despite his usual heroism.
10“I’m that fast. Fast enough to go back and erase all this from happening. Erase you.”
Justice League#42 by Robert Venditti and Aaron Lopresti
The first entry on this list is spoken during the Justice League’sbattle with the Eradicator. In order to defeat the unstoppable foe, Barry is tasked with luring him into Madame Xanadu’s magic portal by harnessing theSpeed Forceto run as fast as possible. As he prepares to carry out his part of the team’s plan, he speaks to the Eradicator and declares that he’s capable of erasing him from history if he chooses.
This threat from the Flash is far from an empty one;Barry Allen retconned countless DC characters and stories by causing Flashpoint, so it stands to reason that he could do the same for Eradicator.The Flash leveraging this over-powered ability over someone is unexpectedly manipulative of him, alluding to his villainous tendencies.
9“You know what happens when I vibrate my hand through things, McCulloch? They explode.”
The Flash#167 by Geoff Johns and Angel Unzueta
As a superhero, the Flash prides himself on being better than the villains he puts away with his speed. However, there are instances where his tactics bear an eerie similarity to those employed by his enemies, blurring the line between hero and villain. Wally West’s villainous streak comes out when he sees a ring in Mirror Master’s hand. The ring belongs to Wally’s wife,Linda Park-West- except she’s nowhere to be seen, with her wedding band being all that’s left of her.
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In a fit of rage, Wally vibrates his fist beside Mirror Master’s head and demands to know what he’s done with his wife.His threat of vibrational intangibility resembles the wayReverse-Flash murders his victims, including Wally’s Aunt Iris. As it turns out, the Flash may not be as different from his nemesis as he likes to believe he is.
8"You’re roadkill!"
Infinite Crisis#7 by Geoff Johns, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, Joe Bennett, and Phil Jimenez
Bart Allen - commonly known asImpulse- didn’t have a long run as the Flash compared to his predecessors, but he made quite an impact during his short-lived tenure in the role. During theInfinite Crisisevent, the Flash engages in a fist-fight against Superboy-Prime, and his rage on behalf of his friend Conner. Fueled by anger, he calls his opponent “road kill”.
This line exemplifies a terrifying aspect of theFlash’s powersthat isn’t acknowledged enough in DC lore. He moves at such a high velocity that he often blows away his surroundings without a second thought as he rushes past, and that’s when he isn’t driven by an apparent intent to kill.Anything in the Flash’s path can can get crushed and become “road kill” if he moves at it fast enough, and there’s nothing that can be done to evade this gruesome fate.
7"If you don’t run with me now, I will make sure you never run again!"
The Flash#48 by Joshua Williamson and Howard Porter
The Flash doesn’t only threaten his enemies, as he’s also unleashed jaw-dropping threats against his closest allies - including fellow Flashes. In theFlash Warstory, Wally West is tricked by Zoom into believing that he must break the Speed Force to restore his children’s lives. Barry Allen, on the other hand, refuses to let himcreate a second Flashpoint, so Wally gives him an ultimatum: he can either help, or lose his speed.
Wally’s ultimatum exposes a darkness within him, as he intends to strip away Barry’s ability to be the Flash in a moment of pure selfishness.Proclaiming that he will prevent Barry from ever running again reveals the disturbing lengthsWally’s Flashwill go for his family’s sake, even when the ends don’t necessarily justify the means.
6"Some people need to die."
The Flash#219 by Geoff Johns and Justiniano
One of the Flash’s most admirable qualities as a hero is the respect he shares with his villains. Although they fight on opposite sides, he consistently tries to see eye-to-eye with them and rehabilitate them to become more positive contributors to society, as seen when he talksHeat Wavedown inThe Flash#773 by Jeremy Adams and Will Conrad. However, in one scene,the Flash admits he doesn’t believe every villain can be redeemed.
The Flash’s harrowing confession to Wonder Woman undercuts his empathetic nature, since even most of the Justice League’s heroes would disagree with his support of the death penalty. He does point out that Barry Allen agrees with his grim stance, which means both ofDC’s main Flashesare in favor of letting certain foes die.
5"I could hit you a hundred times before you could throw one punch."
The Flash#65 by Joshua Williamson and Rafa Sandoval
Unlike Wally, Barry Allen isn’t normally prone to intense bouts of rage at the drop of a hat. It takes a lot to set off Barry due to his more logical approach to conflict, so it’s that much more unnerving when he does explode. Batman pushes the right button to send the Flash over the edge when he makes the following snide comment to him:“At least I never forgot one of my partners existed.”
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Batman is referring to Barry forgetting about Wally due to hisFlashpoint disastererasing the other Flash from existence for an extended period. To make matters worse, this scene takes place shortly after Wally’sHeroes in Crisismurders, so he’s undoubtedly a sore subject for Barry. These factors culminate in the Flash preparing to punch Batman at super-speed, which the Dark Knight would have no chance of surviving.
4"All I want to hear from you is a scream and the sound of breaking bones."
The Flash#243 by Tom Peyer and Freddie E. Williams II
Everyversion of Flash in DC’s continuityis different from the rest, as they all possess their own unique traits that allow them to stand out, but there’s one trait that every Flash shares in common: if you mess with the people they love, they won’t hold back against you. Wally West demonstrates this quality when he’s forced to watch his daughter Irey rapidly age and decay before his eyes, as Gorilla Grodd watches in satisfaction.
Without hesitation, Wally attacks Grodd in a desperate attempt to avenge his dead daughter, and it’s clear that he aims to inflict as much pain as possible.His desperation to make his opponent suffer shows thatharming the Flash’s familyis the quickest way to awaken a more bloodthirsty side of him.
3"You think you know what I’m capable of? You have no idea."
Knight Terrors: The Flash#2 by Alex Paknadel, Tom Derenick, and Daniel Bayliss
The Flash has considered carrying out Reverse-Flash’s horrific method of killing in the past, but in this haunting moment, he actually follows through.Knight Terrors: The Flashthrusts Barry Allen into a nightmare reality where Wally has been fatally wounded. To undo his nephew’s injury, the Flash continuously travels back in time to stop Gorilla Grodd from hurting him, but his repeated interference with the Speed Force disfigures him beyond recognition.
In his new monstrous form, the Flash loses touch with his humanity, and this shift culminates in him brutally killing Reverse-Flash by ripping out his heart.While this murder does take place during a dream sequence, the scenario is pulled from Barry’s subconscious and therefore is plausible within the real world. The Flash’s speed has violent potential, and at any time, he could utilize it.
2"I immobilized him. Permanently."
All Flash#1 by Mark Waid, Joe Bennett, Ian Churchill, Manuel Garcia, Karl Kerschl, and Daniel Acuña
As evidenced by this list, the Flash is no stranger to threatening enemies, though he typically holds himself back due to his better judgment. That judgment flies out the window, however, when a line is crossed. Inertia, a clone of Bart Allen from the future, faces the full force of the Flash’s wrath when he orchestrates the murder of Bart.Wally West’s Flash is fueled by all-consuming angerupon learning of Bart’s fate, so he subjects Inertia to the cruelest fate imaginable.
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The Flash doesn’t simply kill Inertia; instead, he steals Interia’s speed and robs him of the ability to move, positioning him across from Bart’s statue in the Flash Museum so he can face the consequences of his actions for eternity. Intertia does deserve punishment, but the Flash takes it to a torturous extreme that would make villains shudder.
1"I want you to know. You touched me because I let you touch me."
The Flash#217 by Geoff Johns and Howard Porter
Thanks to his speed, the Flash is able to easily outpace his fellow heroes who don’t have powers. Batman has attempted to circumvent his disadvantage against him before, such as with hisanti-Flash mech, but the Scarlet Speedster always regains the upper hand. Here, when Batman does manage to lay a hand on the Flash, Wally reminds him that he’s fast enough to have deflected if he wanted to. Simply put, Batman poses so little of a danger to the Flash that he’s toying with him.
The Flash’s threat here serves as a chilling reminder that, in the event that he felt the need to, he could defeat Batman - and the rest of the Justice League - in the blink of an eye. Therefore, the DC Universe had better hope that theFlashnever succumbs to his dark side, because he’s proven that even Batman would be powerless to stop him.
The Flash
The Flash is the superhero name given to the DC Comics character who utilizes unparalleled speed tied to a dimensional power known as the “speed force” to overwhelm their opposition. Premiering in 1939, the original Flash arrived as Jay Garrick. Still, it would be superseded by Barry Allen in popularity and featured status, but the Flash is one character that has met many of their alternate selves. The character is typically seen as a part of the Justice League in nearly all incarnations.
