I never fancied myself a writer. That, I left to my wife. The way she could put words together with such ease never ceased to amaze me; how she could make a single sentence sound like Mozart’s forgotten masterpiece. But the last few months (Months? Years, maybe? I don't know. It feels like an eternity) have been hard on me, on everyone, and Iris insisted that I write everything down, a memoir of sorts, if not to tell my story then to get this heaviness off my chest.
I never fancied myself a writer. But as I sit here now, pen in hand, I can only hope that I find some closure through these words. Some small comfort to make it easier to live with myself.
Chapter One Sunday, March 20th, 2005 7:00am
God, she looked beautiful. Her brows furrowed in concentration, auburn hair carelessly billowing over her shoulders. She bit her bottom lip, the way she always does when she gets lost in thought, her eyes never leaving the television screen as she replayed HYDRA's message for the umpteenth time. A mug of coffee steamed in her hands, yet to be drunk. Beside her, nestled in the corner of our living room sofa, was her notepad and pen, notes scaling down the page in her graceful handwriting, the bottom sentence underlined with two purposeful strokes:
Red Skull is a dick.
I didn't know how journalism worked, but if I had anything to go by, I'd have said that Iris West-Allen was the cream of the crop. I still would.
I was making breakfast: scrambled eggs and toast, nice and simple. Her favorite. It was slow work, the eggs cooking at the pace of a snail, the toaster taking its time to defrost the bread. I stood over the pan, watching as bubbles formed and grew, inching upwards and outwards before popping, disappearing into the yellow mix of yolk and egg white. A light droning met my ears, almost sing-song in its character, slow and drawn out. I barely noticed it, its sound registering, but not acknowledged.
After what felt like ages, the eggs began to harden, and I sighed in relief, scraping them from the pan’s bottom with a spatula.
“Barry?” asked Iris, turning from the TV to look at me. “Did you hear me?”
“Hmm?” In the back of my mind, I realised something, almost nonchalant in my thoughts. Oh. That was her.
“Do you think this is the real thing?” She raised her hand, pointing at the HYDRA symbol that so boldly imposed itself on the screen.
I stopped to think. To me, it felt like a good few seconds. To Iris, I answered in an instant.
“Yes. Yeah, it’s the real thing.”
She eyed me with faux suspicion. “And how can you be so sure, Mr. Allen?”
“I don’t know, ma’am,” I replied, cracking a smile. “You tell me. Aren’t you the investigative reporter around here?”
She laughed. I love it when she does that. “Oh, just hurry up and cook my breakfast. A lady’s gotta eat.”
I lifted my hand in mock salute, fixing my attention onto the ever-slow eggs once more.
I was saved by my phone, kicking to life on the kitchen benchtop. I answered it within the first ring.
“Hello, Barry Allen speaking.”
“Barry, hey,” said Captain Darryl Frye, head of my precinct and, as the years went by, friend. “Sorry to interrupt your morning. You’re not at church, are you?”
“No, Darryl, I’m not. What’s up?”
“There’s been a murder down at 20th and Kanigher. Singh wants you there. You’d better hurry up, Barry, he’s not in the best of moods. I just saved your ears by taking this call.”
“Thanks, Darryl. I’ll be right there.” At that, I hung up.
“Police work?” asked Iris. She’d gotten up from the sofa, somehow managing to sneak up behind me. I don’t know how she does it. When it comes to her, I guess I’m just not as alert.
“Yeah,” I said, “Sorry. Looks like breakfast will have to cook itself.” I leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
And just like that, I was gone, the familiar crackle of electricity carrying me to the scene of the crime.
I sure hope so. I'm working on it. Should be up sometime tomorrow, cos I need to get some sleep. Living in Australia, man-- it messes with time zones like no other.
“I can think at the speed of light, I can perceive events that last for less than an attosecond, I can run faster than time. What do I see when I run across the country? I see everything. I see everyone.”
| Identity |
Bartholomew Henry “Barry” Allen
The Gem Cities Blur
The Scarlet Speedster
The Crimson Comet
The Fastest Man Alive
The Flash
| Origin and Backstory |
Nora Allen knew that her husband was not a crying man, not by any means. She herself had only ever seen him shed a tear once or twice in the sixteen years they'd been together. But as she so often told Barry on his birthday, the one time Henry Allen had truly let his tears flow was the day his son was born.
It was the 13th of May, 1977 when Henry frantically drove his wife to Central City Hospital, bringing his car to a screeching halt in the parking lot before hurriedly escorting her to the maternity ward. The man was nervous, worried; he didn't know if he could bear a repeat of last time. Being told that your child had been stillborn is something no parent should have to go through, let alone twice. Luckily, no such thing happened, and Barry Allen was born a healthy baby to a happy mother and bawling father. Nora would go on to describe Henry's tears as ones of absolute joy and relief. Henry would go on to deny ever having cried.
As Barry grew, it became evident that he was a boy of science, not sport. Everything interested him: chemistry, physics, theoretical sciences; anything he could learn, he did. His parents were proud of him and of the intelligent man he was growing into, and while bullies tried time and time again to discourage Barry, Henry and Nora would have none of it. Neither, it seemed, would Iris West. A girl of Barry's age, she was fascinated by him, and frequently spent time with the prodigy. Time spent at school soon extended to time spent at home, and Barry and Iris became best friends faster than a speeding bullet could meet its mark. The friendship between the Allens and the Wests was not restricted to the children, and a strong bond was formed between Barry's parents and police detective Joe West over many afternoons spent socialising in the living room as the kids played upstairs. A routine was developed. Every day after school, Barry and Iris would alternate between each other's homes, helping each other with homework and telling each other stories as their parents conversed in another room. It was a good system, and everyone was happy... But that would all change on a dark night of 1988.
The sound of his mother screaming was what alerted Barry. He had been sleeping soundly in his bed when her voice pierced his ears, shouting for help over an impossibly loud noise... A noise that strangely resembled the crackle of electricity. He ran to her, down the stairs and into the living room, only to be blocked by an ever-moving tornado of red and yellow lightning, Nora at its centre. His father came charging in, carrying a baseball bat, running full pelt at the wall of electricity-- only to be knocked back by what Barry swore was a man in a yellow suit, with blazing red eyes --the man he would come to call Eobard Thawne. In all the confusion, Barry managed to hear Henry yell at him to run, to get as far away from the house as possible, before he was whisked out and taken six blocks away; all before he could scream for his mum one last time.
When Barry found his way back home, the first thing he saw was his father in handcuffs, being escorted towards a police car, begging Barry not to go inside. Afraid and confused, Barry did the opposite, barging past officers and running into his home, seeking his mother. Instead, he found her lifeless body, a pool of blood expanding beneath it. Joe came soon after, his face expressionless, his eyes full of sadness. What he told Barry caused the boy's world to crumble around him. Barry's father had killed Nora.
Henry was convicted of first degree murder, sentenced to life in prison without parole. With no legal guardian to take care of him, Barry was taken in by Joe, who had by this time come to terms with Henry's guilt, if reluctantly. This brought on an unhealthy new dynamic to the West household, as frequent arguments would break out between Barry and his adoptive father, each one trying to convince the other whether or not Henry was truly to blame for Nora's death. Iris often found herself playing peacemaker, defusing the situations before they got too heated.
Things eventually settled down as Barry grudgingly accepted his father's predicament; but he never truly laid the subject to rest, often scheming of ways to prove Henry's innocence, going as far as stealing some of Joe's case files strewn across his desk for anyone to take. Needless to say, he received a very stern talking to that night, but aside from that, things seemed normal.
Academically, Barry only continued to thrive, with a new interest in criminology and forensics, one that would see him seek a career in the Central City PD's CSI unit. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.
As he transitioned into high school, Barry found himself subject to all things teenagers experience in those years: yet more bullies, piles upon piles of homework, the extension work that followed, after school sport, his first kiss, his first girlfriend, and his first heartbreak. But despite all of that, nothing could keep his mind off of his mother's murder. Theories upon theories, questions upon questions, all piled up in his room. Who was the man in yellow? Why did he kill Nora? Was he in any way related to that old vigilante group, the Justice Society's, Flash? So many questions, yet so little answers... Slowly but surely, Barry was losing hope. Could he ever prove his father was innocent? No one believed him, no one but Iris. But even the comfort she offered was small compared to the ever-growing pit of despair in his stomach.
One hot summer's night in 1995 would give Barry reason to renew his vigour. He'd acquired an internship within STAR Labs, working in their Central City facility. On the odd occasion, his overseer, Dr. Darwin Elias, allowed him to experiment in his lab, an opportunity Barry could never resist. It was on one such occasion that the unthinkable happened, and Barry's life changed forever. A storm had been brewing that day, and as Barry worked in Dr. Elias' lab, it was hammering down on the city in full force. Mixing a batch of chemicals together, he heard the crack of thunder and lightning too late, as a bolt of electricity burst through the lab's window, striking him in the chest and dousing him with the compound he'd created. And such was the way the Speed Force was created. The cause of Barry’s pain. The source of his powers.
Upon being discovered, lying unconscious among shards of glass, he was transported to the nearest hospital, Joe and Iris by his side. Feeling sorry for Barry, maybe even a bit of guilt, Dr. Elias elected to give him the best care possible, paying his hospital bills and personally caring for him.
It wasn’t for another month until Barry woke up. By then, he was a changed man.
It didn’t take long for Barry’s powers to surface. Having moved back in with the Wests, confusion was quick to follow, as he walked down the street in one moment, and crashed into a dumpster the next. Baffled by this new development, he went to the smartest man he knew. Dr. Elias agreed to help Barry gain control of his speed, but insisted that he keep it a secret. He maintained that while nearly a decade had passed since the Purifier movement, the public was still prone to anti-mutant bias, and while it wasn’t clear whether Barry was indeed a mutant, revealing himself would only end in hate. Unwilling, but seeing the truth in Elias’s words, Barry agreed to lay low, at least until they knew more about his powers.
For the next few months they tested him, keeping record of his speed, testing his limits, using a friction-resistant suit of Elias’s design. Barry kept his abilities hidden, just as he promised. But this wouldn’t last for long.
James Jesse, aka the Trickster, convicted terrorist and former enemy of the first Flash, had escaped prison, making his way to Central City to initiate what would go down in history as his most perplexing plot in his entire criminal career. Nationally televised, he explained that he’d rigged the homes of the Gem Cities’ wealthiest socialites, giving them each an hour to transfer two million dollars to an offshore bank account before “everything goes boom.” Unable to stand by and do nothing, Barry took action, running to each of the socialites’ homes, hoping to locate the bombs. What he found, however, was nothing. Jesse had been bluffing. Desperate for help, he called Dr. Elias, who, after indulging in the art of berating, got to locating the Trickster, still broadcasting his twisted program. In a few minutes, he’d done it: Jesse was hiding out in an abandoned warehouse in Lawrence Hills, Central City’s industrial district.
With time to lose, Barry sped to the warehouse, making quick work of the terrorist, tying him to a post and running back to STAR Labs all before Elias could finish tipping off the police. Upon being arrested, Jesse told the CCPD of how a blur had tied him up; this was brushed off as a clumsy lie, the police concluding that he’d gift-wrapped himself in some sick game of cat and mouse.
But his claims were enough to start an urban legend: that of the Gem Cities Blur, a speed demon dedicated to protecting Central and Keystone. Most brushed it off as mere fiction, fabricated by James Jesse’s corrupt mind.
They had no idea how wrong they were.
For the next two years, Barry operated as the Blur, working hard to maintain his status as urban legend, getting faster and faster. It was during this time that he had his first run-in with the men that would become the first Rogues: Leonard Snart, Mick Rory and Sam Scudder, robbing Central City National Bank. It was also during this time that tragedy struck.
It was November, 1998. While on patrol, Joe had been shot and killed by an armed robber. The news reached Barry through a distraught Iris, who told him through shuddering breaths exactly what happened. Overcome by grief, Barry stormed to the CCPD, seeking out Joe's partner and long-time friend, Detective Darryl Frye. Finding him, he let loose a barrage of questions, one after the other: Who killed Joe? Where was he now? How could Darryl let this happen?
In an attempt to calm him down, Darryl assured Barry that the killer had been caught; that he was being held in a cell at that very moment. But it wasn't enough. That night, the Blur phased into the killer's cell. And for the first time in his life, it was Barry that gave the beating.
Joe's killer was found a bloody pulp the next morning, all cuts and fractured bones, bleeding internally in multiple areas. Barry never heard what became of him. He laid the Blur to rest the following day, the guilt of what he'd done too much to bear.
On the June of 1999, Barry was inducted into the CCPD, the CSI unit's newest member. Using his new position, he obtained copies of his mother’s file, reopening the case. Two months later, he and Iris crossed the bridge between friendship and romance, entering a relationship after over a decade of knowing each other.
One year later, he asked her to marry him. She said yes.
Barry and Iris were happily married, living in a small home in the borough of Danville. They were doing well, Barry receiving a steady income from his job at the CCPD, Iris earning nearly double as Central City Picture News’ top reporter. They were happy. But something just didn’t feel right.
In the aftermath of September 11, he realised just what that was. The resurgence of superheroes in the form of Batman and Superman made him see himself for who he truly wanted to be; for what he truly wanted to do. He wanted to help people. But not as the Blur. He had to be someone else. He had to be something else.
It was the October of 2001, and the Flash, after twenty-two years of absence, was spotted apprehending Hartley Rathaway, aka the Pied Piper, as he robbed a bank. Something was different about him, though. He was younger. Taller. Redder.
This guy was new.
With Iris’ support, Barry became the Gem Cities’ protector, the second Flash. He made many enemies: Snart and his gang from the Blur’s days formed the Rogues, each with their own specially-made weapon; Captain Cold, Heatwave and Mirror Master. Digger Harkness, aka Captain Boomerang; Tony Woodward, aka Girder; Roscoe Dillon, aka the Top; Amunet Black, aka Blacksmith; and perhaps the most sickening, Dr. Michael Amar, the serial killer known as Murmur.
Little did Barry know, they were the least of his troubles. For in the shadows hid the orchestrator of Barry’s life-- of all the tragedies, of all the hurt and sadness-- the man in yellow. Eobard Thawne.
May 13, 2004. Barry's twenty-seventh birthday. A romantic dinner date, just Barry and Iris in their home, with no one to bother them. No one but Zoom. To Iris, it just looked like a yellow blur, plucking her husband out of the room in the blink of an eye. But Barry saw everything. The yellow suit. Those red eyes. That taunting smile. He was dropped off on the rooftop of a skyscraper, rain beating down, the man in yellow smiling down at him. It was then that the man spoke, his distorted voice one that would continue to haunt Barry for years to come. He told him his name, and what he was going to do. He made it clear: he was going to tear Barry’s life apart, piece by bloody piece. Then, wishing him a happy birthday, Thawne was gone, just as quick as he came, leaving Barry to contemplate what had just happened. He returned home a frustrated, angry man. After years of investigation, he finally found his mother’s true killer-- finally crossed paths with him. In the years gone by, he’d always imagined that he’d have the upper hand, that he’d bring the man to justice. Yet Thawne was still winning. He was still ten steps ahead.
The following morning, Henry Allen was found within an inch of his life in his cell at Iron Heights. Taken to the infirmary, it was discovered that he suffered numerous internal injuries… with no external ones to cause them. Enraged, Barry donned his Flash suit, knowing exactly who was to blame, and searched all of Central and Keystone. Thawne wasn’t there. He was nowhere to be found.
For the next few days, things remained quiet. Barry spent them at work, unable to visit his father, thinking of what to do. But for the most part, he waited for Thawne’s next move. He swore that next time, he’d be ready.
He wasn’t.
He returned home one night to find Iris gone, a phone in her place. It started to ring, and he answered it, worry eating away at him. His fears were confirmed upon hearing the voice on the other end: Thawne. He had Iris, and he wanted to play a game. Barry was supposed to be the fastest man alive-- Thawne wanted to test that. For every hour that he didn’t find Iris, she would lose a finger. When they’re all gone, they’d move on to her toes. When there aren’t any of them left… She’d die. It was as simple as that.
Barry searched everywhere for Iris, but despite his best efforts, nothing came of it. Desperate and afraid for her, he turned to his former mentor, Dr. Darwin Elias. The response he got, however, was not the one he wanted. Elias didn’t know how to help.
Frustration, anger, worry and fear all welled up inside Barry, threatening to burst. Not knowing how to deal with it all, he ran. Within a second, he broke the sound barrier. Within half of that, he was faster than light. Soon, he was running faster than he’d ever run before-- and before he knew it, he ripped through the fabric of space and time, running into the place he would come to know as the Speed Force. His thoughts fixed firmly on Thawne, the man came into view, standing in front of Iris, bound firmly to a chair.
The speedsters came to blows as Barry exited the Speed Force, fighting Thawne with a newfound aggression. After a prolonged battle, he managed to reopen the portal through which he’d come, throwing his enemy in; it closed, disappearing along with him. Barry took Iris home that night, relief flooding him at her uninjured state.
With Eobard out of the picture, life slowly returned to normal. But as Barry gets faster, everything else slows down… Can he live in a world too slow to keep up?
| Attributes | Created the moment the lightning struck, it echoes through all of existence and time, blurring between past, present and future. It contains the knowledge of every event, every location, every person, touching every part of reality. It is speed, it is movement, it is time itself. It is the Speed Force, the source of all speedsters' powers.
Super Speed: His primary power, Barry is able to run at superhuman speeds. As a conduit of the Speed Force, he can break the sound barrier, run faster than light, and, when under enough stress, break both the dimensional and time barriers.
Superhuman Stamina: Barry's connection to the Speed Force enables his body to withstand the effects of super speed without any grievous damage.
Supercharged Brain Activity:] It's not just his body that can move fast. Barry's brain can process information in as little time as an attosecond; he can test theories, figure out complex equations and think of the best course of action in the time it takes light to travel the length of three hydrogen atoms.
Accelerated Healing: While he isn't indestructible like the Man of Steel, Barry's injuries heal at very high speeds. Normal wear and tear damage such as scratches and bruises will heal almost instantly.
Infinite Mass Punch: Barry can focus the Speed Force's energy into one immensely powerful punch, whose density is the equivalent of a white dwarf star.
Vortex Creation: When moving himself or his limbs in a super-fast, circular motion, Barry can create powerful funnels of wind; tornadoes.
Phasing: If he vibrates his molecules at a high enough frequency, Barry can become intangible and phase through objects.
Self Sustenance: Traveling at super speeds causes Barry's body to work overtime. As a result, his metabolism is higher than that of a regular human, requiring him to continually refill his energy supply.
Genius Level Intellect: Barry is an extremely smart man, boasting extensive knowledge in science, chemistry, criminology and forensic pathology.
| Character Goals | Using the character of Dr. Manhattan and the song ‘The Ballad of Barry Allen’ as inspiration, I intend to play a Barry that’s slowly becoming more and more disconnected with the world around him, getting faster and faster, and as a result, becoming less of a human and more a pure conduit of the Speed Force. I hope to explore how this affects every aspect of his life: his friendships, his marriage, his job, and his heroics. How does he interact with a world too slow to keep up with him?
“I can think at the speed of light, I can perceive events that last for less than an attosecond, I can run faster than time. What do I see when I run across the country? I see everything. I see everyone.”
| Identity | Bartholomew Henry “Barry” Allen The Flash The Gem Cities Blur The Scarlet Speedster The Crimson Comet The Fastest Man Alive
| Origin and Backstory |
Nora Allen knew that her husband was not a crying man, not by any means. She herself had only ever seen him shed a tear once or twice in the sixteen years they'd been together. But as she so often told Barry on his birthday, the one time Henry Allen had truly let his tears flow was the day his son was born.
It was the 13th of May, 1977 when Henry frantically drove his wife to Central City Hospital, bringing his car to a screeching halt in the parking lot before hurriedly escorting her to the maternity ward. The man was nervous, worried; he didn't know if he could bear a repeat of last time. Being told that your child had been stillborn is something no parent should have to go through, let alone twice. Luckily, no such thing happened, and Barry Allen was born a healthy baby to a happy mother and bawling father. Nora would go on to describe Henry's tears as ones of absolute joy and relief. Henry would go on to deny ever having cried.
As Barry grew, it became evident that he was a boy of science, not sport. Everything interested him: chemistry, physics, theoretical sciences; anything he could learn, he did. His parents were proud of him and of the intelligent man he was growing into, and while bullies tried time and time again to discourage Barry, Henry and Nora would have none of it. Neither, it seemed, would Iris West. A girl of Barry's age, she was fascinated by him, and frequently spent time with the prodigy. Time spent at school soon extended to time spent at home, and Barry and Iris became best friends faster than a speeding bullet could meet its mark. The friendship between the Allens and the Wests was not restricted to the children, and a strong bond was formed between Barry's parents and police detective Joe West over many afternoons spent socialising in the living room as the kids played upstairs. A routine was developed. Every day after school, Barry and Iris would alternate between each other's homes, helping each other with homework and telling each other stories as their parents conversed in another room. It was a good system, and everyone was happy... But that would all change on a dark night of 1988.
The sound of his mother screaming was what alerted Barry. He had been sleeping soundly in his bed when her voice pierced his ears, shouting for help over an impossibly loud noise... A noise that strangely resembled the crackle of electricity. He ran to her, down the stairs and into the living room, only to be blocked by an ever-moving tornado of red and yellow lightning, Nora at its centre. His father came charging in, carrying a baseball bat, running full pelt at the wall of electricity-- only to be knocked back by what Barry swore was a man in a yellow suit, with blazing red eyes --the man he would come to call Eobard Thawne. In all the confusion, Barry managed to hear Henry yell at him to run, to get as far away from the house as possible, before he was whisked out and taken six blocks away; all before he could scream for his mum one last time.
When Barry found his way back home, the first thing he saw was his father in handcuffs, being escorted towards a police car, begging Barry not to go inside. Afraid and confused, Barry did the opposite, barging past officers and running into his home, seeking his mother. Instead, he found her lifeless body, a pool of blood expanding beneath it. Joe came soon after, his face expressionless, his eyes full of sadness. What he told Barry caused the boy's world to crumble around him. Barry's father had killed Nora.
Henry was convicted of first degree murder, sentenced to life in prison without parole. With no legal guardian to take care of him, Barry was taken in by Joe, who had by this time come to terms with Henry's guilt, if reluctantly. This brought on an unhealthy new dynamic to the West household, as frequent arguments would break out between Barry and his adoptive father, each one trying to convince the other whether or not Henry was truly to blame for Nora's death. Iris often found herself playing peacemaker, defusing the situations before they got too heated.
Things eventually settled down as Barry grudgingly accepted his father's predicament; but he never truly laid the subject to rest, often scheming of ways to prove Henry's innocence, going as far as stealing some of Joe's case files strewn across his desk for anyone to take. Needless to say, he received a very stern talking to that night, but aside from that, things seemed normal.
Academically, Barry only continued to thrive, with a new interest in criminology and forensics, one that would see him seek a career in the Central City PD's CSI unit. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.
As he transitioned into high school, Barry found himself subject to all things teenagers experience in those years: yet more bullies, piles upon piles of homework, the extension work that followed, after school sport, his first kiss, his first girlfriend, and his first heartbreak. But despite all of that, nothing could keep his mind off of his mother's murder. Theories upon theories, questions upon questions, all piled up in his room. Who was the man in yellow? Why did he kill Nora? Was he in any way related to that old vigilante group, the Justice Society's, Flash? So many questions, yet so little answers... Slowly but surely, Barry was losing hope. Could he ever prove his father was innocent? No one believed him, no one but Iris. But even the comfort she offered was small compared to the ever-growing pit of despair in his stomach.
One hot summer's night in 1995 would give Barry reason to renew his vigour. He'd acquired an internship within STAR Labs, working in their Central City facility. On the odd occasion, his overseer, Dr. Darwin Elias, allowed him to experiment in his lab, an opportunity Barry could never resist. It was on one such occasion that the unthinkable happened, and Barry's life changed forever. A storm had been brewing that day, and as Barry worked in Dr. Elias' lab, it was hammering down on the city in full force. Mixing a batch of chemicals together, he heard the crack of thunder and lightning too late, as a bolt of electricity burst through the lab's window, striking him in the chest and dousing him with the compound he'd created. And such was the way the Speed Force was created. The cause of Barry’s pain. The source of his powers.
Upon being discovered, lying unconscious among shards of glass, he was transported to the nearest hospital, Joe and Iris by his side. Feeling sorry for Barry, maybe even a bit of guilt, Dr. Elias elected to give him the best care possible, paying his hospital bills and personally caring for him.
It wasn’t for another month until Barry woke up. By then, he was a changed man.
It didn’t take long for Barry’s powers to surface. Having moved back in with the Wests, confusion was quick to follow, as he walked down the street in one moment, and crashed into a dumpster the next. Baffled by this new development, he went to the smartest man he knew. Dr. Elias agreed to help Barry gain control of his speed, but insisted that he keep it a secret. He maintained that while nearly a decade had passed since the Purifier movement, the public was still prone to anti-mutant bias, and while it wasn’t clear whether Barry was indeed a mutant, revealing himself would only end in hate. Unwilling, but seeing the truth in Elias’s words, Barry agreed to lay low, at least until they knew more about his powers.
For the next few months they tested him, keeping record of his speed, testing his limits, using a friction-resistant suit of Elias’s design. Barry kept his abilities hidden, just as he promised. But this wouldn’t last for long.
James Jesse, aka the Trickster, convicted terrorist and former enemy of the first Flash, had escaped prison, making his way to Central City to initiate what would go down in history as his most perplexing plot in his entire criminal career. Nationally televised, he explained that he’d rigged the homes of the Gem Cities’ wealthiest socialites, giving them each an hour to transfer two million dollars to an offshore bank account before “everything goes boom.” Unable to stand by and do nothing, Barry took action, running to each of the socialites’ homes, hoping to locate the bombs. What he found, however, was nothing. Jesse had been bluffing. Desperate for help, he called Dr. Elias, who, after indulging in the art of berating, got to locating the Trickster, still broadcasting his twisted program. In a few minutes, he’d done it: Jesse was hiding out in an abandoned warehouse in Lawrence Hills, Central City’s industrial district.
With time to lose, Barry sped to the warehouse, making quick work of the terrorist, tying him to a post and running back to STAR Labs all before Elias could finish tipping off the police. Upon being arrested, Jesse told the CCPD of how a blur had tied him up; this was brushed off as a clumsy lie, the police concluding that he’d gift-wrapped himself in some sick game of cat and mouse.
But his claims were enough to start an urban legend: that of the Gem Cities Blur, a speed demon dedicated to protecting Central and Keystone. Most brushed it off as mere fiction, fabricated by James Jesse’s corrupt mind.
They had no idea how wrong they were.
For the next two years, Barry operated as the Blur, working hard to maintain his status as urban legend, getting faster and faster. It was during this time that he had his first run-in with the men that would become the first Rogues: Leonard Snart, Mick Rory and Sam Scudder, robbing Central City National Bank. It was also during this time that tragedy struck.
It was November, 1998. While on patrol, Joe had been shot and killed by an armed robber. The news reached Barry through a distraught Iris, who told him through shuddering breaths exactly what happened. Overcome by grief, Barry stormed to the CCPD, seeking out Joe's partner and long-time friend, Detective Darryl Frye. Finding him, he let loose a barrage of questions, one after the other: Who killed Joe? Where was he now? How could Darryl let this happen?
In an attempt to calm him down, Darryl assured Barry that the killer had been caught; that he was being held in a cell at that very moment. But it wasn't enough. That night, the Blur phased into the killer's cell. And for the first time in his life, it was Barry that gave the beating.
Joe's killer was found a bloody pulp the next morning, all cuts and fractured bones, bleeding internally in multiple areas. Barry never heard what became of him. He laid the Blur to rest the following day, the guilt of what he'd done too much to bear.
On the June of 1999, Barry was inducted into the CCPD, the CSI unit's newest member. Using his new position, he obtained copies of his mother’s file, reopening the case. Two months later, he and Iris crossed the bridge between friendship and romance, entering a relationship after over a decade of knowing each other.
One year later, he asked her to marry him. She said yes.
Barry and Iris were happily married, living in a small home in the borough of Danville. They were doing well, Barry receiving a steady income from his job at the CCPD, Iris earning nearly double as Central City Picture News’ top reporter. They were happy. But something just didn’t feel right.
In the aftermath of September 11, he realised just what that was. The resurgence of superheroes in the form of Batman and Superman made him see himself for who he truly wanted to be; for what he truly wanted to do. He wanted to help people. But not as the Blur. He had to be someone else. He had to be something else.
It was the October of 2001, and the Flash, after twenty-two years of absence, was spotted apprehending Hartley Rathaway, aka the Pied Piper, as he robbed a bank. Something was different about him, though. He was younger. Taller. Redder.
This guy was new.
With Iris’ support, Barry became the Gem Cities’ protector, the second Flash. He made many enemies: Snart and his gang from the Blur’s days formed the Rogues, each with their own specially-made weapon; Captain Cold, Heatwave and Mirror Master. Digger Harkness, aka Captain Boomerang; Tony Woodward, aka Girder; Roscoe Dillon, aka the Top; Amunet Black, aka Blacksmith; and perhaps the most sickening, Dr. Michael Amar, the serial killer known as Murmur.
Little did Barry know, they were the least of his troubles. For in the shadows hid the orchestrator of Barry’s life-- of all the tragedies, of all the hurt and sadness-- the man in yellow. Eobard Thawne.
May 13, 2004. Barry's twenty-seventh birthday. A romantic dinner date, just Barry and Iris in their home, with no one to bother them. No one but Zoom. To Iris, it just looked like a yellow blur, plucking her husband out of the room in the blink of an eye. But Barry saw everything. The yellow suit. Those red eyes. That taunting smile. He was dropped off on the rooftop of a skyscraper, rain beating down, the man in yellow smiling down at him. It was then that the man spoke, his distorted voice one that would continue to haunt Barry for years to come. He told him his name, and what he was going to do. He made it clear: he was going to tear Barry’s life apart, piece by bloody piece. Then, wishing him a happy birthday, Thawne was gone, just as quick as he came, leaving Barry to contemplate what had just happened. He returned home a frustrated, angry man. After years of investigation, he finally found his mother’s true killer-- finally crossed paths with him. In the years gone by, he’d always imagined that he’d have the upper hand, that he’d bring the man to justice. Yet Thawne was still winning. He was still ten steps ahead.
The following morning, Henry Allen was found within an inch of his life in his cell at Iron Heights. Taken to the infirmary, it was discovered that he suffered numerous internal injuries… with no external ones to cause them. Enraged, Barry donned his Flash suit, knowing exactly who was to blame, and searched all of Central and Keystone. Thawne wasn’t there. He was nowhere to be found.
For the next few days, things remained quiet. Barry spent them at work, unable to visit his father, thinking of what to do. But for the most part, he waited for Thawne’s next move. He swore that next time, he’d be ready.
He wasn’t.
He returned home one night to find Iris gone, a phone in her place. It started to ring, and he answered it, worry eating away at him. His fears were confirmed upon hearing the voice on the other end: Thawne. He had Iris, and he wanted to play a game. Barry was supposed to be the fastest man alive-- Thawne wanted to test that. For every hour that he didn’t find Iris, she would lose a finger. When they’re all gone, they’d move on to her toes. When there aren’t any of them left… She’d die. It was as simple as that.
Barry searched everywhere for Iris, but despite his best efforts, nothing came of it. Desperate and afraid for her, he turned to his former mentor, Dr. Darwin Elias. The response he got, however, was not the one he wanted. Elias didn’t know how to help.
Frustration, anger, worry and fear all welled up inside Barry, threatening to burst. Not knowing how to deal with it all, he ran. Within a second, he broke the sound barrier. Within half of that, he was faster than light. Soon, he was running faster than he’d ever run before-- and before he knew it, he ripped through the fabric of space and time, running into the place he would come to know as the Speed Force. His thoughts fixed firmly on Thawne, the man came into view, standing in front of Iris, bound firmly to a chair.
The speedsters came to blows as Barry exited the Speed Force, fighting Thawne with a newfound aggression. After a prolonged battle, he managed to reopen the portal through which he’d come, throwing his enemy in; it closed, disappearing along with him. Barry took Iris home that night, relief flooding him at her uninjured state.
With Eobard out of the picture, life slowly returned to normal. But as Barry gets faster, everything else slows down… Can he live in a world too slow to keep up?
| Attributes | Created the moment the lightning struck, it echoes through all of existence and time, blurring between past, present and future. It contains the knowledge of every event, every location, every person, touching every part of reality. It is speed, it is movement, it is time itself. It is the Speed Force, the source of all speedsters' powers.
Super Speed: His primary power, Barry is able to run at superhuman speeds. As a conduit of the Speed Force, he can break the sound barrier, run faster than light, and, when under enough stress, break both the dimensional and time barriers.
Superhuman Stamina: Barry's connection to the Speed Force enables his body to withstand the effects of super speed without any grievous damage.
Supercharged Brain Activity:] It's not just his body that can move fast. Barry's brain can process information in as little time as an attosecond; he can test theories, figure out complex equations and think of the best course of action in the time it takes light to travel the length of three hydrogen atoms.
Accelerated Healing: While he isn't indestructible like the Man of Steel, Barry's injuries heal at very high speeds. Normal wear and tear damage such as scratches and bruises will heal almost instantly.
Infinite Mass Punch: Barry can focus the Speed Force's energy into one immensely powerful punch, whose density is the equivalent of a white dwarf star.
Vortex Creation: When moving himself or his limbs in a super-fast, circular motion, Barry can create powerful funnels of wind; tornadoes.
Phasing: If he vibrates his molecules at a high enough frequency, Barry can become intangible and phase through objects.
Self Sustenance: Traveling at super speeds causes Barry's body to work overtime. As a result, his metabolism is higher than that of a regular human, requiring him to continually refill his energy supply.
Genius Level Intellect: Barry is an extremely smart man, boasting extensive knowledge in science, chemistry, criminology and forensic pathology.
Leonard Snart ; Captain Cold: Leader of the Rogues.
Mick Rory ; Heatwave: Member of the Rogues.
Sam Scudder ; Mirror Master: Member of the Rogues.
Hartley Rathaway ; the Pied Piper: Member of the Rogues.
Roscoe Dillon ; the Top: Member of the Rogues.
Anthony Woodward ; Girder: Muscle.
Amunet Black ; Blacksmith: Crime lord.
Michael Amar ; Murmur: Serial killer.
Digger Harkness ; Captian Boomerang Mercenary.
| Character Goals | Using the character of Dr. Manhattan and the song ‘The Ballad of Barry Allen’ as inspiration, I intend to play a Barry that’s slowly becoming more and more disconnected with the world around him, getting faster and faster, and as a result, becoming less of a human and more a pure conduit of the Speed Force. I hope to explore how this affects every aspect of his life: his friendships, his marriage, his job, and his heroics. How does he interact with a world too slow to keep up with him?
Raised by his Uncle Ben and Aunt May, Peter was never a popular child, expressing a love for academics and a disdain for sport. Often bullied, he never had the strength or the means to defend himself. That was until one fateful class trip to OsCorp, where, at the age of fifteen, he was bitten by a genetically modified spider. Upon recovering from the bite, he discovered that he had inherited its abilities, deciding to use them to kickstart his short career as a professional wrestler, using what money he earnt to help boost his popularity.
It didn’t take long for him to receive a hard dose of reality, coming home to find his uncle lying dead, his distraught aunt relaying all that had happened to a police detective. Overhearing a police radio give the murderer’s location, Peter stormed out of the house, pulling on his wrestling suit. The NYPD found Uncle Ben’s killer bound by rope in an abandoned warehouse, a note resting on his unconscious form:
This sounds like a really cool direction to take The Flash. Given Wally's popularity, people often try to make Barry a Wally pastiche and lighten him up so watching him grow more and more disconnected will be an interesting take.
Yeah. This is an idea I've been toying around with for a while now, so I'm really happy to have a place to explore it in.
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