TheFlashpossesses one of the coolest superpowers in DC’s canon, and he owes his abilities to the Speed Force. Thanks to this energy source, Wally West and the rest of the Flash family can tap into superhuman speeds and form deeper bonds with one another. However, the Absolute Universe might be eliminating the Speed Force from the Flash’s narrative, overhauling the iconic foundation of his powers.
TheSpeed Forceis a staple of Flash lore that’s been essential to his stories for decades, so its erasure marks a huge shift for the character. Absolute Flash’s powers will likely differ from what fans are familiar with, as the Speed Force’s existence is called into question in DC’s reinvented continuity.
The Flash Won’t Be Powered by the Speed Force in His Upcoming Reboot
Absolute Flash #1 Variant Cover by Clayton Crain
For the uninitiated,the Speed Force is what grants the Flash - and every other member of the Flash family - super-speed. Introduced to DC lore in 1994’sThe Flash#91 by Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo, this mysterious force has been an enigma for decades, with all that’s known for certain about its true nature being the fact that it imbues conduits with speed. The Speed Force keeps the Flash connected to hisfellow speedstersand his loved ones, pulling him back from the brink of death numerous times and helping him become the hero he is today.
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InThe Flash#11 by Simon Spurrier and Ramón Pérez, theSpeed Force is revealed to be a living beingknown as the Deep Change. This cosmic entity reaches out to the Flash and his family to gift them with speed, and in exchange it nourishes itself with their love. Thus, theFlash’s powersare a product of the love he feels, granting his speed a heartfelt new meaning. Now,the Absolute Universe will be doing away with these lore changes and the recently unveiled origin of the Flash’s abilities, and there’s no telling how different the Flash’s skill-set will be in Lemire and Robles' re-imagining.
Absolute Flash#1 Variant Cover by Dan Panosian
After being defined by the Speed Force for years, the Flash will soon need to navigate his speed without it.Through this change, his abilities are once again a mystery. Lemire may be turning back to the clock to a simpler time, when the Flash’s speed wasn’t tied to a cosmic being beyond human understanding. Adversely, the Flash’s revamped power source could lean even further into the supernatural, since the Absolute Universe is much darker due toDarkseid’s deathinfluencing its creation. Regardless of how his origin unfolds, theFlash’s super-speed is getting a major rewrite for the Absolute Universe in the Speed Force’s absence.
Source:Substack
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.
