Speedsters in DC’s Death of The Speed Force Event:
After taking a hell of a beating in the last comic book event, the Flash is back on track to face his toughest battle ever. This time, it is not the Reverse Flash or Professor Zoom that are going to try and take his thunder. It will be something else entirely. After realizing in the past saga that unknown and unforeseen forces had tried to play God by changing the time line, Flash fought tooth and nail to bring Wally West, who became a victim of such tampering, back into the real world. Let us not forget the Flash War event as well. The Rebirth issues are really giving the Flash a run for his money (no pun intended). Barry Allen will be seen next using his powers to fight against time and space as he races past everyone to save the Speed Force. The only question is – Is he fast enough? The Flash may not be the only speedster that will try to help or prevent him from embarking on this noble endeavor.
1. Red Death
Okay we are going out on a limb here with the very first choice itself but come on, Red Death is not just any other super villain with speedster powers. The Red Death is actually an alternate universe character. After Batman tried to harness the Speed Force by torturing the Flash into revealing its secrets in an alternate universe, Bruce was merged with the Speed Force and became the Red Death. First seen in Dark Nights: Metal, the Red Death soon is now known as a force to be reckoned with and has become quite popular as of now! The Red Death may have been defeated by the Justice League but it is the comic books and all it takes is a single stroke of luck to bring back the dead. Besides, with the Speed Force connecting the multi-verse together, it will be cool to see the Red Death come into the spotlight.
2. Kid Flash
Wally “Wallace” West aka Kid Flash is the nephew of Iris West in the comic books. He is also the successor to Barry Allen after Barry died protecting the universe and was sucked into the Speed Force in the famous Crisis event. Wally West is also claimed to be faster than the Flash. If we are talking about the end of the legendary Speed Force here, Wally has to be on the list. His arrival would also add in several interesting turns to the equation. Wally is going through a tough time ever since the Rebirth events happened. His uncle died and was later revealed to have been alive and is now the Reverse Flash. His hostility with Barry Allen is only increasing by the minute. The Reverse Flash revealed himself to be the biological father of Wally. All in all, Wally’s life is a soup right now.
3. Zoom
Hunter Zolomon may not be as famous as the Reverse Flash but he is still counted as one of the greatest Flash villains of all time. As a matter of fact, he is the 37th greatest comic book super villain of all time according to IGN. Zolomon was only an ordinary FBI investigator when he used the cosmic treadmill and gained the ability to alter time. While the rest of the Speedsters use the Speed Force to gain superhuman speed, Zolomon – now calling himself Zoom, alters the flow of time around his body to emulate super speed. The Death of the Speed Force event should include literally the only Flash speedster villain that does not use the Speed Force. Zoom’s obsession with Barry would also compel him to have vested interests in turning off the Speed Force for good.
4. Future Flash
If we are talking about the Speed Force, we cannot help but factor in the element of time and time travel into this. Since the Flash has travelled through time a lot it is about time another time traveller returns the favour to him. Future Flash is actually an individual called John Fix. Fox was a simple historian who loved in 27th Century. Fox was actually chosen to be sent back in time to select three speedsters that could help them stop a meta-human super villain that was destined to destroy Central City in the future. While Fox did manage to gain the support of the Speedster heroes, the extended exposure to tachyon particles due to time travelling gave him the power of Super Speed.
5. Godspeed
August Heart was a good friend and colleague of Barry Allen. They worked together in the Central City Police Department. When Barry Allen was struck with lightning that sent him into a coma and eventually gave him super speed, Heart’s brother was killed in a hit and run incident. Due to Barry being struck by lightning and incapacitated, the evidence could not be processed and the entire criminal proceedings went the wrong way. After the Speed Force Storm took over Central City, August also gained powers of super human speed but with the added ability to steal the Speedster powers of others at the expense of the victims’ lives. Godspeed has cine become a super villain of the highest order and one of the greatest Flash villains ever.
6. Savitar
We are talking about the comic book version, not the TV Series version of the same name. Savitar was a Russian Cold War pilot that tested out experimental aircrafts. In one such test run for an aircraft fitted with experimental engine drives, he found himself trapped in the Speed Force. He later emerged with Speedster powers. Savitar was so strong that an entire cult dedicated to his name started to worship him as a God. He was last seen in Flash: Rebirth #1 where he was killed just by touching Barry Allen. But we believe there is more to Savitar that what meets the eye.
7. Reverse Flash
He tries to challenge the Flash and is beaten back every time and yet he refuses to back down. For a guy who actually grew up to idolize the Flash, he sure is persistent on destroying his own hero’s life. Eobard Thawne was last seen being killed by the enigmatic creature that was responsible for the dawn of the Rebirth era. But like a cockroach, he comes back again and again. He did this time as well. Thawne is revealed to be alive and kicking, somehow. So the question is – when is the guy coming back to even the playing field with the Flash.
8. Fast Track
Meena Dhawan was the head research scientist at Star Labs Speed Force Research facility. When the Speed Force Storm hit Central City, Meena was caught right in the middle of it all. Meena gained superhuman speed as well as the ability to sense other speedsters like her. She was thought to have become a victim of Godspeed but was later revealed to have become a speedster villain herself. Calling herself Fast Track, she helped a techno-terrorist organization gain access to the secrets of the Speed Force.
9. Max Mercury
Probably the oldest member of the Flash Family, Max Mercury was born in the 19th Century was exposed to the Speed Force at the prime of his life. Max Mercury has trained several speedsters till then and is part of the extended Flash family. The Speed Force, if it is truly dying, could use a helping hand in the form of its oldest known user. Max Mercury fits the bill perfectly. His experience in major DC events throughout history will be of some dire help to the Flash.
10. Avery Ho
If the word truly is ‘diversity’, it is paramount that Avery Ho makes it into the Death of the Speed Force event. Avery Ho was one of the many speedster heroes who came as a result of the Speed Force storm taking a foothold in central city. She survived Godspeed and is now a proud member stice league of China. She regularly goes on several adventures with Kid Flash and has even teamed up with Superman and Green Lantern at one time, members of the legendary Justice league.
