The Speed Force is the source of the Flash’s powers and has proven itself to be one of the most fundamentally versatile and busted energy sources in the DC Universe. It allows its users to move at speeds that others can’t even consider perceiving, and incorporates all kinds of other abilities, like healing, time travel, and even piercing the boundaries of dimensions. However, there’s one lesser-known consequence that has bitten the Flash in the butt before. Overusing the Speed Force can cause wormholes to open, and Wally is feeling the full effects of that, as his new ability has caused wormholes to form inside his brain.
The Flash #38 revealed the harsh reality of Wally’s new Flashes of Insight, but his ailing health is far from the only concern DC’s other heroes have on their minds. See, given that these wormholes are effectively driving him insane, making him act out and break lines in the name of saving others that he never would have before. Wally is taking plays straight out of Minority Report and is even about to throw down with the Justice League. He’s cracked under the pressure, and now he’s ready to keep saving people by policing them long before they even commit crimes.
The Unintended Consequences of Unchecked Power
For those who haven’t been keeping up with the current Flash run, Wally’s developed the power to see into the future at will, which he’s been using to prevent every crime and accident across Central City, Keystone City, and Metropolis. He’s discovered that the process works by funneling information into the Speed Force, so he’s been keeping his powers active twenty-four seven to see the future whenever he wants. Practically everyone praised his new skill, until Wally arrested three people a week before they planned to blow up bridges, days before they even thought about the plan. At the same time, Green Arrow called a meeting of the core Justice Leaguers to vote on how to stop Wally.
While most of the heroes were on Flash’s side before the bridge incident, his preemptive arrests and health crisis made them ask him to stand down. It almost worked, until Green Arrow refused to get off his high horse and Wally decided he could cure himself when he thought it was actually a problem. Which, of course, he never will. Wally definitely hasn’t been acting like himself, excusing his mistakes as an experiment and refusing to admit fault even when his visions were clearly manipulated by someone else. These wormholes are practically hyper-advanced brain tumors, and while the Speed Force is holding back the worst of the physical side effects, that can’t work forever. Not even sleep is restful anymore, given how the Speed Force is both his bandage and wound.
So, Wally’s brain is actively deteriorating, but because of how his powers work, his powers will be the last thing to go, which only feeds into making the original problem worse as he uses his speed more and more. Wally would never normally fight the Justice League or even consider arresting people an entire week in advance, but he’s literally losing his mind, and that’s not even getting into what else could be leaking through these wormholes. For all we know, Gorilla Grodd’s own past connection to the Speed Force could be letting him influence the Flash by sending his psychic control directly into Flash’s brain. It’s not the most far-fetched thing, given that these wormholes first debuted in The Flash (2011), which led Barry to Grodd in the New 52.
The Path to Villainy Is Paved with Good Intentions
Given that the Flash is losing himself to his predictions and sickness, he’s blowing past lines like personal freedom and even friendship. He’s become the most dangerous type of hero, which is one so they are correct that they are unwilling to listen to anyone who even vaguely questions their logic. He’s become so self-righteous that he’s forgotten that heroes need to constantly question themselves to stay on the right path. Refusing to listen to other points of view, refusing to empathize with the concerns of your peers, only pushes you deeper into chaos and selfish reasoning that drives all of Wally’s villains far more than it should him.
After all, very few people actually see themselves as the villain and revel in it. Wally is falling down the slippery road of doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. Yes, he’s saving more people than ever right now, but how long until he starts taking out people who are only potential threats to stopping him? After all, he’s literally fighting the Justice League right now because they wanted him to seek medical help, and those are his best friends. He could start putting potential villains away years before they even consider committing a crime. That’s dangerous enough on its own, and that’s not even considering the fact that someone else has access to his visions and is manipulating him in some way that he can’t see because he’s become blind in his crusade.
The Flash will never be a supervillain like the Joker, but he could easily slide into being a less lethal version of Injustice Superman. He’ll make compromises where he shouldn’t, hurt people who don’t deserve it because of the possibility of them committing crimes, and never once stop to question himself until his body literally gives out on him. He’s running towards a very steep cliff at a very fast pace, and even though he thinks he’s being more heroic than ever, he might just be setting the stage for an even greater villain.
How would you handle the ability to see the future like Wally has? Let us know if you’re team Green Arrow or team Flash in the comments down below!
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