Greetings nerdy list afficonados and welcome back to Top 10 Nerd today we’re looking
at the black flash a character that his shifted somewhat over the years and has been depicted
various ways across different mediums which has resulted in a variety of manifestation
of powers.
Not all of these powers are known to everyone so that’s what we’re going to focus on.
I’m Sasha and these are the Top 10 Super Powers You Didn't Know Black Flash Has.
Of course as always the caveat if you’re in pretty deep you may know all of these.
So let’s get started.
Number 10 – Death – So the Black Flash first appeared in The Flash (vol. 2) #141
(September 1998; full) this was the first full appearance he had made a brief appearance
a few issues earlier as a cameo.
And from the outset people had questions did he exist because the flash and speed force
existed or did he always exist and the flashes were just tapping in to this already pre existing
paranormal meta area.
The Black Flash seems to be death at least for speedsters an agent of their demise it
is said he exists because death is too slow to catch speedsters otherwise it all has a
very fanciful mythical feel to it.
This special grim reaper just for these extra fast beings.
Flashes have reported seeing the black flash upon near death experiences.
Poor black flash I mean there are a lot of flashes but that’s still a lot of waiting
around.
Number 9 - Siphoning Off Speed Force – The Black Flash operates inside the realm of the
speed force and as a result he can siphon away the speedforce form other speedsters
making them slower and himself faster a huge advantage when you’re trying to catch up
to someone.
Scary though an entity in another dimension messing with your power set.
Ominous it was better when it was just cause you got struck by lightning or inhaled some
hard water.
Classic origins.
Do you like how the speed force has evolved?
Number 8 - Gifting The Speedforce – Following up along the same vein it of course makes
sense that if the black flash can siphon off powers he can also grant them.
It was revealed that he was the one who empowered Wally West’s children you know when they
still existed before they were erased for the crime of not only being legacy character’s
but Wally’s kids and he was already a legacy character.
However there was contention when this occurred as some felt this complicated the function
of the Black Flash and made it veer away from being the embodiment of death.
Neil Gaiman in particular was not here for this change.
Feeling that the character is the ultimate personification of Death.
Number 7 - Capturing Souls – Along that same vein we have capturing souls and yes
this is different being a reaper and shepherding those into the great beyond is not the same
as harvesting souls same building different department.
The Black Flash has at certain points been believed to have captured souls perhaps as
part of its mission perhaps to augment its power either way it doesn’t sound like the
best place for your soul to end up.
Some people say you’ll rest when you’re dead not if the black flash has anything to
say about it.
Number 6 – Immortality – Now this may seem like a given to some I mean if it is
the avatar of Death then would it not have to live forever otherwise how could it perform
it’s duty.
However with some entities like this there are multiple versions of the character taking
on the name passing on the mantle or possessing different hosts while the idea or entity is
immortal like say the Spectre.
But no the Black Flash is the one and only although for awhile it looked like the black
flash was bart allen it was a whole arc albeit a brief one.
Sometimes it seems that comics aren’t exactly sure what to do with the black flash but they
want to use the design cause well it is very intimidating!
Number 5 - Maintaining The Timeline (CW) The CW took the time to create it’s own version
and lore for the black flash this version was Hunter Zolomon in this canon from earth
2 and he had been transformed into the black flash by the wraiths it was a whole season
long mystery just who was the black flash and it was quite devastating for Barry when
he discovered who it was.
Betrayed again.
This black flash had a different mission statement than just the embodiment of death he was instead
in charge of maintaining the timeline so we all know why he was there for Barry, Barry
needs to be stopped he’s just playing fast and loose with the timeline taking it whichever
way he can to get what he needs and well that can result in some big changes and the black
flash isn’t here for it there is a natural order to things or there’s supposed to be
anyway.
Number 4 - Erasing People From Existence – What maintaining the timeline means is sometimes
you need to get your hands a little dirty.
When timelines get altered it means that sometimes there will be people walking around who if
we’re going by the whole maintaining integrity philosophy basically should not be.
So that means that there sometimes needs to be a little bit of finangling to get the timeline
back in order this is why he was hunting down Eobard Thawne the reverse flash who barry
had brought back into existence with flashpoint thanks a lot barry.
The goal erase Thawne correct the timeline this of course prompted the reverse flash
to try and find a way to keep existing which send him on a quest for the spear of destiny
so that he could alter it and keep existing.
He also had to try to erase Savitar.
Number 3 - Changing Reality – This power flows nicely from the last of course when
you’re erasing people you are changing reality even if it’s only to maintain the status
quo that still counts as a change.
Cause it was shifted and then you shifted it back and sometimes if people are messing
with the black flash the changes may not be exactly what it wanted.
The black flash appears to have been destroyed by killer frost.
Number 2 - Freezing Time – So not only can the black flash move freely through the timestream
as most who can move through the speedforce can but also freeze time or at least make
it slow down to the point where only those who have super speed can perceive that it
is still moving.
It’s an ability that not many think about and not one that a character with that much
speed really has to deal with too too often.
That’s one of the most terrifying aspects of the idea of the world changing like that
you would never know.
Number 1 - Enhanced Senses When you think about the flash you think about speed and
the like but there is also the deal of sense enhancement So the idea here is that the super
speed also extends to the senses which allows for an extra level of perception that cannot
be achieved by those working at a slower pace.
This how they still see and hear normally even when moving at such a rapid pace this
also means he can perceive other speedsters moving around him so imagine how clear the
world must look at what is regular speed for us average turtles.
So those were ten abilities you didn’t know the black flash had did you know all of these
which version do you prefer guardian of the timestream or harbinger of death let me know
down below.