Warning: Spoilers for The Flash #16Many heroes in the DC Universe struggle to maintain their secret identities, but theFlashjust revealed the innovative way he’s managed to preserve his. Now that Wally West has a family to think about, he can’t go around flaunting his double life and making his family a target for villains, so he’s found a strategy to circumvent that issue and ensure that no one can deduce who the Flash truly is.
In a preview forThe Flash#16 by Simon Spurrier, Vasco Georgiev, Matt Herms, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou,Wally and his familycontinue their camping trip in the treacherous realm of Skartaris. Suddenly, Weather Wizard - one of theFlash’s strongest villains- appears before them.To prevent his foe from seeing their faces, the Flash conjures masks for his wife and three children that match his own.
The Flash uses thespeedster powerthat generates his suit to generate these masks, and in doing so, he allows his family to tag along with him on adventures without potentially compromising their civilian identities.
The Flash Uses the Speed Force to Conceal His Family’s Identities From Villains
Thanks to His Powers, Wally West Can Construct Masks for Linda and Their Kids
The Flash’s costumewas originally a tangible outfit like any other, but he later upgraded to a new one that can be summoned in an instant. InThe Flash#131 by Grant Morrison, Mark Millar, and Paul Ryan, Wally West harnessed theSpeed Force’s powerto manifest a costume comprised of the same energy that fuels him. He’s explained thathis mask can’t be removed when he wears a Speed Force costume unless he wants it to be removed, which demonstrates how reliable Wally’s Flash suit is when it comes to preserving his identity - and the same applies to his family’s masks.
Flash’s New Duplicate Power Explained - Why He Can Now Become Two People
The Flash unlocks a new ability that allows him to split into two separate heroes, and the explanation proves it’s his most impressive power yet.
By utilizing this power to create matching masks for his family members, the Flash ensures that their identities are just as protected as his.After all, even if Wally himself has his face obscured, he still runs the risk of exposure when he’s with them. It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that the Flash is Wally West if he’s off on a vacation withLinda Park-Westand her children. A villain like Weather Wizard discovering who his loved ones are would only spell trouble in the long run for the Flash, as he’s learned the hard way.
The Flash’s Costume Trick Allows Him to Protect The People He Loves
In the Past, Wally West’s Public Identity Has Endangered His Family
Wally didn’t always hide his superhero lifestyle, and Linda was once widely known as the Flash’s wife. Unfortunately, she attracted villains' attention because of this fact, as seen inThe Flash#199 by Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins. To teach Wally a lesson about his lack of a secret identity,Zoom severely injured Lindaand killed their unborn children. Afterward, Wally forced the world to forget who he is and adopted a secret identity. From then on, theFlashhas done everything in his power to keep his wife and kids out of danger, and the masks he gives them prove his dedication to their safety.
The Flash#16is available December 25th, 2024 from DC Comics.
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.
