The Flashis not only the fastest character in superhero comics, but one of the most powerful characters in the DC Universe. From Jay Garrick to Avery Ho and everyone in between, the Flash has the opportunity to ascend to godhood - he’s just that powerful. And yet, something always stops him and keeps him humbly human.
The Flashhas done many miraculous things in his superhero tenure, but there are a few limitations and weaknesses that keep him from his full potential, including his very own source of power. A number of power limitsstop him becoming a true god, but those limits have also occasionally been broken. Because the Flash is always going to push the limit - on the universe and on himself.
12The Flash’s Speed Reading Doesn’t Mean Infinite Knowledge
Barry Allen Reads a Whole Library
The Flash can sometimes use his speed powers for something other than his feet. Often, the Flash is seen devouring information at a rapid pace, reading dozens of books in mere seconds. While at first glance, this might seem to mean this power of speed-reading gives the Scarlet Speedster immense knowledge, but unfortunately,the knowledge doesn’t stick around and has a short-term memory shelf life.
The Flash’s Most Underrated Power Is the Only Reason His Speed Is So Useful (Otherwise, It Would Kill Him & Anyone He Tried to Help)
The Flash’s most extremely underrated superpower is the sole reason he’s a superhero, without it, he becomes a deadly hazard to him and his allies.
Impulse, however, is noted to have broken this limit.Bart Allen’s history as a Flashis an erratic one, and his connection to the Speed Force has done miracles for him. Aging up and back down and flying back and forth through time, it’s no wonder that Impulse remembers everything he reads, like the hyperactive sidekick he is. Overall, however,this limit on the other Flashes truly keeps them from becoming omniscientin the blink of an eye.
11The Flash Can’t Control How He Changes Time
Barry Allen Famously Meddled in Time
As much of a bright beacon of hope asthe Flashis, sometimes his powers become twisted nightmare fuel. As in the case ofFlashpointby Geoff Johns and Andy Kubrick,Barry Allen’s meddling in time produces disastrous results.The Flash has major ties to the timeline, and although he has the power to affect time as well as manipulate it to his advantage whenever he wants, he’s certainly not a god when it comes to the consequences.
The Flash can’t control how he changes time, only that he can change time.InFlashpoint,not only did the past change, but his actions to save his mother’s life fractured the multiverse and altered the future, even taking away his powers. In the end, the Flash is just another consequence in the timeline and not its author, much like a god would be.
10The Flash Can’t Run on Broken Legs
Wally West Breaks This Limit with a Speed Force Suit
One of the Flash’s limits also highlights one of his coolest feats. Since a speedster is essentially a runner,if they can’t use their legs, they can’t run.When Wally West broke his legs, it took him completely out of the superhero game. InTheFlash#131 by Grant Morrison, Mark Millar, Paul Ryan, John Nyberg, Tom McCraw, and Gaspar Saladino, the Flash uses a wheelchair while his legs heal, but quickly discovers thathis healing factor is as fast as he is.
The Flash isn’t that patient, however, and in that same issue, to help save his speedster friends, he manipulates the Speed Force energy to create a suit for him. With pure energy, Wally West holds his body together andallows himself to run even when his legs are broken.This storyline suit is a great example of a limitation on his powers - broken legs - with a loophole quickly found - thanks, of course, to the Speed Force.
9The Flash Can’t Run on Nothing
The Flash Needs a Surface to Run On
Another simple idea is that a runner needs something to run on. The Flash can’t exist in a vacuum, and even though he is powered by the pure energy of the Speed Force,he is a human runner who needs something under his feet.Naturally, he is able to run on water, but when it comes to further interdimensional physics, the Flash is a step below godhood, as he can get stranded without a surface to run on.
However, theFlash’s daughter, Irey West, may have god-level powers, as DC has hinted in future glimpses at her grown-up success. InTheFlash#771by Jeremy Adams and Kevin Maguire, Wally West sees the future versions of his children, andhis daughter has the ability to run on airthanks to her perfection of Speed Force energy.
8The Flash’s Fast Healing Doesn’t Mean Correct Healing
Impulse Reveals a Major Flaw in Speedster Healing Factors
While the Flash’s healing factor has been lauded as a plus to his superpowers, it can also come as a curse.Just because the Flash can heal quickly doesn’t meal he will heal correctly.Like any other body, a bone needs to be set correctly before healing, and when Impulse starts to heal too quickly before he gets medical attention, it shows a fierce limitation to the speedster’s powers.
InTeen Titans#3 by Geoff Johns, Mike McKone, Marlo Alquiza, Jeromy Cox, and Comicraft,the Flash’s healing factor has a major design flaw, and Impulse experiences it due to his lack of experience in the field. After getting shot in the knee,Impulse’s leg heals partially but incorrectly, showing how speedsters' powers could be their own curse.Fast doesn’t always mean good, and in this case, it doesn’t seem like there is any way around this Flash Fact.
7The Flash Needs the Speed Force to Run
Quicksilver Beats the Flash in the DC / Marvel Crossover
In 1994,Flash lore changed foreverinThe Flash#91 by Mark Waid, Mike Wieringo, José Marzan Jr., Gina Going-Raney, and Saladino with the first named hint of the Speed Force’s existence.Before that point, the Scarlet Speedster was just a fast runner, and that was the extent of his powers. But with the introduction of the Speed Force, the Flash became a cosmic hero with ties to the energy of time as well as the life force of all creation. However, because of this,the Flash can lose all his powers when he is severed from the Speed Force.
InJLA / Avengersby Kurt Busiek and George Pérez, the icons of DC Comics go toe-to-toe with the icons of Marvel Comics. For the speedsters, the Flash races Quicksilver, only to lose because, in the Marvel Universe, there is no Speed Force. Even though Quicksilver is canonically slower,the Flash needs his energy source to run.
6The Speed Force Holds Danger for the Flash
The Source of His Powers Could Be His Undoing
The Speed Force also opens up a few other issues for the hero of Central City. Because the Speed Force functions as a mysterious energy source that any Flash can tap into, it means that the Flash himself can also be tapped into. InTheFlash#771by Adams, Maguire, Howard Porter, Bryan Hitch, and Scott Kolins, Wally West taps into the Reverse-Flash’s connection to theSpeed Force and possesses his body.
The Flash himself could get possessed at any time, making him ultimately vulnerable to internal attacks.The Speed Force is unpredictable in its power, as when it turnedBarry Allen into a living bombinThe Flash#83by Joshua Williamson, Rafa Sandoval, Jordi Tarragona, Arif Prianto, and Steve Wands. Threats like possession keep the Flash from venturing too far into the Speed Force.
5The Flashes Need Lightning Rods to Stay Rooted in Reality
Barry Allen Shifts Through Dimensions
One of DC’s speedsters can always run too fast and get lost inside the Speed Force.It has happened to Wally West many times, but he has often spoken of his wife, Linda Park-West, as his lightning rod that keeps him grounded.InThe Flash: Rebirthby Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver, Barry Allen encounters this very same problem.
Wally West is The Best Version of The Flash, And Not Even DC is Ever Going To Convince Me Otherwise
Of all the DC characters who have held The Flash mantle, Wally West has proven to be the greatest Flash due to Speed Force powers, legacy, and more!
Lost in the Speed Force for decades because of his dematerialization due to running beyond what reality can handle, it took some lightning rodsfor the Flash to come backto the DC Universe. This threat of disintegration is a major problem for the Flashes, considering their entire power relies on how fast they can run. But apparently, there’s a limit.
4The Flash’s Powers Require a Lot of Energy to Maintain
Speedsters Need to Eat - A Lot
Like speed reading, it’s not just feet or healing factors that move at an accelerated rate for the Flash - but his metabolism too. to keep up with his body’s insane demands, the Flash must eat an amount of food that would be lethal to any other human just to survive. The connection to the Speed Force requires a lot of energy, and this kind of demand might just bethe Flash’s secret weakness.
The Flash can’t truly transcend into godhood - because of his simple hunger.
While it doesn’t sound as serious as Superman’s weakness to Kryptonite,if the Flash’s hunger is not kept in check, his overactive metabolism will eat him alive.Unable to save the day because of a loss of energy, the Flash must have a quick snack in order to keep fighting. The Flash can’t truly transcend into godhood - because of his simple hunger.
3To Be the Flash, One Needs a Genius-Level Intellect
Barry Allen Saves a New Speedster from Accidental Death
Not just anyone can be a speedster, and not only because of the Speed Force’s whims. In fact, theFlash’s powers would kill anyone who wasn’t a genius. InThe Flash#21by Francis Manapul, Brian Buccellato, and Carlos M. Mangual, the Flash uses his scientific knowledge to help a new speedster who is running too fast. Barry pulls the speedster out of the earth’s gravitational pull.If it wasn’t for Barry Allen, this new young hero would have run himself right off the planet.
The Flash has some dangerous powers, and using the Speed Force means possible destruction, like flying out of the atmosphere, molecular disintegration, or getting lost in time.The Flash needs his genius intellect to survive, because even with his superpowers, he is at the mercy of the physics of reality.It’s this genius that allows the Flash to know these rules and to discover loopholes.
