Several sprinters have performed The Flash mantle in the DC universe, but there can only be one fastest man in the world. Every fan certainly has their favorite, but that honor belongs to Wally West, not only because of the impressive superhero feats under his belt, but also because of how Wally has proven time and time again that he is the best version of Flash in history.
Chronologically, Wally West is the third version of The Flash, following Jay Garrick and Barry Allen. He was presented in The Flash (1959) #110 by John Broome and Carmine Infantino as the young nephew of Iris West, Barry Allen’s love interest. After he was struck by lightning in the same place Barry was, and was similarly blessed with super speed, he became Kid Flash, the Flash’s sidekick. He later became the Flash after Barry’s death. Over the years, Wally has evolved from a reckless kid to a secure family man and a hero in his own right, making the mantle of the Flash his own.
Wally West is the chosen one of the Speed ​​​​Force
Barry Allen Walked So Wally West Could Run (Beyond Time)
The clearest indicator that Wally is the best Flash is the sheer number of feats he has accomplished as the Scarlet Speedster. In terms of speed, even Barry Allen admitted Wally is the fastest Flashand although Barry discovered/unlocked him, Wally West’s connection to the Speed ​​​​Force is stronger than any other speedster, essentially being its “Chosen One”.
Wally’s incredible abilities have allowed him to travel between planes of existence, beat Superman in a race, and even control reality from the Mobius Chair. He even surpassed DC’s personification of death in The Flash (1987) #141 by Mark Millar, Pop Mhan, Josh Hood and Christopher Ivy, powered only by the Speed ​​​​Force and his love for Linda Park-West.
Wally’s home life also makes him the best Flash. His wife, Linda, is the lightning rod that allows him to reach new heights without losing himself in the Speed ​​Force. He also has two children, Jai and Irey, and a new baby, Wade. When he’s not running around as the Flash, Wally West is just an ordinary factory worker, doing what he can to provide for his family and survive. His struggle to balance his two worlds, as seen in The Flash (2023) by Si Spurrier, makes him more identifiable than other Flashesand therefore more attractive.
Wally West maintains the Flash’s legacy forever
Wally’s entire existence symbolizes DC’s superhero legacy
What makes Wally West truly special is how much he fights despite appearing perfect. As Barry’s former sidekick and suddenly tasked with carrying on his legacy, Wally constantly struggles with whether he can live up to the Flash name. Although he stumbles at times, he never stops trying to do right by Barry, and that drive spurs him to go above and beyond.
Wally’s reverence for what it means to be The blinks makes him not only a worthy successor, but the best Flash to ever wear the iconic red costume.