THE Flash is widely considered one of the most powerful characters in the DC Universe. He’s definitely the fastest sprinter in DC continuity, and the countless battles he’s fought across space and time cement his status among legends like Superman and Wonder Woman. However, most fans only know him for his super speed, despite his massive range of powers.
Flash’s speed is certainly a valuable ability and is his most iconic, without a doubt, but it’s far from the only notable ability at his disposal. From turning invisible to bending the very fabric of reality, the Flash has proven himself to be a powerhouse of supernatural proportions that can rival Kryptonians and gods alike. It’s about time the world paid the Scarlet Speedster the respect he deserves for the numerous feats he accomplished during his tenure as a hero, including by some of the Flash’s greatest powers in all of DC lore.
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The Flash is immune to mind control and telepathy
Super speed may be Flash’s flashiest ability, but even his subtler powers provide critical advantages. One of them is demonstrated in Titans: World of Beasts #6 by Tom Taylor, Ivan Reis and Lucas Meyer, when the Helmet of Hatred tries to manipulate Wally West. The Flash reveals that with his speed, he can think so quickly that he is effectively immune to mind control.
The Flash is already known for his ability to outrun attackers, and now he’s shown that he can outrun more cerebral threats as well. Of course, this power is inferior to the others because it has one major flaw: if Flash is distracted, he becomes vulnerable to manipulation, as seen when he allows the Anti-Speedster Gallery to alter his mind.
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Flash can read (and learn) at super speed
The Flash deserves much more recognition as one of DC’s smartest characters due to his ability to read quickly – and, moreover, learn quickly. When in trouble, Flash can read books in a matter of seconds and apply that knowledge to the situation at hand. This superpower comes in handy when he quickly masters architecture to rebuild an entire building on his own. The Flash #2 by Geoff Johns and Francis Manapul.
The problem is that this knowledge doesn’t last long. Barry Allen may be able to build an apartment building in the short term, but before long his brain will lose that knowledge. In fact, Impulse is the only sprinter whose photographic memory allows him to retain the knowledge he acquires during these super-speed training sessions.
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Flash’s accelerated healing keeps him moving
The Flash’s impressive healing factor is one of the main reasons he can fight so hard and for so long without needing to slow down. Thanks to his fast metabolism, Flash is able to heal even the most serious injuries in a short space of time. The rate at which it actually heals depends on the injury. He has been shown to heal broken fingers in seconds, while healing broken legs can take up to a week. Still, compared to the time it takes to recover, Flash is miles ahead.
As seen in Titans: World of Beasts #4 by Tom Taylor and Lucas Meyer, this accelerated healing factor doesn’t just apply to physical wounds. The Flash can process emotional trauma in microseconds rather than fighting it for an extended period, allowing this superpower to heal him in more ways than one.
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Flash can steal speed (or lend his own)
Many of The Flash’s villains are speedsters like him, and it would be dangerous for the DC Universe to be overrun by evil speedsters. This is where Flash’s ability to steal others’ speed comes in handy. He can use the Speed ​​Force to take away another speedster’s energy so they can no longer access it. This ability is used in The Flash #160 by Brian Augustyn and Scott Kolins, as the Flash steals Lady Flash’s speed after she tries to attack Linda Park-West.
Not only can Flash steal speed from enemies, but he can also give it to others if he so chooses. This trick comes into play when the Flash Family needs to transfer its power to one member to defeat a particularly challenging enemy, allowing the Flash and his fellow speedsters to share their energy with each other.
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Flash channels the speed force to create buildings
The Green Lanterns may be known for their innovative builds, but they’re not the only heroes in DC lore who can pull them off. The Flash can harness the energy of the Speed ​​Force to make his own constructions. Although he does not have the unlimited range of Green Lantern’s power ring, he can generate his trademark Flash costume and repair damage at will.
This practical technique makes its debut in The Flash #131 by Grant Morrison, Mark Millar and Paul Ryan. The Flash creates a new costume using the Speed ​​Force to stay upright despite his broken legs. Since then, all variations of Wally West’s costume have been similarly constructed by the Speed ​​Force. Barry Allen previously used his Flash ring to store his costume for easier access, but the Speed ​​Force makes wardrobe changes less time-consuming. After all, every second counts for the fastest man in the world.
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Flash’s Speed ​​Force Aura is his greatest defense – and a powerful weapon
The power of Flash’s Speed ​​Force aura is criminally underrated, but it’s one that saves him every time he activates his powers. By running so fast, he risks being crushed like a bug unless he protects himself in some way. Happily, the Flash has a Speed ​​​​Force aura that allows him to breathe, hear and avoid tearing himself – or other people – apart while in motion.
The Speed ​​​​Force aura has several uses besides being a safety precaution to keep your speed in check. The Flash #2 by Simon Spurrier and Mike Deodato Jr. presents an example of this, when Wally West rebuilds his aura into a tangible “windshield” and charges headfirst into the enemy with it to deal massive damage. Flash’s protective power isn’t just a defensive measure; your aura can also be a formidable weapon.
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Flash can vibrate to the point of intangibility
By vibrating his molecules at super speed, Flash is able to pass through solid objects. This Flash power has evolved significantly over the years, especially as Wally West particularly struggled to master it. When he learned to vibrate, he made objects explode as he passed them. These days, Wally has no problem vibrating to the point of intangibility.
In THE Flash #229 by Cary Bates, Irv Novick and Frank McLaughlin, Barry Allen’s Flash takes this superpower to the next level, vibrating so quickly that he becomes invisible to the eye, helping him avoid detection and preserve his secret identity. With these and other applications, Flash’s vibrational intangibility is undoubtedly one of the coolest techniques in its arsenal.
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The Flash Side-Stepping Reality Is His Most Mind-Blowing Feat
The Flash’s newest superpower is his strangest, giving him access to new angles on reality. In The Flash #2 by Spurrier and Deodato Jr., after his collision with an atomic mirror, Wally West discovers he can step out of reality and into alternate planes of existence. This new power initially confuses him, until he realizes he can also return to his own reality.
By combining this fascinating ability with his speed, Flash can gain the upper hand against opponents and eviscerate them with no chance of being counterattacked. During his fight with Gorilla Grodd in The Flash #2, for example, he delivers relentless blows to his opponent before they can react by darting in and out of the world. The Flash officially gains a place in DC’s cosmic hierarchy as a result of his departure.
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Flash’s infinite mass punch makes him stronger than Superman
It has long been debated whether the Flash is faster than Superman, but his Infinite Mass Punch proves that he is also stronger than Superman. In LJA #2 by Grant Morrison and Howard Porter, Wally West uses his speed to amplify his strength and perform a powerful attack. When you start running, Flash’s mass reaches an infinite level when he slams his fist into the White Martian’s face and sends him flying.
What solidifies this technique as something beyond anything Superman could do is that it can do serious damage to a White Martian. It’s already been confirmed that Superman is afraid of fighting Martian Manhunter because of his abilities, so the Flash having a move that can easily take down a Martian elevates him to a league above the Man of Steel.
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The Flash can travel through time at super speed, altering the DC timeline
The Flash’s best superpower is also his most insidious, as he has put the entire DC Universe in danger before. At high speeds, Flash can travel through time, either to the future or the past. In previous stories, he needed the Cosmic Treadmill to achieve this feat, but his time travel abilities have evolved to the point that he simply needs to be fueled by the Speed ​​Force.
In Flash point by Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert, The Flash’s time travel puts the universe in danger as he tries to prevent his mother’s death. By altering history, he inadvertently causes an event known as Flashpoint, in which the universe is reset, resulting in the New 52 reboot. Since then, the DC Universe has recovered from Barry Allen’s meddling, and although the Flash Still possesses the power of time travel, he has learned his lesson on how to properly utilize it along with his other epic abilities.