WARNING: CONTAINS POTENTIAL SPOILERS FOR ABSOLUTE POWER: TASK FORCE VII #5!Fans of Barry Allen’s Flash They are well aware of the time when the speedster lost control of his powers and was trapped in the Speed Force for decades, from Crisis on Infinite Earths to Final crisis. Recently, however, DC has added a twist to this iconic piece of lore by revealing exactly how Barry escaped the Speed Force. Unfortunately, his newest speedster enemy is also using this knowledge to his advantage.
Barry Allen’s most unique abilities are deeply connected to emotional attachments.
in Absolute Power: Task Force VII #5, Alex Paknadel and Pete Woods deliver one of the most intense speedster races in years as Amanda Waller’s Flash-inspired Amazo, Velocity, chases Barry around the world, trying to strip him of his powers and imprison him in Waller’s secret prison .
At one point during the chase, Barry leads Velocity into the Speed Force, temporarily trapping him there. While trapped, the Amazo witnesses some of Flash’s core memories, gaining key insights into Barry’s powers, including The critical role Iris West played in the Scarlet Speedster’s ability to escape the Speed Force.
Iris West is like Barry Allen’s Flash escaping the Speed Force
“I always ran to her.” – Barry Allen in Absolute Power: Task Force VII #5 (2024)
As Speed shifts through Barry’s memories while trapped in the Speed Force, He discovers that Barry’s most unique abilities are deeply connected to emotional attachments. For example, the speedster’s remarkable ability to phase through matter by hitting a specific vibrational frequency requires a “anchor”– Someone he is trying to reach. Through the memories, it is revealed that Iris was Barry’s anchor during his first successful phase through matter. The revelation leads Speed to understand that Barry used the emotional anchor to escape the Speed Force.
Barry’s connection to his wife, Iris, as his emotional anchor is confirmed in the following panels, where he briefly reunites with her. In this poignant moment, Barry tells Iris, “God, even before I met you… I was always running to you.” The timing of this scene, preceded by Velocity’s realization of how Barry escapes the Speed Force, makes it clear that Barry’s love for Iris was the reason he was able to escape when he was initially trapped. This extraordinary romantic twist adds depth to a significant part of Flash lore and really emphasizes the importance of Barry and Iris’ relationship in his stories.
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Barry Allen is the key to escaping the Speedforce
“You are my reason, Barry Allen.” – Speed in Absolute Power: Task Force VII #5 (2024)
Unfortunately, Velocity uses his knowledge of how Barry escaped the Speed Force to his advantage. Trapped as Barry once was and knowing he needs something to run to escape, Velocity explains that Barry is his anchor: “You are my reason, Barry Allen. Ultimately, this desire to reunite with Barry proves effective, allowing Speed to escape the Speed Force. This development adds a creepy twist to Velocity’s seemingly growing fascination Flash Marks the first instance of one of Waller’s Amazons developing an obsession with the hero they are modeled after, introducing a unique dynamic to the Absolute power narrative.
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Absolute Power: Task Force VII #5 is now available from DC Comics!
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Absolute Power: TASK FORCE VII #5 (2024) |
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