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10 Times The Flash Lost (Ranked By Brutality)
The various iterations of the Flash have proven to be some of the most powerful and resourceful superheroes. They are some of the fastest characters in the DC universe and can go toe-to-toe with powerful figures such as Superman. The Flash family has performed many epic feats by utilizing their incredible speed and has saved the day multiple times. Comic book fans can agree that the many versions of the Flash have earned their places in teams such as the Justice League and are some of the most useful characters in those groups.
Despite the fact that the Flash family has proven to be a great team of heroes, there have been times when they have lost. This has shown that heroes as great as the Scarlet Speedsters can lose and that they are still human. Some of these losses have been major for the characters and show that they have gone through some tough times. This has proven that even some of the greatest heroes to appear in the DC universe can fall, even those who can be held as high as the various Speed Force users. No hero is perfect, and the Flash is a great example of this.
10) Possessed by Parallax
Despite being one of the greatest superheroes in the DC universe, even Barry Allen can be possessed by Parallax, the embodiment of the emotion of fear. The being is able to control those who have fear within them, showing that the Scarlet Speedster has such a weakness in his heart. The possessed Flash and Green Lantern Hal Jordan battle while the Scarlet Speedster is under Parallax’s influence, with the Green Lantern coming out on top and saving the hero. While the day is saved, Barry Allen takes the loss as he fell to Parallax and lost control of himself.
9) During the Flash War
“The Flash War” was a storyline that starred a number of different people who have held the Flash title. The event does end with a loser: Wally West. The Flash War ends with the hero having a breakdown and going to the Sanctuary. The loss helped show the humanity of the character and displayed that even superheroes can be vulnerable to the things they are going through on the inside. Wally West’s breakdown in “The Flash War” was an important one and was a great development for one of the most recognized names in the DC universe.
8) Against Superman
Superman taking on the Flash is a popular topic of discussion. Both characters are incredibly fast, moving at speeds that very few can even try to keep up with. There have been times when the two have gone head-to-head in order to see who is faster. One of these instances was in Flash #19. The issue saw the Flash go rogue and eventually square off against Superman. The Scarlet Speedster is eventually taken down with help from Green Arrow, giving the Man of Steel a win. It shows that Superman can take the Flash on in a fight, even if he needs a little bit of assistance.
7) Superman: Camelot Falls
The Superman: Camelot Falls storyline has the Man of Tomorrow see visions of the future where things have gone very wrong. One of these visions shows the Flash after he is defeated by a villain named Mad-Eye. The hero loses the use of his legs and then the power of the Speed Force, before aging at an incredible rate, and dying from old age. While the scene is just a vision, it is still an immense loss for the Flash, and definitely not a future that he would want to see come to fruition.
6) Falling to the Rogues
The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive is a storyline that is a part of the “One Year Later” event following Infinite Crisis. The series follows Bart Allen, the grandson of Barry Allen and the fourth person to take on the Flash mantle. The Fastest Man Alive shows Bart take on the Rogues, and lose his life. The speedster would make a comeback, but would again see himself die trying to save the world.
5) Legless
The “Our Worlds at War” event saw a conflict break out between the universe and the being known as Imperiex. The villain plans on capturing Earth, which does not fly well with the Justice League. After a number of different events, the group ends up getting killed. The Flash’s demise was a bit brutal as he had his legs cut off before he died. This is one of the best ways to beat the Scarlet Speedster, as he would not be able to do much without his legs, despite the brutality.
4) Against Black Adam
DC Universe Online: Legends is a 26 issue tie-in with the DC Universe Online video game that sees the world being torn apart by a final war between the world’s greatest heroes and villains. Many well-known DC characters lose their lives during the storyline, with the Flash being one of the characters experiencing defeat. As Green Lantern and Black Adam engage in battle, the Flash comes to his allies’ aid. However, the villain is able to get off a final attack, killing both Green Lantern and the Scarlet Speedster. It is a tragic loss for the Flash, who just wanted to help his friend.
3) A Death in the Future
In 2014, DC started the “Futures End” event. Issue #0 skips 35 years into the future, showing readers a world that has been taken over by the AI known as Brother Eye. Much of humanity has been assimilated, leaving the Flash as one of the few survivors left. However, after accidentally leading a group of infected superheroes to a survivor hideout, he takes on the villain Frankenstein. During the confrontation, it is shown that Frankenstein had Black Canary’s head grafted onto his chest and can still use her scream. The villain unleashes his weapon, taking out the Flash in a brutal defeat.
2) Heroes in Crisis
The Heroes in Crisis event sees a number of characters die at Sanctuary, a facility that has been established to help heroes and villains deal with their PTSD. However, a tragedy occurs and several characters die. It is eventually revealed that Wally West is the culprit and had caused the massacre by accident. This was a very dark moment for the Flash and does not end well for him. This was a huge loss for Wally West and is one of the more tragic events that the character has gone through. This is where we see one of the figures who has taken the mantle of the Flash at an incredible low, and an instance where he was the villain.
1) Runs to His Death
Fans of the Flash see the character die during the Crisis on Infinite Earths event. The Anti-Monitor creates a weapon that could destroy the Multiverse and imprisons Barry Allen. The Flash manages to escape and proceeds to destroy the machine. He does this by running around the weapon against the flow of antimatter, forcing the energy back into the machine. Barry runs so fast that he wastes away and eventually dies. It was a brutal way for the Scarlet Speedster to perish, especially since comic book readers have to watch the character slowly vanish.
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