The Flash is far more than it might seem in its recent trailers and TV spots, and certain theories point to how the film may change the DC Universe.
The trailer for The Flash has spawned some interesting theories. The film has been at the center of all sorts of conversations over the past year – whether for the actions of its star, Ezra Miller, or the drastic restructuring happening behind the camera in DC Studios. Importantly, The Flash is being positioned as both a beginning and an end. According to Gunn when he announced the exciting slate of projects for the new DCU, thanks to The Flash’s meddling with the multiverse, it will catalyze a soft reboot for them to launch Chapter 1 “Gods & Monsters” on fresh foundations.
The Flash is finally releasing on June 16th, only 5 years late to the initial plan of a 2018 release. Regardless of the delays, controversies, and complications surrounding the film’s production, the final product looks incredibly exciting. Gunn has praised it as one of the best superhero films of all time. Significantly, The Flash is largely based on 2011’s Flashpoint arc by Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert, in which Barry Allen travels back in time to avert his mother’s death, but in doing so he accidentally rewrites reality. It allowed the comics’ continuity to begin anew, and it will do the same for the DCU, though perhaps not how some expect.
With The Flash resetting the DC Universe and Ezra Miller’s litany of problematic behavior, this could be their final hurrah in the role. Whether or not, The Flash clearly isn’t hesitating to double down by having Miller play multiple version of Barry Allen – at least two based on the trailer, but more wouldn’t be that surprising given the subject matter. Importantly, while it seems they are united in their mission, the film could culminate with the two version of Barry turning on each other. Intriguingly, there are various ways this could go down.
If The Flash follows Flashpoint to a tee, it would turn out that Flash’s nemesis, Reverse-Flash, is the film’s true antagonist. Named Eobard Thawne the Reverse-Flash hails from the 25th century and was responsible for killing Barry’s mother. However, The Flash might be twisting things, so Barry Allen could actually be the villain. The trailer shows the younger alternate Barry wearing yellow, Reverse-Flash’s primary color, when they meet. Of course, Barry’s motivations as a villain would be different from Eobard’s. Perhaps when the main Barry realizes his mistake and decides he must let his mother die to reset the timeline, that’s what pits the two against each other.
An alternative version of the theory suggests that the other Barry, or one yet to be shown in the trailers, will actually be a version of Dark Flash. In the comics, Dark Flash acts like the Speed Force’s dark personification and angel of death, portending or even enacting a speedster’s doom. Aptly, The Flash merchandise has already confirmed that Dark Flash will appear in the film to some extent.
4The Lightning Color Code
The Flash’s trailer did reveal a great deal about what to expect from the film. One intriguing element that stuck out was the different colors of the Speed Force lightning. Throughout his previous appearances in the DCEU, especially the Oscar-immortalized moment in which he entered the Speed Force in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, The Flash’s lightning was bright blue. However, the trailer shows that his lightning is now the classic yellow variety, while his younger counterpart from the new universe’s is blue. Intriguingly, the theory suggests that the color of the lightning denotes one’s connection to the Speed Force, with yellow being stronger.
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The trailer’s quality from the exciting reveals to the visual effects cemented it as one of the best trailers from the Superbowl. The most remarkable shot was surely when the two Flash’s united their lightning, yellow and blue Speed Force energy exploding across the screen. Another thrilling moment shows them recreating the experiment that granted Barry his powers. This must mean that the original Barry lost his powers like in the comics, and that the new one never got his. It will be interesting to see if the film explains why Barry’s lightning has changed color at the beginning, or if that will be an upgrade he’ll get later on.
3Michael Keaton’s Not Playing Bruce Wayne
Naturally, the biggest moment of them all from The Flash’s trailer was when Michael Keaton’s Batman appeared in his iconic cape and cowl and said the iconic words, “I am Batman.” It’s been over 30 years since Batman Returns, and presumably The Flash picks up in the same universe in 2013 in order to align with the time of Zod’s attack in Man of Steel. However, a theory claims that Keaton isn’t actually playing the same Batman. Drawing from the Flashpoint comics, Keaton could actually be playing Thomas Wayne, Bruce’s father, in The Flash.
The trailer shows a moment when he touches a photo of the Wayne’s before their visit to Crime Alley. Interestingly, Keaton’s fingers brush over Bruce. That could signal to Thomas instead in how he’s missing his son, who died in Flashpoint. While it would surprise and maybe anger many who grew up and loved Keaton’s tenure as Batman, this change would make sense thematically. Deep down The Flash is about a child’s connection to their parents, and showcasing Thomas – along with Ben Affleck’s Bruce – falls right in line with that.
This would take directly from the Flashpoint comics, though Thomas’ characterization could be different and more consistent with Keaton’s from Batman and Batman Returns. However, this might not be possible given the initial plans for The Flash. It wasn’t supposed to fully reboot the franchise, but rather set up more exploration of its multiverse. After The Flash, Keaton was reportedly set to appear in the now-canceled Batgirl and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom also alongside Affleck, but he was reportedly cut from the latter. This signaled to him being Bruce Wayne. Regardless, the changes basically ensure that The Flash is Keaton’s final bow as Batman.
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2Supergirl: Red Daughter
Like Thomas Wayne as Batman, Superman’s story is also drastically different in the Flashpoint timeline. However, in The Flash, it’s his cousin, Kara Zor-El, played by Sasha Calle who must suffer as he does in the comics. The trailer showed her as a prisoner and Flash and Batman break her out to recruit her in their fight against General Zod and his Kryptonian forces. Yet, there must be more to it than what the trailer shows. Fascinatingly, The Flash could actually be drawing from a special Superman comic for her arc, explaining why and how Supergirl is a prisoner. Particularly, Superman: Red Son by Mark Millar, Dave Johnson, Andrew Robinson, Walden Wong, and Killian Plunkett could’ve been inspiration.
Superman: Red Son followed Kal-El if he was raised in the Soviet Union and how that would drastically alter his role as a hero and the reality of the DC Universe. That exploration would be a lot to pack into a Flash movie that also features Batman. Yet, it could provide basis into how this Supergirl behaves and operates – especially in comparison to the Supergirl coming later in the DCU in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, hopefully starting Calle. This idea comes from the snowy landscape at her prison and the shirt she is shown wearing after being rescued. It reads, “Samaya Opasnaya,” which translates to “The Most Dangerous” in Russian.
1Is Superman Dead?
Of course, with Supergirl’s introduction and the return of Zod from Man of Steel begs the question as to what Superman’s fate is in this new universe. Henry Cavill’s cameo in The Flash was cut, though he likely was only going to figure in the beginning with Ben Affleck’s Batman and Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman, who was also cut. However, in this new universe his fate might be worse than the sidelines he’s been shoved into throughout the DCEU. It’s theorized that Superman, or rather Kal-El, is dead in this universe – that Flash is going to free whom he thinks is Superman, only to discover it to be Supergirl.
There are several possibilities for what this could mean. Aptly, baby Kal could’ve never made it off Krypton before its destruction, or Zod could’ve killed him before he realized his potential as part of his attack on Earth. This would drastically affect Supergirl’s motivations. If she was locked up for her life since escaping from Krypton as seems likely, likely she’d want to fight against her captors, decimating humanity with her incredible power. Yet, she’s presumably teaming up with Flash and Batman against Zod and her fellow Kryptonians. Such plentiful possibilities show the vast potential for The Flash in bridging between the old and the new.
