5 Powers You Didn’t Know the Flash Had

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The Flash is a hugely popular and influential DC superhero. He’s frequently central to major events that dramatically alter the DC Multiverse. He not only helped make the idea of multiple universes well-known, but the story Flashpoint also unexpectedly led to the New 52 reboot. As fast as DC’s most iconic heroes like Batman and Superman, the Flash’s connection to the Speed Force allows him incredible abilities, including time travel and phasing through objects, earning him the title of the Fastest Man Alive.

The Flash is famous for his super speed and ability to move through solid objects, but he actually has many more abilities. While most people know he can travel through time and space, the source of his powers – the Speed Force – is far more complex and powerful than it appears. In this article, we’ll explore five of the Flash’s more obscure powers and reveal just how incredibly powerful he truly is.

5) Duplication

The Flash is already incredibly powerful within the Justice League, and multiple heroes have taken on the role. But the Flash possesses a unique ability with two variations, demonstrated by different speedsters. Originally, Bart Allen, as Impulse, showed the power to create energy duplicates called Speed Scouts. He could send these Scouts anywhere in space and time to act on his behalf, then reabsorb them, gaining all the memories they collected. However, destroying a Scout could harm Bart, even once causing him to fall into a coma.

In The Flash (2023) #14, Wally West showed a unique way to use his powers. After the Absolute Power event isolated Prime Earth from other universes, new timelines couldn’t naturally form. However, the potential for those timelines remained, allowing Wally to tap into his time-manipulating abilities and create alternate versions of himself. This resulted in a seemingly endless number of independent duplicates. Unlike the Speed Scouts, these weren’t just extensions of Wally – they were fully realized versions of himself, meaning they could be destroyed without harming the original.

4) Magnetic Manipulation

Although not as famous for magnetism as Magneto, the Flash has surprisingly demonstrated the power to create his own magnetic field. Back in 1960, in Justice League of America #127, the League faced a powerful villain called the Anarchist, who nearly choked Superman with his own belt. The Flash saved the day by vibrating his body so quickly that he generated a magnetic force, effectively repelling the belt. While he’s only used this ability once, it’s an incredibly powerful skill that expands what the Flash is capable of.

3) Running on Air

Although the Flash generally stays grounded, he’s perfectly able to run through the air. He’s demonstrated the ability to create small whirlwinds, gathering clouds he can briefly run across. More impressively, by vibrating his molecules incredibly fast, the Flash can move faster than air itself, effectively running on top of the air molecules.

In the novel The Flash: Stop Motion, the Flash finds a unique way to move through the air: by kicking his legs so fast he compresses the air beneath him, essentially stepping on it. This allows him to rapidly ascend into the upper atmosphere, like climbing stairs, though it becomes more difficult with less air. While not as graceful as true flight, like Superman’s, this method makes the Flash incredibly hard to catch in the sky.

2) Anti-Life Equation Negation

The Speed Force is incredibly powerful in the DC Universe, going far beyond simply granting super speed. A prime example of its versatility occurred in Final Crisis #4. After Darkseid used the Anti-Life Equation to control the Earth, Barry Allen showed the Speed Force could break its hold on people. The Anti-Life Equation is essentially a formula proving life is meaningless, and it crushes the will of anyone who sees it, turning them into slaves. Overcoming the effects of the Anti-Life Equation was a central struggle in Final Crisis, and Barry’s use of the Speed Force proved to be the solution.

Iris had fallen completely under the influence of the Anti-Life Equation, leaving her filled with fear and despair. When Barry kissed her, he shared some of his Speedforce energy with her, giving her hope again. This makes sense because the Speedforce is essentially the energy of life, created by movement and the natural disorder of living – the opposite of Anti-Life. It’s still unclear whether this would work for anyone, or if it only worked on Iris because of her special connection with Barry. Regardless, it was a remarkable achievement.

1) Extended Youth (Even For Their Loved Ones)

Unlike most comic book heroes who stay young through magical means or timeline resets, the Flashes have a unique explanation. Their powers come from the Speedforce, which is connected to time itself. This allows them to travel through time and also dramatically slows down their aging process. Normally, someone moving as fast as a Speedster would age much faster because their bodies are working at an incredibly accelerated rate. However, the Speedforce prevents this.

Because time moves slower now, Speedsters stay young and powerful for an unusually long time. Their Speedforce energy is so strong it even affects the people they care about, keeping them younger too. While Jay Garrick’s extended youth is due to a special serum and his Speedforce connection, his wife Joan hasn’t had those benefits, yet she remains remarkably youthful. Fortunately, this protective effect extends to the families of all the Speedsters. Interestingly, we’ve also seen the opposite happen – the children and grandchildren of Speedsters sometimes age much faster than normal.

Wow, I just learned about five more amazing things the Flash can do! Honestly, after looking into all of this, it’s clear the Speedforce is way more powerful than I ever realized – and that’s saying something! It’s seriously incredible. Now I’m wondering, which of these lesser-known powers do you think is the coolest? I’m still trying to decide!

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2025-12-13 17:19