Who is the Zombie Flash?
The "Zombie Flash" refers to none other than the Black Flash – the ghoulish guardian of the Speed Force now stalking The CW‘s Arrowverse. But this decaying speed demon has an even longer history in DC Comics.
Decaying Origins: Hunter Zolomon to Black Flash
While casual Arrowverse fans may know the Black Flash exclusively as the transformed version of Season 2 big bad Zoom, his undead roots run much deeper in DC lore…
In the comics, the name "Black Flash" was first bestowed upon Barry Allen in 2009‘s The Flash Rebirth #1 during a near-death stint as death incarnate. But the premiere zombie speedster as we now know him arose in that Season 2 finale, when Time Wraiths apprehended Hunter Zolomon and condemned him to become the Speed Force‘s rotting enforcer.
| Flash Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First Comic Appearance | The Flash Vol. 2 #138 (1998) |
| First Arrowverse Appearance | The Flash Season 2 Finale (2016) |
But how did this fate befall the once-menacing Zoom? Time for a quick recap…
[Brief recap of Zoom‘s time remnant exploitation and attempts to destroy the multiverse]This temporal tampering created the paradox that summoned the Time Wraiths. But rather than eliminate Zoom, they damned him to become an undead instrument of Speed Force justice – the soulless Black Flash.
Gruesome Powers and Grim Purpose
As a reanimated speedster corpse, the Black Flash boasts all standard speedster abilities – superspeed, intangibility, lightning, etc. – driven by a decaying body coursing with grim Speed Force energy. One touch from his gnarled hand erases transgressive speedsters completely out of existence.
His strength stands among the upper echelon of speedsters, enough to battle the likes of Superman with devastation on each blow. And with no soul guiding him, only the irresistible pull of the Speed Force, he continues this charge remorselessly across space and time.
"He‘s death given form, an oracle of what‘s to come. There‘s no hiding from him. No running away once he‘s marked you." – Eobard Thawne
Enforcer of Speed Force Laws
The Black Flash exists solely to enforce the arcane laws of the Speed Force upon other super-speed heroes and villains with no mercy or sentiment whatsoever. Break the rules by time traveling willy-nilly? Run faster than the universe can handle? He‘ll pay you a visit to erase you completely, no questions asked.
As revealed in Season 6 of The Flash, he also finishes speedsters on the verge of death, representing the cessation of their powers in the moments before demise.
"Wherever there‘s great power – a conduit to the Negative Still Force – he won‘t be far behind. Waiting to deliver the kiss of death when your race ends." – Eobard Thawne
In-Universe Perspectives
For all speedsters and temporal heroes, this soulless hunter represents an ever-present threat for those who might abuse the Speed Force‘s power. His mere existence serves as a warning – reminding Flash, Kid Flash, Reverse Flash and others to respect their limits lest they court utter erasure.
"He‘s a reminder – the only one fast enough to catch even me. Phasing through the universe, avenging reckless velocity and protecting the sacred timeline." – Barry Allen
But why must the Speed Force take such an extreme measure in creating this undead servant? Perhaps certain events grew so extreme that only an everlasting zombie could continually enforce stability…
Notable Appearances
The Black Flash may have arisen on The CW‘s Smallville inspired shows, but his exploits permeate important Flash canon…
Blazing Onto the Small Screen
- The Flash Season 2 Finale (2016) – Hunter Zolomon transformed
- The Flash Season 6 – Returns targeting terminus patients
- Crisis on Infinite Earths (Arrowverse) – Views Barry‘s fate
Haunting the Comics Page
- Terminal Velocity (1994) – First appearance
- Flash Forward (2019) – Alternative zombie timeline
- Heroes in Crisis (2019) – Slays Wally West
His recent explosion from comics into CW continuity spotlights the ominous role he may continue playing as the Arrowverse progresses into uncharted territory…
Perhaps most intriguing are the implications of his emergence given Barry Allen‘s disappearance during 2024‘s Crisis. What fate might that herald for the Fastest Man Alive?
Undead Speedster Supremacy?
While most zombies shamble slowly along in endless decay, the Black Flash blazes forward with immortal purpose. No matter the timeline or universe, his existence promises a bleak ending for those who abuse speed…
As long as entropy allows travel faster than light, this grim reaper of reckless velocity will chase those who outrun death itself.
"Where cosmic truth shines cold and finite lifespans end, death wears the cowl of the Black Flash."
