Warning! Spoilers ahead for Absolute Power #2!TheFlashmight not be able to run fast anymore, but he’s found a new way to reach incredible speeds.DC’s summer eventAbsolute Powercontinues to upend the lives of metahumans everywhere as Amanda Waller’s plans finally come to fruition.
Waller has unleashed a team composed of themost powerful versions of Amazo, Task Force VII, and has stolen the special abilities of DC’s greatest heroes. As metahumans are incarcerated in Waller’s secret prison on the island nation of Gamorra, the last remaining heroes gather at the Fortress of Solitude, where the Fastest Man Alive finds a replacement that helps him put his quick thinking to good use.
Without His Speed, Flash Gets a New Bike From Superman
InAbsolute Power #2by Mark Waid, Dan Mora, Alejandro Sánchez, and Ariana Maher, Waller and her various assets monitor the results of their initial attack from the Hall of Order. While 80% of superheroes have been apprehended, Waller is concerned that the more problematic ones are still running free. She gives orders to her underlings and prepares for the next phase of her plans. Meanwhile, in the Fortress of Solitude, the heroes are beginning to fight among themselves. That isuntil Nightwing takes charge and formulates a plan.
…the Flash returns on his bike and snares Jon…
After discussing their plans, the Justice League dons backup tactical suits Batman and Superman made in case of emergencies (with Flash receiving a heavily padded biker-like costume). Unfortunately, the plan goes off the rails when the Fortress is attacked by the Brainiac Queen and Jon Kent, who the Queen has brainwashed and corrupted. Superman attempts to save his son, only for Jon to attack his father. As Jon begins to overtake his powerless father,Flash arrives on a brand-new flying bike carrying a box of kryptonite.
Clark orders Wally to move when Jon appears to start suffering from the kryptonite. However, it’s just a trick for Jon to spread his techno-organic corruption to Superman. Fortunately, the Flash returns on his bike and snares Jon, dragging the Kryptonian behind him. The Flash races throughout the Fortress of Solitude until he comes up to the Blue Beetle’s bug. Wally increases his speed and drives straight through the flying ship, causing a massive explosion, though Jon,the Flash, and his new bike are all okay.
Amanda Waller and Her Amazos Have Taken Everything from DC’s Heroes
Waller has detested costumed types for years, but shortly after Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, she embarked on a new quest to rid the DC Universe of metahumans permanently. Secretly backed by Brainiac, Waller worked from the shadows, keeping an eye on superhuman activity and waiting for the right moment to seize power. The opportunity she’d been waiting for finally came during “Beast World” and through her manipulations,she was appointed the head of the Bureau of Sovereignty, giving Waller more political power than ever.
With nearly unlimited power and resources at her disposal, Waller searched for the last few assets she needed to see her plans through. Her prayers were answered in the form of Batman’s robot contingency Failsafe (along with the Amazos it acquired while possessed by Zur-En-Arrh) and Brainiac’s ultimate creation, the Brainiac Queen. With the help of these two technological marvels, the Amazos were upgraded and improved and rechristened as Task Force VII. With everything in place,Waller finally acted on her plans to quash the DC Universe’s metahuman population.
Waller collected her final assets in the prelude titleAbsolute Power: Ground Zero #1 (2024)!
Waller used the Brainiac Queen to generate false videos of the heroes attacking the public and put them out in the public to draw the metahumans out. Her gambit was successful and nearly every metahuman sprang into action. Waller gave the order to Task Force VII and across the world, DC’s biggest heroes were drained of their unique abilities and powers.Even the Flash Family wasn’t fast enough to prevent their speed from being taken by the sinister speedster Amazo, Velocity(save for Barry Allen, who’s been moving ever since).
Flash’s New Bike Gives Him a Fighting Chance
Most of the Flash Family has been de-powered and sent to Gamorra, including Jay Garrick, Max Mercury, Kid Flash, and Impulse. Wally’s one of the few speedsters who managed to get away, but not before his incredible speed was siphoned by Velocity. But just because he can’t run faster than that speed of light anymore doesn’t mean Wally’s just going to sit on the sidelines.At the same time, speed is the Flash’s game, so how does he reconcile that in this upside-down world Amanda Waller’s created?
…biking isn’t how Wally’s used to traveling, but the heroes are quickly learning that they need to make do if they want to survive.
Thankfully, Superman already saw a situation like this and had the foresight to get Wally what he needed, namely an incredibly advanced bike and gear that could keep the Flash safe. Sure, biking isn’t how Wally’s used to traveling, but the heroes are quickly learning that they need to make do if they want to survive. While it’s unexpected,the Flash still makes great use of his new conveyance, delivering kryptonite right when Superman needs it and using his bike to separate Clark from his mind-controlled son.
Of course, it’s hard to say how Wally fared in the final moments during the attack on the Fortress of Solitude. After crashing into the Bug, Wally and the bike are seen landing safely, but they aren’t seen escaping before the building erupts. But it’s quite possible Flash escaped with his new vehicle in tow. If that’s the case, then that puts Flash in much better shape than he was previously. Sure, he’s considerably slower than Barry at the moment, butWally can still make a final stand with his Justice League allies.
Flash Has What He Needs to Fight to the End
Wally West lives and thrives on going fast. He may be shut off from the Speed Force, but his bike can go faster than pretty much every other hero right now. That’s an advantage any way one looks at it. That doesn’t mean the Flash is out of the woods just yet (especially with Velocity still running around with Wally’s power at its disposal). But as long as theFlashhas his new bike, he’s got something that can keep him in the game to end the madness Waller has caused.
The Flash
The Flash is the superhero name given to the DC Comics character who utilizes unparalleled speed tied to a dimensional power known as the “speed force” to overwhelm their opposition. Premiering in 1939, the original Flash arrived as Jay Garrick. Still, it would be superseded by Barry Allen in popularity and featured status, but the Flash is one character that has met many of their alternate selves. The character is typically seen as a part of the Justice League in nearly all incarnations.
