Warning: Spoilers for The Flash #16
TheFlashis the most popular speedster in DC lore, but he may not be the most powerful anymore. That title is being handed down to his kids, Jai and Irey, who are already on track to surpass him despite only being thirteen years old. The Flash’s children are grappling with lore-changing upgrades to their powers, and this major shift in DC’s speedster hierarchy means the Flash isn’t the top dog anymore.
InThe Flash#16 by Simon Spurrier, Vasco Georgiev, Matt Herms, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, Wally West faces off against Weather Wizard during his family vacation in Skartaris. While his battle rages on,Wally’s twin childrenuse the opportunity to sit down and discuss their newly uncovered superpowers.
Jai and Irey have each unlocked powerful abilities as a result of the DC Universe’s recent upheavals, and their respective evolutions far exceed anything the Flash is typically capable of with his own move-set. As such, the Flash’s kids are on track to surpass him asDC’s greatest speedstersin history.
The Flash’s Kids Have Unlocked New Abilities That Surpass His Own
Thunderheart Shows Off Her New Power, And It’s Even Cooler Than Speed
Irey, also known by thecodename Thunderheart, has displayed astounding power that proves her connection to the Speed Force is even more potent than the Flash’s. During her conversation with Jai,Irey reveals that she can visualize the entire histories of others via a glow surrounding them and copy their energy for herself.She first showcased this ability inThe Flash#14, when she mimicked her father’s aura to the point where hisJustice League membership cardregistered her as the Flash. Irey now has the power to copy the power of any living being, including her fellow speedsters.
Thunderheart first revealed that she can sense energy in a unique way inTitans: Beast World Tour - Central City#1 by Simon Spurrier, Scott Koblish, and more, available digitally and in collected formats from DC Comics!
This ability to visualize and mimic other beings' auras isn’t the only superpower Irey has at her disposal, as she’s already performed numerous speedster feats.InThe Flash#4, for example, she unleashed her latent potential when a speedster rushed at her with a knife. Thunderheart vibrated her molecules to phase through the assailant, then solidified herself at the right moment to grab a Speed Force drug from her pocket before usingvibrational intangibilityagain. The Flash has stated that he’s certainIrey will be the Justice League’s future leader, and she’s officially skilled enough to take on that role someday.
The Flash’s Daughter Isn’t His Only Super-Powered Child, & His Son Might Be Even Stronger
Wally West’s Son, Jai, Explores His Reality-Bending Shaper Powers
As formidable as Thunderheart is, her brother’s powers might give her a run for her money. Jai lacks traditional super-speed, theFlash’s most iconic power, but he makes up for that absence with his own innovative skill-set that sets him apart from the rest of the Flash family.As a Shaper, Jai can manipulate the Speed Force to teleport between its conduits.In his words, he’s"reshaping space-time to quantumly entangle"withspeedsters across DC’s continuity. He discovered this power inThe Flash#5, when he spawned animated homunculi that function like “fast travel points” in a video game, and over time he has gradually mastered it.
The Flash’s Son Officially Debuts DC’s Ultimate Healing Factor
Jai, the son of Wally West, utilizes his cosmic powers in a shocking new way, revealing a healing factor that essentially makes him immortal.
Now,Jai’s speedster transportationhas become second nature to him after connecting with the Speed Force.The fact that Jai has mastered this complex ability serves as a testament to how powerful he’s become, especially since his sister struggles with it.Irey tries to borrow his aura so that she can teleport the way he can, but her inexperience with being a Shaper causes her to nearly slide out of reality. Luckily, Jai steadies her and steers them towards a Speed Force conduit, demonstrating his control. Like Irey, Jai has tapped into newfound strength, and their upgrades are a result of the DC Universe’s recent upheavals.
The DC Universe’s Cosmic Shift Overhauls the Flash Family’s Powers
Darkseid’s Death and the Deep Change’s Birth Supercharge the Flash and His Children
These changes to the Flash family’s superpowers are the consequences of changes made to the broader hero community. Thedeath of Darkseidhas shaken the DC Universe to its core, and his loss isn’t the only groundbreaking rewrite of continuity.The Flash#13 featured the Deep Change, theliving being that emanates the Speed Force, giving birth to a mysterious entity. This creature takes the form of theFlash’s dogand acts as a physical embodiment of the Speed Force that his family can draw from.With a new power source and a revamped cosmic structure, it’s no wonder that Jai and Irey have received upgrades.
It remains to be seen how the Flash’s power-up stacks against Jai and Irey’s, but for now, his title as DC’s strongest speedster is being contested by his own children.
The Flash’s kids aren’t the only ones whose powers have been altered as of late. Wally West is evolving alongside his children, and inThe Flash#14, he unleashed his newduplication powerfor the first time. After hisencounter with the Deep Change, the Flash has a deeper connection to the Speed Force, allowing him to manipulate time to his advantage. With this control, Wally splits himself into two separate heroes by harnessing the temporal energy of the multiverse. It remains to be seen how theFlash’s power-up stacks against Jai and Irey’s, but for now, his title as DC’s strongest speedster is being contested by his own children.
The Flash#16is available now from DC Comics.
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.
