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Traditionally a role delegated to the Reverse Flash, fans are wondering if the traditional villain really was the murderer of Barry’s mother. ThoughThe Flashmovie centers around changing the past and preventing Barry’s mother’s death, not much is actually explored regarding the circumstances surrounding her death.
Related:The Flash Ending Explained: Is “SPOILER” The New Batman?
There might be some context in the alleged 4-hour cut that we might get to see one day, but the theatrical release doesn’t touch on the subject matter too heavily.
This article contains heavy spoilers for The Flash movie.
Who is The Reverse Flash?
Appearing as a major antagonist in high-profile Flash IPs such as the Flash season and Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, Reverse Flash is seemingly always present along with Barry Allen. That’s why his absence was felt especially hard in this Flash movie.
Eobard Thawne, also known as Professor Zoom, is the antithesis of Barry. He utilizes the negative speed force rather than the speed force, wears yellow rather than red, and has red eyes (so you know he’s evil). In the series, Eobard Thawne is a meta-human from the future who came to the 20th century to exact revenge on young Barry but was thwarted by the older Barry, who also came from the future. The Reverse Flash then killed Barry’s mother, Nora Allen, in frustration and anger.
Did The Reverse Flash Really Kill Barry’s Mother in The Movie?
The answer is that we don’t really know. Inan interview with the Playlist, director Andres Muschietti mentioned the Reverse Flash, calling him the elephant in the room. He goes on to say it doesn’t make sense not to have him be the big villain. While this seemingly confirms that any subsequent film will focus on the Reverse Flash, it doesn’t make a lot of sense at first glance.
In the movie, Barry is able to stop his mother from dying just by placing a tomato can in her cart so that his father stays at home, and he succeeds. If the Reverse Flash was indeed the killer, why would this solve the issue? Well, we have a few theories.
Why Didn’t The Reverse Flash Kill Barry’s Mother in The New Timeline?
As mentioned in the movie, time travel works differently in the DCU than it does in the MCU. If you make a change in the past, it doesn’t just affect the future; it also changes the past, spawning a completely different timeline. If this explanation is to be believed, then it would make sense if some change occurred in the past (or future) that prevented the Reverse Flash from becoming a villain, or a meta-human, thus preventing the entire incident.
The second explanation relates back to the Reverse Flash’s origin. Eobard Thawne lived in a time when The Flash was one of the biggest superheroes alive. Flash inspired him, and Eobard tried to recreate his powers, successfully becoming a speedster himself. He later changes into a villain because of one petty reason or the other and travels back in time to kill young Barry and destroy his legacy.
However, in the timeline that old Barry ends up creating, Barry Allen never becomes a superhero. At least not until he interfered and made it so. Young Barry didn’t work in the forensics lab and wouldn’t have been present there for the lightning strike, thus never gaining any special powers. No Flash equals no superhero for Eobard to adore, which equals no Reverse Flash.
