History Characters / TheFlashBarryAllen

Upon Barry's return, his history had been altered. Now, Barry's mother was killed when he was just a boy, and his father was imprisoned for it. Barry became a forensic scientist to solve her murder and prove his father's innocence, the one case that was impossible to solve. Barry only learned the culprit well into his career as the Flash -- that it was the result of his nemesis Eobard Thawne going back in time to alter Barry's past. When he went back in time to stop Thawne, Barry caused a ripple effect that created the ''ComicBook/{{Flashpoint|DCComics}}'' timeline. When Barry undid his mistake, he left the universe exposed to the machinations of higher powers that altered history, resulting in [[ComicBook/TheNew52 a new universe]].

* BreakoutCharacter: He's credited for kick-starting UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|of Comic Books}}.

* TheGenericGuy: By comparison to the other Flashes, Barry's not the experienced mentor (like Jay), the DeadpanSnarker with buckets of CharacterDevelopment (like Wally), a neurotic workaholic with a short temper (like Jesse), or the random oddball little brother (like Bart). This is largely because Barry was ''dead'' during the [[UsefulNotes/TheBronzeAgeOfComicBooks Bronze Age]], where characterization was given a stronger focus and the Flash family was truly developed, so he mostly ended up being characterized as an InspirationalMartyr that cast a big shadow for Wally to fill. When he came back, they've attempted to fix this by making him more dorky and focusing on his ([[RetCon newly created]]) tragic backstory.

* ''Series/{{Peacemaker|2022}}'': Barry and Arthur Curry make a cameo in the season finale.

* CerebusRetcon: Back in the Silver and Bronze Age, Barry was always depicted as a kind, heroic man, and a ParentalSubstitute for Wally; even his darkest act, killing Thawne, was in large part out of desperation. Starting with ''ComicBook/IdentityCrisis2004'', it was slowly revealed Barry has a dark side; killing Thawne happened ''after'' he had voted to MindRape Doctor Light ''and'' brainwashed The Top, something that exploded in his face. When he came back, Barry showed a selfish tendency leading to events like ''Flashpoint''. His treatment of Wally became far from perfect, and in many ways he's been quite a toxic figure for him. However, he does genuinely care and loves his nephew and he feels guilty about taking his children away from him, so even though they argued in "Flash War" about using the Speed Force to bring them back, he decides to help his nephew, albeit with valid concerns. Therefore, no matter what flaws Barry has, he is a Nice Guy and will help anyone who needs his help no matter what.

* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: He wished his mother was still alive...the rest is [[CosmicRetcon history]].

-->'''Aquaman:''' Until a few months ago, none of us even '''knew''' who '''Wally West''' was. Not even '''you''', Flash.\\

* BadassTeacher: Around his sidekick Kid Flash.

* BewareTheNiceOnes: He's hands down the nicest guy you could meet in the DCU (yes, including Superman), and he's also gifted with one of the deadliest powers. It's often stated that his niceness prevents him from unlocking his full power, but when he does...''he does''.

* AwesomenessByAnalysis: He is a CSI with HyperAwareness abilities. Right now, he's tailing an evil creature who messes with {{Cosmic Plaything}}s along with his old student and Batman.

-->'''Barry:''' A year later, when lightning struck her nephew, Wally West, I didn't have to run alone anymore. I never needed to be the fastest. I just didn't want to be the only one.'''

--> '''Wally:''' ....My uncle Barry, the second, and in my humble opinion the greatest Flash-- gave me some advice, "Wally" he said, "with powers like ours, you have to learn to fight in a way a science fiction writer writes."

* HyperAwareness: Overlapping with his EagleEyeDetection, he's learned to speed up his mental speed to match his body's speed, allowing him to process information from around him all at the [[http://www.bleedingcool.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/IMG_0053.jpg same time]], [[http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/0/40/2065996-f4.png letting him see the probabilities of anything happening around him before it happens, weigh every possible outcome, make the right choice and do something about it]] before anyone even notices. This ''does'', however, mean that he can get lost in the probabilities, being distracted enough for someone to [[http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/10/102593/2679093-f_18.jpg get him.]]

* HeroesWantRedheads: DependingOnTheArtist, Iris West can be portrayed as a redhead sometimes.

* ''WebAnimation/DCSuperHeroGirls'': Supporting character. Voiced by Josh Keaton.

** ''Film/TheFlash2023'': Barry's first solo adventure in a theatrical film. To be directed by Creator/AndresMuschietti.

Upon Barry's return, his history had been altered. Now, Barry's mother was killed when he was just a boy, and his father was imprisoned for it. Barry became a forensic scientist to solve her murder and prove his father's innocence, the one case that was impossible to solve. Barry only learned the culprit well into his career as the Flash -- that it was the result of his nemesis Eobard Thawne going back in time to alter Barry's past. When he went back in time to stop Thawne, Barry caused a ripple effect that created the ''ComicBook/{{Flashpoint}}'' timeline. When Barry undid his mistake, he left the universe exposed to the machinations of higher powers that altered history, resulting in [[ComicBook/TheNew52 a new universe]].

* BitchInSheepsClothing: To a degree. While many agree that Barry is a NiceGuy, he's also done some downright horrible things due to selfishness and lack of consideration to those around him. The biggest offender being ''ComicBook/{{Flashpoint}}'', which resulted in the destruction of the entire Flash Family thanks to Barry's half-assed meddling in time. In both instances Barry has expressed some form of regret, but has yet to do anything to truly make up for his actions other than apologizing which he gets away with.

** Wanted to save his mom's life after Thawne altered time and murdered her when she originally lived to old age and died peacefully. Perfectly understandable that Barry wanted to save his mom, except he foolishly tried to stop Thawne by himself despite knowing how dangerous Thawne is and the dangers of messing with time. He also didn't stop to wait until Thawne had left the time stream to intervene. The end results were ''ComicBook/{{Flashpoint}}'' and the ''ComicBook/New52''. What's more, it's explicitly stated before this that the Speed Force ''cannot'' change history, and Thawne himself was only able to thanks to the Negative Speed Force not obeying the same rules; Barry attempting to use the Speed Force in this way is why time got so messed up when he changed it, because the Speed Force just cannot make change reality so easily. ([[RetCon Later]], [[ComicBook/{{Watchmen}} Dr. Manhattan]] [[ComicBook/DCRebirth was also revealed to be at fault]])

** Barry's actions in ''ComicBook/{{Flashpoint}}'' led to the timeline being destroyed and recreated as a nightmarish version of the proper DC Universe, which later left it open to be further twisted by Doctor Manhattan and Pandora.

** Him saving his mother from her death by Professor Zoom caused the [[Comicbook/{{Flashpoint}} DC timeline to collapse]], and his attempt to repair it got hijacked by Pandora and Dr. Manhattan, resulting in a CosmicRetcon.

* TookALevelInJerkass: Since his return, Barry started to act more reclusive than he ever was before, especially when it comes to connecting with other Flash Family members. This mindset is what leads to ''ComicBook/{{Flashpoint}}'' and while this aspect of his character was mostly ignored in ''New 52'', he gained an unhealthy obsession regarding his mother's death. This has become exaggerated in the recent ''Rebirth'' run, Barry's lies regarding his secret identity pushed people away from him and later on his ChronicHeroSyndrome turned into a new obsession. Even though he states more than once that he trusts Wally as Flash; he avoids seeking out Wally's help in any troubling situation (i.e; Metal event, Thawne's return) and in the recent ''Perfect Storm'' arc. he decides to act on his own against Grodd even after losing his powers. This massively backfires on him like ''Flashpoint'' did and his questionable decision making is what leads to ''ComicBook/FlashWar'' in the end.

* DeathIsCheap: ''The'' textbook subversion...if you call 23 years a subversion. Oh well, it's as good as you're going to get for the vanguard of UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|of Comic Books}}.

* CerebusRetcon: Back in the Silver and Bronze Age, Barry was always depicted as a kind, heroic man, and a ParentalSubstitute for Wally; even his darkest act, killing Thawne, was in large part out of desperation. Starting with ''ComicBook/IdentityCrisis'', it was slowly revealed Barry has a dark side; killing Thawne happened ''after'' he had voted to MindRape Doctor Light ''and'' brainwashed The Top, something that exploded in his face. When he came back, Barry showed a selfish tendency leading to events like ''Flashpoint''. His treatment of Wally became far from perfect, and in many ways he's been quite a toxic figure for him. However, he does genuinely care and loves his nephew and he feels guilty about taking his children away from him, so even though they argued in "Flash War" about using the Speed Force to bring them back, he decides to help his nephew, albeit with valid concerns. Therefore, no matter what flaws Barry has, he is a Nice Guy and will help anyone who needs his help no matter what.

* DemotedToExtra: After essentially stealing the spotlight from the other Flashes after his return in the 2000s, and spending most of the 2010s being touted as the main Flash by DC, come ''ComicBook/FlashInfiniteFrontier'' he's been bumped back down to a supporting character once Wally and Linda's family were given the starring role again. It reached the point that by ''Flash'' #800, supervillains have begun referring to Barry as "the ''other'' Flash."

* EasilyForgiven: He accidentally destroyed the lives of everyone in existence, didn't tell anyone about the world being reconfigured at the start of the New 52, did almost nothing to keep Wally in the loop while he investigated what was going on with Batman, offered little help in Wally trying to find his missing children, and then had Wally sent off to Sanctuary just to make him shut up about Irey and Jai. Do people get pissed off at him about all these things? Mostly. Does Barry actually ''do'' anything to earn their forgiveness? No, all he does is apologize and look sorry and that's somehow enough for ''everyone'' to forgive him.

* CerebusRetcon: Back in the Silver and Bronze Age, Barry was always depicted as a kind, heroic man, and a ParentalSubstitute for Wally; even his darkest act, killing Thawne, was in large part out of desperation. Starting with ''ComicBook/IdentityCrisis'', it was slowly revealed Barry has a dark side; killing Thawne happened ''after'' he had voted to MindRape Doctor Light ''and'' brainwashed The Top, something that exploded in his face. When he came back, Barry showed a selfish tendency leading to events like ''Flashpoint''. His treatment of Wally became far from perfect, and in many ways he's been quite a toxic figure for him though he does genuinely care and loves his nephew and he feels guilty about taking his children away from him so even though they argued in "Flash War" about using the Speed Force to bring them back he decides to help his nephew bring them back even though he does have valid concerns about doing it considering he did it before and it led to Flashpoint so therefore no matter what flaws Barry has he is a Nice Guy and will help anyone who needs his help no matter what.