Flashpoint Vol 2 5
"Flashpoint, Chapter Five of Five": As the final battle rages, Professor Zoom looms over the Flash. Enraged, Barry demands to known what he had done to the timestream to create this world. However, to Barry's surprise, Zoom had done nothing. Using his connection to the Reve
Flashpoint (Volume 2) #5 is an issue of the series Flashpoint (Volume 2) with a cover date of October, 2011. It was published on August 31, 2011.
Synopsis for "Flashpoint, Chapter Five of Five"
As the final battle rages, Professor Zoom looms over the Flash. Enraged, Barry demands to known what he had done to the timestream to create this world. However, to Barry's surprise, Zoom had done nothing. Using his connection to the Reverse Speed Force, Zoom reveals that it was Barry who had created this universe, stopping Zoom from killing his mother. Doing so had shattered history, causing the world of Flashpoint to occur. Barry breaks free from Zoom's grasp and the two begin their fight before Batman stops them. He figures they need to "remove Thawne from the equation", but the madman beats Batman to a pulp, declaring that it was backwards, that Barry had done that to his own equation. He, then, reveals to Barry that because of his alteration to the Speed Force while he was traveling it, he became a living paradox, free from history and free to do whatever he sees fit. As he gloats that Barry can't kill him, he's shown a loophole when Batman skewers him with a sword.
As the other heroes regroup, they learn that the Enchantress is working with Wonder Woman and is plowing through the Atlantean soldiers. They're soon joined by Grifter and the Resistance, however the Enchantress slays the gathering before mortally wounding Batman. Her rampage is stopped by the arrival of Subject One, who lands and disperses her energies before focusing on Aquaman and Wonder Woman. Despite his arrival, along with Grodd, things got worse - the Atlanteans had plans for sinking Britain was going to end up splitting the Earth in half. The resulting explosions kill most everyone there, save Barry and the dying Thomas. Before passing on, Thomas gives Barry a letter to give to Bruce. With one last nudge, Barry races into the timestream, only to be pulled back to his home where his mother waits.
In his home, Barry reveals that it was his fault that this world came to be and that he can't accurately fix things without the Cosmic Treadmill. She tells him that if he got to her by using her as some sort of lightning rod, he could do the same to his other self. Barry becomes hesitant, not wanting to lose her again, but she asks a question that gets him to change his mind: how many people had died because of this? She finally gets him to just let go of her and he chases after his past self. He is able to catch up to him and, reluctantly, stops him and attempts to hop back into the timestream. However, he sees three timelines in doing so - normal DCU, Vertigo and Wildstorm - and is confronted by a mysterious woman, who reveals that the three universes were splintered into three to allow an invasion to arrive. However, she needs the three unified and uses Barry to do so, costing him something valuable.
Soon, Barry wakes up in his office, realizing everything was fixed. He, soon, races to the Batcave to confront Bruce. There, he reveals what had happened, feeling bad that he allowed it to occur. Bruce reassures him slightly by saying he would have done the same thing. Barry, then, realizes he still has fond memories of being with his mother. Bruce, wistfully, suggests it was a gift of sorts to make things feel better for him. In return, Barry gives Bruce the letter Thomas gave him. In shock, Bruce reads it and finds himself reading it intently, bringing himself to tears before thanking him for doing so.
Appearing in "Flashpoint, Chapter Five of Five"
Featured Characters:
- Batman/Thomas Wayne (Flashpoint Timeline) (Dies)
- The Flash/Barry Allen (New Earth) (Erased)
- The Flash/Barry Allen (Prime Earth) (First appearance) (Also in a vision) (See Notes)
Supporting Characters:
- Batman/Bruce Wayne (Prime Earth) (First appearance) (See Notes)
- Captain Thunder/S.H.A.Z.A.M./"Shazam Kids" (Flashpoint Timeline) (Also in a vision) (Erased)
- Central City Police Department (Prime Earth) (First appearance)
- James Forrest (First appearance)
- Patty Spivot (First appearance; unnamed) (Cameo)
- Cyborg (Flashpoint Timeline) (Also in a vision) (Erased) (Origin)
- Element Woman (Flashpoint Timeline) (Also in a vision) (Erased)
- Nora Allen (Flashpoint Timeline) (Erased)
- The Outsider (Flashpoint Timeline) (Erased)
- The Resistance (Flashpoint Timeline) (Erased)
- Subject One (Flashpoint Timeline) (Also in a vision) (Erased)
Antagonists:
- Amazons (Flashpoint Timeline) (Erased)
- Wonder Woman (Also in a vision)
- Atlanteans (Flashpoint Timeline) (Erased)
- Emperor Aquaman (Also in a vision)
- The Enchantress (Flashpoint Timeline) (Dies)
- Doctor Manhattan (Watchmen Universe) (Unnamed) (Behind the scenes)
- The Flash/Barry Allen (New Earth) (Past) (Erased)
- Gorillas (Flashpoint Timeline) (Erased)
- Professor Zoom/Eobard Thawne (Pre-Flashpoint) (Dies)
Other Characters:
- Flashpoint Timeline characters (Erased) (Cameo)
- Bruce Wayne (Dies in a vision)
- Henry Allen (Deceased) (In a photograph only)
- Joe Chill (In a vision)
- Martha Wayne (In a vision)
- Mera (Appears only as a corpse) (In a vision)
- Billy Batson (Flashpoint Timeline) (Deceased) (Mentioned only)
- New Earth characters (Erased) (Cameo)
- Atrocitus (In a vision)
- Batman (Bruce Wayne) (In a vision)
- Catwoman (Selina Kyle) (In a vision)
- Central City Police Department (Flashback only)
- Cyborg (Victor Stone) (In a vision)
- Deathstroke (Slade Wilson) (In a vision)
- Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) (In a vision)
- Hawkman (Carter Hall) (In a vision)
- The Joker (In a vision)
- Lex Luthor (In a vision)
- Nora Allen (Flashback only)
- Sinestro (In a vision)
- Superman (Clark Kent) (In a vision)
- Wonder Woman (Diana of Themyscira) (In a vision)
- Prime Earth characters (In a vision) (Cameo)
- Animal Man (First appearance; unnamed)
- Apollo (First appearance; unnamed)
- Batgirl (First appearance; unnamed)
- Cyborg (First appearance; unnamed)
- Green Lantern (First appearance; unnamed)
- Grifter (First appearance; unnamed)
- Midnighter (First appearance; unnamed)
- Pandora (First appearance; unnamed) (See Notes)
- Resurrection Man (First appearance; unnamed)
- Sinestro (First appearance; unnamed)
- Static (First appearance; unnamed)
- Supergirl (First appearance; unnamed)
- Superman (First appearance; unnamed)
- Swamp Thing (First appearance; unnamed)
- Wonder Woman (First appearance; unnamed)
- Shade the Changing Man/Rac Shade (Earth-85) (In a vision) (Cameo)
- Vertigo Universe characters (In a vision) (Erased) (Cameo)
- Animal Man (Buddy Baker)
- John Constantine
- The Swamp Thing
- Traci Thirteen (Single appearance) (See Notes)
- Wildstorm Universe characters (In a vision) (Erased) (Cameo)
Locations:
- Hypertime (Unnamed) (Behind the scenes)
- Flashpoint Timeline (Erased)
- 20th Century
- United States of America
- Gotham City
- Crime Alley (In a vision) (Cameo)
- Metropolis
- Project Superman Base (In a vision) (Cameo)
- Gotham City
- United States of America
- 21st Century
- Atlantis (In a vision) (Cameo)
- England
- London (In ruins)
- Themyscira (In a vision) (Cameo)
- United States of America
- Central City
- Allen House
- Central City
- 20th Century
- Timestream (Flashback and main story) (Also in a vision)
- Pre-Flashpoint Eobard Thawne's Future (Unnamed) (Mentioned only)
- 25th Century (Mentioned only)
- Flashpoint Timeline (Erased)
- Post-Flashpoint Multiverse (First appearance; unnamed) (Origin) (Behind the scenes)
- Prime Earth (First appearance; unnamed) (Origin)
- 2011
- United States of America
- Central City (First appearance)
- CCPD Headquarters (First appearance)
- Gotham City (First appearance)
- Batcave (First appearance)
- Central City (First appearance)
- United States of America
- 2011
- Speed Force (Behind the scenes)
- Prime Earth (First appearance; unnamed) (Origin)
- Pre-Flashpoint Multiverse (Erased)
- Negative Speed Force (Behind the scenes)
- New Earth/Earth-0 (In a vision) (Erased)
- 20th Century
- United States of America
- Central City
- Allen House (In a vision)
- CCPD Headquarters
- Central City Crime Lab (In a vision)
- Central City
- United States of America
- 2011
- United States of America
- Central City
- Allen House (In a vision)
- Central City
- United States of America
- 20th Century
- Speed Force (Flashback only)
- Vertigo Universe (Unnamed) (In a vision) (Erased) (Cameo)
- Wildstorm Universe/Earth-50 (In a vision) (Erased) (Cameo)
- Hell (Mentioned only)
Items:
- Amazonian Swords
- Batcomputer (Cameo)
- Batman's T-Rex (Cameo)
- Batsuits
- Cosmic Treadmill (Also in a vision)
- Giant Joker Card (Cameo)
- Thomas Wayne's Letter
- Trident of Neptune
- Wonder Woman's Helmet (Also in a vision)
Concepts:
- Alternate Timelines
- Connective Energy (Unnamed) (Behind the scenes)
- The Eternal Return (Unnamed) (Behind the scenes)
- "Chronal Residues" (Unnamed)
- Magic
- Metahumans
- Time Travel
- Temporal Paradox (See Notes)
- Temporal Paradox (See Notes)
Notes
- This issue features the last chronological appearance of the Pre-Flashpoint Multiverse– born in the aftermath of the Crisis on Infinite Earths and completely reformed during the Infinite Crisis. It then introduces Prime Earth– a reality born from the merge of several realities:
- New Earth, the mainstream Pre-Flashpoint DC Universe;
- The Wildstorm Universe, which had been previously merged into the Multiverse as Earth-50 during Infinite Crisis;
- The Vertigo Universe, whose existence becomes canonical with this issue;
- The Dakotaverse, home to the original Milestone Media continuity.
- The creation of Prime Earth is shown from Pre-Flashpoint Barry Allen's point of view. However, the "true" mastermind and the real circumstances behind the altered timeline of Prime Earth will be respectively revealed in Justice League (Volume 2) #50 and Doomsday Clock #10.
- The appearance of Pandora– the extradimensional observer that explains the new universe– is a temporal paradox because she should not exist during the creation of Prime Earth. However, it could be possible that Pandora only projected her consciousness in the past to help Barry reset the timeline.
- The versions of Barry Allen and Bruce Wayne from the epilogue are their Prime Earth incarnations, making their respective debuts. Other Prime Earth characters are also glimpsed in the two-page spread depicting the merging of timelines.
- The new DC Universe continuity is next seen in Justice League (Volume 2) #1.
- The Flashpoint storyline is eventually resumed in The Button crossover.
- The destruction of the Wildstorm Universe and its merging into Prime Earth will be eventually shown from the Planetary's point of view in Outsiders (Volume 5) #7.
- This issue also marks the last chronological appearance of the Vertigo Universe. After this issue, the Vertigo continuity is only seen in Hellblazer– until its end in 2013– and is eventually concluded with the 2016 Lucifer sequel series.
- Traci Thirteen appears as a character from the Vertigo Universe even though she never appeared in any Vertigo publications, unlike her father, Doctor Thirteen.
- This issue is reprinted in Flashpoint and The Flash: A Celebration of 75 Years. It is also reprinted in original pencils in Flashpoint Unwrapped.
Trivia
- The full content of Thomas Wayne's letter is eventually revealed in Flashpoint Beyond #6.
- Swamp Thing, Animal Man, and John Constantine had already been brought back into the mainstream DC Universe by the time of Flashpoint's publication.