All powers and abilities of The Flash explained

The Flash is one of the most popular heroes in the DC comics lore, who became a crime-fighting superhero with the combination of a lightning strike and a few chemicals that altered his DNA. As a result, he boasts several powers and abilities that most superheroes don’t have.

While the main reason he stands out is his speed, fans find it especially fascinating because a lot of technicalities are involved with his speed, making him a very complex character. Furthermore, his access to the Speed Force also grants him some very unique speedster abilities.

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All powers of The Flash explored

Abilities that help him in battle

The Flash throwing lightning bolts (Image via DC)

Barry Allen is known for his incredible swiftness, which allows him to think, move, and react at extraordinary speeds. He can run faster than the speed of light and claims to be the fastest man alive in the DC Universe. His speed generates a lot of energy, allowing him to throw lightning bolts at his opponents.

Allen also possesses accelerated healing, which allows him to quickly recover from injuries and illnesses. His healing speed is not the same as Wolverine or Deadpool's, but it happens at a much faster rate than an ordinary human. Normal injuries such as bullet holes or stab wounds, which are fatal for humans, don’t work the same way on Barry as he can heal from them within hours.

One of his crazier powers is to generate an incredible amount of kinetic energy by building up his speed and momentum. This way, he can deliver an infinite mass punch at super speed. This hit has a devastating impact as it carries the force of an object with infinite mass. It’s arguably much stronger than any superhuman punch (but weaker than a Superman Punch).

Barry’s vortex creation (Image via DC)

He also possesses Vortex Creation, through which he can generate powerful gusts of wind by spinning his arms or running in circles. These vortexes can be used to put out fires, incapacitate opponents, or even lift heavy objects.

By vibrating his molecules at the right frequency, he can also become intangible and phase through solid objects. This ability allows him to perform surprise maneuvers such as evading attacks and passing through walls. It comes in very handy for him during battles or while running at super speed.

Next up, Barry's accelerated cognition allows him to process information and think at incredibly high velocities. This ability allows him to analyze situations quickly, perceive events in slow motion, and make split-second decisions. So, with that, he isn't just the fastest man alive, but also the smartest man alive.

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Other incredible powers of The Flash

Barry in the Speed Force (Image via DC)

While tapping into the Speed Force, Barry gets surrounded by a protective energy field known as the Speed Force Aura. It protects him from high-speed impacts, extreme temperatures, and the harmful effects of friction. This aura is exactly why Barry can move at superhuman speeds without injuring himself.

In certain storylines, The Flash has showcased the ability to temporarily share his speed with others. By doing that, he can enhance the speed of his allies, making it one of his coolest abilities. This is something that fans would surely like to see in James Gunn’s DCU when he announces a new Flash movie after the latest one.

Last, but not the least, The Flash can manipulate time by using the Speed Force. He can travel back and forth in time, alter events, and even create threatening temporal paradoxes. Time travel is a difficult power to master, and Barry has done that to varying degrees in various storylines.

However, before his mastery, he also caused several mishaps such as the Flashpoint Paradox, where he went back in time and saved his mother. An alternate version of this event comes to life in Ezra Miller’s movie.