The Flash: How Zod returns and why Supergirl fights him, explained

Since the latest trailer launch of The Flash, the hype for the film has grown tenfold. It was screened for the Press at Cinema Con 2023 and has already earned rave reviews from critics. But those who haven’t seen the film have several questions.

One of the mysteries is the return of Zod as fans have been left wondering how he returns and why it is Supergirl who fights him instead of Superman. The answer to this question lies in the Flashpoint storyline from the comics, which has inspired the upcoming Flash movie.

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Batman, the two Barry Allens, and Supergirl fight Zod in The Flash

Team Flash (Image via DC)

The Flash takes place in 2023 and that’s when Barry Allen goes back in time to save his mother. But upon doing that, he completely breaks the universe. He ends up in 2013, where the circumstances are entirely different. His mom is alive, but there’s another Barry Allen in this timeline who doesn’t have any powers.

Furthermore, there are no other metahumans like Wonder Woman or Aquaman. There’s just Michael Keaton’s Batman. And since it is the year 2013, Zod arrives on Earth in order to turn it into Krypton. This bit stays the same from the original timeline as he is not dead yet.

Supergirl vs. Zod in The Flash (Image via DC)

But in this alternate Flash storyline, Kal-El was never sent to Earth. Instead, it was Kara (Sasha Calle) who arrived on Earth, where there's no Superman at all. But unlike Kal, who was discovered by a loving couple like Jonathan and Martha Kent, Kara was taken by the government. So, she was imprisoned and continuously experimented upon.

But as the trailers suggest, she’ll be rescued by the two Barry Allens and Michael Keaton’s Batman. The two Barrys will convince her to become a beacon of hope for Earth. So, when they ask politely, she'll agree to fight Zod and stop him from killing everyone.

That’s why we have Zod and Supergirl in the film. They will be a part of the final act, and it will be upon Barry 1, Barry 2, Batman, and Supergirl to stop Zod and save Earth.

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How The Flash is different from Flashpoint in the comics

Ezra Miller as Barry Allen in The Flash (Image via DC)

DC’s next movie will bring that story to life in a very different way. The basic premise of Flashpoint in the comics is that when Barry Allen discovers that he can travel through time, he goes back to the past and saves his mother from dying.

But the death of Barry’s mother was such an iconic moment that altering it changed the entire timeline. The butterfly effect sent ripples across the whole timeline and totally changed things from the past to the future.

And because Barry’s mom never died, his father never went to prison and he never got his speedster abilities.

Flashpoint Batman and Joker (Image via DC)

In the case of Batman, it’s young Bruce Wayne who dies in that dark alley instead of his parents. With the trauma of losing his son, Thomas Wayne becomes a brutal version of Batman. Meanwhile, his mother Martha becomes the new Joker!

There’s no Superman, so Cyborg becomes America's greatest hero. Popular DC villains like Deathstroke and Lex Luthor also become antiheroes. Most importantly, the world almost comes to an end because of a massive war between Atlantis and Themyscira that is led by Aquaman and Wonder Woman.

The Flash is also using this story, but it changes many elements. Instead of Superman, we have a Supergirl. Instead of Cyborg, we’ve got Young Barry Allen who regains his powers in a new way.

Michael Keaton’s Batman replaces Thomas Wayne’s Batman. And the final battle between Aquaman and Wonder Woman has been changed to add a Supergirl vs. Zod fight.

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The Flash hits theaters on June 16, 2023.