In 2011, after the return of Barry Allen in the events Blackest Night and Brightest Day, the Flash (Barry Allen) sought to confront his trauma by going back in time and stopping the death of his mother, Nora Allen. This led to Flashpoint, a crossover event that has affected the DC universe to this day. The crossover event did more than give us the Nu52. It gave readers a new take on Batman (because god knows we don’t already have enough). Flashpoint could have been more than another crossover event meant to facilitate a reboot. It could have addressed grief and loss, something not really touched on in a meaningful way since Identity Crisis—a tangible expression for many who lost a parent early in life. Because we’ve all had the thought: What if I could go back and stop it from happening?
Flashpoint opens with Barry in a new world after stopping the death of his mother. This one action thrust him into a world of chaos and unknowns—a world in which he lacked his powers and many of his friends either didn’t exist or were completely different. Barry even erased Wally West and others from existence (until Rebirth because you can’t keep a good speedster down. Especially when you need to boost sales).
Barry’s journey is a “get back home” adventure and embodies many tropes of an Elseworlds story while also touching on something deeper in regards to grief. Some would say focusing on a grieving son doesn’t sell. I disagree, though. Barry Allen, Bruce Wayne, and Peter Parker are iconic characters traumatized by parental death at a young age. People who aren’t even comic readers can see these origins and relate on a purely human level. Death is relatable to everyone. It is a part of the human condition, and the exploration of how we deal with loss can yield a better understanding of how to deal with it in both healthy and unhealthy ways.
When Barry ran back in time to stop Nora’s death, he wasn’t dealing with his loss in a healthy way. Using his super speed to change events in the past was the equivalent of an oil company using millions of dollars to trample on indigenous peoples and their land to get a pipeline built. He wanted something and used his power to get it. Impulsive and self-destructive actions are how many people respond to loss. Some drink their pain away while others engage in activities that make them feel anything else—such as doing drugs.
A symptom of Barry’s change in the timeline is the loss of his memories prior to Flashpoint. It’s no secret that an inability to move on from the past can cause you to lose the present. Despite Nora’s death, Barry lived on and had a life with friends and family. By saving his mother, Barry lost his own life.
If it weren’t for the Comics Code and the need to keep stories accessible to a wide market, this story could have been a real deep dive into grief and how our inaction to address the pain in a healthy way can result in both internal and external suffering. For example, when looking through the lens of symbolism, Thomas Wayne—the Batman of this world—takes to the streets of Gotham killing criminals by night and spends his days drinking. He justifies his actions by using the death of Bruce. Thomas is the anger stage of grief. Cyborg, still a hero in this world, now works with the government and is motivated by the mass deaths due to the war between Atlantis and Themyscira. He makes deals with other heroes for their help and even agrees to help Barry and Thomas on the condition they aid him in stopping the war. Cyborg is the bargaining stage. When it comes time to set everything back to normal, Barry becomes the acceptance stage of grief. He must come to terms with the loss of his mother and let go. This is yet another example of the potential this event had to be deeper. If only we could have gotten a denial and depression embodied by the cast, then it would have elevated this story even further.
Heroes—be they from comics, manga, or the various mythologies—embody ideals and beliefs. They represent the intangible dreams we have for the future and versions of ourselves. So, in taking these heroes and having them embody the stages of grief, it gives an outlet and form to the feelings and thoughts we have in the grips of loss. A way to see your feelings represented and to help you navigate the pain. Just as Superman gives form to hope—not just hope for a better tomorrow, but hope that the women and men of tomorrow will be better than the ones today.
This story has a special place in my heart because a year after its publication, my own mother died. It was in the aftermath that I completely understood Barry’s actions and this story took on a new meaning. Prior to my loss, Flashpoint was just another crossover event. I wanted to do the same thing Barry did. I wanted to go back months or years and make any change I possibly could to keep her alive longer. It’s hard not to relate to his motivation and actions. Striking at the core of the modern human condition, seeing Barry run back to save Nora was and is cathartic. But it’s also a reminder that we can’t change the past, and it’s important to truly heal or else you’ll hurt yourself and those around you.
