Why can flash run so fast?
The Flash's extraordinary speed is attributed to his connection to the Speed Force, a cosmic energy that transcends the normal laws of physics and time.
The Speed Force
The Speed Force is a natural power that exists beyond space and time, allowing speedsters like the Flash to achieve incredible velocities. This force protects them from the physical consequences of moving at such high speeds, such as friction and the destructive effects of colliding with air molecules at high velocities124.
Access to the Speed Force
Characters who become the Flash gain access to the Speed Force through various means, such as laboratory accidents involving lightning and chemicals. For example, Barry Allen, the most well-known Flash, gained his powers after being struck by lightning in a laboratory filled with chemicals124.
Enhanced Abilities
The Speed Force grants the Flash several abilities beyond just super speed:
- Super Speed: The Flash can move at speeds that far exceed the speed of light, with some instances suggesting he can run 13 trillion times faster than the speed of light2.
- Protection from Physical Consequences: The Speed Force creates an aura around the Flash, protecting him from the destructive effects of his high-speed movements1.
- Time and Dimensional Travel: The Flash can enter the Speed Force to travel through time and across different dimensions4.
- Enhanced Strength and Energy Manipulation: By transferring his speed into other forms of energy, the Flash can exhibit super strength and even generate lightning4.
Different Flashes
While multiple characters have taken on the mantle of the Flash, Wally West is often depicted as the fastest, having gone beyond the speed of light and achieving speeds that are even more extraordinary than Barry Allen's12.