7 Times The Flash Improved DC Mythology (& 4 Times It Failed)
3. Making Eobard Thawne An Even More Personal Villain
The CW
Eobard Thawne, aka Reverse-Flash, has had several different
origins and backstories across the various continuities and do-overs of the
comic book world.
These days, the accepted canon has Thawne as a 25th century rogue
who becomes so bitter at Barry Allen that he goes back in time to kill Barry’s
mother, Nora. That in itself is a monumental moment in comics, for it
effectively led to the whole Flashpoint arc which changed the landscape of DC
Comics and ushered in the rebooted continuity that was the New 52.
In terms of heinous, sinister acts against a superhero, it
doesn’t get much more personal and spiteful than travelling back in time to
kill that hero’s mother. But still, The CW’s The Flash went one better than
this.
Not content on having Thawne off Nora Allen, the first
season of The Flash saw it revealed that Harrison Wells – who was Barry’s
father figure and mentor – had actually been Eobard Thawne, aka Reverse-Flash,
all along.
Thawne had killed the real Wells years prior and decided to
take on his likeness, forming a bond with Barry Allen that was helping the
troubled speedster to deal with the death of his mother and the incarceration of
his father.
With this decision, The Flash as a TV show instantly made
Eobard Thawne an even more chilling villain with a somehow even more personal connection
to Barry Allen.
Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics.
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