Warning! Spoilers ahead for Absolute Flash #2!Sorry,Arrowversefans, but one of the most beloved characters from the franchise officially bit the dust in DC Comics' twisted new universe. Fans knew that things weredarker in the Absolute Universe, but now it’s clear that the harsh environment has already killed off some surprising DC Comics icons.
InAbsolute Flash #2by Jeff Lemire and Nick Robles, Wally West is running for his lifewith the Absolute Roguesdetermined to bring him back to Fort Fox. During his escape,the young Flash accidentallytravels back in time, briefly meeting Barry Allen, before Wally’s uncontrollable power brings him back to the present.
Upon Wally’s return, the Trickster puts Wally in a containment field. The young speedster demands to be let go, but Trickster says he’s staying locked up until they get back to Fort Fox, where they’ll experiment on him “Just like they did with Mick Rory…”.
Or is This Line Laying the Groundwork for Something Worse?
The Absolute Universe is not a very kind place as it was created by Darkseid after his energy settled on a young, impressionable alternate Earth. This world is similar to the Prime DC Universe, but whereas hope is the guiding principle in that world, challenge and adversity reign supreme in the Absolute Universe. In this world, heroes face tougher, more uphill battles, and the world is just generally darker, with villains having a greater foothold in society. Even now,DC heroes are just starting to come into their own and see how much is stacked against them.
To be fair, Trickster doesn’t exactly say that Heat Wave is dead, but that one-off line makes it seem that Rory has indeed kicked the bucket. But interestingly enough, the solicitation forAbsolute Flash #5has already spoiled Heat Wave’s fate. The cover of the upcoming issue shows Wally on the run from a giant, flaming monster (which also shows up in the flashforward sequence inAbsolute Flash #1). Unfortunately for the classic Rogue member, scientific experimentation wasn’t the end for Mick Rory, but the beginning ofa painful transformation into a devastating, flaming monstrosity come to challenge Absolute Flash.
He’s Going to Be a Real Challenge for the Absolute Flash
Everything is upside down in the Absolute Universe. As strange and different things are for DC’s heroes, things are sometimes equally weird for their greatest villains (heck, just look at Absolute Joker). Heat Wave being experimented on and transformed into a flaming abomination might not be standard, but it fits right in with the themes of the Absolute Universe. It’s sad that this seems to be the fate for an icon as well-liked as Heat Wave. Hopefully, there’s still a spark of theArrowversecharacter that fans loved so much still inside his monstrous new form.
