The Flash: Marvel's Elusive Speedsters

• Core Identity: In the Marvel Universe, “The Flash” is not a singular hero but a meta-textual concept and an extremely rare moniker, representing a handful of hyper-fast individuals and serving as a direct analogue or homage to the iconic speedster of the rival DC Universe.
• Key Takeaways:
• Role in the Universe: Unlike in the DC Universe where The Flash is a pillar hero, the concept in Marvel is primarily filled by characters like quicksilver, makkari, and various alternate-reality analogues. The name itself is almost never used, largely due to trademark and its strong association with Marvel's main competitor. The few instances are often self-referential jokes or characters from alternate Earths, like the Squadron Supreme's Blur.
• Primary Impact: The most significant impact of “The Flash” concept within Marvel is the “Buried Alien,” a direct parody of DC's Barry Allen who appeared in a 1990 issue of Quasar. This character established a friendly rivalry by outracing all of Marvel's speedsters, creating a legendary moment for comic book fans aware of the inter-company dynamics.
• Key Incarnations: The primary “Flash” analogue in the comics is Stanley Stewart, the Blur from the squadron_supreme, a team designed as a pastiche of DC's Justice League. In the MCU, the role of the primary speedster is held by Pietro Maximoff (quicksilver), whose powers originated from the Mind Stone, and later by the Eternal makkari, whose speed is cosmic in nature.

The name “The Flash” is inextricably linked to DC Comics, first appearing with Jay Garrick in Flash Comics #1 in 1940. This character, and his subsequent successors like Barry Allen and Wally West, became foundational pillars of the DC Universe. Consequently, for legal and branding reasons, Marvel Comics has never had a mainstream, long-running character named The Flash. However, the archetype of the super-speedster has been a staple in Marvel since the Golden Age. The first major speedster was Robert Frank, The Whizzer, created by a pseudonymous artist and first appearing in USA Comics #1 (August 1941). His creation was part of the patriotic hero boom of World War II, a contemporary of captain_america. The most direct and meta-textual engagement with “The Flash” concept occurred in Quasar #17 (December 1990), written by the legendary Mark Gruenwald. In this issue, an amnesiac, blond-haired speedster in a tattered red and yellow costume appears from another dimension, heavily implied to be Barry Allen following his “death” in DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths. Referred to as the “Buried Alien,” this character served as a loving tribute and a piece of fan-centric myth-making. Marvel's most consistent analogue for The Flash is The Blur (Stanley Stewart), a member of the Squadron Supreme. The Squadron was created by Roy Thomas and John Buscema in The Avengers #85 (February 1971) as a direct pastiche of the Justice League of America, with Blur standing in for The Flash. This allowed Marvel writers to explore JLA-style stories and deconstruct those character archetypes, most famously in Gruenwald's 1985 Squadron Supreme limited series.

Due to the fragmented nature of “The Flash” within Marvel, a singular origin does not exist. Instead, the origins belong to the distinct characters who embody the speedster archetype or have flirted with the name.

Dr. Robert Frank's story begins in the 1940s. While on a trip to Africa with his father, Dr. Emil Frank, Robert was bitten by a cobra. In a desperate attempt to save his son's life, Dr. Emil Frank performed an emergency blood transfusion using mongoose blood, based on the animal's natural immunity to cobra venom. The unforeseen side effect of this radical procedure was the activation of Robert's latent mutant genes, granting him phenomenal superhuman speed. Inspired by the heroic actions of other mystery men of the era, Robert created a distinctive yellow and blue costume and adopted the moniker of The Whizzer. He became a prominent crimefighter during World War II, joining other heroes on the home front in the liberty_legion and fighting alongside captain_america and Namor in the superhero team, the invaders. His origin is a classic example of the “scientific accident” trope popular in the Golden Age of comics.

This character's origin is deliberately shrouded in mystery and inter-company allusion. He suddenly materialized on Earth-616, having run from his own universe into what he called the “Big All-New Round Place.” He was suffering from total amnesia, unable to remember his name, only that it was something like “Buried Alien.” His costume—a shredded red uniform with yellow boots—and his incredible speed, which left a golden lightning trail, were unmistakable references to DC's Barry Allen. He had no memory of how he got his powers, only a primal, instinctual need to run. He was discovered by the cosmic hero Quasar and entered into a “Galactic Marathon” organized by the Elder of the Universe known as the Runner. His origin is not one of science or magic, but of narrative displacement; he is a refugee from another comic book universe entirely. After winning the race and being declared the “fastest man alive” in this new universe, he chose the name “Fast-Forward” and continued running, eventually disappearing into the cosmos.

Stanley Stewart's origin depends on the incarnation of the Squadron Supreme. The classic version from Earth-712 was a simple truck driver. One night, a mysterious fog enveloped him, granting him a connection to the “X-Dimensions,” which he could draw upon to move at superhuman speeds. He was recruited by the American government to join their premiere superhero team, the Squadron Supreme, as their resident speedster, The Blur. More recent versions in the prime Earth-616 continuity have altered this. In the 2015 Squadron Supreme series, this version of Stanley Stewart was an ordinary young man from a reality that was destroyed during an Incursion event. He survived, along with his teammates, and found himself on Earth-616, a refugee seeking to protect his new home with brutal, uncompromising methods. His powers are innate to him from his home reality, making him a living weapon of speed and kinetic energy.

The name “The Flash” and its direct analogues do not exist in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, the speedster archetype is prominently featured through two key characters with distinct origins.

First appearing in the post-credits scene of Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and playing a major role in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Pietro Maximoff's origin is a product of trauma and scientific hubris. He and his twin sister, Wanda, were Sokovian citizens whose parents were killed by Stark Industries weaponry. Harboring a deep-seated hatred for Tony Stark and the avengers, they volunteered for experiments conducted by hydra's Baron von Strucker. Strucker used the Scepter, which housed the Mind Stone, to unlock latent abilities within test subjects. While most perished, Pietro and Wanda survived, their powers amplified. Pietro was granted extreme superhuman speed, perception, and metabolism. His origin is a direct departure from his comic book roots as a mutant and the son of magneto, a change necessitated by film rights issues at the time. He was not born with his powers; they were bestowed upon him by an Infinity Stone.

Introduced in Eternals (2021), Makkari is a member of the Eternals, a race of synthetic, immortal beings created by the Celestial Arishem. She was sent to Earth thousands of years ago with her fellow Eternals to protect humanity from the monstrous Deviants. Makkari's powers are not the result of an accident or experiment but are an innate part of her design. She is powered by cosmic energy, which she can channel to move at speeds that break the sound barrier, generate sonic booms, and perceive the world in a hyper-accelerated state. Unlike Pietro, whose speed was a biological enhancement, Makkari's is a fundamental aspect of her cosmic nature. Her origin is tied to the grand, mythological origins of the MCU cosmos itself, positioning her as one of the most powerful and ancient speedsters seen on screen.

The powers of Marvel's speedsters are derived from a variety of sources, lacking a single, unifying concept like DC's “Speed Force.” This results in a diverse range of abilities and limitations.

• Superhuman Speed: The mongoose blood transfusion and activated X-Gene allowed Robert to run at speeds initially around 100 mph. Through training and further development, he could exceed the speed of sound.
• Enhanced Physiology: His body was adapted to handle the rigors of high-velocity movement. This included superhuman reflexes and agility, an accelerated metabolism requiring high caloric intake, and an enhanced durability that allowed him to withstand the friction and impacts of his speed.
• Cyclone Generation: By running in a circle at high speed, he could create powerful cyclones and vortexes, capable of disarming opponents or buffering falls.
• Weaknesses: His powers were purely physiological. He was susceptible to fatigue and required immense amounts of food and rest to replenish his energy. He lacked the more esoteric abilities of other speedsters, such as phasing or time travel.

• Extreme Super-Speed: This character was demonstrably the fastest being in the Marvel Universe during his brief appearance. He was able to outpace the Eternal Makkari (who at the time was obsessed with speed), Quicksilver, Captain Marvel, and others in a direct race. His top speed was never quantified but was suggested to be faster than light.
• Kinetic Energy Manipulation: Like his DC counterpart, he generated a visible aura of golden lightning when running, suggesting his power was more than just physical movement. This aura likely protected him from friction and airborne particulates.
• Interdimensional Travel: His very presence in the Marvel Universe was a result of running fast enough to break the dimensional barrier, a feat few Marvel speedsters can accomplish.
• Weaknesses: His primary weakness was his amnesia and dislocation. He was a being outside of his natural reality, and it's implied he could not stop running for long without risking fading away or being pulled back to his point of origin.

• Light-Speed Movement: The Blur is consistently portrayed as one of Marvel's fastest characters, capable of approaching and sometimes exceeding the speed of light. He can cross continents in seconds.
• Superhuman Reflexes & Perception: To navigate at such speeds, Stanley's brain processes information at a hyper-accelerated rate, allowing him to perceive the world in slow motion.
• Molecular Oscillation: He can vibrate his molecules at an incredible frequency, allowing him to phase through solid objects. This is a common ability for top-tier speedsters.
• Kinetic Energy Strikes: He can weaponize his speed, striking opponents with thousands of punches in a fraction of a second or hitting with the kinetic force of a freight train.
• Weaknesses: In some portrayals, particularly the 2015 series, his mind struggles to keep up with his body, leading to a disjointed and somewhat erratic personality. He is also vulnerable to attacks that can negate kinetic energy or trap him in environments where speed is useless.

The MCU takes a more grounded, effects-driven approach to its speedsters, focusing on the physical impact and visual representation of their powers.

• Superhuman Speed: Pietro could move faster than the speed of sound, appearing as a blur of motion to the naked eye. He was fast enough to casually catch bullets in mid-air and dismantle Ultron sentries before they could react.
• Accelerated Perception: From his perspective, the world moved in extreme slow motion, allowing him to perceive threats and plan his actions in the span of a microsecond. This was visualized brilliantly in Age of Ultron.
• Enhanced Momentum: His speed translated into powerful kinetic force, allowing him to shatter metal robots with his strikes and send Captain America flying with a running start.
• Weaknesses: Despite his speed, his durability was only slightly enhanced. He was not bulletproof. This proved to be his fatal flaw, as he was killed by a barrage of high-caliber gunfire from an Quinjet while protecting Hawkeye and a child. His powers were also limited to terrestrial speed; he showed no ability to phase or travel through time.

• Cosmic Speed: Makkari is significantly faster than Pietro, easily breaking the sound barrier and creating massive sonic booms in her wake. Her speed is portrayed as a raw, cosmic force. She was able to run across the entire planet in a very short time to locate the point of the Emergence.
• Enhanced Durability: As an Eternal, her body is vastly more durable than a human's. She can withstand the incredible forces generated by her own speed and survive impacts that would kill a normal person.
• Kinetic Energy Generation: She can use the kinetic energy she builds up to deliver devastatingly powerful punches and strikes, capable of staggering and damaging even a powerful Deviant like Kro.
• Weaknesses: Her primary weakness is her connection to the Celestials; her existence is tied to their will. While she has no known physical weaknesses related to her speed, she is still vulnerable to the advanced weaponry and power of beings like Celestials or Deviants specifically evolved to hunt Eternals. As depicted in the film, she is also deaf, communicating through sign language, although this is a characteristic, not a weakness in combat.

• The Invaders & All-Winners Squad (Robert Frank): The Whizzer's most defining relationships were forged in the crucible of World War II. As a member of the Invaders, he fought alongside legends like Captain America, Bucky Barnes, namor_the_sub-mariner, and the original Human Torch. This team was America's premiere fighting force against the Axis powers. He viewed Captain America as the ultimate soldier and leader, and their camaraderie defined the era.
• Quasar (Buried Alien): During his brief time in the Marvel Universe, the Buried Alien's only significant contact was with Wendell Vaughn, the hero Quasar. Quasar acted as a guide and a point of stability for the confused speedster, entering him into the Galactic Marathon and treating him with compassion. It was a short but pivotal relationship that showcased Quasar's role as a protector of the cosmos and its strange visitors.
• The Squadron Supreme (The Blur): Stanley Stewart's entire identity is tied to his team. His closest ally is typically hyperion, the Squadron's Superman-analogue. Their relationship is often one of mutual respect, with Blur acting as Hyperion's quick-witted conscience and rapid-response support. He also shares a close bond with Power Princess (Zarda) and Nighthawk (Kyle Richmond), forming the core of the team's leadership.

• The Axis Powers (Robert Frank): As a wartime hero, The Whizzer's primary adversaries were ideological and national: the forces of Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, and their super-powered agents like the red_skull and Baron Zemo. His fight was not against a personal nemesis but against a global threat to freedom.
• The Avengers (The Blur): Ironically, the Squadron Supreme's most frequent and compelling adversaries have been the Avengers. Their conflicts stem from ideological differences. While the Avengers believe in protecting the world without ruling it, the Squadron Supreme has often decided that their power gives them the right—and responsibility—to seize control and “fix” the world's problems, as seen in the seminal Squadron Supreme miniseries. This puts Blur in direct conflict with heroes like Captain America and Iron Man, who see their methods as tyrannical.
• Ultron (Pietro Maximoff - MCU): In the MCU, Pietro's driving motivation was initially revenge against Tony Stark, making him an antagonist to the Avengers. However, upon realizing ultron's genocidal plan to cause a global extinction event, Pietro and his sister switched sides. Ultron became his true arch-enemy, a representation of the misguided anger he once felt. His final, heroic act was to sacrifice himself to save Hawkeye from Ultron's attack, solidifying his turn from villain to hero.

• Invaders: A WWII-era team of Allied superheroes, primarily fighting the Axis powers. The Whizzer was a key member.
• Liberty Legion: A U.S.-based team of heroes who protected the home front during WWII while the Invaders fought overseas. The Whizzer was also a founding member.
• Squadron Supreme: The premiere superhero team of their respective Earths (e.g., Earth-712, Earth-31916). The Blur is a constant and core member, serving as their speedster and scout.
• Hydra (MCU): Pietro and Wanda Maximoff briefly allied themselves with a remnant of Hydra under Baron Strucker, who gave them their powers, believing they could help them achieve their goals.
• The Avengers (MCU): Pietro's final affiliation. He fought and died alongside the Avengers in the Battle of Sokovia, earning his place as a true hero.

This single-issue story is arguably the most important “Flash”-related event in Marvel history. The Elder of the Universe known as The Runner organizes a race to determine the fastest being in the galaxy. Marvel's greatest speedsters assemble: Makkari the Eternal, Quicksilver, Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau), the alien Blastaar, and more. Quasar discovers the amnesiac “Buried Alien” and enters him into the competition. Throughout the race from Earth to the Moon, the Buried Alien, despite his confusion, shows his incredible power. He effortlessly pulls ahead of everyone. In the final stretch, he overtakes a determined Makkari, who had dedicated millennia to achieving ultimate speed. He wins the race, is declared the “fastest man alive” by the Runner, and adopts the name “Fast-Forward.” The story ends with him running off into space, having found a new purpose, a poignant and respectful send-off to the character he was parodying. For fans, this story “canonically” settled the long-running schoolyard debate of who was faster, at least for a moment.

Written by Mark Gruenwald, this series is a masterpiece of comic book deconstruction. After their Earth is left in ruins by a global catastrophe, the Squadron Supreme, led by Hyperion, decides to implement the “Utopia Program.” They use their powers to take over the United States government, eliminate poverty, end war, and create a perfect society—at the cost of free will. They use mind-altering technology to “rehabilitate” criminals. The Blur is a key participant in this plan. His speed makes him the ultimate instrument of enforcement, capable of stopping any crime or dissent in an instant. The series explores the dark implications of this, as the team slides further into totalitarianism. The story climaxes in a brutal civil war between the Squadron and their former teammates (led by Nighthawk) who oppose the Utopia Program. It's a dark, mature storyline that examines the fascist potential of superheroes and remains one of the most influential comics of the 1980s.

This film marks the definitive appearance of a speedster in the MCU. Pietro Maximoff and his sister Wanda begin as antagonists, allying with Ultron to destroy the Avengers. Pietro's speed presents a unique challenge that the team has never faced. He easily outmaneuvers Captain America and disarms Hawkeye. His key moment of character development comes when he realizes the true horror of Ultron's plan. In the final battle in Sokovia, Pietro fully embraces his heroic potential. He uses his speed to evacuate civilians, dismantle Ultron's drones, and save his fellow heroes. His character arc culminates in the ultimate sacrifice: seeing Hawkeye and a small boy about to be strafed by Ultron's Quinjet, Pietro runs in front of them, taking the full barrage of bullets. His death is a pivotal moment in the MCU, deeply affecting Wanda and motivating the Sokovia Accords in the subsequent Captain America: Civil War.

• Ultimate Universe (Earth-1610): In this reality, the role of the speedster is filled by Quicksilver, a much more militant and incestuously close version of the character who is a fanatical believer in mutant supremacy alongside his father, Magneto. Additionally, in the comic Ultimate Secret, a Kree soldier who is part of a team meant to mimic the Squadron Supreme is codenamed “The Flash,” serving as a brief, direct nod to the name.
• Amalgam Comics (Earth-9602): During the 1996 Marvel vs. DC crossover event, the two universes were temporarily merged into the “Amalgam Universe.” In this reality, Speed Demon was a fusion of three characters: The Flash (Wally West), Marvel's Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze), and DC's Etrigan the Demon. Blaze Allen was a man bonded to the demon Etrigan who could access incredible speed, leaving a trail of fire in his wake. This creative fusion is a prime example of the direct, collaborative blending of the two company's mythologies.
• Heroes Reborn (2021): In this major comic event, Mephisto alters reality to create a world where the Avengers never formed. In this new timeline, the Squadron Supreme are Earth's mightiest heroes. The Blur, Stanley Stewart, is a hugely popular celebrity and a key member of the team. He is shown as being fast enough to read every book in a library in seconds and is the public face of the Squadron. This series reimagined him for a modern audience as the definitive speedster of his world.

• quicksilver
• squadron_supreme
• makkari
• Speed (Tommy Shepherd)
• Quasar
• invaders

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