Barry Allen

"Any time you need me, I'll be there for you. I couldn't run like your dad, but I'll be there in a flash."

- Barry Allen to Shawn Allen

Bartholomew "Barry" Patrick Allen is a forensic scientist for the Central City Police Department. After his lab was struck by lightning and he was doused with chemicals, he gains the ability to move at superhuman speeds. Originally intending on using his abilities to bring his brother's murderer to justice, he later becomes the hero of Central City known as The Flash.

Early life
"Crime Lab. Want to film us pouring plaster into tire tracks?"

- Barry Allen to Linda Park Barry Allen was born to Henry and Nora Allen. He had a brother, Jay. Both he and Jay decided to join the CCPD, following their father's footsteps, however Barry joined the crime lab while Jay became a commander.

Becoming the Flash
While celebrating his brother, Jay Allen's birthday with the rest of his family, Barry was summoned to the crime scene at West Ridge after the aftermath of recent bombings by the Dark Riders. Later, Barry and Julio Mendez both work in the lab, examining soil samples they took from the crime scene. Eventually, Julio begins to fall asleep and is sent home by Barry. While he's working, lightning strikes Barry's lab, dousing him with chemicals from a nearby shelf. Barry is then found by Julio on the floor, and taken to the hospital. He leaves the hospital the next morning as all the tests the doctor ran tested negative, going to Hudson Diner with Iris West. After the two get into an argument over marriage, Barry leaves back to the lab, and while there receives a call from Dr. Lawrence, who informs him that there was cell damage from Barry's accident, and not knowing what to make of it, sent the results to S.T.A.R. Labs. Barry angrily informs Julio of this and refuses to have anything to do with S.T.A.R. Labs, as one of their employees died last year in one of their experiments.

Despite this, Barry still showed up at S.T.A.R. Labs, meeting Dr. Tina McGee and learning that the employee who died was her husband, David. Barry then agreed to take the tests, and found out that after the accident, he now had super speed.

"I think I'm starting to like this."

- Barry Allen

Barry, with the help of Tina, learns how to control his abilities at a S.T.A.R. Labs Testing Facility using a prototype suit. However, he soon finds his brother Jay Allen dead at the hands of notorious criminal Nicholas Pike. After Jay's funeral, Barry decides to use his abilities to stop Pike and his men, donning a new suit made by Tina. He stops Pike's men and fought Pike himself. Despite Pike initially having the upper hand, Barry manages to knock out Pike with electricity and left him for the police. He then decided to continue fighting crime as the Flash.

Later, he investigates the murders of several homeless people along with Julio, and manages to link this to Tina's old friend, Dr. Carl Tanner. When Barry confronts him as the Flash, he injects himself with a serum and turns into a monster, the Nuge, and knocks out Barry. Barry wakes up in time to save Tina, and chased after the escaping Nuge, trapping him with a metal fence.

A private investigator named Megan Lockhart manages to discover Barry's identity as the Flash. Barry is blackmailed by her employer, Thomas Castillo, to comply with him. Barry, however, secretly collects evidence about Castillo's crimes. When Castillo is killed by his associate, Lockhart gives all her evidence to Barry to protect his secret, having grown fond of him.

Elseworlds
For Barry Allen of Earth Ninety in Elseworlds, see Barry Allen (Earth-90).

Powers

 * Super Speed: After being struck by lightning, Barry gained the ability to run at fast speeds, leaving a trail behind him. He could also travel from one place to another in a very short period of time. He could also vibrate his hands.

Equipment
"Well what would you do? Run through the streets stark naked at 350 miles per hour with bells on your toes?"

- Barry Allen


 * The Flash suit: Having decided to fight crime as the Flash, Barry donned a suit made by Tina McGee based on the prototype suit to protect his identity. It was a red bodysuit with golden wings on both sides of his ears and golden lightning-shaped linings on his gloves and belt. A Flash logo designed by Barry himself is put on the chest. He also uses brown boots.

Appearances
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Season 1

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Behind the scenes

 * Barry Allen debuted in Showcase #4 (October 1956) after his lab is struck with lighting that mixes with chemicals that spill onto him, he gains the ability of super speed becoming the Hero commonly known as the Flash. He later dies in Crisis on Infinite Earths but is resurrected in Final Crisis.


 * The Flash marked Barry Allen's second live-action appearance; previously appearing in Legends of the Superheroes and later appearing in Smallville, and the 2014 television adaption of The Flash.
 * John Wesley Shipp who portrayed Barry Allen/The Flash of Earth Ninety in 1990 also portrayed Henry Allen of Earth One and Jay Garrick/The Flash of Earth Three in the 2014 television adaption of The Flash. He also reprised his role as Barry Allen/The Flash of Earth Ninety in the 2018 crossover of the Arrowverse, Elseworlds.
 * Barry did not emit yellow lightning from his appearances in the 90s like in the comics, but he did in Elseworlds (due to all speedsters trailing lightning in the Arrowverse).