Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) might be the ‘Fastest Man Alive’, but he was never the only speedster in his superhero career. Barry has worked with others throughout the many seasons including his own time-displaced children, Nora and Bart who followed their father’s footsteps. The 7th season of ‘The Flash‘ saw a new member of this growing family of speedsters when Irish West-Allen was revealed to have speedster powers.
Iris (Candice Patton) not only has speedster powers but also dons a superhero costume similar to Nora’s costume as XS. This is not the first time that Iris has gained speedster powers, back in Season 4 of the show she swapped powers with Barry courtesy of another metahuman Matthew Kim and played an interim hero to Central City. In the finale of Season 7, she gives the Flash Family a boost as she joins them in a battle against an army of Godspeed drones to protect Central City.
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Iris And The Mirrorverse
In ‘The Flash‘ Season 7’s third episode, titled “Mother”, Barry using artificial Speed Force pulled Iris out of the Mirror World. She went into a short-lived coma after that but after waking up The Flash revealed that Iris had unique powers similar to both the Mirror World and the Speed Force. The episode revealed Iris’s ability to control reflective surfaces and mirrors much like Eva McCulloch, the second Mirror Master. This was previously alluded to in the series while Iris was still stuck in the Mirror World.
In this very episode, Iris rejuvenates the artificial Speed Force that had been corrupted by Bloodwork in the previous. This rejuvenation was long-lasting in an organic way and did not involve a temporary thrust of power. Iris was once more a metahuman now with the additional Mirrorverse powers. While her powers were short-lived but she had mastered the ability to stop shards in her fight with Eva and also the manipulation of reflective services like Eva.
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Did Iris Always Have Powers?
Iris’ link to Barry’s powers was shown as early as ‘The Flash’ pilot episode when his powers were first activated as he held her hand to his heart. At the end of the pilot season, there was a literal spark between them which helped her realize that her best friend and The Flash were one and the same. Iris’ metaphorical and physical link to the Speed Force was further foreshadowed in Season 7 when Barry whose speed was drained was able to regain his powers after Iris used the residual Speed Force energy within her to power a machine that struck him with lightning again.
It can also be argued that Iris’ brief stint with speedster powers in Season 4 was because of her strong relationship with Barry. While she returned The Flash his powers it might seem that the Speed Force energy remained inside of her. This also suggests that Barry’s love for Iris is so strong that it enabled her to forge a physical connection to the Speed Force as well. Iris’ mirror powers might have been temporary but it’s possible that they might be explored in the future. Her deep connection to the Speed Force suggests that she might just not be an investigative reporter but also a superhero.
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