So what actually happened to Barry Allen after Crisis on Infinite Earths?

Barry Allen is many people’s favourites Flash, the Second man to take the mantle and the version of the character most well known to the general audience.

One of Barry’s most famous moments was his sacrifice and death in Crisis on Infinite Earths, he gave his life to save the earth and then many years later Barry returned.

However what was Barry doing during his “death”. Since the moment he died we have seen a variety of interpretations and ideas of what happened to Barry following his sacrifice.

This post will be showing the 4 main interpretations on what happened to him.

1) Disintegration

During Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985) Issue 7 Barry tries to stop the Anti-Monitor’s Anti-Matter Cannon (try saying that 5 times fast) during this Barry dies, his body seemingly disintegrating leaving behind only his Flash ring and Suit which are later inherited by his nephew and future flash Wally West

2) Becoming the Lightning Bolt that struck him

In Secret Origins (1985) Annual #2 we see a potential alternate take to what happened to Barry. In this we see Barry once again running to stop the Anti-Matter cannon. While doing this he begins to see moments from his life and eventually he becomes the lightning bolt that struck him and gave him his powers to begin with.

This doesn’t directly contradict 1. Barry’s physical body was destroyed leaving behind his suit and ring while his energy, his spirit carried on becoming pure energy and eventually the lightning bolt.

If it was left here all would be fine… but it’s DC comics and they will never leave well enough alone

3) Joining the Speedforce

During the legendary Mark Waid run on The Flash he introduced the idea of the Speed force, a never ending energy source that gave speedster their immense powers. If a speedster reaches a certain speed they will enter the Speedforce and likely never return. The first time we see this was in the Dead Heat crossover event with the flash and impulse books.

Both times this happens, Johnny Quick in Impulse (1996) issue 11 and then Savitar in Flash (1987) Issue 111 no clothes are left behind, no rings. Nothing.

However it is claimed Barry joined the Speedforce, that his “death” was just him joining Speedster heaven, we even see him with Wally in the speed force in The Flash (1987) Issue 150.

So what happened to Barry, did he become pure energy, leave his outfit behind and strike himself or join the speedforce?

It is once again possible to try and align these ideas, maybe Barry’s suit was left behind due to something to do with the Anti-Matter cannon.

It is possible to view these 3 accounts as 1, so I’m glad DC left it there and didn’t keep adding to what happened to Barry…. And then Kevin Smith wrote Green Arrow in 2001

4) Going to Heaven

During Green Arrow (2001) Issue 7 Oliver Queen and Hal Jordon venture to Heaven (or an aspect of it) and while there Ollie meets his old ‘friend’ Barry Allen the flash. Who for some reason is running around heaven. Aware that Wally is now the flash (likely due to meeting versions of Wally from his future before dying) and says “(Wally) taps into something he calls the Speedforce” which doesn’t sound like someone who was a part of the thing for at least a decade at this rate would say.

So is the speedforce heaven? Can Speedsters run between the 2 at will, is the legion of running speedster we see in Chain Lightning just a work out for those in heaven, a place to run for a few years before going to “main” heaven to see your other friend and family.

It is unclear, but it seems that this is where Barry is now Barry died in crisis, possibly ran with the speed force and went to heaven all sorted…. then Infinite Crisis (2005) came out

5) He’s Still in the speed force

Infinite Crisis issue 5 (2005) shows us that Barry Allen is perhaps still somehow in the speed force, while trying to stop Superboy Prime Wally and Bart attempt to race him into the Speedforce. While doing this and feeling outnumbered Bart (now on his own) is helped by residents of the Speedforce Max, Johnny Quick and Barry Allen.

Following this we see all of them walking around a different earth making up the plan to give Bart all of the speedforce. Which of course raises the possibility that all of these men could leave the Speedforce whenever they wanted and chose to stay and then rejoin the speedforce following this

So it appears that Barry left the speed force temporarily during infinite crisis and then joined again after (although we don’t know since we ever see this- just Bart being given the flash ring by Wally who is then sent to a different dimension)

Barry’s Return

Eobard thawne takes credit for Barry Allen’s return, saying he sent a “pulse into the speedforce to lure him out” in Flash Rebirth (2009) issue 4. Which seems to imply Barry rejoined the Speed force following it’s return after Bart’s death (and raises the question on if Barry spent a few months in a alternate universe before his revival or if he was somehow sent back to the speedforce after Bart absorbed it all)

We don’t have much time to ponder Barry’s many fates and death as only a few years later Flashpoint happened and we will likely not touch on this aspect of Barry’s life again

The much needed Conclusion

So that was the many fates of Barry Allen, can these all coexist, is there one you prefer, is there one you really dislike?

While I like the scene with Ollie, Hal and Barry in heaven it does mess with the idea of what happened to Barry (and makes you wonder if there is a version of him pre-crisis just running around)

You also might be wondering what the point of all this is… there isn’t one really I just thought it would be interesting

TLDR; what happened to Barry after Crisis? He was Ash > Lightning > In Speedster Heaven > Actual Heaven > Speedster Heaven again > Alive again to mess with the timeline