The Flash: Who Is Red Death?

CBR

Did a Batman from DC's Dark Multiverse Just Join Arrowverse Continuity?

By Meagan Damore

Published Jan 30, 2019

The latest episode of The Flash explored the Flash Museum, where Barry and Iris overheard someone namedrop a character from DC's Dark Multiverse.

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains major spoilers for "Memorabilia," the latest episode of The Flash.

The Red Death has arrived in Central City -- sort of. In "Memorabilia," the latest episode of The Flash, Barry and Iris accidentally found themselves in their daughter Nora's memories. During their trip down Nora's memory lane, they found themselves in the Flash Museum's Hall of Villains, where they overheard a familiar face namedrop the Red Death.

After they followed young Nora into the Hall of Villains, she began to watch a informative segment about Cicada. In the video, Central City Police Captain David Singh addressed Cicada's killing spree, which continued because Flash failed to stop him before he disappeared. "The Flash did everything he could, but Cicada killed more people than Zoom or even the Red Death and the way the city saw the Flash -- his legacy -- was never the same," Singh explained.

Introduced in 2017's Dark Days: The Casting by Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Jim Lee, Andy Kubert and John Romita Jr., Red Death is the Earth-52 version of Bruce Wayne. Like his Earth-1 counterpart, this version of Bruce used to be a hero. However, he found himself wanting to accomplish more. In his pursuit of power, he killed Barry and absorbed his Speed Force abilities. Now a speedster himself, he assumed the name "Batman: The Red Death" and began to kill off his enemies.

When his world began to collapse, he joined Barbatos' Dark Knights. Alongside the Batman Who Laughs and several others, he attempted to destroy the multiverse in an effort to save his own Dark Multiverse world. Ultimately, he was overcome and died in 2018's Dark Knights Rising: The Wild Hunt #1.

So far as The Flash goes, this Hall of Villains tease could indicate that Red Death is headed to the series at some point in the near future. After all, the series casually namedropped Clifford "The Thinker" DeVoe midway through Season 3, long before he was confirmed as Season 4's villain. It's possible, then, that Red Death could even be the main antagonist for The Flash Season 6.

However, if Red Death is indeed Season 6's villain, he probably won't be Bruce Wayne. Although Warner Bros. has loosened up and allowed The CW series to introduce Batwoman and Gotham, the Dark Knight himself appears to be off limits for now. "That’s the one where they cut you off," Arrow showrunner Beth Schwartz revealed in December. "Slowly but surely, we’ll just keep picking away at it.” As such, a different character will likely be underneath Red Death's mask if and when he arrives in Central City.

Airing Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW, The Flash stars Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Carlos Valdes, Danielle Panabaker, Tom Cavanaugh, Jesse L. Martin, Danielle Nicolet, Hartley Sawyer and Jessica Parker Kennedy.