WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Flash #765 by Kevin Schinick, Sami Basri & Will Conrad, Hi-Fi, and Steve Wands, on sale now.
Like any good superhero, The Flash isn't wholly defined by his powers. Barry Allen is an incredible scientist with masterful detective skills, too. So when the Scarlet Speedster loses his speed, he has other skills to rely on in his campaign against crime. Still, without his superpowers, The Flash is significantly less powerful than some of the villains he's matched up against.
In The Flash #765, Allen is temporarily unable to tap into the Speed Force when Doctor Alchemy uses his scientific brilliance to hack the Flash Ring. Though Barry eventually manages to reconnect to the source of his powers, this victory comes at a cost. Alchemy was then able to steal The Flash's formula for the secret ingredient of his speed, so the villain gains the very powers that Barry Allen relies on.
To investigate the loss of his powers, Allen goes to Iron Heights, the prison where many of his foes are imprisoned. Alchemy escaped his cell at the facility and left Allen a few clues as what he has planned. Alchemy etched a few Latin words into the walls of his cell, and Allen realizes that these terms are part of a chemical process that allowed Alchemy to negate The Flash's speed by corrupting the Flash Ring. As a world-class scientist, Alchemy twisted the Lighzinium, an element that prevents the Speed Force from destroying the Flash Ring, one of Allen's prized possessions.
Though Allen is able to reverse the process and regain his speed, Alchemy reveals two more distressing developments. First, he used his knowledge of the future to figure out the hero's secret identity. Then, he reveals that he orchestrated the Scarlet Speedster's recent clash with The Trickster. Simon Magus, a sorcerer from the Middle Ages, and the other hosts of the Philosopher's Stone are more powerful than Desmond, and they've been carrying out sinister plans against the hero.
The Flash just barely defeated The Trickster by way of a major assist from the Flash Ring itself. But Alchemy tells the hero that their latest encounter was the sorcerer's doing. When The Trickster placed VR goggles on The Flash at his new arcade, he had an ulterior motive. "He was placing cameras on your eyes," Alchemy says. These goggles enabled The Trickster to plant these devices right onto Allen's pupils. As a result, Alchemy gained the ability to see everything that The Flash could.
The importance of this development can't be overstated, as Alchemy has practically been able to live inside Allen's head. "We've gone everywhere you've gone," Alchemy tells The Flash. With this front-row seat, Alchemy was able to watch Allen recreate the Lighzinium, so he now has everything he needs to give himself The Flash's legendary speed. By the end of the issue, Alchemy looks unstoppable, as he now has the hero's superpowers. The villain claims that he has become "all-powerful," and it's hard to argue with this idea.
The Flash just can't catch a break. Even after he defeated his nemesis, The Reverse-Flash, he still has to run the gauntlet. Though he overcame The Trickster's latest plot, the revelation that Axel Walker was in cahoots with Alchemy could mean that even more trouble is on the horizon. Regardless, given Alchemy's substantial power upgrade, The Scarlet Speedster's latest clash with this classic villain will be even more competitive than their battles usually are.