WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Flash Forward #5, by Scott Lobdell, Brett Booth, Norm Rapmund, Luis Guerrero and ALW's Troy Peteri, on sale now.
Things haven't been going well for Wally West since 2011's Flashpoint. Following Barry Allen's death during the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover in the 1980s, Wally, who'd been Kid Flash, became the main Flash for decades. Along the way, he met Linda Park, and they had two children: Jai and Iris West. Flashpoint wiped away all of that continuity, and when Wally returned for DC Rebirth, he did so without his family. The stress of their loss eventually led to the events of Heroes in Crisis, which saw Wally inadvertently kill several heroes while they recovered at The Sanctuary.
However, Flash Forward #2 revealed Jai and Iris are alive at the Incursion Point, where the Dark Multiverse was threatening to break into the DC Universe proper. At the end of Flash Forward #4, Wally was again reunited with his children after teaming up with a speedster version of Linda from a different universe. However, a major threat loomed over Wally, Iris and Jai. The latest issue of the series shows Wally once again losing Iris and Jai, despite working so hard to get them back.
The issue opens with Wally embracing his two children as Iris warns them to run. Wally refuses to abandon his children as a wave of Dark Multiversal matter spreads across the planet. Jai explains they've tried to leave, but the planet seems to be keeping them prisoner. Wally escapes the dark matter, while Jai and Iris are consumed. When this happens, the Flash is effectively reliving his greatest loss, unable to save those closest to him from complete and utter destruction.
Wally himself escapes the dark matter and is irate. He confronts Tempus Fuginaut, who engineered the hero's current adventure, and that powerful being tries to explain the planet they're on must be destroyed. However, this only angers Wally more, as he doesn't want to destroy the place where his kids are. After attempting to save the Incursion Point, Wally recovers all his lost memories thanks to the Mobius Chair -- the powerful New Gods artifact that contains information about, well, everything.
The point of Tempus sending Wally on this quest was to put the hero back together again following his traumatic losses. The planet they're on was created by Wally and is fear, which is why Tempus wants him to destroy it.
Wally is immediately conflicted about the choice as he's the one responsible for what's going on on this Dark Multiverse planet, as well as the potential threat it poses to the entire DC Universe as a whole. He knows his personal baggage could end up costing a lot of lives. However, knowing that destroying the Incursion Point will result in the loss of his children causes him to cry out in contempt for the idea. The issue ends with dark matter springing from Wally's chest in frustration and pain.
Flash Forward #5 puts Wally in an impossible position. Although the Jai and Iris on this Dark Multiverse planet are seemingly only a manifestation of his fears, the world still allows him to at least interact and talk with his children, who have been lost to him for so long. With the series set to conclude with its next issue, Wally has an immensely difficult choice to make, and for the good of the universe, he may just have to give up on this version of his children once and for all.
Flash Forward #6 releases Feb. 19 from DC Comics.