Who is Zoom?

By Daniel Schwartz

Contributing Guest Reporter

(Victor Valley)– Zoom is coming. From the time the initial trailer aired at Comic Con with this stirring tagline, fan anticipation has grown and speculation has run wild. Who is the man (or beast) behind the black suited supervillain? After the absolute beating that he put on Barry a few weeks ago, he has become the biggest threat that The Flash has ever faced. With the fall finale finishing up, we are no closer to discovering the true identity of this terrifying speed demon. With that in mind, it is time once again to open the floodgates of speculation and explore the possible identities of the series primary antagonist going into the second half of the season.

Henry Allen

One of the most prevalent rumors circulating the internet has been that the evil speedster is none other than Barry’s own father Henry. Analysis of the eyes in picture comparisons shows an eerily similar space and shaping of the eyes.

Add to that the mysterious nature of his release from prison (Why would Eobard/Wells confess in order to make Barry happy?) and the fact that he has been “out of town” and there is quite a bit of evidence that would point to Henry Allen being Zoom.

Why would the Scarlett Speedster’s father want to kill him? Could he be under the sway of the recently deceased Eobard Thawne? Could he be the Earth 2 version of Henry Allen? Most likely, yes.

Earth 2 Barry Allen

While it appears that the Earth 2 Oliver Queen is dead, we have yet to learn the fate of Barry Allen’s alternate universe doppelganger. If Barry was hit by the accelerator lightning on Earth 1, it is not completely unreasonable that he was hit on Earth 2 as well (along with Jay Garrick).

Did the speed force warp Barry’s mind and turn him into an evil version of The Flash who is looking to get more powerful by taking out his twin (a la Jet Li’s “The One”)? There has to be a good reason that no one has asked about and no one has seen this alternate universe character. Even if he is not Zoom, it would be amazing for both Barry’s to work together at some point in this season.

Eddie Thawne

Eddie died a heroic death in the first season. Sacrificing himself to save team Flash (and the world), he destroyed his future family member with his death. While Barry and the others were running outside, Eddie’s body was clearly seen being sucked into the black hole.

Did his body make it to Earth 2? If so, it is possible he could have been saved or “Frankensteined” and been given a second lease on life. This would explain why he has the hideous look of death. Having been dead, Eddie could have had his mind either warped or wiped in order to become the evil speedster. The Earth 1 Eddie being revealed as Zoom would definitely be a serious emotional blow for Barry and the rest of the team. If Zoom is not Henry Allen, Eddie seems to be the next, most obvious choice.

Harrison Wells

It is highly unlikely that the show would use the same primary villain 2 seasons in a row, right? Last season, Eobard/Wells showed that he could be in 2 places at once. Is it possible that Earth 2 Wells is also 2 people?

While this is an interesting theory, the only hole comes from the fact that Zoom is holding Well’s daughter hostage. Could Zoom be an alternate personality for Wells? If he is unaware of what his subconscious is doing, he very well could be both people. Convincing himself to steal The Flash’s speed in the mid-season finale could be a rouse by his unconscious mind where he gives himself permission to assist his inner demon.

Wally West

On many shows, the new ally ends up being the bad guy. Is that the case here? After getting our first glimpse at Wally during the mid-season finale, it is clear that he will be sticking around and possibly joining team Flash in the future.

In the comics, Wally West spent over 20 years as The Flash. After the New 52 reboot, he disappeared for some time before re-emerging with a makeover and a new costume. Why would this Wally want to take out The Flash? Joe West. Barry spent most of his life living with Joe as his son, the way that Wally should have. The bitterness created by this could have led to Wally wanting Barry dead at all costs. With Barry dead, Wally would take his rightful spot as Joe’s true son (that, and he would be the fastest man alive).

Hunter Zolomon

In the comics, Hunter Zolomon is one of the identities of Professor Zoom (I am sure the show dropped the “Professor” title because it did not sound as menacing as the simplified “Zoom”). His name has yet to be mentioned, but his existence on Earth 2 is not out of the realm of possibility.

While the series would need to do quite a bit of character development to include Zolomon and make his story fit the narrative of the season, his reveal as the evil speedster would turn every fan theory on its ear. In the comics, his powers come from an accident at the Flash museum. Since Barry saw the museum on his trip through the speed force, it is possible that Zolomon gains his powers in a similar fashion. If so, his hatred of Barry and his desire to gain the Flash’s speed will need to be explained as the season continues on.