The Flash: 10 Questions About Eobard Thawne, Answered - Screen Rant

Eobard Thawne aka Reverse Flash has been a captivating villain so far in the Arrowverse. Despite his endless obsession with the Flash, Thawne tends to face off against other heroes on a frequent basis too. And since Thawne uses different people as hosts, the character has been portrayed by four actors so far in the Arrowverse.

Eobard Thawne is also the only character to have been a main villain in two different seasons of Arrowverse shows. He was the chief antagonist in Season 1 of The Flash as well as Season 2 DC's Legends of Tomorrow. And while viewers are familiar with most details about him, there are still multiple questions to be raised from the complex character. Here are some, and their answers.

10 Who Is Thawne Possessing Now?

Thawne is currently possessing no one. In the Season 6 episode of The Flash titled "The Exorcism of Nash Wells," it was revealed that Thawne was not able to possess anyone and use the Negative Speed Force unless that person was completely overwhelmed by his powers.

This is because he had died during the "Crisis On Infinite Earths" event, after which he had been reduced to negative tachyons. Since his physical body was no longer present, he still had the ability to get a new host, but that host had to be overwhelmed first. He this hasn't been able to overwhelm anyone else since living his last host.

9 Does He Still Remember Anything Before The Events Of Crisis?

Eobard Thawne Reverse Flash Crisis on Infniite Earths Arrowverse

According to the Season 5 finale titled "Legacy," changes in the timeline of the universe don't affect the Negative Speed Force. Since Thawne was preserved within the Speed Force, he should still have his memories before Crisis.

The extent of the damage to Thawne will likely be revealed in future seasons. For now, his only major setback is living without a host. Given his resilience, this is something he is likely to overcome soon.

8 How Fast Is He?

In "Crisis on Earth-X, Part 3," Thawne stated that he can run faster than Superman. This makes him one of the fastest beings in the whole universe.

During the events of 2014 to 2015, Thawne was seen moving at speeds of above Mach 2.2. He even managed to exceed Barry Allen's limit. Barry even described him as somebody he couldn't keep up with. Caitlin Snow stated that the tachyon particles in Thawne's body allow him to spend very little time on the ground before propelling himself forward.

7 Can He Alter History?

Thawne can use the Negative Speed Force to conduct chronokinesis (temporal manipulation) and move through time. But his ability to use the Speed Force is much better than that of ordinary speedsters.

Thawne can change history and erase humans at will. This is something other speedsters have been unable to do without causing much damage. This ability has enabled Thawne to continue to exist even after he has been killed. Occasionally, moving through time has had consequences for him like when his remnants were deleted by Black Flash.

6 How Intelligent Is He?

Thawne is said to be a genius in his era. Since he first exists in the late 22nd century (an era that is more advanced) he is probably smarter than everyone that existed in the 21st century. He is skilled in the fields of Medicine, Computer Programming and Engineering. He even oversaw the transplanting of Supergirl's heart into Overgirl.

And as a the boss at S.T.A.R Labs, he was able to work on several science projects all at once. Eobard also knows everything about mystical artifacts. He identified the Askaran Amulet and connected it to the Spear of Destiny. Before the events of Crisis, he was said to be the smartest individual on Earth-1.

5 Can He Really Beat The Flash?

It depends which version of The Flash he is facing. Even though he is an expert in hand-to-hand combat, Thawne, was beaten by the Flash from 2016. When he faced the Flash of 2024. the two were equal and none emerged the victor.

However, Thawne was able to defeat the much younger Flash of 2014 in several. fights. He also defeated the 2017 Flash twice before being defeated during their third fight. He has thus proven to be a formidable opponent for the beloved hero.

4 Can Anti-Speedster Weapons Harm Him?

Despite proving efficient in stopping other speedsters, anti-speedster guns used by the Legends proved quite ineffective when used against Thawne. This is probably because he is the one who invented the weapons.

The weapons were able to slow him down for a short while but he was able to recover in just a few seconds. This might have also been the case because Thawne's endurance is much greater than that of other speedsters. He can withstand direct hits to his body. And even when he is injured, he recovers easily.

3 Can He Move Fast In Space?

Elseworlds Tom Cavanagh as Eobard Thawne Reverse Flash

In the Season 2 episode of Legends Of Tomorrow titled "Moonshot," Thawne was unable to move quickly while in space. This can't be because of gravity because even while on the moon, he was unable to vibrate.

It's thus evident that Thawne can only be able to access his full powers when he is at a place with Earth's level of gravity. When he entered the Waverider, which had Earth's level of gravity, he was able to access his full powers once again.

2 Why Did He Lose His Connection To The Speed Force?

At some point, Thawne lost his connection tot the Speed Force. The explanation given by Gideon was that Thawne had abused his powers. This was after he went back in time to murder Barry Allen's mum.

However, it was also later revealed that Thawne lost his connection after altering the timeline too much until there was no more inspiration for his speed. Given that Wally also lost his connection this way, it is assumed that this is what affected Thawne too.

1 Is His Suit Similar To That Of The Flash?

Thawne's suit is similar to the future suit of the Flash. It has lightning-bolt shaped earpieces on each side of the head. It also has wireless communication technology though he is rarely seen using it as he prefers to communicate with Gideon.

In addition to that, Thawne's suit is able to project Gideon through a hologram from the center. As for the half-face mask, it is retractable, just like that of the Flash. But on Earth-X, he was seen wearing a mask that covered most of his eyes, leaving only the glowing eyes exposed.

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Philip Etemesi (379 Articles Published)

Philip Etemesi is an author, journalist, screenwriter and film critic based in Nairobi. Kenya. As a child, he preferred watching movies like The Goodfellas instead of Home Alone. His girlfriend constantly has to pull him from the front of the TV but he just keeps returning. Stubborn dude! An animal lover, Philip also has a pet giraffe called Refu.