The Flash Just Used His Most CRUEL Finishing Move - Again | CBR - CBR - Comic Book Resources

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Flash #766, by Kevin Shinick, Will Conrad, Hi-Fi and Steve Wands, on sale now.

While Barry Allen has befriended and worked to earn the redemption and rehabilitation of several prominent members of his Rogues Gallery, the Scarlet Speedster has also been known to take a harder stance against his more unrepentant enemies when his hand is forced. As The Flash's fight against Doctor Alchemy hits its explosive climax, with the two battling over the Philosopher's Stone and fate of Central City, the supervillain is subjected to a cruel punishment that has been previously doled out to a surprising number of Flash and Justice League enemies over the years: Being turned into a living statue.

Continue scrolling to keep reading Click the button below to start this article in quick view.

Since combining his own Philosopher's Stone with the technology used to create the Metal Men, Alchemy had become a formidable threat for Barry. Showing mastery over Barry's connection to the Speed Force, Alchemy would up the ante by learning The Flash's real identity as the supervillain's body was possessed by all the different alchemists would have wielded the power of the Philosopher's Stone over the centuries. After regaining his senses with the help of Green Lantern, Barry consults Metal Men creator Will Magnus who advises him against creating his own Philosopher's Stone to counter Alchemy, though Barry proceeds anyway, using a lightzinium additive to prevent the stone from affecting his mind as it had his adversary's.

As Barry and Alchemy face off in a renewed showdown, the supervillain is horrified to discover his usual tricks won't work against The Flash. Frustrated, Alchemy uses his powers to create a wave of acid threatening to engulf all of Central City and its inhabitants, forcing Barry to tap into his own Philosopher's Stone. Given his background as a police scientist, Barry demonstrates a far greater mastery over the stone's abilities, drawing from his extensive knowledge of chemistry, impressing even Alchemy in the effort. As The Flash and Alchemy turn their attention back to one another, Barry uses the chemical composition of the Philosopher's Stone itself to render it inert; with Alchemy having bonded to his stone, the process turns him into a statue frozen in the streets of Central City.

Doctor Alchemy is far from the only supervillain to be transformed into a living statue, with the murderous Inertia experiencing a similar fate. To avenge his protege Bart Allen, Wally West used his powers to rob all speed from Inertia's body, effectively freezing him in his tracks. Mistaken for a wax statue, the immobile Inertia was stored in The Flash Museum surrounded by his rival's numerous accolades and accomplishments until his eventual restoration and escape. While not condemned by The Flash, the Justice League villain Triumph was transformed into a living statue by The Spectre while the classic Batman villain Clayface would be stuck as a statue of the Gray Ghost after his own foiled plot.

With Doctor Alchemy's latest rampage resoundingly defeated, the supervillain is carted back to Iron Heights where he remains a stone statue for the foreseeable future. Barry vows to find a way to restore Alchemy from his grim fate but doesn't appear to be in any hurry. The supervillain statue serves as a strong reminder of the dangers of the Philosopher's Stone and how far Barry will go to protect Central City if all other options fail.

KEEP READING: John Fox: Why the Future Flash Tried to Trap Wally West in the Speed Force

How Thanos' Infinity Gems Set Off a War Between Marvel and the Ultraverse

Related Topics

About The Author

Sam Stone (6347 Articles Published)

Sam Stone is a 10th level pop culture guru living just outside of Washington, DC who knows an unreasonable amount about The Beatles. You can read his work in the pages of Image+, follow him on Twitter @samstoneshow, and listen to his podcast Geek Out Show on iTunes and Google Play.