Have you ever wondered exactly how fast Barry Allen can run? The Flash's incredible speed has captivated fans for decades, making him one of DC Comics' most beloved superheroes, who can outrun even Superman with his super-speed abilities.
That being said, knowing the exact speed of The Flash is almost a mystery. So, how fast can The Flash run?
We’ve gone the extra mile to find out the answer.
The Flash: How Fast Can He Run?
The Flash can run 13 trillion times faster than the speed of light — that's approximately 2.5 quintillion miles per second according to comic book calculations.
Unlike Superman or Wonder Woman (whose powers are inborn), Barry Allen's superhuman abilities come from the Speed Force. This extradimensional energy field serves as the source of all speedster powers. This cosmic force allows him to:
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Travel across dimensions and universes
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Create time remnants (temporal duplicates)
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Harness kinetic energy manipulation
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Phase through solid matter
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Time travel and alter reality
In The CW's The Flash series starring Grant Gustin, Barry Allen gained his powers after being struck by a bolt of lightning while working in the Central City Police Department's crime lab, granting him super speed, accelerated thinking, and quantum computer-level computational abilities.
What Is The Top Speed Of The Flash?
Comics: The Fastest Flash Feats Ever Recorded
Wally West holds the record for the fastest speed ever achieved. In JLA #89, the former Kid Flash had to evacuate 532,000 people in half a microsecond from a nuclear explosion, requiring him to travel 17.5 million miles at 13 trillion times the speed of light.
Key speedster hierarchy in DC Comics:
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Wally West — Fastest Flash, with direct Speed Force connection
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Barry Allen — Original Flash, can access the Speed Force via tachyon device enhancement
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Jay Garrick — Golden Age Flash, shares Speed Force connection
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Reverse Flash (Eobard Thawne) — Barry's nemesis with comparable speeds [1]
Movies: DCEU Flash Speed Measurements
In 2017's Justice League, Ezra Miller's Flash demonstrated speeds of Mach 28 (approximately 21,400 miles per hour), which surpassed Superman's recorded Mach 27.5 in the same film.
The 2023 Flash movie explored time travel capabilities, though specific speed measurements weren't provided for the theatrical release.
In What Episode Has The Flash Run Fastest?
Season 6, Episode 1, "Into the Void," featured Barry's fastest recorded TV speed — approximately 670.6 million miles per hour (Mach 874,031) — sustained for over 30 seconds to escape a black hole's gravitational pull.
Barry Allen's Speed Progression by Season:
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Season 1: 200-700 miles per hour (stopped Category F5 tornado)
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Season 2: 2,532 miles per hour (battling Trajectory)
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Season 4: 119 million miles per hour (post-Speed Force imprisonment)
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Season 6: 670.6 million miles per hour (black hole escape)
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Season 9: 8.3 million miles per hour (without external energy sources)
You can also check out our top The Flash gift ideas here.
Flash Speed Comparisons: How He Stacks Up
The Flash vs. Sonic the Hedgehog
The Flash would easily outrun Sonic in any race scenario. While Sonic's top speed involves outrunning a black hole (requiring approximately 186,000 miles per hour), Barry regularly travels at speeds millions of times faster than the speed of light.
The Flash vs. Superman
The Flash consistently beats Superman in races. DC Comics has revealed that Barry would often let Superman win races out of politeness. When Superman tried to keep up with Barry, Jay Garrick, and Wally West simultaneously, he was left "panting and disheveled."
The Flash vs. Quicksilver
The Flash vastly outpaces Marvel's Quicksilver due to Speed Force access. While Quicksilver's mutant abilities max out around Mach 4-5 (approximately 3,000-4,000 miles per hour), The Flash operates at cosmic-level velocities that defy conventional physics.
Can The Flash Outrun Light?
Yes, The Flash regularly exceeds the speed of light. His Speed Force connection enables him to violate Einstein's laws of physics, traveling at approximately 1.75 quintillion miles per second at peak performance — that's 13 trillion times faster than light, which travels at 186,000 miles per second.
FAQs
Did Flash beat Superman in a race?
Yes, The Flash has beaten Superman multiple times. In World's Finest Comics #198-199, Barry Allen definitively outruns Superman in their race to save Earth from death.
Is the Flash the fastest human?
Wally West is considered the fastest man alive. Among the fastest superheroes, he surpasses most characters in raw speed. The Flash War storyline reveals that Wally maintains a constant connection to the Speed Force, giving him an edge over Barry Allen. Unlike some heroes who rely on other powers, Wally’s unmatched response time and reflexes solidify his position as the ultimate speedster.
How fast is the Flash in season 9?
The Flash can run up to 8.3 million miles per hour in Season 9 without accessing additional Speed Force energy sources.
How fast can the Flash run per second?
At maximum velocity, The Flash can travel approximately 1.75 quintillion miles per second.
On A Final Note
The Flash remains the fastest man alive, capable of outrunning Superman, traversing dimensions, and manipulating time itself. His incredible speeds — ranging from 13 trillion times light speed in comics to hundreds of millions of miles per hour on television — showcase why he's earned his title as the Scarlet Speedster among other speedsters.
Whether you're a longtime fan or new to the Flash universe, his incredible speed feats continue to captivate audiences across comics, TV, and movies. The Speed Force grants him abilities that transcend normal physics, making him one of DC's most powerful heroes. Barry's powers extend beyond just running fast — his speed thinking allows him to process information faster than any human could hope to achieve.
Ready to add some Flash speed to your collection? Check out our The Flash merchandise featuring everything from action figures to collectibles celebrating the Fastest Man Alive.
Reference:
- https://www.polygon.com/23760786/flash-mom-death-comics-barry-allen-eobard-thawne
