Zoom

Origin

Hunter Zolomon or Zoom took his name from Professor Zoom, also known as the Reverse Flash, Barry Allen‘s archenemy from the 25th Century. The second character to assume the Reverse Flash mantle, he served as the archenemy of Wally West, the third superhero to be called the Flash. In 2009, IGN ranked Zoom as the 37th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.

This page deals with Hunter Zolomon Zoom, for further information on Eobard Thawne see: Professor Zoom.

Creation

Zoom (aka Hunter Zolomon) was created by Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins.

He made his first comic book appearance in Flash Secret Files #3 in November 2002

Character Evolution

Hunter Zolomon grew up in Richmond, Virginia. His parents rarely spoke too one another or even to him. On the day Hunter was set to leave home to go to college, on his way home he found the police laying siege to his home. He found out that his father was a serial killer who had killed five young girls. Hunter’s mother gave her husband up to the police, but this caused him to murder her and then be killed by the cops after he refused to come willingly. After this, Hunter became obsessed with understanding how the criminal mind functions and stopping people like his father from killing innocent people. Hunter studied psychology and criminology at George Mason University where he met his girlfriend, and later wife, Ashley. Both of them shared a love of running and eventually joined the F.B.I. together and became agents. Hunter’s love for Ashley was only seconded by his love for her father, whom he saw as a surrogate father figure.

Both Hunter and Ashley worked under Ashley’s father in the FBI’s profiler division for a period shortly after they were married. During that time, Zolomon profiled dozens of low-level super-criminals believing wholeheartedly that many were not merely “evil” but misunderstood and mentally unstable due to their tragic backgrounds. Unfortunately, the Zolomons’ career at the FBI was tragically cut short. When Hunter was profiling a costumed criminal named “The Clown,” he miscalculated the villain’s childlike mindset and convinced Ashley’s father that the criminal they were pursuing would be unable to face his adult life, and thus would be unable to use a gun as a weapon. He was wrong. As a result of the incident, Ashley’s father was killed, and Hunter himself was shot in the leg, partially crippling him and forcing him to use a cane to walk. As such, Hunter would never run again. Ashley left Hunter soon after this, and he was also was let go from the FBI. Later on it was revealed that Ashley was the one who was largely responsible for Zolomon’s discharge from the Bureau, holding a grudge over Hunter’s arrogant assumptions concerning criminal behavior, and because of his causative role in the death of her father.

Eventually, Hunter found himself in Keystone City, home to the Flash. There, he was able to get a job in the local precinct as a criminal profiler, working in the Department of Metahuman Hostilities. With his new range of work, he was in constant contact with the Flash, Wally West. The two soon hit it off and became good friends. Hunter was a key player in several of Flash’s cases, yet he always felt resentment towards the Flash as he was stuck behind a desk.

A Timely Creation

Hunter was injured by Gorilla Grodd when Grodd staged a massive prison break and as a result was left paralyzed from the waist down. Hunter asked Wally to use the cosmic treadmill, found in the Flash Museum, to travel back in time and stop the event from taking place. Wally declined the offer, saying that he could not take the chance in disrupting the time stream. Hunter was angered by this, and felt that Wally had refused his offer because he had never suffered personal tragedy or loss like the previous Flashes (i.e. Barry Allen) and thus could never understand the importance of Zolomon’s request or how terrible it truly felt to suffer great loss. Consequently, Hunter broke into the Flash Museum in a desperate attempt to use the cosmic treadmill himself. It didn’t work. The resulting explosion destroyed the museum. It was soon after that Hunter found that all was not well. The explosion at the museum knocked Hunter’s connection to time out of sync. According to Jay Garrick, this may well have opened a wormhole in time, causing Hunter Zolomon to always be disjointed from the current timestream. With this new ability, Hunter Zolomon was able to slow time down relative to himself, even bringing it to a complete stop, yet move normally through it, thus giving the impression of tremendous super speed.

Hunter decided that if he could cause a great tragedy in Wally’s life, he would be able to make the Flash a better hero, and thus, became the new Zoom. Zoom began a reign of terror, which of course grabbed the attention of the scarlet speedster. To defeat his new enemy, Wally had to match Zoom’s fourth dimension “speed”. Flash had to borrow Kid Flash’s (Bart Allen) and Jay Garrick‘s speed to catch up with him, and in Wally’s words, “even with their speed, Zoom was still a blur.”

Eventually, Wally was able to bring Zoom down, preventing him from killing Linda Park, who at the time was pregnant with twins. However, Linda suffered a miscarriage due to being hit partially by Zoom’s sonic boom. Using the slight “rips” in time created by the use of Zoom’s powers, Wally was able to force Hunter into a temporal anomaly where he would watch the death of his father-in-law over and over, all while in a comatose state.

Hunter’s ex-wife, Ashley, replaced him in Keystone City as a profiler. She spent a lot of time trying to communicate with Hunter. She was hospitalized due to her involvement in a car accident. It was at this time that Hunter awoke from his coma, out of concern for his spouse. Even though plagued with concern, he chose to stay within his cell.

Major Story Arcs

Rogue War

For More Information: Rogue War

Zoom is driven out of his self-imposed imprisonment by Cheetah in an attempt to both harness superspeed and induct him into the growing Secret Society of Super Villains. The two share a minor romance, but nothing serious happens as Zoom considers himself to still be married to Ashley.

Zoom later infiltrates the already growing “Rogue War” between Captain Cold‘s Rogues, the Trickster‘s reformed Rogues, and the Top‘s brainwashed rogues. Quickly spiriting his estranged wife Ashley out of danger to the home of Linda Park, Zoom returns to the battlefront to dispatch Captain Cold, claiming that the “Man Who Mastered Absolute Zero” is wasting the Flash’s time with his longstanding, self-aggrandizing methods of villainy.

As the Flash and Kid Flash (Bart Allen) attempt to contain the battle, Zoom throttles Kid Flash and threatens to snap his neck in a manner reminiscent of what Barry Allen had done to Eobard Thawne (Professor Zoom). Before Zoom can kill Kid Flash, however, Professor Zoom himself arrives on a cosmic treadmill, with Jay Garrick chained to the front end.

A battle ensues between the two Flashes and Kid Flash against the two Zooms, but in the end, the two Zooms accomplish what they intend. They grab the Flash and jump onto the treadmill. Zoom then forces the Flash to watch their first fight, in which Linda was severely injured and miscarried. Zoom feels that Wally West should be made to focus on the feelings of sorrow and loss from this experience and tells Professor Zoom to rewind it so that he can watch it again. But as the scene starts to rewind, West’s uncle and mentor Barry Allen appears, riding his own Cosmic Treadmill and saying that he has been looking for Professor Zoom.

Barry Allen removes West from immediate danger, telling West that he is here to return Thawne to his proper place in time, and that no matter how bad it seems, West can win this if he “just pushed himself a bit”. He and Thawne then disappear through time. Zoom, enraged, begins to run around the world, building up speed with which to kill Linda. Wally rushes to catch up, but is a step or two behind. At the last minute, he realizes what Barry’s advice meant and puts on a final burst of speed, pushing himself, and hitting Zoom in the back. Zoom falls forward and is caught in the sonic boom which he himself used to kill Linda’s babies (this ends up creating a “fissure in time” that restores Linda’s pregnancy, just in time for her to give birth). Zoom runs for the treadmill, but West forces them back to their mutual present. Along the way, they view scenes of Zoom’s life. Zoom realized his mistreatment of Wally and briefly apologizes before slipping into the timestream. He is later seen as a ghost-like figure apologizing to his wife.

Infinite Crisis

For More Information: Infinite Crisis Despite his apparent demise at the end of the Rogue War, Zoom reappears in Infinite Crisis as a member of Alexander Luthor Jr.’s extended Secret Society of Super-villains as the Society’s head speedster. In Infinite Crisis #1 he is part of the team of super-villains who engage the Freedom Fighters in combat, where he scars Damage‘s face badly.

Zoom is also present during the Battle of Metropolis, where he fights against several members of the JSA. He is one of the few members of the Society to escape.

One Year Later

For More Information: One Year Later

Zoom later appears at the sacking of Rome, being approached by Bart Allen‘s grandmother to help her protect Bart from a great tragedy that the villain Inertia was setting up. It is unknown whether Zoom traveled to this time period himself, or if he became stranded there after his last encounter with Wally West.

He is also pursued by the Justice League in an attempt to locate Sinestro after Batman and Hal Jordan learn of the existence of the Sinestro Corps.

Zoom is pursued by the Justice Society of America into Atlanta. Damage is banned from the city, but enters anyway, seeking revenge. During a scuffle, he ends up taking Zoom hostage until he is talked down by Liberty Belle. Disappointed that Damage is not “improving”, Zoom throws a sharp pipe to kill him. Liberty Belle uses her superspeed to catch it and toss it back, knocking Zoom unconscious.

Hunter became a member of Libra‘s Secret Society of Super Villains.

The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive

For More Information: Flash:The Fastest Man Alive

In Rome, Italy on August 24, A.D. 410, two cloaked figures watch a battle. One of them is revealed to be Zoom, and the other one is Iris West Allen. A deal is made for Zoom to go after Flash.

In the present in Keystone City, while The Flash is visiting, Captain Cold threatens him to extradite him to Los Angeles when suddenly Zoom arrives.

Bart is still in shock as he sees his grandmother Iris holding a gun to him. Zoom, still in his clutches smiles a psychotic grin. Iris shoots three times and Bart is able to see that she’s shooting darts at him. As he grabs one in mid-air, Zoom runs up behind him. As he jumps at Bart, he begins to say that they are trying to help him. Bart doesn’t believe it and hits Zoom in the neck with the dart. He is out cold. He turns to his grandma and demands some answers.

Iris apologizes to Bart. She was hoping they could catch him off guard. She says she shot at him for his own good. Zoom agreed to help her take Bart out of super-heroing temporarily. The darts were designed to make speedsters powerless for about a week. Bart wants to know what’s supposed to happen this week.

Final Crisis: Rogues’ Revenge

For More information: Final Crisis: Rogues’ Revenge, Final Crisis

Zoom joins up with Libra‘s Secret Society, intending to cause more problems for heroes to overcome. He was meant to be Darkseid‘s herald, though, when the Rogues refuse to join, he is given a more immediate task. Zoom recruits Inertia from the Flash museum, giving him a portion of his time-based superspeed. The Reverse Flash beats Inertia badly, scolding him for his part in the death of Bart Allen.

Zoom then reveals Libra’s plan: to make Inertia the new Kid Flash. He would fight as a member of the Society, a ghost of the Flash and the Titans’ failures. Though initially hesitant, the idea appealed to Inertia, as did the idea of getting to keep his powers, and the young speedster agreed.

Because Inertia tricked them into killing Bart Allen, the Rogues attack the speedsters. Zoom decides enough is enough. He fights back, proclaiming his hatred for the Rogues and their silly games and that he will kill them all. Luckily for the Rogues, Piper comes to the rescue, hypnotizing the entire group. Libra shows up soon after and stabs Piper with his spear. With him is the Weather Wizard‘s child. Libra offers the Rogues one last chance to join him.

Inertia tires of the whole thing and runs at Libra, snapping his fingers and killing the child. Zoom screams at the boy for interfering, but Inertia has other ideas. He proclaims himself Kid Zoom and somehow managed to steal all of Zoom’s time for himself, reverting Zolomon back to his crippled state, and leaving the Reverse Flash powerless.

Though Zoom theorized that he just needs the cosmic treadmill again to regain his powers, this is unlikely to happen, partially because the cosmic treadmill was destroyed during the Rogue War and partially because Geoff Johns made it clear through his storytelling that he was angry at the way the character (along with the other Flash villains) had been treated during the year after he had left the book. Removing the character’s powers meant that another writer would be less likely to misuse Zoom.

The Flash: Rebirth

For More Information: The Flash Rebirth

A crippled Hunter Zolomon appears in the final issue of the series as an inmate of Iron Heights Prison, occupying the adjoining cell of the original Professor Zoom. He proposes an alliance with Thawne, stating that they can both be of use to one another and can help each other “Be better.”

Thawne then took him to the 25th century to form an alliance together and face the Flashes. Due to him being in the 25th century, Zolomon was not affected by the timeline changes in Flashpoint and retained all his memories pre-Flashpoint, even as he was existing in the post-Flashpoint timeline.

During his time in the 25th century, Zolomon (with Thawne) gained control of the Temporal Courts, a group which investigated changes in the timeline, this group is similar to the TVA from Marvel. Zolomon‘s ability to walk was also restored by advanced 25th century technology.

After a disagreement of sorts, Thawne left Zolomon in the 25th century and ran back to the 21st, after this, Zolomon saw Thawne‘s multiple deaths and felt huge guilt for not going back to the 21st century with him. Hunter then came to the conclusion that the Flashes indeed didn’t deserve to become better heroes and that Thawne was always right. After a burst of anger, his powers suddenly returned and his Zoom suit formed around him.

Zolomon decided to send the Renegades after Iris West in the 21st century to question her about Thawne’s death. After they went after her they were met by Barry Allen and Wally West. Wally then had a ‘temporal seizure’ which worried Iris so she agreed to go with them if they cared for Wally after his seizure. The two Flashes also went back to the 25th century with them.

Hunter then split Wally off from the rest of the group and told him about all the speedsters lost in the Speed Force as well as his children, he then said the only way to free them is to destroy the Speed Force itself.

Hunter was manipulating Wally and pretended he didn’t have his powers, only wanting to ‘help’ him retrieve his children Irey and Jai. Barry Allen and commander cold then attempted to attack Zolomon, with Wally protecting him. Soon after, Wally went to try break the Speed Force, with Barry chasing him, attempting to stop him. Zoom then disappeared in a ‘Flash’ as the world around them started to fade away. Worried about this, the two Flashes ran into the Speed Force and found out that Hunter’s plan all along was for the two Flashes to destroy the Force Barrier, not the actual Speed Force. The Force Barrier itself held back various different forces which Hunter wanted. After he appeared and one-shotted the Justice League, Hunter explained his whole plan and that actually the missing speedsters whereabouts were in his knowledge and not actually in the Speed Force, he told them his decision to try to become the new ‘true’ Flash. He then wore the OG Flash suit and used the Sage and Strength force to fight the two. After an unsure amount of events, he was ‘defeated’ by Wally West.

Death and the Forever Force

Hunter suddenly reappeared in Central City, hoping to get his hands on the Still Force from steadfast, who was possessing it. After he obtains it, Hunter reveals to Barry that all the forces combined make a whole new force called the ‘Forever Force’ which allowed its user to see all of time and space. Barry then started chasing him, as well as Black Flash, who’s goal was to remove all the other forces from the Speed Force to restore order. Hunter then stated his goal was to kill the Black Flash after all the tragedies in his life so he wanted to kill ‘death itself’. Soon after, Barry shows Hunter a memory of the past that shows Eobard Thawne himself handing The Clown (who killed his father-in-law and paralyzed him) a gun, he discovers that Thawne was playing him from the start. Shocked by this news, he starts to slow down.

Barry told Hunter that they need a way to fix the Force Barrier somehow. Dwindling on all the past mistakes he made and all the pain he inflicted upon his friend Wally West, Hunter decided to fix the barrier and sacrifice himself, Barry urged him not to but it was his choice and that “This is what Flashes do right? Sacrifice themselves to save the day?”, after he died, Black Flash was also banished to the Forever Force. At the end of the day, Zoom was a hero.

Powers & Abilities

Personal Time Manipulation: Hunter Zolomon’s primary ability is to alter time relative to himself, as opposed to utilizing the Speed Force like most of the DC Universe speedsters do. He can move his own personal timeline forward as seemingly unlimited ♾ speeds, and he can even stop time altogether. However, he cannot travel back in time. He can apparently use this ability to move at “speeds” to surpass even Wally West, the fastest of the Flashes. Since Zoom isn’t actually moving at great superhuman speeds (rather, he is greatly slowing down time relative to himself and can make himself so “fast” that even most of the Flashes look to him to be moving in slow motion, instead), the Flashes cannot steal his speed when he is moving. The temporal nature of his speed allows him to avoid the usual problems encountered by other Flash-type speedsters (friction, seeing and hearing at such near-light speeds, etc), whose automatic and unconscious use of the Speed Force overcomes those problems. As he is moving at a normal velocity, and the rest of the world is “slow”, those hindrances simply do not affect him.

Intangibility: Originally, Hunter Zolomon, unlike speed force-driven rivals like Wally West, could not vibrate through solid matter. However, this appears to have been retconned and he can move through solid matter, although the nature of this power is never clearly defined.

Shock Waves: Zoom also possesses the ability to create very powerful sonic booms and shock waves with just the snap of his fingers, an ability he used to kill Linda’s unborn babies.

Though not specified, Zoom appears to have a host of other powers such as longevity, superhuman speed, superhuman endurance, and invulnerability. The aforementioned would be necessary to explain certain feats Zoom has accomplished.

Striking Power: Moving at the speed of light, Hunter Zolomon is able to convey tremendous striking power, allowing him to deliver destructive blows to character’s of even Wonder Woman’s caliber. Wonder Woman even stated Zoom’s punches hurt more than punches from Superman. With previous logic, he should be able to deliver the ‘infinite mass punch’ (supposedly the mass of a white dwarf star).

Durability: Hunter possesses superhuman durability, being able to tank punches from Wally West at half the speed of light (mass of a small Moon) and even MFTL speeds. This durability seems to increase as he changes his perception speed.

Appearance

Hunter has red eyes, brown hair and stands at 6’1 (188cm) and 181 lbs.

Other Media

Television

Justice League Unlimited

Zoom never officially appeared in the DCAU series Justice League Unlimited, but his image and likeness are referenced in the episode “Divided We Fall.” As the Luthor/Brainiac hybrid creates artificial replicas of the Justice Lords (the fascist versions of the Justice League from an alternate dimension within the show) and pits them against their counterparts, Luthor/Brainiac creates a special replica of The Flash in Zoom’s color scheme, since the Justice Lord Flash died before the Justice Lords were formed. The evil android Flash’s design is identical to Zoom’s (although the lenses of his cowl remain white instead of black), with his taunts and jeers referencing Zolomon’s own accusations of Wally West. In the end, he was destroyed by The Flash along with the rest of the android Justice Lords. Elements of the real Zoom also appear in the Flash Museum during the episode “Flash and Substance.” He is voiced by Michael Rosenbaum.

The Flash (2014)

Hunter Zolomon (played by Teddy Sears) also makes a cameo during Season 2 as Jay Garrick.

Hunter Zolomon was a meta-human speedster from Earth-2. Years after witnessing his father murder his mother when he was a child, Hunter became a serial killer. Following the S.T.A.R. Labs particle accelerator explosion, Hunter was affected during electroshock therapy by the dark matter emitted, giving him superhuman speed and various other abilities derived from it. Following this, he escaped and began acting as a supervillain known as Zoom, stylized as the Speed Demon. Later, using Velocity serums, Hunter managed to artificially increase his speed to the point where he could break the dimensional barrier. Having gotten tired of being the villain, Hunter decided to become “the hero” as Jay Garrick/The Flash, stylized as the Crimson Comet, borrowing the name from the speedster he found on another Earth and kept as prisoner. He created the charade in order to instill false hope – hope that would be ripped away.

Discovering the existence of Barry Allen on Earth-1, Hunter traveled to the other Earth and acted as a friend and mentor, apparently training to fight Zoom, but actually planning to increase Barry’s speed to eventually take it for himself. Hunter eventually killed a time remnant of himself to give Barry a reason to avenge “Jay” and increase his speed even further, only for his true identity to be discovered by Team Flash soon after. Shortly after, intending to break Barry emotionally, he murders Henry Allen, thus being indirectly responsible for Barry’s timeline change. After losing a race to Barry and attempting to destroy the multiverse, Time Wraiths appeared and imprisoned Hunter in the Speed Force, while reducing him to a decayed spectre-like form known as Black Flash, similar to that of the Time Wraiths.

He returned a short time later in the post-Flashpoint Timeline as a mindless being bound to the will of the Speed Force for all eternity, while hunting down a time remnant of Eobard Thawne who existed in the new timeline due to Flashpoint, but was not supposed to exist because of ancestor Eddie Thawne’s suicide. After Eobard and the Legion of Doom assembled the Spear of Destiny and changed reality, Zolomon was held captive by Eobard in S.T.A.R. Labs. After the timeline was restored, Zolomon chased down a future version of Eobard who had traveled to 1916 to ensure the Legends wouldn’t stop him from altering reality with the Spear of Destiny, and killed Eobard, also erasing all of Eobard’s time remnants. He was later sent after Savitar as the time remnant tried to send fragments of himself through time using the Speed Force, only to be frozen and shattered by Killer Frost.

In the creation of the new multiverse, Zolomon’s history was re-written, where he was apparently from Earth-Prime instead and marched on Central City with his meta-human army. However, much like the original multiverse he was ultimately defeated by Team Flash.

Hunter Zolomon was born to James and Ashley Zolomon in Central City. When he was 11 years old, Hunter came downstairs to find his father abusing his mother, demanding respect following service in the War of the Americas. Noticing Hunter, Ashley pleaded for him to run but James took him in front of his mother, giving Hunter his silver helmet, and forced him to watch as he murdered Ashley. Shortly after, James was sent to prison, causing Hunter to be placed at an orphanage as none of his relatives wanted to take him in.

At some point in his life, Hunter apparently visited the city of Atlantis where one of his best friends originated and admired it as a place one wouldn’t ever want to leave.

Serial killings and obtaining super speed

Hunter claimed he was a scientist with a significant solo operation specializing in chemistry and physics and began working on a way to purify heavy water without residual radiation. But given his deceptive nature, it’s unknown if any of this is true, though Hunter did display scientific aptitude, as he was the one who created the Velocity serums.

What is known is that Hunter developed a bloodlust, having been triggered by witnessing his mother’s murder, and became a serial killer. When Hunter was finally arrested, he was convicted on 23 counts of murder and sent to the Saint Perez Mental Asylum for the Criminally Insane. But when Harrison Wells’ particle accelerator exploded with waves of dark matter were sent through the city, Hunter was affected during daily electroshock therapy, giving him the power of super speed. Still plagued by an incurable bloodlust, Hunter decided to use his powers to terrorize Central City.

Dissatisfied with the speed he already had but too impatient/emotionally damaged to increase it naturally, Hunter sought to increase and developed one of the first versions of the Velocity serums to drastically increase his speedster might. Once gaining enough speed, he adopted a villainous identity as “Zoom”. As one of his first acts of violence, he lured 15 members of the Central City Police Department on Earth-2 into a trap to demonstrate his power and how he couldn’t be stopped. Zoom viciously murdered all but one officer so that the survivor could live and tell the tale. After that officer relayed the story, Zoom returned to the man’s home that night to be killed as well. The story given by the last surviving officer resulted in Zoom gaining his moniker.

Though successful in making himself faster, the Velocity drug had deadly side-effects and afflicted him with an illness that was killing him. Additionally, the Velocity drug turned Hunter’s lightning blue. Desperate to save himself, Hunter set out to find a cure throughout the multiverse regardless of how many people had to die. Around the same time, he also fought with another speedster in attempt to absorb the man’s speed. He defeated the speedster and tried to absorb the man’s speed but couldn’t. So he took the man prisoner and put a mask on that prevented from using his speed or talking. It was this time when he decided to disguise as a hero, to give the people false hope taking the speedster’s name and alter ego “Jay Garrick” and cleaned himself up. With this new identity, Hunter assumed the identity “The Flash” operating as a hero. As Flash, he protected Central City from numerous other metahuman criminals including Atom-Smasher, Sand Demon and Dr. Light. He also had a statue built in his honor for his service as The Flash. However, Hunter soon found himself being relentlessly pursued by Time Wraiths, monstrous beings devoted to punishing speedsters who misuse their time-travel powers. Despite this, he still employed the use of time remnants, though he would be more wary of manipulating the timeline.

To maintain control over the city, Zoom sought out almost every metahuman in Central City and forced to serve him, and killed the ones who refused. Among those Zoom employed were Killer Frost, Deathstorm, Reverb, Rupture, King Shark and Black Siren as his enforcers to keep Central City’s criminal gangs in line. However, his enforcers were under strict rules not to kill any speedsters they may encounter, a rule if violated was punishable by death.

One day, after learning that Dr. Wells was responsible for the existence of meta-humans, Flash arrived at S.T.A.R. Labs when Dr. Wells presented several new gadgets designed to detect meta-humans, and accused Dr. Wells directly of these crimes in front of the public. However, Dr. Wells claimed not to know of Flash’s accusations, and Flash was disgusted with Wells not taking responsibility for these mistakes, begging to make things right and “help” him “stop Zoom”. However Dr. Wells, coldly told him everyone in Central City would be safe if he would stop Zoom and The Flash sped off in seeming disgust. The next day Zoom attacked Central City College and kidnapped Harry’s daughter Jesse Wells to later blackmail her father into helping him, imprisoning her in his lair alongside his prisoner. Moments after the kidnapping occurred, Hunter quickly returned as “The Flash” to cover up for his “absence”.

As claimed by Hunter, on May 19, 2015 while Flash and Zoom “fought”, a singularity opened above them and “Jay” was pulled into it and ended up on Earth-1. However, Hunter later implied that he, in truth, simply saw another speedster running in the singularity.

Being on Earth-1

Being a part of Team Flash

Hunter confirmed the existence of Earth-1’s Flash and spent the next six months piecing together clues and eventually learned his identity; Barry Allen, along with other details of his life. Knowing that Barry’s Speed Force held the answer to curing himself, Hunter plotted to steal it. To expedite Barry’s accumulation of Speed, he, as Zoom, began sending meta-human villains from Earth-2 to Earth-1 to fight Barry, ensuring their co-operation by refusing to bring them back to Earth-2 until they succeeded in killing him, though in reality Zoom had no intention of allowing Barry to die except by his hand. The first meta-human candidate was Al Rothstein/Atom-Smasher, who Zoom dragged to Earth-1 via one of the 52 breaches across Central City on Earth-1, and promised him safe passage home in exchange for killing Flash, to which he agreed. Hunter also learned the names of Barry’s then-current team members; Caitlin Snow, Cisco Ramon, Joe West, Iris West and Martin Stein. As Hunter watched Flash being honored at the “Flash Day” festival, he witnessed Atom-Smasher from his Earth attack Flash.

Following Atom-Smasher’s defeat, Hunter arrived at S.T.A.R. Labs, bypassed their newly installed security, introduced himself, and claimed that their world was in danger. Hunter introduced himself as “Jay Garrick” and explained to the skeptical team that the singularity had, in fact, opened a portal to his Earth through which other meta-humans had traveled, and that in his world he was a speedster named The Flash. Hunter also told them of his “enemy” Zoom and the circumstances of his arrival, but a skeptical Barry asked Jay to be tested to see if he really was a speedster. Hunter did so willingly, and explained his story of being a scientist to Caitlin, but Barry was still skeptical and had Hunter put in the pipeline prison. Hunter agreed to this, but tried to convince Barry that if Zoom had already sent Atom-Smasher, he would send others. Hunter also subjected himself to a full body scan upon Caitlin’s request, and was tested on Barry’s treadmill. However, Zoom also brought Sand Demon over with the same offer he made Atom-Smasher, to kill the Flash and he’d return him home and Sand Demon agreed. Once Sand Demon attacked Barry, Hunter offered his help to the team. However, Barry declined, believing they didn’t need his help, and Hunter was locked back up in the pipeline.

After Sand Demon abducted Patty Spivot, Barry was finally forced to listen to Hunter and release him, and he told them Sand Demon’s methods of attack; causing a diversion then attacking while the target is distracted. Hunter also told them Barry was going to defeat Sand Demon by harnessing the lightning that radiated from him while running, and hurling it at Sand Demon to turn him to glass. Hunter begun teaching Barry but after an hour Barry had no luck in hitting his target and Barry believed he couldn’t do it, though Hunter insisted that he could. However, Barry told Hunter of his previous mentor, a man he idolized, who taught him how to get faster and stronger but was also the man who murdered his mother. Hunter expressed his sympathies but insisted he wasn’t the same guy. Cisco and Professor Stein informed Hunter and Barry of Sand Demon’s location and Barry suggested using Hunter as a distraction since Sand Demon was unaware of his lack of speed. When asked if Hunter had his suit, he confirmed, except his helmet, and Barry confirmed it was the same one that came through the portal 6 months before. Finally believing Hunter, he and Barry suited up and headed to Sand Demon’s location.

Flash (Barry) sped Flash (Hunter) into the greenhouse where Sand Demon was surprised to see his Earth’s Flash alive and engaged him, despite lacking his speed, and Flash distracted Sand Demon in order for the other Flash to rescue Patty. Sand Demon started choking Flash (Hunter), while Flash (Barry) used his super speed to kill Sand Demon as he was taught, and both Flashes came to Patty’s aid. Hunter was tended to by Caitlin and confessed to missing his speed. Barry thanked Hunter for his help and apologized for his lack of trust. Hunter equally commended Barry for his efforts in taking down Sand Demon but worried that Zoom would not be so easily defeated, since he claimed to have spent two years searching for Zoom, with no success and explained that his hate for Barry comes from his obsession with wanting to be the only speedster in the multiverse. Professor Stein was able to confirm the location of the largest breach from the singularity beneath S.T.A.R. Labs, but Stein collapsed and Hunter tended to him.

After admitting Stein to the hospital, Hunter studied the breach in S.T.A.R. Labs but was unable to successfully pass anything into it, instead anything that touched it bounced back off, even Barry at high speed wasn’t able to breach the portal. As Hunter continued his work he confided in Caitlin his worry of what he’d do once he returned home without his speed, admitting to having enjoyed the rush of speed, but Caitlin insisted that Hunter’s scientific expertise were just as important as his speed. Later after finally fixing the portal’s alignment Hunter decided it was time to head home to learn what Zoom was plotting and how he stole his speed, but Caitlin insisted Hunter could look for Zoom on their Earth, and Barry further noted he could use more speed tips. After consideration Hunter agreed to stay until Zoom was defeated. After Slick’s defeat Zoom sent in “King Shark” from his world to kill Flash.

Hunter was informed of Dr. Wells from Earth-2 arriving at S.T.A.R. Labs and Hunter arrived in time to hear his plan to capture Dr. Light and use her to lure Zoom to S.T.A.R. Labs, but “Jay” immediately scolded Wells for his plan. Wells was surprised to see Hunter alive but mockingly accused him of hiding from Zoom, but Hunter told him the circumstances of his arrival, yet Wells wasn’t entirely convinced, causing the two to argue. Eventually Barry intervened stating they needed to focus on catching Dr. Light in order for their plan to work. After facing Dr. Light, Barry was blinded by her powers and Wells scolded Barry for trying to talk rather than fight her, but Hunter defended Barry who elaborated that Dr. Light looked exactly like his ex-girlfriend Linda Park. Out of concern Barry tried to leave to warn Earth-1 Linda about Earth-2 Linda but repeatedly walked right into walls, as Hunter told Barry he was to stay put until his sight returned and he and Caitlin left to warn Linda.

Hunter and Caitlin staked out in a van and discussed Hunter’s “history” with Zoom where he claimed that Zoom scared him, “admitting” to not facing Zoom sometimes when he should have. Despite Caitlin insisting he and Wells talk, Hunter claimed that Wells couldn’t be trusted, since he happily profited from meta-human activities, but knew something had changed in him. As Hunter and Caitlin continued to talk the two almost shared a kiss before Dr. Light wrecked the van they were in, knocking Hunter and Caitlin out. Hunter regained consciousness and arrived at Central City Picture News too late to save Linda’s boss, Eric Larkin, but the very sight of Hunter made the Earth-2 Linda too scared to murder Earth-1 Linda and fled.

As Caitlin tended to Hunter he apologized to Barry for underestimating Dr. Light but Wells only further scolded Hunter, claiming that his doubt puts Barry at doubt and that he is ready to face Zoom. Furthermore, Wells claimed that “Jay” didn’t hunt Zoom but was the one to be hunted, and Hunter “admitted” to being terrified of Zoom, but stood his ground that Barry facing Zoom now would only result in his death. After Harrison called “Jay” a coward the two got into a heated fight which was only broken up by Barry. Hunter was present when Harrison announced his plan to find Dr. Light was to give Light’s helmet to Cisco, revealing he was secretly a meta-human. After some effort Cisco used his powers of astral projection to find Dr. Light at the train station. At the station Flash asked Hunter for advice but he was unsure of how to beat Light until Dr. Wells told him how to create speed mirages, but he initially was unsuccessful. Hunter however insisted Barry could do it, stating he was a better speedster and hero than he ever was, and with this inspiration Barry was able to beat Light.

Returning to his lair on Earth-2, Zoom taunted Jesse of her father’s disappearance, claiming he left her behind. However she didn’t believe him and declared her father would return and kill him. Zoom simply mocked Jesse’s convictions and reminded her that the fates of her and Wells were still undecided before speeding off. “Learning” that Wells had gone to Earth-1, Zoom returned and interrogated Jesse to find out why, but she insisted that she didn’t know. Zoom, who actually knew the answer due to his confrontation with Harry as “Jay”, commended her loyalty before torturing her.^[9]

With Dr. Light secured in the Pipeline, Barry decided to go through with Dr. Wells’ plan. Hunter, however, protested against it, declaring it too dangerous; when Barry declared his faith in his team to gain victory, Hunter announced that he wanted no part in that, stating that he didn’t want to help Barry meet his death. Before leaving, though, he warned Team Flash that his Wells was just as secretive as their’s.

First confrontation with The Flash

Zoom’s meta-human plans took an unexpected turn when he was contacted by Dr. Light who claimed to have killed Flash and threw his emblem through one of the breaches as proof. Zoom however realized it was the Earth-1 Linda posing as her Earth-2 double and easily saw through the deception easily and did not take the bait, choosing instead to bide his time. Once Team Flash had let their guards down, Zoom really did come through to Earth-1 and arrived right in front of Linda and simply stared at her for several moments as she became terrified, and took her to the roof of the S.T.A.R. Labs where he was confronted by Flash.

Sadistically mocking Flash’s failed attempt to deceive him, Zoom dropped Linda off the edge of the roof but Flash raced to the bottom followed close behind by Zoom and caught her with a wind-funnel before turning to face Zoom head-on. Flash then turned and raced around the building, building up his speed-lightning before firing a bolt at Zoom who, to Flash’s horror, jumped into the air, grabbed the lightning bolt in a somersault and hurled it right back at Flash with even greater force, scoring a direct hit. Desperate to regain control of the fight, Barry attempted to outmaneuver Zoom by forcing him into a free fall from a high altitude where Zoom’s superior speed was neutralized but Zoom simply reversed the move and instead landed on top of Barry.

Zoom then proceeded to brutally and savagely pulverize Flash at high speed before finishing with a devastating blow to Flash’s spine, dislocating a portion of his spinal-column and temporarily paralyzing him. As Zoom stood triumphant over Flash’s body, Well’s attempted to shoot Zoom with a dart filled with the speed-dampening serum only for Zoom to catch it and jammed both darts into Flash’s chest. This combined with the severe trauma and paralysis caused Barry to lose consciousness. Zoom then turned his head to Wells and told Harry he was next before speeding off with Flash’s body.

Zoom dragged the limp, battered and bleeding body of The Flash across Central City to the newspaper office and police station to showcase his victory and declaring that the days of the Flash protecting Central City were over. He then returned to S.T.A.R. Labs with Barry to confront Harry and the team. Derisively mocking Wells for believing Barry stood a chance of defeating him, Zoom stabbed Barry with one of his claws before bidding him farewell. Drunk with victory and in the midst of gloating, Zoom was distracted long enough for Cisco to shoot him in the neck with a speed-dampening dart. Bellowing in agony, Zoom temporarily collapsed on the floor before recovering in mere seconds and raced away. Barry’s defeat at the hands of Zoom caused the Scarlet Speedster to go into rehab until his back fully healed. Barry also suffered doubt that he could be the hero Central City requires after Zoom showed the city he’s superior. However, Barry’s father, Henry Allen, was able to snap him out of his fear and get him to go out as the Flash once again.

Getting close with Caitlin Snow

After Caitlin and Dr. Wells successfully developed Velocity 6 like Hunter once did, they called Hunter to S.T.A.R. Labs and explained that they wished to test the drug on him, as a subject who had been connected to the Speed Force. Hunter sternly refused, saying that the Speed Force could not be lab-made and the drug’s effects could not be predicted, and warned Caitlin not to let Barry use the serum. After Wells was shot by Patty Spivot, Hunter was recalled by Caitlin and, to save his life, he reluctantly took the Velocity 6 to phase through Harrison’s chest and remove the bullet. Wells thanked Hunter for saving his life but Hunter, other than saying he would never take the drug again, retorted that he could thank him by keeping Velocity 6 away from Barry.

Unbeknownst to Team Flash, Hunter returned as Zoom in December shortly before Christmas, and offered Harry a mysterious deal in exchange for Wells assistance, to which Wells did not respond. Zoom sadistically pursued Wells throughout the S.T.A.R. Labs facility for amusement before cornering and disarming him. Holding Wells by the throat, Zoom’s only words were “Merry Christmas” before racing away. In his identity as “Jay”, he and Caitlin then worked on a way to close the other 51 breaches outside the S.T.A.R. Labs breach, therefore limiting the number of meta-humans he could bring through. As they talked Hunter and Caitlin playfully flirted with each other, Hunter sarcastically asking what Christmas is with Caitlin giving a very awkward and broad explanation only for Hunter to admit there was Christmas on Earth-2.

When Captain Cold, Weather Wizard and the Trickster escaped prison Hunter helped Caitlin develop another version of Cisco’s undeveloped Wizard’s Wand (which he built in an alternate timeline that was erased and, therefore, never did). When the Trickster made a citywide broadcast to Barry challenging him Hunter noticed a reflection in his eye, and noted it was a stuffed children’s toy and narrowed down that Trickster was in an abandoned toy factory. Shortly thereafter, Zoom confronted Wells for a second time to demand an answer but Wells begged for more time, which Zoom reluctantly granted and returned to Earth-2. During Barry’s second attempt to get the Trickster and Weather Wizard, Hunter helped Wells and Cisco remove all the bombs he hid within children’s presents across the city, using one of the breaches and pulling them all in. Later Hunter attended Joe and Iris’ Christmas party with everyone else where he and Caitlin kissed under mistletoe.

In the wake of Flash’s victory over Weather Wizard and the Trickster, Zoom met by Wells, who demanded to see his daughter alive and well before anything else. Zoom consented and brought Jesse over, allowing Wells to see and talk to her briefly before super speeding her away again. Wells declared that he had figured out Zoom’s master plan; to fatten up Barry with speed so that Zoom could take it all from him. Zoom confirmed it and asked for Wells’ answer. Left with no other options, Wells reluctantly agreed to help Zoom steal Barry’s speed in exchange for his daughter.

Hunter was present when Cisco briefed the team on Russell Glosson, which he named “the Turtle”; he was intrigued by the possibility of using his powers to slow down Zoom. When Barry failed in preventing the Turtle’s new theft, Hunter seemed lost in thought; when asked by Caitlin, he answered he was thinking on how hard it was to assist to these things without remembering how he could no longer help others. Caitlin told him they could devise some way to get his speed back, but he said that when he arrived on Earth-1. The first thing he tried was exactly that, and whatever tests she had in mind, he had already done. When the team figured out that the next target for the Turtle would be an event that night at the Central City Museum, Hunter and Caitlin went with him, but the Turtle was able to foil Flash yet again.

After the team reconvened at S.T.A.R. Labs, Hunter asked if he could speak to Caitlin for a second, and shared with her some champagne (as she hadn’t had hers at the event). After Barry managed to defeat and lock up the Turtle, Caitlin reached Hunter and informed him that she knew – she had collected his DNA from the champagne and she had realized he was sick with a terminal illness; she asked Hunter how he could let them get close, knowing that soon he would die, and he answered that he didn’t expect to fall in love with her. Caitlin asked him to find a cure then, but Hunter said that the only way for him to live was to regain his speed, and for that they would need to defeat Zoom; she then said that they should get started.

The next day, Hunter and Caitlin both found that the Turtle was dead in his cell. Hunter was suspicious about Wells, since it seemed the Turtle had died the same night they had brought him in. Wells denied this, asking why he would kill a man potentially capable to stop Zoom, and Hunter retorted he could never figure out Wells’ motives; Barry stopped the argument, although to Caitlin, “Jay” commented that every time he thought Wells was on their side, something happened to make him doubt that.

Caitlin later shared the news of Hunter’s sickness with Barry, saying that he was affected by Zoom stealing his speed at a cellular levels, and therefore they could replace his dying cells with healthy, identical ones; for that, they needed his Earth-1 doppelgänger. However, both Barry and Caitlin couldn’t find a Jay Garrick in this reality, to their puzzlement; he then suggested her to just ask Hunter about it.

Caitlin met with Hunter and, after recounting her dad’s fight against his own terminal sickness to explain her obsession with helping him, told him he could not find his doppelgänger; he said there was a good reason, and to meet him at Hofherr Park the day after to find out. While there, Hunter told her he had had the same thought, and was just as confused when he couldn’t find any “Jay Garrick” of Earth-1, but eventually he found him; pointing him out, he said his name was Hunter Zolomon, and claiming that this Hunter was an orphaned “Jay Garrick” adopted by the Zolomons. When Caitlin asked him why Hunter One couldn’t help out, Hunter Two told her that his DNA had been mutated when he obtained his powers, and that the final conclusion was that the only thing that could reverse his sickness was defeating Zoom and having his speed restored. In reality Hunter showed Caitlin his Earth-1 doppelganger in an attempt to get her to stop trying to help him, and to give her an explanation of his own on why his doppelganger wasn’t named “Jay Garrick”, thus preventing Caitlin from realizing that the man she knows is not actually “Jay Garrick”. This slip-up later allowed Team Flash, with the help of Harry’s Earth-2 knowledge, to find the clues to Zoom’s true identity as Hunter Zolomon, a serial killer from Earth-2.

After installing a speed-force draining-device underneath the emblem on Flash’s suit, Wells managed to siphon off roughly 2% of Flash’s overall speed-force supply and stored it in a S.T.A.R. Labs injection gun. Later, Wells met secretly with Zoom and handed over the stolen Speed-Force, which Zoom then injected into himself. Wells attempted to swindle Zoom by demanding the return of his daughter before he gave Zoom the rest of Flash’s speed but Zoom was not fooled, rammed a claw into Wells shoulder and reiterated that Wells wouldn’t get his daughter back until he had stolen and delivered the rest of Flash’s speed to him, threatening to torture her to the brink of death every day that passed instead of killing her. Leaving Wells on the ground, Zoom raced away and returned to Earth-2.

Crisis of two Earths

When Barry, Cisco, and Wells traveled to Earth-2, Caitlin, and Joe remained to protect the city. After a meta human named Geomancer began attacking the city in an effort to draw out the Scarlet Speedster, Joe and Caitlin believe it’s time for Hunter to take Velocity 6 again. Hunter, fearing the drug for what it’s done to him, initially refuses but after telling Caitlin about Zoom not really taking his speed but rather the drug being the culprit, he is encouraged by Caitlin’s loving support and together they formulated Velocity 7, which gave Hunter his speed back temporarily to confront Geomancer but his speed disappeared in the middle of their fight, resulting in Hunter at Geomancer’s mercy. However, Joe shot at Geomancer, injuring him and forcing him to flee. Later, while Caitlin tends to his wounds, they discuss the short-lived success of Velocity 7 and plan to work immediately on Velocity 8.

Noticing the presence of the Flash, Reverb decided to contact Zoom and inform him that a new speedster had appeared on Earth-2. Zoom already knew it was Barry and, following the plan made with his time remnant, decided to take advantage and in secret set up an ambush for the speedster using Killer Frost, Deathstorm and Reverb as an enticement/bait for the Flash. When Zoom finally arrived to enact the ambush, he was enraged to find Reverb and Deathstorm pummeling an unconscious Flash repeatedly against his direct orders that any speedsters found were not to be harmed. As punishment, Zoom brutally murdered both Reverb and Deathstorm but spared Killer Frost’s life because she in fact had obeyed his commands. Zoom then scooped up the unconscious Flash, raced back to his lair and sealed Flash in a glass prison nearby Jesse. When Barry finally regained consciousness, Zoom returned to his lair just as Barry promised Jesse that he would get her out. Confronting the captive speedster, Zoom sadistically reminded him not to make promises he couldn’t keep.

Hunter later learned that the Velocity 7 caused more cellular degeneration, though Hunter told Caitlin he had faith the next batch won’t do harm. Later, Iris asked him if she could write an article on him. Hunter was reluctant at first but eventually agreed. Soon after, Geomancer caused tremors and collapsed a hospital. Hunter took the next Velocity serum and rescued the people at the hospital. When he returned, Iris told him she had everything she needed for her article. Hunter then took a “nap”, but presumably actually traveled to Earth-2, realizing that he couldn’t maintain his identities on two Earths at the same time. Hunter then created a time remnant and convinced it to be killed as part of his plan to push Barry to get faster. The time remnant was then sent to Earth-1, to explain Hunter’s disappearance with the “nap” and assist Caitlin with closing the breach.

Zoom then confronted his prisoners, telling the man in the iron mask to stop making contact with Jesse and the Flash. Zoom then phased through Barry’s cell and beat him down, before leaving. When Wells, Cisco, Killer Frost and Earth-2 Barry and Iris rescue the prisoners, Zoom arrived and thanked Killer Frost for leading them to him. Zoom then went to kill Jesse before being betrayed by Killer Frost, who took her revenge on him for killing Ronnie.

Zoom escaped Killer Frost’s attack and made it to S.T.A.R. Labs before Barry could bring Wells over. Zoom was temporarily stunned by Wells but made it through the breach in time to kill his time remnant.^[15] When Hunter arrived back to Earth-2, he dumped his time remnant to the ground, claiming the situation to be a complication.^[16] Additionally, now being closed off from Earth-1, Zoom imprisoned Killer Frost rather than kill her due to looking exactly like Caitlin, who Hunter had genuinely fallen in love with during his masquerade as “Jay Garrick” on Earth-1.

Identity revealed

Team Flash would mourn “Jay’s” death, until Cisco started vibing Zoom every time he was near his helmet. After revealing this to the team, Cisco was asked to vibe the helmet once again, upon which he realized, to his horror and horror of the team, that “Jay” and Zoom were the same person. Determined to make Zoom pay for his deception, Barry began to discover new ways to get faster to defeat the evil speedster while Cisco continued to receive “day-mares” of Zoom while near his helmet. After receiving the formula for tachyons from Eobard Thawne in the past, Barry swore to Hunter’s helmet that he would stop him.^[19]

For six weeks, Hunter waited for Cisco to open a breach. One day, Hunter felt a breach being opened. He raced to where this was occurring and watched as a breach was being opened, but was disappointed when Cisco abruptly stopped. When Cisco opened a breach once again, Zoom made his way over. Zoom told Flash they made a mistake and the two raced over to S.T.A.R. Labs. Hunter then noted that Flash had gotten much faster, which would give him more speed to steal. Barry and Zoom quickly fought but Zoom hesitated as Flash set up cutouts of his parents. With Zoom briefly distracted, Zoom was shot by Flash with the B.O.O.T. Subdued and unmasked, Hunter asked how Barry knew of his past. Barry then told him he made a mistake by revealing to Caitlin who his doppelgänger was. When Hunter asked how he knew he was Zoom, Barry revealed that he was aware that Velocity serums turn a speedster’s lightning blue if they run fast enough. Hunter noted Barry was clever to use his family against him and that family is a weakness. Hunter then told Barry that he couldn’t lock the darkness up before breaking out and speeding off.

Following Barry’s move, Zoom kidnapped Wally West and brought him to his lair on Earth-2. Zoom was then contacted by Vibe, who told him Barry would give up his speed in exchange for Wally. Zoom made his way back to Earth-1 with Wally. Once he passed Wally over, Hunter had Harry Wells make preparations to transfer Barry’s speed to him, upon which Harry promised to knock his smug face off one day. Hunter then explained that the “Jay” he killed was his time remnant rather than a speed mirage, explaining that he realized he needed to be on both Earths once Barry closed all the breaches and went to Earth-2. Hunter also told them that he grew tired of playing the villain after a while and later enjoyed pretending to be a hero so he could rip hope away from everyone, though Hunter was called a monster by Caitlin, the very words his father was called. Once Barry ran on the treadmill and his speed absorbed, Hunter injected the vial with Barry’s speed and cured himself. A victorious Hunter then thanked Barry as he held him against a wall, ready to give him death in return. However, just as Hunter was about to deal the killing blow, Caitlin told Hunter if there was a piece of humanity left in him, and if he really loved her, he wouldn’t kill Barry. Hunter then dropped Barry before kidnapping Caitlin.

A few moments later, Zoom returned to S.T.A.R Labs to find a time-traveled version of Barry from 2018 and another girl. After 2018 Barry reminded him that he already got what he came for, Hunter asked for the girl’s identity. Suddenly, he realized that the girl was another speedster. Seeing this as an opportunity to take the girl’s speed as well, Zoom chased after the two as they tried to run into a portal to go to another time. He entered the portal after them and continued to pursue them, only for a Time Wraith to grab him first instead of Barry and the girl. It is unknown what happened to Zoom after this, although it can be inferred that the Time Wraith returned Zoom to his proper place in time and erased his memories of future Barry and Nora to ensure the continuity of the timeline.

Zoom later returned to Earth-2. Through vibing, Cisco was able to determine that Zoom had taken Caitlin back to his mountain-top lair and tried to sway her into siding with him to no avail. Undaunted, Hunter allowed her to roam freely in the lair, knowing that she couldn’t escape, while he attended to other business.

When Zoom finally returned, he found Caitlin under attack from her Earth-2 counterpart Killer Frost after being tricked into breaking her out. Wasting no time, Zoom ran through Caitlin (using his speed to become temporarily intangible), grabbed the icicle Frost had fired at Caitlin out of the air, and ruthlessly stabbed Frost in the stomach with it, killing her instantly while sadistically remarking that he did not need her anymore. Turning to Caitlin, he warned her that if she tried to escape again, he would kill the man in the iron mask. Zoom subsequently chained Caitlin to a bed and tried again to reason with her but she would not listen, only pleading with Hunter that he return her to Earth-1. Hunter then explained to Caitlin that he used to measure his success by how many people he killed, but would begin to measure his success by how many Earths he conquered instead. Preparing to invade Earth-1, Hunter sadistically laughed at a horrified Caitlin and took her to Earth-1, fulfilling her wish albeit in a very twisted manner.

Invasion of Earth-1

Arriving back on Earth-1, Zoom went to the CCPD, mocking Joe by greeting him as an “old friend” and declaring this city now under his control. When the cops were about to retaliate, he reminded them that their guns were useless against him. Caitlin managed to convince Zoom not to kill them and he agreed, warning that if they tried anything, they would all meet their end. Afterwards, he chained Caitlin to a desk within the police department. When she questioned if his plan was to kill everyone, Hunter said not everyone as he wants to spare Caitlin due to his love for her. When she asks why he needs her, he gets a flashback of his mother’s death and everything that followed and states he needs her because he doesn’t want to be alone ever again.

As part of his plan for invasion, Zoom brought Rupture over. Later, he met up with Rupture to see if he killed Cisco, as Zoom managed to convince Dante’s doppelgänger that Vibe had killed his brother Reverb. Rupture failed but when he said would find him and get justice, Zoom told him to wait for now as he needed him to set an example and ordered him to go to Jitters and kill the police. After he left, Hunter sensed Caitlin’s disapproval with his plan and she then asked if he wore the mask to scare people. This prompted another flashback of his rehabilitation back on his Earth and his desperation to convince his doctors that he wasn’t a monster. However, it appears he moved past that as he coldly reminded Caitlin in his demonic voice that she said he was “nothing but a monster” before speeding off. Caitlin managed to get a phone and warn Team Flash of what is to come at Jitters. Utilizing that information, they set up trap for Rupture, using the Flash hologram to distract him and then depowering him with the Boot. The victory was short lived as Hunter saw the news report of Rupture’s failure and quickly deduced that Caitlin had betrayed him by telling Team Flash his plan. She reminded him that he didn’t keep his promise of sparing lives, and Zoom declared darkly that they were even then and sped off to Jitters.

Once arriving there, he demonstrated his immense speed by snapping the neck of the camera man and every cop in the vicinity in mere seconds, only sparing Joe and Captain Singh due to his affection for Caitlin. When Barry came in as Zoom throttled Singh for going against their agreement of not trying anything against him, Barry told him he proved enough. Zoom wasn’t done however and after tossing Singh aside, he fatally stabbed Rupture with his claws and declared him just as worthless as his brother. Taking a camera, he told everyone watching that there was no Flash, just a hologram and that nothing can save them now from him taking over the city. Having made his point, he sped off. When Barry was trying to get his speed back by recreating the particle accelerator explosion, Hunter watched a bolt of lightning strike S.T.A.R. Labs and grew angry at the possibility his enemy would return. He quickly ran off to try to stop the return of The Flash. However, when he arrived, it appeared that Barry had died. Zoom mocked Team Flash for trying to bring back their beloved hero, instead killing him. Satisfied, Zoom sped off.

While Team Flash was busy with bringing Barry Allen, trapped in the Speed Force, back to life, Zoom was gathering the Earth-2 meta-humans on Earth-1. Tired with Caitlin’s anger at him, he’s given her a choice: stay with him and be safe, or go back to Team Flash, only to be treated with the same “mercy” as its other members should they meet Zoom again. After delivering his ultimatum, Hunter left Caitlin alone in her room. She stayed back and listened as Zoom delivered a speech before his meta-human “brothers and sisters”, urging them to take Earth-1 from normal humans.

Once the city was in the “Metapocalypse”, Hunter left a sign for Barry to find on the Police department building, of his lightning bolt insignia. After Barry’s arrival, Hunter taunted Barry over his naiveté when it came to protecting people, and insisted that he and Barry were really the same person, noting their similar dark backgrounds. Barry angrily disagreed with Hunter’s comparison, but just then, a building started collapsing across the street and Barry went to save all the people in the building, proving Hunter’s point. Later, Hunter was visited by Laurel Lance, who mentioned she saw and fought The Flash. Hunter urged her to knock down more building, as that is her strength, in order to distract The Flash and his team. After Team Flash turned on their Pulse weapon, Zoom, along with all his minions, felt its harmful effects. However, Zoom was able to quickly make a portal in order to escape to Earth-2.

Shortly after, Zoom returned to Earth-1 and crashed the West household where he kidnapped Henry Allen, prompting Barry to pursue him across Central City before Zoom took Henry to Barry’s childhood home. Hunter, claiming that it was “poetic justice” to have Henry killed in the same place as Nora once was, taunted Barry as the latter repeatedly begged for Hunter to let Henry go. However, insisting that Henry’s death would push Barry to be just like him, Hunter phased through Henry’s chest, stopping Henry’s heart and killing him as Barry watched on in devastation.

In a fit of rage and grief, Barry viciously attacked Hunter who gleefully cheered him on, daring Barry to kill him and sadistically encouraging Barry to embrace his newfound rage just as Hunter did when he became Zoom.

The two then engaged in a high-speed chase-fight throughout Central City, during which Zoom took a quick detour to surreptitiously create another time remnant which continued the chase while the real Zoom disappeared. The violent chase finally culminated in Barry bringing down the time remnant Hunter in an alley-way, before ruthlessly attacking him and pinning him before preparing to finish Zoom off. Hunter once more dared Barry to give into his rage and commit murder, constantly baiting him, but Barry could not bring himself to do so. Suddenly, the real Hunter appeared out of nowhere and killed the time remnant in front of the shocked Flash. Informing Barry that he’d also be able to create a time remnant provided that he possessed the willpower to kill his other self, Zoom declared that Barry was “almost ready” before swatting him aside and racing away, as a tearful Barry watched on in defeat.

Race for the Multiverse

Hunter later ran by Barry’s house to entice him to chase after him. Once Barry caught up to him, Hunter challenged Barry to a do-or-die final race between them to ostensibly establish who truly was the fastest man alive, although in reality, Hunter intended to siphon his and Barry’s speed in order to power Mercury Labs’ Magnetar, a device capable of destroying all other universes in the Multiverse while leaving Earth-1 as the last one standing. Unbeknownst to Zoom however, the Flash’s allies refused to allow Barry to race, reasoning that Barry wasn’t in the right mindset to face Hunter once more especially following his father’s death, before locking him in the Pipeline and attempting to trap Zoom on their own.

As Hunter worked on the Magnetar, he was approached by Caitlin who, in an attempt to bait Zoom unbeknownst to him, falsely insisted that she began to see reason and loved Hunter once more before apologizing for her earlier words and actions. Hunter seemed momentarily touched but then declared that it was far too late for her to return to him before attempting to kill Caitlin as well. To his shock however, “Caitlin” disappeared when he delivered the killing blow, revealing a hologram as the real Caitlin was safe in the S.T.A.R. Labs van with Team Flash. Joe West subsequently attempted to take Hunter down as he fell for the trap but Hunter took the advantage and captured Joe before taking him to Earth-2.

Zoom subsequently imprisoned Joe in his Earth-2 lair. Joe bitterly asked Hunter about his past, which Hunter revealed before Joe asked him about the identity of the man in the iron mask. Hunter explained that after the singularity on Earth-2 and the opening of the breaches, he traveled to another Earth where he met that Earth’s Flash, who he was easily able to subdue. Following, Hunter captured and imprisoned him on Earth-2 but wasn’t able to steal the man’s speed. Instead, Hunter kept him not only as a trophy, but also to assume his identity to give false hope to the people of Earth-2. With this, Hunter revealed the man’s name: the true Jay Garrick, before taunting Joe over his own plan to imprison Barry, just as he did with Jay, after the former lost the race. Shortly afterwards, Barry contacted Zoom through Vibe’s powers, agreeing to the race but only on the condition that Hunter released Joe, to which Zoom agreed.

Zoom returned to Earth-1 with Joe and waited beside the Magnetar as Barry and Team Flash met him there. As Barry revealed that they figured out Hunter’s true endgame, Hunter simply confirmed it and laid out his one condition: if Barry backed out for any reason during the race, Hunter would kill Joe and Team Flash. Barry accepted and shortly afterward began his race with Zoom, with the two speedsters speeding around the Magnetar. in In the midst of the race however, in his arrogance, Zoom failed to notice Barry traveling mere moments through time, creating a time remnant. While the remnant continued the race, the original Barry jumped off the Magnetar and freed Joe. Eventually noticing Barry’s tactic, Zoom furiously leaped off the Magnetar and tackled him before boasting that Barry would be unable to stop the Magnetar regardless as it was too late. However, Hunter then watched as Barry’s remnant began to create a phase of his own to counteract the Magnetar, killing himself in the process while destroying the device and ruining Hunter’s plan. As Zoom yelled in fury, he attempted to attack Barry’s prime self but Barry quickly gained the upper hand, viciously beating the demonic speedster and throwing him to the ground, shattering Hunter’s mask.

As he lay bleeding on the ground, Hunter derisively declared that Barry, as a hero, would not kill him as he had already tried to do so once but failed. Barry coldly stated that he didn’t have to and looked over his shoulder to see a pair of Time Wraiths emerge from the Speed Force. Badly beaten and weakened from the race, Hunter could only scream in terror as the Time Wraiths surrounded him and began forcibly transforming him into a demonic-looking skeletal being, changing the lightning-bolt emblem of his costume red as well as it’s outline and the earpieces, turning the emblem circle white and turning his speed lightning red. The Time Wraiths then reopened their portal and dragged the decaying form of Zoom into the Speed Force.

Black Flash

Becoming the enforcer

Hunter’s ultimate fate upon being dragged by the Time Wraiths back into the Speed Force is unknown but whatever punishment he endured caused him to lose his remaining sanity, and decayed his body to an undead state similar to that of the Wraiths. Condemned to serve the will of the Speed Force for all time, he was transformed into the “Black Flash,” a savage, demonic speedster driven by a lust to kill and operating on a newfound ability to sense the use of the Speed Force by other speedsters. He finally emerged from the Speed Force as a monstrous speedster-hunter set on bringing down any speedster in the multiverse who dared to mess with time, a far more potent weapon than any Time Wraith and living nightmare for speedsters.

Hunting the Reverse-Flash

The Speed Force deployed the Black Flash to hunt down the Reverse-Flash ever since he and Barry Allen returned to 2016 following the erasing of Flashpoint, to a world where Eobard Thawne wasn’t supposed to exist and therefore was a paradoxical threat. As soon as Eobard parted ways with Barry he was beset and immediately outmatched by the demonic speedster who proceeded to track and pursue him relentlessly across time. However, Eobard was able to build an alarm to go off whenever the Black Flash was near, allowing him to barely stay ahead of it but restricting his ability to remain in one place for long.

The Black Flash eventually sensed Eobard’s presence in 1927 but the rogue speedster fled before he could find him. Undeterred, the Black Flash tracked Eobard Thawne and his associates, Damien Darhk and Malcolm Merlyn, to a bank in Zurich in January 2025. The Black Flash blindly charged in and searched the entire bank but could not lock onto Eobard since he was repressing his use of Speed Force and was thus invisible to the Black Flash, although it could still sense his target was still in the bank. As the Black Flash began to close in on Eobard’s location Malcolm and Damien distracted him with arrows and swords as Eobard speed-punched him into a bank safe, which Malcolm sealed shut. Knowing the Black Flash wouldn’t remain imprisoned for long, Thawne and his associates fled.

Reuniting with Barry

Eventually, the Black Flash escaped from the bank vault and continued his hunt for the Reverse-Flash but was unexpectedly recalled back to the Speed Force by his masters. Endeavoring to save Wally West, Barry Allen had entered the Speed Force to rescue him. The Speed Force refused to let him do so and unleashed the Black Flash against him. The demonic speedster viciously battled the Flash throughout the Speed Force vision of S.T.A.R. Labs during which Barry immediately noticed Zolomon and attempted to escape in an elevator. The Black Flash grabbed Barry before he could and hurled him back out, pinning him to the ground. The Speed Force representative told Barry of what he had to do to save Wally and gave him a final ultimatum, whereupon the Black Flash began draining Barry’s life-force. Understanding, Barry severed his tether to the real world by removing his chest emblem and slamming it onto the Black Flash’s chest, banishing him temporarily in a blast of white light.

Continuing the hunt

After his fight with Barry, the Black Flash continued his hunt for Thawne. After Eobard escaped the Waverider’s brig and was about to go search for the fourth piece of the Spear of Destiny, Ray Palmer showed up and was able to distract Thawne long enough for the Black Flash to get close enough for Eobard’s watch to detect him. Having no time to look for the fragment, the Reverse-Flash fled before the Black Flash showed up.

When the Legion of Doom was able to acquire the Spear of Destiny, they used it to rewrite reality itself and changed their destinies. Eobard likely attempted to reverse his paradoxical status but this proved futile as Black Flash continued to exist in the new reality. In order to neutralize its threat, Eobard imprisoned Black Flash in a hidden cell located in the cortex of the new reality’s S.T.A.R. Labs. Though the Black Flash tried relentlessly to break out, Eobard was sure that he would eventually give up altogether.

Black Flash was eventually released from his captivity when Sara Lance used the Spear of Destiny to neutralize its own powers, causing the Legion of Doom’s alternate reality to be erased from existence, whereupon the Black Flash sprinted to Eobard’s location in 1916. Eobard, blinded by his arrogance, had abandoned his early-warning system in the alternate reality and therefore did not realize the Black Flash was close until it was too late. Looking on in horror as the black-clad spectral speedster appeared on the horizon, the Reverse-Flash attempted to flee but the Black Flash caught up to him in a split second, seized him by the throat, and viciously phased his hand through Eobard’s chest, obliterating his heart and erasing him and his time remnants from existence. Stopping briefly before Sara Lance, the Black Flash roared in her face before racing away, having fulfilled the will of the Speed Force.

Trying to erase Savitar and destruction

The Speed Force later sent the Black Flash after Savitar who failed to kill Iris West in 2017, creating a timeline where he never existed and thus becoming a paradox like Eobard. Determined to stop Savitar from splicing himself through time and avoiding his erasure from the timeline, the Speed Force quickly deployed the Black Flash to erase the rogue time remnant from existence. However, Savitar knew that the Black Flash would be after him and brought Killer Frost to help him stop the demonic speedster. As the Black Flash burst out of the Speed Force, he was immediately beset by Killer Frost, though he dodged her attacks easily. The Black Flash sped towards the two roaring like a wild animal and lunged for Savitar, only for Killer Frost to hit him with another cold blast, freezing and shattering the demonic speedster.

Original multiverse

Zoom’s actions in killing Henry resulted in Barry creating the Flashpoint timeline to not live with the pain of losing both his parents. Barry would return the timeline to how it was after seeing what his decision did to his loved ones. But, it caused major changes to some members of the teams’ lives. The creation of Flashpoint also resulted in Savitar traveling to 2016 and battling Team Flash making Zoom indirectly responsible for Savitar’s exisistence.

Zoom would be remembered greatly by those he had the most impact on. When Wally received speedster powers because of Barry’s timeline changes, Barry drew inspirations from past mentors to train Wally, including Zolomon. Harry would learn from his battles with Zoom and how he was willing to kill him to save Jesse. When Barry was thinking of killing Grodd, Harry talked him out of it, drawing inspiration from his mistakes involving Zoom. Having always been one step behind Zoom, Thawne, and Savitar, Barry was determined to get ahead of Clifford DeVoe before he could cause major damage. While working with the crime lord Ricardo Diaz, Earth-2 Laurel, who sought Hunter as father figure, compared his inner hatred to Zoom’s. She quickly realized that Diaz was far worse than Zoom ever was because she believes “he is not even human inside”, unlike Hunter who was actually capable of loving someone; albeit in a very twisted and deranged manner. Caitlin would still at times refer to Zoom as Jay instead of Hunter. After Caitlin was manipulated by her father’s alter ego Icicle, she started to blame herself, only for Barry to assure her that seeing the best in someone is who they are and used Thawne and Zolomon as examples.

CC Jitters sells a coffee named after Zoom on their secret menu that Tracy Brand would get whenever she was stressed.

DeVoe viewed Zoom, along with Thawne and Savitar, as one of the many “children” that the Flash had faced as inferior compared to him, thus; the Thinker deduced that his own power of limitless thought was far superior to Zoom and his speed.

In the possible future that Nora West-Allen hails from, Zoom’s and Red Death’s killing count is compared to Cicada. However, Cicada’s killing count is bigger and was just growing. Sometime before 2032, Zoom’s suit and speed-dampening mask were displayed within the Hall of Villains in the Flash Museum along with other memorabilia from past villains that Team Flash had fought and defeated. Nora West-Allen studied all of the Flash’s past battles, including Zoom sending King Shark to kill the Flash.

In an erased future, where Barry’s time remnant became Savitar and killed Iris, the remnant surpassed Zoom and Thawne’s speed to the point that Barry felt as if he was standing still in comparison to the self-proclaimed “God of Speed”. The remnant also held himself superior to both Thawne and Zoom as Barry’s greatest enemy despite all the pain the speedsters caused him.

According to Abra Kadabra’s future, Zoom is regarded as one of the Flash’s greatest enemies alongside Reverse-Flash and the Thinker. However, none were as bad as Savitar.

Zoom’s rampage on Earth-1 made Vanessa Ambres lose her fiancé during Metapocalypse making her hate all meta humans and believing that all of them are evil. She integrated this belief into Orlin Dwyer which in turn made him become Cicada and try to kill all meta humans due to what they did to Grace Gibbons. This means that Zoom’s actions partially created Cicada.

While Zoom failed at destroying the multiverse (except Earth-1), Mobius or as he’s more commonly known as the Anti-Monitor succeeded where Hunter failed. He used an antimatter cannon to destroy the mutliverse and most life within except the Paragons who were brought to the Vanishing Point, thus; finishing the work that Hunter started.

New multiverse

In the Post-Crisis multiverse Zoom’s group has, apparently, gotten their powers from the Singularity, rather than being an invading force from another universe. Their invasion was still remembered as “the Metapocalypse”.

Video Games

Zoom is the fourth level boss in the game Justice League Heroes: The Flash.

Zoom appears as a boss character in the video game DC Universe Online, alongside Gorilla Grodd. He is voiced by Robert Dieke.