The Flash's Death Changed the Justice League (and the DC Universe) Forever
The Flash's death in Crisis isn't just a tragedy. Blackest Night #0 shows that this is a dark turning point for the Justice League and the DC Universe.
The darkest years of the Justice League and the DC universe seem to have begun with the death of The Flash. Blackest Night #0 posits that every horrible thing that happened in the DCU can be traced back to Barry Allen's disappearance.
For many years, the Justice League was one of the greatest ensembles of heroes of all time. With their combined strength, there is nothing the team can't overcome, whether it's a powerful threat or a rift within their ranks. However, as the years went by, things changed and, suddenly, the Justice League was much more vulnerable. They start getting murdered by villains and start torn apart for the direction of the team. Things have gotten better lately, but things have gotten darker for the Justice League and the entire DC universe in the long run.
According to a hero, all disasters in the DC Universe began with the death of Fastest Man Alive. In Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis' Blackest Night #0, Hal Jordan and Barry Allen gather at Bruce Wayne's private grave after his apparent death in Final crisis. The Flash and Green Lantern begin to honor their fallen comrades and start a conversation about the state of death in the DC Universe. They even reflect on their own deaths, noting how shocked Barry was when he disappeared during Crisis on Infinite Earths. The Flash believes that things are improving and that death doesn't necessarily mean the end. Hal, on the other hand, takes the opposite view and points out that since The Flash's death, the world has become more dangerous for the Justice League and no one is safe now.
Why Flash Dying Changed Everything For The Worse
Hal wasn't entirely wrong. Shortly after Barry's death entered the "Dark Ages of Comics," a period in which storylines were edgier and deaths more gruesome. Even after things calmed down in the tumultuous '90s, the heroes weren't safe. The Justice League lost some beloved members like Aquaman and Martian Manhunter. Somehow, Flash's death opened the floodgates of desperation, hurting the League and the DCU.
One thing that is very clear in the Darkest Night saga is that The Flash is one of the symbols of hope for the DC Universe. Considering how committed Barry is to getting justice Regardless of the odds, it's understandable. So when The Flash died in Crisis on Infinite Earths, the DCU lost one of its biggest beacons of hope. Losing such a symbol can severely damage morale and fuel evil in the world. Hope was somewhat dashed when The Flash died, paving the way for darkness to begin to prevail in the DC universe and bring endless conflict to the Justice League.
