Wally West

Kid Flash Wally West, aka. "Kid Flash" Name: Wallace Rudolph West Alias: Kid Flash; Impulse; The Flash Born: Keystone City, KS Species: Metahuman (Speedster) Affiliation: Brentwood Academy Gotham City Role: High School Student Vigilante / Superhero Faction: Team Flash / Outsiders Played by: Captain Untouchable Actor: Grant Gustin John Wesley Shipp (as Future Flash)

Wally West is a teenage speedster, better known as Kid Flash. He was once the sidekick of Barry Allen in Central City, but he is now active as a vigilante in Gotham City.

History

Wallace Rudolph West was born to Rudolph and Emmaline West in Keystone City: the home of the Golden Age Flash. Fascinated by all things related with speed and science, Wally became an avid Flash fan, and when Barry Allen became the new Flash, Wally took it upon himself to try and recreate the circumstances that had given Barry and Jay Garrick their powers. Wally was partially successful, and after discovering that his aunt and the new Flash were romantically involved, managed to convince Barry Allen to take him on as his protégé and eventual sidekick, Kid Flash.

Though Kid Flash became a beloved protector of Keystone and neighbouring Central City, his devoutly religious father always frowned upon his activities and his powers, questioning their origin and whether or not Wally was truly doing the Lord's work. Wally's mother tried to shield him from it, but the tension with his father weighed heavily on him, and Barry Allen believed that the doubts that Rudy West had instilled in his son were the only thing holding him back. Unbeknownst to Wally, his mentor called in a few favours with the Justice League, arranging for Wally to be offered a Wayne Foundation scholarship: one that would fast-track him through the remainder of high school at the Brentwood Academy, and prepare him for early entry into an advanced theoretical physics program at Gotham University.

Soon after arriving on Gotham, Wally grew both restless at his inactivity, and disheartened by the level of crime present in the city. Designing himself a new suit - one that more closely reflected the Flash's costume than his original yellow Kid Flash ensemble - he became one of Gotham's numerous vigilantes. Though he has attempted to convince his peers (and opponents) to call him "Impulse", the name hasn't stick yet. (In a potential future, this alias is used by Wally's own sidekick, Bart Allen.)

Future?

In the events of Timeline A, Wally succeeds Barry Allen as the Flash, and after 2040 had become one of Earth's premiere heroes. By this point his identity had become public, and Wally abandoned his mask, adopting instead the helmet that had been worn by Jay Garrick, the Golden Age Flash. Like several of his contemporaries, he was targetted by the League of Assassins in an attempt to stop humanity from fighting back against the Lords of Chaos: actions that perpetuated the state of war and chaos that empowered them. Wally's legs were broken, and magic was used to prevent his speedster regeneration from healing the damage, robbing The Flash of his ability to run.

In Timeline B, Wally also succeeded Barry as the Flash, though in this instance after his predecessor's tragic world-saving death. According to Booster Gold, he is married and has two children - named Jai and Iris - with his childhood sweetheart, Linda Park.

Personality

Wally is naive, immature, enthusiastic, and unstoppably optimistic. His personality matches his speed: he gets carried away easily, and despite his super-fast mind he often acts or speaks before he has the opportunity to think. Combined with a certain clumsiness he is often embarrassing himself, but is usually quick enough to recover or repair the damage before things get too bad. He is passionate about space and science in particular, but mostly he has an insatiable desire to know and understand: everything from quantum mechanics to people's personal drama. He is an avid reader, constantly filling his head with facts and trivia; but is also an avid listener, and is usually regarded as a good - if occasionally annoying - friend.

Wallly does however suffer from a slight inferiority complex, because of his age and because his speed isn't quite as quick as the "real" Flash, and as a result is constantly trying to prove himself. That does drive him to be a more determined and dedicated vigilante, but it has landed him in trouble more than once.

Special Abilities

Wally is a speedster, able to channel energy from the Speed Force to propel his movements at high velocities. The Speed Force also accelerates his reflexes, cognition speed, metabolism, and healing. However, the process by which Wally became a speedster was imperfect, and as a result he does not seem capable of achieving the same speeds some of the more powerful speedsters. Wally can comfortably break the sound barrier, and can reach Hypersonic speeds (in excess of Mach 5), but struggles to maintain his concentration and focus if he attempts to go any faster.

Though his speed draws on the Speed Force rather than Wally's biological energy levels, his high metabolism does burn through calories at a much faster rate: Wally suffers from low blood sugar and the associated side effects if he does not eat regularly. Wally has also shown some susceptibility to the emotional spectrum, with Red energy (anger) seen to affect his behaviour and his lightning.

Family

Wally is on his way to becoming estranged from his parents. His father is a stubborn and religious man; he always had trouble demonstrating his affection for his son, and when Wally became a metahuman he had trouble coming to terms with his son's "unholy" affliction. Wally's mother has always been extra supportive and affectionate to compensate, and while she was sad to see her son leave for his scholarship in Gotham City, she was quick to encourage her son to get out into the world without his father there to hold him back. Wally's aunt, Iris, is romantically involved with the Flash: she introduced Wally to him as a way of helping him learn to cope with his new speed, and was instrumental in convincing Barry Allen to accept Wally as his sidekick.

• Rudy West - Father. Stern, and a little metaphobic. Doesn't entirely approve of Wally's powers or vigilantism.
• Mary West - Mother. Kind and supportive; overcompensates for Rudy's lack of affection for their son.

• Iris West-Allen - Aunt. Married to Barry Allen (the Flash).
• Bartholomew Allen - Uncle. Also his vigilante mentor (the Flash).
• Nora West-Allen - Cousin. Currently a baby. Occasional babysitting victim.

• Impulse - Cousin (Once Removed). The grandson of Barry and Iris from a (potential) apocalyptic future.

Other Relationships

Wallly forms friendships rapidly, though often that interpretation can be somewhat one-sided. Since moving to Gotham, Wally has made friendships with fellow scholarship students Linda Danvers and Connor Kent, ultimately convincing the later to become his roommate in the Brentwood Academy dorms. Wally has a preexisting friendship with Roy Harper, the former sidekick of Green Arrow, and is in the process of - slowly, and with much resistance - trying to establish a similar relationship with his successor, Mia Dearden. Wally does have some sort of a relationship with the Green Arrow himself, though he would not describe it as friendship: more a case of intimidation for Wally, and irritation for Green Arrow.

Timeline

Out of Character

Jace has been around on the site since January 2007. He knows all the things, including board lore, random trivia, and really really terrible jokes and puns.