r/DC_Cinematic 1d ago

DISCUSSION I think reverse flash should be justice league level villain, not just flash

Post image

He got potential.

223 Upvotes

87 comments sorted by

164

u/Clamsadness 1d ago

Threat level, yes. But story-wise he’s just tied to the Flash so he wouldn’t make a good villain for a Justice League movie. 

45

u/ChildofObama 22h ago

If they approached a new Justice League movie like Avengers 1 (Loki is mainly Thor’s villain but he’s everyone’s problem), it could work. 

31

u/ezrs158 21h ago

Loki brought in a random army of alien cannon fodder for the Avengers to punch though. Not sure if Reverse Flash would do anything like that. Like, what would the League actually do to help fight him?

12

u/Valuable-Blueberry30 19h ago

Bring a bunch of Reverse Flash paradox clones

15

u/TheIonoGuy 17h ago

Actually in the comics Loki was the first foe the Avengers fought while Reverse Flash has never been tied to the Justice League except for Flash

5

u/TheCopyGuy2018 18h ago

Well tbh Flashpoint could be considered a Justice League story if they ever decided to adapt that properly

u/ArchDucky 20m ago

They are adapting it right now on Peacemaker.

5

u/ConfidentTheme8435 19h ago

Well, Earth-616 (original comics) Ultron has nothing to do with most of the Avengers. He has absolutely EVERYTHING to do with Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne.

9

u/PM_ME_MERMAID_PICS 17h ago

The difference is that Ultron's goals extend far past the scope of just Hank and Janet, hence why he's an Avengers villain. Thawne's only goal is to torment Barry Allen (and occasionally Wally).

If we really need a Flash villain as a JL villain, Grodd is about the only one with a big enough scope.

1

u/ConfidentTheme8435 16h ago

That’s a really good point

1

u/Clamsadness 14h ago

Comics can bring in individual hero’s villains in a way movies can’t. In the comics there’s 12 Avengers stories a year, in the movies they’ll have one every 3 years or so. 

6

u/Murky-Arugula63 1d ago

I mean he can ally with other supervillans .

20

u/greenhawk63 1d ago

The Legion of doom is already a thing, doesn't make Reverse Flash a Justice League villain.

4

u/JustChr1s 21h ago

Before avengers 1 nobody thought Loki could helm an avengers movie as the main villain and he did very well. Y'all have zero creativity and very limited perspectives lol.

6

u/Zock123454321 15h ago

Except Loki has been an avengers villain before.

Not that I’m saying this wouldn’t work but not necessarily a good comparison.

1

u/JustChr1s 14h ago

If we go by comics A LOT of characters have been avengers villains that you wouldn't expect. But back when the Avengers 1 movie came out ppl were having a hard time believing Loki would be a big enough threat to justify all the members of the avengers team coming together.

2

u/greenhawk63 14h ago

Loki was literally the Avengers' first villain lmao

1

u/greenhawk63 14h ago

Loki was literally the Avengers' first villain lmao

1

u/littlebugonreddit 23h ago

But it also doesn't mean he can't be

1

u/greenhawk63 14h ago

He doesn't have any emotional connection with the rest of the keague, though.

2

u/anyonecanbethebug 19h ago

Yeah it sucks that there's not writers to come up with any of these ideas or anything.

5

u/PM_ME_MERMAID_PICS 17h ago

Writers aren't gonna be able to come up with good ideas for this because Thawne's sole purpose in life is to fuck with Barry. I love Thawne but he's not a JL villain for the same reason that you'd never see Joker as the main villain of a JL movie.

3

u/anyonecanbethebug 14h ago

Crazy low opinion of what comics are capable of.

u/PM_ME_MERMAID_PICS 11h ago

If your motivations are as narrow as Thawne's, you're probably not gonna bother fucking with the Justice League. The more Thawne's motivations stop being centered on Barry Allen, the more Thawne stops being Thawne

26

u/No_Read_5062 1d ago

Why? The whole point of Thawne is his petty hatered for Barry.

u/falkonx24 11h ago

The right answer

58

u/Agreeable_Race5885 1d ago

Yeah could be but the only guy who needs to stop him is the Flash. A villain like brainiac, Darkseid even Doomsday would be more fitting. Since they all need each others help

31

u/Zabbla 1d ago

I don't think Doomsday should be a JL movie threat. His entire characterisation is "Rage monster that kills Superman". He couldn't be the main villain of a movie.

12

u/Agreeable_Race5885 1d ago

But it's not Superman that just fights him you know if they can actually get the characters right they can make a movie about how Superman died and came back in a Justice League movie. All they need is to make the characters right and the can't go wrong with the story.

9

u/Zabbla 1d ago

I just think it would work better in a Superman movie. Have the JL show up at the end to help Superman fight Doomsday before he's killed, I just don't think it should be the plot of another JL movie.

But then again, I'm not James Gunn and I trust whatever he decides to do.

2

u/Agreeable_Race5885 1d ago

Facts we can argue all we want at the end of the day he gets to do what he wants

4

u/Raguleader 21h ago

To be fair, in the comics, he also beat the brakes off of a staggaring selection of superheroes before he killed Superman.

2

u/Zabbla 21h ago

Yeah I'm not saying he couldn't take on the JL because he can and does.

I'm saying his character is just "Rage monster who kills Superman". He's not a compelling character that would work as the main villain of a movie like Darkseid, Brainaic etc.

7

u/Flying_Sea_Cow 23h ago

I actually don't want to see Doomsday in the DCU at all. Very boring character outside of the killing Superman event, and is basically a time capsule of 90s comics.

3

u/JustChr1s 21h ago

Doomsday has gotten some really engaging story arcs in newer comics...

0

u/Capable-Locksmith-13 22h ago

The version of the character in Superman and Lois begs to differ. That was an amazing iteration.

1

u/LotsoBoss 17h ago

Braniac needs to be in the DCU, in either Superman 2, Justice League, or both

16

u/formerly_crimson 1d ago

Why would Thawne go after the whole league? He only cares about flash.

10

u/Johnmegaman72 1d ago

Its not that he cant. Its more that the character itself doesnt want to. He's too petty to take the entire team, like that phrase "your so horny its making you stupid" applies to him

5

u/WayCheap3949 1d ago

I dont think this works his sole existence is torturing flash he doesnt care about anything beyond that he would only go toe to toe with the league to cause agony to flash and that wouldn’t make a feature length movie

4

u/Agreeable_Car5114 1d ago

Did you want to back that up with anything? 

-2

u/----atom----- 1d ago

He got potential.

4

u/derpdankstrom 22h ago

if flash is full power with speed force they have to unless flash can literally finish every conflict/plot in less than a second. they need thawne to balance it out

4

u/ChildofObama 22h ago

Even Gustin said Flash is a hard character to make sustainable cuz realistically, with his power level, he should be unbeatable and be able to do whatever he wants.

0

u/derpdankstrom 21h ago

it's a herculean task removing plot holes for speed force users but comparing CW and gunn are like 2 diff ends rating spectrum, plus gunn already balanced out superman by giving lex near infinite resources while barely using any kryptonite.

3

u/Whyamibeautiful 22h ago

Honestly we need a villain team up movie. Idt we’ve gotten an evil team of villains yet from any comic book movie

2

u/Wars4w 22h ago

It would be cool to see a story like that old from the villain's perspective. We follow their attempts at overcoming the super hero and team up only to force the super heroes to team up as well.

2

u/Whyamibeautiful 22h ago

Yea it doesn’t necessarily need to be from their pov we just haven’t had all these different main villians teaming up

1

u/Ar-Sakalthor 19h ago

I have been sitting on a homemade scenario for a JL: Legion of Doom film (that I started writing upon ZSJL releasing) for almost 4 years now

It basically started as a dark mirror of JL, with Batman monitoring and foiling several Luthor operations across the globe with the help of the League, forcing him to branch out and seek help, by recruiting other supervillains with specific grudges against the JL members : Deathstroke is obvious but also Manta, Cheetah, Captain Cold (I was on the fence with Black Adam or Sinestro, because Luthor's basically a human supremacist, he wouldn't seek help from magical beings or aliens).

Basically it would have a convoluted underground thriller scenario (not unlike CA:WS with the detective aspect) as the JL attempts to track the LoD's activities, and the climax would be a big-ass battle between both teams in the decrepit Wayne mansion, basically ruining the place while reporters film the whole thing from afar.

The end would be a pyrrhic victory for the JL, as they are publically acknowledgd, endorsed by the USA and officially funded by the Wayne Foundation, but Luthor's record is wiped and he is reinstated as CEO of LexCorp. The movie would end in an X-2 like sequence with Superman giving Lex the "we'll be watching" talk in his office (possibly opening for a President Luthor scenario for a MoS sequel)

2

u/----atom----- 1d ago

I disagree. It's debatable whether Thawne could beat villains like Darkseid or Brainiac in a fight. But strength isn't just a linear thing. Just because Thawne may be able to stand up to them one-on-one doesn't mean he's stronger. Other Justice League villains (like Darkseid or Brainiac) are capable of destruction on a larger scale, and will generally take longer and more effort to dispatch.

2

u/jackfaire 23h ago

Yes but he's fixated on the Flash. There's even a reality where he takes the Flash's place.

2

u/MUSAFIR_- 20h ago

Reminds me of how reverse flash was the main big bad of the Snyderverse manipulating timelines behind the scenes just to mess with Barry? Seemed interesting take to me

1

u/Zachary2030 1d ago

If he was than he’d probably just be like Norman Osborn was during Dark Reign. Sure he’d probably be able to keep himself together to take down the league but how long before he loses it and just starts doing his whole “I hate you Barry, I’m gonna expose my weakness because I can’t think strait because I HATE YOU”

1

u/Puzzleheaded-Row434 23h ago

I agree. I also agree with the comments tho that while he can be league level, his story is directly tied to Barry. So there'd have to be story reasons to loop in the whole league.

1

u/Inspector_Beyond 23h ago

He should be introduced as Flash villain, but then grow into JL one

1

u/ChildofObama 22h ago

Yeah. Like Loki in MCU Phase 1

1

u/UncommittedBow 22h ago

In terms of power? yeah. Hes JL level.

Motivation-wise he JUST has it out for Flash. Therefore the rest of the League means nothing to him

1

u/Middle_Sun452 22h ago

No. Reverse flash is too closely tied to Barry

1

u/ciarabek 22h ago

a fun idea for an animated movie would be the earth-3 reverse justice league vs their original counterparts, like the justice league crisis on two earths film but for the bad guys. i feel like it would be a fun way of exploring reverse flash as a justice league level threat without shouldering him with the entire story. i feel like earth 3 reverse flash would go by the old professor zoom moniker. though tbh i really just want to see more of the heroic jester and what that looks like. his segment in that film was too short.

1

u/LaylaLegion 22h ago

He has the potential but he would rather just fuck with Barry.

1

u/Wonderful_Gap4867 22h ago

Wasn’t he the original villain in the DCEU? Before WB changed it 

2

u/Ar-Sakalthor 19h ago

Never heard about that, Darkseid was always the endgame for the DCEU - Flash's bespoke villain in Luthor's league in JL2 was even Captain Cold iirc

1

u/Wonderful_Gap4867 14h ago

Yeah Zack Snyder confirmed that Reverse Flash was the secret antagonist messing with everything behind the scenes and the real final was a Flashpoint movie which according to the plans, was really comic accurate. It would end with a full reboot. I think that’s why Zack didn’t care about comic accuracy, because he knew they’d reboot in the end.

1

u/Remarkable_Fan6001 21h ago

I agree, he's to much of a threat for 1 person tbh.

1

u/Raguleader 21h ago

"IT WAS ME, BRUCE!"

1

u/Ashamed-Fondant8135 20h ago

I think we should just stop it tthe reverse flash is the flash villain not a justice league villain give that to doomsday or Darkside

1

u/Kiki_And_Horst 19h ago

He's my least favorite type of comic book villain, honestly. Evil doppelganger with the same powers and Reverse-Flash's dumb name and the fact that he literally dresses like a Player 2 version of the Flash make him even worse than usual.

Ultraman worked fine in Superman because he was just a grunt, not the main villain, but Thawne doesn't particularly interest me as a main antagonist to the Flash, let alone the whole JL.

1

u/elixxonn 19h ago

Beyond an "It was me, Barry. I brought the transdimensional army!" he really has no potential. He's just one speedster.

1

u/sickostrich244 19h ago

The problem is the whole point of Eobard Thawne is to be a rival to Barry Allen. If you wanted to tie in the JL to his threat with the Flash then sure but I don't think it makes sense to do Reverse Flash without Flash being a protagonist

1

u/FlamingEagleAC 19h ago

Threat-wise, yeah.

But Thawne is fixated on Barry at the most pettiest of levels

1

u/Skybuilder23 19h ago

He doesn't give much of a shit about anyone other than Barry. Even when he fights Wally, it's is piss off Barry.

1

u/HaikusfromBuddha 18h ago

I agree but it should be Flash to take him down imo. Like how Superman should take down Darkseid. Also in justice league animated series, Batman mainly dealt with the Joker when he took over Los Vegas while the rest of the team deal with the bombs.

1

u/PiousSkull 17h ago

Thawne is threatening enough to oppose the Justice League, but he is absolutely obsessed with the Flash. He would fight other Leaguers if they got in the way of his plans to fuck with Flash, but aside from that, he's mostly disinterested in them.

1

u/Drew_Da-Poet 16h ago

Imagine a movie where Luthor establishes the Injustice League with Thawne being a member, but by the end of the film Thawne fucks over all the other villains to torture Barry in some way, resulting in some of the villains and heroes having to team up to get back to the main timeline

1

u/itzmrinyo 14h ago

Maybe if the flash isn't around I guess?? Otherwise it feels reductive for the rest of the team for an "evil justice league member" archetype to need the entire justice league, rather than the justice league member they're an evil archetype of. It's like arguing Zod should be a justice league level threat, like Superman should be able to handle him?

1

u/athenabthena26 14h ago

He has potential but he only cares about flash

1

u/LightningLad2029 14h ago

Nah, Thawne could give a damn about the Justice League. His only obsession should be making Barry's life a living hell.

1

u/jrvcrd 13h ago

heh, that was the plan for the endgame of the DCEU. What could've been...

1

u/HawkeyeP1 12h ago

He should be in a Flash sequel with multiple Justice League members or heroes as a supporting cast.

u/Gloriouskoifish 9h ago

The fuck anyone but the flash gonna do to him??

u/Dangerous-Brain- 9h ago

No. He is and should be a primarily Flash villain.

u/OblivionArts 8h ago

He.. technically is..at least after doomsday clock

u/Crazy-Background1457 8h ago

Maybe for a JL vs the legion of doom film and at the end we can have a plot twist where Thawne betrays Lex and becomes the main threat.

Otherwise I don’t see why he’d be there.

u/idontknowlazy 5h ago

Dude wouldn't just torture Barry but Clark, Bruce and the rest of them! "Remember when you were having an intimate time you lover? That was actually me!"

u/FlashLightning277 2h ago

His only petty is against Barry. Though I am not opposed to him being in the Injustice League or Legion of Doom if we get that