Irey West
Irey West is a female comic character who features in DC Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Iris West was the daughter of Wally West and Linda Park with her being the twin sister of Jai West. (The Flash v2 #225) The twin's mother was pregnant with them when she was attacked by Hunter Zolomon after he gained powers and became the supervillain Zoom. In an effort to make Wally West a better hero, Zoom used his powers to injure Linda Park which resulted in the babies being aborted as a result. (The Flash v2 #199) Afterwards, a time-travelling Zoom attempted to showcase the tragedy again to the Flash but was defeated in the past leading to ripples into the future resulting in Linda Park being in the hospital and being treated by doctors when miraculously she became pregnant again with her giving birth to the twins. (The Flash v1 #225)
When they were first born, Iris and her brother exhibited no signs of having inherited their father's powers. However, after turning three months old, their metabolisms sped up and they began to age rapidly and exhibit powers. Their alien hosts taught Linda the basics of operating machinery to stabilize the growing twins' powers. Irey’s connection to the Speed Force manifested fully for the first time. Unlike her brother Jai, who had inherited a different energy-based gift, Irey displayed the ability to tap directly into super-speed. Though she lacked control, her bursts of speed marked her as a true heir to the Flash legacy. Wally and Linda attempted to regulate the children’s exposure to their powers, but Irey’s potential became a focal point, showing that her physiology tied her directly to the Speed Force. Her uncontrolled sprinting caused danger, yet it also foreshadowed her future as a speedster in her own right. (The Flash v1 #231) Irey was depicted training under the watchful eye of her father, as he tried to guide her in harnessing her connection to the Speed Force. While Jai’s abilities were erratic, Irey demonstrated a natural aptitude for channeling her inherited speed. She pushed herself to keep up with Wally, her determination evident even at her young age. The issue also highlighted her protective dynamic with Jai, as the twins supported one another despite the challenges of learning to control their powers. (The Flash v1 #232) She continued to develop her connection to the Speed Force under Wally’s supervision. She actively participated in training exercises with her father, running alongside him at superhuman speeds and displaying far more natural control than Jai. Her bursts of speed became more sustained, and she demonstrated an eagerness to test her limits, often pushing herself further than advised. During these sequences, her determination to follow her father’s example was highlighted, as she repeatedly attempted to prove that she was capable of handling the responsibility of her powers. (The Flash v1 #233)
Irey’s abilities were tested when she and Jai accompanied their father in a confrontation against Gorilla Grodd. Though Wally tried to shield them from danger, Irey’s speed enabled her to avoid Grodd’s attacks and even assist in distracting him during the conflict. Her quick reactions and boldness under pressure marked a turning point, showing that she was beginning to operate beyond simple training and could be useful in real threats. (The Flash v1 #234) She adopted the codename Impulse, which was a mantle that emphasized her boldness and growing independence. During this time, she donned a makeshift costume and joined her father in direct action against enemies threatening Keystone City. Irey eagerly embraced the role, running into battle alongside Wally and providing valuable support with her speed, agility, and quick decision-making. Though still reckless at times, she demonstrated confidence and joy in her powers, and her willingness to act established her as a true partner-in-training rather than just a child under her father’s care. (The Flash v1 #235)
The West family was suddenly brought back to Earth during an adventure involving the Justice League, Justice Society, and Legion of Super-Heroes. (Justice League of America v2 #10)
The children were with their mother when Superboy-Prime went on a rampage and sought to change reality to remake his lost Earth. To stop him, the speedsters worked together to force the mad Kryptonian into the Speed Force though Jay Garrick could not maintain his speed. Wally in the meantime was being turned into energy where he could not return back and was forced to run to someplace else. With the last of his strength, he appeared before Linda and his children where he bade them good bye but his wife refused to let him go. Thus, she and the twins joined him where they were transported to someplace else in the universe. (Infinite Crisis v1 #4)
However, she came to be infected with the death-aspect of the Speed Force that entered her and Jai. Within Irey, it came to result in an instability in her powers that would cause her to age upon their use. (The Flash v2 #243)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Iris West II and her twin brother Jai West came to survive by being sucked into the Dark Multiverse. Their father Wally West attempted to save them but failed and instead became lost in the Speed Force. Meanwhile, 10 years of history was removed from the world including the birth of Iris and Jai West whilst the changes in reality meant that the children's mother Linda West had forgotten both about them as well as her husband. Within the Dark Multiverse, Irey and Jai came to find themselves trapped on a world that was formed from their father's fear of never seeing his family again. Wally West came to find them but was similarly trapped on that world where its existence was destroying the Multiverse. The only way to save all of reality was to destroy it by merging with the Mobius Chair. He would then agree to make the sacrifice if Tempus Fuginaut helped take Irey and Jai to the Prime Earth so that they would be saved. Thus, the Flash came to save all of reality with the children's return to Earth restoring Linda West's memories of them leading to her being re-united with her children. (Flash Forward v1 #6)
She was among the speedsters that heard the call from the Speed Force where the Flash Family arrived in order to battle the Legion of Zoom. Irey worked with the others to create a storm that reset the vibrations of the villains that sent them back to the points in the timeline that Thawne had gathered them from in the timestream. (The Flash v1 #761) Linda, Jai and Irey took refuge in the Speed Force alongside the rest of the Flash Family when The Batman Who Laughs remade the world in his image. They briefly reunited with Wally when he took the Mobius Chair into the Speed Force to keep it out of The Batman Who Laughs’ clutches. (Dark Nights: Death Metal Speed Metal v1 #1) In the aftermath, the Park-West family began to rebuild their lives. Jai and Irey were traumatised by their experiences and had recurring nightmares, but these subsided as the family gradually returned to normal. (The Flash v1 #768)
Later on, her school received a new transfer student that joined her class with this being red-haired girl named Maxine Baker. The two quickly bonded and became close friends partly due to their similar hair colour. Jai though did not like Maxine as he felt that she was a troublemaker and a bad influence on Irey. (The Flash v1 #777)
Overview
Personality and attributes
In appearance, Irey West was depicted as a young human girl with long auburn-red hair, often tied back in a ponytail, and large expressive eyes. Her resemblance to her father Wally West was apparent, with her youthful features softened by her mother Linda’s influence. In her earliest depictions, she wore everyday children’s clothing rather than a superhero costume, though later she would briefly take on a modified suit when experimenting with her powers. Her appearance emphasized her role as both an ordinary child and a potential heir to the Flash mantle (The Flash v2 #231) She would later decide to take the superhero codename of Thunderheart. (The Flash v1 #794)
Powers and abilities
This saw her gaining the ability to vibrate her molecules to phase through solid objects. At first, the act was said to had required a great deal of concentration from her. (Flash v2 #231)
She could instil a permanent vibration on a person preventing their mind from catching up with their body as they phased out of existence. This was achieved by reaching into the Speed Force and finding the power she needed but the act took everything out of her. (The Flash v2 #243)
Notes
- Iris West II was created by Mark Waid, Brian Augustyn and Paul Pelletier where she made her first appearance in Flash v2 #225 (October, 2005).
Alternate Versions
In other media
Television
Appearances
- Kingdom Come v1:
- The Flash v2: (2005)
- Infinite Crisis v1:
- All Flash v1:
- Flash Forward v1:
- The Flash v1:
External Links
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