The Flash's Super Bowl trailer suggests the main villain of the movie will be none other than Ezra Miller's Barry Allen himself. Barry Allen's trip through the multiverse brings heavy reality-changing consequences, including the introduction of characters from alternate universes and the return of old foes. But while Barry Allen's motivation to travel to another universe is clear, the character who will oppose him and serve as The Flash's main antagonist is still a mystery.
There are various theories as to who the villain in The Flash movie will be, including classic rogues such as Reverse-Flash and Zoom, but another possibility is that it will be Barry Allen... from another universe. The Flash movie's Super Bowl trailer shows off more of the two different Barrys meeting, with worlds colliding and the universe breaking open into the DC multiverse.
But while they should be on the same team and work together at points, it's also plausible there's more to one than meets the eye - and that alternate Barry is a villain.
The Flash Movie Trailer Hints Alternate Barry Allen Is The Villain
The two versions of Barry Allen in The Flash's trailer seem to get along, but their friendship may not last long. The trailer features a scene where a bolt of lightning pierces through their bodies. In certain versions of the Flash's origin story, Barry Allen's multiversal trip is precisely what gives him his powers in the first place. In Andy Muschietti's The Flash, it's possible that the main Barry's arrival on Michael Keaton's Batman universe is what gives his other self his own abilities.
But in trying to save his mother, perhaps his trip also ends up causing her death, which gives the second Barry plenty of motivations to fight him. Nora Allen's life and death looms large over the trailer, and her presence is clearly a major driving force for both versions of Barry. It wouldn't take much, then, for one to be pushed too far by that loss (and his father's imprisonment), leading to things getting out of control and alt Barry working against main Barry, Batman et al because of what transpires.
Why Barry Allen Might Be The Flash Movie's Villain
Having two versions of Barry Allen in The Flash, both powerful, and especially having one of them causing the other the fate he wanted to avoid, is a perfect recipe for conflict. With his newfound powers, the second Barry Allen could try to become the definitive Flash and shape his universe as he wishes. Such motivations would honor The Flash's archnemesis, Reverse-Flash, who hasn't had time to be properly set up in the DCEU but played a similar key role in the Flashpoint storyline The Flash is based on.
Similarly, with The Flash movie hiding its villain, then the reasoning could lie in this Barry Allen theory. If The Flash movie's villain were Reverse-Flash or another classic Flash foe, then there wouldn't be as much reason to hide it - because it wouldn't be as big a surprise to audiences in the know, and it could be worth introducing that character to less familiar viewers. By focusing on its two Barrys without an obvious main villain - since Zod seems more a symptom of multiversal chaos then the real cause of conflict - then it could be trying to hide its big twist.
Who Else Could Be The Villain In The Flash Movie?
Since The Flash doesn't make it clear who will be the main villain, it’s possible that the movie is hiding some surprises. One big villain The Flash will feature is General Zod. The return of the Man of Steel villain promises exciting fight sequences with both Barry Allens, Sasha Calle’s Supergirl, and possibly one of the Batmen. However, Zod may not be the Flash's main foil.
The Flash’s secret villain role could belong to Black Flash. In the source material, Black Flash is an ethereal entity tied to the Speed Force and represents the personification of Death for all speedsters. In the movie, Black Flash could be the result of Barry Allen's multiversal travel, or if the story leans more into tragedy, it could be the second Barry Allen, who becomes a mutated speedster due to the main Flash’s misuse of the Speed Force.
