The Flash: DC Universe's leap into the multiverse and the end of Snyderverse

2023 had been a rough year for both DC and Marvel comics. Marvel redeemed itself with the back-to-back successes of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Spider-man: Across the Spider-verse. After the forgetful Shazam! sequel, The Flash, is the last ditch attempt for the DC Extended Universe.

Zack Snyder's supervision of DC films is ending this year with the Aquaman sequel; Henry Cavill is no longer Superman; and Ezra Miller, who plays the Flash, is riddled with serious legal allegations. 

How will the speedstar's standalone film play out? When the story from Flashpoint Paradox is turned into a live-action film, it's meant to be emotional, grounded, and larger than life. The Flash was released on June 16, and it became exactly that.

As seen in the trailer, Barry Allen, aka the Flash, discovers he can use speed force and travel to the past and future in time. Although Batman, or Bruce Wayne, warns him about the consequences of meddling with time, he still decides to use his power to save his mother from death and his father from false imprisonment. Barry becomes successful, and his parents remain safe and together, but he realises that he is back in 2013 when the Man of Steel plot happened. 

But this time, Barry is in an alternate universe. General Zod (reprised by Michael Shannon) plans to conquer the earth, and there is no superhuman to stop his army. 

Barry tries to bring back the Justice League, but there is no Superman, Wonder Woman, or Aquaman. But only one hero exists, and he has superhuman abilities: Batman, but in his older, retired alternate form and played by Michael Keaton, who returned to play his character 32 years after Tim Burton's classic duology.

Barry has his 10-year younger self and Kara Jor-El, or Supergirl, in this universe. In the 2013 version, Barry becomes another Flash, and the heroes band together to save the earth from General Zod. 

Can the original Barry Allen repair the timeline? Does he really return to his original universe? The 2.5-hour film is fast enough to answer them.

The good thing about The Flash is that it has a poignant story. Barry wants his parents to live happily together, but his mother, Nora, dies mysteriously, and his father, Henry, is falsely imprisoned for her murder. He has lived like an orphan since then, so he wants to change the timeline. 

But after countless attempts and sacrifices, Barry realises that Nora will die regardless of his attempts and the collapse of the universe. She taught him to let go of things he couldn't control as a child. So he pays heed to her advice but does a small thing to save Henry.

But in the multiverse concept, every small thing has a butterfly effect. The faces of the characters change as the multiverse changes. So, what are the changes? Through some questionable VFX effects, meta jokes, and breathtaking action sequences, it might be worth it for the fans to watch it out.

As the Snyderverse laid out the multiverse field for the DC universe, how will the future projects under James Gunn be? 

DC Comics introduced multiverse concepts long ago; now it's time for Gunn to translate them into live-action.

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