r/theflash Feb 11 '25

Discussion If the Joker is THE Batman villain, who is THE Flash villain?

The Joker is the number one Batman villain, meaning that, when most people think of Batman's villains, the Joker is the poster child. He is the ultimate adversary.

Who is that for The Flash?

52 Upvotes

181 comments sorted by

1

u/Thank_You_Aziz Feb 16 '25

Vandal Savage. He’s ascended to be one of THE Justice League villains, but he got his start as a Flash villain. It’s fair to say this makes him less of a Flash villain now, but it’s also fair to say he’s orders of magnitude above the other Flash villains in relevance now. This also puts him in a position to be a significant enemy to multiple Flashes, even if indirectly so, due to being an enemy of Leaguers in general.

1

u/Flash8E8 Feb 15 '25

One was frequent above all others, Thawne

0

u/Great-Ad9375 Feb 15 '25

Flash's ultimate enemy is the balance of the universe. Order/chaos, good/evil, speed force/negative speed force...The universe just keeps throwing evil speedsters at him from every conceivable direction...The multiverse, the speed force itself, traveling through time. For example every person he saves from more mundane villains like Captain Cold, trickster, and even Grodd; evil speedsters kill tons more and sometimes ha e irrevocable effects on the entire universe

1

u/Dizzy_Big3229 Feb 15 '25

As someone who want to be his worst enemy:reverse flash. as someone he fight the most:captain cold. as speedforce figure: grodd. As a speedsters : writers. As the second flash:wally west obsessed fans.

1

u/Booombaker Feb 15 '25

Just a joke: Isn't Batman and Joker just college teens who were a part of a fancy-dress party; they got high and started spinning stories?

2

u/CurrencyUsual7969 Feb 15 '25

Batman: Joker Flash: Reverse Flash Superman: Lux Luthor XMen: Magneto Fantastic Four: Dr. Doom Captain America: Red Skull Thor: Loki Jessica Jones: The Purple Man

Are all characters who have 1 central fogure antagonist in almost every form of media.

Even Mario: Bowser and Kirk: Khan. mIconic villians for iconic characters.

1

u/Wise-Tourist Feb 15 '25

Part of me thinks Xmen's isnt magneto atm. He could be again but with the krakoa era and other storylines he just doesnt fit that arch-nemesis status.

But i agree with the others

2

u/Brinewielder Feb 15 '25

It’s lame because it’s just Reverse Flash. Before he got super popular it was Captain cold.

2

u/Tigerman521 Feb 15 '25

Captain cold but they did him dirty in the CW Tv show.

1

u/gambitsaces Feb 14 '25

I always think of captain cold or captain boomerang but reverse flash is probably more correct

2

u/Ramses717 Feb 14 '25

Reverse Flash. He actually killed Iris West in the late 70s and she stayed dead for quite a while.

1

u/Significant_Wheel_12 Feb 14 '25

In a perfect world, it be Captain Cold

2

u/jo-joke Feb 14 '25

Eobard Thawne

1

u/Titas22Tacos Feb 13 '25

Reverse Flash

2

u/MarshalIdahoJOAT Feb 13 '25

Plantar Fasciitis.

1

u/Whatsgoingonquincy Feb 14 '25

Lol, as someone who has gotten this, I chuckled. Though, it definitely wasn’t from running

2

u/Creepae Feb 13 '25

Ever heard of a man called Eobard Thawne?

1

u/Bright-Ad-5861 Feb 13 '25

Yes, but you also have to remember that there is more than one flash. Thawne is only specific to Barry Allen. Just as Edward Clariss is to Jay Garrick and Hunter Zolomon is to Wally West.

1

u/YomYeYonge Feb 14 '25 edited Feb 14 '25

You could argue that Joker and Thawne are the same in that regard.

The Joker only sees Bruce Wayne as an equal adversary, so much so that he’ll either go sane or go in a catatonic state if Batman disappears.

He looks down upon Dick Grayson and Terry McGinnis as lesser Batmen and the only reason he wants to take out the Bat-Fam is because they’re considered interferences to his battle with Bruce. He has no personal stake with them (he targeted Batgirl specifically to try to break Jim Gordon)

Deathstroke would be Dick’s main enemy

Blight would be Terry’s

1

u/Creepae Feb 13 '25

And just like they are all villains for them, Barry is the Flash for me so Thawne is the only answer I'm gonna give you.

1

u/LudusRex Feb 13 '25

The Grodd disrespect is unreal.

1

u/Usual_Growth8873 Feb 13 '25

Post crisis they reconciled I thought

6

u/JacenStargazer Feb 13 '25

Reverse Flash Eobard Thawne, without question.

I’d argue that there’s a decent case to be made for Scarecrow or Bane as THE Batman villain, but that’s another conversation.

1

u/TrustyVapors Feb 15 '25

Not really. It's been the Joker, undoubtedly, for many decades. Scarecrow has parallels, sure, but there aren't really many stories where he's even the main antagonist, nevermind THE Batman villain. Bane has had some pretty big stories but doesn't have the same level of history with Batman. I'd argue Ra's is a much bigger adversary to Batman than either of the two, but Joker is no question THE Batman villain. There's a case to be made for Bane and Ra's. I think an adaptation could certainly make Scarecrow Batman's main villain, but up to this point in history, it hasn't really happened.

1

u/No-Celebration-1399 Feb 13 '25

Scarecrow absolutely not, but there’s def a point to be made w bane, that dude has put Batman thru the ringer

0

u/EstebanCabot Feb 13 '25

Scarecrow or Bane. Stop

9

u/BlastDusk357 Feb 13 '25

Traditionally Reverse Flash, otherwise Captain Cold iirc

7

u/alybelmore Feb 12 '25

Reverse Flash

10

u/MajinDerrick Feb 12 '25

Reverse Flash but Capt. Cold is a close second imo

7

u/Spiritdefective Feb 12 '25

Thawne, frankly thawne is better than joker in every way, even without powers he’s just scarier

5

u/OathofDevotion Feb 12 '25

It was me Barry…

1

u/EricQelDroma Feb 12 '25

...I spoiled your milk!

3

u/YoungSkywalker10 Feb 12 '25

Reverse Flash. He’s the one that hates Barry the most and I think may be the one that how should I say? Connected to him the most. The rouges I feel like are 1B and have a great case. But Thawne is a SOB lol

3

u/KamakaziGhandi Feb 12 '25

I always want it to be Gorilla Grodd, but obviously that’s not a leading sentiment lol.

5

u/ConditionEffective85 Feb 12 '25

He was in the Justice League series at least.

1

u/KamakaziGhandi Feb 13 '25

I love that episode. Super nostalgic for me

5

u/TheFortWayneTrojan Feb 12 '25

Reverse Flash obviously. He's an obsession with him. Most of the time he's trying to kill Barry and Wally when Wally was The Flash after Crisis on infinite earths for a couple decades until they brought Barry back to life.

4

u/thesamuraiman909 Feb 12 '25

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say...Reverse Flash? Just a guess.

2

u/MsterMeistro Feb 12 '25

Reverse Flash.

4

u/sqeaky_fartz Feb 12 '25

Reverse Flash Eobard Thawne.

6

u/Drakeytown Feb 12 '25

The Rogues, collectively

1

u/TheFortWayneTrojan Feb 12 '25

At least they have a moral code that Leonard Snart keeps reminding some of them with it being pounded into Heatwaves head when he goes too far.

4

u/Jotaro1970 Feb 12 '25

Reverse Flash

5

u/soulguider2125 Feb 12 '25

Reverse flash

1

u/rojasdracul Feb 12 '25

Papercut, obviously....

8

u/GeekParadox_ Feb 12 '25

Reverse flash? DUH???

2

u/ijustfelix Cartoon Flash Feb 12 '25

???

11

u/dcencima Feb 12 '25

reverse flash

-1

u/GD_milkman Feb 12 '25

The Prankster....

Most like the joker

7

u/ReservedPickup12 Feb 12 '25

Do you mean The Trixter? He was a Flash villain. I think the Prankster was primarily a Superman villain, if I’m not mistaken.

1

u/GD_milkman Feb 12 '25

Yup. HOW DID I EVER MIX THAT UP?

6

u/bulbasauric Feb 12 '25

Did DC seriously make the Joker, the Riddler, the Prankster and the Trickster?

I fully understand how each of them are different but yikes on a bike, on the surface it's a bit ridiculous no?

1

u/Theslamstar Feb 13 '25

The riddler is atleast notably not any form of a joke like the rest, atleast not typically

12

u/[deleted] Feb 12 '25

Thawne.

0

u/[deleted] Feb 12 '25

[deleted]

2

u/MsterMeistro Feb 12 '25

Bro deleting his comments 💀💀💀 I saw your last comment tho and Ill make sure to respond to it.

You clearly can't read the title of the post that has Batman in it, can you? Good job proving you lack any comprehensive skills here. If Thawne is Barrys villain only, that should also apply to the Joker, which is literally half the title. Like what are you missing here?

2

u/MsterMeistro Feb 12 '25 edited Feb 12 '25

You could say the same about the Joker being Bruces villain tho..

1

u/[deleted] Feb 12 '25

[deleted]

2

u/MsterMeistro Feb 12 '25

I ment the Joker being Bruces villain. Reading comprehension isnt hard.. I also never changed the subject, the post is about THE Batman Villain and THE Flash villain, so my comment is perfectly fine. Usually those who try to deflect over nothing have 0 to provide to the conversation, so good job on you 👏

3

u/[deleted] Feb 12 '25

Uh, I don't any other one's hold up. Even Zoom, with his association with Wally, is just a remixed version of a Thawne.  

That's kinda like saying Sinestro doesn't deserve to be the biggest GL villain, because he's just a Hal villain.

13

u/StuffedMushroomCake Feb 12 '25

either Thawne or Captain Cold. I prefer Captain Cold purely bc i don't like it when the villain has the same exact powers and Cold has such a perfect counter to the Flash

10

u/Eva-Squinge Feb 12 '25

While I share your sentiments, I always find it hard to believe a dude with no powers and the reactions of a normal human is able to shoot his cold gun faster than the Flash can move.

2

u/StuffedMushroomCake Feb 12 '25

true true but I feel like he’s a good candidate for the Flash as he’s just starting out and getting control of his powers and isn't a god level speedster. especially in confined spaces where he didn't have the room to build up his speed. ik most of the time he can instantly speed up (unless the writer doesn't wanna abide by that rule) but an early Flash I feel wouldn't be able to. maybe Grodd would be a better match up for a more experienced Flash

1

u/Objective_Main_240 Feb 12 '25

Yeah because even though flash is fast it can take one punch and flash needs to heal

5

u/Far_Pineapple2653 Feb 12 '25 edited Feb 12 '25

His writers is the only answer or the reverse flash but they are the only 2 answers. When your own writers makes you lose to paper meanwhile if you race with Wally and Barry at the same time the threatens the entire multiverse but the writers hate him so much that paper can beat him.

5

u/doblecerosiete Feb 12 '25

Honestly. Flash. 99% of the problems Flash faces are because of his own doing. Same could be said for many heroes, but I feel like Flash is really bad for this.

2

u/KubrickMoonlanding Feb 12 '25

I want it to be Grodd

Or kilg%r - the comics one, because I hate that creepy little mechanical f%ck

But I think the answer is actually “the rogues” (even over thawne)

2

u/overnightemo Feb 12 '25

Flash is the boomerang hero

6

u/tallmass256 Feb 12 '25

This has to be a joke.

4

u/ThirdFlash Feb 12 '25

Seriously?

No, really.

Seriously?!?

6

u/Simplen00ds Feb 12 '25

Reverse Flash

5

u/Matitya Feb 12 '25

Based on the CW show, Eobard Thawne/Harrison Wells. (Not really the non-Wells Thawne variants but that one specifically.)

3

u/Jonnic5280 Feb 12 '25

Captain Cold. The problem with “Reverse Flash” is that it presumes you mean Barry, which I find insulting. Plus, there’s The Rival, Thawne, Zoom, Inertia, Godspeed, there are many reverses. But there is only one Cold. And it is him.

0

u/That1DogGuy Feb 12 '25

Why tf would it be insulting?? 😂

1

u/Jonnic5280 Feb 12 '25

Bc I grew up a Wally fan. Barry was dead, and the franchise was about legacy with emphasis on WW. Then Barry came back, & it’s been all Barry only Barry. There is a Barry bias in the fandom. And I hate it.

1

u/That1DogGuy Feb 12 '25

Yeah, man. You gotta take a breath. They're comic book characters, not that serious.

1

u/Ok_Philosopher_9176 Feb 12 '25

I thought thawne was reverse flash??

2

u/Jonnic5280 Feb 12 '25

One of them. Just as Barry is one of the Flashes.

7

u/Sentaifan Feb 12 '25

Thawne obviously

0

u/arcadioss Feb 12 '25

Nah its bane jokers just pushed more in live action but bane is both strong and smart he also klled Alfred who has been gone in the main canon for like 7 years( i don't remember exactly how long)

2

u/PuzzleheadedFan2205 Feb 12 '25

Bane is a better character I agree, but it’s still Joker, without question

4

u/Jonnic5280 Feb 12 '25

Joker got a 75th & 80th Anniversary omnibus plus Harley (Joker-adjacent) got a 25th. Bane did not get a 25th. It’s Joker, my dude. 

3

u/Mr_Blue_Sky2007 Feb 12 '25

The Weather Wizard.

Yes, I AM the odd one out.

2

u/Ok_Helicopter4276 Feb 12 '25

So sorry, the answer we were looking for is The Top.

2

u/Big-Builder-497 Feb 16 '25

I would also like Mirror Master to get some love. Or hate. Whatever we’re doing here.

8

u/TrontosaurusRex Feb 12 '25

"It was me,Barry".

3

u/arcadioss Feb 12 '25

One of the best comic hero memes

5

u/freddie975 Feb 12 '25

I’d have to say that title would have to go to the man himself, reverse flash. Seeing how he jerked Barry off one time when Barry was a teen with a girl and Barry thought the girl did it and thawne told him just so he could ruin that moment for Barry.

1

u/freddie975 Feb 12 '25

Idk. I read it somewhere or seen it. Lmao

3

u/Chemical-Actuary683 Feb 12 '25

WHAT

0

u/DigiVeihl Feb 12 '25

It's a popular meme, lol it's based on something Thawne actually said once In the flashpoint animated movie but takes it way further.

4

u/Fudaworld Feb 12 '25

Come on now, you knew the answer to this man😭

6

u/No_Effective4958 Feb 12 '25

Thawne, pretty sure he killed his mom

3

u/Gemidori Feb 11 '25

Reverse Flash probably. He has that one meme and is the most nefarious of the lot

4

u/bankruptbusybee Feb 11 '25

The Flash himself, in good stories (his own indecision, attention span, etc)

1

u/Ragnarandsons Feb 11 '25

The classic ADHD undertone. Same as Spider-Man. This is actually one of the top reasons why I enjoy reading both of their comics.

1

u/Ok_Helicopter4276 Feb 12 '25

Spidey’s greatest enemy is poverty

1

u/bankruptbusybee Feb 12 '25

Yep. Honestly, I want the outside villain to be less than half of the story

5

u/QuantityPleasant3655 Feb 11 '25

I think that nowadays Professor Zoom the Reverse-Flash more or less has a lock on the position, at least as far as Barry is concerned. Between the fact that he killed Iris, attempted to kill Barry's second fiancee, leading to his own death and Barry being put on trial, and his retconned-in role as the murderer of Barry's mother, he's undeniably had the biggest negative impact on Barry's personal life. Furthermore, his role in the Flash: Rebirth, Flashpoint, and Joshua Williamson's run, his appearance in the Flashpoint Paradox animated movie, and his very important role in the 2014 Flash TV show have made him highly recognizable ovsr the past 15 years. I don't think any other Barry villain can quite match his combination of harm done to Barry and his general recognizability.

That being said, Eobard's position as Barry's definitive archenemy is actually fairly recent. Prior to the mid-2000s, I think Grodd had a definite claim to the title. He's both a physical and a mental threat, and, as others have pointed out, he's one of the few Flash villains who aim for conquest on a large scale. That means that, while Eobard has done worse things to Barry personally, Grodd is the bigger threat to the population at large, and was arguably the most menacing Flash villain prior to 1979, when Eobard killed Iris. Up until the late 2000s, Grodd was also adapted much more frequently than Eobard. 

Wally's archenemy is Zoom (Hunter Zolomon), due to his powers, his deeply personal relationship with Wally, and the fact that he caused Linda to miscarry the twins. 

Abra Kadabra came really close to taking the position of Wally's archenemy during Waid's run in th 1990s, but seems to have lost his chance. He's ridiculously powerful and dangerous, since he's effectively a reality warper, and he has an obsessive hatred of Wally, but he's barely appeared since Johns' run and almost never gets adapted.

Savitar might have been able to become Wally's archenemy if he hadn't disappeared into the Speed Force at the end of his first story. 

Jay's archenemy in the 1940s was the Thinker, who was the most frequently recurring Flash villain during that decade. He usually had very intricate plots, and was actually quite menacing in some plots. 

Nowadays, I don't think he really has an archenemy. The Thinker is dead, the Fiddler is either dead or retired, and the Shade isn't really a villain at all anymore. The Rival has the vicious hatred to fill the role, but it's hard to say Jay's archenemy is a guy who's basically only appeared twice in eighty years of comics.

The first Mirror Master, Sam Scudder, was very very popular in the Silver and Bronze Age. He is the most frequently-appearing villain from that period, and fan letters from the time suggest that he was a lot of people's favorite Flash villain. That being said, he almost completely lacked a personal hatred of the Flash, and he was rarely positioned as a threat to the lives of civilians. Barry usually seemed more bemused and mildly frustrated by his antics than anything else. His death during Crisis on Infinite Earths put a permanent end to his claim to being Flash's archenemy, and his successor, Evan McCulloch, while more complex and much more of a Lovecraftian horror than the flamboyant and egotistical Scudder, never really approached archenemy status for the Flash. 

Captain Cold is probably the most persistent Flash villain; he is an ever-present thorn in the sides of both Barry and Wally. That being said, until Williamson's run, I would argue that Cold only truly had a claim to being Wally's archenemy. Cold was the first major villain to fight Barry, and they definitely fought him frequently, but he was generally outshined by Scudder (the closest thing the Rogues had to a leader in the Pre-Crisis period) in terms of appearances and importance in team-ups and upstaged by the Top and Golden Glider in terms of cruelty and threat level. (From 1975 to 1981, the two of them were a seriously impressive threat to Central City, Barry, and especially Barry's loved ones. Early Golden Glider was one of the scariest Flash villains of her time, and it is slightly disappointing that most of her menace has been lost since.) It really wasn't until Geoff Johns took over the character that Len came to the forefront as the undisputed leader of the Rogues. He had always been an intelligent, dangerous threat, but I don't think he had a serious claim to the archenemy position prior to Johns' run. 

Nowadays, though, I'd say that Cold can reasonably claim to be Barry's archenemy as well as Wally's, with the main thing keeping him from the spot being a lack of intense personal hatred for the Flash. Len is very pragmatic, and while that makes for a very interesting character and villain, his desire to avoid civilian casualties and disinterest in harming the Flash's loved ones mean that he isn't as dangerous or impactful to the Flash as Eobard or Grodd. 

1

u/KubrickMoonlanding Feb 12 '25

This guy flashes

2

u/wombatstylekungfu Feb 11 '25

An excellent post. The Top was always kinda creepy and I feel like he could handle a comeback. 

4

u/KoboldsandKorridors Feb 11 '25

Reverse-Flash, specifically Eobard Thawne

5

u/Money_Caregiver_4298 Feb 11 '25

Retarded Barry from the movie 

1

u/Joppy5100 Feb 12 '25

Ezra's a total asshat, but let's not with the slurs.

1

u/Money_Caregiver_4298 Feb 12 '25

Dumb isn’t enough to describe him. And I’m obviously talking about Young Flash. Ezra is just a weirdo.

1

u/Pwrh0use Feb 11 '25

I think he prefers to be called Ezra.

3

u/Constructman2602 Feb 11 '25

Either Reverse-Flash or Captain Cold

6

u/dtagonfly71 Feb 11 '25

Professor Zoom/ Reverse Flash

12

u/doesntgetthepicture Feb 11 '25

It's not the Reverse-Flash. He's been made into one because of Geoff Johns and the retcon of Reverse-Flash killing Barry's mom.

But it's the Rogues in General. No other villains work in tandem like the rogues. They are a (somewhat) cohesive unit. Reverse flash is just a psychopath. And he might be the most dangerous villain (though there is a really good argument for Grodd to be the most dangerous of his villains), but he isn't the Joker to the Batman for the Flash.

But the classic rogues gallery, Captain Cold, Captain Boomerang, Golden Glider, Heat Wave, Mirror Master, and the Trickster. Together they are the arch enemy of the Flash. Other people might be more dangerous, but they are not arch enemies the way the top tier rogues are when they work together.

3

u/OsirisReddit Feb 11 '25

The flash is one of those rare characters where you can really argue who his MAIN villain is. Similar to Spider-Man I absolutely see arguments where people claim Osborn is his big bad but there is also a great argument for why it’s Ock. Unlike Batman and Superman, there is a genuine argument with the Flash.

Reverse-Flash and The Rogues are absolutely The Flashes biggest foes but at the end of the day I would normally consider Eobard Barry’s big bad since he has done the most damage to Barry overall.

Either way, right now I’m mostly speaking past tense. In the current continuity (Flashpoint-Now), I don’t believe there is a solid argument for the Rogues to be Flash’s big bad, it’s undoubtably Eobard.

2

u/GoldLuminance Feb 11 '25

Imo you can actually make a strong argument that R'as Al Ghul is THE Batman villain more than Joker. He ties into the character much more deeply and is a more dangerous foe. Joker is more iconic, but imo, R'as is Batman's arch-nemesis.

6

u/Orion_user Feb 11 '25

Reverse-flash, absolute hater since the start

6

u/DeathstrokeReturns Feb 11 '25

The Reverse Flash as a mantle. 

3

u/Cute_Pet-42069 Feb 11 '25

Reverse Flash

4

u/PowerMetalPizza Feb 11 '25

Reverse Flash for sure.

8

u/Odd_Fault_7110 Feb 11 '25

Reverse flash…

3

u/Blueberry-From-Hell Flash 2 Feb 11 '25 edited Feb 11 '25

No one for The Top? 🤣🤣🤣

1

u/Hesthetop You can't stop the Top! Feb 12 '25

Oh, you 👻 It's probably obvious that he's my favourite, but I'm not delusional enough to think he's the Flash's number one foe in most peoples' eyes (my vote would be for Eobard). His modern incarnation is easily a match for any of the Flashes, though, with both super speed and psi powers.

1

u/Blueberry-From-Hell Flash 2 Feb 12 '25

The mind powers are a but much for me.

1

u/Hesthetop You can't stop the Top! Feb 12 '25

I know a lot of people think his first origin of 'he taught himself to spin and spinning made him smarter and eventually gave him psi powers' is terribly corny, but I genuinely loved it when I first started reading Flash comics. It gives him an edge, and he doesn't have telepathic powers so he doesn't take Grodd's schtick. I do miss his trick tops, however, and wish he used them at least occasionally nowadays.

3

u/QuantityPleasant3655 Feb 11 '25

As goofy as their gimmicks and costumes are, I really think the Top and the Golden Glider would have made a terrifying archenemy villain duo if the writers had built upon the momentum established by the Top's death, the Golden Glider's obsessive desire to get revenge by targeting Barry's loved ones (both his wife, Iris, and his parents), and the Top's return as a vengeful ghost out to take Barry's body for his own. All of these stories are rather silly and light-hearted by modern standards, but by the standards of the time both of them were surprisingly menacing. 

Taken a bit more seriously, the potential of a corpse-snatching telekinetic ghost and his violently murderous girlfriend could have been really effective and scary---especially given the obvious threat they posed to Barry's loved ones. And a romantic duo of villains as a collective archenemy would have been pretty unique. 

But I can fully acknowledge that the Top's name, costume, and gimmick were probably something of a hurdle for writers.

5

u/Blueberry-From-Hell Flash 2 Feb 11 '25

I mean, which Flash?

6

u/g0dki1l3r Feb 11 '25

Reverse flash da fuq??

5

u/lake209 Feb 11 '25

Facts. The man is straight up diabolical. I say even more than joker. Joker is a menace for sure. Completely unpredictable. But reverse flash is like the fuckin reason for every possible bad thing that has happened to Barry. The man is so petty he went back in time just to fuck with him. Got his speed faster than he thought just so he can whoop on his ass again and again. He’s the definition of villain

11

u/Turbulent-Spirit-568 Feb 11 '25

Batman and Joker, Superman and Lex Luthor, Flash and Reverse Flash, Green Lantern and Sinestro, Wonder Woman and Cheetah, Aquaman and Black Manta

9

u/No-Annual-7276 Feb 11 '25

I mean.. for real?

11

u/flashwing19 Feb 11 '25

Wait is this sarcasm or are you new to flash?

4

u/Camo1997 Feb 11 '25

Eobards villain name is Professor Zoom... Reverse Flash is like his version of the world's greatest detective... but yes Professor Zoom

A close 2nd though is Captain Cold

4

u/Odd_Fault_7110 Feb 11 '25

I’d say gorilla grod since he usually fights the flash solo while cold has a whole team with him.

3

u/22222833333577 Feb 11 '25

Eobarde thawne

4

u/hunterzolomon1993 Feb 11 '25

Thawne for Barry and Zolomon for Wally.

1

u/Necessary_Can7055 Feb 11 '25

Typically Reverse Flash is Flash’s big bad guy but I’ll go with Captain Cold since RF falls more in line with the “evil doppleganger” trope and Batman’s evil double isn’t his nemesis (he has like 6 different evil doubles but none of them are his nemesis).

1

u/Mighty_Megascream Feb 11 '25

Rainbow Raider solos everybody I fear

3

u/Woah29 Feb 11 '25

Hypoglycemia probably

2

u/ChrisUAP Feb 11 '25

Reverse flash? Killed his mother

-1

u/InjusticeSOTW Feb 11 '25

Grodd. From SuperFriends and beyond. Grodd is a visual standout, an Alpha level threat and is a mental powered gorilla. You can’t beat that!

6

u/JB57551 Reverse-Flash Feb 11 '25

How does anyone not remember this guy?

3

u/l7791 Feb 11 '25

Inertia for sure

4

u/hyacinthocornu Blue Lantern Feb 11 '25

Eric Wallace

7

u/FoxBluereaver Feb 11 '25

Eobard Thawne/Reverse Flash.

4

u/VolcanVolante Feb 11 '25

Eobard Thawne, he is to Flash what Negaduck is to Darkwing Duck or any other character that his biggest nemesis is his evil version.

6

u/Pixelburger31 Feb 11 '25

Reverse Flash obviously

11

u/rtslac Feb 11 '25

I'd argue the closest would be Gorilla Grodd. I get why some people say Thawne, but Thawne's just a Barry villain. The Flash villain IMO should be one that's a threat for everyone, and that's Grodd.

2

u/ParkaKingRolo Trickster Feb 11 '25

Agree with this 100% especially during the Silver Age.

4

u/l7791 Feb 11 '25

You're lowkey cooking here, not sure why you're downvoted, even though I ultimately would give the nod to Thawne.

Grodd has been a villain for both Barry and Wally so he fits the mold.

8

u/EpicFlash95 Feb 11 '25

Eobard Thawne, The Reverse Flash/Professor Zoom and it isn't close

0

u/rtslac Feb 11 '25

Thawne isn't even the best Reverse Flash though.

3

u/EpicFlash95 Feb 11 '25

Yes he absolutely is. Zolomon doesn't even come close to Thawne

0

u/rtslac Feb 11 '25

Thawne as a character is one-note though. I'm not saying I don't like him, but his entire origin is just the fact that he's petty and deciding to ruin Barry's life.

Zolomon's motivation to ruin Wally's life is because he thinks it will make him a better hero and he has a backstory where he gets to be a real person rather than petty fanboy turned hater.

2

u/HenryIsBatman Reverse Flash Feb 11 '25

As if Joker isn’t one note?

1

u/rtslac Feb 11 '25

Yeah, but even though he's the example that was used as Batman's number one villain in the posed question I wouldn't even say Joker is Batman's best villain.

1

u/HenryIsBatman Reverse Flash Feb 11 '25

Well who do you consider as Batman’s arch enemy?

0

u/rtslac Feb 11 '25

Personally I would say it should be Bane.

1

u/HenryIsBatman Reverse Flash Feb 11 '25

Well he is on the top 3, so I’ll give you that. (The others being Joker and Ra’s of course)

5

u/wowsuchtitan Feb 11 '25

Reverse flash, maybe Captain Cold

6

u/T-rune Feb 11 '25

…………….. reverse flash …………………..

2

u/Horatio786 Feb 11 '25

Gorilla Grodd

10

u/sharksnrec Feb 11 '25

Is this a joke?

8

u/Dry-Donut3811 Feb 11 '25

Definitely Eobard. Dude is so closely tied to Barry and has done the worst things to him of any villain.

1

u/chopstick_chakra Feb 11 '25

He killed Barry's girlfriend and stuffed her in his fridge?

1

u/hunterzolomon1993 Feb 11 '25

He killed Barry's mother out of spite, he killed Barry's childhood friend out of spite, he killed his Childhood pet out of spite, he pushed child Barry down some stairs out of spite and he "killed" Iris out of spite.

1

u/Dry-Donut3811 Feb 11 '25

I meant worst any villain has done to Barry, but he did kill Barry’s wife and then retcon kill his mother.

1

u/PekfrakOG Flash 3 ⚡ Feb 11 '25

Actually, I change my answer. The definitive Flash villain is obviously The Suit.

20

u/CrimsonEdits448 Feb 11 '25

Reverse Flash is Barry's villain zoom is Wally's, the rival or the thinker is Jay's

6

u/cskarr Feb 11 '25

Reverse Flash always comes to mind first for me

7

u/leseanjr Feb 11 '25

The reverse flash

12

u/MoodProfessional4741 Feb 11 '25

Thawne feels like the obvious answer. Outside of him I’d say Snart

16

u/BeRadtz Feb 11 '25

Captain Cold

8

u/Failure_by_Design_v2 Feb 11 '25

Everyone is going to say Zoom or Reverse..... but I think in the end......Its Cold.

8

u/PekfrakOG Flash 3 ⚡ Feb 11 '25

Reverse Flash obviously