Warning: Spoilers for The Flash #14The Flash has been a shared mantle in DC lore for years now, as Barry Allen and Wally West take on different roles under the same title. Wally handles his own adventures, while Barry maps the multiverse with the Justice League. Now, in a massive upheaval to the Flash family's structure, there's only one Fastest Man Alive. Wally West has officially dethroned Barry as DC's main Flash in a change that's been a long time coming.

In The Flash #14 by Simon Spurrier, Vasco Georgiev, Matt Herms, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, Wally West's Flash reports for duty as a member of the newly reformed Justice League. A mysterious source has sent a message to the Flash, and Wally initially brushes this off and suggests that it's intended for Barry Allen instead of him, since he's used to Barry being above him. Then, Wally re that Barry isn't the Flash anymore, so he's now the only Flash in DC lore.

Recent changes to DC's status quo have led to Barry stepping down as the Flash, which makes Wally West the only Flash within the main continuity at long last. With Wally as the singular Flash after all these years, the Flash family - and the DC Universe in general - will never be the same.

Wally West Is Officially DC's One and Only Flash After Years of Sharing the Name

After Barry Allen Loses His Powers, Wally West Runs Alone

For the past few years, the DC Universe has had two Flashes running alongside each other: Barry loses his powers after shutting off Amanda Waller's transmatter machine that links Earth to the Multiverse. Now, Barry can no longer access his super-speed, meaning he can't be the Flash anymore.

To see the full story leading up to Barry Allen's power loss, check out the Absolute Power miniseries by Mark Waid, Dan Mora, Alejandro Sánchez, and Ariana Maher, available now from DC Comics.

Here, in The Flash #14, the fallout of this massive shift to Flash lore is explored in-depth. Wally attends Barry's retirement party as guilt weighs down on him. While Barry has been left powerless in gives Wally his Flash ring to symbolize his ing of the torch to Wally. Hopefully, this change will be more permanent than it was when Wally first became the Flash.

Wally West Finally Becomes the Main Flash Again Decades After His Original Flash Debut

In 1987, Wally First Became the Flash Following Barry Allen's Death

While Wally West becoming the main Flash again is noteworthy, this doesn't mark the first time he's ever been the only acting Flash in DC lore. In 1985's Crisis on Infinite Earths #8 by Marv Wolfman, George Pérez, Jerry Ordway, Anthony Tollin, and John Costanza, fastest Flash of all time.

Wally's run as the Flash spanned from 1987 to 2007, meaning he was DC's primary Flash for twenty years. In that time, he achieved plenty of impressive feats, both in-universe and beyond. animated Justice League Unlimited series, making him the Flash that young fans grew up with in the early 2000s. Of course, this period didn't last, and Wally West's downfall soon commenced.

The Flash's Journey Back to the Spotlight Took a Dark Turn

Wally West's Fall From Grace Kept Him From Taking Back the Flash Mantle

In 2008, Wally West's tenure as the only Flash sped to a crashing halt. Final Crisis by Grant Morrison and J.G. Jones brought Barry back to life, and he became a second Flash beside Wally. Wally's status quo then took a turn for the worse with DC's controversial New 52 reboot in 2011. Barry Allen officially became the single Flash in DC lore as Wally West was erased from continuity altogether. Luckily, this only lasted for five years before DC's Rebirth initiative brought him back to the land of the living. The Flash wasn't out of the woods just yet, though.

Wally West made his long-awaited return to DC's canon in 2016's DC Universe: Rebirth #1 by Geoff Johns, Gary Frank, Nick J. Napolitano, Brad Anderson, Ethan Van Sciver, Ivan Reis, Hi-Fi, and Joe Prado.

Wally's Flash came back to DC continuity following his disappearance, but his family didn't return alongside him. His wife, Heroes in Crisis event by Tom King and Clay Mann, Wally's grief caused his powers to explode out of him and murder fellow superheroes. With blood on his hands and Barry already racing around as the Flash, Wally West seemed like he would never return to the top.

Wally West's Flash Is Back and Better Than Ever After Years of Hardship

The Flash Enters His Greatest Era Yet with DC's ALL IN Initiative

Today, Wally West is in a much better place than he's been in the past decade. His Wally's family has been restored after years of being kept out of his reach. The universe has tried to keep Wally West from being the Flash, but he's been through enough struggles that it's about time he got rewarded for a change. With Barry out of the picture for the time being, Wally can pick up where he left off as the Scarlet Speedster.

Wally West has already hit the ground running with his new era as the Flash.

Barry Allen's era as the Flash has come to an end, and Wally West has already hit the ground running with his new era as the Flash. Not only is he continuing to lead his own solo series, but he's also headlining the Wally will originate the Flash mantle instead of his usual predecessors. DC is going All In with Wally West, and his future is brighter than ever as the main - and only - Flash.

The Flash #14 is available now from DC Comics.