Warning: contains spoilers for The Flash #774!

Wally West just proved that, as the Flash, he's a fantastic mentor to the next generation of speedsters, but he's still learning the ropes when it comes to being a father and keeping his kids out of trouble. Thankfully, his daughter Irey proves a quick study, even without the powers she inherited from her famously fast father, and doesn't need his help to come up with a plan to save the day.

The action of The Flash #774 finds Wally and Irey slowing down for an evening, planning to attend their first father-daughter dance together. Unfortunately, their plans for the evening change when they discover most of the populace of Central City has fallen asleep, thanks to a new Flash villain who dubs himself Dr. Nightmare. Luckily, the gas he utilizes to put the city to sleep doesn't fully affect speedsters like Wally and Irey. Their connection to the Speed Force keeps them awake, but they are stuck moving at normal speed.

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Naturally, as a father, Wally's first instinct is to try and keep Irey out of harm's way. Unfortunately, Irey has taken his words on how to be a hero to heart and repeats his words back to him, saying that he has repeatedly told her there is more to being a hero than having powers, and that he wanted to teach her that lesson. Unable to argue with himself, Wally takes Irey with him into the fight.

Flash 774

There is some deep irony in seeing Wally West, who got into the hero business at a young age as the first Kid Flash, being forced to corral a daughter who is as stubborn and impatient as he was. Thankfully, Irey also proves to be as smart as her old man, quickly figuring out the source of Dr. Nightmare's power to make nightmares come to life is the helmet he put on other people. She also comes up with a bold plan to turn the tables on Dr. Nightmare by stealing the helmet and using it to bring her own heroic dreams to life, despite her dad's worries that using the helmet might be too dangerous.

In the end, Dr. Nightmare is defeated, and Wally and Irey finally get to dance together in Paris, with their powers restored. The learning experience proves that Irey is an apt pupil ready for the responsibilities of being a superhero and that Wally West is quite the teacher, even when he doesn't mean to be. (In one cute moment, when Wally asks Irey how she got to be so brave, and she replies "From watching you.") However, while he may be a great mentor, the Flash is equally inept when it comes to fulfilling his responsibilities as a father and keeping his daughter out of danger - ultimately, Wally West will always struggle to keep his family safe, since he spends every day teaching them the merits of running towards danger to help others.

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