Warning: The following contains SPOILERS for The Flash season 9, episode 9, "It's My Part and I'll Die If I Want To."A disturbing aspect of speedster powers was revealed through a shocking fact about the baby Nora West-Allen in The Flash season 9. The birth of Iris and Barry's first child has been teased repeatedly since the two first got married. The blessed event was finally confirmed to be approaching in The Flash season 9, but, as is typical for The Flash family, the experience has been anything but normal.

The events of The Flash season 9 episode 9, "It's My Party and I'll Die If I Want To," placed all of Team Flash in danger, as Barry Allen's surprise birthday party was crashed by the villain Bloodwork, who had recently escaped ARGUS custody. A brilliant physician and expert on hematology, Bloodwork had the power to manipulate blood in any form and to control the bodies of anyone who had ingested his own altered blood cells. Bloodwork's efforts to corrupt Barry Allen were thwarted by Team Flash in The Flash season 6, prompting Bloodwork to take out the whole team this time by sneaking his blood into a champagne toast.

Related: The Flash Season 9 Is Running Out Of Time To Explain 3 Mysteries

The Flash’s Nora Has Superspeed In The Womb

Bloodwork's plan failed in one respect, which he found fascinating as a scientist, even as he cursed the setback. While his efforts to take control of Team Flash were mostly successful, Iris West-Allen was somehow able to resist him. Bloodwork theorized this was due to Iris sharing her unborn baby Nora's healing factor, which was slowing Bloodwork's ability to control her body and mind, even as Iris shared her oxygen with the embryo Nora. This gave Iris the time she needed to get to safety in the STAR Labs Time Vault and avoid the fighting which followed. It also raised some disturbing questions about Nora's powers.

Why Nora’s PreNatal Powers Are A Problem

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While it is unclear just how long Iris has been pregnant in The Flash season 9 episode 9, "It's My Party and I'll Die If I Want To," she wasn't beginning to show obvious physical signs of pregnancy. The idea that baby Nora already has speedster powers when she is still in the embryonic stage of development raises some frightening questions regarding Iris' ability to safely bring Nora to term. While it is unlikely that Nora would have the focus as an infant to phase through her mother's body, there is a possibility she could reflexively kick Iris thousands of times in a second.

The problems posed by metahuman pregnancy were pondered by legendary science fiction author Larry Niven in the 1969 essay Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex. While Niven focused upon the problems posed by Superman having children with Lois Lane, most of the same issues apply to Barry Allen and Iris West-Allen in The Flash. Chief among these was the health and safety of the mother should an infant develop prenatal powers.

Thankfully, the fact that Iris is sharing Nora's powers while she is pregnant addresses the same concerns raised by the revelation in The Flash season 9 that Nora already has speedster powers while in utero. Beyond saving her mother from Bloodwork's influence, Nora is presumably helping her mother heal from any rapid kicks she might experience. It seems that in addition to inheriting her father's powers, Nora has also inherited his heroic nature, protecting her mother even before she is born.

The Flash season 9 continues on The CW on Wednesdays.

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