The Flash racing against Superman is a fight that went down in history as one of the best fights in the DCU, but there is one hero that Barry has yet to face that would provide a unique challenge. As Barry’s connection to the Speed Force grew, so did his ability to use his speed for things other than just running really fast. One such way his speed affects him is the rate at which he metabolizes food, how fast he reads, and even how fast he thinks.
The Speed Force does more than just allow Barry to process things faster, it also allows him to become something similar to a psychic. Since he can process and calculate at the speed of light, he can use that to take a glimpse into the future and predict the outcome of a fight or an event by using the simple process of elimination. This ability is reminiscent of the hero Midnighter’s powers and the ability he has to predict outcomes.
The Flash's Speed Force Powers Would Make A Match Against Midnighter's Fight Computer An Excellent Challenge.
Midnighter’s ability to predict the future is caused by the supercomputer in his brain that calculates every possible move his opponent could make and every outcome of a situation. In a way, he also has super speed, which combined makes for a powerful force of nature that combats even the best of DC's heroes. Midnighter’s super speed is not the traditional speed that all Speed Force users have, but instead, it works in short, one-second bursts. In order for this ability to be effective, he has to combine the speed with the calculations made by the computer in his head to deliver a finishing blow.
The best example of Midnighter’s super speed is in Midnighter #9 by Steve Orlando, Hugo Petras, Romulo Fajardo Jr., Tom Napolitano, and Bobbie Chase. When faced with a speedster, he is able to take him out by predicting where he would be in one second and taking out his leg at the exact right angle. By taking away his ability to run, Midnighter walked away victorious and proved he could take down speedsters. When put up against the Flash, the hero could prove to be a very dangerous foe and provide a new challenge for Barry. While both of them have very similar powers with their super speed and the ability to calculate outcomes, the way they work is entirely different from one another.
However, the two heroes would be very evenly matched and would prove to be a more difficult challenge than either of them has had to face before. While Midnighter has the computer to produce his calculations, the Flash is left to sift through his predictions and make them himself based on his intellect. Compared to Midnighter, Barry’s ability to predict outcomes renders his body vulnerable while his mind works faster than time to predict far into the future through certain strings of events.
Since both of these heroes use their abilities so differently, a fight between them would be an interesting clash of ideas. Barry Allen has raced against and fought many heroes, but his best challenge would be against a darker hero. Now that the Flash has won against Superman, it’s time for his next challenge to present itself in Midnighter.