Thursday, December 8, 2011

The Trial as a Flashpoint #4

The trial of Barry Allen's life wasn't just in court, where he was to be tried for the murder of Eobard Thawne, the Reverse-Flash, but in the court of popular opinion, thanks not only to his infamous Rogues Gallery, but another, far more insidious foe, Gorilla Grodd.

While the Rogues staged a series of public pranks, notably led by the Pied Piper, Grodd took things to the next level, actively manipulating citizens on a wide scale, from the mayor of Central City to random pedestrians, runaway kids, respected businessmen, and church-going grannies into voicing opinions and otherwise denouncing the good name of the Flash.

None of them had any choice, since Grodd used his incredible mental abilities against them, and wiped their minds of any memories regarding their subsequent actions.

For years Grodd, who came from a tribe of highly evolved apes hidden deep in the heart of Africa, had tried to demonstrate his superiority to the race of men by crafting elaborate schemes of world domination, and each time he was thwarted by Barry, defeated like a common villain by a man whose only notable ability was to run really fast.

It vexed Grodd to no end. he would have been happy to damage the reputation of the Flash even if it weren't already on the verge of losing all credibility.

The Rogues somehow managed to be worse. In addition to their personal campaign, they recruited a man by the name of Duncan Ratchet, a mentally challenged individual with the intellectual capacity of a six-year-old, and gave him a technologically advanced suit of armor, transforming him into Big Sir.

Big Sir's only motivations were the same as Duncan Ratchet's, so once again the Rogues had to turn to manipulation, placing the gentle giant into a situation where he would view the Flash as an enemy.

The results, even in these circumstances, were catastrophic for Barry.

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