DC’s Most Tragic Love Story Is the One The Flash Wants You to Forget

Romantic drama is a core part of superhero stories. And while Spider-Man has, without a doubt, the worst luck with love, Barry Allen, the second Flash, may not be too far behind. The Scarlet Speedster of DC Comics has one of the best known romances in all of comics, but there is another love in his life that has been forgotten.

While she isn't his only love, Iris West is the partner that is most connected to Barry Allen. But there was a time when Barry and Iris weren't together, and the reason they were separated played a major role in what ended the next big love in Barry's life. And, because this is Barry Allen, you can be sure Reverse-Flash is involved in it all.

How Reverse-Flash Put Barry Allen Back In The Dating Scene

Unlike any of the other heroes of the DC Universe at the time, Barry Allen actually took the big step and married his love interest. The West-Allen wedding happened in Flash vol. 1 #165. Shockingly, it wouldn't be until #174 that Barry would tell Iris that he's Flash. At least Superman had the courage to tell Lois his secret identity before they got hitched.

Still, Iris didn't hold it against Barry, and the two continued to live in wedded bliss until Flash vol. 1 #275 when Iris was murdered. At first, Flash believed that Clive Yorkin had killed his wife, but in time the truth was revealed. Eobard Thawne, the Reverse-Flash, had vibrated his fingers into Iris's head, scrambling her brain.

After this, Barry Allen mourned for some time before putting himself back out there. Barry dated a few women, including Zatanna, but soon enough, he met the second love of his life: Fiona Webb.

Flash Finds New Love At Utopia Towers

Fiona Webb moved into the Utopia Towers where she met Barry Allen, a man she was certain was going to kill her. She reported Allen to the police, claiming that he was actually criminal mastermind Ross Malverk. In her previous life as Beverly Lewis, Webb had worked for Malverk, but testified against him. In return, she was put into witness protection and given a much cooler name.

Sure enough, Barry Allen was not Ross Malverk, though they did look shockingly alike. Still, Malverk did have it out for Fiona, and sent an assassin after her. Flash, being Flash, stopped the assassin with little effort, and Fiona settled in, making friends with Barry Allen. They even dated a little, but it was not serious.

Fiona then worked for, and fell in love with, Senator Creed Phillips. This love was short lived, as Phillips soon found himself on the wrong side of Central City's new murderous vigilante Eradicator and turned into protoplasm. Making things all the more confusing, it turned out that Senator Philips was the Eradicator.

With her boss/lover dead at his own hands, Fiona finally admitted to Barry Allen that she loved him. And he admitted he felt the same. The two made it official and set a wedding date. They would never make it down the alter.

Reverse-Flash Brings The Worst Wedding Gift: Attempted Murder

Every Flash fan knows that the one thing Reverse-Flash won't allow is for Barry Allen to be happy. Obsessed with Flash, Eobard Thawne has made being petty into an art form, going so far as to travel through time making sure Barry Allen's life was always terrible. This seemed to culminate in killing Iris West, but when Barry rediscovered the joy of love with Fiona Webb, Reverse-Flash couldn't allow it.

Having learned nothing from his marriage to Iris, Barry never told Fiona that he was Flash. In the days leading up to their wedding, Barry found himself being the target of multiple murder attempts. Then, on the day of their wedding, Barry Allen was nowhere to be seen, and Fiona starts to think she's been ditched at the altar.

What Fiona didn't know was that as she waited for Barry Allen at the chapel, her fiancé was busy fighting Reverse-Flash in a race across the planet. Reverse-Flash soon reveals his plan to kill Fiona Webb, once again denying his archnemesis even an inkling of happiness. Flash chases Reverse-Flash to the chapel, where a crying Fiona Webb stands outside.

Exhausted but unwilling to give in, Flash packs in one last burst of speed and catches up to Reverse-Flash just as the villain is about to kill his bride to be. Flash grabs Thawne from behind, putting him in a headlock at nearly the speed of light. Without meaning to, Flash snaps Reverse-Flash's neck, killing him.

The Fall Of Fiona Webb

The events of her wedding day were too much for Fiona Webb, and she suffered a nervous breakdown. And while she recovered for a time, the trial of the Flash, and the revelation that the Scarlet Speedster was actually her fiancé, Barry Allen, caused her to relapse. That trial ended with the revelation that Iris West was, in fact, not dead and had been living in the future.

Iris and Barry Allen went to live in the future, but their blissful new life was cut short when the Crisis on Infinite Earths began and Flash died saving the remaining universes. As for Fiona Webb, aside from few brief flashback appearances, she has never been seen again.

In fact, DC Comics has all but erased Fiona Webb from existence. Not only has she barely been mentioned since 1985, her story isn't even available on DC Universe Infinite or any digital platform. Even Flash vol. #324, the issue where Flash kills Reverse-Flash, is missing.

It is almost impossible to believe that DC Comics has decided to hide this very important piece of Flash history from public view. While this era of Flash comics isn't as beloved as some others, it still represents a major part of Barry Allen's life, and fans should have the ability to read these tales.