In the film “The Flash,” the character Barry Allen, portrayed by Ezra Miller, is driven by the desire to bring his mother back to life and unravel the mystery of her murder, which serves as the catalyst for his journey as a crime lab technician and superhero. However, the film fails to address the identity of the killer or provide any explanation for the murder itself, leaving a significant plot hole in the story.
Despite the emotional significance of Barry’s relationship with his mother, the film neglects to explore the circumstances surrounding her death. Nora Allen is stabbed by an unknown assailant in their family kitchen while a young Barry is upstairs, and his father is away on a fateful trip to the grocery store. Barry’s father is wrongfully imprisoned for the crime and spends many years behind bars until the events of the climax allow Barry to prove his father’s innocence. However, the identity of the killer remains a mystery, leaving this crucial element unaddressed.
The film missed an opportunity to follow a well-established storyline from the comics, specifically the 2009 comic book series “Flash: Rebirth” written by Geoff Johns. In that storyline, Nora Allen is killed by Barry’s arch-nemesis, Eobard Thawne, also known as Professor Zoom or Reverse Flash. By incorporating this established narrative, the film could have provided a satisfying resolution to the mystery surrounding Nora’s murder and connected it to the larger conflict between Barry and his nemesis.
The omission of the killer’s identity and motives in “The Flash” leaves a significant gap in the plot, especially considering the central role Nora’s murder plays in Barry’s character development.