When Flash went back in time to save his mom, he caused the DCU a lot of pain and agony. Find out the ten worst things about the Flashpoint timeline.

One of the worst things to ever happen to the DC Universe falls squarely on the shoulders of the Flash. In a desperate bid to save his mother’s life, Barry Allen went back in time to stop her murder at the hands of the Reverse-Flash. However, in doing so, the Scarlet Speedster caused a diverging timeline known as the Flashpoint.

The world of Flashpoint was explored in a five-issue event, as well as a swath of one-shots and miniseries. These tie-ins helped flesh out the new DCU and show how radically different it was from what fans were familiar with. Read on to discover some of the worst things the Flash caused with his hasty decision.

10 Framed Animal Man for Murder

Any DC fan who knows anything about Animal Man knows he loves his family. But Flashpoint: Legion of Doom #2 reveals that in the Flashpoint world, Bernhard ‘Buddy’ Baker is a prisoner at the Hall of Doom, a penitentiary for superhuman criminals. Even worse, Buddy is there for the supposed murder of his entire family, but the rumor is Animal Man is innocent. Unfortunately, Baker never gets to prove his innocence as the Flash Rogue Heatwave kills him in a fight. Barry’s timeline alterations somehow put a perfectly innocent and devoted hero through absolute hell.

9 Made Captain Cold a 'Hero'

Barry Allen’s changes made it so he never became the Flash. And in his absence, his longtime nemesis, Captain Cold, rose to become Central City’s greatest protector. Flashpoint: Citizen Cold sees Snart taking care of crime in Flash’s city. And while the people love Cold (despite his tendency to murder his villains), they don’t know he is secretly a criminal. Wally West was the first to discover this fact, and he paid for it with his life when Snart caught up to him. Barry’s always kept Central City safe, but in the Flashpoint world, he allowed someone as awful as Cold become its defender.

8 Paralyzed Catwoman

The ripple effect caused by Flash’s time travel changed events in the DCU’s history but kept some things surprisingly similar. For example, Flashpoint: Batman – Knight of Vengeance #2 reveals that Gotham still has an Oracle despite not having a Bat-Family. But in Barbara Gordon’s place, the position is filled by Selina Kyle. And just like Barbara Gordon, the Joker shot and paralyzed Selina. But unlike Barbara, this Catwoman lost the use of her legs and arms and spends most of her time as an information broker for Gotham City PD.

7 Made Green Arrow Sell Out

Despite Oliver Queen abandoning his ways in the main DC continuity, Flashpoint saw the hero embrace big business wholeheartedly. Flashpoint: Green Arrow Industries showed what Oliver Queen would have become had he never seen the light and gotten out of war-profiteering. This version of Queen leads a company that recovers supervillain technology and turns them into weapons for the military. He even leads a private military force that tests his equipment and acts as overzealous bodyguards. Barry’s creation of the Flashpoint turned Oliver into a ruthless, hyper-capitalist, everything the real Green Arrow hates.

6 Murdered One-Half of Firestorm

Millions of people died in the Flashpoint reality, but some deaths are far more gruesome than others. Flashpoint: Legion of Doom #1 sees the Flash Rogue Heatwave acting much more unhinged than ever. Heatwave tracks down the nuclear hero Firestorm and waits for them to split into Jason Rusch and Ronnie Raymond. Before the two know what hit them, Heatwave burns Jason to death and demands that Ronnie make Heatwave the second half of Firestorm. Thankfully, Cyborg arrests the Rogue, but he's unfortunately too late to save Jason.

5 Destroyed Superman's Family

Many of Barry’s allies suffered in the Flashpoint reality. Instead of being found and adopted by the Kents, Kal-El was found by the government and raised in a secret facility as ‘Subject One’. Kal was part of Project Superman, a program that also took custody of Krypto and possibly Kal’s cousin, Kara. Though Kal bonds with Krypto, his dog is killed after Krypto is telepathically controlled to maul a young Lex Luthor. Not only does Kal-El grow up isolated from the world, he never gets a chance to know the family he was meant to have.

4 Allowed the Blackest Night to Continue

The Blackest Night was a prophecy that warned Nekron, the Lord of the Unliving, would launch an assault on the universe with the creation of a Black Lantern Corps. While the DCU heroes stopped Nekron’s invasion, the Flashpoint timeline lacked the heroes needed to do so, especially Hal Jordan, who never got his Green Lantern ring in this world. As such, Flashpoint: Abin Sur the Green Lantern #1 reveals Nekron and the rest of his Black Lanterns continue their war, killing the entire population of over 200 sectors of space. When Barry went back in time, he didn’t just endanger the world; he endangered the whole universe.

3 Killed Bruce Wayne and Made His Parents Batman and Joker

The darkest night in Crime Alley got even darker in the Flashpoint world. Flashbacks in Flashpoint: Batman – Knight of Vengeance #3 reveal that instead of Thomas and Martha Wayne getting gunned down by Joe Chill, it was Bruce Wayne that was murdered. This diversion from the norm radically changed Martha and Thomas forever. Bruce’s father became a hardened, bitter Batman, while Bruce’s mother lost her mind and adopted the identity of the Joker. Gotham has never been perfect, but the death of Bruce arguably gave the city a much worse version of Batman and the Joker.

2 Drove Atlantis and Themyscira to War

Barry also turned friends into enemies thanks to his desire to save his mom. In the Flashpoint timeline, the Amazons and Atlanteans are at war after their two leaders are manipulated into a devastating confrontation. Flashpoint: Emperor Aquaman and Flashpoint: Wonder Woman and the Furies details the bitter history between the two, including Diana's infamous decapitation of Aquaman's wife, Mera. The powerful armies and the war they engage in drastically affect the world, especially when Aquaman drowned Europe as part of their battles, killing millions of innocent people.

1 Gave Superman a Horrifying New Purpose

Of all the darker changes caused by the Flashpoint, Flash’s alteration to Superman’s background is absolutely jaw-dropping. Flashpoint Beyond #3 saw Kal-El, now calling himself Super-Man, recruiting Thomas Wayne for help after he discovers crystals intended to educate Kal about Krypton. In this world, Kal wasn’t sent to Earth to simply live among its people or be a savior. Instead, he's meant prepare the world for an invasion of Kryptonians and make it the new home of Krypton's empire. Though Super-Man opposes his father's wishes, Flashpoint changed the hero’s iconic origin to make him an alien conqueror.

Barry Allen may have had good intentions when he tried to save his mother. But as these ten events show, the Flash made things in the DC Universe unbelievably worse when he created the Flashpoint.