The Flash is the fastest superhero in the DC Universe, but a little-known fact about his speed is never seen in any adaptation of the character.
DC's Flash is the fastest superhero in the universe, but an oft-overlooked fact about his sensational speed is rarely seen or even mentioned in adaptations of the character. Wally West (and the other Flashes Barry Allen and Jay Garrick) obtain their speed by tapping into the Speed Force, an otherworldly dimension that allows speedsters to bend and break the laws of physics entirely while running faster than sound (and even faster than light). But throwing physics by the wayside makes for interesting side-effects when it comes to simple tasks - like the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other.
The Flash has far more techniques at his disposal than simply running forward. He can phase through walls by vibrating at different frequencies (and can even cross dimensions in this fashion) and he can move his arms to create tornados on the ground. He can even create the famous Infinite Mass Punch: a devastating physical attack in which the Flash runs just under the speed of light and thus his punch increases in force thanks to the Laws of Relativity. But the Flash can use his powers not only to attack, but to simply run great distances - while barely touching the ground.
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Being the fastest man alive, the Flash has an immensely long stride, and he takes far fewer steps while running than the average human being. In JLA Confidential: New Maps of Hell #1, the Flash - here Wally West - explains that he only takes four steps to travel from one location in the city to another to meet with Iris West. Flash travels so fast that it takes him four steps to cross the city - a logical extension of traveling at incredible speeds, and yet a fact that pretty much every adaptation is forced to ignore.
Every Flash adaptation, from the Flash 2014 television show to Ezra Miller's portrayal in the DCEU, has avoided demonstrating this fact of Flash's speed, instead picturing him running like a regular athlete. This is a necessary compromise, since adopting the more realistic running style would be far less compelling on camera, and yet one that doesn't make much sense when considered. The faster a person is running, the longer their strides, and Flash can travel across the city in the blink of an eye. Taking hundreds of steps would imply he's effectively shuffling his feet rather than running full pelt. Given the speed at which he moves, it makes sense that Flash's feet would hardly ever touch down on the same street twice - at his top speed, they might not even land within the same state.
There are many elements of the Flash's powers that are nigh-impossible to depict without completely losing the audience. From his ability to run through walls to traveling through time itself, the Flash is one of the most powerful characters in the DC Universe, and can only realistically be stopped by another speedster or a weapon specifically designed to counter his abilities. Nevertheless, Flash's powers are always visually interesting, and the mechanics even more so.
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