| Henry Allen | |
|---|---|
| |
| Biological Information | |
| Species | Human |
| Status | Alive |
| Universe Information | |
| Home universe | Earth-2014 |
| General Information | |
| Occupation | Doctor (formerly) |
| Family | Bartholomew Allen (father; deceased) Judy Allen (mother;deceased) Nora Allen (wife; deceased) Barry Allen (son) |
| Source | |
Henry Allen is the husband of the late Nora Allen and the father of Barry Allen/The Flash. After being framed for the murder of his wife (actually committed by the Reverse-Flash) he was incarcerated in Iron Hights.
Biography[]
Henry Bartholomew's father was a soldier stationed in Vietnam who impregnated his mother, Judy, while on leave. Upon discovering the pregnancy, he applied for a marriage license, which was granted. He had to leave, but eventually returned to America and chose his son's name. In college he studied medicine, and met and fell in love with Nora Thompson and the two became a couple.
After graduation Henry found himself undecided whether to dedicate himself to medicine or research, while Nora had to decide whether to become a real estate agent or attempt a university career. Henry eventually opted for medicine, and Nora decided to put aside her desire to travel to stay with him and become a real estate agent. Shortly thereafter she discovered she was pregnant and so she and Henry married.
Unfortunately, Henry's father and mother never met their grandson, because they died shortly before his birth in a car accident. Henry was devastated and decided to name his son after his father, however as the grief was still too fresh, he chose to use the diminutive "Barry" for him rather than "Bart" as for his father.
Married life[]
The Allens were a healthy and happy family. In time Barry befriended the neighbors daughter, Iris West and Nora and Henry became friends with Joe West. However, Henry as a doctor soon noticed that Joe's wife Francine had drug addiction problems and warned his friend about her. The latter tried to help his wife, but failed and when due to her addiction, Iris became hurt by her, he kicked her out of the house and asked for her divorce.
Henry understood that his friend's choice had been a painful but inevitable one and he didn't get involved in Joe's decision to make Iris believe that Francine was dead. Over time, Henry, Nora and Joe realized that Barry had a crush on Iris, while the latter never understood it.
Arrest[]
The Allens' life changed forever when one night strange streaks of light entered the house; Henry's first concern was for his son who suddenly vanished; shortly after he found Nora killed by the yellow trail. Eobard Thawne had in fact gone back in time to kill Barry as a child, but an adult version of the latter had discovered what his nemesis was planning and had in turn gone back in time and saved his younger alter-ego. Enraged, Thawne decided to achieve his goal differently and killed Nora, causing Henry to be blamed.
Henry is arrested.
Unfortunately, Thawne's plan worked perfectly: Joe obviously did not believe Barry's justifications for his father and his friend's declarations of innocence and arrested him.
Henry asked Joe not to let Barry come to see him because he didn't want him to see him in prison, but in the end Barry managed to go anyway. Henry told him that it was true that he didn't want to see him, even though he thought about him every day, but Barry swore to him that he was sure that he was innocent and that he would free him. After this experience he accepted Joe as his new guardian. At one point while in prison, Henry earned the respect of another inmate after performing an impromptu surgery for a ruptured appendix when there were no doctors in prison, saving his life.
Barry came to visit him from time to time, but Joe never came, which embittered Henry even though he was grateful to him since, thanks to him, Barry had not ended up in an orphanage.
"Henry was surprised. When they told him he had a visitor he thought it was Barry, but the boy in front of him was a complete stranger".
Hal: Good morning. My name is Hal Jordan, I'm a friend of Barry's.
Henry: Is Barry okay?
Hal: Yes, he just... he would like you to be there for the graduation, but since you can't... I thought you could write him a letter or something and I could give it to him.
Henry: Oh... sure. I'd love that. Barry is lucky to have a caring friend like you. Your parents must be proud of you.
Hal: My father died... I can understand Barry. He always helped me with my studies and everything... I want to be the one to do something important for him for once.
Shortly before Barry's graduation, a boy named Hal Jordan, came to visit Henry. Hal was a classmate and friend of Barry and had been the only one who believed the Man in Yellow's story. Hal said that Barry was sorry that Henry couldn't be at the graduation and so he proposed to give him a letter or something. Henry then wrote it down and gave it to Hal, telling him that he was happy that his son had made a friend like him and that his parents should be proud to have such a son. Hal replied that his father had died and that for this reason he wanted Barry to have his there somehow and that Barry had helped him a lot with his studies, while he had at most managed to get him out a little and that he wanted do at least one important thing for him, since he deserved it. Ironically this led to Henry having a higher opinion of Hal than Joe and Iris.
Over the years, Barry continued to visit his father when he could and even became a CSI in order to have a better chance of clearing him. Henry, although touched, did not approve of that obsession.
At one point Henry learned of the existence of the Starling City vigilante, and did not approve of his methods. At one point Iris came to visit him to tell him that Barry had been struck by lightning and ended up in a coma.
Henry: Nice to see you slugger. Are you OK now?
Barry: Better than ever. Dad I have a lead. A solid lead on the man in yellow.
Henry: Barry...
Barry: I feel like I can really do it now dad. I'll get you out of here. Not today or even tomorrow, but it will happen. I can do it dad. I have friends who help me now. Exceptional friends.
Henry: Barry please. That man has already ruined our lives once. If you only ever think about him, you will allow him to do it again and again. I appreciate it, but you don't have to think only of me. He thinks about living your life.
Barry: I want you to be able to be a part of this without glass between us. And what kind of man would I be if I didn't try to get justice for Mom?
Henry: I'm not going to convince you, am I?
Barry: I know what I'm doing. And my life... has come to a turning point. I'm sure. Trust me dad.
Henry: Always.
Nine months later, Barry woke up and went to see him, telling him that he felt great and that he finally had a solid lead on Nora's real killer, but Henry said that the man in yellow had already ruined both of their lives and that he shouldn't allow him to do more damage by letting it become the most important thing in his life.
Henry: What are you doing here? Is Barry sick again?
Joe: No, no. I just came to tell you... that he convinced me. Now I also believe you are innocent.
Henry: I couldn't care less what you think of me. Fourteen years and this is the first time you've come to visit me. I thought we were friends.
Joe: I... the evidence was all against you...
Henry: It's called trust Joe. He comes before rehearsals. Sergeant Rogers! Take me back to the cell! I have nothing to say to this man.
A few days later, Henry received a visit from Joe for the first time in fourteen years. He feared that he meant that Barry had hurt himself again, but Joe replied that he only meant to tell him that he too was now convinced of his innocence. Henry coldly replied that he didn't care what Joe thought of him and started to leave. At that moment, however, Joe was attacked by Mist and he called for help. Joe was saved by a strange man in a red costume. Shortly thereafter, news arrived that a man with extraordinary powers who called himself the Flash was fighting crime in Central City.
During Barry's investigation into Clay Parker's escape from Iron Heights, Joe arranged for him to speak to his father. Wanting to help the investigation, Henry attempted to obtain information and was attacked as a result. The individual who did this was later exposed by Flash and relocated. When Barry went to see him again, Henry noticed the fact and implied that he suspected him of being the Flash. Barry denied it and Henry said he would be the proudest father in the world if that were the case.
Barry reveals to his father that he is the Flash.
Some time later Henry was kidnapped by Trickster who had escaped from the same prison as him and who had decided to use him as a hostage since he was the father of a policeman. Henry, however, was certain that Flash would come to save him and in fact this happened and at that point he confirmed his suspicions by unmasking himself in front of him. Later he wanted to take him to meet his friends who supported him in his vigilante activities. Henry thanked everyone for their help with his son and then returned to prison.
Being freed[]
Henry returns home after fourteen years in prison.
Barry eventually discovered that Dr. Wells, one of his team members, was actually Eobard Thawne/Reverse-Flash, Nora's real killer. Thawne, to return to his time, needed Barry's help, telling him that he could go back in time and save his mother while avoiding Henry's incarceration. Unsure whether to accept Thawne's offer, Barry went to seek advice from Henry in prison, but he disagreed, as it meant Barry would lose everything he had to something uncertain. However, Barry also consulted others and finally decided to accept. To show his good faith, Thawne confessed to Nora's murder and Henry was released from prison.
Although he didn't agree, Henry respected Barry's choice, but was very worried about his son. Barry eventually gave Thawne the push to return to the 25th century, but he decided to return to the present without changing the past as Henry wanted, after seeing himself beckoned not to (over time, Thawne would have necessarily recovered his powers and returned home alone, unless Barry stopped being Flash, but this would have been another way of giving him the upper hand).
In the end Barry chose not to change the past, and returned to the present content to be able to be with his father now, but this caused a singularity that would have destroyed everything if Flash and Firestorm hadn't stopped it. This cost the life of one of Firestorm's halves, Ronnie. Barry was devastated at losing his friend and disbanded Team Flash not wanting to put anyone else in danger. Henry tried to stay by his side as best he could, but after all those years in prison, he felt awkward and unsuited to the outside world. He could have applied for a license to practice again, but after all those years, medicine had completely changed, so he didn't even have a job.
Henry thought about trying a refresher course and discovered that there were initiatives for the social reintegration of ex-prisoners and he contacted the headquarters of one of them and explained his case. After a few days he was contacted again and found that there was a private clinic in Coast City willing to take him on as an intern so he could start practicing again, and Henry agreed.
Barry: Look... I found a real estate agency, we could go look at some houses tomorrow.
Henry: I've already thought of that. In Coast City.
Barry: Coast City?!
Henry: I found a place that will help me get up to speed... if I can pass an internship and get up to speed I can get my license back. Medicine has changed Barry. I would be an obsolete doctor if I tried to go back to work now. You can come as and when you want... in a Flash. I have to get used to being free again Barry. I have to get used to the world again. And it's something I have to do alone. It will only be for a couple of years at most. And I'll be here as soon as you need me. I need to do this. And I need you to agree.
Barry: All right.
Time in Coast City[]
The internship had a small pay, to allow Henry to rent a three-room apartment. He worked hard to get back to his job and his superiors praised his spirit, but the director of the clinic pointed out that by simply working he went from one prison to another and urged him to try to enjoy life, so Henry began to visit the city.
Henry was puzzled. That young man looked familiar and he himself was staring at him perplexed.
Hal: Mr. Allen? Have you escaped?
Henry: No, I've been cleared... but who are you?
Hal: Don't you remember? My name is Hal Jordan I came before graduation to...
Henry: Of course Barry's friend!
One day he ran into a boy Barry's age who was familiar to him and the latter called him by his surname; it was Hal Jordan who now lived in Coast City. Hal recognized him and when he reminded him of their meeting, Henry remembered him and greeted him and wanted to buy him a beer. Henry explained his reason for being in Coast City and discovered that Hal worked at the city's military base. Hal then suggested that he visit the mountain overlooking the city. Henry followed the advice and became fond of hiking.
Henry decided to go see Hal to thank him, and the two of them would see each other from time to time. Henry was happy to hear about Barry in high school, but it made him miss him even more, even though he thought he needed to get used to normal life and freedom a little before entering the world of Flash. Henry became fond of Hal during this time. One evening, the project's sponsor, Dr. Tina McGee, personally taught a class. She was surprised to see a man her age in the class, and Henry explained to her that he was an ex-convict who had just been released from prison and that he had to start over. When Tina heard his last name, she asked if he was related to Barry, and when he said he was her father, she said he should be proud, which Henry assured her he was. Tina offered to have him give extra lessons at Mercury Labs' Coast City location and he accepted. Henry was immediately very impressed by Tina.
Sometime after Barry was beaten by Zoom and left temporarily paralyzed, Joe warned him and Henry returned to provide moral support for his son. After Barry revealed his doubts about going against Zoom and learned that Zoom had made Central City lose faith in their hero, Henry confided in Barry all the feelings he had when he was accused of killing Nora, and told him that he had only gotten through it because he had kept his family in mind. Barry revealed his relief at having Henry back and was able to resume his work as the Flash before Henry returned to Coast City.
Return to Central City[]
Eventually he passed the course and was able to return to practice his profession and decided to return to Central City. When he returned he discovered that Barry had lost his speed and Cisco had devised a dangerous plan to get it back. Henry opposed, but his son decided to go ahead and was trapped in the speed force, but Henry eventually managed to contact him and get him back. Barry had his powers back and was ready to fight Zoom. The team also discovered that Zoom had taken prisoner the otherworldly Flash Jay Garrick, who was Henry's doppelganger.
Henry: You look just like me!
Jay: I'm Jay Garrick. The real Jay Garrick. Zoom stole my costume and identity.
Henry: Garrick? That was my mother's maiden name!
During the fight, Henry was kidnapped by Zoom who tried to kill him in front of Barry, but was saved by Cobalt Blue. The two faced Zoom together, but the latter killed Cobalt Blue, who sacrificed himself to protect Flash, however Barry managed to exploit his friend's sacrifice to deliver a fatal blow to Zoom. Barry was shocked for having killed him and for the death of Cobalt Blue who was Iris's boyfriend, Eddie Thawne and Henry tried to cheer him up as he could. The team also discovered that Zoom had taken prisoner the otherworldly Flash Jay Garrick, who was Henry's doppelganger.
Henry: Tina... you are an incredible woman. Charming, intelligent, cultured, rich. I am an ex-convict with little prospect for the future... are you sure you want to be with someone like me?
Tina: You are an innocent man who suffered a horrible injustice. You are a wonderfully sweet, intelligent, and kind man. I couldn't ask for anything better.
Henry then joined Team Flash and reopened his medical practice. He went to see Dr. McGee to thank her and in a fit of courage invited her to dinner. To his surprise, she accepted. The two began dating after a while, but Henry wasn't sure if his son would take it well. Furthermore, given Tina's wealth, everyone would have thought he was a fortune hunter. However, he discovered that Barry also had heart problems: Iris and her friend Caitlin had declared their love to him and he didn't know which of the two to choose.
Barry: I don't know what to do, Dad. I've loved Iris since I was ten, but Caitlin...
Henry: Unfortunately, in these cases it's never easy.
Barry: I don't know who to choose. And I can't stop thinking about how the other one will hurt.
Henry: That's because you love both of them. And it's true that one of them will suffer, there's no way to make everyone happy with your choice, but if you don't choose, they will both suffer and so will you. Speaking of which... I'm seeing someone. A wonderful, truly incredible woman who... who I think I love.
Barry: Oh. Well... that's okay. Mom never wanted you to stop living your life. And neither would I.
Henry advised him to wait and decide calmly and later introduced him to Tina even though they already knew each other. Barry eventually revealed his identity as the Flash and the woman joined the team. Having recovered the thinking cap of their new enemy DeVoe, Tina decided to use it to predict his moves and eventually, thanks to her and the investigations carried out by Ralph Dibny, the team discovered that DeVoe intended to stupidize all humanity and take over the world in order to reshape it in his image.
On that occasion, Henry met Jay again, whom Barry had recruited as help, and the two chatted and discovered that his counterpart had no children.
Jay: You're not coming with us?
Henry: I can't. I'm a normal guy.
Jay: Oh. I thought the boy got his powers from you.
Henry: I'd give anything to be like you. I hate that I can't do anything while he's in danger.
Jay: I see.
Henry: Do you have children?
Jay: Unlike you, I haven't had that luck.
Henry: Then you don't understand.
Jay: I guess not.
DeVoe's plans were eventually foiled, but Tina continued to study and use her thinking cap. Mercury Labs was soon doing better than ever before, but Henry noticed that Tina was using the thinking cap more and more often. Henry was worried about her, and to his utter shock, he discovered that she had suggested that Barry use the hat to decide between Caitlin and Iris. His son tried, but the object only helped with logical decisions and even in that respect Caitlin and Iris were evenly matched. However, shortly afterward Jay Garrick exhausted arrived on their earth and said that for weeks he had been fighting against a speedster who called himself Reverse-Flash. Barry thought it was Eobard and decided to help the other Flash to fight him, but realized that it was someone else. They eventually put him to flight, but failed to capture him.
Tina eventually upgraded the hat, but the dark matter irradiation she used didn't work and had the opposite effect: her brain began to die. Tina grew increasingly worse, staggering and forgetting the things she'd done recently, but she finally admitted her condition to Henry and the rest of the team. She decided to try to talk to Marlize DeVoe, hoping that seeing her condition would convince her to help them stop her husband. They succeeded, but Tina realized she could no longer run Mercury Labs, and Henry tried to comfort her as best he could and asked for her hand in marriage, saying she was still the woman he'd fallen in love with. Tina refused, saying that given the way she was deteriorating, Henry would soon become her caregiver, not her husband.
Tina: I'm better. At least I won't end up in a mental institution. Caitlin says she's confident I'll make a full recovery.
Henry: Good. Then we can talk now.
[He gets down on one knee with a ring in his hand]
Henry: Tina McGee. I never thought I'd find love again at my age, but I did. You helped me start living again. I love you and I want to be with you for the rest of my life. Will you be my wife?
Tina: Yes, I do.
[He puts the ring on her finger and stands up. They kiss]
Tina used the hat again to allow Barry to enter DeVoe's mind, but this effect destroyed her permanently, leading her to total cretinism. Luckily, Caitlin and Cisco studied DeVoe's projects and managed to heal her. Tina had not yet recovered her full intelligence, but the Team was certain that with time they would be able to heal her. Henry then asked her to marry him again and this time she accepted. In fact, the marriage also gave Tina an excuse to take time off work since she didn't feel like running Mercury Labs at the time.
Things from the other world[]
Some time later, Jay needed Barry's help again, as his Reverse Flash had allied himself with Killer Frost and Echo, Caitlin and Cisco's counterparts from his world. They eventually unmasked him and discovered that he was Barry's doppelganger from Jay's world Malcolm Thawne. In disbelief, Henry discovered that Jay had dated the Nora of his world many years before, but that after he chose research instead of medicine, she left him and became a graduate assistant instead of a real estate agent, like the Nora of his world.
Henry remembered that Nora had discovered she was pregnant shortly afterward and that they had gotten married, so the Team deduced that the Earth-1590 Nora had decided not to tell Jay about the pregnancy. After being captured, Malcolm explained that he wanted revenge on Jay because his life had gone to pieces because of him, as his stepfather had always hated him and kicked him out of the house after his mother's death, and that by fighting Zoom, Jay had accidentally helped kill his girlfriend and best friend.
Jay was devastated, and Henry tried to comfort him, but unfortunately, Team Reverse-Flash, exploiting their doppelganger resemblances, tricked Team Flash into freeing their imprisoned leader, injuring Wally, and kidnapping Iris and Caitlin.
Malcolm was now dating Killer Frost, and having never had to choose between the two, he was curious to see what Barry would do, while both of their lives were in danger. Thawne trapped Iris and Caitlin in the Allens' old house after killing the new owner, Sherry, and fitted them both with bomb collars that would explode within a minute of activation, which happened as soon as Barry reached them. Malcolm said the collars recognized his fingerprints and therefore Barry's, but that he would kill the woman Barry hadn't saved so he could understand who he truly loved. Barry chose to save Caitlin, and Thawne killed Iris as soon as the doctor was safe.
Joe: Please tell me this video was doctored. Tell me it wasn't that way. Tell me you didn't let Iris die to save Caitlin.
Barry: Joe... I...
Joe: So it's true! You've known Iris your whole life! You've always been there for each other... and you let her die because now you like someone else!
Henry: What's going on?
Joe: What's going on is that your son killed my daughter because he and his doppelganger have the same taste in women!
Wanting to completely destroy his doppelganger Thawne, he sent Joe a video showing Barry sacrificing Iris to save Caitlin. Joe asked his adoptive son if the video had been doctored. Barry couldn't bring himself to lie, and when Henry arrived on the scene, he stormed off in a rage. Henry, incredulous, tried to console his son as best he could and told him that despite all his powers, he was still human and had simply acted like a man in love. Barry, however, was terrified of Malcolm's possible retaliation against him and Caitlin and ordered both of them to never leave the Labs for any reason. Unfortunately, Malcolm had already reacted and kidnapped Joe.
Killer Frost: Hey, you idiots... I have the same fingerprints as this loser. I can open this door anytime I want.
Caitlin: Stay away from us!
[She throws a stream of ice. Killer Frost does the same, and hers is more powerful.]
Killer Frost: You tried, Caitlin, but you don't have my experience and my power. And you won't have time to develop them.
The two were then locked up in the anti-metahuman cells at S.T.A.R. Labs. Unfortunately, Killer Frost, having the same fingerprints as Caitlin, was able to open them without any problem and take them away with her to Earth-1590. Henry and the others woke up in a cave outside Central City on Earth-1590, held captive. Joe and Cisco were with him, but he had no idea where Caitlin and Wally were.
Henry: He's using us as bait. He wants to blackmail Barry, or pressure him into coming here.
Cisco: And he doesn't have our help this time. How can he do it alone?
Henry tried to talk to his old friend, but Joe ignored him. The group realized that Thawne was obviously using them as bait to lure Barry out into the open. Luckily, seeing how desperate his situation was, Barry ran to get help from Green Arrow and his team.
Notes and Trivia[]
- The home world of Lupo95 charachters is Earth-2014. This name was chosen in honor of the year in which the Gotham television series began.
- In the comics, nothing is known about Henry's mother, and Judy is the name of Jay Garrick's daughter.