#Thad Meta

[dementedspeedster]

[See tags for more info]

I think one thing people don't take into account with Thad, especially when it comes to his post-Impulse appearances, is anger.

Specifically, how it is such a strong motivator and how it is not always rational. How he still goes after Bart in his post-Impulse comic appearances makes sense when you look at it from the perspective of anger and how Thad is such a prideful individual.

His actions can easily be chalked up to displaced anger towards Bart because 1.) He can't exactly go after President Thawne because he views him as a father/his creator (I assume standing up to him would be incredibly difficult because he views him in such a way but also Pres. Thawne's also proven himself to be manipulative and controlling) and 2.) because Bart had a part in essentially ruining his life or at least the perception of life being good. Bart played a part in shattering the truths of Thad's life. Thad thought his life was fine, that he was going to make his family proud of him, that he had a part in it, that he was family to the Thawnes, but instead he learned that he was being used, manipulated, and that he was unloved.

If you, a prideful individual had your perception of reality shattered by someone would you take a helping hand from the person who shattered your reality? I think not. So instead he goes after Bart. He's someone that Thad can actually hurt. Someone he can take his emotions out on. It's misguided and maybe not rational to the readers who understand his situation better than he does, but Thad is a misguided character.

I think his anger towards Bart is what prominently drives him post-Impulse actions and that it should be taken into account more.

[unreversedumbrella]

my biggest problem with Thad Thawne's return in fastest man alive era is that they do have some good ideas and it makes me fucking livid. if it weren't for the complete disregard towards his character and history, we could have actually had something good! Thad's biggest motivation has always been his jealousy. Sure there's the thawne propaganda, but he chose to replace impulse to steal his fame and glory. And mercury falling ends with him running away after understanding he'll never have what Bart has

It makes sense that Thad would go ballistic if the speed force became another thing only Bart had but.

It also makes sense that Thad would try to work with so many people, trying to recreate that sense of belonging and people being proud of him. It especially makes sense for Thad to join Slade and titans east in an attempt to recreate his time with young justice + a father figure in slade to mirror max.

But most of what I just said is fanfiction. These aren't the reasons why he does what he does. I don't think he has reasons.

A real Thad story could and should have touched on his resentment towards the Thawnes for making him this way, resentment towards iris west for saving bart but not him, Max (and thad)'s hopes that he could be a real hero, etc...

[radioactive-earthshine]

I really love that in a hypothetical best case scenario with Thad where he did take up Max's offer that he bonds most strongly to Helen.

Thad does this in contrast to Bart who gravitates to Max as his primary parental figure, a father.

Helen's relationship to Bart was in a sort of parental role, like a sibling whose age gap was so large their relationship automatically becomes more guidance driven than sibling. Technically, with Max as Bart's father-figure, Helen would therefore be a sister however the age difference between the two are an astounding 40+ years.

To Thad's observations Helen was absolutely in that motherly sort of role and he was bonding to her very strongly.

Impulse #65

While Thad was masquerading as Bart he started to let more and more of himself seep into his act and less of Bart so his relationships he was forming with his own personality present were validation to him that he was liked and loved.

And he too, could like and love.

In a perfect world while Thad is present in Helen and Max's household I like the dynamic of Bart leaning more to Max, and Thad gravitating more to Helen.

I just also love the thought of both Helen and Thad scheming together against Max.

[peacerisendove]

I was thinking more about Bart and the contrasting perspectives between him as his civilian self and as Impulse. And as I've alluded before Impulse always gets the short end of the stick socially.

He considered uncool and a NARC by the kids of Manchester, Alabama despite being a hero, and he's viewed under a general perspective of being unreliable by the older heroes of the hero community, which is pretty sad and typically the opposite of how having a secret identity works with other heroes/with the trope of secret identities and how they are a source of freedom or becoming someone who is more extraordinary than their civilian self.

In contrast, Bart Allen is BELOVED by his friends and the Manchester community. He is incredibly popular and considered the most popular guy in his junior high. His fellow students consider him more trustworthy and reliable than Impulse who is a well known hero.

And just following this perspective I think that the role of Impulse and the spirit of the Impulse legacy should follow a similar suit.

I think that instead of Irey becoming Impulse, that Jai should have been Impulse instead solely from how he CONSTANTLY gets the short end of the stick in contrast to Irey. Especially in New Earth canon. He's initially was the one who lost his powers, he was the one who had to watch his sister become a hero and take up the name Impulse while he was simply a civilian, in general he seemed to play second fiddle to her, and who in my personal opinion seemed like he was estranged from the West family/Flash Family in general. (How he appears unhappy and playing video games during that one comic with the big Flash parade comes to mind specifically). Irey just takes up the mantle of Impulse because Bart was her favorite person, and honestly while she's right and Bart is great, the spirit of Impulse, other than following the beat of your own drum, seems to be: A person who is not understood by his community and isn't as appreciated or liked as much.

Which in general feels like it fits Jai much more than Irey, even now. I know he and Irey have their own hero identities now (RIP the Impulse legacy), but in general I feel like he still plays a bit of second fiddle to Irey, and especially so when they appear as their younger selves in the comics such as when he didn't even have a role in the Flash: One-Minute War event and was instead used as essentially a human battering ram.

[chaosmultiverse]

@dementedspeedster

Bart had a deep frown, his glare at Thad wasn't quite hateful and it wasn't pitiful either, he didn't pity Thad... No that wasn't the right word.

"It isn't pity. You can think whatever. I just... It's unfair, it was unfair for you and it sucks ass for me." Bart crossed his arms and his body turned so it was facing the side, not really away but not facing him, though his head was still very much turned to look at Thad, he knew very much better than to turn his back on Thad.

"So I'd say it's pretty sad, but whatever. I wasn't really expecting a... I dunno, a constructive conversation, it's sorta like screaming at a brick wall with you, ya know?" Bart hadn't really meaned to run into Thad, but... Admittedly dealing with Thad be it fights or these... Going no where conversations it was a decent way of venting some anger.

[playedbetter]

👫 zachthad

Ah yes, our boys. It's kinda hard cause of how many times I've rambled to you about them lol.

This is less a headcanon but they both have deep ties to the theme of being absolutely defined by relation to a other. There is no Thad without Bart, there is no Zachary without the Zatara's. But then, when it comes to eachother, that's not true. Zach isn't close with Bart, looking at Thad he sees Thad's face, not Bart's. Thad could care less about Zatanna or Giovanni or who his parents are, he doesn't care about fame or money, that's not a factor, any attraction is to Zach, not Zatara.

Thad pretty much doesn't need to worry about shopping. Between Zach's magic and love of retail therapy he can handle it without a doubt. Also, Thad frequently finds small gifts left around for him.

Zach would literally get in a fight with any paparazzi trying to pry into Thad's stuff, he knows how humiliating and violating it is and would not want his boyfriend exposed to that on account of being with him. Only when he's older would his tactics shift to use of money and threats

Beatrice (Zach's [sometimes adopted] mom) would not be very approving of Thad at first, seeing the boy as a source of trouble and a danger to Zach. However once she saw the positive influence he was, she would own up to the fact she was wrong on that front.

Bonus: Abby the rabbit will harrass Thad for food

[haastera]

What's up with Thad?

Rewatching the series to prepare for the, (hopefully soon), ep 6 teaser, and the only explanation that makes even a modicum of sense is Thad being gradually possessed by the OS of Nori. Either in full or fragments of it.

Thad is the first drone to suddenly have different colored eyes and hand/core lights, with Uzi and Nori being the only other drones with the same colored lights.

Also kind of strange how the solver didn't immediately kill Thad, unlike every other drone it caught.

The lights don't change color in the event of remote possession like we've seen Uzi do to her classmates, but perhaps they do change in the event of direct possession at the OS level.

From a Meta perspective, It'd be a way to make Thad directly relevant to the plot while simultaneously allowing you to use Nori's character actively in the story.

[lilblucat]

Quick question!! So with the recent episode of MD out (I'm not sure if you've seen it yet, but if you have you could answer this if ya like) are you worried for how the show is gonna handle the love triangle between Uzi, N, and V? Because ship wars are still going on at least over on Twitter and Envy shippers are going crazy and insane, plus it doesn't help that some of them are toxic (not saying that Nuzi shippers aren't toxic too, because they are) but, I'm worried that these shipping wars are gonna get worse and heck, it even concerns me that shipping could end up ruining the show..just look at shows like Miraculous Ladybug + Star Vs, but Star Vs is a huge example because that show was pretty much ruined by shipping and it also ended up making Starco feel rushed at the end..I've seen people point out that the love triangle is common in Liam's work so maybe I'm missing something. But, are you worried for how this love triangle will be handled in the end and do you think it could ruin and mess up the show?? Also, which couple would you say you're rooting for (When it comes to Envy and Nuzi, at least) and who do you think works better as a couple? I don't wanna cause any shipping drama, but I was wanting to ask this question because it's been on my mind, it also gave me some concerns..because don't be wrong, I'm someone who enjoys and adores shipping and has fun with it, but there is something that I never wanna see is to have a ship take over the story entirely, you know what I'm saying?

Anon, this is not a quick question lol.

Idk I don't think the love triangle is gonna be all that important going forward. It felt like there was going to be some love dynamic between Uzi, N, V, and Thad but as of episode 5 I think that's all mostly scrapped now. Thad is completely irrelevant and it seems like episode 5 cleaned up the romantic plot threads between N and V.

Episode 5 is... weird to talk about regarding the romance threads in the series. Like yeah, it does offer some Envy moments, but then once they remember everything they go back to their dynamic up to this point. V immediately wants to hurt Uzi while N is much more excited to see Uzi again than react to V's quick embarrassed blushy moment. The events of this episode and the lack of any shipping merch for N and V kind of seal the deal for me that Envy isn't happening. Episode 3 went all in on the shippy vibes between N and Uzi on the marketing, so episode 5 not getting any for Envy just feels like proof to me, honestly.

However, most of the marketing was about N and Uzi, and while they are the main 2 characters, it feels like this episode was meant more to progress their dynamic along than N and V's. N had been saving Uzi from something every episode up to now, and this was finally Uzi's turn to repay the favor and boy do I have things to talk about regarding that. Uzi having so much ability to really mess with N, but Uzi ultimately not doing any of that because she wants what's best for him. Which, you'll notice is what V also wants, but the difference is Uzi actually communicates with him while V seems stuck on what her own idea of that is. Like, Uzi clearly has a crush on the guy, but even though she's seeing his past with V and how close they were she doesn't take any action to make him stop remembering things. She actually encourages him to uncover as much as he can, which he thanks her for at the end. I don't know how to put it, it's just such a risk she took even though she knew it was the right thing to do and I just really like that aspect of her character this episode.

Anyway, that wall of text is to explain my reasoning behind what I have to say on the state of shipping after this episode. I think the endgame ship is going to be Nuzi because I see no meta reason to ship otherwise. That's literally the only ship with merch behind it and it's the ship Glitch and staff seems to like the most art of. I feel that going forward, the show will end up going that route with these characters and people will either have to accept that or drop the show if shipping is really that important to them. And tbh, Liam's works aren't that focused on shipping anyway. There's probably going to be romance, but it won't be a tumor on the show. I haven't read any of his stuff yet where it felt like the romance threads were hurting the story tbh. That's another point for Nuzi tbh in that pretty much all of his main 2 duos have the most ship tease in his writing. I would not compare his writing to those other shows because Liam's writing is so distinct and has its quirks. Also, Murder Drones is written by a single person compared to these network shows which are written by many people, which is how you get these convoluted romance plots in the first place.

People are gonna be toxic, that's just a given and especially so because the main two ships in this fandom are at odds with each other. Once the show commits to one, I think things will chill down. I will say though, all the stupid discourse I see about Disassembler/Worker ships is pretty bad and misinformation keeps this a hot topic in the fandom. It's not a problem, yet people keep making it one and I cannot understand how this happens lol.

And yeah it's probably obvious but yeah I'm Team Nuzi. I've just always felt like Liam was aiming for it anyway plus I have a feeling that if the genders were swapped, Envy would be no where near as popular as it is. I get the appeal of Worker Envy, but Disassembler Envy is a whole different beast where V's treatment of N is still completely unaddressed. That's not to dis V exactly, but I think people forget that she remembered much more than N prior to episode 5 and cared enough about him to try to keep him safe from the Solver shenanigans. Her methods for doing that, however, definitely need to be addressed at some point. Like again, people forget that she didn't do all that because she didn't remember, she did that because she was traumatized and ended up hurting N because of her actions. Regardless of why she did it, she's still very harsh with him and hasn't made any steps to fix this. Also again, not to dis her as a character, she's obviously made these choices out of trauma and I think that's pretty realistic.

N also has baggage that V's presence gets in the way of, but since he's been with Uzi for a while he's been getting through it. When separated from V, N learns to grow a spine and respect himself. I think V can learn and grow too, but only if she takes a leave from N to get her away from the living reminder of her traumatic past. That's why I'm personally not into Envy in the current time, they cannot reconnect in the same way anymore, they are simply too different from how they were back in the past. Reconnection means a whole new dynamic, and at this point I don't think romance is in the cards for this new dynamic.

[t0tallycr1nge]

MY COMPUTER CRASHED MIDWAY THROUGH WRITING THIS AND I FORGOT TO RE REWRITE THE TITLE DFGHJKL

I MADE THE MURDER DRONES SEASON 1 MERCH LINE LOL SRRY

‣ Uzi's Jacket/Beanie/Choker

Since they made Tari's jacket for the Meta Runner Merch Line, why can't they make Uzi's? They could have 2 merch bundles "Uzi's Accessories Bundle" (which includes the choker and beanie) and "Uzi's Outfit Bundle" (which includes all 3 items) and sell it for like, $90 (It's expensive, but I would fricken buy it)

‣ Murder Drones Animatez

GLITCH could either make singular characters and have N, Uzi, V, ect figurines OR they could make the final scene in the Pilot where N is holding Uzi on his back and holding V by the head. That would be a hilarious and super cool figurine

‣ N & Uzi Keychain

Make a keychain where Uzi is riding N while he's flying so it actual looks like they're flying when you wiggle the back you put it on

‣ Thad Plushie

Do I need to explain?

‣ Disassembly Drone Armbands

Make the murder drone's armbands real so Alex could buy a Murder Drones Armband with A on it. (Alex is just an example LOL)

‣ N and Uzi Plush Add-On Pack

This one doesn't make much sense, but it's cute to think about. Sell N's suit and Uzi's dress so if you own the plushies, you could put it on them

‣ Murder Drones Cup

HEAR ME OUT! My friend and I came up with this. Make a cup that looks like the murder drones' tails and have the stinger be the straw. You could be lemonade or Gatorade in it so it looks like you're drinking the acid. My mom overheard us talking about it and said that, if you buy it, they should give you a few packages of Lemo-N-ade you could put in it LOL

[wallacejwriting]

The Alphas of Veda

In Veda, the top one hundred Betas and all Alphas are kept on a power ranking list. This is done for a lot of reasons, but the one most people care about is the online shows that broadcast the updated list changes. The hosts of these shows often show off public ability showcases the Betas and Alphas have done, events involving them recently, and all sorts of other BS.

Think of it like celebrity culture, but with superpowers.

The Alpha list only has seven people on it, at the start of Descent. It contains only the Alphas who are both currently alive and currently residing in the city.

There have been other Alphas in the city. Three of them have died before the story begins and one is currently not in the city. Thus, there are four Alphas in the history of Veda left off this list.

The first Alpha in the world, Gertrude Grey, was marked as an Alpha in 1994 and held the position as number one Alpha from the list's conception in 2011 to her death in 2034.

The list, ranked from most powerful to least powerful, in accordance to R scores, is as follows.

#1: Fiyero Monasterio

He/Him, 26. Pyrokinesis. Joined list in 2034.

The terrifying right hand of Thad Fabulon and the boogeyman of the Chorus. The third Alpha to ever be granted the rank of #1 Metahuman in Veda and the only person to ever regain that rank after losing it. Fiyero is a tattooed, smokey man who answers to Fabulon for reasons unknown. He is known for fighting in underground fighting rings, for which he is infamous for his prowess and efficiency, and he uses a cane for reasons unknown to the public.

There is quite a bit of controversy over having the #1 position filled by such a dangerous and notorious criminal, but as he is noticeably above the others, the position is officially his.

#2: Guy Carnell

He/Him, 25. Gravity Alteration. Joined list in 2036.

A pompous social media influencer who primarily uses his powers to pick up hot women and get ads and sponsorships on his online accounts. Guy takes the celebrity aspect of Meta culture very seriously and considers himself the "first professional Metahuman influencer". In interviews, he tends to come off as shallow but well-meaning and very charismatic.

As the most powerful Metahuman who regularly makes public appearances, Guy functionally acts as the #1 Meta of Veda, unofficially, something he takes massive pride in.

#3: Hani Qadir

She/Her, 31. Plant Communion & Control. Joined list in 2032.

A PhD holding botanist trying to solve hunger and drought problems throughout the world. Considered one of the most benevolent and powerful Metas to ever live. Hani has spent years working toward healing the damage made by global warming to plant life and food security, as well as helping nature thrive in a changing world.

Hani comes off as a saint on television, always well-spoken, always polite, always sweet, but her friends will tell you she has the sharpest, driest wit you'll ever find. Hani keeps quiet about it, though she is often seen giggling behind a hand in interviews.

#4: June Holiday

She/Her, 15. Vector Manipulation. Joined list in 2037.

The youngest Alpha to ever be recorded, as she was ranked as such at age thirteen. June is a dorky, energetic teenage girl who wants nothing more than to be the best twin sister to her brother, Jonas, and the best girlfriend to her girlfriend, Simone, as she can be.

June is considered, by the government (Veda, Canada, UN) and by the culture of the city to be the perfect Alpha Metahuman. She exists entirely without trauma, something thought impossible of Alphas, and her powers are by far the most stable and most capable of growth. While June manages to balance this pressure most of the time, she is terrified of messing up and causing more people to hate Alphas.

#5: Sage Beaufort

They/Them, 34. Teleportation. Joined list in 2028.

The owner of a pizzeria, Sage does their best to avoid the spotlight and celebrity life that being an Alpha brings. However, Sage has never been able to stay away from people in need, and so whenever Riko calls, asking for search and rescue help, Sage gears up and heads out. It's a unique situation, as heroes are illegal, and Sage had to be authorized to work with the firefighters on a volunteer firefighter basis.

You won't find anyone more jaded by the Alpha list and Alpha hate-love culture of Veda than Sage. Sage lacks the charisma to make themself seem less scary than their powers make them look, and mostly just scowls when on camera or in public. They're a hard worker, and they want to help, but Sage has no love for Veda and stays only because it's easier than trying to run.

#6: Riko Yamamoto

She/Her, 32. Durable Constructs. Joined list in 2029.

A firefighter and a trans woman who is considered one of the closest things to a modern day superhero the world allows. Riko utilizes her ability in her work to help her firehouse be one of the most effective in the city. She and her wife are quite happy together.

Riko has been on the list for ten years and has remained near the bottom the entire time.

As she puts it, however, being on the bottom of the Alpha list still puts you at the top of the food chain and in the public eye. Riko is a working class woman with a crude sense of humour and a deep love of bar games, cheesy poetry, and making people laugh.

#7: Thad Fabulon

He/Him, 29. Psychic Puppetry & Hub Connection. Joined list in 2037.

The most famous Alpha of Veda is Thad Fabulon, who is also the only unofficial Alpha. Technically, Thad's abilities have never been recorded at Alpha levels, but they also haven't been recorded in over a decade. Based on prior knowledge of his abilities, and subsequent showcases of greater power, he is assumed an Alpha. Though it could be argued he's also in this list for safety reasons. After all, when a man like this runs a cult, you take notice.

Thad Fabulon is the founder and leader of the Chorus, an infamous cult of Metas and non-Metas alike who live and work in Veda. Thad strives to connect people, to bring people together, and to remove the burden of overwhelming pain and struggle from everyone who lets him. Or so he says, anyway. Mostly, Thad is publicly known for staying in the background, allowing his Muses to do his work for him, and making spectacles of how little the police can do to stop him.

He's a dangerous man and it was his act of pulling Fiyero Monasterio into his cult, and thus under his incredible psychic power, that cemented his status on the Alpha list.

[mossnobody]

I don't mean to stephen king post on main(e) but thinking about the dark half, which is like, not one ive ever talked about with anyone, but it's one of my favourites. from 10 - 17 I had my huge Stephen King phase. I've read - Pause to count - Fifty-six of his books and (wow that seems like a lot doesn't it? I read other books too.) the dark half struck me because it's not very important to castle rock as a whole.

The dark tower had a huge impact on me as a kid. it was everything I thought was cool: Cowboys, a desolate world, weird meta-fiction towards the end. I think the fact that I didn't re-read it when I turned nineteen is a disappointing one, but Ka is a wheel, you know?

I love that he had a very softly shared universe in a lot of his books, and of course the multiverse stuff in the dark tower (this was before I grew tired of the concept, for a time it fascinated me) but the dark tower didn't seem like any other conceptual multiverse I've encountered. It was beautiful and disgusting and only some of it ever made sense and it was all so fragile. it never felt like full of hope like a marvel movie. these casually overlapping circles of a larger world, no matter how odd, felt real as I read them.

Castle rock is a good example of that shared literary world. if you bite into a book like needful things, or the dark half, the town grows as you read. Recently too with Holly Gibney, you watch these characters grow as you read about them. not just in a book, but between unrelated books - these circles that shine spotlights on parts of the world they all share.

so I think the dark tower pulled it off well because it wasn't just "oh no! if Yaldabaoth remakes the world, SO MANY UNIVERSES WOULD BURN" it was "If we don't stop this, ted - you remember ted? the nice one from the one book who has a happy ending? ted dies screaming."

All this is to say...

RIP Thad Beaumont

miss you, king

[dementedspeedster]

Alright here's my thoughts on a way Thad could have essentially a 'redemption arc' Post-FMA and post death. (Actually in retrospect Post-Rogues Revenge to be specific. I just lump that with FMA. Though I don't accept what happened with Josh Mardon).

This post started as a response/add-on to @radioactive-earthshine's post here, so a bit of its phrasing is in conversation with that post. Though i have done some editing since my first draft of this post.

Please excuse my rambling as I love thinking of Thad from a perspective of post-FMA and post-death and having come back to life for a second chance.

***

Notes:

General Note (before or after you read this post): I guess my big caveat with this idea is that at least some people have to be willing to give Thad a BIG chance and let him try to prove himself in order for it to really work. People gotta be cool with

*1 - Why post Thad's death? - I see Thad's death as a catalyst for him to change or be open to some change because death is such a huge consequence of his actions, but also because 1. Since he's a speedster he's not dead in the traditional way thanks to the Speed Force essentially housing speedsters. And 2. It also gives hm time away from other people and the influence of the Thawnes in order for him to think. He can look at his life and reexamine his own thoughts, feelings, decisions, and essentially his entire life and for once reflect on his own without having to confront someone else, prove himself, or defend his choices in that moment. He can just reflect. Though that won't fix everything. Instead, it is an impetus for Thad to change. (Also just from a comic/visual medium perspective I think it would be cool to delve more into the speedsters who are 'stuck' in the Speed Force. But that's a conversation for another day.)

***

By looking at Thad’s actions post Mercury Falling as being due solely to him and his feelings and desires such as a sense of bitterness, a desire to prove himself, and as a way validate his own existence such as through killing Bart, I can see Thad (preferably post his death)*1 realizing that his previous actions were never going to lead to his own validation. Thad killing Bart while it might have felt good in the moment, ultimately meant nothing and was a bittersweet endeavor because after that moment he loses all purpose and drive with his victory over Bart. He realizes that he was just falling to his own bitterness and the teachings of violence and hatred from the only life he knew.

With the realization that his past actions weren't right, that they didn't truly bring him happiness or validation, he can progress from where he was before. He would no longer be reliant on his hatred toward Bart to propel his life, but instead he would live for himself and live his own life for the first time. He would be free.

Now, just this concept where Thad no longer shackled to his hatred toward Bart in itself could lead to so many different scenarios and paths for Thad as he builds a life for himself (and I could go into that), but specifically in relation to a 'redemption arc' it would lead more specifically toward the tribulations that come with self-discovery and building a life for himself now that he is alive again. Now, I say this specifically with a social perspective in mind with regard to this bit. Because Thad post death would be trying to build a life for himself while people/heroes/most of the Flash Family consider him a villain and still hold his past actions, like killing Bart, against him. It's gonna be hard for him to go through this 'redemption arc' and there are gonna be consequences for Thad's past through how people treat him, but despite that he's still going to try. It's a scenario of self-betterment, but also I think unconsciously he's also trying to make up for what he's done by being a better person than he was.

Setting-wise this arc would be set in the Twin Cities are. Either Keystone City or Central City, so he can't help, but run into members of the Flash Family. But these potential/chance meetings with other Flash Members allows him to make connections; good, bad, and just neutral depending on who it is in the Flash Family he meets and if they're familiar with him.

***

Regarding the topic of redemption when applied to Thad/how he would personally handle the process of redemption/changing:

I think redemption for Thad would be half him fighting his own 'inertia,' his resistance to change. Part of Thad would still be so ingrained in the idea that he is "bad," a villain, and a Thawne (even though he's abandoned the family in every way except name) because that is what he has known for so long and because that is what people are telling him definitively when they see that he's alive again. Thad believes these sorts of things about himself and is also unwilling to let go of his past because it is all he has ever know, so he is fighting the fact that he actually is changing as a person. And this would be further reflected in his actions. He would be consciously putting distance between himself and the Flash family, he would be punishing himself for his previous actions, and SAYING that he has not changed despite how actions would show that he has. Thad's stubborn, but I also think that he would be scared of change as well, and at this part of his life would very much be his own namesake, Inertia.

***

Briefly regarding what his actions would look like at this time as he finds himself and his own life:

I say in this scenario he would overall straddle a sort of anti-hero line though his actions skew toward more heroic, though not to the same degree as heroes. It's not out of a desire to do right for others, but it would be selective in a way and drawing from what he cares about. Like, sure, if he's in the area he will save someone who is in danger, but more specifically I think he would be real conscious of how younger metas are treated, so no one ends up being used like he was in his youth, that they can have a childhood he didn't have, so he would speak up in those kinds of scenarios. Regarding labels: Thad still would probably still stubbornly label himself a villain because of his unwillingness to consciously/overtly change himself as I previously mentioned, but also because of the perspective directed toward him by heroes. Though people can call him whatever they like, but he's still going to do what he think is best.

***

Forgiveness

I agree that forgiveness would be very difficult, but I also think that it would be possible for him to interact with the Flash Family albeit selectively. I think that people like Max and Barry would be the most willing to give Thad a chance and willing to understand that he was used, manipulated, and essentially a child soldier, but also willing to give him a chance and see that he is not the same person he was before if they ran into him again.

Max and Barry are my top contenders for giving Thad a chance because respectively Max understands Thad to a degree. He's experienced who he was a child and the thought he gave to being a hero and potential he had. I don't think he would try to force Thad to become a hero again, but would meet him with some understanding though it might need to be earned somewhat after knowing about Bart's death. I think Max would have to see a bit of a change in Thad for him to fully try to connect with Thad again. It would take a bit of work.

As for Barry, I think he would in general be more open to giving Thad a chance simply if Thad expressed it. I think, in part, it is due to how disconnect Barry sort is from a lot of major events that have happened to his family and in particular Bart. He would be taking Thad more at a face value because he doesn't know Thad or his past. He probably wouldn't know how Thad kidnapped Iris in his youth, and he might not know that Thad is the one who killed Bart (that would probably depend on what he's been informed of by the rest of the family).

Overall, this scenario regardless of who would be willing to give Thad a chance would mostly cause some discord internally for the Flash Family, as they all would have different perspectives of Thad, but also probably regarding perspectives of 'redemption,' whether people can change, and specifically whether Thad can change or if he even deserves a chance.

Ultimately, though what this all would culminate to is either Thad very very VERY slowly becoming sort of a part of the Flash-family or sorta absorbed within the Flash-family circle in the sense that some of the members are willing to give him a chance. (I think there's a touch of hilarity and awkwardness just at the thought of someone like Barry inviting Thad to a holiday dinner. I also think it's also a good way exploring family and the complexities of family and family dynamics when you add someone like Thad to the mix. Kinda like a relative you're not fond of or the black sheep of the family who has history. There's just so many themes that open up when you add Thad to the mix.) It's very much a black sheep scenario. Or that his 'redemption' allows for him to slowly make up for his past. People can feel however they want to feel toward him, they can distrust him still or think it's an act, but the fact he's make strides for himself and as a person slowly becomes undeniable in this scenario as time goes on.

I also think both "outcomes" would allow him to have future appearances and interact with members of the Flash Family as he goes through the process of trying to prove himself/make up for his past.

And that is basically how I would write Thad in a 'redemption' arc. It's not a traditional redemption, but instead it's more focused upon consequences, actively working toward being a better person that you were before, and focused more upon the development than the outcome.

If you have any questions feel free to ask and I'll try my best to answer.

[radioactive-earthshine]

Honestly I dont believe it when someone says they confused Bart Allen for Bart Simpson. Bart Allen is a pretty rare character to like so people reblogging posts about him probably have reblogged things before which means any follower would know who post is about. Also Bart has super speed and they look totally different? It has to be people 🤡ing for a laugh. I dont think I have ever seen anyone confuse Bart Simpson for Bart Allen so it has to be fake.

It gets very perplexing when the post is meta breakdowns with very clear comic specific examples and characters (Max, Helen, Kon, Thad etc) so it is not as if the post is VAGUE.

Also, my Bart Allen meta doesn't break containment typically. So you're right, it usually stays within a circle here on Tumblr.

I did catch one person making the same 'mistake' twice and they were following me. 😑 Hey if you see this, you know who are, knock it off?

Either way it is getting annoying because it happens a lot more than I complain about.

[peacerisendove]

I was doing some rereading and I think that Bart Allen acted more like a Thawne than an Allen at times when he was The Flash in The Flash: Fastest Man Alive. And particularly so when he was fighting Thad because he was tapping more into his anger and rage which are very explicitly associated with Thawnes in the comics.

It’s seen with Malcolm Thawne (Barry Allen’s twin brother), who began the Allen-Thawne feud and also created the Cobalt Blue gem due to the immense amount of rage and wrath he held:

(The Flash (1987) #145)

It’s seen with Eobard, Thad, President Thawne, Meloni even states she had a desire to smother her father in his sleep (which is great and I support her), and generations of Thawnes who are able to tap into the power of the Cobalt Blue gem which is based in hatred.

This hatred with regard to Malcolm’s descendants is associated with the Thawne ideology and is a learned hatred, but I think interesting that his character also has instances of following this pattern and characteristic associated with Thawnes despite being raised as an Allen and as a hero. I also think it’s interesting because Bart’s character and writing surrounding on him has never personally touched on or associated him with Thawnes except for stating that his mother is a Thawne and that his grandfather, President Thawne, wanted to convert him to the Thawne side. Bart has never weighed in or commented on this half of his lineage.

But even despite that Bart doesn’t seem like he’s an exception to this pattern/characteristic associated with Thawnes because he also displays this intense rage too at times such as seen when he is The Flash. He breaks his knuckles on Thad’s face and when he sees the Black Flash, a certain sign of a speedster’s death, he actively tries to kill Thad. It is a kill or be killed situation, but typically heroes and Flashes specifically tend to stay away from killing. And similarly in Teen Titans Bart wants to get revenge on Thad after his death (and for context Thad has already died himself due to the fact he killed Bart), even despite this being a simulated version of Thad feels very Thawne like as well because he’s not just punishing this version of him, but is once again actively desires to kill him.

So while it does seem unlike Bart to give into rage or anger this intense it’s interesting to think that Bart also holds a tendency toward anger or rage at times that connects him back to the Thawnes and this prominent theme/characteristic associated with them with regard to his character, and is also ironically used against them.

(Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #13)

(Teen Titans (2003) #98) (This occurs after Bart comes back to life).

[chaosmultiverse]

Thad vc: y'know I can't really hide that I dye my hair, one touch and it's clear it feels like straw most pf of the time

[brown-little-robin]

META ON THE WAY because I can’t stop thinking about this imagery in the latest chapter of The Strange Redemption

Within the first two paragraphs of Thad being in Joseph’s apartment, Joseph calls Thad a polite ghost and a white pigeon.

“ Thad Free stands in the middle of Joe Wilson’s apartment like a polite ghost. He waits, solemn-eyed and wary, as if for Joseph to react to his presence. He looks like he expects Joseph to recoil from him in disgust.

He’s a pale creature, lighter blond than Joseph himself. The light from the picture window makes every hair of his body shimmer like thin strands of gold. In his whitish-blue sweater, he seems out of place among the rich greens and pinks of Joseph Wilson’s apartment. Like a white pigeon. ”

Let’s take ghost first. Joseph looks at how Thad is standing in the middle of the room looking like he’s waiting for Joseph to recoil and thinks ghost. A ghost, a human who was dead and now is back. But not with destructive intent: a polite ghost. He’s catching how Thad thinks of himself, as something out of place and barely human, or not human anymore. Something horrifying trying not to be horrifying.

(Joseph called himself a ghost, too, at the beginning of the chapter. He meant something unmoored. Something unlike other people, something that follows the song of its heart rather than settling down. With Thad, ghost means something a little different—but it’s telling, isn’t it, that Joseph uses the same imagery for Thad as for himself? Joseph identifies Thad with himself.)

But white pigeon?

Speedsters think of Thad as a predator. Both Thad and Max call him a feral cat multiple times. And that’s accurate. Thad is dangerous and a loner and prone to lash out. (Also, he can purr.)

But Joseph? The first thing he thinks of is bird. Joseph thinks of Thad as a bird. A pigeon, a prey animal, flighty, as is referenced when Thad sits nervously on the couch like he might fly away. Not dangerous. Pigeons are domesticated; they’re not true wild animals, but feral domesticated ones. Like the feral cat imagery, calling him a pigeon says: he could survive on his own, but he has the capacity to be domestic. He’s better off being housed and fed and loved.

Not just pigeon, though. White pigeon. This references Thad’s physical paleness, of course, in context. White pigeons are strikingly beautiful animals. But white pigeons are also a particular type of domesticated rock dove.

A dove.

Joseph has identified Thad with a symbol of peace.