The Big Bad in Central City has only been hinted at on Season 2 of The Flash, but once he starts fighting Barry Allen, we won't have much time to think. Better break down this new evil speedster before it's too late. Who is Zoom on The Flash? In DC Comics, the character "Zoom" is a man named Hunter Zolomon who took on the persona and colors of Eobard Thawne and became The Flash's nemesis in order to "make him a better hero" — so I'm not sure where to place him on the moral scale, honestly.
He is not to be confused (or so we think) with Professor Zoom, aka Eobard Thawne. Zolomon sees himself as a good guy, and was friends with The Flash before becoming his foe. He was also a police profiler — which is something to look out for now that Joe West has started the megahuman task force. Finally, it should be noted that the Flash he's terrorizing is Wally West, not Barry Allen. He's also the third character to become Reverse-Flashin the comic books, after Thawne and "The Rival," a man named Edward Clariss who wears a hat similar to Garrick's.
So... is the Zoom that Garrick warned about on The Flash definitely Hunter Zolomon? This show has taken liberties with characters before. I don't think it's safe to assume anything.
He's Masked
Deliberately, according to the producers. It could be anybody coming through that portal in Central City. It could be Edward Clariss. It could be Patty Spivot. It could even be Eddie Thawne, for all we know — and considering his future lineage, that's not a bad guess. In an interview with Variety, executive producer Andrew Kreisberg explained that "part of the mystery of the season is who or what is underneath the Zoom outfit, and so we wanted to do something like James Earl Jones as Darth Vader — this iconic voice coming out of this mask. Last year, we thought of the Reverse-Flash as a speed warrior; this year, Zoom is like a speed demon..."
It's An Alternate Universe
Maybe the "Zoom" from one world is Hunter Zolomon, but not the "Zoom" from Jay Garrick's Tomorrowland- wannabe universe. Does that make sense? I suppose that once we finally meet Wally West on the CW series, we may be able to put together some of the details. I'm just saying, the fact that unmasking Zoom is a big mystery makes me think we've seen this person before.
Follow The Smirk
Look it's probably Harrison Wells, okay. Who are we even kidding? I can't possibly convey with words how thrilled I was to see that man saunter out of an elevator at the end of last Tuesday's episode. My heart took flight. You say Professor Zoom, I say Zoom... let's call the whole thing off! I'm sure there will be plenty of twists on The Flash Season 2 regarding Zoom's identity, but Tom Cavanagh is always a good candidate.
Images: Jeff Weddell/The CW; Giphy (2); flashallens/Tumblr
