Farooq Gibran

Farooq Gibran, nicknamed Blackout by Cisco, is an antagonist in the first season of The Flash. He is a meta-human, having gained the power to siphon electricity.

He is portrayed by Michael Reventar.

Past
Farooq and his two friends, Daria Kim and Jake Davenport, were all out to witness the particle accelerator being activated. In hopes of getting a better view, Farooq climbed an electrical tower, despite his friends protests for him to come down. When the accelerator was activated, he was electrocuted by the tower channeling the electricity from the explosion. His heart stopped and his friends tried CPR on him. But he was transformed by the particle blast and became capable of siphoning electricity. The electricity in his body emerged when he resuscitated, killing his friends.

Revenge on Wells
A body is found by the CCPD, completely burnt. Barry deduces that the has been burned by at least 2400°. Deducing that the on the ground are evidence of an arc blast, Barry realises that the victim has not been burnt but electrocuted to death. With help from Cisco, Barry eventually identifies the body as Casey Donahue. While doing so, Cisco sees that someone is using Donahues ID the same moment to access Petrsburgh Electrical Substation, where Donahue was working. Arriving there, Barry witnesses Brooke drawing electricy from the machinery. Barry then makes his presence known and Gibran shoots a bolt of electricity at him. Gibran then claims that he has to feed. While hitting Barry with another bolt, Gibran drains Barry's power from him. Barry tries to escape, but Gibran decides that he needs more and shoots at Barry's back, drawing more and more energy from him. Eventually, Gibran realises that he's had too much and walks off. When Barry tries to return to Star Labs, his powers fail him.

Eventually returning to Star Labs, the team finds out that, opposed what they first expected, Gibran does not create electricity but siphons it. Cisco finds out Gibran's identity by checking the camera footage of the substation. Immediately after doing so, an alert warns Cisco that someone is outside. When checking it, Cisco is surprised that Gibran is standing outside, looking directly at the camera and demanding to be led to Wells.

Attack on Star Labs
When no one lets him in, Gibran absorbs power from a grid on the Star Labs premises, thereby causing power outages in the entire city. In the Central City Police Precinct, this leads to the escape of William Tockman, who uses the oppurtunity to take the entire precinct hostage. After absorbing the electricity, Gibran uses it to burn a hole into a wall at Star Labs, thus gaining entry. When Barry finds out of the hostage situation at the police precinct, he tries to go there but is forced to obtain his power first. To do so, Barry decides to talk to Gibran in order to get his powers back from him. Barry approaches Gibran and tells him that he also was affected the night the particle accelerator exploded. Gibran recognizes Barry as the man in the read suit of whom he fed and claims that he needs to keep feeding. He also tells Barry that the night the particle accelerator exploded, his heart stopped beating when he fell. His friends tried to perform CPR but were electrocuted to death when they touched him. Barry tells Gibran that this wasn't his fault but Gibran tells him that he is aware of that and that the fault lies with Wells. Gibran then blasts Barry back and Cisco seperates them by locking a security door.

Eventually, Gibran breaks through the door. To save everyone in Star Labs, Wells frees meta-human Tony Woodward from his prison and makes a deal, ensuring Woodward his freedom if he kills Gibran. Woodward ambushes Gibran and knocks him to the floor. Gibran retorts by blasting electricity at Woodward, who is not affected. However, Gibran eventually overpowers Woodward and kills him. This is witnessed by Barry and Caitlin, who just have enough time to escape him. Reuniting with Wells and Cisco, the team decides that they have to escape from Star Labs. However, by this time Wells realises that Barry's power block is mental and not physical anymore.

Defeat
Having reached the garage of Star Labs, Barry tries to start the motor of a van but is unable to do so. From this, Wells deduces that Gibran is nearby. Indeed, Gibran appears and attacks the car with electricity, leaving Barry barely enough time to jump out. Cisco and Caitlin come to Barry's aid but are now all three right in front of Gibran with no way out. To save the three, Wells reveals himself to Gibran and acknowledges that he hurt a lot of people the night the particle accelerator exploded. Furiously, Gibran says that Wells does not even know their names but Wells reveals that he does, every single one. He then says that Barry and his friends do not deserve to die and that Gibran's business is with Wells. Gibran then says that Wells died as well that night, only that he didn't know until today. He then blasts Wells out of his wheelchair and witnessing this, Barry overcomes his mental blockade and regains his power. He brings Wells to safety and then takes on Gibran but is once again caught by Gibran's absorbing beam. However, Gibran absorbs to much, overloading himself and thus dying.

Wells later opened the cell to get a sample of Farooq's blood in order to see just how Farooq was able to siphon The Flash's powers.