“ | As a boy, he was captivated by his comic book superheroes. Why? Because they had dual identities. They were always one person who was actually two. So, why did he choose to take up the mantle of the Flash instead of forging his own path after gaining super-speed? He held the man who had assumed that role before him in high regard, that's true... but it ran deeper than that. Subconsciously, I believe he was searching for a brother. Think about it, West. When you became Kid Flash... he immediately outfitted you to look just like him...! | „ |
~ Malcolm Thawne. |
“ | Well said. I like you. Unfortunately...That's not enough to save you. | „ |
~ Cobalt Blue being ruthless with a police officer. |
“ | I've come... So far... Waited so long... And everything is gone... In a blaze! The blaze of vengeance! | „ |
~ While possessing Pariah. |
Malcolm Thawne, also known as Cobalt Blue, is a supervillain in DC's New Earth. He is the older twin brother of the superhero Flash and the ancestor of Professor Zoom.
While Cobalt Blue's appearance in the comics was brief, he proved to be a formidable obstacle for Wally West. Causing disruptions to the Flash family and various speedsters from different eras, he, much like the Reverse-Flash, generated problems akin to a "Crisis."
Biography[]
New Earth[]
Malcolm Thawne was one of the twins chosen randomly and stolen at birth by Dr. Gilmore who reported him as a stillborn to Dr. Henry and Nora Allen. The reason Dr. Gilmore gave Malcolm away to the Thawnes was because he accidentally strangled their child while drinking heavily. Malcolm Thawne is the biological brother of Barry Allen, otherwise known as the second Flash.
Hugo and Charlene Thawne were a corrupt and vile family who raised and abused Malcolm. Hugo and Charlene were using a strange inherited Thawne power, a blue flame, to heal people, afterwards selling jars of petroleum jelly with blue food coloring to the healed and their friends. All the other members of his family had this power except for Malcolm which was why they would taunt him for his failure to handle it.
Malcolm eventually learned he was adopted and located Dr. Gilmore. Gilmore told Malcolm the truth about himself and Malcolm killed him for having picked him to be with another family. Malcolm started to go traveling and got into constant trouble with the law. Malcolm learned his brother Barry became a forensic scientist and got a job as a janitor in the Central City Police Station where Barry worked. Malcolm started to hate Barry for everything he had that could have been his own if it hadn't been for chance and even witnessed the accident that made him the Flash.
Malcolm confronted his foster grandmother to learn more about the blue flame that the Thawnes had. Malcolm's grandfather trained him in how to use the flame to steal everything he desired as well as how to place his hatred for Barry inside a talisman that he wore on his chest.
Malcolm then became a super-villain Cobalt Blue and started to go after Barry for revenge. Flash eventually defeated Cobalt Blue with his own blue flame.
After the death of Barry Allen, Cobalt Blue did terrible things in memory of his brother: he blew up the Flash Museum, destroyed the house Barry used to live, destroyed Barry's laboratory in the CCPD station, and stole Jay Garrick's speed. Barry and Iris' nephew Wally, the third Flash, tracked him down and acquired enough Speed Force to defeat Cobalt Blue while making Cobalt Blue reveal his life story to him.
Cobalt Blue sparked a family duel between the descendants of the Thawne and Allen family that would last for centuries until a truce was declared. However President Thaddeus Thawne was enraged to learn that his daughter was married to a member of the Allen family. Cobalt Blue is also also the ancestor to Eobard Thawne, otherwise known as the Reverse Flash or Professor Zoom.
In Future State[]
Cobalt Blue briefly appears in Future State as a member of the Legion of Doom, stating that his family will finally achieve their revenge against the Flash Legacy. However, when the new Justice League encounters them, they find that all members of the Legion have been inexplicably killed and massacred.
Prime Earth[]
Cobalt Blue is officially recognized as part of the main continuity in The Flash #800 of (2016). In the storyline, Barry and Iris use the Cosmic Treadmill from the Flash Museum to travel to the 30th century and visit their children, Dawn and Don. The Allen family embarks on various adventures before eventually returning to the present. There is a panel where Cobalt Blue can be seen fighting against his brother, Iris, and their niece, Dawn.
Powers and Abilities[]
Powers[]
- Blue Flame Energy Access: By tapping into his talisman, Malcolm can access fellows abilities:
- Energy Projection: Malcolm can cause his flame to burst out of his body and sword.
- Energy Construct Creation: Malcolm can create objects out of his flame, his favorite being a flaming sword.
- Power Absorption: Malcolm used his hatred to channel the Blue Flame to steal objects and power from his enemies. On most occasions he uses this power to steal speed from the Flashes.
- Superhuman Speed: Malcolm can reach incredible amounts of speed by using his Blue Flame to steal speed from opponents. He can steal multiple levels of speed from different sources and achieve speeds to assault even Wally West.
- Healing: The Blue Flame was mainly used by the Thawne family to "heal" and presumably Malcolm has the same ability but he hasn't shown the ability to produce healing flames as of yet.
- Mind Control: Regardless of Malcolm's physical body's whereabouts, he possesses the ability to project his consciousness, spanning across all time, stretching it into the future. The blue gem encapsulates not only his hatred but also his very soul essence. Similar as he did with Jai Garrick, Malcolm wields the power to control other speedsters like puppets, infusing a fragment of his blue gem, creating a new host. He can control a vast number of devotees all at the same time without restrictions.
Abilities[]
- Expert Tactician: Malcolm is a skilled planner.
- Swordsmanship: Malcom is skilled at using a sword in combat.
Equipment[]
- Blue Flame Talisman: Although unable to tap into the power of the Blue Flame, Malcolm was granted access to the Blue Flame through a talisman given to him by his adopted grandmother.
In other media[]
The Flash[]
- Main article: Cobalt Blue (Arrowverse)
Cobalt Blue is one of the main antagonists in the ninth and final season of the 2014 TV series The Flash, overall as well serving as the final antagonist of the Arrowverse.
Trivia[]
- Malcolm considers listening to the Spice Girls a form of torture.
- Malcolm and Barry collide as opposites in various ways, forming a contradiction. While Barry is a logical skeptic who rejects magic, Malcolm believes in it and strongly embraces the concept of destiny.
- Another paradox between them is that Barry has become a Blue Lantern driven by his hope, despite the color of the Scarlet Speedster's attire being associated with a drive fueled by hatred. Meanwhile, Malcolm predominantly dresses in blue, which symbolizes hope, Ironically, he draws power from hatred.
- A pseudonym for Malcolm Thawne may have appeared since the Bronze Age in issues #290 and #291 of The Flash. A criminal named "Ross Malverk" bears such a striking resemblance to Barry that they could be practically twins.
- Inertia has a distorted belief that Cobalt Blue was a misunderstood hero, and he uses him as a reference point in his relationship with Impulse.