Barry isn't entirely blameless in the events of DC Rebirth/New 52

[jbmasta]

He's not trying to change the past.
Somebody already has changed it, and he is trying to fix time.

Problem was time had set to fit the altered version, like a healing bone setting the wrong way. Barry tried to fix it, but just made things worse, settling on the New 52. While New 52 no doubt had its problems, at least Aquaman and Wonder Woman weren't at each other's throats and the world wasn't about to be destroyed.

[Buried Alien]

Problem was time had set to fit the altered version, like a healing bone setting the wrong way. Barry tried to fix it, but just made things worse, settling on the New 52. While New 52 no doubt had its problems, at least Aquaman and Wonder Woman weren't at each other's throats and the world wasn't about to be destroyed.

We're learning right now that the New 52 configuration was not inevitable; an external force (Dr. Manhattan) influenced its assuming that form. Had Manhattan not intervened, Barry's work would have likely resulted in the reestablishment of the familiar Pre-FLASHPOINT DCU.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Carabas]

Problem was time had set to fit the altered version...

Time that sets is the dumbest contribution to time travel fiction since... I don't know. Possibly ever.

[jbmasta]

Time that sets is the dumbest contribution to time travel fiction since... I don't know. Possibly ever.

I mean that the timeline adapted so that the murder of Nora Allen and imprisonment of Henry Allen became a part of it. Like adding an addition to your house. While not part of the original model, but a part of the later model. I've a lot of experience with time travel fiction. Altered timelines, paradoxes of many varieties, parallel worlds, you name it I've likely watched a TV show or movie, read a book or listened to an audio about it. Have you heard the one with the Nazi from a splintered timeline trying to restore her world in the main timeline?

[The Darknight Detective]

I mean that the timeline adapted so that the murder of Nora Allen and imprisonment of Henry Allen became a part of it. Like adding an addition to your house. While not part of the original model, but a part of the later model. I've a lot of experience with time travel fiction. Altered timelines, paradoxes of many varieties, parallel worlds, you name it I've likely watched a TV show or movie, read a book or listened to an audio about it. Have you heard the one with the Nazi from a splintered timeline trying to restore her world in the main timeline?

But none of this means anything regarding Barry, since everything you referenced is fiction (yes, I know Barry is fictional, too ). From his own experience, he could go back in time without consequence. There should have been zero problems correcting the original timeline. That there was should not be Barry's fault, though, especially since every other character and person on this site would have done the same thing.

If Barry tries to do something similar now after what happened with Flashpoint? If that happens, then we can all "blame" him.

[ZoomZolomonZoom]

Time that sets is the dumbest contribution to time travel fiction since... I don't know. Possibly ever.

THIS.

It's such a cheap cop-out for any timeline alterations that the writers like to stay in tact. Worse yet, they're never consistent with what defines the timeline "solidifying". Does it take a certain amount of time to do so? What sense does that make, the past and future aren't happening simultaneously. It's either done or going to be done. Something that's already happened can't be in the process of STILL happening! Ugh, this armchair time travel logic has got to be one of my least favorite parts of the modern Flash mythos.

[Buried Alien]

I mean that the timeline adapted so that the murder of Nora Allen and imprisonment of Henry Allen became a part of it. Like adding an addition to your house. While not part of the original model, but a part of the later model. I've a lot of experience with time travel fiction. Altered timelines, paradoxes of many varieties, parallel worlds, you name it I've likely watched a TV show or movie, read a book or listened to an audio about it. Have you heard the one with the Nazi from a splintered timeline trying to restore her world in the main timeline?

Your idea has some disturbing implications. If we were to take your argument to its logical outcome, then any time an Anti-Monitor, a Parallax, a Darkseid, a Reverse Flash, or a Dr. Manhattan screws with time, then the heroes would have to LET the villain do it rather than redress it because the timeline is going to adapt to that model.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[KoriandrJean]

Your idea has some disturbing implications. If we were to take your argument to its logical outcome, then any time an Anti-Monitor, a Parallax, a Darkseid, a Reverse Flash, or a Dr. Manhattan screws with time, then the heroes would have to LET the villain do it rather than redress it because the timeline is going to adapt to that model.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

Does anyone remember it took several trips in the deLorean for Marty to fix history (and, by the way, improve on it?!)

[jbmasta]

Your idea has some disturbing implications. If we were to take your argument to its logical outcome, then any time an Anti-Monitor, a Parallax, a Darkseid, a Reverse Flash, or a Dr. Manhattan screws with time, then the heroes would have to LET the villain do it rather than redress it because the timeline is going to adapt to that model.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

Unless you have some kind of immunity to changes in time, like Flash, you are or will become a product of events as they stand. We are the sum of our memories and experiences. Within Flashpoint, that was what the What Ifs around the characters were about, Kal-El's ship landing in Metropolis instead of a Kansas cornfield for example. There's a bigger moral dilemma when the person changing history isn't from the altered timeline, and the altered timeline usually ends up in disaster to justify restoring the established timeline. The issue comes up in Stargate Continuum, when the Landry of the alternate timeline questions of the right of Sam, Daniel and Mitchell from the main timeline to put their history back. Point is, it can be a fascinating ethical topic, not always used to its fullest potential.

As for Flashpoint, wasn't Barry influenced by Mirror Master to dwell on his greatest regret, which inspired him to go back and save her in the first place, leading to Flashpoint?

[Carabas]

Does anyone remember it took several trips in the deLorean for Marty to fix history (and, by the way, improve on it?!)

He didn't improve on it.
He probably cheated Chuck Berry and others out of a career. And all he did was make things better for his own family. The film doesn't examine what he did to the larger timeline.

[Stryder Wolfe]

As for Flashpoint, wasn't Barry influenced by Mirror Master to dwell on his greatest regret, which inspired him to go back and save her in the first place, leading to Flashpoint?

Yes! I'm glad I am not the only person who remembers this. Mirror Master shares the blame!

[Cmbmool]

We're learning right now that the New 52 configuration was not inevitable; an external force (Dr. Manhattan) influenced its assuming that form. Had Manhattan not intervened, Barry's work would have likely resulted in the reestablishment of the familiar Pre-FLASHPOINT DCU.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

First Pandora and now Dr. Manhattan it seems that Geoff Johns is pushing these people there to prevent Barry and Thawn from getting the full blame. Honestly I guess we'll never know whether or not if Barry's action could have restored the DCU into its Pre-Flashpoint status if it wasn't disturbed.

[Cmbmool]

He didn't improve on it.
He probably cheated Chuck Berry and others out of a career. And all he did was make things better for his own family. The film doesn't examine what he did to the larger timeline.

That's what the Back to the future comic book series is for.

[The Darknight Detective]

First Pandora and now Dr. Manhattan it seems that Geoff Johns is pushing these people there to prevent Barry and Thawn from getting the full blame.

Barry and Thawne? If anybody is going to blame Barry (despite not doing anything purposefully to screw things up and having years of time-travel experience on his side to back him up), it would be THAWNE.................................................. ...... and Barry.

[Kyer]

Thawne was the one to go back in time and screw with history to begin with (we think. God, time travel should be left to The Doctor and even he has his moments of facepalm.) Blame the villain who started it. Barry was within rights to try to change history back to how it was. Unfortunate that outside elements screwed everything up even further (and I meant that both in-universe and in-Reality.)