The Flash movie: 26 DC Easter Eggs and what they mean

13. Michael Keaton’s Batman knows how time travel works

No matter the ins and outs of Michael Keaton’s Batman understanding time travel, it’s an essential cog in the narrative wheel. Any time-traveling movie requires those in-depth exposition moments, giving the audience a crash course in the do’s and don’ts of venturing through time and alternate realities.

While explaining it all to Barry and alternate Barry, he mentions a specific movie that told us that, when you go back in time and change the past, the timeline branches out. Remember Avengers: Endgame?  Interesting that he hints at an MCU movie, and it’s the second Disney movie referenced in The Flash. Regardless, he states that’s the wrong idea and explains that once the past is changed, it’s like two spaghetti noodles intersecting, creating a second past and a second future, leaving you at the point where the two universes meet.

I…… have to agree that this makes so much more sense than the MCU’s Multiverse, and it breaks my little Marvel fangirl heart to admit it.

Regardless, The Flash also needed to set the stage, explaining the core plot to the audience. In this scenario, the dual versions of Barry become the perfect conduits for Batman to lay down the ground rules for the audience.

However, if we flip the perspective and look at the story a bit more organically, having Keaton’s Batman play the time travel guide makes complete sense within the film’s narrative. Throughout much of The Flash, Batman takes on the role of Barry Allen’s mentor – whether it’s Ben Affleck’s iteration or Michael Keaton’s. It feels only natural that Bruce would be the one to introduce Barry, and by extension the audience, to the intricacies of time travel, fitting seamlessly within their mentor-protege dynamic. This interaction becomes the first step towards the heartening bond between Bruce and Barry, weaving a significant emotional thread through the plot of The Flash.

14. Superman Fight Reference

Towards the end of the film, alternate Barry feels overwhelmed by the lightning-quick Kryptonians. But our original Flash, ever the optimist, has a different perspective. With an assuring smile, he asserts that The Flash holds the speed crown, subtly tipping his hat to an unforgettable Justice League showdown.

It’s a nostalgic nod to that epic face-off between the Justice League and Superman, where Barry showcased his superior speed. Though it was only by a hair, Barry managed to outpace the Man of Steel, reminding us all that even in the face of extreme challenges, The Flash always rises to the occasion.