The Cobalt Streak/Super Speed
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
As far as Ignatius and SERAPH know, the "Super Speed" granted to him thanks to his parents and Crey is a byproduct of medical investigations towards cellular regeneration. But this is far from the truth. A combination of chance, a perfect genetic profile, and mystical forces shaped the events which gave Ignatius the powers he commands today.
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Powers
As far as any publications go, Ignatius' powers most closely resemble Wally West, the former Kid Flash and the third Flash. The few differences in Wally's and Iggy's powers are their origin, combat applications, and translation into respective realities. Ignatius has neither the fine control nor example that other Speedsters from other publications have, and suffers in his powers greatly from it. The manifestation of the powers also plays a key role in how they act.
Manifestation
Ignatius moves at normal faster than the rest of the world. Currently at twenty times faster than the rest of reality, this causes as many problems as it does create solutions and opportunity.
Abilities
There are three primary abilities that come with Super Speed, as far as Iggy's incarnation of it comes. The first is accelerated movement. Ignatius exists faster than the world around him, giving him seemingly improved reflexes and speed high above what even other Speedsters can perceive. The Cobalt Streak in Positrons eyes would still move as a blur, while the current incarnation of DC Comic's The Flash would be able to keep track of his movements as if they were moving at the same speed, as would Superman. Marvel Comic's Quicksilver would not be able to unless he were moving at a likewise increased speed. This allows Ignatius to react impossibly fast, move with inhuman precision, and think at super-human speeds. It provides protection against a great deal of hazards, the least of which being grave physical injury and psychic powers. The second is the Speed Force, akin to DC Comics own way of explaining away the technical aspects of a heroes power. The Speed Force which The Cobalt Streak can tap into provides both protection from the ravages of accelerated movement, and an improved form of combat. Ignatius taps into the Speed Force primarily with his hands, moving them quickly enough that he breaks the barrier between Primal Earth and the Speed Force. He then channels the energy within, using it to strengthen blows and deal raw energy-based damage to his foes with every blow. The third and final ability is temporal immunity.
Applications
Iggy's application of Super Speed towards problems and challenges abroad are inspired loosely from a number of sources. Some applications of Super Speed are directly copied from those of Wally West, while others are interpretations of additional powers and their more mystical or mysterious source. These include, but are not limited to:
- Does not leave a scent trail traceable by an average bloodhound at medium-to-high speeds (300 mph to 700 mph).
- Transit across water or other fluids without breaking surface tension.
- Overcoming gravity by running up and down vertical surfaces.
- Creating wind vortexes by running in circles or rotating his arms and legs.
- "Lending" velocity to objects or people already in motion
- "Stealing" the speed of others.
- Vibrating his molecules at a frequency to allow him to pass through certain materials unhindered.
- Use of his incredibly fast reflexes in order to withstand powerful blows.
- Creating after-images of himself.
- Vibrate so that light does not reflect off him sufficiently, rendering him invisible
- "Accelerated Healing," the ability to speed up his natural healing process.
- Gaining infinite mass as he approaches light speed, resulting in extremely heavy blows and increased density.
- Complete immunity to telepathic communication, mind-reading, and illusions.
- Traveling through time forwards and backwards, with in-dimension limitations.
- "Speed Force" energy manipulation and spontaneous generation. Not actually the Speed Force proper, but a cross-dimensional conduit of energy from a similar plane of cosmic energies.
Consequences
For every advantage Super Speed grants, there are at least a dozen drawbacks. (Usually attached to the advantages!) Examples of these (based off from the applications above) include:
- An inability to properly interact with some substances (such as submersion in water, or handling powders without protection).
- An inability to control the level of velocity stolen or granted.
- Unconsciously changing the vibrations in his own body, and creating unintended side-effects (accidental invisibility, noticeable vibrations, or an annoying "hum.")
- Immunity to the positive effects of time travel.
- Sleeplessness, in that Iggy doesn't have to sleep, and sleeping for longer than fifteen minutes is impossible.
Why Can't He Just..
Peter David addresses a very important aspect of Speedsters in a Q&A on his website/blog. The question is a little under halfway down the page. Directly from the blog: Which comic book character do you think you would have the most difficulty writing and why? The Flash. If you're going to play him true to his power's potential, he's unbeatable. The moment someone sees him coming, it's too late. You shout, "It's the Flash!" and you haven't even got "It's" out before you're done. At least Impulse could be easily distracted.[1]
It's a valid question. "Why doesn't Iggy just vibrate through the walls to reach someone at the end of the warehouse?" "Why not just speed by everything and cold-clock the guy at the end?" "Why not just travel through time and[..]." They're all very good questions, and they come down to an important thing about playing a powerful character. For the same reason that Superman doesn't lobotomize his enemies with a glance, Statesman doesn't personally beat Recluse into submission, and Spider Man doesn't simply coat his foes in webbing until they can't breathe; it's not a good story then. Iggy approaches it as "I'm a hero, I can't do things like that." I approach it as "Iggy's a hero, he can't do things like that." He could phase his hand through someones body and crush their heart, but that's unfair and downright villainous. So he must fight them, and throw enough left hooks and jabs to knock them out. But not kill them.
