The Hotness (Arrowverse)

Jaco Birch, nicknamed The Hotness by Team Flash, is a major antagonist turned anti-hero of the TV series The Flash. He is the father of Harold Birch and a commoner-turned-criminal, who accidentally received meta-human powers during a confrontation between Matthew Kim and Eric Frye. With his newfound fiery powers, Jaco tried to commit robbery and attacked a police squad, saying that he'd get what Eric couldn't: money. He was stopped by Central City's newfound hero, the temporary Flash.
In the new multiverse, Jaco was framed for the murder of Stan Mullen and was arrested, but his name was then cleared by the Flash. Soon after, Jaco became a barista at CC Jitters and was recruited by Barry Allen along with Hartley Rathaway and Keith Kenyon to form an alliance and together defeat Red Death and the Rogues.
==History ==
===Pre-Crisis===
==== Season 4 ====
===Post-Crisis===
==== Pre-Season 8 ====
In the new multiverse it is unknown how Jacob gained his powers, but he was eventually sent to Iron Heights. Somehow Jaco learned he had a son, Harold, whose mother abandoned them after they son's birth. After this, Jaco promised to clean up his act for his son when he was still on prison. 
==== Season 8 ====
==== Season 9 ====
==Personality==
As The Hotness, he only robbed banks and used his fire to intimidate others. Jaco had a posturing, self-confident disposition, flaunting his newfound powers and enjoying himself talking. He was smart enough to figure out how he got the powers and the way Matthew Kim's mutation worked. His motivation was simply to demand money in the hammiest way possible. He's a fan of the "KISS" band and rock'n'roll in general, saying "Long live Rock'n'roll!" as he turned himself into a fiery tornado. 
In the new multiverse, he's had a change in heart and wants to be a good dad to his boy. He still likes music and has a temper. But he does his best to control it. Harold was sometimes distant from his dad and refused to get involved in some of his dad's jobs as a security guard. He later even helped save Central City from being destroyed by magma with the Flash's help and convinced Barry he didn't murder Stan Mullen at O'Shaughnessy's because he promised his son he would be a better father. Jaco is also grateful to Team Flash for helping him gain control and custody of his son, promising to be a better man for Harold. He later agreed to Hartley and Barry's proposal to ally to stop the Rogues and the Red Death. However, Birch and Keith didn't see eye to eye right away, with the former telling Keith to be respectful towards Barry's plans and yelling at Hartley for playing disco music at Club Krakatoa. But they didn't trust each other. They later decided to become better people and friends after leaving S.T.A.R. Labs. 
He was also angry towards Mark for betraying the team to the Red Death and as such refused to save him. He and the Rogues were mainly concerned with rescuing Iris and Barry. 
==Powers and Abilities==
=== Powers ===
*Metahuman physiology
**Pyrokinesis
**Heat resistance
**Geokinesis
**Heat Absorption
**Anger Empowerment
** Enhanced Disability
===Abilities===
*Average intellect: Jaco does have a keen sense of observation. This is how he knew Barry was the Flash due to both Barry and Flash ordering the same drink from Jitters. Jaco is also knowledgeable in various heavy metal bands and their music. As a former criminal, Jaco also has experience dealing with traps, allowing him to know that the Red Death set one for Barry and the others by leaving Mark Blaine completely unprotected.
===Weaknesses===
*Water: Like most fire, water can extinguish Birch's flames.
*Emotional state: In the new multiverse, Birch's powers draw heat and pressure from the Earth's core below him. As such, an emotional outburst or a prolonged state of anger will cause magma to start rising to the surface, enough to possibly decimate Central City and transform it into a volcano.
==Gallery==
==Quotes==
==Trivia==
*With the revelation that Jaco is actually The Hotness, this makes him the tenth case of gender-bending on The Flash, succeeding Brie Larvan, Rosa Dillon, Lucious Coolidge, Mina Chaytan, Izzy Bowin, Janet Petty, Spencer Young, Joslyn Jackam, and Raya Van Zandt.
*The character may be named after J.J. Birch, a pseudonym of DC comic book artist Joe Brozowski, who worked for a long time on comics about another fire-related character, Firestorm.
== Navigation ==
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Category:Live-action characters
Category:Antagonists
Category:Anti-heroes
Category:Reformed characters
Category:The Flash characters