Meta-humans

**Meta-humans**, commonly shortened as **metas** and often referred to as **super-humans**, are individuals who acquired powers and abilities unlike those of normal humans after experiencing mutation of their bodies (in comparison to magic users, who learned how to harness primordial energies without being mutated themselves). On Earth 1, most obtained their powers after surviving an explosion caused by a malfunction of the S.T.A.R. Labs particle accelerator on December 11, 2013, releasing a wave of dark matter throughout Central City and other surrounding areas. These people were exposed to the particles and dark matter that altered their genetic, chemical, or even atomic structure, giving them a variety of abilities. Their abilities seem to often relate to what energy or matter the future super-humans were in direct contact with at the time of exposure.

According to Clifford DeVoe, approximately 2,600 people became meta-humans the night of the accelerator explosion. Only certain people became metas as only a handful of people in Central City carried a unique and dormant "meta-gene" that allows the pituitary gland to process dark matter in order to manifest stable abilities. Team Flash later developed a cure for meta abilities that involves suppressing this gene to remove the meta's ability to process dark matter and the powers they gain from it, though they agreed to never use the cure on a meta-human against that individual's will.

## Overview

Meta-humans are represented by a wide spectrum of mutated people, with mental state, physical appearance and physiological specifics unique for each individual. The conditions they were in during the exposure to the mutative element seem to affect how the mutation changes a person. Furthermore, there are dormant meta-humans, like Henry Hewitt, whose powers did not resurface until the connection to the Firestorm Matrix, which either re-enabled their mutative physiology or represented a new mutation altogether. Within the spectrum of meta-humans, there have emerged a few specific classes or sub-species that share common traits and powers; speedsters, for example, are meta-humans who are connected to the Speed Force and collectively possess speed-based powers. Vibers are another example; meta-humans who possess psychic connections to the dimensional energies of reality, allowing them to open breaches to parallel universes at will, generate vibrational energy blasts and possessing powers of retrocognition, clairvoyance, and precognition.

Some powers are actually more of a curse, as they prove damaging to one's heath. Griffin Grey aged every time he used super strength. DeVoe's brain was leeching all his body's nutrients. Norvock lost half his eyesight. Plastique blew up everything she touched. Blackout had an endless hunger for electricity. Hartley's hearing became painfully sensitive. Stein needed to be fused with a compatible second half of the Firestorm Matrix at least once a week to keep from exploding. Ralph Dibny needed a special solution to stabilize his body and his elastic cells make it impossible to perform medical procedures on him. Neil Borman had absolutely no control over his powers that caused his body to emit large quantities of radiation, unintentionally endangering those around him.

Most meta-humans seen on Earth 1 mutated after exposure to the dark matter connected to the S.T.A.R. Labs particle accelerator. Some meta-humans acquired their powers through other means, not directly related to being hit by the wave of dark energy after the particle accelerator explosion. Among such meta-humans are Eliza Harmon (used Velocity serums to give herself superhuman speed, although she may have been a dormant meta-human prior to that), Valentina Vostok (used the Operation Svarog version of Firestorm Matrix to become a Soviet Firestorm) and Jake Simmons (source of mutation unknown).

It is debatable whether those affected by the Mirakuru drug can be considered true meta-humans. On the one hand, their case is similar to that of Eliza Harmon, who amplified herself with the Velocity drug, receiving meta-human powers at the cost of negative effects for sanity. On the other hand, their condition is reversible, as a Mirakuru cure was created, that allowed them to cure Slade Wilson and Roy Harper. However, the Flash's meta-human powers were also taken away from him when Hunter Zolomon stole his speed; turning him into a normal human once again. Additionally, Slade Wilson was affected by the Mirakuru for years, implying that he would retain his superhuman abilities if not for the cure. One way or another, Barry Allen researched the case of Cyrus Gold, a Mirakuru-affected member of the Church of Blood as part of his hunt for "the impossible," which otherwise included meta-humans. Furthermore, Cisco Ramon eventually concluded that it would be possible to create a meta-human cure; further supporting the fact that, like individuals enhanced by Mirakuru, a meta-human's condition is also reversible.

Meta-humans are not to be confused with magic users; like Damien Darhk or John Constantine, who receive their powers not thanks to mutation, but by manipulating primordial energies of the universe, such as Light of the Soul. However, it is possible for an individual to exhibit both magic powers and abilities related to mutated physiology, Vandal Savage being a prime example of such.

## Cure

Main article: Meta-human cure
After Cisco's hands got cut by Cicada's Sword (which was capable of negating the powers of meta-humans who gained their abilities from exposure to dark matter), Cisco began having trouble using his powers. After removing small shards left behind in the wounds in his hands inflicted by the dagger, Cisco decided to run some tests on the shards and his hands' tissue. These tests revealed that the shards hadn't been dampening Cisco's powers, as he'd originally thought, but removing them, giving Cisco the idea to use this new-found information to concoct a meta-human cure. However, it's implied that this cure only works on meta-humans who'd gained powers by being exposed to dark matter.

## Powers and abilities

*Main*List of Powers
 File:Barry powers through The Turtle's pulses.png
There is a wide range of meta-human powers, including everything from time distortion to elemental manipulation. Meta-humans who gained their abilities from the dark matter explosion in Central City often have powers influenced by unusual conditions at the time of exposure: Barry Allen was struck by lightning and gained access to the Speed Force, giving off electricity when he runs at superhuman speeds, while Tony Woodward and Joseph Monteleone gained the power to transform into the substance they were immersed in during the explosion (steel and tar, respectively).

Due to their altered physiology, certain meta-human powers affect meta-humans differently than normal humans. Likely due to his heightened immune system, Barry had a delayed reaction to Roy Bivolo's rage-inducing powers while a normal person would be impacted immediately. The emotional state of a meta-human also has an influence on their powers; reacting and strengthening when the meta-human is in a state of emotional stress. For example, Caitlin Snow's anger amplified her growing Killer Frost powers, to the point when she was so "drunk on power" that she forgot that this anger initially came from wanting to *get rid* of those same powers, and instead reveled in them and threatened to kill or harm members of Team Flash; who were her good friends and allies.