Farooq Gibran

"*I have... to feed.*"
—Farooq Gibran to The Flash[src]
**Farooq Gibran** (died November 25, 2014), posthumously nicknamed **Blackout** by Cisco Ramon, was a citizen of Central City who was affected by the S.T.A.R. Labs particle accelerator explosion and gained the power to harness electrical energy. Afterwards, he sought revenge on Dr. "Harrison Wells" for his condition, but was defeated by The Flash. Farooq was also the good friend of the late Jake Davenport and the late Daria Kim.

## Biography

### Particle accelerator accident

 File:Farooq Gibran being electrocuted.png
Farooq Gibran and his two friends, Daria Kim and Jake Davenport, were all out to witness the S.T.A.R. Labs particle accelerator being activated whilst intoxicated. In hopes of getting a better view, Farooq climbed an electrical tower, despite his friends' protests for him to come down. When the accelerator was activated, Farooq and his friends watched in amazement. Suddenly, the tower Farooq was on channeled the electricity from the dark matter explosion, electrocuting him. Farooq fell from the tower and his heart stopped, prompting Jake and Daria to administer CPR on him. However, Farooq was transformed by the particle blast and became capable of siphoning electricity. The electricity in his body emerged when he resuscitated, killing his friends. Upon waking up to see Jake and Daria's dead bodies, Farooq came to blame Dr. Harrison Wells, the creator of the particle accelerator, for their deaths.

### Meeting The Flash

Over a year later, Farooq reappeared in Central City, and murdered someone via his electrocution powers. The Flash confronted Farooq at a power station. Farooq, using his powers, was able to siphon The Flash's energy, causing The Flash to lose his powers. Farooq subsequently appeared at S.T.A.R. Labs, wishing to get revenge on Wells for creating the Particle Accelerator and changing him. Wells decided to release Tony Woodward to try to get him to kill Farooq, but Farooq was too powerful and he ended up killing Tony. In the S.T.A.R. Labs parking garage, Farooq got the confrontation he wished for and was just about to kill Wells when The Flash got his powers back and transported Wells to safety. The Flash, more connected to his speed than ever, was able to resist Farooq's power siphoning, and as a result, Farooq died by overloading his power. Farooq was placed in a body bag and put into one of the S.T.A.R. Labs Pipeline cells.

Wells later opened the cell to get a sample of Farooq's blood in order to see just how the latter had been able to siphon The Flash's powers.

## Powers and abilities

### Powers

* **Meta-human physiology:** After Farooq was struck by the energy of the particle accelerator explosion, this altered his DNA and supercharged his cells, granting Farooq electrokinetic abilities and augmenting his physiology into beyond peak human condition.
	+ **Electrokinesis:** Farooq developed the need to absorb energy for sustenance, but could also manipulate the electricity he absorbed or was in contact with. The offensive application of his powers proved to be lethal enough to overpower Tony Woodward while protected by his organic steel skin and subsequently kill him, although that may have been because metal is a high electric conductor. Farooq's presence could also affect and deactivate all electrical devices in an area.
		- **Electrical absorption:** Farooq had the ability to absorb electricity and store it in his body to use his powers. His powers will only work if he absorbs enough electricity. Farooq's absorption ability was so effective that he was able to absorb all of the electrical energy from The Flash's body, disabling, but not completely removing the speedster's powers in the process.
		- **Electrical sense:** Farooq was not only highly electromagnetic, but he could also sense electricity, even the bio-electricity in human bodies, making it likely that he could absorb it from humans. File:Barry Allen connects to his powers and defeats Blackout.png

### Weaknesses

* **Electrical hunger:** Farooq gained an insatiable hunger for electrical energy, expressing a need to constantly "feed".
* **Electricity overload:** When fighting the Flash for the second time, Farooq started to absorb the speedster's electrical energy, which overloaded and killed him.
* **Lack of control:** Despite Farooq's ability to manipulate his powers with great efficiency, his electricity was constantly active, making it dangerous for even the individuals he cares about to touch him; as he unintentionally killed his best friends shortly after gaining his powers.

## Appearances

### *The Flash*

#### Season 2

* "Flash Back" (pictured)
* "The Runaway Dinosaur" (mentioned)

## Behind the scenes

* In the DC comics, Blackout is not a super villain as his live-action portrayal, but a superhero only existing in the *Flashpoint* alternate reality.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Power Outage"

it:Farooq Gibran
ru:Фарук Гибран