The Flash: How Does Barry's Costume Ring Work?

Contains minor spoilers for "The Flash"

Superspeed is cool and all, but one of the best parts of The Flash is his signature ring, which houses his superhero costume inside. DC's latest movie, "The Flash," features the iconic ring, primarily when Barry (Ezra Miller) teaches younger Barry (Miller) how to use his new powers. But how does a tiny ring house The Flash's entire super suit?

Unsurprisingly, the answer lies within the Speed Force, the source of The Flash's powers. Barry Allen can shrink or expand the suit by using the Speed Force's electromagnetic properties. When he's not on superhero duty, he compresses his costume, fitting it neatly inside the ring. However, when he needs to become The Flash, he simply presses a small button on the side of the ring, releasing his costume, which expands, allowing Barry to use his superspeed to don the suit before anyone can see.

"The Flash" showcases the Costume Ring's abilities when younger Barry wears it for the first time. We see him thumb the side of the ring, opening it and ejecting the tiny suit, which slowly grows to its regular size before falling to the ground. 

Although "The Flash" uses the titular hero's Costume Ring for a comedic bit, it's one of the best aspects of the character, differentiating him from most of DC's other heroes. However, Barry Allen isn't the only speedster to take advantage of the convenient hiding place. 

Barry was the second Flash but he was the first to use the Costume Ring to hide his super suit. After him, Wally West used a similar ring but, as usual, surpassed Barry in powers, learning to use the Speed Force to manifest his costume on his body. When he was briefly The Flash, Bart Allen used his grandfather's ring for his short stint as the hero. However, when he returned to his Impulse and Kid Flash mantles, he adopted his own ring for the costumes.

A few villains of The Flash have also used the Costume Ring. The Flash's time-traveling archenemy, Eobard Thawne (aka Reverse-Flash), eventually got his hands on Barry's original ring, passing it down after his death. Hunter Zoloman (aka Zoom) gained massive power in "Flash War, Part 3," taking Barry's original ring and costume and dubbing himself the new Flash after taking on the Justice League.

Ezra Miller's Barry Allen isn't the first on-screen Flash to use the ring, either. The CW introduced the Costume Ring in "The Flash" Season 5, and it was the major prop Grant Gustin stole after his time as the Scarlet Speedster was up.