DC’s Newest Speedster Has A Heartbreaking Origin

Warning! Spoilers for Teen Titans Academy #3 by DC Comics below.

The speedster Bolt, one of the most intriguing new characters to come out of DC Comics’ Future State era, has had a heartbreaking life before arriving at Titans Academy. Bolt’s origin has finally been revealed, as Teen Titans Academy #1 reveals the Australian metahuman was forced to strike a deal with Amanda Waller in order to get out of a life where she had her legs cut off in response to her parent’s debts.

Bolt, whose real name is Alinta, first debuted in DC’s dark future as part of Waller’s Justice Squad team. She served as the group’s version of the Flash. With blades for legs, Alinta has a unique connection to the Speed Force, as she’s been described as a Speed Force sprinter – with her speed essentially working in short, but quick bursts. In main continuity, she is a new student at Titans Academy, who is being hunted by the Suicide Squad and Red X, as Amanda Waller wants Bolt to pay for giving her a new life.

In Teen Titans Academy #3 by Tim Sheridan, Rafa Sandoval, Jordi Tarragona, Max Raynor, Alejandro Sanchez, Alex Sinclair, and Rob Leigh, Alinta reveals her past to her roommate Tidda. The story flashes back seven years, showing Alinta living with her parents in a trailer in Australia. She recalls gaining her speed powers and unknowingly helping her parent’s traffic stolen goods in the Outback. However, when her parents had debts they couldn’t repay, she had her legs cut off and was left for dead. Amanda Waller had been tracking Alinta and offered her a chance at a new life. In exchange for new blade legs and being enrolled in Titans Academy, Bolt agreed she would drop everything and help Waller whenever she told her.

The revelation adds some incredibly tragic layers to DC’s newest speedster. She lost her legs due to her parents using her to commit crimes and paid the price when they couldn’t pay their own debts. Waller took advantage of Alinta and offered her a chance at a new, better life – but made sure that it came with the caveat she would need to abandon it whenever she called. With Bolt now refusing Waller’s calls, the Task Force X leader has sent the Suicide Squad to retrieve her.

Thankfully, Bolt is able to escape the Suicide Squad’s attempt to take her thanks to her Titans classmates, and Red X once again changing sides. Whether she can continue to evade Amanda Waller and the Suicide Squad remains to be seen. But, for a character that’s had such a challenging life, it seems Bolt finally has a family willing to fight for her. Teen Titans Academy #3 is in comic book stores now.

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Liam McGuire
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Lead writer for Screen Rant’s comic team. [email protected]. Find me on Twitter @LiamRMcGuire for comic news and reporting.

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