During an expedition in the Indus Valley, Julian found the Philosopher's Stone. Once he found the stone, he woke up in his hotel room and learned his expedition team was found dead. He then ran off to Central City while unknowingly becoming Alchemy under Savitar's control, being nicknamed Dr. Alchemy by Cisco Ramon. As "Alchemy", Julian was possessed to restore the abilities of several meta-human's from the Flashpoint timeline. After being freed from Savitar's control, he joined Team Flash, using his scientific expertise to aid in protecting Central City. He also grows close to Caitlin Snow, eventually him trying to find a way to suppress her powers, and later to potentially cure her of her Killer Frost side.
Publication Information
- Flash : Julian Albert
- Version : The Flash Series
- Known As : Julian Albert Desmond
- Type :
- Meta-human CSI expert at the Central City Police Department
- High priest of Savitar's cult
- Archaeologist : Formerly
- Member of Team Flash
- Alchemy : While possessed by Savitar
- Relative :
- Unnamed : Father
- Unnamed : Mother
- Emma Desmond : Sister
- Affiliation :
- Gender : Male
- Origin : Earth One
- Season : The Flash
- First Appeareance :
- Last Appeareance :
- Number of Appeareance :
- Potrayer : Tom Felton
- Voice Actor : Tobin Bell : Alchemy
- Main View : Full Episod
Their relationship becomes strained as Julian finds out that Caitlin recklessly tried to use a piece of the philosopher's stone in order to attempt to get rid of her powers, but when she suffers a life-threatening injury, he's quick to do all he can to save her. Sometime after May 2017, when Barry Allen sacrificed himself to the Speed Force, Julian left Central City and relocated to his home in London.
Pursuit of the Philosopher's Stone
When Julian was 20, his sister Emma died and as a result, his parents stopped talking, driving the family apart. One night, Julian had a hallucination of Emma who told him that the "Philosopher's Stone" could bring her back and where to find it in India. So, against his parents' wishes, he used his future inheritance to form a search team in India to find it. Weeks later without luck, Julian began to lose hope but a woman on his team told him they found it. They led him to an underground cavern where Julian opened the box containing the stone and screamed at the glowing light.
Meta-human expert and Dr. Alchemy
Three years later he got a job Central City Police Department as a CSI specializing in meta-humans sharing a lab with Barry Allen who he developed a disliking to due to his mysterious disappearances and behavior. At some point, Alchemy transformed four individuals into meta-humans, leaving behind husks of skin from each individual. Almost a year later, he began working on a case involving dermal husks appearing around Central City, unaware they were a result of his being controlled by Savitar. He attended a meta-human conference for two days, before returning to a surprised Barry.
The following day, he went to the scene of a fifth husk, refusing the help of Barry and instead taking his own samples, finding DNA belonging to Edward Clariss. The following day, Barry came to see him about the case and he ultimately allowed him to look at the file, albeit begrudgingly. The day after that, Julian gave Barry the finished Edward Clariss report, revealing he never told Barry the name belonging to the DNA, which meant Barry stole a sample at the earlier crime scene, and that he didn't like him as he couldn't trust him.
Identity revealed
During Julian's stay at the hospital, hurt by Killer Frost's attack, Barry visited him, pleading Julian to lie about what happened the identity of Killer Frost. He complied, but he demanded Barry to resign from his position as the CCPD's forensic scientist. After Barry sadly agreed and left, Julian suddenly heard the voice of Savitar and fell under the speedster's mind control, leaving the hospital to find the mask of Alchemy and serve his "god" once again.
Possible future
In the year 2024 of the timeline in which Savitar killed Iris, Julian remains at S.T.A.R. Labs to keep Caitlin Snow/Killer Frost in the pipeline as her caretaker. He was a bit distraught over the disbanding of Team Flash and Iris' death, which made him focused on his science work thoroughly in after seven years. After the Flash from 2017 arrived in the future, he was surprised to see present Barry and stated that he hadn't seen Cisco and Barry in a while. He told Barry that he come to the wrong place for answers, but he was willing to show Caitlin in the pipeline locked up and being incarcerated. Later he eventually reformed Team Flash and helped the two Flashes to stop Mirror Master and Top.
Abilities
- Philosopher's Stone empowerment : While under the possession of Savitar via the Philosopher's Stone, Julian would become a powerful sorcerer known as Alchemy.
- Psychokinesis : Alchemy has shown multiple times to be able to carve his name into mirrors and other surfaces without touching them, or even being present for that matter. However, it is implied that this may be a hallucination, as Iris wasn't able to see it when Wally was during while being called on by Alchemy. By extending his arm, he stopped Flash's super speed, keeping him in a standing position unable to move long enough to summon his Philosopher's Stone to his hand to blast him across the room. He then sent Flash sliding across the floor with a wave of his hand.
- Retrocognition : Alchemy is able to remember the Flashpoint timeline and is capable of making people, such as Edward Clariss, remember their alternate lives. Dr. Alchemy was able to perform this despite the fact that the Flashpoint timeline was reset by Eobard Thawne on plead from Barry Allen.
- Telepathy : Alchemy is able to communicate with anyone regardless of where they are, but it is revealed that Savitar was really channeling Julian to do this. However, Alchemy himself is susceptible to enforced and apparently one-sided telepathic communication by his master Savitar.
- Transmutation : Alchemy is able to biologically alter individuals to give them meta-human powers, the individuals leaving behind a "husk" in their place after being granted their powers. Acolyte Craig said that he can also take powers away from meta-humans, although whether this is true or not is up for debate. He also said Alchemy's powers are also greatly amplified if he chooses to. Whereas The Rival in the Flashpoint Timeline could only match the much slower Flash/Wally and struggled to keep up with a weakened Flash/Barry, in the new slightly altered timeline The Rival's powers were increased to the point that they could practically compete with The Flash.
- Genius-level intellect : Despite his high-standards, Julian views are often well-founded from his natural insightfulness. Very shrewd, he is able to perceive both the situation quickly at first glance and likewise quickly determine an effective means to handle it. Ignoring his initial dislike of Barry, he quickly began to realize that Barry was hiding his true nature, not surprised when he finally learned that Barry was The Flash. Since joining Team Flash, his methodical and calculating nature is also shown him to be an effective tactician, offering optimum choices on how to act.
- Expert computer skills : Julian is shown to be very skilled in computers, able to program an algorithm to locate people with potential connections to Alchemy.
- Expert scientist / Archeologist : Like Barry, Julian is highly skilled in forensics, sometimes even superior to the former, praised even by Caitlin Snow and Cisco Ramon. Very detailed oriented, he is able to comprehend much of a crime scene after an initial inspection. Specializing in meta-human forensics for the CCPD, he is also well-versed in the various reports of meta-human activity. Julian is an accomplished archeologist and historian, his dissertation on the Brahmastra being among those featured on Oxford University's web site. He is also very advanced in mathematics, able to calculate Barry's ability to increasing his speed given his current rate.
- Military training : Julian had four years of military training under his belt. Because of this, he has experience with a hand gun. He also served as field medic, able to handle minor injuries. Combined with his advance knowledge on biology and Caitlin's instructions, he was able to successfully remove shrapnel lodged deep inside Caitlin's abdomen.
- Pistol : As a member of the CCPD, Julian used a pistol in his line of work.
- Philosopher's Stone : Alchemy uses Brahmastra, or the Philosopher's Stone, to project concussive energy blasts that could send opponents flying through the air. It's unknown what it is made of. It also turns Alchemy's "chosen" ones into cocoons should they choose to reclaim their Flashpoint powers by touching it.
