Why Vibe's Costume In The Flash Makes No Sense
The premiere of "The Flash" in 2014 heralded an exciting new time for superhero fans. Not only did the show's arrival expand on the characters in the Arrowverse — the shared universe for DC shows that would eventually encompass other series such as "Black Lightning" and "Supergirl" — but it was the first TV show to bring super-powered individuals into the in-universe established by its predecessor, "Arrow." Starring Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, and Danielle Panabaker, the show followed Barry Allen, a forensic scientist in Central City who was caught up in a particle accelerator malfunction, giving him super speed abilities. Calling himself The Flash, Barry used these newfound abilities to keep Central City safe with the help of a team comprised of people he trusted.
Due to its premise, "The Flash" has, over the course of its run, established its own scientific rules to allow for things that would be otherwise nonsensical in our world. However, even within the parameters established in the series, some things still haven't quite fit properly, requiring a greater suspension of disbelief than normal. One such thing is the Vibe costume worn by Cisco Ramon (Carlos Valdes). Here's why Vibe's costume on "The Flash" makes no sense.
The costume is far more advanced than any other tech on the show
Cisco notably gives up his powers in "The Flash" Season 5, taking the metahuman cure so he can live a normal life without being a superhero. In Season 7, however, Cisco returns to superhero activity by becoming Mecha-Vibe, with a new suit that recreates his powers. However, this doesn't fit into the larger context of the show, as there's no other metahuman whose powers are so easily recreated using technology. The closest anyone on the show has come to doing so is in recreating Frost's powers, both with the Cold Gun and with Chillblaine's gauntlets. But in both cases, the tech powers have not matched Frost's natural abilities. Mecha-Vibe's costume, on the other hand, seems to mimic Vibe's powers almost completely. While it can be argued that Cisco understands his own powers better than anyone else's, the suit restores his metahuman powers with technology, with is far beyond what he could provide to any other metahuman on "The Flash." His recreation of Vibe's powers to become Mecha-Vibe is akin to Cisco creating a suit that would give Barry Allen super speed.
With Cisco having departed the show, we may never get an answer regarding the Mecha-Vibe costume; however, it does open the door for another character to put on the costume and assume the mantle. Whether that happens will be seen when "The Flash" continues its seventh season on Tuesdays on The CW.