Speed Force

A physical representation of the Speed Force. Panel from Impulse #66. Artwork by Joe Antonetti.

The Speed Force is a concept presented in various comic books published by DC Comics,[1] primarily in relation to the various speedsters in the DC Universe. The Speed Force was the extra-dimensional energy that once powered all of the Flashes' superhuman abilities. It is not like any other fundamental force. Its origin is likely the same as most superhuman abilities found in the DC Universe, a byproduct of the mysterious omni-energy known as The Source and The Godwave.

The ability to gain a connection to the Speed Force has been limited to only a few individuals in the DC Universe.

The Speed Force has most often been discovered or accessed by accident and almost every speedster in the DC universe can access it, except for Jay Garrick (Earth 3 series) who got his powers from a blessing by the god Mercury.

Others have had unique origins or specialized technologies or powers which gave them limited access to the Speed Force and the powers therein.

The Speed Force concept has been altered, remixed, rehashed and rewritten over the twenty years it has been in use. As of the "New 52" REBOOT the new parameters of the Speed Force revolve around accessing and controlling the motion and progression of the universe, of moving time and space itself forward. All references are from the Pre-Crisis, Post-Crisis, and Zero Hour continuities. The Post-Flashpoint Multiverse is not included.

History

The Speed Force is an energy field that grants all speedsters their power. Several speedsters have merged with it, including Barry Allen, Johnny Quick, Wally West, Jay Garrick, Jesse Quick and Max Mercury. Those with access to the Speed Force can use a large number of abilities, usually revolving around speed, including: superhuman endurance, accelerated metabolism, increased and accelerated perceptions, accelerated healing, decelerated aging, Speed Force aura, supercharged brain activity, electrical generation, life force stealing, some degree of enhanced strength, vortex creation, phasing, Speed stealing, infinite mass punch, and others.

Scientists on the planet Savoth had a deep understanding of the Speed Force and there were many universities devoted to its study. One of these scientists, Gorflack, built a Speed Force cannon to defend his planet from a force of alien invaders. Instead of performing its intended purpose, it brought Jay Garrick, the first Flash, to Savoth. After Garrick helped drive away the invaders, Gorflack gave him a lightning-shaped piece of solidified Speed Force which he and his successors could use to transport to Savoth.[2]

While fighting Superboy-Prime, Wally was nearly swept into the Speed Force. Wanting to see his family one last time, he visited his wife Linda and twin children. However, Linda was holding the Speed Force fragment and the entire family was swept off to Savoth.[3] Bart Allen volunteered to absorb the entire Speed Force so that he would be fast enough to stop Prime.[4] After this crisis had been averted, Bart found that his new connection to the Speed Force threatened to kill him. He refused to use his powers for a year. It wasn't until Tina McGee and Valerie Perez of S.T.A.R. Labs were able to modify a Flash costume to contain his abilities that he was able to return to action as the fourth Flash.

Shortly thereafter, Inertia; who had lost his connection to the Speed Force when Bart absorbed it, was forced to use Velocity 9 to maintain his super-speed. Inertia built a machine in Los Angeles which was designed to transfer the Speed Force from Bart to himself. However, the machine also threatened to cause an explosion which would have resulted in the deaths of millions. Bart sacrificed himself distracting Inertia and a group of Rogues while Valerie shut it down.[5]

The deactivation of the machine caused a disruption in the Speed Force which not only resulted in Wally West and his family being transported back to Earth from their stay on Savoth, but also restored powers to all speedsters.[6]

The sole survivor of the alien invasion forces that had attacked Savoth decades prior was sent back to his home dimension in a Speed Force explosion which resulted in a rapid evolution of his species. His descendants targeted the Flashes' solidified fragment of Speed Force and invaded Keystone City to avenge their defeat on Savoth. Wally destroyed the fragment to send them back.[3]

After an unknown force tricked Barry and Pandora into 'resetting' history following Barry's disastrous attempt to save his mother from Eobard Thawne the Speed Force, much like the universe as a whole, had changed, making it now the driving force that propels the universe forward or backward when properly harnessed.[7] Wally was trapped in the Speed Force when history was changed, retaining memory of his past but now wearing his old Kid Flash uniform. After the disruption caused by Darkseid's demise, Wally attempted to return to Earth by appearing to his allies as the Speed Force began to pull him apart, but despite his efforts to appeal to Batman, Johnny Thunder or Linda Park, none of them recognized him, culminating in him appearing to say goodbye to Barry as he felt himself begin to collapse for the last time, but Barry was able to pull him back into the universe as he suddenly remembered his history with Wally.[8]

Notes

Different conduits throughout the multiverse excel in different Speed Force-related abilities, and it furthermore has differing effects on all of its users. Some examples being the original Flash, Jay Garrick's decelerated aging as opposed to Bart Allen's over-accelerated aging process. Others examples being how the Tornado Twins excel in using their speed to create high velocity whirlwinds that allow them to take flight, while Bart Allen has shown the ability to divide himself into multiple physical selves. Lady Flash, who is the keeper of the Speed Force in Earth-33, casts electrokinetic blasts that are capable of temporarily draining the movement of her target. And as the third Flash, Wally West learns how to manifest his costume at will, being created purely from the solidified Speed Force, as well as stealing speed, lending speed, and travel faster than any other Flash. Prior to the loss of his connection to the Speed Force, Jai West's super-speed could temporarily accelerate the growth of his muscles, giving the child super-strength. Notably, there is also the Negative Speed Force, which as the name suggests, negates and opposes the average Speed Force energy. Professor Zoom (and apparently Black Flash) are users of this super-speed that manifests as red electricity.

Source of Super-Speed

The Speed Force is a vaguely defined extra-dimensional energy force from which most, but not all, heroes in the DC Comics universe with super-speed draw their enhanced abilities. For example, the multiple heroes named the Flash (Jay Garrick, Barry Allen, Wally West, and Bart Allen), Johnny Quick, Jesse Quick/Liberty Belle, XS, the Tornado Twins, and Max Mercury all draw their powers from the Speed Force (although Garrick has only recently gained a connection to the Speed Force, instead relying on abilities granted to him by "hard gas" he was exposed to that granted him super-speed).[1][9] The Speed Force is also seen as a physical space to which speedsters can travel. Max Mercury traveled through time as a result of his efforts to enter the Speed Force and ended up several decades into the future every time he made an attempt. Bart Allen could "commune" with the spirits in the Speed Force through meditation. When speedsters die, they become one with the Speed Force, as it is an afterlife for them. Max Mercury's own spirit is trapped inside following his possession by The Rival.

The Speed Force only exists in the DC Multiverse; when Wally traveled to the Marvel Universe in JLA/Avengers, he was powerless in the other world, requiring Steel to create a 'battery pack' that allowed Wally to absorb Speed Force energy in the DC Universe to give him a supply that he could use in the other world (although Marvel speedster Quicksilver was unable to access the Speed Force during his time in the DC Universe). It is possible, however, that this weakness is no longer canon, and the Flash can maintain his connection to the Speed Force whether he is in the DC Multiverse or not.

Abilities granted by Speed Force

The "infinite Mass Punch" from JLA #3 (March 1997). Art by Howard Porter and John Dell.

The Speed Force serves as the ultimate measure of velocity in the DC Universe. It introduced several "new" powers/implications to Flash and other Speed Force-powered persons. Some already existed during the Silver Age, but were either unexplained or rationalized as molecular/vibrational control and later retconned into manifestations of the Speed Force.

Despite its immense power, the Speed Force did not prove to be an asset when Wally West was pitted against Brother Grimm, a sorcerer with the power to sense other dimensions; as well as being able to find the regular universe from his pocket dimension, Grimm can also sense the energies of the Speed Force, with the result that Wally must restrict himself to normal speed when fighting Grimm or Grimm will be able to sense his moves and counter them.

New 52/DC Rebirth

As the DCU Reboot took effect the attributes of the Speed Force had been changed dramatically, now being more than just the source of all speed and motion, but also a force of accelerating progression and development. Its main function is to serve as the driving force that pushes the world forward. It will often grant powers to those it touches that can best utilize its gifts. Instead of simply being about rapid motion, the Force can also be used as a means to control the flow of time such as pushing time forward or even backward at will.

Status and future

During the events of Infinite Crisis, most of the speedsters in the DC Universe combined their powers to push Superboy-Prime into the Speed Force. Aided by Max Mercury, Barry Allen, and Johnny Quick from within the Speed Force, several Flashes vanished in the attempt; and, according to Jay Garrick, the Speed Force itself was gone.[20]

Bart Allen, dressed as the Flash, later appeared in Tokyo to warn that the speedsters could not hold Superboy-Prime, and corroborated Jay Garrick's claim that the Speed Force no longer existed.[21]

One year after the end of Infinite Crisis, the Speed Force was still believed to be missing, and Jay Garrick was the sole Flash due to his metagene compensating for the loss of the Speed Force. However, it was soon revealed that the Speed Force still existed. The Speed Force was now unstable and Bart was afraid it would kill him. According to tests run by S.T.A.R. Labs, the entirety of the Speed Force was now within Bart, who was now the only person who could use it.[22] Despite this, Owen Mercer, Bart's half-brother, still displayed occasional access to the Speed Force before[23] and after[24] Bart's death, which caused his body to generate a "background bio-electric field."[23]

When Bart died, Wally West reclaimed the mantle as the Flash and freely used the Speed Force at will. Wally's return had prevented Bart from accessing the Speed Force, inadvertently causing his death. With the Speed Force released from Bart, Jay Garrick could again go beyond the speed of sound (as he was limited to before),[25] and Jesse Chambers' speed returned.

In The Flash: Rebirth #4, Max Mercury revealed to Barry Allen that the Speed Force was created by Allen, himself, when he became the Silver Age Flash; adding that, "When [Allen runs, he generates] the kinetic wall between the present and the time barrier. It's an electrical energy that exists in every dimension, every universe, and every era. It touches every part of reality. It contains the knowledge of every place and time. The Speed Force is the all-encompassing Flash Fact." This may or may not still be canon.

The Speed Force had been seen in the future a number of times. A future Flash, Blaine Allen, was struck by a dilemma. His son, Jace, was infected with a virus by a future Cobalt Blue. Unlike many others in the Allen family, Jace was not gifted with super-speed by the Speed Force and his metabolism would not be able to handle it. Blaine removed all speed from all of the molecules on Petrus, effectively freezing the planet. Cobalt Blue pointed out that she liked the idea. "No one dies that way, it’s true... but no one lives either." He thought this over and decided to take Jace to the Speed Force. As he ran Jace to the Speed Force, he was sucked in instead.[26]

In other media

Television

In The Flash, the Speed Force is a key element in the events of season two. In "The Runaway Dinosaur", it is revealed to have brought Barry to its realm to regain his powers, the Speed Force appears before him in manifestations of Joe West, Iris West, and Barry's parents. The season also introduces specter-like beings called Time Wraiths that are enforcers of the Speed Force, who captured Zoom and converted into the Black Flash to hunt other speedsters who callously break the rules of time-travel without forethought. In the third season, it is revealed that new villain Savitar was trapped in the Speed Force at some point in Barry's future and Savitar's past, trapped in a prison where he experiences his greatest torment, only able to manifest in the real world for brief periods until he tricks Wally West into providing him with the means of escape, trapping Wally in his own prison. Barry returns to the Speed Force to retrieve Wally, though the Speed Force was less willing to help him since he caused Flashpoint. The Speed Force manifests before Barry in the forms of those who died because of Barry's actions: Eddie Thawne, Ronnie Raymond, and Leonard Snart. Barry is only able to save Wally when his ally the real Jay Garrick volunteers to remain in the prison in Wally's place, understanding the Speed Force is telling him to deal with Savitar instead of having others fight his battle. At the conclusion of the third season, Barry is able to free Jay from the prison to get his help fighting Savitar, but after his foe is defeated, Barry agrees to return to the Speed Force to face his 'punishment' for his role in the creation of Flashpoint.

References

  1. 1 2 Jimenez, Phil (September 29, 2008). "The Flash". In Dougall, Alastair. The DC Comics Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley. pp. 124–127. ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1. OCLC 213309017.
  2. Flash (Vol. 2) #233 (December 2007)
  3. 1 2 Flash (Vol. 2) #236 (March 2008)
  4. Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #6 (January 2007)
  5. Flash: The Fastest Man Alive #13 (August 2007)
  6. All-Flash #1 (June 1941)
  7. The Flash Vol. 4 #8 (June 2012)
  8. DC Universe Rebirth #1 (July 2016)
  9. Waid, Mark (September 1, 1995). The Flash: Terminal Velocity. DC Comics. ISBN 978-1-56389-249-3.
  10. The Flash: Rebirth #5 (November 2009)
  11. Final Crisis #4 (November 2008)
  12. Impulse #89 (October 2002)
  13. The Flash Vol. 4 #15 (2013)
  14. The Flash Vol. 4 Annual #4 (2013)
  15. The Flash Vol. 4 #19 (2013)
  16. The Flash Vol. 4 #3 (2011)
  17. The Flash Vol. 4 #18 (2013)
  18. The Flash Vol. 4 #23.1 Gorilla Grodd (2013)
  19. The Flash Vol. 4 #13 (2013)
  20. Infinite Crisis #4 (February 2006)
  21. Infinite Crisis #5 (April 2006)
  22. Bilson, Danny; DeMeo, Paul (March 21, 2007). The Flash, The Fastest Man Alive: Lightning in a Bottle. DC Comics. ISBN 978-1-4012-1229-2.
  23. 1 2 Checkmate #15 (August 2007)
  24. Outsiders: Five of a Kind – Nightwing/Captain Boomerang (October 2007)
  25. Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #8 (October 2007)
  26. Speed Force #1 (November 1997)
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