For the comics version of the Speed Force, see Speed Force.
“ | When the first subatomic particle sprang forth from the Big Bang to form reality as you know it, we were there. When the last proton decays, stops vibrating, and plunges the universe into heat death, we'll be there to | „ |
~ The Speed Force, as "Joe West" to Barry Allen |
“ | The Speed Force is eternity itself, an endless void of time and energy. | „ |
~ Jay Garrick, the Flash of Earth-3, to Barry Allen, the Flash of Earth-1 |
The Speed Force is one of the two overarching protagonists (alongside the real Harrison Wells) of the CW series The Flash. It is an energy field of dark matter that grants all speedsters their power.
It is also an elemental part of the universe. Its counterpart is the Negative Speed Force. Following the Anti-Monitor Crisis, the Speed Force experienced a severe energy imbalance due to the Spectre, leading to its demise. This event resulted in speedsters having reduced speed and abilities. Nevertheless, Barry and Iris West managed to revive the Speed Force, inadvertently giving rise to three additional forces: the Still Force, the Sage Force, and the Strength Force.
However, Barry and Iris West restored the Speed Force but in doing so created three other forces, the Still Force, the Sage Force and the Strength Force.
When the Speed Force came under attack on the cosmic plane by the Negative Forces, it faded from existence, leaving Barry Allen as its avatar.
While manifesting as Nora Allen, it is portrayed by Michelle Harrison (as Nora Allen). In Season 2, it was portrayed by Jesse L. Martin (as Joe West), John Wesley Shipp (as Henry Allen), and Candice Patton (as Iris West). In Season 3, it was portrayed by Wentworth Miller (as Leonard Snart) Robbie Amell (as Ronnie Raymond), and Rick Cosnett (as "Eddie Thawne")
History[]
Personality[]
As a Speed Force[]
As a "god" and a sentient being, the Speed Force has an ever-changing personality. In one aspect, it was affectionate and concerned, appearing to have favored Barry Allen as if he were its child. For example, it took the form of several deceased individuals Barry was close to and was quite warm and affectionate with by helping the Flash regain his connection to the Speed Force after he gave it up to cure Zoom and save his adoptive brother, Wally West. However, like a parent, the Speed Force could be disappointed and scold Barry, as it was angry at him for causing Flashpoint despite previously teaching him to let go of those he loved.
As a personality[]
After assuming a physical form, the Speed Force displayed a more human-like personality. She showed care toward Barry Allen while he was in a coma, even stating she was giving him as much power as possible to help him heal. She was also able to realize how much Barry missed his mother, Nora Allen, whose form the Speed Force had assumed and feared that in doing so it was hurting him.
The Speed Force eventually accepted being addressed by Nora's name, finding that it made conversing easier. It even grew to care for Bart and Nora West-Allen, the latter of whom addressed her as "Big Nora." Soon, the rest of Team Flash started calling the Speed Force "Nora." At first, Barry had difficulty with her taking his mother's form but soon started to call the Speed Force Nora like the rest of his teammates. The Speed Force also showed a negative, immature, and immoral side since its rebirth. It wished for Barry's approval (as its "father") but it also considered itself Barry's mother figure and was vengeful towards Barry for disobeying and opposing it
Since the Speed Force absorbed some emotions from Barry and Iris, it feared certain things, such as death and being alone. She eventually learned that it didn't have to be alone, as she ultimately accepted the other Forces as her siblings and worked with them to keep a balance in the world.
Users[]
Original/New multiverses[]
Earth-1/Earth-Prime[]
- Barry Allen/The Flash (avatar)
- Barry Allen/Savitar (erased from existence)
- Jess Chambers
- Edward Clariss/The Rival (deceased)
- Grodd (briefly; while his mind was linked with Barry Allen's)
- Eliza Harmon/Trajectory (artificially; temporarily using Velocity 9; deceased)
- August Heart/Godspeed
- Avery Ho
- Max Mercury
- Oliver Queen/The Flash (formerly; temporarily after swapping realities with Barry Allen; deceased)
- Ramsey Rosso/Bloodwork (briefly; while Barry Allen was infected by his blood)
- Eobard Thawne/Reverse-Flash (deceased)
- Wally West/Kid Flash
- Bart West-Allen/Impulse
- Iris West-Allen/The Flash (formerly; temporarily after Matthew Kim transferred Barry Allen's speedster DNA into her body; powers later briefly restored by the Speed Force)
- Nora West-Allen/XS
Earth-2[]
- Jesse Wells/Jesse Quick (status unknown)
- Hunter Zolomon/The Flash/Zoom/Black Flash (deceased)
Earth-3[]
- Jay Garrick/The Flash (relocated to Earth-Prime)
- Unnamed female speedster (status unknown)
Earth-19[]
- "Accelerated Man" (status unknown)
Earth-90[]
- Barry Allen/The Flash (deceased)
- Vince Everett/Kid Flash (deceased)
- Pollux (deceased)
Earth-4125[]
- Barry Allen/The Flash
Earth-D[]
- Tanaki Rei/The Flash (deceased)
Earth-N52[]
- "The Flash" (deceased)
Earth-X[]
- "Blitzkrieg" (status unknown)
Earth-TUD13[]
- Barry Allen (status unknown)
Unknown Earths[]
- Libby Lawrence (status unknown)
- "Music Meister" (formerly; temporarily after absorbing Barry Allen's powers)
- Danica Williams (status unknown)
Transmultiversal multiverse[]
Earth-∂[]
- Dawn
- Don
- Eobard Thawne/Reverse-Flash (erased from existence)
Earth-1A[]
- Barry Allen/The Flash (status unknown)
- Wally West/Kid Flash
Earth-27A[]
- James Jesse
- Eddie Thawne/Johnny Quick
Agents[]
- Black Flash (Hunter Zolomon)
- Time wraiths
Relationships[]
Allies[]
Enemies[]
- Negative Speed Force (until being conquered by Eddie Thawne)
Appearances[]
The Flash[]
Season 1[]
- "The Sound and the Fury" (mentioned)
- "Tricksters" (mentioned)
- "Fast Enough"
Season 2[]
- "Flash of Two Worlds" (mentioned)
- "Legends of Today" (mentioned)
- "Running to Stand Still" (mentioned)
- "The Reverse-Flash Returns"
- "Fast Lane" (mentioned)
- "Welcome to Earth-2"
- "Trajectory" (mentioned)
- "Flash Back"
- "Versus Zoom" (mentioned)
- "Rupture" (mentioned)
- "The Runaway Dinosaur"
- "Invincible" (mentioned)
- "The Race of His Life"
Season 3[]
- "Flashpoint"
- "Paradox"
- "The New Rogues" (mentioned)
- "Killer Frost" (mentioned)
- "The Present"
- "Borrowing Problems from the Future" (mentioned)
- "Untouchable" (mentioned)
- "The Wrath of Savitar"
- "Into the Speed Force"
- "Duet" (mentioned)
- "The Once and Future Flash"
- "I Know Who You Are" (mentioned)
- "Cause and Effect" (mentioned)
- "Infantino Street" (mentioned)
- "Finish Line"
Season 4[]
- "The Flash Reborn"
- "Mixed Signals" (mentioned)
- "Luck Be a Lady" (flashbacks)
- "Elongated Journey Into Night" (mentioned)
- "Therefore I Am" (mentioned)
- "Don't Run" (mentioned)
- "The Trial of The Flash" (mentioned)
- "Honey, I Shrunk Team Flash" (mentioned)
- "Enter Flashtime"
- "Run, Iris, Run" (mentioned)
- "Null and Annoyed" (mentioned)
- "Think Fast" (mentioned)
- "We Are The Flash" (in Clifford DeVoe's mind)
Season 5[]
- "Nora"
- "O Come, All Ye Thankful" (mentioned)
- "What's Past is Prologue"
- "Elseworlds, Part 1" (mentioned)
- "The Flash & The Furious" (mentioned)
- "Seeing Red" (mentioned)
- "Cause and XS"
- "Failure is an Orphan" (mentioned)
- "Godspeed"
- "Snow Pack"
- "Gone Rogue" (mentioned)
Season 6[]
- "Into the Void" (mentioned)
- "A Flash of the Lightning"
- "The Last Temptation of Barry Allen, Pt. 1"
- "The Last Temptation of Barry Allen, Pt. 2" (mentioned)
- "Death of the Speed Force"
- "The Exorcism of Nash Wells" (mentioned)
- "So Long and Goodnight" (mentioned)
- "Liberation" (mentioned)
- "Pay the Piper" (mentioned)
- "Success Is Assured" (mentioned)
Season 7[]
- "Mother"
- "Central City Strong" (mentioned)
- "Fear Me"
- "The One With The Nineties"
- "Growing Pains"
- "The People v. Killer Frost"
- "Timeless"
- "Family Matters, Part 1"
- "Family Matters, Part 2"
- "Masquerade" (mentioned)
- "P.O.W."
- "Heart of the Matter, Part 1" (mentioned)
- "Heart of the Matter, Part 2"
Season 8[]
- "Armageddon, Part 2" (name seen)
- "Armageddon, Part 3" (mentioned)
- "Armageddon, Part 4" (mentioned)
- "Armageddon, Part 5" (mentioned)
- "Impulsive Excessive Disorder" (flashbacks)
- "Phantoms" (mentioned)
- "Into the Still Force" (mentioned)
- "The Curious Case of Bartholomew Allen" (mentioned)
- "Keep It Dark" (mentioned)
- "The Man in the Yellow Tie" (mentioned)
- "Negative, Part One" (mentioned)
- "Negative, Part Two"
Season 9[]
- "The Mask of the Red Death, Part 1" (mentioned)
- "The Mask of the Red Death, Part 2" (mentioned)
- "Partners in Time" (mentioned)
- "It's My Party and I'll Die If I Want To" (mentioned)
- "A New World, Part One" (mentioned)
- "A New World, Part Two"
- "A New World, Part Three"
- "A New World, Part Four"
DC's Legends of Tomorrow[]
Season 2[]
- "Compromised"
- "Outlaw Country" (mentioned)
- "The Legion of Doom" (mentioned)
- "Moonshot" (mentioned)
Season 7[]
- "The Fixed Point" (mentioned)
Arrow[]
Season 7[]
- "Elseworlds, Part 2" (mentioned)
Season 8[]
- "Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part Four"
Novels[]
- The Flash: Green Arrow's Perfect Shot (mentioned)
The Chronicles of Cisco[]
- Post 39 (mentioned)
- Post 48 "#AWholeLatteLove" (mentioned)
- Post 57 (mentioned)
- Post 61 "Now Playing: Kid Flash & Vibe's Excellent Adventure Pt. II" (mentioned)
- Post 75 "#AttackOfTheCorn" (mentioned)
- Post 76 "#RunIrisRun" (mentioned)
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- A slight difference found in the lightning generated by various speedsters in the Arrowverse is its shape:
- The red lightning produced by Eobard Thawne is notably more serrated, or unstable in form as it flows off of him.
- Barry Allen's yellow lightning is often smoother, with rounder edges.
- Savitar's white lightning was very blade-like, almost like a scimitar in shape, and whenever Savitar opened breaches, a lightning symbol was formed.
- Zoom's blue lightning had a unique shape to it as it flowed off of him, being very straight, with fewer arcs.
- When speedsters run, they produce a certain sound-effect:
- When Barry runs, it sounds like electricity crackling, and the same was true for Savitar.
- When the Reverse-Flash runs, it sounds like a squeaky helicopter.
- When Zoom ran, it sounded like a high-pitched warp.
- When Eobard Thawne showed a speed mirage to Cisco Ramon for the first time, it is unknown why he did not emit red electricity. However, when he killed Cisco, red lightning was shown near his hand when phasing.
- The Speed Force served as the main antagonist of the "God Complex" story arc of Season 7 of The Flash.
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