The Still Force is one of the new forces unleashed during the rebirth of the Speed Force. Its current avatar is Deon Owens.
Overview
The Forces are reborn.
The Still Force is the natural opposite of the Speed Force, meaning that while the Speed Force is based around motion and moving forward, the Still Force is centered around stagnation, reversion and perpetuation.
History
Future Barry watches the birth of the Forces with Harrison Wells.
After Iris West-Allen touched the artificial Speed Force machine, the residual Speed Force stored in her cells became amplified to the point that the natural Speed Force was reborn.[1]
The lightning bolt that revived the Speed Force was full of Elemental Force particles.[2] This energy separated into four parts and was dispersed from S.T.A.R. Labs into the atmosphere.[1] Barry, from 17 days in the future, decided not to stop the dispersion after he saw the birth of the Forces.[2]
One of the four parts was bestowed to Deon Owens, allowing him the power to manipulate time. After returning from a time loop where December 4, 1998 was repeated, Cisco Ramon named the power the Still Force, for the purpose of alliteration and to convey how it was the opposite of the Speed Force in function.[3]
After the Speed Force killed Alexa Rivera,[4] Barry decided that he wanted to stop the dispersion of the Forces to save the lives of the avatars of the Forces. Deon appeared in 2020 and told Barry that he was one with the Still Force, making him a god. Later, for a moment, Deon faded from existence but soon returned. Afterwards, the Speed Force, in the form of Nora Allen, appeared and threatened Deon.[2]
Then, Deon froze Barry in time so the Speed Force could zap Iris, Alexa, and Bashir Malik.[5] Eventually, he, Fuerza, and Psych helped Flash bring the Speed Force back to her senses.[6] Later, Deon preserves Iris in a time loop due to the dangers the Godspeed war is causing.[7] While visiting Iris, Deon discovers that someone has taken advantage of the Negative Still Force.[8]
The Still Force particle given to Iris.
With his own condition worsening from the time sickness, Deon seeks out Barry and brings him into the Still Force to help him track Iris down. However, once they arrive at Iris's office within Central City Citizen Media, Deon seems to be entranced by the particle he gave Iris, and reabsorbs it into himself. Barry shouts that him and Deon needed that to find Iris, and "Deon", seemingly reverted to his old, angry self, trapping Barry within a constructed West house.
Later, Deon appears to Nora West-Allen in 2049 to also bring her into the Still Force, explaining that Barry's trapped there and he can't help him. Apparently, the Deon that earlier betrayed Barry was an entity either created from the time sickness or Negative Still Force.
XS and the Flash emitting green lightning while escaping from the Still Force.
The exit, Memorial Park.
Nora meets Barry and eventually, he felt Still Force energy moving through him and gave some of it to Nora so they could escape. However, they weren't able to make it through the temporal barrier since the Still Force was pulling them back into the past every time they tried to escape to stop them from escaping. In order to make it through the temporal barrier, Barry told Nora to focus on the moment that they got back home. They managed to return to S.T.A.R. Labs through Memorial Park.[9]
Powers
Deon's eyes shine.
- Bioluminsence: By tapping into the power of the Still Force, it can cause their eyes to transform and glow a green shade.
- Time travel: Still Force users can use the Still Force to travel back in time; though differently when compared to the Speed Force or the temporal zone. Unlike normal time travel, they instead send their consciousness back into an earlier version of themselves; it's unknown if this is a personal choice or limitation.
- Selective displacement: Still Force users can emit green blasts of Still Force energy to remove singular items and individuals from the time they're in. They can also send people back to their time and "rewind" their clothing; Deon sent Cisco and Chester back home, even restoring the clothes they arrived when wearing in 1998.
- Time barrier: A literal barrier of time created by Still Force energy. It seals the area in Central City (Earth-Prime) where Still Force users are constantly using their powers; but it cannot be broken unless the Still Force user decides to release their powers.
- Memory manipulation: A secondary effect of the Still Force's time manipulation powers. By rewinding time, Still Force users can bury memory of what has already occurred; though a mention of something yet to happen can return the victim's memories. As seen with Cisco, if someone is transported into the past and gets zapped by the rewind, they lose memory of anything beyond the year they are in; Cisco temporarily regressed to his 7 year old persona; until Chester mentioned Game of Thrones to wake up his memories.
- Speed Force enhancement: Deon used his link to "Nora" to boost Barry's speed with his stillness. When Barry was too weak from attempting to erase his powers, Deon gave him a power boost, briefly giving Barry mixed green and yellow lightning.
- Chronokinesis: Due to being an avatar of the Still Force, Deon has the ability to send himself or others forward or backward in time, as well as freeze it.
Known users
- Deon Owens (avatar)
- Barry Allen/The Flash (briefly)
Physical manifestations
Lightning coloration
- Green: When the Still Force was created it manifested as green lightning which hit Deon Owens. When Barry went back in time and absorbed the particles of the forces, green lightning hit Deon's body in an attempt to destroy the Still Force.
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Appearances
The Flash
Season 7
Season 8
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Trivia
- Cisco states that the Still Force works like Turtle 2.0's powers. However, the Still Force works in reverse, as Turtle 2.0 could accelerate or steal time from targets to age them to death.[3]
Behind the scenes
- In the DC comics, the Still Force is a cosmic force based around entropy and inertia. It was one of the seven hidden forces of the universe that were previously condemned by the Source Wall and the counter-energy to the Speed Force. In the show, this is seen by how usage of the Still Force pulls things out of the past, or reverts something to an historical version of itself, but never draws something in from the future.
- The Still Force's nature is also evident by it's choice of conduit in Deon Owens, who has spent his entire adult life obsessed with a single moment of his past.
- In the comics, the known Still Force conduits are the Turtle and Steadfast.