Fanboys Anonymous

The comic book industry can be quite confusing to follow. With dozens upon dozens of titles for each character, decades' worth of continuity that is always being changed and manipulated from one writer to the next, and so many in-universe ways to completely change canon in the interest of keeping things fresh, it's virtually impossible to keep track of what's going on. Even when DC and Marvel make company-wide mandates that the continuity will reboot and start anew, things always get muddied up and confusing sooner than later.

It has been a mission of many fans that are supremely dedicated to this form of entertainment to try to fill in the gaps and answer the questions that have no answers. As a result, Hypercrisis was born.

This is the attempt on behalf of the Fanboys out there to weave a thread of interconnectivity between virtually all aspects of the DC Universe, primarily using the works of Grant Morrison and Geoff Johns as the basis. For the most part, these two writers were chosen not just because they are two of the most prominent creators in DC today, crafting some of the most influential stories that affect the continuity, but they are also two of the best historians that DC has. They are always bringing up old things and incorporating them in new ways and trying their best to make sense of the haphazard nature of comics, very much in the spirit of what the fans themselves do.

One fan on 4chan took it upon himself to give his Hypercrisis theory, and it makes so much sense that DC Comics themselves may just consider adopting it as an actual part of their plan. Below is the anonymous member's post (unedited):

So get this in DC Cosmology, the boundaries of the Universe are this massive impenetrable barrier called the Source Wall right? And on the other side is The Source, the cosmic originator of all things?

Well, it's pretty apparent that Sourcewall= Fourthwall.

Because check this, when we see the multiverse, it's set up like a massive cell structure, with the walls acting as membranes while being held together within the bleed, or to make it more literally, comic book panels within the gutter. From there we can see that the Sourcewall isn't only metaphorical comics "Fourthwall" but the literal Fourthwall as well. In the same way that the stages Fourthwall is the invisible barrier between the audience and the front stage. Thus, what is the Source other than US. OUR reality? We are in fact the Source of everything in the DCU. Readers Writer editors etc., we all feed into the massive microverse that is those comics. Why do you think communication with The Source takes the form of writing?

What makes this even better is how this gels with the Anti-Life Equation. What is the Anti-Life Equation? It's an objective proof of nihilism, effectively proving to any lifeform that its life is meaningless and pointless and worthless. Now, how else could one do that outside of SHOWING THEM that there life has no real value, that it isn't real? This is why we see the Antilife equation beyond the Source Wall, and why it is described as the negative aspect of the Source. Can you imagine what would happen to your psych if you found that you and everything you've ever known were mere fiction cooked up by the brains of a thousand different people? The Anti-Life equation would just be a Crimson Chin-esque existential blast.

Now let's talk about The Flash. You ever notice how one is always involved in these various cosmic muckamucks? Flash of Two Worlds? Crisis on Infinite Earths? Final Crisis? Flashpoint?

Because you really have to look at the nature of movement, time and the multiverse itself.

The Speed Force is defined as the cosmological "force" that is the very act of movement within reality. It is in effect the abstract embodiment of agency. Now looking at the idea of the Multiverse, what is it other than a series of possibilities? Many Worlds theory literalizes this by presenting it as the result of an infinite chain of Boolean actions, but that mechanic need not objectively apply. But the neutral tenant is that what differs one world from the other is choice; movement. One particle is here instead of there, one earth is there instead of here. In effect the various configurations that Space can take up over Time form a Multiverse.

So therefore, what more is the Speed Force that the cosmic engine that runs the Multiverse? This extends to the time travel powers they all have as well. (As seen in the very first issue of Barry comics) time itself is merely the summation of various actions taken on each other in scale. When you extend these many points, or actions in series with each other you get a line. The timeline, but in a multiversal model you account for all the OTHER possible actions not accounted for and thus you achieve a massive branching cube time.

This is what we call "Hypertime."

You can see this then that the various Flashes act as its champions called upon the Speed Force to serve it in times of multiversal crisis.

And, for bonuses, as we stated above the Multiverse is made from the Red of the Bleed and the Yellow of the Source Wall. And what colors are The Flashes? And the Speed Force? Red and Yellow. These are also the colors of the Waverider, seer of Hypertime. (Whose Skin was made to create the time traveler Skeets). And , most importantly, the Kryptonian Symbol of"Hope." For what is Hope but the recognition of Possibility. (Thus the sea of Blue in the background)

This is why Barry Allen was given a Blue Lantern Ring. By that same onus That's why Barry was able to overwhelm Darkseid's Anti-Life Equation in Final Crisis. The Speed Force ("3X2(9YZ)4A") is the "Life Equation."

Speaking of the Lanterns this acts a good Segway here. Now what is a Lantern? They are, regardless of the color, devices that translate the energy of a pure emotive "drive" into physical aspects. A construct. They are in effect the end point of the very IDEA of technology (or magic, from which out word "Machine" share its roots.)

And what does the energy take the form of? A Flame.
Going off the Promethean and symbolic aspects of Flame as the embodiment of Human Progression and achievement. (See: The Flame of Olympus) we can take this to the realm of the New Gods.

Remember, when the forge god Himon created them, he needed to give them a "mysterious rapport with nature" they were powered by Element X, the ultimate power source.

This Power Source of Course, when seen, was a burning white flame.

The Same white flame that we see the Entity embody; the sum total of all the emotive drive of the universe.(In the same way White Light is the sum total of the Spectrum)

Thus we can see continuity. From the basic fire uses by the first men to the Super Science Lantern Rings to The Anything-inator: the Miracle Machine to the God Box, the Mother Box.

Devices at their core that are the same as any device, something that translates living desire, living will (thus it being at the center of the spectrum) into an action.

That's why it is the most powerful force in the universe. It's Imagination.

For after all what are comic, stories, cultures, nations, or ideals but imagination? What makes us human, are sentience is that we can take our feelings and manifest them in ways utterly new to the world. Our Language are technology our fiction, all began as ideas within us. Making something up doesnt mean it's not real, making something up makes it REALER.

The Comisc Flame, Emotional Engine, whatever you want to call it, it's the same thing at the core of all of us. And in the dramatized Hyper-Energy real of Superheroics. it's the most powerful force there, because it's the most powerful force here.

If you want to read more reactions to the original post, it is archived here: http://archive.foolz.us/co/thread/58260677/

So what do you think of this theory? Does it hold up, or can you find some holes? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!