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S.T.A.R. Labs (Earth-1)

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"S.T.A.R. Labs. This place used to be so important. Tell me, what does one do after such a spectacular, public failure?"
"One adapts. One evolves. One becomes intent on reversing one's fortune."
"Always the idealist."
—Wade Eiling and Harrison Wells[src]

Scientific and Technological Advanced Research Laboratories,[1] or simply S.T.A.R. Labs, was a research and development company primarily located in University Town, Central City, founded by Eobard Thawne disguised as Harrison Wells.[2] It's greatest and most notable innovation - a next-gen particle accelerator which inadvertently released a massive dark matter wave that created numerous meta-humans. Its facilities since the accident are for the most part defunct, and the rest of them currently serve as a meta-human prison and as a base of operations for Team Flash.

In an alternate timeline named Flashpoint, Cisco Ramon had bought S.T.A.R. Labs and renamed it to Ramon Industries.

History[]

Founding[]

Harrison Wells showing Tess Morgan the drawing of the lab he envisioned

Harrison Wells' drawing of the lab he envisioned.

"Well, that is very, very sweet. But how about... 'Scientific and Technological Advanced Research Laboratories' or S.T.A.R. Labs, for short? Because in the vast night sky, you, Harrison Wells, are the only star I see."
—Tess Morgan to Harrison Wells[src]

In 2000, Dr. Harrison Wells and his fiancée, Tess Morgan, prepared to open their own lab. While out on the beach one day, Harrison sketched out the exterior of a design on a napkin. He then suggested as the name "T.E.S.S." for the lab, or "Technical Engineering Scientific Studies." Tess then replied by suggesting the name as, "Scientific Technological Advance Research Laboratories," or S.T.A.R. Labs as it is now commonly known.[1]

Original timeline[]

As described by Eobard Thawne, in the supposed original timeline, unaltered by him, the two scientists completed the construction of S.T.A.R. Labs and successfully launched the particle accelerator in 2020, changing the course of history. It didn't explode like the current timeline but was likely still the cause of Barry Allen getting struck by lightning and becoming the Flash.[1]

Wells and Tess' deaths[]

Unfortunately, before the couple could see their dream come true, the time-traveling Eobard Thawne orchestrated Tess' death in a car accident and then used a device to steal Harrison's likeness, killing him in the process. Although the couple did not live to see the lab at its prime, it did inherit both the name S.T.A.R. Labs and presumably the architectural structure Harrison had intended.[1]

Under Eobard Thawne[]

Protests against S.T.A.R. Labs and Dr

Protests against the particle accelerator launch.

Under Eobard Thawne's directorship in the guise of Harrison Wells, S.T.A.R. Labs developed a next-generation particle accelerator, which was publicly intended to create new methods of energy, scientific research, and medicine, and much more. Unfortunately, Wells (Thawne) secretly sabotaged the accelerator to detonate and create a giant wave of dark matter. Doing so, he created the Flash which was supposed to be a means to an end. The accelerator activated on December 11, 2013 and was heavily anticipated by many people, including Barry Allen. 45 minutes after it was turned on that it become unstable. The dark matter wave not only destroyed a large fraction of the facility itself, but the blast wave also caused the deaths of seventeen people and injured many more. It was later revealed that some who were exposed to the dark matter were knocked into comas and awoke with a unique set of superhuman abilities. These people were classified as "meta-humans" by Cisco Ramon.[3]

Close up of what's left of S.T.A.R

Close up of the crippled S.T.A.R. Labs after the malfunction of the particle accelerator

In the aftermath of the explosion, the lab was categorized as a class four hazardous location and has not been fully operational since. "Wells" has since lost his reputation as a scientist and dubbed a martyr; many meta-humans and people blamed him for what happened. Not only did "Wells" lose his reputation, he also pretended that he had lost the ability to walk in the explosion to prevent future suspicion that he was the Reverse-Flash or even a speedster for that matter. The company was in bad shape after the incident, unable to compete with other companies and went into both bankruptcy and a near full shutdown.[3]

The facility's cortex bridge was later renovated as a medical wing for Barry Allen. After Allen awoke and discovered that he became The Flash, the remaining employees at S.T.A.R. repurposed the cortex bridge and the main labs to serve as a base of operations for Barry's exploits as the Flash in exchange for hunting down any rogue meta-humans and using his powers to find new forms of medical redesigns and energy innovations. The destroyed particle accelerator's piping was then reused as a meta-human prison, now known as the Pipeline,[4] before the meta-humans were relocated for their safety due to the reactivation of the particle accelerator.[5]

Ownership passed to Barry Allen[]

After Eobard was erased from existence,[6] it was revealed that in the case of his death, he had left a living recorded will that would pass on ownership of S.T.A.R. Labs to Barry.[7]

Flashpoint timeline[]

S.T.A.R

S.T.A.R. Labs as 'Ramon Industries' in Flashpoint.

In the 'Flashpoint' timeline, S.T.A.R. Labs had been renamed "Ramon Industries," due to Cisco Ramon making lots of money from his meta-human app and buying out the building.[8] A notable difference is that a destroyed pylon, usually noticeable in most other episodes, is now intact, as is the Cortex itself. S.T.A.R. Labs in the Legion of Doom's alternate reality

Post-Flashpoint timeline[]

After Barry changed the timeline again while trying to fix what happened in "Flashpoint" S.T.A.R. Labs was restored but with an extra room was added to it known as the 'Speed Lab'.[9]

Some time after H.R. Wells joined Team Flash, he proposed renovating S.T.A.R. Labs as a museum to provide much needed income and to cover up the team's connection to the Flash.[10]

In early 2017, H.R. opened the museum, which didn't receive any visitors on opening night, the first two turning away after learning that there was no free admission. Cisco managed to remedy this setback by giving a discount to an elementary school.[11]

In late May 2017, Barry attempted to appeal to his future time remnant Savitar to come home. Instead, the time remnant Barry detonated the Philosopher's Stone, heavily damaging the building. However, the monitors were still operable during the Speed Force storm.

A portal then opened in front of S.T.A.R. labs and "Nora Allen" walked out of it and took Barry into the Speed Force with her, leaving the ownership of the laboratories unknown.

During Barry Allen's imprisonment in the Speed Force, Iris took over as leader of Team Flash and had S.T.A.R. Labs rebuilt with a new interior in the cortex and repairs on the outside of the building caused by the particle accelerator explosion three years earlier.

Potential futures[]

In a possible future, S.T.A.R. Labs had taken over all of Central City by 2147, according to Dr. Bryce of the Kasnia Conglomerate, something that has been happening all around the world since 2080, with whole nations being taken over by corporations.[12] Maybe this future will not be realized due to Vandal Savage not dominating the world in 2166.

In a possible future where Savitar killed Iris, Barry disbanded Team Flash and secluded himself in the building for years. The interior looks no different from when Savitar destroyed the rooms in May 2017.

In the future that Nora West-Allen comes from, the building of the S.T.A.R. Labs will be re-purposed into the Flash Museum, with the Speed Lab being turned into the Hall of Villains.

S.T.A.R

S.T.A.R. Labs hit by antimatter.

In yet another future seen via neural hyper-collider, S.T.A.R. Labs was shown to be hit by antimatter. This was attempted to be averted by having Barry sacrifice himself to save Earth-1; it was still restored on Earth-Prime.[13]

Rewritten reality[]

S.T.A.R

S.T.A.R. Labs' reactor in the Legion Of Doom's rewritten reality.

Doomworld STAR Labs reactor after the Spear of Destiny is destroyed

The reactor emits a beam.

When the Legion of Doom used the Spear of Destiny to rewrite reality to their whims, Thawne had it so S.T.A.R. Labs was in his full ownership and control. In the new reality, it was now a fully functional scientific installation that was successful and influential to the point that Thawne got regular phone calls from the president. Security around and inside the labs was also tight with guards armed with laser blasters. Its look was also altered to have a darker and more sinister appearance than before. In the main computer room, Thawne altered it to have a special cell where he kept Hunter Zolomon as his pet prisoner who constantly struggled to break free. Ray Palmer, Jefferson Jackson and Martin Stein were also made to be employees of these labs that answered to Thawne. Jax and Stein were working on building a new thermal reactor that would burn hotter than the sun which Thawne was hoping to use to destroy the spear to keep the new reality permanent.[14]

Elseworlds[]

In 2018, when the Monitor recovered the Book of Destiny from A.R.G.U.S. and returned it to John Deegan, the latter rewrote reality with, turning S.T.A.R. Labs into his personal headquarters, with Kara Danvers trapped in the Pipeline. Once Superman got his hands on the book, he restored reality, including S.T.A.R. Labs to normal.[15] One variation of S.T.A.R Labs was seen to have the House of El crest; another one briefly had a logo resembling that of a Nazi symbol.

Known employees[]

Current employees[]

Former employees[]

Rooms[]

The Cortex[]

The main hub of S.T.A.R. Labs, where the main computers are. Along with an emergency first aid station. Primarily manned by Cisco Ramone, who gives the rest of Team Flash intel over the comms. The Flash suit currently in-use is kept on a mannequin when Barry is visiting.

S.T.A.R. Labs basement[]

S.T.A.R. Labs has a basement. In it, there's a force-field generator, which the team used to trap the Reverse Flash with the Tachyon Prototype as the lure. Wells at some point after pulling himself into the field, ran to his secret room, put the suit on, came back, and while wearing the suit, was able to beat himself not wearing the suit, moving mind-bogglingly fast. Then, as the Reverse Flash, Wells grabs the device, also speeding back and forth to his original position repeatedly to generate a speed-mirage of Wells, and speeds it to his secret room, and reappears in the basement. He kills all the soldiers before they have time to move. He's whooshed out by the Flash, and while fighting him, is still bouncing back and forth from that position inside to make it look like Wells is still there while he fights Barry outside.

S.T.A.R

The basement in S.T.A.R. Labs.

Later, Cisco actives the Reverse Flash hologram. Wells catches Cisco and reveals himself as really being Eobard Thawne, a person from the future. He plows his arm through Cisco's chest, killing him, but Barry reversed time, altering this event. Cisco and Wells share similar experience here in the altered timeline, but this time, he doesn't kill Cisco. Barry, Cisco, Caitlin, Eddie and Joe set a trap for Eobard, with Cisco volunteering himself up as the bait. Cisco reverses the function of field to keep a speedster out. Eobard approaches Hannibal Bates and tells him that he will free him if he helps Eobard in tricking the team which involves him by playing Eobard. Bates accepts, Eobard gives him certain lines to rehearse, and lends him his wheelchair for the act, which Bates will use in the form of Eobard. Bates, acting as Eobard, comes in and speaks with Caitlin in the wheelchair who tells him that Cisco is in the basement trying to figure out what happened that night when the field malfunctioned. Bates confronts Cisco.

As instructed by Eobard, Bates tells Cisco that he's always thought he was "incredibly clever." Cisco says that Joe was right this whole time about him, and Bates says that from the very start, Joe sensed something was not right with him. Cisco says that he killed Barry's mother, and Bates, still acting as Eobard, states it was never his intent but that she was already dead from his perspective anyway and that her death didn't matter. As instructed by Eobard, Bates raises his hand in the same way Eobard did when he killed Cisco with it in his dream. Bates backs Cisco up into the field generator. Cisco activates the field, and Bates laughs and chortles, and as instructed by Eobard, says, "You're smart. You're smart, Cisco. But you're not that smart". As he says this, he, to Cisco's surprise, walks through the field. And before he can do anything to Cisco, Joe shoots him in the heart, killing him. But, to everyone's surprise, he was actually Hannibal Bates. And Eobard speaks to the team over the intercom.

The Time Vault[]

Wells' room as it appears on Cisco's 3D model

The Time Vault as it appears on Cisco's 3D model of S.T.A.R. Labs.

Named the "Time Vault" by Cisco, Eobard tucked this room away in S.T.A.R. Labs where he hid his Reverse-Flash suit and where he stored Gideon. This room appeared on Cisco's 3D schematic model of S.T.A.R. Labs.[16] In an altered reality it was known as the Fortress of Solitude and was used by John Deegan/Superman to store the Book of Destiny.

The Morgue[]

S.T.A.R

The Morgue.

Named the "morgue" by Cisco, the storage room serves as a place to store the bodies of all the dead meta-humans such as Multiplex, Blackout, or Girder. As observed by Iris, Thawne also performed a few dissections on some of these metas. When the particle accelerator exploded again, Girder was resurrected and broke out from the morgue, hunting Cisco and Iris.

The Speed lab[]

One of the changes in the Post-Flashpoint Timeline is the addition of the Speed Lab. This room has a tunnel like track meant to train speedsters, as well as a treadmill for speedsters. In the center of the room is a series of computers designed to monitor the speedster in question's vitals and speed. This room was introduced after the return of Harry and Jesse.[9]

The Med-Lab[]

One of the changes in the Post-Flashpoint Timeline is the conversion of the Medical bay. Formerly, it was one of the side rooms in the Cortex, then the room that Barry used to train in with the Cosmic Treadmill, was converted into a much larger medical bay to treat any injuries that Team Flash had.

Cisco's workshop[]

Cisco Ramon uses this room to come up with ideas and build new things.

S.T.A.R. Labs particle accelerator[]

After the particle accelerator blew up, it was abandoned for nine months. Eventually, it was turned into a makeshift prison, for holding meta-human prisoners. After the singularity was destroyed, Cisco helped build meta-human cells in Iron Heights, so the Pipeline was no longer used as specifically as a prison. At one point, Eobard Thawne used the accelerator as a hideout.

The Lounge[]

Star Labs has a Lounge room that Nora West-Allen stays at. Joe West goes there a lot to have a nap. Harrison Sherloque Wells then uses it as a place to sleep when staying on Earth-1 to catch Cicada.

Team Flash had no clue about it; even Caitlin and Cisco, original employees hired by Eobard Thawne/Fake Harrison Wells.

Starchives[]

The Starchives is a storage unit owned by S.T.A.R. Labs. After Barry Allen became the Flash, Team Flash began using the Starchives as storage for everything Flash-related. After Eobard Thawne was erased from the timeline by Eddie's suicide, they stored the Time Sphere there. They also stored the B.O.O.T. and Speed Force bazooka.

Appearances[]

Arrow[]

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

Season 6

Season 7

Season 8


The Flash[]

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

Season 6

Season 7

Season 8

Season 9


DC's Legends of Tomorrow[]

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3


Vixen[]

Season 1[]

Season 2[]

Supergirl[]

Season 1[]

Season 3[]

Season 4[]

Season 5[]

Chronicles of Cisco[]

Stretched Scene[]

Freedom Fighters: The Ray[]

Season 1[]

Batwoman[]

Season 1[]

Comics[]

The Flash: Season Zero[]


Novels[]

The Chronicles of Cisco[]


Gallery[]

Other versions

Rooms


Trivia[]

  • In
  • S.T.A.R. Labs owns at least one van with the license plate which reads "STAR 52".[17][18]
  • According to Barry Allen, S.T.A.R. Labs doesn't exist on Earth-38.[19]
    • However, during the evacuation of Earth-38, the heroes were once seen fighting on a building that had a background much like the top of S.T.A.R. Labs; or, it may just be a choice of location/filming.[20]
  • H.R. Wells converting the building into a museum is a likely reference and possible precursor to the Flash Museum seen in the comics and briefly glimpsed as a Speed Force vision in "Fast Enough".
    • In Season 5, the museum is confirmed to exist in the future at S.T.A.R. Labs, as seen in a flashback from "The Death of Vibe".
  • In "Flashpoint", Ramon Industries was revealed to be the S.T.A.R. Labs building that always looks partially destroyed when seen due to the particle accelerator explosion; it is completely intact in this reality.
    • The Ramon Industries building also bears resemblance to Thawne's S.T.A.R. Labs building in "Doomworld", possibly from reusing footage from this episode.
    • In the rewritten reality created by the Legion of Doom, the S.T.A.R. Labs reactor bears a striking resemblance to the Legion's headquarters, the Hall of Doom, in the series Challenge of the Superfriends (which the Legion was invented for).
  • S.T.A.R. Labs has its own hall which resembles the Hall of Justice from the DC comics.
  • It's never explained how S.T.A.R. labs is funded after the particle accelerator explosion, given the bad press. Though according to H.R. Wells, Cisco Ramon and Caitlin Snow aren't paid well enough to afford decent meals along with their apartments, despite the fact that they are the only employees left.
    • Iris mentions in "The Death of Vibe" that they would have to sell some of S.T.A.R. labs' stock to pay Sherloque Wells; implying the lab is funded by how the stock market is doing.
  • In "The Flash is Born", Joe West states that S.T.A.R. Labs was opened a month after Nora Allen's murder. However, "Tricksters" shows that Harrison and Tess still lived in Starling City after Nora's murder and that S.T.A.R. Labs was merely an idea at that point, so it's doubtful S.T.A.R. Labs could have been opened in Central City just a month later.

Behind the scenes[]

  • In the DC comics, S.T.A.R. Labs is usually where Superman's research or works with Dr. Emil Hamilton take place.
  • The toys-to-life video game LEGO Dimensions included The Flash easter egg in the fifth level of the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them story pack where players can access to a secret TARDIS area that takes them to S.T.A.R. Labs.

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Tricksters"
  2. ↑ "Gorilla Warfare"
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Pilot"
  4. ↑ "Things You Can't Outrun"
  5. ↑ "Rogue Air"
  6. ↑ "Fast Enough"
  7. ↑ "The Man Who Saved Central City"
  8. ↑ "Flashpoint"
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Magenta"
  10. ↑ "Shade"
  11. ↑ "Borrowing Problems from the Future"
  12. ↑ "Progeny"
  13. ↑ "A Flash of the Lightning"
  14. ↑ "Doomworld"
  15. ↑ "Elseworlds, Part 3"
  16. ↑ "Who is Harrison Wells?"
  17. ↑ "The Nuclear Man"
  18. ↑ "Fallout"
  19. ↑ "Worlds Finest"
  20. ↑ "Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part One"
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